How do you know what type of clouds can forecast a change of weather? Read and find out.

    There are shadows and noises everywhere. Fox is sure the night is full of monsters! Then he meets the real creatures of the night and realizes they are not so scary after all.

    CLAUS TAKES A VACATION, an utterly charming story of an old lady who makes an elephant her new pet dog.When an old lady finds a small elephant in the park, what is she to do? Take him home and treat him like a pet dog, of course! Peanut's not like other dogs, though . . . and another walk in the park reveals that he's missing from the circus. When Peanut returns home, the old lady is sad again, until she comes across a camel . . . who she decides is a cat!

    So they decide that Hetty is old enough to go by herself. Although she practices walking smoothly up the hill so she won’t break the precious eggs, she can’t help running all the way down. Young readers will hold their breath as Hetty tries her very best to get those eggs home safely. “The story is remarkable for its evocative imagery, and the loving interchange between the characters sets a charming tone. The words are perfectly complemented by Lewis’s dazzling, impressionistic watercolors that show the joyous power of love and depict a warmly supportive world in which Hetty ventures forth toward independence. A fine book that speaks straight to the heart.”--Booklist

    The soothing text and large, up-close pictures of trucks, planes, and fire engines, among others, will make this a favorite bedtime story of all toddlers and preschoolers who are fascinated with things that go.

    Bouncy illustrations, innovative die cutting and popular rhymes make Books with Holes a must for every child. Available in three formats, suitable for babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and the nursery or classroom.

    Not a moment to be lost, in a minute we get frost! In an hour we get snow! Drift like houses! Ten below!" So begins this hilarious nonsense rhyme by a much-loved writer who won wide critical acclaim and a devoted audience during his lifetime. Now this poem has been illustrated in full color by Erik Blegvad, an old friend of Bodecker's and the only person besides himself that he would allow to interpret work.Poor Mary is the person who must make all the preparation for winter in a frenzied crescendo of activity -- "Churn the butter, smoke the hams, can tomatoes, put up jams" -- leading up to a very funny, very fitting, ending.Illuminated by Bodecker's rare imagination, his glorious sense of the absurd, and his firsthand knowledge of country living, all beautifully matched by Erik Blegvad's wonderous watercolor paintings, this is a book to delight young readers and their elders again and again.

    Squirrel’s friend, the hedgehog, catches sight of an attractive lady hedgehog, he isn’t sure what to do to win her heart. What a stroke of luck that he has a friend like Mr. Squirrel, who can help him.Mr. Squirrel knows all about love, and what ladies like. Lady hedgehogs like heroes! But can Mr. Squirrel and the hedgehog conquer the most dangerous animal in the forest?

    Throw. Uh-oh. The yellow ball is forgotten at the edge of the water. Little by little, so no one notices, the ball floats out to sea. All alone, it travels above the fish and below the gulls, and drifts into a storm. Tossed by waves all through the night, it sails ashore next day to a hug and a home. Molly Bang's luminous pastels and gentle, rhythmic text tell a story that is both exciting and reassuring. Together, pictures and text are at once a lyrical adventure and an invitation to beach lovers and ocean gazers to journey far from shore and explore the wide-open sea. This well-loved classic returns in a 25th Anniversary Edition which will continue to delight children for another twenty-five years.

    Filled with fluffy and scaly creatures big and small, this appealing book introduces the youngest explorers to the world of wildlife, using a child-friendly format inspired by the blockbuster National Geographic Little Kids magazine. This exciting new reference for the very young mirrors the magazine’s square shape, readable fonts, and fun content, to keep little ones thrilled with every colorful page.Little Kids First Big Book of Animals devotes four pages each to 32 high-interest creatures, including dolphins, tigers, butterflies, frogs, penguins, wolves, and pandas. More than 150 of National Geographic’s most charming animal photos illustrate the profiles, which feature just the kind of facts that little kids want to know—the creature’s size, diet, home, and more.Child-friendly text explains how animal parents take care of their young, how baby animals change as they grow, and how they learn to hunt and eat. The brief text, large type, and appealing profiles are perfect for young readers to enjoy on their own, or for parents and other caregivers to read aloud. These animal tales will quickly become favorites at storytime, bedtime, and any other time.

    As a child and parent walk down the block to the bay and turn to walk back home, evening falls upon the neighborhood. As the walk begins, the squirrels are in the yards, the boys are mowing lawns, a neighbor is baking a pie, and someone is mailing a letter. When the child and parent turn to walk back home, the apple pie is down from the windowsill, the leaves are raked up, and the postman has picked up

    A moonlight ride with Gram on a fishing boat takes them out on the ocean where thousands of moonjellies shimmer, and the boy slips his treasure back among them. Based on a childhood experience in New England, Shasha's narrative is full of small details that illuminate the story but don't impede it. His rich pastels combined with the text create a strong sense of place and time--the warmth of family relationships, the quiet companionship of the boy and his grandmother, the cheerful hard work and hustle-bustle of the concession stand, and the magic of the glowing sea. His use of light, shadows, and darkness in the luminous full-color double-page spreads invite readers right into the story. -- School Library Journal

    A little boy who can’t wait for summer keeps asking his mama, “Is it summer yet?” Mama says, “Not yet, little one,” then points to the signs that spring is turning to summer—the softening of the earth, the nest-building of squirrels, the singing of birds—and encourages her son to savor the beauty of spring.Following the success of All in a Day, Nikki McClure once again uses her unique paper cutouts to showcase wonderful images of nature and the joys of family and the outdoors, creating a book that is both timeless and fresh.Printed on recycled paper!  Praise for All in a Day New York Times bestsellerPublishers Weekly bestseller [STAR] “This uplifting picture book succeeds in introducing children to the perennial promise of tomorrow through lithe language and honed imagery.” —Kirkus, starred review [STAR] “A handsome, effective piece of bookmaking that captures the glory of a day and the possibilities it holds.” —Booklist, starred review

    But today, for his fifth birthday, he climbs aboard one with his grandfather. As the matatu pulls away from the market, the village dogs chase after them. When Kioko asks his grandfather why the dogs always bark and chase after matatus, his grandfather tells him an entertaining tale about a dog, a goat and a sheep. Set in East Africa, The Matatu is a colorful story filled with many unexpected turns and twists along the way.

    All day long, as he maneuvers his donkey cart through streets crowded with cars and camels, down alleys filled with merchants' stalls, and past buildings a thousand years old, Ahmed keeps his secret safe inside. It is so special, so wonderful, that he can reveal it only to his family, only when he returns home, only at the end of the day.