until, at last, he falls asleep.

    It's just proper enough for a straight-laced boy like him. And when he asks his father if he may have one (please and thank you), his father says yes. Elliot should have realized that Dad probably thought he meant a stuffed penguin and not a real one . . . Clever illustrations and a wild surprise ending make this sly, silly tale of friendship and wish fulfillment a kid-pleaser from start to finish.

    . . and everyone knows what happens next! By the time the sun comes out to dry up all the rain, the Eensy Weensy Spider has freaked out over her washout, big-time! "There's no way I'm climbing back up that gutter!" she says. Eensy has lost her climbing courage, but with the help of her best ladybug friend, Polly, she begins to take on bigger and bigger climbing challenges until she's rewarded with the most spectacular view of outer space that any bug has ever seen! Hilarious text and a retro, graphic art style take this popular nursery rhyme to new heights. There's also a fun size chart on the end pages for kids to track Eensy's progress as she tackles taller and taller objects. Spin-offs of children's songs and nursery rhymes are very popular with kids, parents, and teachers!

    But what's this? A feather floating in the soup! And where's Max? Brody the dog, Dakota the cat, and Bebe the bird race about in their hilarious search for the missing Max. But remember, sometimes things just aren't as they appear.

    She says she would like one more than anything you could think of. "More than a squirrel or an actual fox," she says. Sometimes she pretends to be a dog. And sometimes she pretends that her brother, Charlie, is a dog. The two of them love to talk about what sort of dog they would choose if Mom and Dad didn't always say, "ABSOLUTELY NO DOGS!" Dad says he'll take Lola to the pet store to choose a rabbit, but Lola insists that she only wants a dog, an extremely furry dog with a wiggly nose, a puffy tail, and nice ears. . . . Fans old and new will cotton to this humorous Charlie and Lola adventure sure to please any child who ever longed for the ideal pet.

    When Ben's cat disappears into the gutter of the book, Bella joins in the search-and-rescue mission. But when the helpers disappear one after another, Ben realizes it's up to him to set things right. Cleverly using the physicality of the book, This book just stole my cat! is kid-friendly fun!

    From the stage to the red carpet, the skies to the sea, Hamweenie believes, without a doubt, that he will be the greatest star the world has ever seen. The horrors of reality, alas, befall him: a beautiful apartment, a loving little girl, his every need fulfilled to excess. His treats are simply too delicious. His pillows? Beyond luxurious. Such torture! Hamweenie must escape! But with his wretchedly wonderful owner appearing at every turn, will he ever make it out of the apartment? From debut author and illustrator Patty Bowman comes a picture book about the secret life of cats and about dreaming big--no matter what your species.

    So they thought they'd hunt dragon, and then tie it to their wagon, take it home and chop it up, and make dragon stew! But when the Vikings set off to find their dragon, they get a BIG surprise...Hilarious, rhyming story from the award-winning author, Steve Smallman. The quirky, detailed artwork by Lee Wildish, illustrator of Charlie's Superhero Underpants, will entertain children for hours. With an amusing surprise ending, this is the perfect story to read aloud to youngsters.

    But in this book, it's also true that a cow can result in both a bottle of milk and a painting of a cow, and an ape in a jungle may become an urban King Kong. Just as day turns into night and back again, a many-tiered cake is both created and eaten down to a single piece. Each spread or sequence of spreads explores a before and after.

    He would also like to chase Bird and maybe eat him as a tasty snack. But that's not what friendship is all about...is it?With the same loveable character and bright, graphic illustrations as Max the Brave, Max and Bird is sure to delight young readers and adults alike.Praise for Max the Brave: "A cat-and-mouse game to be laughed at and reread." --Kirkus "Full of playful humor...enhanced by the humorous text, character expressions, and a not-scary monster to boot. VERDICT Highly recommended." --School Library Journal "Both the punchy text and illustrations command attention, and plenty of readers will get a kick out of feeling superior to Max" --Publishers Weekly

    But what if somebody’s taste in pets runs to the more mechanical kind? What about those who like cogs and gears more than feathers and fur? People who prefer the call of a train whistle to the squeal of a guinea pig? Or maybe dream of a smudge of soot on their cheek, not slobber? In this spectacularly illustrated picture book, kids who love locomotives (and what kid doesn’t?) will discover where trains live, what they like to eat, and the best train tricks around—everything it takes to lay the tracks for a long and happy friendship. All aboard!

    Fix-It Duck!He's got his tools. He's smart-he's strong. What can possibly go wrong?But Duck is up to his old tricks. Now who'll end up in a fix?Jez Alborough's inimitable Duck first appeared in Duck in the Truck.

    His mommy says there is a better way. What is it? Beginning readers will learn proper manners with Alfie as his mommy teaches him to say the magic words.

    One magpie,lots of stuff,and a few friendly miceshow us that less ismore.This innovative and spare picture book asks the question: When is MORE more thanenough? Can a team of well-intentioned mice save their friend from hoarding toomuch stuff? With breathtaking illustrations from the award-winning Brian Lies, thisbook about conservation wraps an important message in a beautiful package.