. . and all the dogs . . . and all the zoo animals! Only when the two finally arrive does Granddad see why Sam was in such a hurry—and they have the best time playing with everyone in the snow.

    But the ocean is bigger. And Turtle is all alone. Until four shipwrecked folks--a bear, an owl, a frog, and a cat--climb to safety on his shell. Before long, they're fast friends, and the sea doesn't seem so vast anymore. But when Frog confides that he misses his family, Turtle doesn't understand. Isn't he their family? And when the group decides to sail for home, will Turtle be left behind? Never fear--a surprise on the horizon promises friends, family, and a home at last. Uplifting and heartfelt, this is a book about the power of friendship and making a home of one's own.

    The boy and his family are special. While others hunt the hares, his family search for leverets orphaned by the hunt and keep them safe. But this isn't why they are special. It is because they hold the secret of the song of the golden hare. When the hares begin to move across the land the boy and his sister know that their greatest challenge has begun. They must follow and watch and wait until the time comes for the old queen to leave and her child to reign in her place. But others are searching for the golden queen of the hares, a hunter with two hounds, one silver, one black. Can two children, on their own, keep the golden queen safe from the man and his hounds?

    The pond is dry, and she doesn't want to roll in the mud with Pig, sing with Rooster, doze with Tortoise, eat laundry with Goat, or join any of the other animals in their pastimes. To make matters worse, the gray cloud that's following Duck is growing bigger by the minute, and now her friends are feeling gloomy as well. What will it take to cheer them all up? Two prolific picture-book creators look to the skies for a humorous tale of not-fair-weather friendship.

    Drawing.Reading.Building.Painting.These are things Nelly loves to do...but they're always better with Daddy Gnu!With fun-to-read rhyme, a little silliness, and a lot of warmth, Anna Dewdney--the creator of the beloved llama llama books--tells the story of a daughter and her daddy and their wonderful day together.

    No one's paying any attention to Nora, so she decides to do something her family can't ignore: make noise. Nora slams windows, bangs doors, and upsets furniture, to no avail. It's not until she crashes out the door--and the house goes strangely silent--that her family realizes: a noisy Nora is much better than no Nora at all."A wonderful story." --Booklist

    They set off on a magical adventure and it becomes a Christmas never to forget. Nicola Killen’s evocative illustrations are sure to enchant in this beautiful book with die cut pages, foil, and flashes of festive red.

    Stealthy as ever, the ninja girls and ninja boys tiptoe around without a noise (or so they think) as they prepare for the celebration. Meanwhile, the master is spooked by the noises and shadows he senses around him. Is there a dragon over there? It’s a total dojo scare! Master must be more aware. He tells himself: If I use my ears and eyes, I won’t be taken by—SURPRISE! Master gasps, then laughs and cries. He can’t believe his ninja eyes! Streamers, poppers, candles, cake—he’s delighted by the party and by the thoughtfulness of his little ninja charges. There’s even a gift: a dragon-in-the-box who pops out for one last scream.Chris Tougas’s digitally rendered ninjas pop off the page once again in this laugh-out-loud story. Told in rhyming verse with a playful rhythm, accompanied by hilarious illustrations and big sound effects, Dojo Surprise makes for a riotous read-aloud with a kindhearted message.LEVELINGGrade Range: PreK–3Fountas & Pinnell: JReading Recovery: 17Lexile: AD 540LCOMMON CORERF.1.2,3,3a,3c,3f,4,4a,4b,4cSL.1.1,1a,1b,1c,2,3,4,5,6L.1.2,2d,2e,4,4a,4c,5,5c,5d,6RL.1.1,2,3,4,6,7,9,10W.1.3,5,6,7,8

    . . . In A Piece of Cake, LeUyen Pham puts a unique spin on a classic tale. Kids will love the unexpected and hilarious turn the story takes. Its strong picture support; story elements, including setting, character, and plot development; and identification of a problem and solution make this a strong Common Core title.Supports the Common Core State Standards

    But that doesn't stop him from DREAMING of being brave. Then one day he is given the biggest challenge of all . . . Can Daredevil Duck prove that he is the bravest duck in the whole wide world?

    Four-leaf clover luck. Will they find it? Monkey says there's no such thing. Turtle thinks it'll take too long. And Groundhog wonders if they'll be unlucky if they can't find one!Suddenly Bear isn't sure if he should keep looking or give up . . . until Mouse sees something unusual."Does it have four leaves??" asks Bear."No . . .?" says Mouse.Maybe Bear and Mouse's luck has changed. But which way?

    She says Hello to everyone. Hello? Hello! Her father says hello while texting, her mother says hello while working on her laptop and her brother doesn't say hello at all. The T.V shouts Hello! But she doesn't want to watch any shows. Lydia, now restless, ventures outside. There are so many things to say hello to! Hello rocks! Hello leaves! Hello flowers! When Lydia comes back home she decides to show her family what she has found, and it's hello world and goodbye gadgets!

    The secret? No toads!

    With a stunningly cunning plan, Lou Pine finds a disguise that is sure to deliver a lamb stew or two. But this flock of sheep aren't quite the dumb mutton they seem. Full color.

    Something important. When she tries to remember, she thinks of all kinds of other things instead. She remembers things she knows and things she doesn't quite know. She remembers things one way, then another. Sometimes she remembers with her ears or her stomach or even her heart. But Nancy knows she's still forgetting something. It's only when Nancy stops thinking altogether that she finally remembers the very important thing she's forgotten. Nancy Knows is the charming story of an elephant who remember lots of things, except the very thing she is trying to remember. Each spread of this whimsical, arresting picture book features fantastic miniature paper sculptures within expressive outlines of a puzzled pachyderm. It's a book not to be forgotten.