The Hiccupotamus


Aaron Zenz - 2005
    . . he'd fall upon his bottomus!Calamity ensues when an elephant, a centipede, and a rhinoceros try finding a cure for hippo's colossal case of hiccups. Zenz's creativity shines through with his use of colored pencil in this off-the-wall read-aloud. HIC! HIC! HIC!

Great Short Works


Edgar Allan Poe - 1970
    Dreams! in their vivid colouring of life-As in that fleeting, shadowy, misty strifeOf semblance with reality which brings To the delirious eye more lovely things Of Paradise and Love-and all our own! Than young Hope in his sunniest hour hath known. [1827, 1828]SPIRITS OF THE DEADThy soul shall find itself alone'Mid dark thoughts of the graytomb-stone--Not one, of all the crowd, to pryInto thine hour of secrecy: IIBe silent in that solitude, Which is not loneliness-for thenThe spirits of the dead who stoodIn life before thee are -againIn death around thee-and their will Shall overshadow thee: be still. IIIThe night-tho' clear--shall frownAnd the stars shall look not down, From their high thrones in the heaven, With light like Hope to mortals givenBut their red orbs, without beam, To thy weariness shall seem As a burning and a fever Which would cling to thee for ever. IVNow are thoughts thou shalt not banishNow are visions ne'er to vanishFrom thy spirit shall they pass No more-like dew-drop from the grass. VThe breeze---the breath of God-is still-And the mist upon the hillShadowy-shadowy-yet unbroken, Is a symbol and a token-How it hangs upon the trees, A mystery of mysteries!--[1827, 1839]EVENING STAR'Twas noontide of summer, And mid-time of night; And stars, in their orbits, Shone pale, thro' the lightOf the brighter, cold moon, 'Mid planets her slaves, Herself in the HeavensHer beam on the waves.On her cold smile; Too cold-too cold for me-There pass'd, as a shroud, A fleecy cloud, And I turn'd away to thee, Proud Evening Star, In thy glory afar, And dearer thy beam shall be; For joy to my heartIs the proud partThou bearest in Heav'n at night, And more I admireThy distant fire, Than that colder, lowly light.[1827]

D Is for Dahl: A Gloriumptious A-Z Guide to the World of Roald Dahl


Wendy Cooling - 2004
    Filled with Quentin Blake's illustrations plus black and white photos, each spread is exploding with information about the creator of Willie Wonka, James, and Matilda; from his family tree to the exact type of pencil he used to write his stories. Perfect for devoted fans and Dahl newcomers alike, this is a glorimptious guide to the world of Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl (1916-1990) wrote many beloved and award-winning books for children, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and The Witches.

Angie Thomas 2-Book Box Set: The Hate U Give and On the Come Up


Angie Thomas - 2019
    A great holiday or graduation gift!FIND YOUR VOICE. MAKE SOME NOISE.The Hate U GiveWilliam C. Morris Award Winner · National Book Award Longlist · Michael L. Printz Honor Book · Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book"Absolutely riveting!" —Jason Reynolds"Stunning." —John Green"This story is necessary. This story is important."—Kirkus (starred review)"Heartbreakingly topical."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer.On the Come UpSixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least win her first battle. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill. But it’s hard to get your come up when you’re labeled a hoodlum at school, and your fridge at home is empty after your mom loses her job. So Bri pours her anger and frustration into her first song, which goes viral…for all the wrong reasons.Want more of Garden Heights? Catch Maverick and Seven’s story in Concrete Rose, Angie Thomas's powerful prequel to The Hate U Give.

The Anthologist


Nicholson Baker - 2009
    He's having a hard time getting started because his career is floundering, his girlfriend Roz has recently left him, and he is thinking about the great poets throughout history who have suffered far worse and deserve to feel sorry for themselves. He has also promised to reveal many wonderful secrets and tips and tricks about poetry, and it looks like the introduction will be a little longer than he'd thought. What unfolds is a wholly entertaining and beguiling love story about poetry: from Tennyson, Swinburne, and Yeats to the moderns (Roethke, Bogan, Merwin) to the staff of The New Yorker, what Paul reveals is astonishing and makes one realize how incredibly important poetry is to our lives. At the same time, Paul barely manages to realize all of this himself, and the result is a tenderly romantic, hilarious, and inspired novel.

The Scrambled States of America Talent Show


Laurie Keller - 2002
    This time they’ve come together for a spectacular show featuring their many goofball talents. But just when Indiana (the director) is about to call SHOWTIME!, Georgia gets a bad case of stage fright and can’t perform in her juggling act. Will the show go on, or will it be curtains? In this winning companion to The Scrambled States of America, young readers will revel in the madcap adventure and silly antics all while learning interesting facts about states and geography.   The Scrambled States of America Talent Show is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Simpsons Comics: Meltdown


Matt Groening - 2011
    It's a red-alert laugh riot when all of Springfield moves in with Mr. Burns after a hazardous nuclear cloud engulfs the town. Then, fire up the grill as Krusty the Clown's famous franchise gets some not-so friendly competition from a new burger meister--Homer Simpson And when Springfield faces its worst financial crisis in history, Mayor Quimby sets off a firestorm of trouble by declaring that the town be open for business 24/7. Watch the pies fly after Marge hires Krusty the Clown as her new life coach. Finally, in an incendiary fable, Homer is appointed the new fire chief and literally decides to fight fire with fire. This volatile and explosive comic collection will ignite a wildfire of hysterics.* *Caution: This edition does not come equipped with any laugh-saving devices.

Besties: Work It Out


Kayla Miller - 2021
    Langford's luxurious house while she’s away, but it quickly turns into a disaster after an accident leaves one of Ms. Langford’s prized possessions in pieces! Now Beth and Chanda have to take on as many odd jobs as they can in order to afford a replacement. Car washing, book sales, interior decorating—you name it, Beth and Chanda are there! Will they be able to patch up their mistake in time?

A Surprise for Mama


Judy Schachner - 2008
    A card? Her favorite meal? Young readers will love to interact with the story by adding different stickers to each spread.

Wonder


Nick Bullard - 2019
    Now he is starting fifth grade at a school in New York City. He doesn't want other students to look at him, but that isn't easy when he looks like he does.Penguin Readers is a series of popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction written for learners of English as a foreign language. Beautifully illustrated and carefully adapted, the series introduces language learners around the world to the bestselling authors and most compelling content from Penguin Random House.The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework and include language activities that help readers to develop key skills.Wonder, a Level 3 Reader, is A2 in the CEFR framework. The text is made up of sentences with up to three clauses, introducing first conditional, past continuous and present perfect simple for general experience. It is well supported by illustrations, which appear on most pages.

Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah (A Letter From Camp)


Allan Sherman - 1964
    . . . So begin the lyrics that have been cracking up listeners since 1963, when songwriters Allan Sherman and Lou Busch borrowed the music of Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours" to create the funniest camp song ever heard.On a rainy first day, a young camper writes home in the hope that his "Muddah" and "Faddah" will let him leave the dreaded Camp Granada. Bemoaning everything from the lake that has alligators to battling counselors and waiters to a bunkmate with malaria, this kid lays it on thick. But just like the weather, a camper's attitude can improve when the sun comes out. Jack E. Davis's exuberant and quirky watercolors are the perfect accompaniment to Sherman and Busch's tongue-in-cheek humor.

Here and Now: Poems


Stephen Dunn - 2011
    from "The House on the Hill" . . . from out of the fog, a large, welcoming house would emerge made out of invention and surprise. No things without ideas! you'd shout, and the doors would open, and the echoes would cascade down to the valleys and the faraway towns.

Searching for Dave Chappelle (Kindle Single)


Jason Zinoman - 2013
    In so doing, he transformed from being one of the greatest comics of his generation into one of the most enigmatic ever. In Searching for Dave Chappelle, Jason Zinoman, the first comedy critic in the history of The New York Times, sorts through the myriad theories and examines what happened to this singular artist. Through extensive reporting, this kindle single tells a compelling narrative that takes readers behind the scenes of Comedy Central, the New York comedy scene and network television. This is not just a story about Dave Chappelle, but also about race, fame and the often blurry relationship between image and reality. Chappelle’s reputation has only grown over the years and he remains one of the most influential and admired comedians alive. Just as he tip-toes back into the spotlight with a high-profile national tour, this E-book delivers the essential analysis of his life and work.

Beowulf


Michael Morpurgo - 2006
    Standing head and shoulders above his comrades, Beowulf single-handedly saves the land of the Danes from a merciless ogre named Grendel and then from his sea-hag mother. But it is his third terrible battle, with the death-dragon of the deep, in which he truly meets his match. Lovers of heroes, monsters, and the drama of battle will find this retelling as enthralling as it is tragic.

Dear Substitute


Audrey Vernick - 2018
    Giordano. But in time, our student learns that even though the substitute may do things a little differently, and she may be a bit silly, mixing things up might not be so bad.Told in a series of epistolary poems, this funny, relatable picturebook is a great fit for classrooms and for any child nervous about new experiences.