Tate’s class listen, they learn how bees work to produce honey and make food and flowers grow. Bees count—they’re important to us all. Alison Formento’s gentle message is illustrated with Sarah Snow’s bright, realistic papercuts.

    But Little Duck has never had a birthday before—so how better to learn how to prepare than to do what all the other animals do! The sheep trim their wool—so Little Duck trims her feathers. The pigs need a mud bath—so Little Duck quish and quashes, too. All over the barnyard Little Duck snips, slurps, squishes, and shimmy shakes herself ready until...WHOOPS! It’s party picture time—and Little Duck is a big mess. No matter—it’s not something Farmer Brown’s frosted maple cake can’t fix!

    Valeri Gorbachev’s adorable artwork pairs beautifully with Sandra Horning’s charming text, and makes for a fun, funny, and educational read-aloud. An unexpected twist at the end will delight readers and have kids asking for this book again and again.

    Poetic prose paired with evocative illustrations by Mexican illustrator Claudia Navarro make for a beautiful celebration of life and a gentle introduction to the death of a loved one.

    Because I Am Your Daddy is a great read-aloud book at storytime or a soothing book at bedtime, and an ideal gift for new fathers on Father’s Day.F&P level: K   Praise for Because I Am Your Daddy "Daddy/daughter bedtime reading doesn't get any cozier. The text is accompanied by Hall's fun and stylishly retro watercolors." -BookPage"This selection is a perfect Father's Day pick." -School Library Journal"Hall's airy, retro-flavored watercolors depict the father's artfully exaggerated roles. A stylish depiction of fatherly devotion." -Publishers Weekly"The loving bond between parent and child is at the core of the story, and the joy is as much in the hugs as in the imaginative play." -Booklist"Hall's simply gorgeous retro-styled watercolors depicting a dad with his dark-haired daughter and her dolly go to town with each premise--the image of the three of them surfing is nothing short of breathtaking in its jewel-toned splashy motion." -Kirkus reviewsAlso available by Sherry North and Marcellus HallPraise for Because You Are My Baby“Rhythms reminiscent of those in Margaret Wise Brown’s Runaway Bunny . . . The sentimental text is balanced by simple geometric shapes that evoke rockets, sea life, and airplanes adventuring happily together in uncluttered spreads.” —Booklist “Wry but always inviting images . . . lifts a familiar premise far above the ordinary.” —Publishers Weekly  Also available from Marcellus HallPraise for City I Love [STAR] “Many added layers of narrative delight as well as beautiful colors and an eye-catching sense of design . . . This book is really special, a global tour de force.” —School Library Journal, starred review [STAR] “Hall’s watercolor urban scenes capture the big city’s scale while depicting both its bustle and its quieter corners.” —Kirkus, starred reviewF&P level: Z

    "Let's pretend we're hunting Easter eggs!" Lucy says. "What are Easter eggs?" Thomas wonders. In The Legend of the Easter Egg, young Thomas learns the deeper meaning behind Easter eggs and the Easter story itself. When his older sister Lucy falls sick, Thomas goes to stay with John and Mary Sonneman at their candy store. But all the candy he could desire does not cure Thomas's aching heart. Only when Mary Sonneman shares with him the story of Easter does he understand the hope he has -- and what he can do about his sister's illness. Featuring the beloved setting and characters from the best-selling Legend of the Candy Cane, this moving story takes us deeper into the mystery of Christianity. Dramatic illustrations by James Bernardin underscore the chilling fear of separation and death -- and the dazzling joy of reunion and new life.

    In this board book, readers will see him deliriously emoting at the thought of driving a plane, a train, a car, and more, all in his uproariously over-the-top style.

    He's lost his T-R-U-C-K! And no matter what Mom, Dad, sis, brother, and Grandma offer, it's just not as fun as his best red truck. The family dog isn't as picky, and sharp-eyed readers will wonder what happens to the cast-off toys Bowser gets his mouth around. Meanwhile, Tommy tears through the house and yard to hilarious and poignant effect, only to discover, in a grand moment of triumph, sneaky Bowser's secret stash. Hooray! Tommy's found his T-R-U-C-K! Come on Bowser, let's go play!A welcome addition to the community of strong-willed but endearing picture-book protagonists, Tommy proves you can be in a funk and still be a sweet kid.

    All she knows is that she wants a new soccer ball that costs $24.95. The fastest way to that $24.95 is going into sales, but what to sell?All her belongings? Not much of a market for those.Birdie needs something that she has in abundance and that everyone needs. So when she sees everyone in her neighborhood working on their yards, she realizes she's hit pay dirt. Literally!Soon Birdie is raking in the dough, with profits of all varieties: quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies, even dollar bills! Now she can buy that soccer ball, but does her business plan have any holes?

    "I'm going to sell the General Store and head South."Mr. Whiskers can't believe his ears. He knows Seth's been feeling lonely recently, but no Easter egg hunt...suffering codfish! And besides, without Seth around, who will he beat at checkers on Saturday nights?Mr. Whiskers realizes something must be done, but what? Just when things look their worst, his young friend Maggie come up with a plan that may save the egg hunt, and convince Seth that Cranberryport is the place for him afterall!

    W. Alley?s warm and silly illustrations, this picture book is a fun and reassuring way to tell kids about what police offi - cers do.?With a well-crafted text spiced with sound effects, this appealing picture book is highly recommended.?? Booklist, starred review for Red Truck

    When the storm quiets, his aunt Rachel decides to take him on a walk to see the beauty of the natural world at night. Over his Godzilla pj's goes his rain slicker; onto his feet go his monster boots, and together he and Rachel head down the rocky path to the sea. On the way they discover many marvels--a screech owl calling to its mate, ghost crabs tunneling in the sand, and most incredibly, the luminous life that lights up the water. When they find a tiny firefly who has lost its way, they bring it home and release it back into the woods. At last, Rachel tucks Roger into bed, telling him he is "nature's brave protector." An afterword introducing young readers to Rachel Carson, and explaining bioluminiscence, adds to the appeal of the book.

    When his grandson reports that the cows have gotten loose, Grandpa calmly makes breakfast because he knows the kids are trying to play an April Fool's trick. Full color.

    In America, Sakura misses the blossoming cherry tree where she and her grandmother would play and picnic. How will she feel at home in this new and unfamiliar place? What if she forgets the beloved grandmother she left behind? Making friends with her neighbour helps Sakura feel more settled and when springtime finally arrives, a gorgeous and fateful surprise awaits her.Sakura's Cherry Blossoms captures the beauty of the healing power of friendship through Weston's Japanese poetry-inspired text and Saburi's breathtaking illustrations.

    She spends her days playing with her brother, Joe. But Joe gets to ride a bicycle, and Louise Belinda doesn't. In fact, Joe issues a solemn warning: If girls ride bikes, their faces will get so scrunched up, eyes bulging from the effort of balancing, that they'll get stuck that way FOREVER! Louise Belinda is appalled by this nonsense, so she strikes out to discover the truth about this so-called "bicycle face." Set against the backdrop of the women's suffrage movement, Born to Ride is the story of one girl's courageous quest to prove that she can do everything the boys can do, while capturing the universal freedom and accomplishment children experience when riding a bike.