Four friends, three big and one little, are out for a walk. Suddenly, they spot it—a beautiful bird perched high in a tree! They simply MUST have it and—SHH!—they have a PLAN. So they tip-toe, tip-toe very slowly, nets poised—"Ready one ... ready two ... ready three ... GO!" But, at the turn of the page, we find a ridiculous bunch of very tangled characters and a blissfully oblivious bird, flying away.

    He can't wait to get to school and have real art lessons. When Tommy gets to school and finds out that the art lessons are full of "rules", he is surprised and dismayed. How the wise art teacher finds a way to give Tommy the freedom to create and stay within the "rules" makes a wonderfully perceptive picture book about growing up and keeping one's individuality.Tomie dePaola is the author and illustrator of many beloved books for children, including the Caldecott Honor Book Strega Nona. Fans of all ages will be pleased to hear that The Art Lesson is, in fact, based on the artist's own experiences growing up, and offers a welcome glimpse into his past. This bright picture book is as covered with drawings as the walls of Tommy's parents' and grandparents' houses, and sends an inspirational message to budding artists and individualists. Break out the crayons!

    But he' very curious.One day George escapes from the zoo, He rides on top of a bus, he gets busy in a kitchen and takes a job washing windows. Then he sees some men painting ... and of course George is very curious. And that's when the trouble begins!

    A landlocked duck is very sad. One day, an egg rolled out of a nest and right into a deep pond. Now that egg is a little duck, and the water is still very scary. Jumping into the pond at all seems impossible, never mind swimming in a line with all his brothers. "You're a duck, and ducks don't sink," Big Frog points out. Practicing in a puddle helps a little, while backrubs and snacks from his mother help a little more. Big Frog offers to hold his friend's wing and dive in together, but our little duck knows that some challenges need to be faced alone. Even when they are very scary!

    That was a mistake.The weird frog-cat-cow thing? It made an excellent bush.And the inky smudges... they look as if they were always meant to be leaves floating gently across the sky.As one artist incorporates accidental splotches, spots, and misshapen things into her art, she transforms her piece in quirky and unexpected ways, taking readers on a journey through her process.

    . .In this celebration of observation, curiosity, and imagination, Brendan Wenzel shows us the many views of one cat, and how perspective shapes what we see. When you see a cat, what do you see?

    He discovers that on this day, and this day only, stores everywhere are giving away a very special treat with any purchase. No, not the usual lollipop or sticker. Something bigger. Much, MUCH bigger. It’s a dream come true, except…what exactly do you do with these Jurassic treats? And how do you convince Mom to let you keep them?

    The boy sees a black cat, then a brown horse, then a red cow, and so on, and before he knows it, he’s being trailed by the entire menagerie! The Australian illustrator Julie Vivas brings the parade to life in lovely, lively watercolors—when the pink pig looks at the boy, for example, the boy sprays off his muddy body with a hose. Big type, repetition, friendly art, clean design—and the visual guessing game created by introducing each animal only partially at first—make this beloved tale a winner at story time.

    He would rather be El Skippito, the great sword fighter, who can do anything. Like saving a roving band of Mexican Chihuahuas from a humongous bumblebeeto that is tormenting them.Join Skippyjon Jones on his first great adventure. He's fearless, he's fun, he gets the job done - yes, indeed-o.

    He loves the gooey cheesy-ness, salty pepperoni-ness, sweet sweet tomato-ness, and of course the crispity crunchity crust. But someone is always chasing poor Raccoon away from his favorite food with a broom! What's a hungry raccoon to do? Plan an elaborate secret pizza party, of course!  But shhh! It’s a secret! In fact, you should probably just forget I told you. Nope, no secret pizza party happening here.You didn’t already tell all your friends, did you? Uh oh . . . Fans of Jon Klassen and Mo Willems's humor will gobble up this quirky ode to the lengths we will go to for our heart's desire.

    But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers. Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagued by damaging floods and storms of huge food. The town was a mess and the people feared for their lives. Something had to be done, and in a hurry.

    But one fateful day, she gets lost in the woods on her way home, and a large dragon leaps out from-"Wait! It's supposed to be a lion," says Mac Barnett, the author of this book. But Adam Rex, the illustrator, thinks a dragon would be so much cooler (don't you agree?). Mac's power of the pen is at odds with Adam's brush, and Chloe's story hangs in the balance. Can she help them out of this quandary to be the heroine of her own story? Mac Barnett and Adam Rex are a dynamic duo, and two of the strongest contemporary voices in picture books today. In an accessible and funny way, Chloe and the Lion talks about the creative process and the joys and trials of collaboration.

    Together, Anne Mazer and Steve Johnson have created a woodland paradise that any salamander would love to share with a child.

    A publishing event!"If you decide to go to the moon," writes Faith McNulty, "read this book first. It will tell you how to get there and what to do after you land. The most important part tells you how to get home.Written in the second person, the text allows the reader to participate in every aspect of the journey, from packing ("don't forget your diary and plenty of food") to liftoff (at first you'll feel heavy; don't worry") to traveling through space (where "the moon glows like a pearl in the black, black sky"). The reader lands at the Sea of Tranquility, the site of the first lunar landing.

    The fun wordplay and bright paintings with lots of details for young readers to explore make Jamberry a perennial favorite, and this board book edition is a great stocking stuffer.A small boy and a big friendly bear embark on a berry-picking extravaganza, looking for blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Their fun adventure comes to a razzamatazz finale under a starberry sky.From author-illustrator Bruce Degen, Jamberry is perfect for sharing. "With delightful, rich illustrations and zany wordplay, Jamberry is a must have book for any family with young children," according to Children's Books Guide.HatberryShoeberryIn my canoeberryUnder the bridgeAnd over the damLooking for berries...Berries for jam!