. . . 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

    That's when you and your brothers get inventive and build a bike from scratch, using everyday items like an old milk pot (maybe mum is still using it, maybe not) and a used flour sack. You can even make a numberplate from bark, if you want. The end result is a spectacular bike, perfect for going bumpity-bump over sandhills, past your fed-up mum and right through your mud-for-walls home.A delightful story from multi-award-winning author Maxine Beneba Clarke, beautifully illustrated by street artist Van T Rudd.

    From beloved author Dave Keane and acclaimed illustrator K.G. Campbell, a laugh-out-loud story of unexpected friendship!    When the spunky, loveable narrator receives a tortoise for her birthday, instead of the cuddly puppy she’s longed for her entire life, she’s more than a little disappointed.  But while her new lump of a pet isn’t what she dreamed of, it doesn’t take long—between tortoise-on-skateboard walks, sparkly shell makeovers, and a lemonade stand selling chances to hold a real life tortoise—for the little girl to change her mind—sort of.  But when her pet goes missing, all she wants is to be reunited with her new best friend.

    . . and all the dogs . . . and all the zoo animals! Only when the two finally arrive does Granddad see why Sam was in such a hurry—and they have the best time playing with everyone in the snow.

    . . . Will it be able to take the Winner's Cup?Race cars!Line up!Who will take the Winner's Cup?Cars start,lights glow..."Rev your engines...GO GO GO!"All the cars are lining up for the race, but one car is smaller than the rest. As it squeezes in between all of them, the cars rev their engines . . . and they're off! Down mountains and by waterfalls, through tunnels and past landslides, the cars race through places that somehow look oddly familiar. . . .

    But when his friends come by to check on him, they realize that Bear is still awake! They brew him hot tea and sing him lullabies, but nothing seems to work. Can Bear get to bed? Or will he be up all winter?

    In this simple yet emotionally rich "guide," a father takes his daughter through all the steps in the process—from choosing the perfect bicycle to that triumphant first successful ride. Using very few words and lots of expressive pictures, here is a picture book that not only shows kids how to learn to ride, but captures what it feels like to fall . . . get up . . . fall again . . . and finally "by luck, grace, and determination" ride a bicycle!

    Luckily, there are lots of good places to hide a lion—behind the shower curtain, in your bed, and even up a tree. But can Iris hide her lion forever?With Helen Stephens's timeless art and elegant text, readers will fall in love with Iris and her lion.

    Yellow and I Used to Be a Fish.Do you ever look up at the night sky and wonder if there is anybody else out there?Are there evil robots or cool aliens?Do they fly in UFOs or live in futuristic cities?Or maybe . . . they are just like us.Out There is a wonder-filled, surprising journey of imagination and empathy, a book that will inspire readers of all ages to reflect on how much we all have in common, despite our differences.

    Bulldozer wheels around asking his truck friends if they know what day it is, but they each only say it's a work day. They go on scooping, sifting, stirring, filling, and lifting, and little Bulldozer grows more and more glum. But when the whistle blows at the end of the busy day, Bulldozer discovers a construction site surprise, especially for him!

    Diggers are digging, and workers are waving. But where is Sunny and her trusty tow truck? Written in sparse rhyme wonderful for reading aloud, Sunny’s Tow Truck Saves the Day! is the perfect book to introduce little readers to the concept of time, as well as to various workers and their vehicles. The bold, colorful illustrations by Christopher Lee bring this dynamic world to life.

    Ride up and around, along and through, out and down. Frank's striking graphic style is executed in just five joyous colors, and his spare, rhythmic language is infectious. Hit a bump? Get back on track! Reach the end? Start again!

    The woodland creatures can’t wait to pile into their boat and go fishing! Or, at least, Bear, Porcupine, and Otter can’t wait. They love fishing. Squirrel…does not. Squirrel tags along with his enthusiastic friends, but is there anything they all love? Or is this fishing trip already sunk?

    But who will take home the big trophy? Will it be the playful Flying Pandinis? The mischievous Knitted Monkey crew? Or will Mama Lion and Tigey speed past the finish line in first place? While everyone hopes to win, it's the journey itself -- filled with joy, beauty, fun, and friendships -- that is the best prize of all.With cars inspired by the early days of Italian motor racing, and characters based on his children's beloved toy animals, Jon J Muth has created a uniquely spellbinding book that readers will return to again and again.

    Now Duck is back and turning the farm upside down! Flushed with the success of his trailblazing bike ride around the farm, Duck decides he's ready to drive the tractor. As in the bestselling Duck on a Bike, all the barnyard animals share their humorous comments as they watch Duck do the unthinkable. Then, one by one, they join him on the tractor for a ride! But what happens when Duck drives the big red tractor through town, past the popular diner where all the locals are having lunch? What will those folks really think when they see Duck and all the other animals riding around on Farmer O'Dell's tractor? Filled with entertaining detail and sly jokes, readers will pore over each picture again and again. Perfect for reading aloud!