Trevor thinks of eveything he could possibly want: Binocular glasses with night-vision mode!A rip-roaring go cart to tear down the road!A remote-controlled plane with a camera inside!An invisible robot that's easy to hide! But the one thing he does forget is the true meaning of Christmas. Trevor's list becomes so huge that it spills out of his house, down the street, through town and all the way to the post office...which happens to be closed for Christmas by the time Trevor is finally ready to send his list! Luckily Santa, with a little help from Trevor's parents, knows just what to get him: a fluffy brown puppy and the gift of friendship.

    This spirited story tells how their bustling preparations this season go a little differently than planned.

    The chase that follows—with page-turn surprises—makes for a hilarious shaggy-dog story involving fleas, a hog, bribery, cats, deception, and a mule. The rhyming stanzas are pitch-perfect, Texas-style, and plumb near cry out to be read aloud. Austin’s expressive acrylic and colored-pencil caricatures of Cowpoke Clyde and his menagerie are priceless. A storytime shoo-in!

    We have all heard the story of the three wise men, who brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. But what about the camels who carried them? Here is the imaginative story of Humphrey the camel and his long, cold journey to Bethlehem. In addition to an engaging text and gorgeous, whimsical artwork, this story reminds readers of the importance of Christmas and the true meaning of gift-giving.

    The pictures have "the hazy softness of air in snow." A little boy rushes out into the wintry day to build a snowman, which comes alive in his dreams that night. The boy invites him home and in return is taken on a flight high above the countryside.

    He wants his friends, Hedgehog and Bear, to see it snow too, but it's hard to stay awake. Finally, winter arrives and snow is falling ... or is it?

    Together, the words and pictures offer the promise of renewal that can be found in our lives—snowflakes fall, and return again as raindrops so that flowers can grow. MacLachlan and Kellogg, who are longtime friends, were moved to collaborate on a message of hope for children and their families following the tragic events in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012. Kellogg lived in Sandy Hook for thirty-five years—he raised his family there and was an active member of the community. With Snowflakes Fall, they have created a truly inspiring picture book that is both a celebration of life and a tribute to the qualities that make each individual unique. In honor of the community of Sandy Hook and Newtown, Random House, the publisher of Snowflakes Fall, has made a donation to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund. Random House is also donating 25,000 new books to the national literacy organization First Book in the community’s honor and in support of children everywhere. From the Hardcover edition.

    He loves his hat so much, he and his mother make them for all of his friends.

    So the animals are out of sorts—listless, grumpy, and no longer fun. All except two little friends, a very small hippo and a baby kangaroo. Their hip-hopping, toe-tapping,  and rap-rocking soon has the other animals joining in the hip-aroo beat. "Racoons danced in pairs, baboons danced in troops, and snakes joined the dancers as live hula-hoops." Children's favorite songs get a funny new spin—seals bark out "The seals on the bus go round and round"—as the animals create their very own musical.Young readers and listeners will be amazed and delighted at how the animals chase the winter doldrums by getting along as friends, pooling their talents, and pushing themselves to new heights. After all, these are the same clever animals who learned to read in Judy Sierra's and Marc Brown's Wild About Books, an award-winning New York Times #1 bestselling picture book. ZooZical is sure to inspire some "can do" fun in kindergarten and primary grades.From the Hardcover edition.

    But what is most important is being able to share them with family!Julie Markes reminds kids and adults alike about the little details that make each day enjoyable, while Doris Barrette's beautiful and striking illustrations bring her thoughtful words to life.

    With help from his mother and grandmother (the original Madeline!), Ludwig's grandson brings this delightful work to fruition. The book contains two additional holiday stories, warm family reminiscences, and holiday artwork lovingly selected from the family archives.

    Eileen Spinelli, bestselling and award-winning children's author, charms with rhymes and whimsy in Thankful, perfect for any young reader and their family.Thankful is a heartwarming picture book that teaches children ages 4–8 to:Focus on the blessings that we tend to take for grantedAppreciate essential workers and what people in our everyday lives provide: “Like the gardener thankful for every green sprout, and the fireman, for putting the fire out.”Meant to be read aloud, Thankful features:Endearing storytelling with engaging rhyming text, making reading fun for readers young and oldWhimsical illustrations with soft colors and bold lines, perfect for any season

    As always, the tale includes a vivid group of characters on two legs and four: Mrs. Pickering and her three stately Basset hounds, James himself, and Debbie, the self-possesed stray cat who makes a special contribution to Christmas at the Pickering house. This is one of James Herriot's own favorite stories, and it is sure to be one of yours.

     You are not my mother, said the wolf pup. I am not your mother, said the polar bear, but I can cuddle you and keep you safe.Here is a picture book that celebrates differences and promotes kindness, sure to resonate with the many fans of the beloved classic, Mama Do You Love Me? During the ice melt that follows an Arctic winter, a wolf cub finds himself spinning out to sea on a sheet of ice. He awakes lost and alone to an unfamiliar smell: a polar bear. And while the polar bear is not the wolf's mother, she takes him on her back to her den, where she feeds him, keeps him warm, and does everything a mother would do. Time passes, the cub grows into a wolf, and soon it's time for him to venture out into the wide world alone. Years later, the now grown wolf comes upon a tiny lost polar bear cub--and the cycle begins again. With poetic prose this beautiful picture book about the love and kindness of a stranger is sure to touch a deep chord, particularly with parents and children who have found each other in unexpected ways.

    But things don't turn out at all as Paddington had planned...and Barkridges may never be the same! Leave it to Paddington, that beloved bear from Darkest Peru, to turn a chaotic Christmas disaster into an unforgettable holiday surprise!