Dazzling wordplay and sparkling rhyme combine in a unique appreciation of the rewards of unabashed originality and the special joy of viewing the world gently askew.

    But Mooshka is more than a quilt it can talk, comforting Karla at bedtime. Each square or schnitz, tells her stories of her ancestors and their lives. When new baby sister Hannah arrives, Karlas routine is upset and Mooshka falls silent. Only when Karla shares Mooshka with her sister does the quilt begin to speak again and tell Hannah stories of Karlas early life.

    The sun is not yet up when a small elephant named Raju embarks with his mother on a special outing. As they meet a slithering snake in the forest, snapping crocodiles in the river, even a tiger in the tall grass, Raju’s mother shoos the scary creatures away and keeps her little one safe. Holding tight to his mother’s tail, Raju follows her up a high mountain—and what they find at the top takes his breath away. Timothy Knapman’s story of trust and tenderness between mother and baby is beautifully matched by Patrick Benson’s expressive and atmospheric illustrations.

    But as summer draws to a close, Abby’s mom announces that it’s time for the sandals to go. Abby is determined to keep them on—until one day, while swinging at the park, her sandals flip off and fly away. All winter long, Abby wonders what her sandals are up to. Postcards of sandy white beaches and glorious sunsets reassure her that they are having a wonderful time in far away places. Come February, Abby realizes that she has also grown to love her cozy, comfy boots. As the warm weather comes, she watches sadly as they march off, but a swish in the sky announces the return of her pink and brown sandals—all ready for another summer of fun. Full of whimsy, this circular tale is enhanced by rich, evocative language and delicate pastel illustrations that are sure to delight any young child.

    She’s also a mammal, an animal, and a living thing—all identities she explores with readers in this simple informational picture book.Josephine presents her family (and herself) as examples of human beings, and then familiar creatures like her dog and her mom (and herself) as mammals. Next, she adds whales, lobsters, hummingbirds, and elephants (and herself) as examples of animals. Finally, she shares examples of living things, including moose, foxes, butterflies, flowers, and bugs… and, of course, herself!Inspired by science and nature writer Jan Thornhill’s many classroom visits, this book is intended to help children recognize themselves as part of the natural world, with an emphasis on how all living things share similarities.Playful, kid-friendly illustrations in vibrant colors paired with minimal text make this an easy introduction to the classification of living things. Endmatter goes into further detail about the unique characteristics of humans, mammals, animals, and living things.LEVELINGGrade Range: PreK–2Fountas & Pinnell: FReading Recovery: 9–10Lexile: AD 530LCOMMON CORERI.1.1,2,3,4,6,7,8,10L.1.1,1g,2,2a,2b,2c,4,5,5b,6RF.1.1,2,3,4,4a,4b,4cSL.1.1,1a,1b,1c,2,3,4,5,6W.1.1,2,3,5,6,7,8

    . . I had stayed home that day . . .If only . . . I hadn't met that dog . . .If only . . . he didn't want to play . . . "And so begins a remarkably funny chain of events as one young boy and a dog unwittingly unleash the greatest havoc imaginable.

    But then along comes Tiny Chick, who begs Baby Owl to read to him. Before you can say “once upon a time,” they're joined by a crowd: Tiny Chick's brothers and sisters and cousins and friends all want a story, too. Soon Baby Owl is smothered by lots of fluffy chicks. How can he EVER read? Fantastic fun with a favorite character.

    In the children's home, she feels lost and alone. On a trip to the zoo, she is accidentally left behind. But the animals love her—and when she's discovered snuggled in a cage with the tigers by the zoo keepers and brought back to the orphanage, she doesn't want to go. Thankfully, the keepers know when they first see her that they have found a daughter at last, and return shortly with adoption papers to take her home with them. Zoo girl has found her family at last! Written with just one or two words a page, this simple tale about finding one's place in life is sure to resonate with children everywhere.

    Book is well edited and easy for young children to understand. Willy is excited to share his fifth birthday with friends. His grandma bakes a huge cake: she tells Willy that if you eat this cake, your wishes will come true. Willy decides that he will eat the whole cake and refuses to share with his friends. They get angry and leave. Now Willy feels sad. Grandma agrees to bake another cake if Willy apologizes to his friends.Willy persuades them to return the next day. This time Willy gives all his friends huge pieces and eats only a little. What does Willy wish for and will his wish come true? Purchase a paper copy of Willy the Dinosaur and the Magic Cake and get the Kindle version, FREE

    ("I brought pickles and bean burritos and more pickles and mashed potatoes and some pickles and . . .") But the friends soon find themselves in hot water when the dastardly Mr. Cougarpants stalks their campsite. Can Wordy Birdy talk them all out of this pickle? Grab your pack, grill up a s'more, and find out!Author Tammi Sauer (Chicken Dance, Nugget & Fang) will keep young readers and their parents giggling with this funny, chatty, boisterous adventure about the importance of listening AND the importance of speaking up for your friends!

    Apples are red. Lemons are yellow. . . .Clever cutouts in the pages make a simple, original, and utterly beguiling introduction to color.Laura Vaccaro Seeger, whose The Hidden Alphabet dazzled critics and readers alike, introduces young children to color in this unique concept book with die cuts. The opening spread features a big, bright red lemon and the simple text, "Lemons are not RED." When the spread is turned an equally bright yellow lemon appears ("Lemons are YELLOW") across from a luscious red apple ("Apples are RED").And so it goes, from carrots that are not purple through reindeer that are not white, et al. The book ends with "The moon is not BLACK / The moon is SILVER / The night is BLACK / Good night! And the reader sees a tranquil night landscape and a house with the lights turned out.This title has Common Core connections.

    A boy wants to stay up late, but his parents won’t let him. But sometimes in the morning, he notices things look a little off—like when he sees a disco ball in the kitchen…with his toy duck on it. So one night he decides to stay up. And that’s when the fun really begins.Silliness builds with each page of this high-energy, pun-filled companion to Duck in the Fridge until the moment when sleep eventually takes hold and morning arrives once more.

    She and Sir Yips-a-lot do everything together. But before you know it, it's Janie's birthday again and she's got a new, potentially cuter present to unwrap: Lady Meow-meow, "The World's Cutest Kitty."Wait! Sir Yips-a-lot has always been the cute one in Janie Jane's life. What if she doesn't need him anymore? Michael Townsend has crafted a lighthearted romp that will help children--especially those with new siblings--recognize and overcome feelings of jealousy.

    Well well, what do we have here? It's a HUGE, very NOISY traffic jam and everyone's in a hurry to get somewhere! The racing car, off to the track, goes vrooooom; the beach buggy, on its way to the coast, goes bumble bumble; and Mr Luiggi cries "Mamma Mia! My ice creams are melting!" What ever could be he cause of all this traffic?!

    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.