He gets his chance the day Big Sparkler, the geyser, starts to sputter and fade, disappointing all the alien tourists. As he launches into space and fixes the geyser problem in a most unusual way, Hedgie returns home a hero.

    Gnome cannot wait to help his friends harvest the school garden! But his eagerness and excitement get him into trouble, leaving them all saying, “No, no, Gnome!”

    From soaring over the Great Wall of China to hang gliding in the Australian Outback, the class has all kinds of adventures, across all seven continents.Because You Are My Teacher, a companion to Because You Are My Baby and Because I Am Your Daddy by the dynamic author-illustrator team of Sherry North and Marcellus Hall, is an exciting introduction to geography and makes a touching gift for any teacher who has broadened your child’s horizons. The book includes a note about the seven continents and each of the places or creatures mentioned in the book. Praise for Because You Are My Teacher "A sweet sentiment and a great way to get kids pumped about school and learning—Miss Frizzle would be proud."—Kirkus Reviews"Hall’s watercolor illustrations capture the variety of locales, from sun-drenched deserts to cool-blue oceans... children will be interested in the different modes of transportation and out-of-the-ordinary sights."—School Library Journal"Whether reading this book on their own, or listening to it read to them, young children will certainly want to discover more about the places this teacher takes her class.”—Library Media Connection

    Can you stretch like a cat or hang like a bat? This little one can do those things and so many more as she bounds energetically through her day.

    He can’t wait to tell his family about it! But when he tries, no one (not even the dog) is interested in listening. In fact, they don’t even notice when the very same boat gradually appears on his head, growing larger and larger by the minute! Soon Arthur is bouncing over the waves in his very own dream boat. Maybe now his family will listen to him!

    He looked inside. Then he exclaimed,"Why, it's the greatest thing ever! Mouse will love this."Bear's friends aren't so sure of his newfound treasure, however. "That's not so great," says Monkey. "I've seen those before," says Owl. And by the time Bear finds Mouse, his own doubts have grown. But Mouse has the last say when he looks inside the little box. "It is the greatest thing ever," he tells his friend. "Thank you, Bear."Part mystery, part fable, this deceptively simple story of true friendship is perfect for the very youngest reader. It is sure to tug at your heart.Good Luck Bear is the 2008 winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award.

    When the days stretch out like a slow yawn, and the cheerful faces of Johnny-jump-ups jump up . . . then it s time to get ready for summer! From flip-flops and hide-and-seek to fireworks and ice-cream trucks, from lemonade stands and late bedtimes to swimming in the lake and toasting marshmallows, there s something for everyone in this bright and buoyant celebration of the sunny season. Tom Brenner s lovely, lyrical ode to summers spent outdoors will strike a chord with anyone who s ever counted down the days until school gets out, and Jaime Kim s jubilant, nostalgia-soaked illustrations leave little doubt that summer is indeed a time unlike any other."

    . . bedtime! He dons his pajama uniform, speeds upstairs, cleans up the nightly grime, and keeps watch from his towering bunk bed. Written by award-winning author Michael Dahl (Goodnight Baseball, Goodnight Football, and Goodnight Hockey) and illustrated by Ethen Beavers (DC Super Friends), this bedtime tale will have Batman fans, young and old, delighting in their nightly routines. Bedtime for Batman is the perfect way to say goodnight to your little Dark Knight.

    But when Sir Zack and Caspar are taken inside for bed, King Jack - alone on his throne - finds himself feeling a bit less brave . . . especially when he hears a thing approaching, a thing with four legs.A rollicking read-aloud with a charming surprise ending and Helen Oxenbury's spare, expressive illustrations, this kid-pleaser is a classic in the making.

    Peanut has a new ball and her big sister, Fifi, wants to play with it. Peanut doesn't want to share, so Fifi tries to entice her with the many different imaginary games they could play with the ball--they could tell fortunes, or have a bakery, or let a seal balance the ball on its nose! Peanut is NOT convinced, until Fifi comes up with a spectacular imaginary adventure that Peanut can't refuse: a trip to space! But is it too late for her to join the game?  Illustrated in bold graphics and bright colors by an illustrator Maurice Sendak calls "an artist with a superb eye for line and composition," here's a story where the older sibling doesn't always have the upper hand.

    But each activity is another opportunity for the over-enthusiastic Tyrannosaurus Rex to wreak havoc. Parents and young children will love the call-and-response nature of the book, and young dinosaur fans will appreciate the listing (and pronunciation guide) for a dozen different dino species. The format is extra vertical in order to accommodate T. Rex’s biggest messes. Praise for Tyrannosaurus Wrecks "Punchy writing, an equally in-your-face palette, and OHora’s characteristically brash painting style make this as much a stompalong as a readaloud." --Publishers Weekly "Along with the pleasure of pronouncing those multisyllabic dino names, young audiences may find food for thought in the behavioral dynamics on display." --Kirkus Reviews "Warmly colored with childlike bodies and emotive faces, Ohora’s dinosaurs are among the cutest you will come across in children’s books." --Booklist "The brief rhyming text, which scans well, tells a story with child appeal. There is a good balance of two-to-three word sentences with large, uncluttered illustrations, making the book a good choice for reading aloud. In their simplicity, the brightly colored pictures have the look of children’s art, but they enhance the classroom setting appropriately with interesting details." --School Library Journal "The shapely dinos, whose rough charcoal-style outlines and strong colors vividly contrast with the white or sometimes black backgrounds, are chunky and friendly in an eight-crayon-box color scheme and snazzy Peanuts-reminiscent outfits." --Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books "Together the chanting rhythm, ragged lines, and setting of an un-chaperoned dinosaur class create a satisfyingly high-energy, primal read-aloud strongly reminiscent of Bob Shea’s 'Dinosaur vs.' series." --The Horn Book Magazine

    . .You are grand and marvelous, strong and mysterious.The history of the world is in your fingertips.A meditation on the preciousness of one child and the vastness of the universe, this picture book shares the measure of a parent's love along with the message that we are all connected to the broader cosmos.

    All Little Jumbo wants to do is fight crime and defend the weak, by doing things like halting traffic for snails to cross the street and stopping Dad from sneaking cookies. It’s not his fault grown-ups don’t appreciate his heroic deeds! Luckily, Little Jumbo doesn't give up easily. He even powerfully resists cake (his greatest weakness!) to help a new friend in need! Super Jumbo is the hilariously sweet companion to Fred Koehler’s standout debut, How to Cheer Up Dad, which received three starred reviews.

    Other times, it's nice to be quiet and cozy, cuddly and dozy, especially when you're snuggled up on Mommy's lap. Mommy's little mouse.

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