A Child Magazine Best Children's Book. Full color.

    It's just the right kind of day for a boy and his granddad to go for a picnic. But as the sun beats down, Granddad keeps having to stop for a rest, and by the time they find the perfect picnic spot, some pirates have beaten them to it. Good thing they have enough food to share!

    Includes facts about Nepal.

    "Ick!" says one of the Franks. "It's seaweed!" They're not even impressed by her red bean ice cream dessert. Of course, Mrs. Jenkins has a plan that might solve Yoko's problem. But will it work with the other children in class?"This brightly colored schoolroom charmer [is] a perfect book for those American-melting-pot kindergarteners who need to develop a genuine respect for one another's differences." —Publishers Weekly, starred reviewDon't miss the other stories about Yoko, including Yoko Finds Her Way

    A story of life in an isolated Cameroonian village.

    From the utterly original imagination of the author-illustrator of Ooko comes a story about celebrating differences and making new friends. For fans of Where the Wild Things Are and Wild.Alma lives happily in her hairy world, where she can braid the trees, comb the grass, pet the roof and feed her plumpooshkie butterfly. Until one day . . . a hairless, button-nosed beast appears in the garden! At first Alma is scared but when she realizes the beast is lost and misses her hairless home, Alma offers to help her find her way back. As the two take a fantastical journey through the red-headed woods and the bearded mushroom glen to the beast's bald abode, they discover that they are much more alike than different.This quirky and charming story about friendship, tolerance and perspective invites readers into a surreal, fantastical world that evokes Alice in Wonderland, Where the Wild Things Are and The Lorax.

    She plays it enthusiastically, but it sounds terrible! Ignoring warnings not to awaken the ogre in the hills, Ossiri goes there to practise playing her instrument. Will she wake the ogre, and will it appreciate her playing? Told by a Romani storyteller and a picture book author, this original tale offers a fascinating insight into Travelling lifestyles and cultures.

    Each evening when the sun has set, as nighttime casts a starry net, I'll hitch a ride on moonbeams, and meet you in your dreams. This poetic and tender story celebrates the parent-and-child bond in its many forms and offers gentle assurance of love across a lifetime. Two parents' dreams of the future with their children—from early dependence for nourishment and basic needs, to the parent as home base for a child in later life—mirror an always-changing but unbreakable relationship. Written in lyrical rhyme and accompanied by breathtaking art by the incomparable Rafael López, I'll Meet You in Your Dreams affirms that parental love is a constant force, transcending boundaries of space and time.

    Long ago on an island filled with music, no one questioned that rule—until the drum dream girl. In her city of drumbeats, she dreamed of pounding tall congas and tapping small bongós. She had to keep quiet. She had to practice in secret. But when at last her dream-bright music was heard, everyone sang and danced and decided that both girls and boys should be free to drum and dream.         Inspired by the childhood of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba's traditional taboo against female drummers, Drum Dream Girl tells an inspiring true story for dreamers everywhere.

    . . Niño!Fwap! Slish! Bloop! Krunch! He takes down his competition in a single move!No opponent is too big a challenge for the cunning skills of Niño—popsicle eater, toy lover, somersault expert, and world champion lucha libre competitor!A Neal Porter Book

    . . "A young boy abandons his beloved electronics when an old-fashioned yellow-jointed tape measure causes his imagination to run wild, in The Carpenter, a wordless expression of the simple joys found in exploration and creative play. Brazilian illustrator Bruna Barros uses basic yet bold contrasting colors, and lines that showcase the transformation of a carpenter's shop into a veritable ocean of wonder, giving Harold and his purple crayon a run for his money." --Foreword ReviewsThis special book shares its story without a single word. Bruna Barros' beautiful, creative illustrations will capture children's imaginations, showing readers that even the simplest, most common objects can start a wonderful adventure. This book also offers opportunities to foster discussions and spontaneous story telling.After studying fashion design and interior design in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Bruna Barros switched directions to focus on art. She spent two years at the Academy of Fine Arts of Venice, working closely with children, while she earned a degree in Graphic Arts. She has illustrated eight children's books.

    Here is Simpkin - fat and thin, sensible and silly, smooth and rough -a delightful creation that captures the extremes in all of us.

    A barbarian must be able to survive an army of one-eyed giants or a pit of venomous snakes. He must bravely fight off manticores, dragons, and sea serpents. Luckily, a barbarian can always rely on his trusty steed to see him through any peril.Readers of all ages will savor this wordless picture book with its clever twist ending.

    At least, that's what the big H's say. But one day, a hole in the wall reveals someone new on the other side. When little h and little i meet, they make a small word with big meaning: hi! The other H's find out, though. They fill the hole. But it won't be enough to keep these little letters apart--or twenty-four of their newest friends. Every Little Letter shows how even the smallest among us can make a big impact, and how a single act of friendship can inspire whole communities to come together. How do you tear down walls? With words, at first. Then brick by brick.Rich for exploration . . . Adorable. --SLJ (starred review)This message of friendship . . . bears repeating, especially for the youngest readers. --KirkusSmartly executed . . . Underlines how diversity leads to strength. --Publishers WeeklyThis [book] goes beyond to incorporate the alphabet and word-learning, as well as the importance of listening to young people. --Shelf Awareness

    Lynch illustrates this moving tale of a young dragon's quest for fire.Ignis, a young dragon, is admired by all his friends. But he is sad, for while he can run faster and fly higher than the rest, there is one thing he cannot do--breathe fire. Perhaps he isn't a dragon at all, he thinks. So Ignis leaves the safety of Dragonland to find out who he is and where his fire might be. Along the way, he meets some unforgettable friends, shares some wonderful times, and feels truly warm inside. But he still cannot find his fire. Will Ignis ever discover the spark he needs to be a real dragon? Dazzling illustrations by renowned artist P.J. Lynch illuminate this magical, heartwarming tale by Gina Wilson.