Never hug anyone too tight—ouch! And don’t hug too many people at once—uh-oh! You can be a leg hugger or a bear hugger or a surprise hugger. If you don’t want a hug, it’s okay to say so. But if you learn how to give a hug and do it just right, you might get one back...so be ready! Jana Christy’s digital illustrations provide a charming twist to something everyone loves to do.

    It was unlike any other garden she knew. It had no flowers or vegetables. Instead, Ojiichan made it out of stones: “big ones, little ones and ones in-between.” Every summer, Mayumi visits her grandfather in Japan, and they tend the garden together. Raking the gravel is her favorite part. Afterward, the two of them sit on a bench and enjoy the results of their efforts in happy silence. But then one summer, everything changes. Ojiichan has grown too old to care for his home and the garden. He has to move. Will Mayumi find a way to keep the memory of the garden alive for both of them? This gentle picture book story will warm children's hearts as it explores a deep intergenerational bond and the passing of knowledge from grandparent to grandchild over time. The lyrical text by Chieri Uegaki and luminous watercolor illustrations by Genevieve Simms beautifully capture the emotional arc of the story, from Mayumi's contentment through her anger and disappointment to, finally, her acceptance. The story focuses on an important connection to nature, particularly as a place for quiet reflection. It contains character education lessons on caring, responsibility, perseverance and initiative. It's also a wonderful way to introduce social studies conversations about family, aging and multiculturalism. Mayumi lives in North America with her Japanese mother and Dutch father, and visits her grandfather in Japan. Some Japanese words are included.

    If not for you… I just wouldn’t have a clue. If not for you… What would I do? In this inventive interpretation of Bob Dylan’s 1970 song “If Not for You,” illustrator David Walker beautifully imagines Dylan’s lyrics as portraying the bottomless love between a parent and a child—and the magical experiences they might share together.

    Illustrated by the masterful Ryoji Arai, the calm is shattered when the wind picks up and lightning cuts the sky. Yet out of this turbulence, the day blooms bright, the flowers open, and raindrops roll and drip down to the forest floor. The sun sets. The moon rises, and in a pool of water we see its reflection. We go to sleep with the forest, sinking into the pool, into the calm reflection of the moon. Harmonizing our human experience to the natural world, Arai invites the reader to hold imaginative space for our oneness with the natural world.

    No matter what he does, he just can't shake it! Sometimes the only thing left to do is wash the grumpy day away and start over. The simple text and lively illustrations are the perfect cure for even the grumpiest of days.

    With a text of few words, frequent repetitions, and delicate illustrations with which children will quickly identify, the book follows a young child's discovery of other creatures. This discovery comes with the recognition that while other creatures can suddenly appear they can also go away and disappear just as quickly. But the delightful appearance of a dad and his playful swoop of his toddler up onto his shoulders will remind little ones that the people who love them will always be there and will never, ever not come back.Hatsue Nakawaki is a prolific author of children's books.Komako Sakai was born in Hyogo, Japan, in 1966. After graduating from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Sakai worked at a kimono textile design company. She is currently one of the most popular authors and illustrators in Japan. Her books Emily's Balloon and The Snow Day have been published in the United States and were received with starred reviews and much acclaim.

    J. D. Lester’s funny nicknames come to life with Hiroe Nakata’s endearing, colorful artwork, resulting in a board book that is sweet, adorable, and fun—perfect for all new mommies and their babies to share.

    . . tickle more! Shout less . . . sing more! Worry less . . . wonder more!With a cheerful message about sharing, giving, and being kind to others, Get Happy will show any child how to turn a frown into a giggle, spread the joy around, and live life to the fullest. Perfect for the youngest of readers, it won't be long before everyone knows how to get happy!

    Seen by million of youngsters across the world in his videos, now you can see what he does while he dreams! Blippi is an energetic and loveable character that jumps off the screen in his videos with his goofy mannerisms but friendly demeanor. With millions of views on his educational videos, children from the ages of 2 to 6 years old across the world have quickly taken a liking to Blippi’s charismatic personality and innovative teaching lessons. Having great success with making learning fun in his videos, Blippi has decided to make reading fun!

    Zonk is at it again, with his taking-over-the-world schemes, and this time he’s really outdone himself, or so he thinks! Mr. Zonk creates an army of Crumb Crunching Cookie Monsters to eat not only Olga’s Dreamy Berry Cookies, but ALL of the cookies in all of Cutie Patootie Land! OH NO!! How will the girls stop them before it’s too late!? Will Olga and her friends find a way to stop the Crumb Crunching Cookie Monsters from ruining the fair, and still enter the contest? Will the Crumb Crunching Cookie Monsters eat ALL the Dreamy Berry Cookies? Will the little Crumb Crunchers eat ALL the cookies in Cutie Patootie Land? Will Mr. Zonk actually take over the world? ˃˃˃ Find out when Heidi, Arika, and Olga set out on another wild and crazy adventure as they team up once again to rescue Cutie Patootie Land from the sinister plots of Mr. Zonk. A new wild and wacky adventure - The Dreamy Berry Cookie Contest ˃˃˃ What Others Are Saying: 5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome, radically cool, cute book July 15, 2013 By Soleil "This book was lively and fun. It was full of vibrant colors in the pictures, and cool characters. I AM TELLING YOU NOW GET THIS BOOK!!!!!" 5.0 out of 5 stars The Cutest Book Ever May 30, 2013 By Trina Nguyen -"I'm an adult who finds this book an absolute delight to read. The story and illustrations are exciting, fun and so entertaining. A must read for all girls! I can't wait to read another book by this creative and unknown writer."5.0 out of 5 stars FUN STORY! July 30, 2013 By Joyce L. Mitchell - "FUN story on a super cute planet called Cutie Patootie Face. Very creative and the illustrations are adorable. Kids at my house loved it, especially the ten-year old." Scroll Up, Look Inside, and GRAB A CUTIE COPY TODAY!

    An adorable picture book about a tiny monster with a big heart trying to follow in his family's footsteps.All great Kaiju are born with a super power to strike fear in the heart of the city.But Anzu is different.Instead of mayhem, he likes May flowers.Instead of striking fear, he prefers to be sincere.Can Anzu find a way to make his family proud and stay true to his kind self?From Disney animator and illustrator Bensom Shum comes an adorable and heartwarming picture book about making your own way and the unexpected power of gentleness—perfect for fans of Ferdinand the Bull.

    Children join a boy and girl on thrilling adventures as they imagine themselves as a space-travelling astronaut, a ferocious dragon, a jungle-dwelling monkey and more.

    This debut picture book from Aaron Meshon includes audio and is a home run—don’t be surprised if the vivid illustrations and energetic text leave you shouting, “LET’S PLAY YAKYU!”

    Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said:"Apple Juice, Orange Juice, Gooseberry Pies --Monkey needs some exercise!"Sleepy little monkeys everywhere will clap, stomp, shake, and cheer -- while chanting this rhythmic, energetic dance song based on a popular playground game. And as they move their heads, hands, hips, and feet -- everyone will be bursting with clapping energy -- and ready to start a new day!With humor, high energy, and Bill Martin Jr's trademark rhythm and rhyme, young readers will learn to name parts of the body. And the book makes a perfect exercise warm-up to start off a busy day of school!

    But then that frog (who’s sleeping on a log) is in for a similar surprise! He’s attacked by a cat…who needs to jump away from a dog…and on it goes, until not even a shark is free from getting a little fright! Building on repetition that’s fun to read and fun to listen to, Jump! is a rip-roaring, read-aloud with simple rhymes and lively illustrations that leap off the pages.