Readers will certainly spot the glorious beast, plus an array of big-city icons they can count. Is the dragon taking the crosstown bus, or breathing his fiery breath below a busy street? Maybe he took a taxi to the zoo or is playing with the dogs in the park.

    . . .As a panda in a blouse, a skunk on a trunk, and more hop on board, it becomes clear that what this story really needs is a bigger boat! Join Pig on an exciting boat ride as she discovers that life is more fun with friends in this fantastic funny read-aloud with cumulative text from author-illustrator Emma J. Virján.The "What This Story Needs..." books are bright and lively and inspire giggles. "A story with echoes of Seuss and Willems," School Library Journal said in a starred review of What This Story Needs Is a Hush and a Shush.

    Off they march to show Turtle! The parade continues as every animal brightens the day of a grumpy friend. An irresistible celebration of friendship, sharing, and fabulous hats.

    Where are they going? Read and find out!This engaging picture book is just right for the youngest reader and is a perfect choice for story time and bedtime sharing.Up and down, over and under, through and around . . . five big and brightly colored elephants are on a mission in this picture book for young children by Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes. Where are they going? What will they do when they get there? It’s a surprise!With a text shimmering with repetition and rhythm, bright pastel illustrations, large and readable type, and an adorable parade of elephants, Kevin Henkes introduces basic concepts such as numbers, shapes, adjectives, adverbs, and daytime and nighttime. A Parade of Elephants is an ALA Notable Book and an excellent choice for story time as well as bedtime sharing.

    But just before she takes the first bite, DING DONG! Her friend Woodrow (a woodchuck) drops by. LouAnn is happy to share her doughnuts, but as soon as she and Woodrow sit down to eat, DING DONG! Clyde (a raccoon) is at the door. One by one, LouAnn's friends come over--Topsy (an opossum) and then Moufette (a skunk) and then Chip and Chomp (chipmunks)--until it's one big party. LouAnn welcomes her surprise guests and makes batch after batch of doughnuts, always dividing them equally among her friends. But she makes one BIG miscalculation. Soon LouAnn's kitchen is bare, winter is near, and she's had nothing to eat at all!

    Did I put them in my box?” Simple rhymes—including socks, box, fox, and ox!—spin the tale of a small duck who waddles through the countryside, forlornly searching for his blue socks. “I’m trying not to be depressed. / Without my socks I feel undressed.” Finally, a sharp-eyed peacock sees a bit of blue peeking out of duck’s lace-up shoes and the mini-mystery is solved! Soft-hued, adorable pen-and-ink and watercolor paintings adorn this winsome story that shares the familiar experience of not really losing something after all.

    But when a small, scared crow falls from midair, Scarecrow does the strangest thing. . . .Bestselling author Beth Ferry and the widely acclaimed Fan Brothers present this tender and affectionate tale that reminds us of the comforting power of friendship and the joy of helping others.

    Can you imagine that many of anything?The playful illustrations from New York Times–bestselling artist Isabel Greenberg and the friendly, straightforward voice of author Seth Fishman illuminate some of the biggest numbers in the universe—a hundred billion trillion stars—and the smallest—one unique and special YOU. Here is a book for story time, for science time, for math time, for bedtime, and all the times in between.Perfect for curious children, classrooms eager for STEM content, and readers who have devoured Ada Twist, Scientist and How Much Is a Million?

    With rhyming text, lift-the-flaps and peekaboo holes, and a surprise search-and-find element, this is a read-aloud delight and preschool must-have.* Engaging, rewarding, and utterly delightful.--Kirkus, starred reviewIndie Next List pick CCBC Choices selection

    Off flies the fly! The teasing insect easily misses the rhino’s roll, squash, roll and the tiger’s swat, swoop, snatch too. Michael Rosen’s simple language is a joy to read aloud, while Kevin Waldron’s whimsical images match his playful rhythm beat for beat, offering a fly’s-eye view of each favorite animal before revealing the energized creature in full. How will this gently suspenseful adventure end? Fly, fly, fly!

    The night is resonant until . . . a car splashes down the street and all the frogs, from ten down to one, are hushed! Shirley Parenteau offers a joyfully cacophonous counting-up and counting-down story, vibrantly illustrated by Cynthia Jabar.

    Red’s a hothead who likes to pick on Blue. Yellow, Orange, Green, and Purple don’t like what they see, but what can they do? When no one speaks up, things get out of hand—until One comes along and shows all the colors how to stand up, stand together, and count. As budding young readers learn about numbers, counting, and primary and secondary colors, they also learn about accepting each other's differences and how it sometimes just takes one voice to make everyone count.

    Roars the little lion cub."Who will play with me?1 red monkey rushes up a tree.Poor little lion cub! All he wants is someone to play with, but he is simply too noisy. As the little lion cub Roars his way across the grassland, young picture-book readers can count the African animals,identify them by color...and Roars along too.This rollicking, Roaring poem, about a rambunctious little lion cub, is a collaboration of the talented author and illustrator team Pamela Duncan Edwards and Henry Cole.Children's Pick of the Lists 2000 (ABA)

    beware! But, somehow, Hoot Owl's prey keeps escaping... Hmmm, perhaps he isn't quite as masterful as he believes. Will he ever succeed in catching himself some dinner?

    From bestselling duo Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham comes a kitty and unicorn story that celebrates the magic of friendship—and being exactly who you want to be! Kitty thinks she might be a unicorn. She feels so perfectly unicorn-y! “Neigh!” says Kitty. But when Unicorn clop clop clops over, sweeping his magnificent tail and neighing a mighty neigh, Kitty feels no bigger than a ball of lint.Can this unlikely pair embrace who they are, and truly see one another?