. . and began to draw."Welcome back Banjo, the boy from THE RUNAWAY DINNER! Once a pencil draws him, there's no telling what will come next — a dog, a cat, a chase (of course), and a paintbrush to color in an ever-expanding group of family and friends. But it's not long before the complaints begin — "This hat looks silly!" "My ears are too big!" — until the poor pencil has no choice but to draw . . . an eraser. Oh no! In the hands of Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman, can anything but havoc and hilarity ensue?

    But what if somebody’s taste in pets runs to the more mechanical kind? What about those who like cogs and gears more than feathers and fur? People who prefer the call of a train whistle to the squeal of a guinea pig? Or maybe dream of a smudge of soot on their cheek, not slobber? In this spectacularly illustrated picture book, kids who love locomotives (and what kid doesn’t?) will discover where trains live, what they like to eat, and the best train tricks around—everything it takes to lay the tracks for a long and happy friendship. All aboard!

    But in the course of this book, Bob learns that every bear has his own way of doing things -- and there isn't a right way or a wrong way.

    In this humorous political allegory, he learns that it's not a winning strategy.Winter is coming, and the animals need homes. The worms move in with the ground hogs. The possums share a burrow with the foxes. The birds and the squirrels stay in the oak tree together. The hedgehog lives in the hedge . . . all by himself. When other animals come looking for a place to stay, he's NOT interested: it's HIS hedge and everyone else can STAY OUT. He gets busy making signs, putting locks on his door and even building a fence. All he cares about is keeping the other animals out... but he's making a huge mistake. Will the other animals find a home in time? Will Hedgehog learn his lesson? Is this a terrific story? Read on to find out.

    To be your favorite animal. 2. To get to the delicious salad at the end of the book.But when he gets to the salad, he discovers that there's a carrot in it. And Escargot hates carrots. But when he finally tries one—with a little help from you!—he discovers that it's not so bad after all

    Turns out there is more to it than meets the eye!

    Along the way they find friends to guide and support them, and when the new day dawns, it is full of promise. With gorgeous, richly realized illustrations and immense hope at its heart, Rain Before Rainbows holds out a ray of sunshine for anyone looking for light.

    But what's this? A feather floating in the soup! And where's Max? Brody the dog, Dakota the cat, and Bebe the bird race about in their hilarious search for the missing Max. But remember, sometimes things just aren't as they appear.

    As Chicken thaws-um, awakens-he fears that Bear is actually prepping to eat him. Oh no! All signs are pointing to a fateful end for Chicken-being wrapped like a burrito, chopped basil and veggies sitting on the counter, the huge pot on the stove that's just the right size for a chicken to fit inside. It's almost time for lunch, so Chicken makes a run for it! But in the end, Chicken learns that perhaps he too quickly jumped to conclusions. This funny and clever friendship tale teaches kids that things are not always as they seem, while learning a thing or two about making soup with a friend!

    . . and ends up with a new best friend in this silly and sweet doggy tale, perfect for fans of Officer Buckle and Gloria . Dogs make good pillows, don't they?A clever pup ends up in a cozy home, and she'll do anything to stay there. She impersonates everything the lonely homeowner needs--a pillow, a footstool, a jacket. But in the end, being herself works best. Laura Gehl's spare, humorous text and New Yorker cartoonist Christopher Weyant's expressive characters will leave young readers giggling and begging for more.

    His dream girl shows up unexpectedly in the form of his old friend Pippa, who is all too happy to pitch a tent or play a hard game of hockey, after which she finds the perfect use for that packet of peas! In this twist on the fairy tale, Tony Wilson and Sue DeGenarro deliver a freshly humorous take on one prince s search for the just-right girl of his dreams.

    What does a fish eat for dinner? How do you give him a bath? What kind of stories does he like? Pitch-perfect humor and wonderfully detailed, quirky illustrations make this a refreshingly funny and imaginative picture book.

    Or are they?

    The chase that follows—with page-turn surprises—makes for a hilarious shaggy-dog story involving fleas, a hog, bribery, cats, deception, and a mule. The rhyming stanzas are pitch-perfect, Texas-style, and plumb near cry out to be read aloud. Austin’s expressive acrylic and colored-pencil caricatures of Cowpoke Clyde and his menagerie are priceless. A storytime shoo-in!

    In the following days, more topiaries appear, and each one is more beautiful than the last. Soon, William’s gray little town is full of color and life. And though the mysterious night gardener disappears as suddenly as he appeared, William—and his town—are changed forever.