. . now and forever!   From brave and bold to creative and clever, Emily Winfield Martin's rhythmic rhyme expresses all the loving things that parents think of when they look at their children. With beautiful, and sometimes humorous, illustrations, and a clever gatefold with kids in costumes, this is a book grown-ups will love reading over and over to kids—both young and old. A great gift for any occasion, but a special stand-out for baby showers, birthdays, and graduation. The Wonderful Things You Will Be has a loving and truthful message that will endure for lifetimes.

    . . he'd fall upon his bottomus!Calamity ensues when an elephant, a centipede, and a rhinoceros try finding a cure for hippo's colossal case of hiccups. Zenz's creativity shines through with his use of colored pencil in this off-the-wall read-aloud. HIC! HIC! HIC!

    Jewel-like colors, animals with unmistakable character, and a flocked woolly hat on every page enhance this tender story about a little hedgehog who is caught unprepared by a chilly winter wind.

    "Boo hoo hoo!" he cries. What will make Bird feel better? A kiss? A cookie? A Band-Aid? Bird's friends Raccoon, Rabbit, Beaver, Sheep, and Fox are full of sweet and funny ideas. Perfectly pitched and hilariously imagined, this charming story about a universal experience will put a smile on the face of every child who has suffered a boo-boo and every parent who has struggled to come up with just the right way to give comfort.

    The only problem is the Japanese girl doesn't speak English and the American girl doesn't speak Japanese.How will these two girls have any fun at all? As it turns out, it's not that hard when both girls are looking for a friend! What starts with a simple hello and konnichiwa becomes a day filled with fun in the snow.Each girl's love of play, snow, and making a new friend transcends the need to speak the same language, and by using simple words in their own languages, along with a bit of charades, the girls find they have all they need to build a snow creature.An important book to show children that speaking the same language isn't a prerequisite to making a new friend.

    . . and warty things . . . and hairy things! But are they really as scary as they seem? With the help and comfort of Big Brown, Small Blue slowly begins to imagine fun things in the dark instead of scary ones. Jon Davis's whimsical text and illustrations featuring a sweet father-daughter duo ensure that neither the night nor the unknown will be scary again.

    Still not ready.Will Little Yellow Leaf ever be ready?This is a story for anyone who has ever been afraid of facing the unknown—and a celebration of the friends who help us take the leap.

    The story of a package that gets lost, then found and an in-depth behind the scenes look at what happens at the post office.

    After Lola reads a book of garden poems, she wants to plant some flowers. She gets books from the library and chooses her plants. Then Lola and her mommy buy the seeds, make the garden, and mark the rows. Now it’s time to wait. . . .

    With tongue-twisty wordplay and escalating absurdity, this is a fall-down-funny farce that will surprise and delight readers—from television comedy writer Elliott Kalan and acclaimed illustrator Andrea Tsurumi.When Sharko calls for a boat, Hippo pulls out a goat.He wants a pole, but Hippo gives him a pail.And instead of bait, a beet and a boot!Hippo’s coat pockets seem to have everything except what Sharko asks for!Will their fishing trip ever get off the ground?

    Kadir Nelson, acclaimed author of Baby Bear and winner of the Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott King Author and Illustrator Awards, presents a resonant, gently humorous story about the power of even the smallest acts and the rewards of compassion and generosity.With spare text and breathtaking oil paintings, If You Plant a Seed demonstrates not only the process of planting and growing for young children but also how a seed of kindness can bear sweet fruit.

    Now the little letters build a fire truck and save the day!Engaging alphabet books are perennial bestsellers with unlimited demand, and so are books about fire trucks. This splendid book is a surefire winner! As in their previous collaborations, the Woods bring lowercase letters to life in a fun adventure that is sure to have children learning their alphabet without even realizing they are studying. In this action-packed adventure, we witness the lowercase letters as they save the day and the uppercase letters. Riding in a fire truck they fixed themselves, these lowercase letters become heroes with firehoses!

    She is hungry. What will she have for breakfast?With language that emphasizes action words, this is a fun story for morning, nighttime, any time.

    From making faces and running races to snapping beans and wearing jeans, here is a warm picture of a collection of things to do with the one you love.

    His job? Eating your garbage and loving every stinky second of it!And you thought nighttime was just for sleeping.