As the pages turn, her imagination takes flight and she discovers that the greatest storyteller of all might come from within. A celebration of reading and the power of the imagination, Pamela Zagarenski's debut as an author reminds us that we each bring something different to the same book.

    Witches. Trolls. Sharks. The DARK!But nothing seems as scary once you turn on the light. In this hilarious picture book, a boy and his two dogs go through a list of all the things, both real and imagined, that make the hair on the backs of their necks stand on end—and come up with a clever way to face their fears.

    There is so much to experience and discover when you jump up and step outside with this lively group of friends.

    Bear and Wolf become unlikely companions one winter’s evening when they discover each other out walking in the falling snow.

    He musn’t let his friends know! Can Archie find a way to soar above the clouds and stay out of the sea?  Author-illustrator Andy Rash has created a hilarious, perfectly paced story about overcoming fear by diving in headfirst. Fans of Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin and Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds will especially flip for the loveable Archie.

    The rain, the clouds, the days all come and go as the little fox, guided by his wise and loving parents, learns to hunt on his own and bury his food, cover his trail and run like the wind. Now he is ready to go out on his own.As depicted by an award-winning pair, the gentle story of the rearing of a baby fox, together with sensuous illustrations, takes readers on a journey deep into the woods to tell a tale that all will recognize that of growing up and moving out."

    But tonight, when the skies turn dark and the night grows stormy, the little ones can't sleep. SWISH-SWISH! CRACK-TRACK! FLASH-SNAP! goes the storm. Only Mama Elephant with her words of wisdom can reassure them, "You're safe with me."

    

    Bigbuttons finds a tiny stray kitty cat outside near the jungle gym, he knows exactly where to bring it—into the kindergarten classroom, of course. And so the children welcome their newest classmate, name her Tinker Toy, and share their circle time spots with her. Tinker Toy fits right in, even answering Teacher's questions with a loud "Meow!"J. Patrick Lewis is one of the most renowned children's poets writing today, and he has created a real gem. His simple rhyming text demands to be read aloud—and the large type and bright, irresistible illustrations by Ailie Busby make this a fantastic book for story time in classrooms and libraries.

    

    But the bridge is home to a terrible troll, who is peckish himself, and looking for a tasty morsel to gobble up. In his interpretation of the timeless tale, Jerry Pinkney shows there's little good to come from greed--but in the end, redemption for even the most trollish bully is possible. A dramatic gatefold heightens the climax of this brilliant rendition.Don't miss these other classic retellings by Jerry Pinkney:The Little MermaidThe Lion & the MouseThe Tortoise & the HareThe Grasshopper & the AntsLittle Red Riding HoodTwinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

    All the while, there is another colorful change on the horizon—the birth of a new sibling.

    Ride up and around, along and through, out and down. Frank's striking graphic style is executed in just five joyous colors, and his spare, rhythmic language is infectious. Hit a bump? Get back on track! Reach the end? Start again!

    "My mother carries me through the quiet streets," the bunny explains. "Most of our neighbors are already home." The bunny can see their lights in the windows, and hear and smell what they might be doing: talking on the phone, pulling a pie out of the oven, having a party, saying goodbye. When they reach home, the father rabbit tucks the bunny into bed. But the bunny continues to wonder about the neighbors' activities. "Are the party guests saying goodnight? Is the person on the phone getting ready for bed?" And what of the footsteps that can be heard in the street as the bunny falls asleep? "Will she take the last train home?"This beautiful picture book captures the magical wonder a child feels at being outside in the night. Award-winning author and illustrator Akiko Miyakoshi's softly focused black-and-white illustrations with just a touch of neutral color have a dreamlike quality, just right for nodding off to sleep with. The book is intriguing in that it contains twice-told stories, once as they are observed and second as the bunny imagines them. This offers a perfect prompt for young children to create extensions of other stories they have read or heard. A deeper reading could encourage critical thinking by comparing the different pastimes of the neighbors or, ultimately, what it means to be home.

    That’s until … Big Blub shows up!Goodnight Already! artist Benji Davies creates a beautiful story about a small tadpole who must grow her hind legs, breathe through her gills, and learn how to face things that are sometimes scary. Tad will leave young readers rooting her on as she discovers that sometimes the mightiest creature comes in the smallest package.