. .If you want to see a whale, you have to keep your eyes on the sea, and wait . . .and wait . . . and wait . . .In this quiet and beautiful picture book by Julie Fogliano and Erin E. Stead, the team that created the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor book And Then It's Spring, a boy learns exactly what it takes to catch a glimpse of an elusive whale.

    Her life is so dull, dull, dull. But perhaps if Delia decided to look up or turn around, she'd see the elephants marching through her house the pirate sitting behind her on the school bus or even the submarine that rises to the surface right after she leaves the pool! If Delia ever paid attention, she'd realize her life is quite exciting after all.

    Oscar isn't exactly warm and fuzzy, but Izzy decides to take him home anyway.Young readers will be tickled by Izzy's attempts to teach Oscar to behave like a dog, a parrot, a pony-and gratified by Izzy's realization that in the end we love others for who they are, not who we want them to be. Besides there's one thing octopuses are really good at...octohugs.

    It's the perfect day for the beach. And once they've put on their swimsuits and packed a picnic lunch, they're off! But with Sam, Pam, Will and Jill, nothing is as easy as it seems. Will they actually make it to the beach?

    From building a snowman to hurling snowballs, Hare's having a great time -- but Bear doesn't seem so sure. Maybe a sledge, a steep slope and an almighty shove will change his mind ...Bear and Hare: Snow! by Emily Gravett is a laugh-out-loud story that's perfect for any child who wishes it would snow this winter.

    Will he find something he cares to write about or will his story be a big mess?

    The humans give him food and tests that look like toys. But every day is the same, and the octopus soon tires of captive life. And so, under the cover of darkness, he makes his daring escape...Maile Meloy and Felicita Sala bring us a story full of excitement and heart, about the thrill of hard-won freedom and the pull of home.

    Right away, a dragon moves in. The boy decides to befriend his dragon and they spend time roaming the shore, flying a kite, braving the waves, defying bullies, and roasting marshmallows—all while Dad is busy sunbathing and Mom is engrossed in her book. Unfortunately, no one believes the boy when he tries to share the news of this magnificent creature. That’s when the mischief begins, and the dragon becomes a force to be reckoned with. While adults will recognize the naughty antics as a ploy for attention, children will dissolve into giggles as the dragon devours every last sandwich, blows bubbles in the lemonade, and leaves claw prints in the brownies. Maybe the dragon really is running amok on the beach, or maybe it’s a little boy’s imagination that is running wild.

      How can two friends share winter when one of them is hibernating? Beatrice and Bear meet one spring day and become best buddies. They play together through summer and fall. Then winter comes and Beatrice can’t find Bear anywhere. She hears he’s gone to hibernate—but where on earth is that? When Beatrice learns that hibernation is not a place and that Bear will be sleeping all winter long, she fears it will be a lonely season . . . unless she comes up with a brilliant plan to share winter with Bear too.

    . . There's a big whale in the water and it's not budging! The boy tries everything to get the whale to leave. Nothing seems to work. Not fetch. Not tag. Not even offering his allowance. What's a boy to do? Luckily, he comes up with the perfect solution: he decides to chill out on a spray of water over the whale's spout. This colorful whale of a tale from the talented Joyce Wan is sure to inspire giggles from little guppies!

    Garcia loves everything about space (Stars! Planets!)- and Colette is obsessed with the sea (Waves! Fish!).Staying home is not an option, so they each get busy. Garcia builds a rocket ship that's snazzy and silver. Colette's shiny submarine is perfect for deep-sea dives. And they wish each other well on their travels.It turns out the Milky Way really is amazing and the ocean floor is truly spectacular, but Garcia and Colette both realize they left something very important back home.Exploring your favorite place can be terrific, but maybe the company is more important than the destination.

     Three bear siblings break their mother’s favorite blue seashell, and rather than tell her, they decide to set out in their sailboat to find her a new one. On their quest they encounter salty sailors, strange new islands, huge whales, and vast seas but no blue seashells. When a treacherous storm suddenly blows in, the three bears find themselves tossed about in their little boat, far from Mama. What will become of their search, and what will it take to bring them safely home? This read aloud shares its best qualities with classic picture books: breath-taking illustrations, epic adventure, and a subtle message about taking responsibility for your actions.

    Together they go on an amazing journey, past icebergs and volcanoes, sharks and penguins, and the snail feels very small in the vastness of the world. But when the whale is beached in a bay, it's the tiny snail who saves the day.

    Your teeth are sharp. Your front paws are paddles, your back paws are rudders, and you can swim for miles.Your home has always been the sea and the ice.A sea bear, far north in the Arctic, hunts and naps and raises her young. She moves with the ice, swimming, running, stalking seals, resting. She follows the rhythm of the sea and the seasons.But what happens when those rhythms change? What happens when there is no ice?Lindsay Moore shares the story of one polar bear’s journey for survival in this stunning picture book. Imagine.

    And, there's a surprise ending!