. . and the smallest. Smaller than his parents and siblings. Smaller than his friends, too, from old Crocodile to giant Elephant. And even though everyone promises he’ll grow, Little Hippo doesn’t want to wait. He wants to be big RIGHT NOW! But when he helps a creature even tinier than himself, Little Hippo learns that it’s the size of his heart that counts most of all.

    Very shy. He’s the quietest fifth-grader at Birch Ridge Elementary School. Peter just blends into the crowd, never does anything to draw attention. Attention is the last thing he wants. But when his father becomes the principal of his school, Peter’s whole world is suddenly turned upside down. Students tease him. Kids he doesn’t know stare at him in the hallways. Teachers treat him differently. And then there’s Darren Kalder, the troublemaker who torments Peter. Things turn even worse when Peter and Darren are paired up for a homework assignment—they must prepare a fictitious petition. They decide on a petition to reinstate recess at their school. And what starts out as a simple homework assignment turns into much more when their classmates ask to sign the petition. It’s up to Peter and Darren to follow through and present the petition to the school committee. But this involves speaking at a televised public meeting. And when Darren backs out at the last minute, Peter must decide whether to back out…or make a bold move that will forever change him. REVIEWS "Plot and action unfold quickly in this fast paced, 134-page chapter book, and interest in the outcome is kept high by excellent story crafting. 'The Principal's Son' has lots of intrigue, action, character development, and turning points to keep reader interest/involvement at a steady maximum." The Midwest Book Review "I enjoyed the story thoroughly. The book has a very positive feel to it which makes it a winner all the way." Readers' Favorite

    Tortuga the tortoise, Conejo the rabbit, and Culebra the snake all want to come. But do they want to help Iguana deliver invitations or stuff the pinata or cook the food? No, no, and no! A lazy trio loses out in this clever update of the story of the Little Red Hen with a Mexican twist. A glossary of Spanish words is included.

    But over time the bear cub grew . . . and grew . . . and GREW! And did things that bears do . . . and do . . . and DO! One day the boy looked at the bear and realized he was just too big and bearish to be living in a house. "I think it's time we found you a new place to live where you can be bearish and big," said the boy. "But where, bear?"From the only two-time World Book Illustrator Sophy Henn, here is a delightful journey that reminds us that even when best friends are apart, they always stay together.Praise for WHERE BEAR? * "[N]othing short of magnificent. Each page is absolutely charming and begs to be looked at again and again."–Library Media Connection, starred review "[A] winsome debut . . . The catchy refrain, 'Then where, bear?,'and Henn’s sophisticated matte-toned illustrations make for a zippy take on the 'finding your place' genre."–New York Times Book Review   "This gentle tale about friendship and home will give early readers and their grown-ups plenty of food for discussion."–Kirkus Reviews"Simple illustrations in bold colors allow the bear’s repertoire of expressions — chagrin, boredom, and terror — to take center stage."–Boston Globe"[C]hildren will gravitate to the rhythmic repetition and the graphic design. A notable debut."–Booklist

    All seems to be going well until the young sheriff peeks inside the box to check on the tasty treats. They’re practically calling his name, and in the blink of an eye (and with just a few nibbles), a donut disappears! Wherever could that missing donut be? Luckily, this is one mystery the sheriff and his deputy are sure to bring to a close.

    Not when there are so many better things to do in the mornings, like invent Toast-on-a-Rope, fight a giant squid in the laundry, or follow some ants up a tree. And so he’s tardy, every day, much to the smug delight of Never-Late Kate, who thinks she’s sooo great. But then one day, Kate helps Marty out of a jam (or rather, a tree), and the two end up playing together, have a surprisingly good time, and are both late. An unlikely friendship is born, through which Marty learns a trick or two for punctuality, and Kate discovers the virtues of stopping to smell the roses. From Chicken Butt! author Erica Perl and celebrated illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka comes this playful story of opposites who don’t just attract, but also learn a lot from their complementing personalities.

    But why is he green? Why does he have four feet instead of two? And why doesn't he have feathers? Pete soon discovers he's not just another flamingo--and he learns what it means to fit in with friends.

    Life is peaceful . . . until the day two rude giants move into a nearby castle. When Gerda is snatched up by the giants, Beatrix must rescue her. This is a warm and humorous tale of friendship and cleverness that children will want to share with their best friends--or rudest neighbors.

    One day, when Ella loses one of her slippers, Madame Rosa lends her another pair for dancing--and is then reminded of Cinderella and her story of the lost slipper.Madame Rosa recounts Cinderella's tale to her students, and Ella Bella listens with great interest. When their day's lesson has ended Ella lingers in the theatre, then opens Madame Rosa's music box and listens as it plays melodies from the Cinderella ballet. Suddenly, Cinderella's fairy godmother magically appears, and Ella Bella is transported into the beloved story of Cinderella.This beautiful book's final page describes the ballet Cinderella, with music by the great Russian composer, Sergei Prokofiev.

    The night is resonant until . . . a car splashes down the street and all the frogs, from ten down to one, are hushed! Shirley Parenteau offers a joyfully cacophonous counting-up and counting-down story, vibrantly illustrated by Cynthia Jabar.

    He turns into a VEGGIE MONSTER!Ready to smash the chairs! Ready to tip the table! Ready to . . . GULP . . . down his peas?With inventive mixed-media illustrations and a short, snappy text that combines a child's dinnertime drama with a hilarious parents'-eye-view, this is the perfect book to read with kids to get them to eat their vegetables.

    Sea Cow—or Manatee, as she prefers to be called—comes to life on the pages of the report and decides to defend herself against unflattering comparisons to set the record straight with fascinating facts about manatees.

    It's a delicious-looking piglet—how lucky!But as Al prepares his feast, the piglet makes some suggestions. Shouldn’t Al have a big birthday cake? Piglet can tell him how to make one. And wouldn’t the celebration be more fun with fancy decorations and party guests? Piglet would be happy to ask some friends to come over.Al is so lucky that Piglet is there to help...or is he? Could Piglet have a clever party trick up his sleeve?Fans of trickster tales, rooting for the underdog, and the proven crowd favorite My Lucky Day will be thrilled to see who turns out to have the luckiest birthday of all.

    Sea Monkey’s terrified he’ll sink straight to the bottom of the ocean. After all, he’s heavy, and all heavy things sink, right? Bob on the other hand is worried that his puffed up frame will float up above the surface. He’s light, and all light things float! How will they stay together when the forces of gravity are literally trying to pull them apart? By holding hands, of course! Sea Monkey and Bob learn that sometimes the only way to overcome your fears is to just keep holding on…

    So when not one but THREE new restaurants come to his corner of the sea, Samson can’t wait to try them all. There’s only one problem: With their big teeth and scary smiles, piranhas aren’t really welcome anywhere, let alone in fancy restaurants. Can Samson make his dream come true—and still be himself?