Foster gives tweens the tools they need to become thoughtful readers.With funny insights and a conversational style, he explains the way writers use symbol, metaphor, characterization, setting, plot, and other key techniques to make a story come to life.From that very first middle school book report to that first college course, kids need to be able to understand the layers of meaning in literature. Foster makes learning this important skill fun and exciting by using examples from How the Grinch Stole Christmas to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, from short stories and poems to movie scripts.This go-to guide unlocks all the hidden secrets to reading, making it entertaining and satisfying.

    The books we hear or read when we are children stay with us all our lives. If we miss them when we are young, we’ll miss them forever: no Hungry Caterpillar, no Winn-Dixie, no Roll of Thunder. As adults we remember a few familiar favorites, but no one but an expert like Anita Silvey, with her thirty-five years at the heart of children’s book publishing, could put together an authoritative list like this one. Parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and bookstore clerks will feel completely comfortable recommending these books for any child, from infancy to almost-teens. Silvey includes, in addition to the 100 best, extensive lists of books to meet special needs and interests as well as classics, selected by age, to round out this extraordinarily useful work. In addition to giving an age range and the plot of each book, Silvey relates the fascinating, often hilarious story behind the story, something only an insider in the field of children’s publishing could tell. 100 Best Books for Children is as much fun to read as it is helpful.

    But twelve-year-old Bettina’s parents have been called away unexpectedly, leaving her in charge of the house, the farm, and baby Pia. In all the confusion, Bettina’s family neglects to set out the traditional bowl of Christmas rice pudding for the tiny nisse who are rumored to look after the family and their livestock. No one besides her grandfather ever believed the nisse were real, so what harm could there be in forgetting this silly custom? But when baby Pia disappears during a nap, the magic of the nisse makes itself known. To find her sister and set things right, Bettina must venture into the miniature world of these usually helpful, but sometimes mischievous folk. A delightful winter adventure for lovers of the legendary and miraculous.

    I had no idea that nearly 40 years later, I would not only still be using it as the most reliable route to the thing I've come to call my work, but I'd also be showing others how to use it too, as a place to practice a physical activity — in this case writing and drawing by hand — with a certain state of mind.This practice can result in what I've come to consider a wonderful side effect: a visual or written image we can call 'a work of art,' although a work of art is not what I'm after when I'm practicing this activity.What am I after? I'm after what Marilyn Frasca called "being present and seeing what's there."This book is a collection of bits and pieces from the many notebooks I kept during my first three years of trying to figure out how to teach this practice to my students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison."

    I have selected a small set of common errors in reasoning and visualized them using memorable illustrations that are supplemented with lots of examples. The hope is that the reader will learn from these pages some of the most common pitfalls in arguments and be able to identify and avoid them in practice.

    With great illustrations, cool trivia, and fun quizzes to test your knowledge, this guide will have you on your way to whiz-kid status in no time!

    Award-winning author Sy Montgomery takes you on an exploratory adventure through the seasons, into the woods, along the seashore, over frozen lakes, and right outside the back door.

    series -- about a child spending time with his grandpa. Written in a how-to style, the narrator gives important tips for "babysitting" a grandpa, including what to eat for snack (anything dipped in ketchup, ice cream topped with cookies, cookies topped with ice cream), what to do on a walk (find lizards and dandelion puffs, be on the lookout for puddles and sprinklers), and how to play with a grandpa (build a pirate cave, put on a scary play). Filled with humor, energy, and warmth, this is a great gift for or from a grandparent, and perfect for lap reading when Grandpa comes to visit!

    This is one tooth that is staying with its owner. Except the Tooth Fairy has other ideas. And we’re not talking about some run-of-the-mill garden fairy here. No, this is the Tooth Fairy. She’s on a tooth procurement mission—and she’s not about to let some little boy get the best of her. But she may have met her match in Nathan…

    Children will pore over the spectacular photographs, including detailed close-ups, and learn fun facts at the same time.Containing more than 100 species, this beautiful modern bestiary lets you find the animals that interest you, and possibly uncover a new favorite along the way. With easy-to-read text and large images, this compendium of creatures invites young readers to explore the animal kingdom and get to know each animal individually--from big to small, feathered to furred.An Anthology of Intriguing Animals is an attractive gift for children who can't get enough of wildlife and nature, lavishly bound in a beautiful gold-foil and texture cover, finished with gold-foil-edged pages, and including a ribbon bookmark.

    But the other colors are always leaving him out. So he decides to create his own project: an all-gray book. Once upon a time, there lived a wolf, a kitten, and a hippo…Gray just knows it’s going to be perfect. But as he adds page after page, the Primary and Secondary colors show up…and they aren’t quite so complimentary.A book within a book, this colorful tale explores the ideas of fitting in, appreciating others, and looking at things from another perspective and also uses personality and wit to introduce basic color concepts.

    This time, Avon has decided he wants to be a writer, only to discover that writing is way more difficult than he ever imagined. He finally gets the word Something written down, but there's a problem: What to write next? Luckily, his friend Edward is there to advise.         Brimming with wit, wisdom, and humor, this warm and winning tale of two friends on a quest will be enjoyed by readers (and writers) of all ages.

     Jammed with sage advice, genuine encouragement, and surprising examples of how to write and how not to write, this book gives beginning writers and confident students alike an easy-to-follow roadmap for improving one of the most important skills for success. En route to Sin Boldly!-induced, A+ paper bliss, readers encounter such topics as:Choosing a Topic and Telling Your Story ("K.I.S.S.-Keep It Simple, Stupid")Literary Games (featuring "Francobabble for Freshman")Choosing a Voice ("Dissing the Prof")Grammatical Horrors ("A does not equal they")Common Mistakes ("Hopefully and Other Controversies") Fully revised and updated with new examples, quizzes, and tips, Sin Boldly! is not only a comprehensive guide, but also a fantastic, fun read for anyone who wants to write clearly and effectively.

    To become even prettier, she decides not to cut it EVER AGAIN. She is very stubborn! Her crazy long hair is about to put her bratty nerves to the test…Kids will giggle reading this cheeky picture book soaked in self-confidence that will have everyone entangled in Sally's hilarious hair mishaps!What will children learn from this book? Kids will learn to be self-confident but not stubborn to refuse change when things don’t go their way. Hidden behind this cute children’s book is the ultimate strategy to succeed in life: Be persistent and flexible to always come out a winner!BOOK 1 from the quirky series MY CRAZY STORIES - Children's book Age 3-8Read also Book 2: Maya Knows a Secret on Secret Keeping.What makes My Crazy Stories series quite special is that it focuses on kids’ character building by encouraging young readers to develop a deeper awareness of themselves and cultivate emotional confidence as they grow up. Enjoy reading!"For anyone who has read one of Daniel’s stories, this set of books is the gold at the end of the treasure hunt! ... Strongly recommended" - Grady Harp / Amazon Top Reviewer for Children's Books.

    The stories tell of Mowgli's upbringing among the wolves; his lessons in the Law of the Jungle from Baloo the bear, Bagheera the black panther, and Kaa the python; his kidnapping by the Monkey People; and his clash with the evil tiger, Shere Khan. Illustrated in striking full color and exquisite detail by award-winning artist Nicola Bayley, this is a book to treasure forever.