Book picks similar to
How the Devil Got His Cat by Mary Alice Downie


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Fairy Tale Feasts: A Literary Cookbook for Young Readers and Eaters


Jane Yolen - 2006
    In it, Caldecott-winning author Jane Yolen and her daughter, Heidi Stemple, imagine their readers as co-conspirators. About the creation of the stories and the history of the foods they share fun facts and anecdotes designed to encourage future cooks and storytellers to make up their own versions of the classics. From the earliest days of stories, when hunters told of their exploits around the campfire while gnawing on a leg of beast, to the era of kings in castles listening to the storyteller at the royal dinner feast, to the time of TV dinners when whole families sit for dinner in front of a screen to watch a movie, stories and eating have been close companions. So it is not unusual that folk stories are often about food. Jack's milk cow traded for beans, Snow White given a poisoned apple, a pancake running away from those who would eat it, Hansel and Gretel lured by the gingerbread house and its candy windows and doors. But there is something more—stories and recipes are both changeable. A storyteller never tells the same story twice, because every audience needs a slightly different story, depending upon the season or the time of day, the restlessness of the youngest listener, or how appropriate a tale is to what has just happened in the storyteller's world. And every cook knows that a recipe changes according to the time of day, the weather, the altitude, the number of grains in the level teaspoonful, the ingredients found (or not found) in the cupboard or refrigerator, even the cook's own feelings about the look of the batter.

Washday


Eve Bunting - 2014
    Are you ready for work, Lizzie girl? Grandma asks. I am, Lizzie replies. It's hard for her to set aside her plans for a tea party, but she rolls up her sleeves. Together Lizzie and Grandma haul the steaming washtub to the workbench and shave lye soap into the boiling water. They rub, rub, rub the clothes over the washboard, pull them through the wringer, and hang them out to dry. In the end, the satisfaction of a job well done, an unexpected guest, and a loving gesture make Lizzie's washday just about perfect.

The Most Beautiful Roof in the World: Exploring the Rainforest Canopy


Kathryn Lasky - 1997
    Meg Lowman, a scientist who, with the help of slings, suspended walkways, and mountain-climbing equipment, has managed to ascend into one of our planet’s least accessible and most fascinating ecosystems--the rain-forest canopy. “Fresh in outlook and intriguing in details, this book will strengthen any library collection on the rainforest.”--Booklist

Superbunny and the Peas of Doom


Neil McFarlane - 2014
     It was dark down there, but someone placed a carrot in your hand and said, "Eat it." You took a bite and said, "Ow!" "Eat the carrot, not your hand," said the voice. You ate the carrot, the lights came on, and that's when all the trouble started... *********************************************************** A "read aloud" bedtime story for parents to read to/with kids aged 5 to 11. The star of the story is "you" (i.e. your child) and the story contains lots of humour to appeal to both children and adults alike. Scroll up and grab a copy - it's FREE!

The Good, The Bad & The Rugby


Mark Farrer - 2018
    By trial… and eror error. Cullen is on jury duty, and the sleepy Scottish town of Melrose is experiencing a rare crime wave: the famous Rugby Sevens trophy is stolen, a dead body is unearthed, there is a spate of petty arson, and someone drives a van into Gloria’s front room.Why? And what is her husband doing every night up on Eildon hill?In this hilarious crime romp, misguided loyalties, thwarted love, and unbelievable gullibility reach crisis point on the one day in the year when the world pays a visit to Melrose.At the final whistle, Cullen will ensure that justice is done.Because sometimes twelve good men just isn’t enough.

The Ocean Alphabet Book


Jerry Pallotta - 1986
    Do you know which deep sea creature scares away its enemies by spraying ink at them, or which fish has lights inside its mouth to attract food?Learn the answer to these questions and other fascinating details about ocean life in this engaging and informative book.Young readers will delight in Jerry Pallotta's words and Frank Mazzola, Jr's illustrations on this alphabetical journey through the North Atlantic Ocean.

Off-Limits


Helen Yoon - 2021
    As soon as she sees an opening, she sneaks in to have a look around. After all, there's no harm in just looking, right? What she discovers is a magical wonderland of sticky tape, paper clips that make glorious strands, and a kaleidoscopic array of sticky notes. Who could possibly resist playing with those? In a joyful ode to office supplies, Helen Yoon leads a celebration of just-for-once breaking the rules--and offers a final, funny nod to adults who harbor a similar urge.

Max and Moritz: With Many More Mischief Makers


Wilhelm Busch - 1865
    The English translations, printed opposite the original German, are ingenious and faithful, with spice and sense both intact.

I Wish I Had a Dinosaur


V. Moua - 2016
    Once again, the little red bird has another great idea. This time, he absolutely knows what would make a great pet—a dinosaur! The bird also does a great job at convincing the reader why a particular dinosaur would make the perfect pet. So read along as you and your child will enjoy the adventures and wild imagination of this quirky bird! I Wish I Had a Dinosaur is a book that any child will love, especially at bedtime. Read this children's book FREE as part of your PRIME or Kindle Unlimited membership

The Secret Life of Farts


Malin Klingenberg - 2019
    The Secret Life of Farts is your guide to the rich, colourful, flatulatory world that is all around us.

The Appetizer When You're Not His Main Course


Ni'cola Mitchell - 2010
    Enjoying her life as a stay at home wifey, the couple is expecting a set of twins. Their life could not have been any more picture perfect, until the day that Yazmin was involved in a hit and run accident. Scared for the life of her babies, Yazmin damn near goes into shock after she attempts to call Trey only to be greeted by his wife of the past ten years……Monae and Malik have had a drama free long distance relationship for the last two years. Malik is a Marine, and is stationed in San Diego. They both have an understanding that once Monae graduates from UCLA, they will have their dream wedding. Planning an intimate surprise party just for two in his apartment, Monae discovers that she is not the only woman waiting for “her” man to come home……Knowing that Devaugn is in a relationship, Nia simply don’t care. He is the ideal man, and Nia is convinced that if she works hard enough, she can show him that she is all the woman that he needs. Stephanie will be a thing of the past and Devaugn can start taking care of Nia and her three children full time. Or will he…….These three friends all have one thing in common; they are really their man’s chick on the side. What happens when a woman find’s out that she is not her man’s main course, she is only the appetizer…..

The Truth About Murder


Chris Collett - 2019
    A MISSING WOMAN. THEN A MURDER. Stefan Greaves wakes up from a coma. He was brutally mugged while investigating a complaint about a local hospital. The woman who visited the law firm where Stefan worked had feared something very sinister was going on in the hospital’s postnatal ward. Now she has disappeared. Rookie policeman, Mick Fraser interviews Stefan. Mick’s new partner Denny Sutton is a cynical man with secrets of his own. They try to track down the missing woman. Then a body is found on the riverbank. HOW ARE THESE CRIMES LINKED AND WHAT’S REALLY GOING ON IN THE POLICE STATION?

Winter


Gerda Muller - 1994
    Shoveling snow, ice-skating, feeding the birds and being cozy inside with the Christmas tree.

Ballerina Dreams


Lauren Thompson - 2007
    They wanted to be ballerinas and dance on stage like their sisters and cousins and friends.But it would be hard for these girls to make their dream come true. They had cerebral palsy or other physical disabilities, which meant their muscles didn’t move the way they wanted them to. Some wore leg braces. Some used wheelchairs and walkers to get around. But these girls were determined. They had a dedicated teacher.  Every week they practiced. They worked hard. And one day they were ready.     Ballerina Dreams is an inspiring true story of love, hope and courage for everyone and anyone who has ever wished (and worked) hard enough to make their dreams come true.Ballerina Dreams is the winner of the 2008 Bank Street - Flora Stieglitz Award.

Widziałem pięknego dzięcioła


Michał Skibiński - 2019
    In order to improve his handwriting, Michal's teacher gives him a simple assignment: keep a journal, writing one sentence a day. Eighty years later, Michal's diary has been gorgeously illustrated with beautifully atmospheric paintings. Eloquent in its simplicity, the journal is a remarkable artifact that captures the innocence of childhood and the trauma of war. The journal starts out with a typical boy's observations: July 15: I went to a stream with my brother and teacher. July 23: I found a caterpillar. However over the course of weeks, menacing details emerge. July 27: A plane was circling over Anin. September 1: The war has begun. September 3: I hid from planes. September 14: Warsaw is bravely defending itself. These haunting entries are interspersed with visits from relatives, a soccer game, a trip to a park, an ice cream cone. Photographs of pages from Michal's diary enhance the poignancy of this simple record--an ordinary holiday interrupted by war; a life changed forever by an extraordinary moment in history.