But one brave act on Halloween makes Oscar a Grade-A hero, proving that a little wiener can be a real winner!

    With his striking palette, exquisite attention to detail, and quirky flair for facial expressions, Anthony Browne slyly extends the basic number concept into a look at similarities and differences — portraying an extended family we can count ourselves part of.

    . . except when they come from a porcupine.Pearl tries and tries to solve her problem and finally fixes it in her very own way.From the author-artist of A Pet for Petunia comes a prickly new character with a great big heart. Paul Schmid paints Pearl’s world with soft and dreamy colors that reflect just how sweet she is beneath her sharp-quilled porcupine exterior.

    In a series of conversations with every flower and creature and gust of wind, she says good-bye to summer and welcomes autumn.

    After all, she's not sweet, she's not cute, and she is just fine on her own! Luckily, there's one little girl at the shelter who knows that sometimes, good dogs act bad when they feel afraid and that extending a little kindness can help even the most wolfish pup at the pound let down her guard.

    Dr. Seuss deals with them humorously in three very funny, off-beat stories about a 30-tiger challenge, the folly of the cats of Katzen-Stein and the terrible consequences of thunking a Glunk. Ages 3+

    . . with some extraordinary animal friends!As Marta explores the jungle, she knows she's bigger than a bug, smaller than an elephant, and faster than a turtle. But then she meets the snake, who thinks Marta is sabrosa—tasty, very tasty! But Marta is ingeniosa, a very clever girl, and she outsmarts the snake with hilarious results.With simple Spanish and a glossary at the end, this fun read-aloud picture book teaches little ones to identify opposites and animals and learn new words.

    But Max the cat isn't quite what the family expected. He shuns the toy mouse, couldn't care less about the hand-knitted sweater, and spends most of his time facing the wall. One by one, the family gives up on Max, but the boy loves his negative cat so much, he'll do anything to keep him. Even the thing he dreads most: practicing his reading. Which, as it turns out, makes everything positive!

    He liked his life on the riverboat just and liked his large family and his kind master. He didn't like to be the last in line to board the boat at night, for that unlucky duck got a loud spank. So what did Ping do when it seemed that he would be the last on line? What else but set out on his own to explore the fascinating world of life on the Yangtze River.The Story about Ping is one of the best-loved and enduring children's books, both for its spirited and irrepressible hero and for its beautiful evocation of a distant land and way of life. Every child can sympathize with a dawdling duck who wants to avoid a spanking, and share his excitement and wonder as he sails down the river.

    The rubber ducks were sent to the ocean by a storm. One lost his way and was adopted by a mother duck. Can he squeak like other ducks? Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.

    The witch has grown the biggest pumpkin ever, and now she wants to make herself a pumpkin pie for Halloween. But the pumpkin is so big she can't get it off the vine. It’s so big the ghost can’t move it, either. Neither can the vampire, nor the mummy. It looks as if there’ll be no pumpkin pie for Halloween, until along comes the bat with an idea to save the day. How can the tiny bat succeed where bigger and strong spooky creatures have failed? You'll be surprised!

    Circus performer. Antarctic explorer. I'm not.Here is the perfect book for children who feel like their outgoing friend is oh-so-talented . . . and they're not. Our shy narrator lists all the things that her best friend, Evelyn, is good at—from jumping on the bed to roller skating really fast. Luckily, Evelyn points out what makes her so special: she's a one-of-a-kind true blue best friend. Robert Weinstock's hilarious illustrations wonderfully complement Pam Smallcomb's simple text, perfect for young children. This sweet depiction of friendship shows—in a completely fresh, original way—that everyone is special.

    He is very, very hungry... He visits different places in search of food... Do you think he will find something to fill his rumbling tummy?

    . . .So begins the story of a curious elephant and a mysterious red object. But what is it?! When none of his friends can tell him, the little elephant decides to experiment. He thinks: Maybe I can fly with it? (Maybe not.) Maybe I can sail in it? (Maybe not.) Maybe I can hide behind it? (Maybe not.) Nothing seems to work, until big drops of rain begin to fall. The little elephant does not want to get wet. Luckily, with the thingamabob (an umbrella), he does not need to get wet!With bright, adorable illustrations and a simple, playful text, Il Sung Na captures the excitement of making—and sharing—an unexpected discovery.From the Hardcover edition.

    When a hungry nightingale threatens to eat him for breakfast unless he can measure her song, the inchworm calls on his craft and skill to creatively solve the dilemma.