They swim among discards and debris. Do you see them, too? Or is it just me? Through lyrical text and her incomparable mixed-media collage illustrations, Lois Ehlert introduces readers to “rain fish”—the varied, colorful, and unique little collections of materials that float along on streams of rain water during storms. From a scrap of newspaper with a seashell eye and feather smile to a piece of cardboard with an orange peel eye and a leaf for a fin, Ehlert’s rain fish come in all shapes and sizes. Complete with an author’s note explaining how Ehlert collected the found materials she used to make the book over the course of a year, Rain Fish is a spirited celebration of imagination, creativity, and observing the world in your own way—and it invites you to discover your own rain fish.

    Seuss is a delightful ode to winter. Brrrrr! It snowed! From snowball fights and skiing to fort building and snowman making, P. D. Eastman and Roy McKie’s Snow will have young readers eager for the kind of fun only a wintry-white day can bring. Perfect for enjoying with a cup of hot cocoa! Originally created by Dr. Seuss, Beginner Books encourage children to read all by themselves, with simple words and illustrations that give clues to their meaning.

    But the children laughed and danced, and caught the lacy snowflakes on their tongues. All the wonder and delight a child feels in a snowfall is caught in the pages of this book -- the frost ferns on the window sill, the snow man in the yard and the mystery and magic of a new white world. Roger Duvoisin's pictures in soft blue half-tones with briliant splashes of yellow and red emphasize the gaiety and humor as well as the poetic quality of the text.

    IF YOU'LL BE MY VALENTINECynthia Rylant and Fumi KosakaIf You'll Be My Valentine sweetly celebrates the true meaning of Valentine's Day.Charming prose and captivatingly sweet art create an adorable tableau of loving wishes from one little boy to all the members of his family.

    The three little kittens may be a bit irresponsible, but they always manage to correct their mistakes in this favorite classic tale. The kittens' dramatic displays of regret, as well as their sincere efforts to get into their mother's good graces—and taste her scrumptious-looking pie!—will delight readers young and old.

    Late at night after the festivities have ended, Mighty Bulbrock Badger sends the little ones off to sleep with the tale of the giant Snow Badger who comes on the first night of winter, bringing snow across the land. The grown-up Redwallers chuckle at the fanciful tale, but is it only a tale? Bungo the mole-babe isn?t so sure, and is determined to stay awake and find out!

    Through thoughtful and fanciful questions Ashford explores what we risk when we ask for love and what special rewards may be waiting for us in return. Subdued watercolor illustrations perfectly capture the book's gentle tone and important message. The perfect book for any occasion when a gift of love is needed.

    . .Two children, treasure map in hand, and their pet gazelle sneak past their father, out of their house, and into a world beneath the city, where monsters and pirates roam.Will they find the treasure? Will they make it out alive?The Dangerous Alphabet is a tale of adventure, piracy, danger, and heroism told in twenty-six alphabetical lines—although even the alphabet is not to be relied upon here. A delightfully dangerous journey from national bestselling author Neil Gaiman and the monstrously talented Gris Grimly, The Dangerous Alphabet is sure to captivate and chillyoung readers.

    This celebration of the bond between mothers and their babies can be shared at naptime or bedtime or whenever it is time to say "I love you.""Written in quatrains that break into couplets across each double page, this lullaby rhyme catalogues various animals and their offspring, describing each mother's testament of love." School Library Journal."The light-drenched, golden-toned pictures exert a quietly hypnotic effect on both reader and listener, aided by the lullaby's sonorous repetition of each mother animal's love poem to her baby." New York Times

    Each day, families can read the provided Scripture passage (in connection with the original book), engage with a specially written devotion to help children of all ages understand the Advent theme for the day, and participate in suggested activities to apply the theme.This special edition is beautifully illustrated. It can serve as a precious guide to help recapture the sacredness of the Advent season and to help the entire family understand and celebrate the epic pageantry of humankind from Adam to the Messiah.

    Rhyming questions and answers will charm and amuse children. Full-color illustrations.

    It’s mostly fun being the smallest, but Christmas can be tricky. Santa brings beautiful toys, but they are too big for this little girl.Every year, Clementine tries to tell Santa she’s small. But the cookies she ices with a message to Santa are eaten, and the words she stamps out on the roof are covered by fresh snow. It’ll take a whole lot of Christmas spirit for Clementine to find the right way to reach Santa—and when she does, she just might get the toy of her dreams!Harriet Muncaster’s whimsical illustrations shine in this celebration of creativity, gratitude, and the magic of Christmas.

    But at one home in particular, an endless succession of gifts keeps arriving: birds of all stripes, ladies dancing aboard a brightly bedecked boat, lords leaping on rooftops, and pipers piping up and down stairs. Filled with intricate patterns and whimsical flourishes, Jane Ray’s gorgeous artwork is the perfect match for this wonderfully cumulative tale.

    A new holiday classic! Scared by a storm, Twinklestar, the least reliable reindeer, bolts--causing Santa and his sleigh to crash-land. And though Santa has dropped into a friendly neighborhood, he's not safe: Jeremiah Goblynch, the ruthless new leader of the Council of Yuleland, is determind to put an end to children's wishes and turn the holiday season into his own personal moneymaking scheme. As the last REAL St. Nick around, only Santa stands between Goblynch and his grinchlike plan. With the help and hope of kids Charlotte and Ben, Santa must face Goblynch and his Nutcracker goons to save Christmas!

    All the while, there is another colorful change on the horizon—the birth of a new sibling.