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!

    All Little Jumbo wants to do is fight crime and defend the weak, by doing things like halting traffic for snails to cross the street and stopping Dad from sneaking cookies. It’s not his fault grown-ups don’t appreciate his heroic deeds! Luckily, Little Jumbo doesn't give up easily. He even powerfully resists cake (his greatest weakness!) to help a new friend in need! Super Jumbo is the hilariously sweet companion to Fred Koehler’s standout debut, How to Cheer Up Dad, which received three starred reviews.

    . .In a book as cheerful and charming as Snail himself, Corey Tabor tells a winning tale of a slow but steady snail, whose determination and kindness bring him the best reward of all: friendship.

    . . In a little town by the seaside, Marianne can often be found foraging on the beach. But she isn’t playing with children her own age; instead Marianne is alone, digging for dinosaur bones. When she finds an entire skeleton, she names him Bony and vows to become his best friend.That night, she goes to sleep wishing with all her heart that her dinosaur might come to life . . . and her wish comes true. Together, a girl and her dinosaur’s adventures are only limited by their imagination.

    Roar! Is it a dragon? A great big dragon? He searches the woods and finds a surprise. Three very little dragons are almost ready for bed. But who will read to them, tuck them in, and kiss them good night? Is this a job for the Good Knight? Young readers, like the young dragons, will quickly fall under the Good Knight's spell."Stories of valiant knights slaying fearsome dragons are going to fall sadly flat after one reading of this bewitching tale." (Kirkus Reviews, pointer review)

    Except Max. Max persuades the other critters that this particular runaway needs their help. So while everyone keeps busy seeing that Harold remains well fed, Max cooks up a clever plan. But will it be enough to keep the zoo detective away?

    So he decides to go wild. But does he go too far? There is a time and place for everything...even going wild.

    When all the shoppers have gone home for the night, Corduroy climbs down from the shelf to look for his missing button. It's a brave new world! He accidentally gets on an elevator that he thinks must be a mountain and sees the furniture section that he thinks must be a palace. He tries to pull a button off the mattress, but he ends up falling off the bed and knocking over a lamp. The night watchman hears the crash, finds Corduroy, and puts him back on the shelf downstairs. The next morning, he finds that it's his lucky day! A little girl buys him with money she saved in her piggy bank and takes him home to her room. Corduroy decides that this must be home and that Lisa must be his friend. Youngsters will never get tired of this toy-comes-alive tale with a happy ending, so you may also want to seek out Dan Freeman's next creation, A Pocket for Corduroy. (Ages 3 to 8)

    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

    One day, Vincent's mother asks him to go to the store to pick up a few items: "a bunch of carrots, a box of rice, some China tea, a big, firm pear, and a tin of peas" to be precise. "And hurry home in time for tea!" she says. Sounds easy enough.Yet distractions are at every turn, causing havoc with Vincent's memory. All of a sudden, a tin of peas is replaced by a trapeze; a big, firm pear becomes a big furry bear; and a box of rice transforms into a box of mice!Needless to say, Vincent's mother is in for quite a surprise.Told with a playful rhythm for reading aloud and illustrated with exuberance and great child appeal, this humorous picture book will have kids laughing and asking for repeated readings.Praise for Chimpanzees for Tea!"Award-winning British author/illustrator Empson energetically illustrates her tale of ever more outrageous memory lapses with scribbly watercolors full of swooping action and bouncing wildlife that follow the swirling text across the pages. Wild daubs of color emphasize the comically powerful wind and the mounting chaos. As much fun to read as it is to hear, and a real treat for the eyes."—Kirkus Reviews

    What is chasing Duck? Is it something wild and hairy? Does it have big teeth? Who will help protect Duck? Featuring Jan Thomas’s wonderfully wacky humor, rowdy repetitions, and hilarious characters, this book is sure to have young readers laughing out loud!

    But there are no bears here. Not on Muffin's watch.One night, Muffin hears a suspicious noise. Mouse? Raccoon? Bat? Nope, not the usual suspects. But Muffin hears . . . growling. Could it be? Yup. A bear. Just a cub. Whose stomach is definitely growling. Muffin's got this case solved--clearly this bear needs some donuts.

    If you're a little cloud like Cloudette, people call you cute nicknames, and you can always find a good spot to watch the fireworks. But what about when you want to do something big, like help a giant garden grow, or make a brook babble?This charming book gets at the heart of what it means to make a difference no matter your size. Young children will find much to relate to in Cloudette as they follow her on her pursuit for greatness.

    After Lola reads a book of garden poems, she wants to plant some flowers. She gets books from the library and chooses her plants. Then Lola and her mommy buy the seeds, make the garden, and mark the rows. Now it’s time to wait. . . .

    What could be more fun than a big trip?  Pig can't wait to go, but Goat is worried.  How will Pig get there?  Bicycles are unsteady, horses can throw you off.  Cars can break down and trains get stuck in tunnels.  A trip can be no vacation at all...but leave it to Pig to send Goat's worries packing and turn tricky travel into smooth sailing!Valeri Gorbachev has brought his comic characters from Where is the Apple Pie? and One Rainy Day to another neighborly story of fun and friendship.