in full color. "Kangaroo child Norma Jean loves to jump. The problem is that her jumping gets out of hand, causing accidents and some ruffled feelings among her friends, and Norma stops her jumping entirely. But when the school's field-day games come up, Norma Jean is coaxed back into action long enough to win ribbons. Light, popular fare for beginning readers."--Booklist.

    But when Ralph finally gets his chance, he discovers that being the hero isn't as easy as it looks. Soon the entire video game world is at stake, and if Ralph doesn't play to win, it could mean "Game Over" for every game in the arcade! This Step 2 reader based on the film is perfect for kids ages 4-6.

    This unusual family soon has the whole neighborhood gossiping. Defying the grown-ups, Matilda becomes friends with young pirate Jim Lad. When the JolleyRogers return to sea, the town realizes that they were wrong to assume the worst when it is discovered that the pirates have buried treasure in everyone's yard. The neighbors are thrilled, but Matilda is sad to have lost her new friend, until she discovers her own treasure - a pen pal!

    But Dog, Lion, and Zebra don't think so. Why else would they make her feel so rotten about her big ears, her fuzzy mane, and her wiggly stripes? Poor Pinduli just wants to disappear--and she tries everything she can think of to make that happen. Yet "nothing goes her way. Nothing, that is, until a case of mistaken identity lets her show the creatures of the African savanna how a few tiny words--bad or good--can create something enormous. Janell Cannon, the creator of the bestselling "Stellaluna, introduces yet another endearing character in this triumphant story about self-image, self-acceptance, and treating others with respect.""Includes notes about hyenas and other animals of the African savanna.

    In Angelina and the Princess, Angelina hopes to dance the starring role, but instead is cast in a tiny part. She is so disappointed that she wants to quit ballet. Eventually, though, she decides to work hard for her friends in the performance. Angelina’s decision leads to an unexpected turn of events--and a happy ending for everyone.

    So the child asks some animal friends to gather ingredients, one by one: the chicken an egg, the bear some flour, the cat the butter and milk, the pig a pinch of salt, the dog some sugar, and the monkey a bunch of cherries for the top. After they all share the fun of making the cake, it's even more fun to eat it! Helen Oxenbury's winsome illustrations and simple, repetitive text make this an ideal gift for the youngest of children.

    And as fast as the farmer ran, the wind raced even faster. So the farmer went looking. Neither squirrel, nor Mouse, nor Duck, nor any of the other animals has seen the hat--though they had seen some pretty strange things. Would the farmer ever find his favorite hat?

    As the farmer makes his rounds each day, most of the animals chew on the foods a young reader would expect. But when it’s time to feed the cow, she feasts on a special treat! Wilson's signature style and Marcellus Hall’s spirited watercolors will delight children on and off the farm—because when it comes down to it, who doesn’t love milk and cookies?

    And he has a wonderful time of it - sliding off the back of a shiny pink pig, hopping along with frogs, skipping with a flock of frisky sheep, and imitating all the sounds these animals make. Full of playful detail, John Lawrence’s bold, energetic engravings will keep toddlers smiling, long after the oinking, mooing, baaing, and quacking are over.

    The problem is, Sherman doesn't like being a police officer. He has a hard time saying no to anyone-crooks, his boss, and especially his dad. Sherman turns to self-help books, videos, and even hypnosis to learn how to refuse, but nothing works. On the day of his father's retirement party, Sherman finally comes up with a solution, and the party guests help him convey a loud and clear message. Readers will tip their hats at the resourceful way Sherman finds happiness in this silly, thoroughly satisfying story about being true to oneself. Illustrated by Tim Bowers.

    Rock-a-bye Squirrel, high in the tree, in Mommy's arms, cozy as can be. The familiar lullaby takes on a new life in Jane Cabrera's cozy rendition. In the branches and beneath the roots, tucked into nooks and nests, different animals, large and small, are getting ready for bed. The baby bat nestles with its mother, the bunny burrows in safe and warm--even a cheerful, fuzzy spider settles on its sparkling web. At the end, a human father and his baby watch the tree from a distance, joining in on the sleepy song.With clever new lyrics and bright, sweet illustrations of all kinds of animals, this is an irresistable addition to Jane Cabrera's library of refreshed nursery rhymes. . . and perfect to share with little ones you love.

    Here at last is the inspiring silly antidote for that fear.Herb loves to be scared by the wolves in storybooks--as long as his mom takes the book out of his room at night. When she forgets one night, Herb gets an unwanted visit. Stalling for time, Herb explains that little boys are best for dessert and Big Wolf and Little Wolf should start with an appetizer, like Jell-O! He seeks help from the stars of fairy tales such as Cinderella's fairy godmother, but not before things get very sticky. This is a fairy tale so artfully fractured it looks seamless and a message about creativity and imagination that any young dreamer would love.

      At the age of three, Michaela DePrince found a photo of a ballerina that changed her life. She was living in an orphanage in Sierra Leone at the time, but was soon adopted by a family and brought to America. Michaela never forgot the photo of the dancer she once saw, and quickly decided to make her dream of becoming a ballerina come true. She has been dancing ever since and is now a principal dancer in New York City and has been featured in the ballet documentary First Position, as well as Dancing with the Stars, Good Morning America, and Oprah magazine.   Young readers will love learning about this inspiring ballerina in this uplifting and informative leveled reader. This Step 4 Step into Reading book is for newly independent readers who read simple sentences with confidence.

    But this time a big MEAN dust bunny wants to play—and run and chase and grab! Can the four little dust bunnies get that bully to play nice? Jan Thomas’s lovable critters shine again in this hilarious rhyme-filled book that starts with scares and ends with…smiles.

    When a tired, lonely owl finds shelter in a hen house during a storm, he is awakened by a flock of bossy hens who try to force him to be a cockerel, until he demonstrates what he can do for them.