But just as everyone was getting really fed up of being stuck indoors, the most amazing thing happened! Suddenly the house started to shudder and rock - and then just floated off down the street and off to sea. Before long, the family find themselves on the wackiest adventure ever! Hungry cannibals, blood-thirsty pirates, a kidnapping and buried treasure are just some of the hair-raisers in store. Will the family ever see dry land again or will evil One-Eyed Jake cut them into a million tiny pieces?

    Brightly dressed in full uniform, each soldier brings a part for the remarkable machine.

    Huckle’s life changes forever as he joins his classmates on the school bus; meets Miss Honey, his sympathetic teacher; and learns the alphabet, new vocabulary, numbers, the days of the week, and the hours of the day. Of course, there’s recess, show and tell, and a few unexpected adventures, too! Young readers are welcomed in, as they’re asked to help some of Huckle’s friends answer Miss Honey’s questions.Beautifully produced, this is the perfect gift for any child approaching school age—and the flip side of the dust jacket hides a fun surprise: a Richard Scarry A-Z wall poster.

    But now I can do lots of things, like braid my own hair and go to nursery school. I'm not a baby anymore. I'm me!"

    Old Miss Twiggley Was friendly with bears. "They shed on the sofa," she said, "But who cares?" And was it true, as the mayor's wife had heard, that she actually slept in her hat? "Simply disgraceful," they said. But when a hurricane hits the town and the water rises, everyone is grateful to Miss Twiggley and her tree. Even better, Miss Twiggley herself learns a very important lesson, with a warm and happy ending.

    When a mean witch convinces people that giving away their Warm Fuzzies will result in a shortage of the happy-making creatures, and introduces Cold Pricklies as well, people become less generous, greedier, and generally unhappy.

    But what Max really wants is a ferocious, green dragon shirt. When the two get separated in the clothing store, the antics begin. Children will cheer as Max unwittingly outwits his bossy, older sister once again.

    Honeybunch comes to stay. She wants to play, but Hopscotch would much rather be alone in his special NO BABYSITTERS ALLOWED fort . . . that is, until he hears Mrs. Honeybunch reading his books all wrong. But explaining the right way to tell the stories would mean leaving his fort, and Hopscotch isn't sure he's brave enough for that.This sweetly funny story about separation anxiety will provide ample reassurance to young children (and their worried parents) facing babysitter night.

    He’s trying to make a film starring the Kow as she battles against the Dark Contaminator. But first he has to cope with a few little problems, like exploding strawberries, rampaging toddlers and hostile football fans. After this, saving the world should be a doddle!

    After rattling around the Prince's bedroom, it flies out the window and floats into the dark forest, where it has no business to be. The King decides to do something about it. He orders the Knight to climb on his horse, ride into the forest, and bring back the kiss. But the forest is filled with spooky things that frighten both the Knight and his horse. How will they ever succeed in bringing the kiss back to the castle? This funny story features Daivd Melling's atmospheric and richly colored illustrations on every page. It makes a great bedtime story for kids who are about the same age as the Little Prince. (Ages 4-7)

    The stories do not necessarily take place at the same moment in time, but are they really one story?

    and Mrs. Porcupine name their baby Lance? Needleroozer? Quillian? Perhaps they should, but they don't. Instead they decide on the unlikely name of Fluffy. Fluffy's name is a source of sorrow to the sharp-quilled youngster, until he meets and befriends a rhinoceros named . . . Hippo! Munsinger's bright, cheery pictures are as whimsical as Lester's delightfully silly text. Together, they create nicely absurd images, such as a scene in which Fluffy and Hippo roll on the ground, laughing so hard that they start to cry. Lester and Munsingerwho have collaborated on other picture bookstell a sweet story with joyful exuberance.

    Before they can get there, though, the band of prairie critters gets tricked by a mean Coyote and trapped in his evil den. Will the friends escape in time? And where is that rumbling coming from after all?

    

    Mary and Joseph weren't the only ones turned away from the inn at Bethlehem. In this new Nativity story, a widower named Micah travels the crowded road to return to the town of his birth. Just in front of him a young woman, heavy with child, rides in the back of a donkey. Her husband leads the way, walking slowly to make the ride smoother. Every so often the young woman turns toward Micah, offering gentle words of encouragement as he hobbles along behind them. And each time they stop for water, she makes sure that her husband offers Micah a sip. When they arrive at Bethlehem, Micah and the young couple go their separate ways. Micah wearily wanders the streets for shelter, a place to eat, and some way to fill his loneliness. Although he doesn't receive what he wants, he does receive what he needs--a warm quilt, a loaf of bread, and in the end, an invitation to come inside a small stable.