What could the surprise be?! Leo and his brother are desperate to find out. Could it be a bike? A pool? A new car? Their imaginations run wild until they latch, with utter conviction, onto what surely must be the answer: an all-expenses-paid, two-week trip to Hawaii! Perhaps not surprisingly, the brothers are soon proven wrong. But the ingenious way their family decides to cheer them up poignantly reminds us that, sometimes, embracing what you already have is enough to make you feel “lucky.”

    There’s a large black rabbit chasing him. No matter where he runs — behind a tree, over the river — the shadowy rabbit follows. Finally in the deep, dark wood, Rabbit loses his nemesis — only to encounter a real foe! Kids who like to be in on the secret will revel in this humorous look at shadows and friendship, brought to light by a talented animator.

    How will he and the little girl spend this special day?Pull back the flaps to find out!

    This humorous song, filled with factual information about turkeys is fun for Thanksgiving -- and all year around!This will make a great combination with Jim Arnosky's All About Turkeys.Download of I'm a Turkey is available on ((xxx.scholastic.com))

    When Bird makes a face, Giraffe sticks out his tongue; when Bird tweets in his ear, Giraffe invades Bird's personal space. Bird can't put up with Giraffe's bad breath; Giraffe can't abide it when Bird eats too much fiber and then well, you know. If you ask them, Giraffe and Bird will tell you: they can't stand each other. One day Giraffe loses his patience and Bird is fed up. 'Scram!' says Giraffe. 'Get lost!' says Bird. And so they do. You would think they'd be happy now, but you might be wrong. Without each other, how will Bird and Giraffe weather the coming storm? A hilarious debut by author and artist Rebecca Bender, Giraffe and Bird combines a clever text introducing synonyms with bright, expressive art to tell the funny and slightly tender story of two enemies who eventually realize they are much better off together.

    After struggling alone for several days, the baby was rescued by Kenyan wildlife officers and brought to live in an animal refuge. There, all by himself, he adopted a new "mother"--that just happened to be a 130-year-old giant male tortoise. And they've been inseparable ever since.Although MAMA takes place against the backdrop of a terrible human tragedy, at the heart of this story is a moving and original tale of adoption--and of finding love and companionship in the least likely of circumstances. Includes an author's note.

    It's true that not everyone has this reaction, but everyone knows how fun it can be to have something new. It can change the way you feel and, in the case of new socks, change the way you walk, especially if you're a chicken.

    The attractions are dazzling: a warlock rodeo, a witches' brew contest, goblin pie, and a tricky hall of mirrors. When the adventure ends, Daphne and Sam once again find themselves on their own street. Was it a Halloween trick, or a Halloween treat? Hard to know for sure, under that butterscotch moon. Mary Ann Fraser's pun-filled text and striking artwork make this an irresistible holiday tale that begs to be read again and again.

    This time, it's not the boy who finds a dragon-it's the dragon who's found the boy. It's called a Benjamin, the dragon drolly explains to his family. The Benjamin is a true novelty (no wings, no tail, no fire-breath!), and all of the dragons gather round to examine the strange creature, right down to his plastic boots and leaking eyes. Chock full of clever situations and charmingly illustrated, this unique picture book-one part fantasy, one part fairy tale, and one part tear jerker-is sure to entertain children on many levels.

    One Saturday morning while their parents are away, the three Noonan children decide to paint the house.

    The mouse lived in a little house inside of a very big house, with Mary. Even though Mary has been warned to stay away from mice—and Mouse has been warned to steer clear of people—the two can't help but peek at one another. Side by side, they grow up, go to college, get married, and have children of their own—Maria and MouseMouse. And then one day, Maria and MouseMouse do something surprising . . . something their parents never did. They actually come nose-to-nose and speak to one another!

    Those children have grown up, but Petunia is every bit as fresh and funny and muddled as the day she was born. In this, the first of the series of classic books featuring the silly goose, Petunia finds a book—and, deciding that if she owns a book she must be wise, dispenses hilariously mistaken advice to the other animals in the farmyard. With its gentle lesson and the kind of humor that kids love best, this new edition of a beloved classic will delight and inspire a whole new generation of readers.

    Illustrations are scattered throughout this short story to help keep your young ones engaged. A great lesson book on cooperation and problem-solving, and it is just fun to read! Perfect for bedtime or story time! Please note: The ebook version has color illustrations, while the printed version has black-and-white illustrations to keep the printing costs within reason.

    Margaret McNamara (How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin?) and Mark Fearing (The Book that Eats People) have created a humorous and visually stunning story that kids will adore—and that will introduce them to the planets and the solar system. The endpapers even include a labeled diagram of all the planets.

    With a new spin on an old theme (remember "The House That Jack Built"?), this jolly story is the perfect picture-book choice for beginning readers.