They dig, they plant, they play, they wait . . . and wait . . . until at last, the brown becomes a more hopeful shade of brown, a sign that spring may finally be on its way. Julie Fogliano's tender story of anticipation is brought to life by the distinctive illustrations Erin E. Stead, recipient of the 2011 Caldecott Medal.

    As the rain begins, a little fox seeks shelter. But then it builds and builds into to a torrential storm. Wash! Wham! Lash! Whirl! Bash! Swirl! Hiss! Slap! Slam! Both a visual feast and a joy to read aloud, this stunning picture book showcases the power and beauty of nature.

    Patrick's Day, leprechauns are lucky. But on every other day of the year, they make for noisy neighbors -- and they're turning the entire town of Dingle upside down! Fortunately, Finn O'Finnegan always has a clever plan brewing, and this time, with a little luck of the Irish, it's a scheme that just might fool even the cleverest of creatures.

    My name is Nicholas. I live in a hollow tree. This classic Golden Book, illustrated by Richard Scarry, celebrates its 50th anniversary with the story of Nicholas, a bunny clad in red overalls. In the spring, he picks flowers, and in the summer, watches the frogs in the pond. In the fall, he sees the animals getting ready for winter. And when winter comes, he watches the snow falling from the sky...then curls up in his hollow tree to dream about Spring. No child's library is complete without this gentle story of the seasons.

    In the wild garden, many seeds are planted too, but not by farmers' hands. Different kinds of animals transport seeds, often without knowing it. Sometimes rain washes seeds away to a new location. And sometimes something extraordinary occurs, like when the pods of Scotch broom burst open explosively in the summer heat, scattering seeds everywhere like popcorn.Kathryn Galbraith's lyrical prose seamlessly combines with Wendy Halperin's elegant, crisp illustrations to show how many elements work together through the seasons to create and sustain the wild meadow garden.

    But everyone is too busy preparing for winter and it looks as if nobody will come to Possum's party.

    . . . Lisa Campbell Ernst celebrates the awakening of life that comes with Spring. Her playful words and pictures resonate with the cheeriness that rises with the season.

    Follow. Hide. Snuggle. A quiet spring day holds a grand adventure when a mother rabbit leads her three bunnies out to explore. Their world seems playful at first, but it can suddenly turn dangerous. The natural world holds unpredictable adventures for them at every turn. Filled with stunning illustrations and only one word on each spread, Jorey Hurley’s vibrant picture book opens our eyes to the wonders of nature that are in plain sight if we just take the time to look.

    Caldecott Honor Book artist Anita Lobel combines learning to count with color concepts in this mouth-watering celebration of good things to eat. One big purple cabbage, two white onions, three yellow peppers, and so on through 10—garden vegetables have never looked so appetizing! Here Anita Lobel makes a delightful story for preschoolers with the two most basic early learning concepts, counting and color. And her beautiful illustrations of vegetables might even tempt picky eaters into new adventures in eating!

    . . and he does NOT understand what all the fuss is about. What is so exciting about an egg that just sits there? Well, it turns out this egg doesn't "just sit there"—it cracks, two little legs pop out, and it sprints away! Oh, brother! Chick immediately finds himself on a madcap chase through the barnyard as he attempts to protect the legged egg from danger.Narrow misses and hilarious scrapes make this story of brotherly love a truly dynamic read-aloud.

    So when the first day of school comes, she picks a beautiful apple, turns it into a makeshift doll she names Susanna, and takes it along to keep her company. But her teacher tells her that dolls aren't allowed at school. Even worse, her sister says that Susanna won't last forever. Then Lizzy's mom shows her a way to turn Susanna into a real apple doll. And with the help of Susanna the Apple Doll, Lizzy overcomes her shyness at school and makes plenty of new friends to bring home to play in her beloved apple tree.Detailed, delightful collage illustrations accompany this sweet story about one girl's success in bringing together her home world and her school world. Instructions for making an apple doll just like Susanna are included!

    That the story ends with success and a reward is, of course, as every child would wish.Like so many other classic stories for children, this one grew from being told and retold to a child for many years. That is why Mr. Heyward gives credit on the title-page to his eight-year-old daughter, Jenifer.

    "The warm, cuddly world of a real rabbit family is introduced to young readers in enchanting photographs."--Children's Books of the Year, Child Study Assn.

    bosses her brother Arthur into carrying her on his shoulders at the beach because she maintains that she hates the water, until she gets a big wet surprise.

    Monkey desperately wants Owl's balloon and tries everything to get what he wants—this is not a book about sharing.