One Christmas Eve after the reindeer are asleep, Santa sees a present still in the sack -- Harvey Slumfenburger's present. And so he starts a very long journey on foot . . . by plane . . . on skis . . . and so on until he reaches Harvey's hut, slides down the chimney, and delivers the last Christmas present, safe and sound.

    One boy asks another boy about having two mommies. A young girl listening in asks some questions too. True to a child’s curiosity, practical questions follow. “Which mom is there when you want to go fishing? / Which mom helps out when Kitty goes missing?” To which he answers: “Mommy helps when I want to go fishing. / Both Mommies help when Kitty goes missing.” A Tale of Two Mommies is intended for 4-8 year olds. This book lets us look inside one non-traditional family, a same sex couple and their son. As the children talk, it’s clear this boy lives in a nurturing environment where the biggest issues are the everyday challenges of growing up.

    Once there was a tawny scrawny lion who chased monkeys on Monday—kangaroos on Tuesday—zebras on Wednesday—bears on Thursday—camels on Friday—and on Saturday, elephants!So begins the funny, classic Golden story of a family of ten fat rabbits that teaches the hungry lion to eat carrot stew—so that he doesn’t eat them!From the Hardcover edition.

    . .Two children, treasure map in hand, and their pet gazelle sneak past their father, out of their house, and into a world beneath the city, where monsters and pirates roam.Will they find the treasure? Will they make it out alive?The Dangerous Alphabet is a tale of adventure, piracy, danger, and heroism told in twenty-six alphabetical lines—although even the alphabet is not to be relied upon here. A delightfully dangerous journey from national bestselling author Neil Gaiman and the monstrously talented Gris Grimly, The Dangerous Alphabet is sure to captivate and chillyoung readers.

    Plumbean's expression of creativity and individuality challenges his neighbor's ideas about the importance of having a “neat street.” By repainting his house to reflect his colorful dreams, Mr. Plumbean breaks away from the conformity of his street.“My house is me and I am it. My house is where I like to be and it looks like all my dreams.”— Daniel Pinkwater

    Spitballs stuck to the ceiling. Paper planes whizzing through the air. They were the worst-behaved class in the whole school.So begins this quirky classic, first published in 1977 and still relevant today as a lighthearted reminder to show our appreciation to those we value. The students don’t proffer a shred of respect for their good-natured teacher Miss Nelson, but when the witchy substitute Miss Viola Swamp appears on the scene, they start to regret their own wicked ways. James Marshall’s scritchy, cartoonish full-color ink and wash illustrations are hilarious. A back-to-school perennial!

    It is easy to understand and provides useful illustrations for the children, seeing Bachelet's elephant/cat acting just like their own cats.

    Spot sneaks away from home by way of an open window to go on a wordless journey through the city. Follow Spot as he weaves through busy city streets, visits a farmers market, wanders into a park full of kite-flyers, and beyond. But while Spot is out on his adventure, his beloved boy owner is looking for him—seeming to just miss him every time. When all seems almost lost, Spot’s story reminds us that there’s always a way back home.

    Open 365 days a year and unrestricted by the constraints of physical space, each title in this series is organized into galleries that display more than 200 full-color specimens accompanied by lively, informative text. Offering hours of learning, this first title within the series "Animalium" presents the animal kingdom in glorious detail with illustrations from Katie Scott, an unparalleled new talent.

    But they can also show us what we can’t see, what we can only imagine, or how to build something. In Joyce Hesselberth’s Mapping Sam, Sam the cat puts her family to bed, and then—when all is quiet—heads out to explore her neighborhood.As Sam follows her customary path, wandering farther and farther away from home, readers encounter different kinds of maps illuminating different points of view and the various spots Sam visits. Finally, when Sam reaches her favorite place and confirms that all is well, she heads back home, climbs onto a cozy bed, and falls asleep.

    The way the mice live is completely natural, which is how I think life ought to be. They appreciate and use everything that grows around them. Theirs is a loving, caring society, but the mice are not just serious and worthy. They have FUN! The much-loved Brambly Hedge mice first made their entrance in 1980 when four seasonal stories were published. Since then, readers have loved exploring the miniature hedgerow world and meeting the families who make their home there. Jill Barklem's warm, traditionally styled illustrations which evoke both drama and a sense of humour, are richly detailed, gentle and touching, and appeal to readers young and old.For the first time ever all the Brambly Hedge stories are brought together in one glorious volume, an exquisite gift book that will delight committed fans and introduce new readers to the wonders of Barklem's hedgerow life.The collection is introduced by Barklem herself, who explains how the stories came about, and what the world of Brambly Hedgemeans to her and to her legions of avid fans. A perfect gift for anyone who has ever basked in the warmth of these simple, romantic stories, The Complete Brambly Hedge is also an excellent way of introducing new readers to the wonders of the hedgerow, and is ideal for younger readers to enjoy with their parents, or for older, more confident readers to enjoy alone. (Age 4 and over) --Susan Harrison

    Can you help count each green tree from one to five and back again? Don’t forget to save one for Blue! Beep! Beep! With the gentle rhythm and signature illustration style that made Little Blue Truck a household name, Blue's new adventure is full of holiday warmth. Sturdy cardstock pages, a compact and child-friendly text, and flashing colored Christmas lights on the final page come together in a novelty gift book that’s sure to be the favorite treat of the season.

    There are some things you have to do. It isthe most loved and chewed book in the world.But his father wonders why it is full of moo-cows and baa-lambs when Young Sam will only ever see them cooked on a plate. He can think of a more useful book for a boy who lives in a city.So Sam Vimes starts adapting the story. A story with streets, not fields. A book with rogues and villains. A book about the place where he’ll grow up.

    Each beautifully illustrated page encourages young children to interact with the picture to find the next fairy tale and nursery rhyme character. This board book edition is perfect for little hands. In this book "With your little eye, Take a look, And play 'I spy'". This familiar rhyme has been given the brilliant Ahlbreg treatment to which no young child can fail to respond. It's a book which will be read over and over again . . . just perfect!'"Deceptively simple. 'Each Peach Pear Plum' is a work of genius." - Elaine Moss

    "Hall-O-Ween!" is a spooky little rhyming book about all the sweet bites and fun frights on Halloween day and night.