These five contemporary romances explore the not-so-simple joys of small-town living, where the heroes are hotter than temperatures in July and the heroines know just when not to mind their manners. Grab a glass of sweet tea and sit a spell: Sweet Gone South: Chocolatier Lanie Heaven has good friends, a booming business, and the adoration of the citizens of Merritt, Alabama - and a big secret. Then widower Judge Luke Avery moves upstairs and threatens to turn her life into a sticky mess. Scrimmage Gone South: Lawyer Tolly Lee is pearls, debutante balls, and polished silver on the breakfast table. High school football coach Nathan Scott holds her responsible for his aborted NFL career. Can these two ex-lovers find a way to co-exist in the same small town - without becoming fodder for every gossip in town? Slugger Gone South: When New York Yankee Marc MacNeal comes to Merritt, Alabama, for a charity golf tournament, he's shocked to be reunited with his ex-fiancée Bailey Watkins. It could be the perfect chance to get some long-awaited closure - or the start of a whole new ball game. Simple Gone South: The last time Brantley Kincaid had an argument with someone, a loved one ended up in Merritt Cemetery. He's high strung enough about moving back home to the memories without running into his childhood playmate, Lucy Mead, who's all grown up. Secrets Gone South: Will Garrett grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and never expected debutante Arabelle Avery to end up in his arms during an emotional moment. Now she's returned to Merritt, his son on her hip. Will he ever be good enough to raise his son and win Arabelle's heart? Sensuality Level: Sensual

    Also by Ethan Long: Thank You! and Lion & Tiger & Bear: Tag, You're It!

    Alabasium, Wizard Extraordinaire, rents a room in Mrs. Beggs's boarding house. After the Wizard conjures up a few floating chairs and some inclement weather in the parlor, Mrs. Beggs retaliates with a little witchcraft of her own. Full color.

    

    "The bright pictures and the wealth of animal sounds and actions make it a natural for the very youngest."--School Library Journal.

    Girl and Gorilla want to play at the park. But how will they get there? They can . . . Hopscotch! Or jump rope! Maybe they can just close their eyes and wish they were there! But when they open their eyes . . . they are not at the park. Will Girl and Gorilla ever get to play at the park?

    This rhyming and richly illustrated picture book is a clever and unusual celebration of being observant and keeping an eye out for magic in the everyday world that surrounds us.

    A collection of short stories and excerpts from Michael Morpurgo's most famous children's novels.

    From the popular creators of I’m Bad!, I Stink!, and I’m Dirty! comes the perfect new addition to this hilarious read-aloud series: the fire truck.He’s a big red ENGINEWith a siren,A horn,A tank full of water,And a whole lotta HOSE!He’s a good-lookin’ fire truck,And he’s BRAVE, too.When the alarm soundsEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOHe’s gotta drive throughSMOKE and HEATStraight to a blazing FIRE! HONK! HONK!

    In fact, he doesn’t want to follow the story line at all. Who says Jack needs to enter a life of daring, thievery, and giant trickery? He takes his story into his own hands—and you’ll never guess what happens next!With laugh-out-loud dialogue and bold, playful art (including hidden fairy tale creatures for kids to find), this Jack and the Beanstalk retelling will have children rolling with laughter till Bessie the cow comes home.

    Barker, see on their fairy-tale adventure? Peek through from scene to scene to guess who they might meet next.Lucy is reading a fairy tale to Mr. Barker, but her dog has other ideas. When he jumps out the window — landing in a cottage with a broken chair, three bowls of porridge, and a little golden-haired girl — Lucy is right behind him. Goldilocks would rather not be there when the bears return, so she joins Lucy and Mr. Barker as they continue on their way, adding a trio of pigs, a boy with a goose, and a just-awakened princess during their journey. What happens next? Cutout windows throughout add visual surprises to this lighthearted fractured fairy tale.

    Grouped in four progressive levels, Read and Share books - available individually for the first time - are specially selected for qualities that encourage literacy skills and a love of reading.Sixteen top-quality books with notes for extending reading fun inspire the confidence parents and children need to experience the joys of reading . . . together. Plus an informative Parents’ Handbook!What is Read and Share?—An expert selection of sixteen high-quality picture books by superb authors and illustrators, featuring a multicultural array of subjects, including poetry and rhymes, traditional songs, stories, and information books —Four progressive levels - Beginnings, Early Steps, Next Steps, and Taking Off - each including four fabulous picture books—Two full spreads inside each book offering suggestions and activities inspired by the story, designed to help parents and children get the most out of each book - and build a foundation for reading success—A separate 24-page, full-color Parents’ Handbook providing extensive practical information and detailed answers to many of the questions parents ask about encouraging their children’s literacy

    When he climbs on his back, they ride off on the most wondrous adventures--jousting with knights and capturing outlaws. But as the years go by & the boy outgrows his favorite childhood friend, the rocking horse is stowed in the attic with other old toys. Faithfully the rocking horse waits, hoping his boy will return. Years later, on another Christmas, another little boy (whose father had ridden the rocking horse) discovers the enchanted horse, and off they ride on adventures beyond imagination.

    School. Friends. Girlfriends. Actually, Senna was probably the oddest aspect of his life. She was beautiful. Smart. But there was something very different about her. Something strange.Then one day it began. One moment, Senna was with him. The next, she was swallowed up by the earth. David couldn't just let her go and neither could their friends. So David, April, Jalil, and Christopher followed Senna to a world they never could have imagined. Wolves the size of elephants, beings who consider themselves immortal, mythological gods.Now the four friends have to find Senna and get home without losing their lives. Or their minds. Or both...

    Stine!Are you are afraid of monsters? Do they make you shiver and shake and shut your eyes really tight at night? Welcome to the Little Shop of Monsters! Do you want a SNEEZER? A TICKLER? Or one of the CREEPIEST monsters of all? Come on in and choose your favorite, if you dare (before one of them chooses YOU!). Renowned children's book creators Marc Brown and R.L. Stine join forces for the very first time-in Stine's picture book debut-with a tale that is monstrously good fun. 2016 Children's Choice Book Award Winner -- Kindergarten-2nd Grade Book of the Year