The raccoons blow up balloons, the bats pass out the hats, the lynx pours all the drinks.

    But whenever a storm blows in, he frets and asks Mama why God allows the rain to take the sun away. When Firebird is finally old enough, his mother gently instructs him to fly up through the thunder and lightning to see what’s on the other side.It’s a rough flight, and just when he’s about to give up, Firebird rises above the storm to discover the sun shining where it always had been.God never lets the storm take the sun away. With that truth in his heart, Firebird continues to bask in the sunshine, but just as important, he learns to rejoice in the rain.Firebird is a children’s book that parallels the life of Samantha Crawford, a storybook artist in the inspiring new film Unconditional (scheduled for a theatrical launch in fall 2012) who has lost sight of God’s love.

    She draws cats and birds and boats and houses, and one day she makes a very special drawing of a bear who comes to life. Lily shows Bear her favorite things, and Bear shows Lily his—because everyone knows that friends help friends see the world in a new way. That’s why Lily and Bear are forever friends!

    It is a quite often situation for little kids. Their vivid imagination creates a genuine fear about what is waiting in the darkness of the room. Bobby's Mom treats with understanding to his feelings and peculiarly calms him. She makes up a story that makes son smile and ready to sleep.What is this story about? Just start to read, and you know it.It is a cute little story will entertain children and make a good time with parents before sleep.

    Out on the open range, with no one to tell them to quit their hollerin’, a cowboy band counts from ten to one in a tune children are familiar with. Silly phrases, toe-tapping rhythms, and the occasional twist make these cowpokes a great addition to any story-time or bedtime lineup.Featuring a ragtag group of cowboys from author Tamera Will Wissinger, and colorful, offbeat illustrations by Matt Loveridge, This Old Band is sure to delight children and adults alike (and teach kids a few things about counting and noises) with a fun take on a popular nursery rhyme.Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

    It's bright red, and fits just right. Turns out, Hat has a ton of important uses! It shields the sun. It doubles as a sled or a boat -- it even fights crocodiles in Africa...But what about Hat's owner? Maybe he or she needs Hat even more than Henry does.A sparse, artistic picture book about a boy and his imagination, and his choice to do the right thing.

    She follows the delicious scent to a balloon basket, and—whoops—the balloon takes flight! Soon she’s soaring above the ground, looking out at the tiny people below as they try to bring her back down. Beautiful panoramic scenes and Sally’s trademark witty thoughts accompany her latest adventure in the open skies, in a book that is sure to charm dog owners and fans of intrepid Sally.F&P Level: KF&P Genre: F

    Russ saw it all and wants to tell Dad. However, Dad is suspicious, since the last incident ended with his slippers being found in the dishwasher. Follow Dad’s keys as a team of strange contraptions airlift into the house to conduct a nightly key-relocation operation. The keys are hoisted by micro cranes, hauled using a minuscule cable car, and are carried upstairs by a three-legged walking machine. But where did the keys end up? Did they go down the drain as Dad suspects?

    turn the book around, and then count down. It's two books in one! Children will learn to count from one to ten with this inventive, entertaining novelty book from Caldecott Honor winner Suse MacDonald! As the die-cut pages are turned, they create a lively, vibrant scene. And when little ones reach the end of the book, they'll find that they can flip it around and then count down--from ten to one!

    In this age of debt, depression, and diabetes, could we adults use a refresher course in the gentle lessons from these adorable books, she wondered—a "Little Golden guide to life"? Yes, we could! Muldrow's humorous yet practical tips for getting the most out of life ("Don't forget to enjoy your wedding!" "Be a hugger." "Sweatpants are bad for morale."), drawn from more than 60 stories, are paired with delightful images from these best-loved children's books of all time—among them The Poky Little Puppy, Pantaloon, Mister Dog, Nurse Nancy, We Help Mommy, Five Pennies to Spend, and The Little Red Hen. The Golden greats of children's illustration are represented here as well: Richard Scarry, Garth Williams, Eloise Wilkin, J. P. Miller, and Mary Blair, among many others. Sure to bring memories and a smile, this book is a perfect gift for baby boomers, recent grads, lovers of children's literature—or anyone who cherishes the sturdy little books with the shiny cardboard covers and gold foil spines!

    It is created by snuggles, quiet sounds, and gentle nudges that remind you every day of the delight in being chosen. When You Love a Cat is the perfect gift to celebrate the beautiful bond between a cat and the ones they love for a lifetime.

    This 32-page book features striking illustrations that entice young readers and new words to help develop vocabulary.Hands On Reading: Jack receives some magic beans that grow into a beanstalk so tall it reaches the clouds. Find out who Jack meets in the sky, and teach children why it’s always important to be honest!Features: More than just an engaging and timeless fairy tale, this children’s book includes illustrations that jump off the page, a narrative that encourages imagination, and a universal lesson every child should learn.Leveled Reading: This early reading book engages preschoolers to third graders with leveled reading text, illustrations, vocabulary, and an interesting story about honesty to promote reading comprehension.Why Rourke Educational Media: Since 1980, Rourke Publishing Company has specialized in publishing engaging and diverse non-fiction and fiction books for children in a wide range of subjects that support reading success on a level that has no limits.

    The more he talks, the bigger his story grows. How can Matthew use his wonderful imagination to make his show-and-tell lion real?

    He eats trees like broccoli, gives kids a ride to the park, and scares the neighbor’s cat. He is so silly that he's completely irresistible. In the end, though, he misses his human friend. So he will return to normal hamster size . . . until the next time he's humongously hungry!

    They go shuffle shuffle across the rug, smack smack on the floor tiles, and thwap thwap down the stairs. Lizzie also loves her blow-up toy, Lou Seal. Lizzie and Lou Seal are off to the beach, but beach fun turns to beach disaster when Lizzie loses her flip-flops and Lou Seal starts losing air! It’s a sink or swim scenario. What will Lizzie do?This is a beautiful book with mixed media art and a lovely retro feel, for fans of Ladybug Girl at the Beach. Children will relate to Lizzie’s independence and creative problem solving and fall in love with Lou Seal themselves. Filled with lots of fun words and sounds, this is a perfect read aloud book for parents and children alike.