The Mermaid and the Shoe


K.G. Campbell - 2014
    Some might call them mermaids. Each one, it seemed, was more remarkable than the last. Except Minnow.The only remarkable thing about Minnow was the questions she asked. So many questions! "Where do bubbles go?" "Why don't crabs have fins?" "What lies beyond the kingdom?"When a curious and beautiful new object drifts into her life, Minnow can't imagine what it might be for, but she's certain it must have a purpose. So she follows her questions into the unknown, all the way to another, wondrous world. There she makes several remarkable discoveries...

Max the Brave


Ed Vere - 2014
    Max the Brave, Max the Fearless, Max the Mouse-catcher...But, in order to be a Mouse-catcher, Max needs to know what a mouse is, so off he goes to find out.

You Are Home with Me


Sarah Asper-Smith - 2019
    A tufted puffin digs out a burrow to shelter its young on a cliff near the sea. A lynx makes a shelter under a fallen tree to snuggle with its kitten. Young children will learn all about these animals and more, as each spread also includes a short piece of nonfiction about each creature.Lovingly illustrated and lyrically written, this is the second children's book written and illustrated by the husband-and-wife artist and author team Mitchell Watley and Sarah Asper-Smith.

I am a Capybara


Michela Fabbri - 2020
    But while every capybara has teeny tiny ears and a gigantic nose, this endearing capybara happens to love poetry and the opera, and even dressing up as a whale! He speaks candidly about his experiences and feelings, and he likes to find common ground with others, like his best friend, a little bird. Although he may appear to be a tough guy, he still likes cuddles and care. Michela Fabbri's irresistibly charming illustrations and witty monologue reveal the wonderful things to discover by trying new things, learning about something or someone you don't know, and embracing community and family.

If: A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers


David J. Smith - 2014
    But what if we took these big, hard-to-imagine objects and events and compared them to things we can see, feel and touch? Instantly, we'd see our world in a whole new way." So begins this endlessly intriguing guide to better understanding all those really big ideas and numbers children come across on a regular basis. Author David J. Smith has found clever devices to scale down everything from time lines (the history of Earth compressed into one year), to quantities (all the wealth in the world divided into one hundred coins), to size differences (the planets shown as different types of balls). Accompanying each description is a kid-friendly drawing by illustrator Steve Adams that visually reinforces the concept. By simply reducing everything to human scale, Smith has made the incomprehensible easier to grasp, and therefore more meaningful. The children who just love these kinds of fact-filled, knock-your-socks-off books will want to read this one from cover to cover. It will find the most use, however, as an excellent classroom reference that can be reached for again and again when studying scale and measurement in math, and also for any number of applications in social studies, science and language arts. For those who want to delve a little deeper, Smith has included six suggestions for classroom projects. There is also a full page of resource information at the back of the book.

All Birds Have Anxiety


Kathy Hoopmann - 2017
    Through a light-touch, quizzical depiction of bird behaviour, All Birds Have Anxiety uses colourful images and astute explanations to explore with gentle humour what it means to live with anxiety day-to-day, and how to begin to deal with it.Following the style of the best-selling All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome and All Dogs Have ADHD, wonderful colour photographs express the complex and difficult ideas related to anxiety disorder in an easy-to-understand way. This simple yet profound book validates the deeper everyday experiences of anxiety, provides an empathic understanding of the many symptoms associated with anxiety, and offers compassionate suggestions for change.The combination of understanding and gentle humour make this the ideal introduction to anxiety disorder for those diagnosed with this condition, their family and friends and those generally interested in understanding anxiety.

Kitty and Dragon


Meika Hashimoto - 2020
    Even though they are quite different from one another, Kitty and Dragon have learned that there’s nothing better than being together, just the way they are.

Stretchy McHandsome


Judy Schachner - 2019
    Leaving the safety of the McHandsome clan, he stretches himself away from home and all around town. Out and about, he is spotted by a girl with a kindred spirit, who makes him realize the one thing missing from his life is the warm lap of a loving person. How this gadabout finds his true girl makes for a story that is a little bit wild, but a whole lot wonderful.

If You Take Away the Otter


Susannah Buhrman-Deever - 2020
    But there was a time when people hunted the otters almost to extinction. Without sea otters to eat them, an army of hungry sea urchins grew and destroyed entire kelp forests. Fish and other animals that depended on the kelp were lost, too. But when people protected the sea otters with new laws, their numbers began to recover, and so did the kelp forests. Susannah Buhrman-Deever offers a beautifully written account of a trophic cascade, which happens when the removal of a single element affects an entire habitat. Asides that dig deeper are woven throughout Matthew Trueman’s dynamic illustrations, starring a raft of charismatic sea otters. Back matter includes more information about sea otters and kelp forests, including their importance and current status, the effects of the international fur trade on indigenous peoples, and a list of books and websites for readers who wish to continue to explore.

The Woods


Rob Hodgson - 2019
    The foxes follow some helpful signs over the tallest trees, under the carrot fields, and through the pumpkin patch, but there’s no sign of any rabbits. What on earth has happened to them? And why are there strange eyes following them from the trees?   This is a great title for entertaining children indoors: they will love outwitting the foxes—who continually say, 'No rabbits here'—by spotting the rabbits in each colorful illustration! Don't miss Rob Hodgson's other hilarious books: The Cave and My Best Friend.

All About Weather: A First Weather Book for Kids


Huda Harajli - 2020
    Read along and wow your child with the meteorological magic that’s happening around them every day.All About Weather is one of the only weather books for kids with:* A whirlwind of fun facts―Discover how weather works with fundamental yet fascinating explanations, written with toddlers and preschoolers in mind.* Sunny illustrations―Get kids excited about weather through adorable, engaging images.* Makes a great gift―Inspire a lasting passion for reading and science in your young one with All About Weather―you won’t need other weather books for kids.If you’re looking for weather books for kids, All About Weather is the perfect way to provide your tot with an extraordinary weather adventure!

The Cottingley Fairies


Ana Sender - 2019
    Without expecting it, many people paid attention—including renowned writer and spiritualist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This is the story, narrated by Elsie herself, of the true events that led to the Cottingley Fairies becoming a international phenomenon.

Dad's Birthday


Roderick Hunt - 2015
    It is based on Oxford Reading Tree which is used in 80% of primary schools. Read With Biff, Chip and Kipper Level 2 Phonics storybooks have been specially written to allow children to practise their letters and sounds as they do at school. Fun plots, familiar characters and carefully levelled text create the perfect combination to build children's confidence and enjoyment of reading. Level 2 practises single letter sounds like 'f' and two letters that make one sound such as 'ff' and combining those sounds to read simple one and two syllable words. These sounds are introduced at Level 2: s a t p i n m d g o c k ck e u r h b f ff l ll ss j x y z zz. Each book includes two stories as well as practical tips and ideas for you to use when you reading with your child and fun activities. Visit the Oxford Owl web site for practical advice, all you need to know about phonics and lots of fun activities and free eBooks. With plenty of support available inside the book and online phonics practice at home has never been so fun or so easy!

Say Please, Little Owlet


Ellie J. Woods - 2017
     Say Please, Little Owlet is a story about family, harmony and good manners. Meet Owlet, a young adorable little Owl who lives with his Owl family in a cozy tree house. What happens inside daily is a normal peaceful routine as Mommy Owl bakes, Daddy Owl keeps updated with the latest news and Granny Owl knits the time away. He also has a sister Lily who loves wildflowers and spends countless hours painting them. Young Owlet spends most of the day playing the hours away with his pet mouse. Owlet is extremely cheerful and loves a good hide and seek game with the mouse. But not all is right in Owlet’s family and it starts when Owlet wants something. He’s impolite and rude and shouts whenever he needs something from chocolates to cakes. Will Owlet ever get what he wants? Perhaps he needs to learn the magic word from someone inspiring just so he can get a nice bite out of Mommy owl’s yummy fruit cake? “The little Owlet smelled it soon And started rattling with a spoon…“ Join and learn with Owlet in this manners book for kids as he starts his transition to becoming a well-mannered bird by learning the art of the magic word. Told through beautifully illustrated pages and verses with professional watercolor imagery, Say Please, Little Owlet will inspire parents in teaching children manners for kids while maintaining the peaceful harmony in the family. It features rhyming words like your favorite nursery rhymes and easy-to-understand terms making it a perfect companion to all sorts of other bedtime stories. Read it out loud before bedtime or when the little one starts to get very demanding and rude and teach your kids to say please. A full-colored story isn’t the only thing you will get here.Say Please, Little Owlet also teaches perseverance and patience as Mommy owl calmly and lovingly teaches the energetic Owlet to say please every time wants something. To Mommy owl’s delight, Owlet becomes a polite bird and asks nicely for a slice of that yummy cherry cake. Owlet realizes the importance of saying please as Mommy owl gives the cake. Everyone in the family is very proud of little Owlet’s polite manners as they all cheerfully enjoy Mommy owl’s freshly baked dessert. It is very important to teach manners for kids while they are still young and there is no better way to do it than a fun, interactive and enchanting bedtime story. Be like Owlet and learn these important manners and keep rereading this timeless gem and make a difference! Have fun learning simple rhyming words and poetry for all kids 3 to 5 years of age to enjoy. All you have to do is “Say Please”!

Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship


Isabella Hatkoff - 2006
    When Owen was stranded after the Dec 2004 tsunami, villagers in Kenya worked tirelessly to rescue him. Then, to everyone's amazement, the orphan hippo and the elderly tortoise adopted each other. Now they are inseparable, swimming, eating, and playing together. Adorable photos e-mailed from friend to friend quickly made them worldwide celebrities. Here is a joyous reminder that in times of trouble, friendship is stronger than the differences that too often pull us apart.