Mario, the son of Mama and Papa Bellini, proprietors of the subway-station newsstand, had only heard the sound once. What was this new, strangely musical chirping? None other than the mellifluous leg-rubbing of the somewhat disoriented Chester Cricket from Connecticut. Attracted by the irresistible smell of liverwurst, Chester had foolishly jumped into the picnic basket of some unsuspecting New Yorkers on a junket to the country. Despite the insect's wurst intentions, he ends up in a pile of dirt in Times Square. Mario is elated to find Chester. He begs his parents to let him keep the shiny insect in the newsstand, assuring his bug-fearing mother that crickets are harmless, maybe even good luck. What ensues is an altogether captivating spin on the city mouse/country mouse story, as Chester adjusts to the bustle of the big city. Despite the cricket's comfortable matchbox bed (with Kleenex sheets); the fancy, seven-tiered pagoda cricket cage from Sai Fong's novelty shop; tasty mulberry leaves; the jolly company of Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat; and even his new-found fame as "the most famous musician in New York City," Chester begins to miss his peaceful life in the Connecticut countryside. The Cricket in Times Square--a Newbery Honor Book in 1961--is charmingly illustrated by the well-loved Garth Williams, and the tiniest details of this elegantly spun, vividly told, surprisingly suspenseful tale will stick with children for years and years. Make sure this classic sits on the shelf of your favorite child, right next to The Wind in the Willows. (Ages 9 to 12)

    

    On a night of wild storms, two lonely creatures escape from captivity.One of the creatures is a boy, Smiler, wrongly convicted of stealing, the other a cheetah, Yarra, leaving the Longleat Wild Life Park to have her cubs in privacy.Both are in danger from the outside world and each other, but somehow their lives become inextricably bound up as they fight for survival on the edge of Salisbury Plain.The Runaways is the first book in Victor Canning's classic children's trilogy, which continues in Flight of the Grey Goose.‘Victor Canning is one of the world’s finest story-tellers’ Good Housekeeping

    Seuss's classic treatise on the importance of a balanced life with our Anniversary Edition featuring cover art from the book's original publication! A Seussian spin on a conventional fairy tale, The King's Stilts is as topical today as when it was first published in 1939. It's the story of a devoted king who works hard and plays hard—and whose entire kingdom is threatened when his beloved stilts are stolen and he is too distraught to do his job.Written in prose instead of rhyme (unlike Seuss's later works), The King's Stilts nevertheless addresses subjects that we know Dr. Seuss was passionate about throughout his life: duty (as in Horton Hears a Who and Horton Hatches the Egg); the abuse of power (as in The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins and Yertle the Turtle); deceit (as in The Bippolo Seed and How the Grinch Stole Christmas)—and even cats (as in The Cat in the Hat and I Can Lick 30 Tigers Today)! A perfect way to introduce new readers to an old classic, or to reward existing fans with a collectible new edition. Follow the Good Doctor's advice: After a hard day of work, have fun with a great book like The King's Stilts!

    He’s spotted the signs: the cross looks, the unkind comments, the way they squash cane toads with their cars. Limpy is desperate to save his species from ending up as pancakes. Somehow he must make humans see how fabulous cane toads really are. Risking everything, he sets off on a wart-tinglingly dangerous and daring journey to . . . the Olympics?This is the epic story of a slightly squashed young cane toad’s quest for the truth.

    Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma.

    There is cake to be baked, marchpane to be rolled. Stirring and sifting, smoothing and brewing. Can everything be finished in time? And how can the Redwallers keep such a grand feast from their Abbot's keen eyes? Fans of Brian Jacques's beloved Redwall books will delight in seeing their old friends, brought to life by Christopher Denise's witty, cozy art. "Spirited and humorous... Denise's affectionate, detailed watercolors bring all the action to life." -Kirkus Reviews

    Using video links, IP Factly's Amazing Animal series has been designed to encourage and bolster independent reading. The animals are accompanied by pictures and facts plus video links so children can see the animals and how they behave.

    But everything changes when the ghost of a beautiful cat appears to her one morning. The cat draws Annabel into a frightening mystery. Many years ago a woman disappeared. Now she --and her cat -- are crying out to Annabel for help. How could Annabel have conjured up these ghostly spirits? And now that they've contacted her... what do they want her to do?

    A secret movement called the Talons of Peace is determined to bring an end to the fighting, with the help of a prophecy -- a foretelling that calls for great sacrifice.Five dragonets are collected to fulfill the prophecy, raised in a hidden cave and enlisted, against their will, to end the terrible war.But not every dragonet wants a destiny. And when the select five escape their underground captors to look for their original homes, what has been unleashed on the dragon world may be far more than the revolutionary planners intended . . .

    In Boston, five magical bon-bons make an ordinary senator, an ordinary professor, an ordinary girl and her ordinary parents do the most extraordinary things! A young cowboy lassoes Father Time; the dummy in Mr. Floman's department store window comes to life; and a tiny beetle gives a New England farmer and his wife a pump which pumps not water, but gold!Author of the much-loved Oz books, L. Frank Baum transforms the familiar with his magical mix of humor and enchantment. Most of the twelve stories in this delightful collection are set in America where, so it seems, modern fairies, knooks, and ryls are always causing the most astonishing things to happen! These tales will enchant both young and old. When American Fairy Tales first appeared, Baum's reputation as a storyteller had already been established by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written in 1900. The twelve stories in this collection were originally syndicated weekly in at least five newspapers during the first half of 1901. The first book edition, which this facsimile reprints, came out later that year.

    

    But why is it taking him so long to find a new owner? Join him on his adventure as he tries to find out. Perfect for bedtime reading and early readers, this delightful story introduces the incredibly cute puppy, Sammy The Sheep Dog. With beautiful illustrations by Gill Dallowe on every page, filled with fun and drama, this story will be a hit with all children who love animals.

    One day she was playing and became lost. She finds a pink castle and a lovely little fairy named Angie. Angie and the other fairies decide to help Goldie find her family. Find out what happens next!This book is especially great for traveling, waiting rooms, and reading aloud at home. Books For Kids: Goldie the Unicorn: Illustrated Kids Fantasy Books Ages 2-4 4-6 6-9 9-12 (Kids Books, Children's Books, Bedtime Stories For Kids) Excellent for beginning and early readers Great for reading aloud with friends and family Illustrated story book great for a quick bedtime story Scroll up and click 'buy' and spend some quality time with your child!

    A young knight is a failure in everything except the slaying of dragons, an activity in which he succeeds because of a certain "magic" word.