. . in egg salad (No, thank you, Octopus)! Then it’s time to brush teeth…with paint brushes!  And don't worry, Octopus made sure there were no monsters under the bed…because they’re all in the closet! No, thank you, Octopus!  Each page turn brings new wordplay and laughs in this hip, nautical-themed take on bedtime and friendship . . . ending with a great big surprise for Octopus and sweet dreams for two best friends.

    On Monday he got into the garbage. On Tuesday he ran into the road. On Wednesday he ate a loaf of bread that Emma's dad had just baked." No matter what day of the week it is, Toby's up to no good. His owner, Emma, doesn't know what to do! So she takes him to dog training school, where Ms. Katz teaches him everything a dog needs to know. By week's end, Toby has learned some surprising new tricks, leaving no doubt as to why he is top dog in Emma's eyes!

    Penguin's tired of the snow and cold--so he decides to go on vacation! But where should he go? And what new friends will he meet along the way?Seasoned illustrator Salina Yoon's spare text and bright, energetic illustrations bring this favorite character to life, ensuring that readers will be clamoring for more Penguin stories--whether they find their home in the cold or the warm.

    But there's one BIG thing missing from his life: a pet. And so begins Gilbert's harrowing search for the perfect fishbowl companion - a search filled with loud barking, quiet buzzing, and one giant whiskered surprise! With snappy, rhythmic text and the most irresistible goldfish in picture book history, this tale of fish woe and triumph will make readers long for a pet as lovable as Gilbert.

    She imagines the flowers that she'll braid into his beautiful pink mane, and she even picks the perfect name for him: Sparkle. But when Sparkle arrives, his ears are too long, his horn is too short, he smells funny--and oh, he has fleas. Lucy isn't pleased, but in the end she warms up to Sparkle and realizes that even though he wasn't exactly the unicorn she wanted, he might be just the one she needs.

    They dig, they plant, they play, they wait . . . and wait . . . until at last, the brown becomes a more hopeful shade of brown, a sign that spring may finally be on its way. Julie Fogliano's tender story of anticipation is brought to life by the distinctive illustrations Erin E. Stead, recipient of the 2011 Caldecott Medal.

    They will bake the apples into a delicious pie for Granny and Grandpa Pig--and Daddy Pig knows a special trick for getting the juiciest, most delicious apples! This storybook is based on the hit animated TV show, as seen on Nick Jr.

    What could be more fun than a big trip?  Pig can't wait to go, but Goat is worried.  How will Pig get there?  Bicycles are unsteady, horses can throw you off.  Cars can break down and trains get stuck in tunnels.  A trip can be no vacation at all...but leave it to Pig to send Goat's worries packing and turn tricky travel into smooth sailing!Valeri Gorbachev has brought his comic characters from Where is the Apple Pie? and One Rainy Day to another neighborly story of fun and friendship.

    With very spare, incredibly lively language, this is an entertaining read-aloud, with two amazing and oh-so-adorable characters at its heart. When a greyhound meets a groundhog, wordplay and crazy antics ensue. The two animals, much like kids, work themselves into a frenzy as they whirl around and around one another. ("Around, round hound. Around, greyhound.") The pace picks up ("Around and around and astound and astound"), until they ultimately wear themselves out. Jenkins s masterful text is deceptively simple. NPR on "Toys Meet Snow" by Emily Jenkins Appelhans, whose career up to now has been in animated films such as "Coraline, " is a revelation. "Booklist, " Starred, on "Sparky!, " illustrated by Chris Appelhans Appelhans makes an auspicious picture book debut with strikingly beautiful watercolor and pencil illustrations. His style, reminiscent of Jon Klassen s, incorporates a muted color palette, but with a slightly softer, rounder quality, while also weaving in visual deadpan humor. "The Horn Book""

    Like Leo Lionni's chameleon in A Color of His Own, Sylvie comes to learn that being yourself is the best thing to be. When she learns that it's due to the little pink brine shrimp they eat, Sylvie takes the maxim "You are what you eat!" to a whole new level. Her new diet leads to some very interesting new looks--from scarlet to stripey to positively purple!

    "Cats sit on mats, frogs sit on logs, and dogs sit on FROGS!""Well, I'm changing the rules," said the frog.In this hilarious sequel to Frog on a Log?, frog decides that he does not want to sit on a log, and he definitely does not want a dog to sit on a frog! So he changes the rules. Now, dogs sit on logs, and cats sit on gnats! But what will frog decide to sit on now? Chock-full of absurd animal rhyme pairings, Dog on a Frog? shows young readers that every animal has many special places to sit. Reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's Beginner Books, this sequel is a fun, educational read-aloud story that helps build reading skills!

     The farm is bursting with activity. Cluck Whack! The chickens build a fence around the cornfield. Moo Thwack! The cows give the barn a fresh coat of paint. Thump. Quack! Duck builds the ticket booth for the hot-air balloon ride. Everyone is excited. Well, Duck is not excited exactly. But he has a plan. As Farmer Brown designs the corn maze for the festival, Duck does some designing of his own. Guess who's in for a big surprise? The always-creative, always-hilarious, always-champions-of-corn-mazes pair who brought you Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type; Giggle, Giggle, Quack; and Duck for President have planned a terrific event. Step right up, folks.

    She isn't strong, graceful, or brave like her family. When she tries to be those things, Jane just doesn't feel like herself, but she also doesn't feel special. Is she really meant for this kind of life? Her Ringmaster thinks so, but not for the reasons Jane believes. Ordinary can be extraordinary!

    The captain of this brave and bumbling pirate crew has ordered them to capture the entire alphabet--and they'll walk the plank if they're missing a single letter! Now these swashbuckling mateys are embarking on an alphabet adventure unlike any other, and they won't (ahem, can't) rest until they've found an A, a Z, and everything in between.June Sobel's hilarious text and Henry Cole's adventurous animal pirates harmonize in an irresistible book for alphabet-learning, pirate-loving kids everywhere.

    Lisa McCourt and Cyd Moore beautifully weave a reassuring tale of the love and affection of a parent. The imaginative son turns himself into a meat-eating dinosaur, a swamp creature and much, much more before being satisfied with the fact that no matter how stinky he is or how slimy of a creature he could possibly be, he is loved and nothing will change that.