He’d rather take a nap. And he’s really, really mad that everyone keeps telling him what to do! Luckily, Mama and Papa Duck are very, very patient, and soon, Duckling will join his siblings in the pond. Here is a charming story, illustrated with exquisite, up-close photos, that will help young readers learn to swim—or try anything new.

    Will you cuddle me, Lou?' 'What? With those spikes? Get away from me! Shoo!' All this little porcupine wants is a hug. But with such prickly spikes, will she ever get the cuddle she craves?

    Dog hurt his foot, Sheep scratched her tummy and Bear sat on a splinter! What will make everything all better? Clean it, kiss it and put a bandage on it! Young readers will delight in the five animal friends' misadventures and be eager to help make things "all better" with the five reusable and repositionable stickers.

    From swimming in the ocean with the fish, to flying in the sky with the gulls, to being found by a sailor, and then being carried off by the wind, the bear meets new friends and travels to many places he never dreamed of.Reminiscent of such classics as The Velveteen Rabbit and the award-winning Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, this tender picture book with beautiful seaside imagery will capture readers’ hearts with the bear’s summer adventure as he gets back home where he belongs. Also available by Susan Meyers Praise for Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! [STAR] “The rhyme shows the simplicity Meyers employs in a text so well structured that almost any adult (or new reader) can prance through with natural, bouncy enthusiasm.” —Booklist, starred reviewAlso available by Amy Bates Praise for The Dog Who Belonged to No One [STAR] “The pencil and watercolor illustrations, featuring a palette of golden earth tones, echo the gentle sentiment of the narrative.” —School Library Journal, starred review [STAR] “Careful parallel storytelling and beautifully paced page turns allow both text and illustrations to develop the characters, establishing both worth and loneliness.” —Kirkus, starred review F&P level: KF&P genre: RF

    In backpacks, on knees, in cradles or trees, sweet babies can sleep anywhere!

    It's much too heavy for him to carry. So, one by one, Little Mouse asks his animal friends to help. They all say “yes”-but only after taking a nibble of the yummy treat. Will there be any cake left for the hungry Mouse?Thomas Taylor and Jill Barton have whipped up a tasty story of friendship and sharing…with a deliciously satisfying ending!

    Kitten suggests he should be furrier, so he puts on a woolly hat, while Bird suggests he needs a beak. Soon, Slug has a new look, will his mummy hug him now?

    A lullaby to babies everywhere, Baby Bedtime is a lyrical tribute to the love inspired by the little people in our lives.This enchanting read-aloud story combines the talents of Australia's premier picture-book writer, Mem Fox, author of Possum Magic and Where is the Green Sheep?, and acclaimed illustrator Emma Quay, creator of Rudie Nudie and Not a Cloud in the Sky.

    All the animals in the zoo have friends and family to play with and love. All of them, that is, except Quackenstein. Lonely and bitter in his ramshackle corner, he decides to adopt an egg. He cares for it diligently, waiting until the moment when it will hatch a baby duck of his own. On a dark and stormy night, the egg hatches, Quackenstein cackles, and lightning strikes, but wait—what’s this? That baby’s not a duck! What will he do? Where can he hide? And will Quackenstein ever find someone (or something) to cuddle? Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen’s clever rhyming text is perfectly paired with cute and spooky art from Brian T. Jones."Jones gleefully uses every cliché in the book, from lurid lettering and backgrounds to effective use of silhouettes and shadows. Bardhan-Quallen, too, takes advantage of horror-movie tropes, but she also mixes in some instruction in the form of cumulative nouns for animals. The surprise twist at the end happily resolves Quack’s fatherless state." -Kirkus Reviews

    They try poking, listening, even sitting on top of his egg—but Ollie just won’t come out.Ollie is Ollie and he will decide when it’s time to hatch. Fans of Gossie and Gossie and Gertie will find Ollie just as charming and delightful as the first two books. Any toddler that has had to wait for a new brother or sister will find Ollie irresistible.

    How does it feel to be a Pigeon? Well, the bus driver is trying to get him to act happy, but as we all know, this is one bird that is not going to be told what to do! Throughout this hilarious board book, Pigeon runs through his signature gamut of emotions while attempting to thwart his old nemesis.

    He just seems so …grumpy. But really, he wants to join in the fun; he just doesn’t know how. Then, one night, in a terrible rainstorm, everything changes: out of nowhere, Cat hears a plaintive "meow" and finds a drenched little kitten taking shelter between his paws. And no matter what Grumpy Cat does, she’s determined to stick by him….... There’s a special friend for everyone.

    Little Nutbrown Hare shows his daddy how much he loves him: as wide as he can reach and as far as he can hop. But Big Nutbrown Hare, who can reach farther and hop higher, loves him back just as much. Well then Little Nutbrown Hare loves him right up to the moon, but that's just halfway to Big Nutbrown Hare's love for him.

    Bear hides, but Hare finds him quickly. Again. And then again! But when Bear counts—1…2…3 all the way to 10—Hare hides. Will Bear find Hare? Will Hare find Bear?Told and illustrated with Emily Gravett’s characteristic flair, this picture book for young readers is the perfect companion for friends of all sorts.

    Duck & Goose look everywhere for a pumpkin-in the apple tree, in the leaf pile, inside a hollow log.... Where will they find one?Perfect for your favorite fall holidays, and a fun read-a-long for fans of Duck and Goose any time of year!