in full color. A boy and his dog listen to the world around them. "Illustrations are big and simple; the text is in verse form."--School Library Journal.

    One day, a lonely orphan named Bruce Wayne finds himself in a dangerous situation. He defends himself against a monster bat--and he wins. From that time on, he is determined to fight evil. He becomes ... Batman! In advance of the new Batman movie coming out in March 2016 comes a beautifully illustrated hardcover version of Batman's Dark Secret! The cover features a new illustration by Caldecott Honor winner Jon J Muth!

    And now readers can also search for Woof, Wenda, Wizard Whitebeard, Odlaw, and much more—all newly added to this special edition!

    Thelma always seems to get Frances into trouble. When she tricks Frances into buying her tea set, it's the last straw. Can Frances show her that it's better to lose a bargain than lose a friend?

    But he keeps crashing. Then Otto comes up with an idea that will have everyone swinging!Recognizing Words-Word repetition-Familiar words and phrases-Simple sentencesStarting to Read-Simple stories-Increased vocabulary-Longer sentencesReading Independently-More-complex stories-Varied sentence structure-Paragraphs and short chaptersReading Proficiently-Rich vocabulary-More-challenging stories-Longer chaptersTO PARENTS AND TEACHERS:Children learn to read in a variety of ways: through formal teaching in school, by being read aloud to at home, and reading on their own, using all the tools they've learned for making sense of letters and words. The process starts with a child's first awareness that letters on the page form words, which make sentences, which make stories. No one method of learning is right for every child, but all children need books they can read successfully.Ready-to-Read books feature classic stories and interesting nonfiction by authors who really know how to write for this age group. They're grouped at four levels: Pre-Level One, with repetitive text and simple sentences for children who can recognize words; Level One, with an increased vocabulary and longer sentences for children who are just starting to read; Level Two, for those who are reading independently and are ready for slightly greater challenges; and Level Three, for children who can read fiction and nonfiction on their own, with fewer illustrations and longer texts. At each level, the books are all written, designed, and illustrated to suit the interests, needs, and abilities of new readers.Children in preschool and the early elementary grades are universally fascinated with reading, and are already saying, "I'm ready to read." When they finish a Ready-to-Read book, we want them to say, "I am reading, and I like it!"

    Three cookies. One problem. Hippo, Croc, and the Squirrels are determined to have equal cookies for all! But how? There are only three cookies . . . and four of them! They need to act fast before nervous Hippo breaks all the cookies into crumbs!

    She likes to bark. She likes to chew and howl. But when Bobby and his family take her to a lake, she finds out there's one thing she doesn't like--the water!Step 3 (Reading on Your Own) is for children who are ready to read independently. Step 3 titles have stories with easy-to-follow plots and engaging characters.

    Green Bugs. Fat Bugs. Buggy Bugs. I like bugs!It's time for YOU! Pick your favorite spot to read. This is going to be a great book!

    He is a monkey. He has a job. He is Baby Monkey, Private Eye! Lost jewels?Missing pizza? Stolen spaceship? Baby Monkey can help... if he can put on his pants! Baby Monkey's adventures come to life in a blend of picture book, beginning reader, and graphic novel.

    But one day, Thomas is given a very special job: he is taking a jet engine to the airport. When the engine is switched on by accident, suddenly Thomas is the very fast and very important train!Beginning readers will enjoy the simple text full of action words (zip!) and action sounds (zoom!).

    But after the near loss of the Tub Child down the drain, they are all reunited on a warm bed, where they mountain climb on the ridges formed by soft quilts.

    When Pinkalicious brings her imaginary unicorn, Goldie, to class one day, she learns that with her companion by her side, school rules!

    To keep them outside, Spike surprises them with gifts—skates, a sled, and a snowman. When these aren’t enough to keep his siblings from shivering, Spike comes up with the best gift of all: warm scarves and hats!Playing in the snow with your family can be cool, but thoughtfulness toward others makes playtime a blast for everyone.Duck, Duck, Dinosaur: Snowy Surprise is a My First I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for shared reading with a child.

    Digger may be huge, but he has the heart of a preschooler. He loves to help, but gets mixed up a lot. In Digger the Dinosaur, Digger wants to play baseball with his friends. But he isn’t allowed to go out until he’s cleaned his room. Digger starts cleaning at top speed, but the faster he moves the messier his room gets. His big tail and big feet aren’t helping! Will Digger win the race to tidy his room and get to the game on time? Gynux’s full-color illustrations capture Digger’s lovable personality. Digger the Dinosaur is a My First I Can Read book. That means it’s perfect for shared reading with a child.

    . . and they even smell like the Bad Guys. But Mr Wolf, Mr Piranha, Mr Snake and Mr Shark are about to change all of that! Mr Wolf has a daring plan for the Bad Guys first good mission. The gang are going to break 200 dogs out of the Maximum Security City Dog Pound. Will Operation Dog Pound go smoothly? Will the Bad Guys become the Good Guys? And will Mr Snake please spit out Mr Piranha?