They know a lot about putting kids to bed, but nothing about putting monsters to bed. It’s not their fault; they’re just not good at it. Read this book instead. It will tell you what to feed your monster before bed (it’s not warm milk), and what to sing to your monster (it’s not a soothing lullaby), and what to read to your monster to send him off to dreamland in no time (the scarier, the better).

    Some feel eager, others are nervous, and a few are even grumpy! But they all get dressed, eat breakfast, pack backpacks, and make their way to school, where they will meet their new teacher and become a wonderful new class. Boni Ashburn’s snappy rhyming text and Kimberly Gee’s adorable and diverse group of children make this a great pick for little ones getting ready for their first day of school.

    But then they find out that farm animals aren’t actually allowed in school (who knew they were considered a health code violation?!). Rules are rules, so Farmer Brown goes to school solo—or so he thinks…for while our favorite barnyard bunch don’t get high marks in rules, they do excel in disguise.

    So does the elephant. And each will do just about anything to win your support. Brag? Sure! Flatter? Absolutely! Exaggerate, name-call, make silly promises and generally act childish? Yes, yes, yes and yes. Soon, the tension mounts, and these two quarrelsome candidates resort to slinging mud (literally) and flinging insults. And what happens when the election results are in? Well, let's just say the donkey and the elephant are in for a little surprise—and a certain bewhiskered, third-party candidate is in for a first term. Vote for Me! is a timely satire of American politics, but it's a story readers of all nationalities and ages will recognize. Comical, retro illustrations (in shades of blue and red, of course) are completely winning, and the duelling duo's insult-laden exchanges promise to have readers laughing out loud.

    In the end, Pete learns that to make something special, you have to dream big.Your child will enjoy this story of Pete the Cat's construction destruction leading to an all-new playground!

    But can you guess which animal before they reshape?When you mix up certain shapes and move them around, do you know what buzzy things they reshape into? Ten fluttering dragonflies! Now what about shapes that reshape into jumpy things? Would you guess nine slimy frogs? Turn each page to find a pile of shapes and a clue—stripy or clucky, prickly or pinchy, roary or scaly, stompy or fiery—then turn the page again to see if you’re right.

    Reading and writing and learning your monster history has never been so much fun!Fans of Monsters Love Colors and others will love this exciting picture book.

    It is very odd. Bruno likes to chew bubble gum, play house, and skateboard—and refuses to engage in any catlike behavior. But Peter likes Bruno, and so they become friends and do everything they can think of together.Jean Jullien (illustrator of the picture-book version of John Lennon’s song “Imagine”) is an emerging picture-book creator who works in a signature thick black line and bold, flat color. His quirky, subversive humor is childlike at its core, and kids will delight in his light and irreverent approach.

    Meet Roly Poly Pangolin?a little pangolin who?d rather stick close to his mama instead of facing anything unfamiliar. Whether it?s a line of ants, a friendly monkey, or a loud noise, Roly Poly runs the other way. Then he hears something that really scares him. So he does what all pangolins do when they?re frightened?he rolls up into a tiny ball. But Roly Poly is surprised when he finally peeks out, because another ball is peeking back . . . it?s a small pangolin just like him!Anna Dewdney has created another irresistible character to reassure children about the world around them.

    Will the children like him? Will he be homesick? What if he gets lost?! Luckily, bus driver Ben knows just what to do to make sure that the school year gets off to a great start.

    Especially since Cap’n Chu—the roughest, toughest, awesomest preschool cap’n ever—is right down the hall. So Emma decides to head back to the preschool ship to see if she can stir up a mutiny against kindergarten! Is that what she really wants? Or does she just miss her beloved Cap’n Chu? Batten down the hatches, mateys, because the first day of school is going to be stormy!

    Shovel thinks Ruler is a number-obsessed know-it-all. Ruler thinks Shovel is all play and no work. So when their two gangs challenge one another to a beachfront competition, the contest between beach toys and school supplies gets heated. Who will win? Who will have more fun? And will they be able to step up to help each other when unexpected disaster sweeps in?This fresh take on the end-of-summer blues is bright, dynamic, and laugh-out-loud funny!

    But one of the poor horses couldn't fly at all! So, with the help of her parents, June thought of a very sweet and very delicious way to make her new friend happy. I wonder what it could have been… This first title in a new picture-book series explaining how magical creatures got their distinguishing features is packed full of humour and heart (with a tiny touch of ice cream).

    Cockatoo two? Cockatoo, too? Two cockatoos! Two cockatoos, too? Cockatoo tutus! Two cockatoos meet two more cockatoos in tutus and two tutued toucans. And then two more! Can they all can-can? They can! The cockatoos and toucans join together for a dance and ask the reader: "Can you can-can too?" Bethanie Deeney Murguia's fabulous book combines fantastically funny wordplay with lush, vibrant illustrations that will make readers want to can-can along!

    The planet is full of millions of species of plants, birds, animals, and microbes, and every single one -- including us -- is part of a big, beautiful, complicated pattern. When humans interfere with parts of the pattern, by polluting the air and oceans, taking too much from the sea, and cutting down too many forests, animals and plants begin to disappear. What sort of world would it be if it went from having many types of living things to having just one? In a beautiful follow-up, the creators of the award-winning Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes deliver an inspiring look at the extraordinary diversity of Earth's inhabitants -- and the importance of their preservation.