. . . 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

    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.

    . . . Supremely satisfying." — BOOKLIST (starred review)Mama Duck has a good hunch that the big brown creature waddling behind her babies is no duck! As the foxy impostor sneaks closer and closer to Mama Duck’s trailing brood, little ones will delight in shouting out his identity. Infectious rhythms and fresh, expressive watercolors liven up the pursuit, which ends when Mama Duck confronts the villain, beak to snout, and beats him at his own game.

    Milo is a Border Collie, and he's very smart.  When Maggi gets a book about frogs from her grandma, naturally, she decides to take Milo to find frogs the very next day.  But it turns out that catching frogs is hard work. Lucky for Maggi, Milo is there to help. And lucky for Milo, even though Maggi’s not the world’s best frog hunter, she’s the kind of friend who makes everything a little more fun.With the spunk of Ladybug Girl and an illustration style suggestive of Charles Schulz, Maggi and Milo are an irresistible pair with a whole lot of charm.

    Three of the eggs hatch, revealing three baby birds who fly away. But the green egg does not hatch. Why not? When the three birds return to investigate, they’re in for a big surprise! What will happen next?

    Now it's time to match them up. The blue bird goes in the blue house, the orange bird in the orange house, and so on. But wait! The birds don't agree with the narrator's choices and, much to her distress, are rebelling by swapping houses. Can the narrator make the birds see sense? Or is it possible that you just can't tell a bird by its feathers?

    But like all crows, he is very clever. Using autumn leaves for wings, sticks for the body and a crab apple for the head, Crow makes a friend! But winter winds blow in, destroying his creation. Undaunted, Crow fashions another bird friend out of snow but cannot prevent it from melting in the warm spring sun. Alone again, Crow hears the caw, caw, caw of a real, live bird and finally forms a friendship that will last in this warm, satisfying story that celebrates perseverance and ingenuity.About the Series:I Like to Read® books are picture books written and illustrated so that even the newest reader can enjoy a satisfying, quality literary experience. The books in the series are written at kindergarten and early first grade reading levels."These books deftly combine text and art to create a positive experience for new readers."—School Library Journal"This series dares to make entertaining reads from short texts and familiar vocabulary"—Kirkus Reviews"Each one makes the hard world of learning to read enough fun to encourage children at this critical developmental moment to try another one."—Vicky Smith, Children's and YA Editor at Kirkus Reviews

    When an elephant plants himself in the road and refuses to move, the people of Prickly Valley try all sorts of methods to get him to go-but one thoughtful little girl works up the courage to do what no one else has done: ask him.Balancing both hilarity and sensitivity, Poe Won't Go has the feel of a contemporary classic, reminding readers that there is power in one, power in listening, and power in being a friend.

    As his brothers and sisters splish, splash, and splosh their way into the pond behind their mama, he is left all alone on the shore. Little Quack wants to join his family. Can he find the courage to be a very small duck in a very big pond? Count along and find out! The QUACK-U-LATOR keeps score, adding a splash of math to all the fun!

    Inside is...a lizard!Leonard soon has a problem, though, and it's bigger than you can imagine. Will Leonard be able to keep his lizard under wraps, or is it becoming too much trouble to handle?

    Together, the two form a special friendship and enjoy life at sea until both the healing process and the journey must come to an end. In the tradition of the classic Amos & Boris, South is a story about making new friends and the bittersweet process of saying good-bye to the ones we love. It beautifully depicts the power of new beginnings and the freedom in coming home.

    She doesn’t speak the language and she looks different. She just doesn't fit in. But one day, she makes an unexpected friend—a squirrel! Then a rabbit joins them. Soon the girl’s fuzzy woodland friends are followed by human ones and school becomes more fun! When a surprising new student joins the class, the girl and her new friends know just how to make him feel at home.

    ever get a library card?When Mrs. Furber announces that it’s Library Week, I.Q. can’t be more excited. During his first visit, I.Q. makes the amazing discovery that he can borrow books once he gets his own library card. He wants to take out the funny book that Mrs. Binder, the librarian, reads to the class.Each day that week, I.Q. has a lot of fun learning about all the different materials and types of books at the library. But I.Q. worries that he’ll never be able to find the funny book. And he still needs someone to sign his permission slip for a library card. Will he be able to borrow a book like the other students?I.Q. is as endearing as ever as he learns the joys and responsibilities of being a card-carrying library user.

    Giraffe decides to write a poem, Hippo writes a story, and Flamingo composes a beautiful song. But poor Tapir can't think of anything to write --and the harder he tries the more upset he becomes! But everything starts to change when Tapir stops trying to write and begins to draw.This gentle story from author and illustrator Natalie Russell will inspire even the littlest artists to find their creative spark.

    But when a storm rumbles in, the kite string breaks! The two friends tear after their kite and find it in a tree, protecting a nest of baby birds from the rain.