She'd watch their wings flap, their beaks peck, and their eyes glint. At age six, her life was forever changed when she and a chicken she had been training to walk forwards and backwards were featured in the Path� News, and she realized that people want to see what is odd and strange in life. But while she loved birds of all varieties and kept several species around the house, it was the peacocks that came to dominate her life. Written by Amy Alznauer with devotional attention to all things odd and illustrated in radiant paint by Ping Zhu, The Strange Birds of Flannery O'Connor explores the beginnings of one author's lifelong obsession.Amy Alznauer lives in Chicago with her husband, two children, a dog, a parakeet, sometimes chicks, and a part-time fish, but, as of today, no elephants or peacocks.Ping Zhu is a freelance illustrator who has worked with clients big and small, won some awards based on the work she did for aforementioned clients, attracted new clients with shiny awards, and is hoping to maintain her livelihood in Brooklyn by repeating that cycle.

     Can SpongeBob change his mind?

    Presented in gentle rhymes and illustrations as warm and glowing as a winter's fire, here is one such Christmas. Maryann Cusimano Love and Satomi Ichikawa, the team behind the international bestseller You Are My I Love You, pair up once again to bring you this instant classic.

    Illustrated once more by Breezy Brookshire, For Such A Time As This is the pair’s second children’s book together following the success of Audrey Bunny.For Such a Time as This illuminates the stories from the perspective of prominent women of the Bible, including Eve, Sarah & Hagar, Esther, Mary Magdalene, Gomer, and more with vivid and historical accuracy. Girls aged 6 to 10 will enjoy learning about God through the recounts of the Bible’s heroines and stunning illustrations. Summaries at the end of each story highlight the attribute of God to be learned and offer thoughtful reflections for both parent and child to takeaway.

    With pages full of tummy-tempting foods, the books in the World Snacks series are a delicious way to introduce even the littlest eaters to cuisines from all around the globe.

    whiskered hugs... cozy hugs.Just-daddy-and-me hugs.All across the woodlands, animal daddies and their little ones cuddle up together. From furry bear hugs to silky hare hugs, Nancy Tafuri celebrates all the hugs that are extra special because they are just-daddy-and-me hugs. A special author's note includes a list of critters to seek and find on each page, along with their scientific names.

    Their favorite game is hide and seek. But when the moon disappears one evening and cannot be found, Mae wonders what happened and begins to worry. Determined to find her glowing friend, Mae takes matters into her own hands and sets off on a wonderful and curious voyage through her imagination.This charming book, beautifullyillustrated in soft moonlit hues, will capture the hearts of moon gazers everywhere."

    Beautiful, visually stimulating illustrations complement age-appropriate language to encourage baby's sense of wonder. Parents and caregivers may learn a thing or two as well!

    From the moment they wake up in the morning to when they go to bed at night, the two do everything together—from sharing breakfast to making a mess of the garden. Even nap time cannot keep the two apart for long, as Puppy finds a way to stay near Baby. Julie Sternberg’s sweet, spare text is fun to read aloud and complements Fred Koehler’s humorous and heartwarming illustrations, creating the perfect picture book for the youngest children.

    Pure, bright colors and a literal interpretation allow Asch to spin out the details in unified simplicity fitted to preschoolers' interests, feelings, and attention spans.--Booklist.

    He asks every animal he meets for a kiss, and they are all happy to oblige. The pup discovers that duck's kisses are hard and wet; a horse's kiss is a little sticky, but very warm; the pig's kiss is a little muddy and bristly, tickley but tender. He collects lots of wonderful kisses, but when he returns home, he discovers that the best kiss of all is the one he gets from his loving mother.

    Under her table, she and Al Dente could transport themselves anywhere....Tomorrow is Kalamata's first day at a new school, and she's nervous! What if the kids aren't friendly? Or worse, what if they don't like alligators!? If only Kalamata and Al Dente could go to back to the Indian spice market they visited this summer, then maybe she'd remember how to feel brave when new experiences seem scary.Luckily for Kalamata, all the magic required for her journey is right in her own kitchen! As Kalamata and her alligator friend, Al Dente, transport themselves to a magical land filled with tasty ingredients, she realizes being brave is exciting! And most importantly, she learns that when we're nervous about trying new things, food can comfort us and remind us to stay curious, courageous, and compassionate.

    A dad may be able to have a sleek sports car, and a son could have candy for every meal. But if to have those things, they wouldn’t have each other…well, they’d rather have their family instead. Kids and parents alike will find the humor in all the outlandish things they could have, but also the tenderness of knowing they have exactly what they need with each other.

    They live in their Bear-Rabbit house. They even cook together in their Bear-Rabbit kitchen. One summer day, Rabbit spots something shiny and twinkling in the sun in their Bear-Rabbit yard. What is it? Bear and Rabbit can’t agree. Is this the end of their friendship? Tim Warnes’ illustrations bring this funny and touching store to life as two friends learn what really matters to them.

    Faces are presented first, allowing the reader to wager predictions of what may have prompted such an expression, before the dramatic answer is revealed. Why the face? reads the text alongside an agitated boy with eyes and nose scrunched up. Pick up the full-page flap to reveal a whole mess of smelly items, from stinky socks to an oozing trash can, and the text, Whoa, that stinks. Jullien masterfully provides enough clues for the reader to piece together the narrative, including both predictable and surprising scenarios. Based on young children's natural fascination with faces, this book encourages readers to practice empathy and build emotional intelligence, with cleverly simplified and humorously satisfying vignettes. A brilliant addition to Phaidon's growing Jean Jullien board book library.Ages 2-4