But this funny (and punny) little book imagines how some of them declare their love, affection, or friendship any day of the year."Nice to Meetcha! You smell delish!/Wanna share my water dish?" So asks one tail-thumping dog to another. Whereas a courting dolphin sings, "Come, leap with me and be my wife./You're the porpoise of my life." Ranging from dogs and cats and other pets to some you wouldn't want to pet, such as sharks and porcupines, acclaimed poet Marilyn Singer's captivating couplets and Lee Wildish's expressively humorous illustrations provide a Valentine's Day gift for kids who wouldn't be caught dead being lovey-dovey.

    SHARRRK! But this shark is just misunderstood, or is he? In a wholly original, side-splittingly funny story, New York Times bestselling author Ame Dyckman and illustrator Scott Magoon take this perennial theme and turn it on its (hammer)head with a brand-new cheeky character. The filming of an underwater TV show goes awry when the crew gets interrupted by a... SHARRRK! Poor Shark, he wasn't trying to scare them, he's just misunderstood! Then he's accused of trying to eat a fish. Will Shark ever catch a break? After all, he wasn't going to eat the fish, he was just showing it his new tooth! Or was he? Explosively funny, extraordinarily clever, and even full of fun shark facts, this surprisingly endearing story gets to the heart of what it feels like to be misunderstood by the people around you. With a surprise twist ending, our Misunderstood Shark will have kids rolling with laughter!

    WHADDAYA THINK OF THAT?

    Illustrated by the author, this is a vibrant full-color picture book.

    What would you do if you were invited to the princess’s tenth birthday party but didn’t have money for a gift? Well, clever Jack decides to bake the princess a cake.Now he just has to get it to the castle in one piece. What could possibly go wrong?Candace Fleming and G. Brian Karas, creators of the bestselling picture book Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!, have teamed up again to bring us a modern fairy tale starring a determined boy and a story-loving princess with a good sense of humor. While girls will fall for a story featuring a princess’s birthday party, Jack’s adventures with trolls, bears, and gypsies make this the perfect read for young boys as well—and ideal for storytime.

    At recess, the other bunnies tell her that her feet are too long for hopscotch, they say she’s too tall to jump rope, and of course, no one will get on the seesaw with her. Amelia is a very big and lonelybunny. But when a new very small bunny named Susannah arrives in the classroom, something amazing happens. Readers will delight as they watch Amelia transform from a shy bunny into a confident friend. From author-illustrator Marisabina Russo comes an endearing tale that celebrates the power of friendship and the fun of standing out in a crowd. With lively accessible artwork, here is the perfect book for every little bunny who worries about fitting in.

    Gorillas often have jobs where they get to wear masks—that’s why so many gorillas are surgeons, astronauts, scuba divers, and ninjas. There are adult gorillas and kid gorillas. There are even gorillas that go to school with you. You may think you’ve seen a gorilla swinging by before, but it’s much more likely that he was an orangutan—orangutans are terrible at hiding. You will know when there are lots of gorillas living in your midst because the grocery stores will be entirely out of bananas. In fact, you should always carry a banana with you, because you never know when there might be a gorilla around.Gorillas in Our Midst is all silliness and fun, and is destined to become a new favorite. Comic artist Richard Fairgray’s illustrations are filled with wonderful details for kids to discover with each read. Kids will love spotting the gorillas on each page and are sure to laugh out loud at the gorillas’ many disguises. And, of course, a story like this can’t end without a surprising twist!Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

    Through the eyes of the world’s animals—including elephants, monkeys, whales, and more—Cynthia Rylant offers a moving meditation on finding beauty around us every day and finding strength in adversity. Brendan Wenzel’s stunning landscapes and engaging creatures make this an inspiring and intriguing gift for readers of all ages.

    Instead it writes: You have a big nose! Who knows what to do with a pen that has a will of its own?Not Uncle Flood.Not Officer Wonkle.But young Horace has an idea...

    . . And pretty soon she has set your book ON FIRE. OH NO!Tom Fletcher and Greg Abbott have created a fantastically interactive sequel to their bestselling There's a Monster in Your Book. Children will love stroking, poking and flapping the book to make magic happen as they turn the pages. Can they help Little Dragon find a way to stop the fire and fly off on her own adventure?

    Will he choose an armor-plated butt? A rocket butt? A robot butt? Find out in this quirky tale of a tail, which features hilarious rhymes and delightful illustrations.

    He is catapulted to fame and a world tour soon follows from London to Shanghai, and before long Marty’s tunes top the bestseller charts!With playful text on a favorite funny topic and whimsical illustrations in Steven Kellogg’s trademark style, Farty Marty is a book to enjoy again and again!

    Both the young and the young at heart will enjoy sharing these simple poems of affection and appreciation.Betsy Snyder, the talented author and illustrator of Sweet Dreams Lullaby, Haiku Baby, and Have You Ever Tickled a Tiger?, combines multimedia illustrations and the Japanese poetic form of haiku to proclaim her love for many favorite things: a teddy bear, a Popsicle, a bike, a new friend, a beloved pet, and more.

    An old favorite as you've never seen it before! Everyone knows the song about the old lady who swallowed a fly, a spider, a bird, and even worse, but who's ever seen what's going on inside the old lady's stomach? With this inventive die-cut artwork, Simms Tabak gives us a rollicking, eye-popping version of the well-loved poem.