Large, beautiful and rather lonely. He tries hard to make friends but, being so high up, he appears aloof and distant. Something has got to give, and in a little time it does! Discover how Balloon ends up happier, if somewhat changed ... ---- The full cover spread illustration, of the paperback edition, is included as a bonus

    

    Born in Russia, where left-handers are frowned upon, Anya learns to use her right hand, except when she draws with her imagined secret society of famous artists--then when she moves to America, everything is different.

    Their mom has just kicked them out of the house and it's time they make their own way and start constructing new homes in the heart of the swamp. When ol' Claude the gator comes sneaking along, however, the three brothers are forced to question their choice of construction materials! This hilarious tale from the creators of the popular Petite Rouge (which School Library Journal declared "A treat from start to finish") will once again take you to the heart of the Cajun swamps and show you the Three Little Pigs like you've never seen them.

    But city life doesn’t suit Fiona so at age ten she is sent back to her beloved isles to live with her grandparents. There she learns more about her mother’s strange ways with the seals and seabirds; she hears stories of the selkies, mythological creatures that are half seal and half human; and she wonders about her baby brother, Jamie, who disappeared during the island evacuation but whom fishermen claim to have seen. Fiona determines to find Jamie and strikes up a friendship with her older cousin Rory to enlist his help. When her grandparents are suddenly threatened with eviction, Fiona and Rory put their plans into action.Secret of the Ron Mor Skerry is a magical story of the power of place and family history, interwoven with Scottish folklore. Rosalie K. Fry’s novel was the basis for John Sayles’s classic 1994 film The Secret of Roan Inish.

    This beloved classic is a funny, clever, and original novel that opens with Aladdin, now Emperor of China, trying to decide what to name his new son, a child who won't stop talking and is already far too articulate for his own good.

    Er, well, it's going to be if Lizzie finishes at the top of her junior lifeguard class. Then she'll get to assist that hottie head lifeguard at the Hillridge Community Pool for the rest of the summer. There's only one snag-Queen of Mean Kate Sanders wants the top spot too. Hello! Can you say sabotage? Will Lizzie get sunk or will she get a summer job near a hunk? Meanwhile, Lizzie's best friend, Miranda, starts crushin' on an Internet chat pal. And her other bestie, Gordo, gets an extremely disturbing extreme makeover. Get psyched for a sizzling summer with Lizzie!

    Tony and his parents entertained Picasso at their home in England, and they went to visit Picasso and his family in France, too. Tony, when a child, really did bite Picasso. And Picasso bit him back! Filled with information about Picasso and his art, this book offers readers a rare glimpse into Picasso’s personal life and features more than sixty-five illustrations, including artworks by Picasso, photographs by Lee Miller, and specially commissioned drawings by contemporary children. Grown-up Tony, the son of photographer Lee Miller and painter-writer Sir Roland Penrose, shares his childhood memories of his remarkable playmate in this one-of-a-kind story. Praise for The Boy Who Bit Picasso.“A sparkling illustrated memoir. It is a wonderfully engaging glimpse of the creative life, as viewed from child-height”. –Wall Street Journal“It's a fascinating and highly personal vision of the artist.” –Publishers Weekly  “This intimate, child’s-eye view serves up a winning glimpse of the artist’s personality and unparalleled creative breadth.” –Kirkus Reviews  “In this delightful volume, the author recounts growing up with Pablo Picasso as a family friend. Appropriate for the topic, the book is a work of art in itself, featuring brightly colored pages and stunning black-and-white photos.” –School Library Journal

    Only when Willa is hired on as housekeeper does she discover the truth, which is far more fascinating. Eldritch Manor is a retirement home for some very strange beings indeed. All have stories to tell — and petty grievances with one another and the world at large. Storm clouds are on the horizon, however, and when Miss Trang departs on urgent business, Willa is left to babysit the cantankerous bunch. Can she keep the oldsters in line, stitch up unravelling time, and repel an all-out attack from the forces of darkness … all while keeping the nosy neighbours out of their business and uncovering a startling secret about her own past?

    Nine full-page illustrations and numerous other decorations by Willy Pogány further enhance the text with a mood of timeless enchantment.

    Tootle, a young train in training, begins leaving the tracks to cavort in the meadow until engineer Bill figures out a way to lure him back.

    It is a place to which you will want to return again and again, to read of Anna Lavinia’s adventures and to marvel over author and illustrator Palmer Brown’s intricate, sugar-spun drawings.   It all began on a lavender blue day. The kind of day, Anna Lavinia knows, when anything can happen. It was on such a day that Anna Lavinia’s father saw a double rainbow, and went chasing after it. And it is on such a day that she and her cat Strawberry set off on their journey beyond the walled garden where the Pawpaw trees grow, to a place where the buttercups bloom pink and the laws of gravity don’t always apply. Here she will test her mother’s advice, “Never believe what you see,” against her father’s wise words, “Believe only what you see.” And just maybe she will get to finally use her father’s mysterious silver key.

    She brings with her a suitcase, memories both happy and sad, and a box containing something very important.As Rydr meets her fellow passengers and learns their stories, her own past begins to emerge. And as much as Rydr may want to forget about her life in California, on the train she finds that maybe her past can help her deal with her present. And maybe hope and forgiveness are all around her and, most important, within her, if she’s willing to look for it.

    They cruise down highway number 4 on their way to Shapeville, but they see an abandoned number along the way. Is it a 6? Is it a 9? And what's it doing on the side of the road? Once the trio reach Shapeville, there's another problem: a flood washed away all of the squares. Max and his brothers show the town that putting together two triangles will bring their shapes back together, and then they follow the residents on a trip to Count Town, where they put the missing number back in its place in the countdown to a rocket's blastoff.

    Her tale, and that of an old giant hopelessly on love with the icy moon, are told in this lovely new picture book by the 2004 Caldecott Medal winner. It's an energetic and touching story about a spirited child, the power of self-expression, and the mysterious ability of music to transform and soothe us, set out in rich, ebullient pictures.