Every time she passes by him, she tries to catch his eye. While the other townspeople fear what may be locked up inside the mysterious castle, the girl finally gets up the courage to knock on the door and find out what’s really behind the gate. A story about overcoming fear of the unknown, trying new things, and reaching out to make new friends, The Very Last Castle shows that bravery comes in packages both big and small.

    She is convinced there is something more out there. So she sets out on a quest—a quest for color. When she finally finds what she's been looking for, it's everything she hoped for and more. But that doesn't mean she will ever stop looking.

    Every night Dish and Spoon run away. And every night they return--until tonight! Where can Dish and Spoon be? The rhyme can't go on without them, so Cat, Cow, and Dog set out to search for their missing friends. But where to start? Should they go north? East? Northeast? They'll just have to read Fork's map, ask directions, and try not to get lost in Little Boy Blue's haystack or under Miss Muffet's tuffet or in Big Bad Wolf's kitchen--"FEE, FI, FO . . ." Oh no. Could that be the giant?

    He's very happy with his quiet life. He has his books, his tidy tidy house and a lovely view. Until one morning he opens the curtains to find a duck has taken up residence on the tiny pinnacle of rock outside his window. Much to the pigs annoyance the excessively friendly duck likes the spot and decides to build a house there. With a swimming pool. And a garden and patio. The duck tries to be friendly. He's very confident and outgoing. It seems he's been everywhere (unlike the pig), done everything; skiing, mountain climbing, parachuting, scuba-diving, even brain surgery. The pig just wants to be left alone. Eventually, after a particularly loud party, the pig shouts at the duck, and the next morning finds a note pinned to the duck's front door. It reads: GONE AWAY. At first the pig is pleased. But gradually realises that his life without the duck is quiet and slightly dull. He comes to miss the duck and regrets rejecting him. One day there is a knock on the door and the pig opens it to find the duck wearing a som- brero and carrying a pinata. He'd only been on holiday in the South. He does it every year. Maybe next year the pig will join him.

    Large type, simple vocabulary, chapter-like divisions, and decorative pictures made Little Bear perfect for emerging readers-they could read the story comfortably and not feel overwhelmed by the text. Following suit came such classics as Peggy Parish's Amelia Bedelia series, Lillian Hoban's books about Arthur the monkey, and Syd Hoff's popular Danny and the Dinosaur. Many books in this series are special in the depth of emotion evoked - Little Bear, the Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel, and Daniel's Duck by Clyde Bulla, to name a few - and all are enjoyed by children of all ages. Grade 1 - Grade 3.

    He scribbles in books. He steals candy from baby unicorns. He even burps in church. Seriously, who does that? Dragon, that's who. The king, the knights, and the villagers are desperate to take down this beast once and for all. But sometimes it's up to the unlikeliest of heroes to tame a dragon this terrible.

    Perfect for acting out while reading, It's a Tiger offers just the right amount of excitement without being too scary, and a sweet ending with a bit of a twist.

    Too afraid to look, she jumps out of bed and finds a friends to help. Soon Pig and a brave band of friends are heading Duck's way to save her from the terrifying monster...

    And so the king and queen have pebbles sewn into the tops of her socks, and force her to wear a crown encrusted with the heaviest jewels in the kingdom to keep her earthbound. But one day, Hyacinth comes across a balloon man and decides to take off all her princess clothes, grab a balloon, and float free. Hooray! Alas, when the balloon man lets go of the string . . . off she goes. Luckily, there is a kite and a boy named Boy to save her.

    Larf, you see, is a sasquatch, the only sasquatch in the world (or so it seems). He has a very pleasant, and very private, life in the woods, where on any given day he might be found jogging, gardening or walking Eric, his pet bunny. But everything changes one morning when Larf discovers that another sasquatch is scheduled to make an appearance in the nearby city of Hunderfitz. What?! That must mean he's not the only sasquatch in the world! Excited by the prospect of having a friend to share hair grooming tips with (and let's face it, teeter-tottering alone is no fun), Larf disguises himself as a city slicker and heads for Hunderfitz --- where he's in for a couple enormous surprises. Ashley Spires once again shows her chops for creating irresistible, quirky characters and laugh-aloud stories and illustrations. Readers with little feet and big feet will fall head over heels for Larf.

    When Ivan-Tsarevitch, youngest son of the Tsar, goes on a quest for the amazing bird, he finds himself flying over mountains and woods on a talking wolf, confronting a wicked Baba Yaga, and rescuing an enchanted princess from Koshchei the Immortal. But when he returns from his magical journey, he brings home the most precious treasure of all. Gennady Spirin brings this original version of the Firebird tale from his native Russia and has illustrated it in his trademark rich, luminous style. This retelling of a classic is sure to become the new standard.

    A shady tree. A bright kite. And a full picnic basket. Four little pigs and their parents head outside to enjoy a beautiful day. With a little help from some new (and unexpected) friends, they climb trees, fly kites, and enjoy a delicious picnic. Even a sudden rain shower can’t ruin their fun. Because rain means . . . MUD! Hooray!The award-winning and New York Times–bestselling Matt Phelan has created a timeless, must-have picture book for the youngest reader. Expressive watercolors; a simple, repetitive text; and gentle, satisfying twists will delight fans of Tad Hills’s Duck & Goose and Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama books.

    / Booklovers were cozy. The sky was blue-bright / when--Shiver me timbers!--through Seabreezy's door / stormed big Pirate Pete and his parrot, Igor! Argh!! Things are looking--and smelling!!--a little fishy at Seabreezy Library. When the big X on Pirate Pete's treasure map leads him and his parrot-sidekick Igor to believe buried treasure is hidden at the library, the patrons are quaking in their shoes. But never fear! Library Lou, Seabreezy's librarian-extraordinaire, is as cool as a cucumber and knows how to handle an irate pirate or two. She knows exactly where the treasure is buried. But first she needs to help Pirate Pete and Igor get a handle on their hygiene, brush up on library etiquette, and then tackle learning their letters. And that will lead them to the treasure that can always be found at the library.

    This oxymoron-laden tale combined with illustrations rendered using state-of-the-art digital technology is sure to amaze and delight one and all. “A potent combination of technology and creativity.”--Publishers Weekly

    The witch has grown the biggest pumpkin ever, and now she wants to make herself a pumpkin pie for Halloween. But the pumpkin is so big she can't get it off the vine. It’s so big the ghost can’t move it, either. Neither can the vampire, nor the mummy. It looks as if there’ll be no pumpkin pie for Halloween, until along comes the bat with an idea to save the day. How can the tiny bat succeed where bigger and strong spooky creatures have failed? You'll be surprised!