Rufus the fox is up to something. He runs across the meadow as fast as lightning, sneaks up to Babette like a thief in the night, and roars like a lion. Babette, mad as a hornet, chases Rufus all over town. But is Rufus being chased or is he actually leading Babette to a surprise destination? Rufus sure is crazy--crazy like a fox! Sure to make the reader as happy as a clam, this bright simile story also includes a clear explanation of similes and shows how to include similes in a story.

     The story of an immigrant family alone in a big city. Close-ups of a mother, a son -- faces filled with heartache and joy. Plenty of action. Excitement. Melodrama. A Silent Movie.

    "I wish I were just like you," says the rabbit to the pig. "I wish I were just like you," says the pig to the rabbit. As the friends use paintbrushes and a few props to adjust tails, ears and noses, something soon becomes clear: they liked each other better before. "I am me and you are you ... that's why we love each other, me and you!?This gentle celebration of friendship and individuality by award-winning writer and illustrator Geneviève Côté will reassure young readers that they are loved and special as themselves. It's a book with all-ages appeal and an ideal gift for a child --- or a best friend.

    With a flick of his tail, the cat casts a spell and the barnyard is turned upside-down. The chickens are oinking, the sheep are barking, and the sheepdog can only let out a confused "Baa?" It's not long before the animals figure out who's to blame...Emma Dodd's bright, bold illustrations bring this farm full of very confused animals to life, and her hilarious rhyming text is sure to send young readers giggling (and mooing, and cock-a-doodle-dooing!).

    Today is her first day of school, and her very first ride on a school bus. Waiting at the bus stop with her older friend Gus, Tess eagerly asks, "Is this the bus for us, Gus?" as each vehicle passes by. From fire engine to front loader, Suzanne Bloom introduces young readers to a variety of vehicles through a simple text and spirited illustrations.

    Schulz's PEANUTS!

    But as this cheerful book demonstrates, they can also be tons of fun! From canoeing down the river to getting chased by bees to telling ghost stories around the campfire, the reunion is filled with adventures for the whole family, even the pets! But when the vacation comes to an end, will everyone be able to keep the memories they've shared?With sunny illustrations by Sara Palacios, Marc Harshman's winsome story evokes all the joys of summer vacation and family togetherness.

    Free and independent despite his young age and the tube around his waist, the boy gives himself over to the ocean and the pleasures to be had at water’s edge. Throughout, the boy's connection to the beach through his feet—the feel of sand, shells, water—is never lost. Unusual perspectives and a pitch-perfect voice make this a standout.Kiyomi Konagaya was born in 1936 in Shizuoka, Japan. At university, he studied English literature and published his poetry in literary magazines. After graduation, he took a job at an advertising agency. In 1977 he won the prestigious Mr. H Award (for new poets) for Little Voyage 26. He also won the twenty-first Takami Jun Prize in 1991, and the twenty-fifth Contemporary Poetry Award in 2007.Masamitsu Saito was born in 1958 in a seaside town along Kujyukuri Beach in Chiba, so he grew up to the sound of waves. He studied graphic design at Tama Art University. His work can be found in magazines and books, as well as on chocolate packages.

     Trucks bring blocks, books and bulldozers, dolls and socks." Through mountains and flatlands, past deserts and towns, the trucks are rolling! With its rhyming text and bold illustrations, Trucks Roll! invites kids along on a day in a trucker's life and shows that many things we enjoy depend on the trucker's work.

    What's a girl to do? Well, this girl isn't waiting. While Mama tends to other things, Sammy straps on the skates. First she glides down the hallway. Then she tries the sidewalk. Next, she ventures a bit farther down the street. She’s doing great!  But when she finds herself cresting Hawthorn Hill, it's too late to stop--  Samantha is on a roll!

    Dressed in their best bathing suits and swimming accessories, the adorable ducks waddle, bounce, and splash. Count from 1 to 10 as each duck approaches the pool! The soft padded covers, rounded corners and sturdy board pages make this title a perfect fit for preschoolers!

    In Steel Town, it's always raining... In Steel Town, the mills blaze all day and all night, making steel and even more steel to be shipped over the Magic Mountains, down the Pitch-Black River, and far, far away. The men who work in the mills work as hard as the machines that make the steel, never stopping. But when the men go home at night, a different side of Steel Town emerges -- one filled with music and neighbors, pierogies and spaghetti, churches and front porches. This gritty yet poetic world is brought to life through Jonah Winter's lyrical, rhythmic text and Terry Widener's luscious, nocturnal illustrations, whose massive figures glow with the few lights that shine through this darkness. This is a portrait of an imaginary town derived from the very real American steel towns of the 1930s, when the sky was often black as night all day and the cavernous mills belched out fire and smoke. Here is a journey to a town that time has not forgotten, just misplaced: Steel Town.

    But when the box arrives, the hat inside is very plain. She had imagined a wonderful hat with big colorful flowers and even tries to make her own hat from a straw basket! Jennie is almost ready to give up on her dream when she receives a fanciful surprise from some very special friends. Ezra Jack Keats's timelessly charming illustrations will leave readers wishing for a dream hat of their own.

    Each responds differently, with a shape, color, smell, texture, or idea. Each page displays a visual and tactile palette of cutouts, textures, colors. It is a sensory experience that makes the invisible experiential, ending with the wind as the pages fly.A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, Anne Herbauts expresses an original world in each of her books. Awake to the richness of the world, endlessly curious, and rigorous in her work, Anne has written and illustrated over twenty books.

     It's Mother Pig's birthday, and her son has sneaked out of the pen to find a gift before she wakes up. Little Pig spies a great one-a pretty flower-but just as he is about to pluck it, a bee buzzes up and begs him not to. Little Pig cheerfully leaves the flower and searches for another gift, but each one he sees-fresh hay, shiny seeds, and even a lump of dirt-belongs to someone else in the farmyard. Little Pig's basket is empty, but his generous heart will lead him to the perfect present. Using few words and crayon-bright colors, Scott Beck has crafted another sweet, spare picture book for preschoolers.