Is Snappsy making crafty plans? Is he prowling for defenseless birds and soft, fuzzy bunnies? Is Snappsy a big, mean alligator who’s obsessed with snack foods that start with the letter P? It’s no wonder Snappsy won't invite the narrator to his party! Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) is an irreverent look at storytelling, friendship, and creative differences from a pair of rising stars in the picture book world.

    There’s also a “Woof.” And a “Ribbit.”A few words and a minimal background can make for plenty of mischief—especially when your characters are adorable, delightfully silly, and probably NOT LISTENING!Fun, cumulative, and playful, Everybody Says Meow is perfect for preschoolers and toddlers just learning how to read.

    . . Splat's bicycle bumps and jumps over the bumpy track on his way to school, until . . . crack! Splat takes a tumble off of his bike and finds himself nose to beak with a duck. A crash of this caliber should certainly merit some alarm from this duck, but Splat hears no sound. A duck with no quack? Splat thinks that his teacher, Mrs. Wimpydimple, will know what to do, so Splat packs the duck in his backpack along with his school supplies and heads off to Cat School.Join Splat in this hilarious story that is sure to quack up beginning readers.

    It's run down, and Hippo hardly ever gets any visitors. So he decides to set off for the outside with his friend Red Panda. To make it in the human world, Hippo will have to become a Hippopotamister: he'll have to act like a human, get a job, and wear a hat as a disguise. He's a good employee, whether he's a construction worker, a hair stylist, or a sous chef. But what he really needs is a job where he can be himself.

    They continue the tradition that began with such whimsical titles as If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and If You Give a Moose a Muffin with yet another tale of actions and consequences: If You Give a Pig a Pancake. Once again, Numeroff follows the potential effects of one creature's chaotic demands, creating a tale filled with beguiling characters, delightful anticipation, and a fun sense of adventure. In addition to being humorous and entertaining, If You Give a Pig a Pancake allows children to see how their own constant demands might frazzle their parents. Kids should also enjoy studying the subtleties in Bond's colorful illustrations, such as the facial expressions of the book's adorable protagonist or the details found in a mountain of bubbles and the contents of a closet. Easy to understand, stimulating to both mind and eye, and irresistibly amusing, this is one book children will likely want to read over and over again. --Beth Amos

    . .5,4,3,2,1 . . . KAPOW!"New York Times-"bestselling author Andy Griffiths, follows up his slimy, rhymey, easy-to-read hit, "The Cat on the Mat is Flat," with ten more hilarious short, rhyming stories guaranteed to make kids laugh.* "Kirkus Reviews"

    in full color. "Out shopping, the Bears look at frilly and silly hats, bumpy and lumpy ones. Offers slapstick humor and simple concepts of sizes and shape."--School Library Journal.

    Zebra wants to put on a show as simple as A-B-C, but Zebra's friend Moose has other (unexpected and hilarious) ideas. Full color.

    When Pokko takes the drum deep into the forest it is so quiet, so very quiet that Pokko decides to play. And before she knows it she is joined by a band of animals —first the raccoon, then the rabbit, then the wolf—and soon the entire forest is following her. Will Pokko hear her father’s voice when he calls her home? Pokko and the Drum is a story about art, persistence, and a family of frogs living in a mushroom.

    But trouble lies ahead as, one by one, they fall off and hurt themselves.

    He wanted to see the world. He especially wanted to visit New York City. What he didn’t want was to be joined by a duck. A crazy duck. A duck that misbehaves. Young readers will laugh out loud at the duck’s silly antics as Dodsworth has the unexpected adventure of his life in the Big Apple . . . and beyond.

    Something of his very own. He begged his mother for a puppy. Until she said YES! The boy loved his puppy. He fed him and played with him and cuddled him. But soon, the dog wanted something to take care of--something of his very own. So the dog gets a pet cat; then the cat gets a pet bird; the bird gets a pet worm; the worm gets a pet flea . . . and on and on it goes as utter chaos ensues.

    Spot, a polka-dot leopard who can change colors and even juggle his own spots, tries to convince two children that he is special enough to be exhibited in the zoo.

    Kids will love to see their own quirks reflected in these adorably rendered creatures, and perhaps will be comforted to know that—just like them—narwhals can be perfectly happy all on their own and quail also get tired of being told to be quiet.

    Whether it's conducting an orchestra, painting a masterpiece, or slaying a dragon—give a child a stick and let imagination take over and the magic begin.