He won't sing, catch, or even jump! But when a scary situation brings Flubby and his owner together, they realize they really do need each other--and that makes Flubby a good pet after all.

    She meets new friends and introduces them to old friends (including her favorite teddy). She builds sandcastles and makes snow angels; she traces, glitters, and glues. She is so fearless that when held at sword point, she even walks the plank! And when she’s playing in the mud, she reaches out and touches the worms with her bare hands. But despite those brave deeds, she isn’t quite ready for the big red slide—not yet.This is a very sweet story with soft, evocative watercolor illustrations that will help kids to grow comfortable with the idea of starting preschool. Ming is curious and playful and ready for adventure, but even she gets scared of new things sometimes. Kids will relate to her desires and fears and will be excited to see Ming at the top of the slide by the story’s end.A quiet and reassuring picture book for preschoolers (3-5), this is a wonderful going-to-school story that can be read both at home and in the classroom or childcare center. The illustrations provide a lot of diversity of characters, making this feel like any classroom in any school in the country.

    But, Lorenzo can't remember exactly what was on it. Was it made with seaweed cake, kelp paste, eelgrass, and sand dollars? Or kelp dough, squid ink, algae, and coral rings? Or maybe sponge patties, jellyfish jelly, seaweed noodles, and seashells? After a few unappetizing attempts, Kalena becomes frustrated with Lorenzo and leaves hungry and unhappy. As she walks home, she comes across something delicious . . . It must be the pizza Lorenzo was talking about! She's so hungry she could eat it all, but she brings it back for Lorenzo and her to look at together. Once they figure out how to make it, they have a pizza party for all their friends!

    What she discovers, in the form of a slimy, slithery Some-Thing, is a new best friend. Mud pies, burping contests, snail racing--and sensational, eerily beautiful artwork deliver plenty of kid appeal.

    With BAMS! POPS! BANGS! he experimented time and time again with one mission: make his rockets fly!

    Along with her brother, Sadie searches for clues, crawls through a cave, swims down a river, and climbs a mountain. Will she be able to catch the mysterious monster with her lasso of pearls and magic gold wand? Sadie proves that girly girls can get their hands dirty and be brave, too! Lyrical text is complemented by bright and lively illustrations, and Sadie’s fearlessness will leave readers ready to grab their satin capes and head out on their own adventures! Praise for I'm Gonna Climb a Mountain... "This enthusiastic take on girl power embraces having it all—with both strength and style." --School Library Journal "Singer's story crackles with humor and attitude, its driving rhythms making it an infectious read-aloud. Avril's busy illustrations, using pastel chalk over a pencil outline, display a range of bright colors and have a slightly dreamy cast, as if they came right out of Sadie's head. So can a girl rough it in ruffles? Silly question." --Kirkus Reviews

    Tim Bowers' humorous pictures give a glimpse of what life might be like if dogs could crack jokes, chat on the phone, and even sing lullabies!

    Baboon insists these dreams could never come true. But when he sees Caterpillar turn into a winged butterfly, Tadpole into a dancing frog, and Flamingo into a beautiful pink bird, Baboon realizes that a transformative power exists between the stars and the animals once they truly believe in themselves and their dreams. When Baboon tries out this secret, CATCH-M, his marvelous, miraculous, wished-upon Star, whooshes down from the heavens to wham! ignite the courage in his chest. Read on to see if his dream comes true too . . . Dream Big's inspirational message makes it a perfect gift for dreamers of all ages, from children to young adults about to enter a new chapter in their lives. Together we can all be inspired to identify and pursue our dreams, no matter how big or impossible they may seem.

    That is, until he finds his way in once more--this time into someone's heart. Beautiful, bright watercolors from Caldecott-winning illustrator Emily Arnold McCully nearly spring off the page, buoyed by a playful text that highlights simple prepositions. Preschoolers will delight in Cat's unintended disasters and mess, and the heartwarming story, the product of a pairing of exceptional author and illustrator talents, will charm cat people of any age.

    Then he wants to play! He loves catching the tasty flakes on his tongue and zigzagging across the ice. When the winds begin to gust and the snow becomes a blizzard, though, Baby Polar knows it's time to go back to his mother. But now the whole world is covered in white. Where could Mama Polar be?Award-winning author Yannick Murphy's tender, lyrical story and acclaimed artist Kristen Balouch's vibrant collage illustrations perfectly capture the excitment and wonder of a young child's first independent adventure.

    There are wild, woolly mountain monsters and spiky, spooky monsters from outer space. And they all have one thing in common - they LOVE underpants!

    Poor Gretchen Groundhog is too shy to come out of her hole on February 2, but her great-uncle Gus, too old for the job, offers her plenty of encouragement. Full-color illustrations. (Available now)

    They’ve spent many springtimes collecting birds’ nests, autumns jumping into piles of colorful leaves, and winters building snowmen. When the time comes for Adelia to move away, the two friends must say good-bye. But Adelia has one parting gift for Roger: She will teach him, once and for all, how to climb a tree. Lyrical and colorful, the narrative flips between Adelia’s instructions (“hold on tight,” “move up when you’re ready”) and her packing list (things they loved to play with, things they were supposed to throw away). By the time the moving van pulls up, Roger is ready to start his climb. But now, he’s afraid of “letting go.” In a sweet reveal, we learn that Adelia has left behind a soft landing, making sure that—for Roger—falling is the easiest part.

    A butterfly has been trapped in a hole by a fallen branch. Elmer rushes to the rescue and frees her with ease. In return she promises to help Elmer should he ever need it. Elmer cannot imagine how a tiny butterfly could ever help him, but he finds out sooner than he expects.

    Spike is the most amazing dog ever. He inspires Sparky to draw. Someday, Sparky will be an artist. Based on the childhood of Charles Schulz, creator of the world-renowned Peanuts comic, and the dog who inspired the most beloved dog of all—Snoopy—this book will resonate with children everywhere. Sparky & Spike includes a biographical note, as well as archival photographs of Sparky and Spike and a letter Charles Schulz wrote to the book’s illustrator, Dan Andreasen, when Andreasen was a boy.