Stealthy as ever, the ninja girls and ninja boys tiptoe around without a noise (or so they think) as they prepare for the celebration. Meanwhile, the master is spooked by the noises and shadows he senses around him. Is there a dragon over there? It’s a total dojo scare! Master must be more aware. He tells himself: If I use my ears and eyes, I won’t be taken by—SURPRISE! Master gasps, then laughs and cries. He can’t believe his ninja eyes! Streamers, poppers, candles, cake—he’s delighted by the party and by the thoughtfulness of his little ninja charges. There’s even a gift: a dragon-in-the-box who pops out for one last scream.Chris Tougas’s digitally rendered ninjas pop off the page once again in this laugh-out-loud story. Told in rhyming verse with a playful rhythm, accompanied by hilarious illustrations and big sound effects, Dojo Surprise makes for a riotous read-aloud with a kindhearted message.LEVELINGGrade Range: PreK–3Fountas & Pinnell: JReading Recovery: 17Lexile: AD 540LCOMMON CORERF.1.2,3,3a,3c,3f,4,4a,4b,4cSL.1.1,1a,1b,1c,2,3,4,5,6L.1.2,2d,2e,4,4a,4c,5,5c,5d,6RL.1.1,2,3,4,6,7,9,10W.1.3,5,6,7,8

    They search for the right place, looking through the windows, wondering "What if...?" while making surprising discoveries along the way.

    Would you like a banana?’ ‘What’s wrong with you, Brian? You’re a piranha.’ Brian loves bananas. Trouble is, Brian’s a piranha. And his friends aren’t happy about his fondness for fruit...

    Why? Because on every other day of the week, McToad mows Big Island, but on Thursdays, McToad mows Tiny Island. To do so, he puts his mower on the back of a truck, which drives to a train, which goes to a helicopter, which flies to a boat, which uses a crane to put the lawn mower onto Tiny Island. There McToad mows and drinks some lemonade, and before you know it, it’s time to turn around and go back home. But first, the mower has to get lifted by a crane, to get put back on a boat, which is lifted by a helicopter, and . . . well . . . you get the idea. From master storyteller Tom Angleberger and celebrated illustrator John Hendrix comes this playful narrative that treasures the journey over the destination, with lots of planes, trains, and automobiles to boot. Also available by John Hendrix: Miracle Man

    Little Louie's story keeps getting messed up, and he's not happy about it! What's the point of telling his tale if he can't tell it perfectly? But when he stops and takes a deep breath, he realizes that everything is actually just fine, and his story is a good one--imperfections and all.

    Words that might make you say silly sounds... In ridiculous voices...Hey, what kind of book is this, anyway?At once disarmingly simple and ingeniously imaginative, The Book With No Pictures inspires laughter every time it is opened, creating a warm and joyous experience to share--and introducing young children to the powerful idea that the written word can be an unending source of mischief and delight.

    It turns out the moose has a dream bigger then just being a moose—he wants to be an astronaut and go to the moon.His forest friends step in to help him, and action ensues. Lots of action. Like a lacrosse-playing grandma, a gigantic slingshot into space, and a flying, superhero chipmunk.In this hilarious romp, Richard T. Morris and bestselling illustrator Tom Lichtenheld remind us to dream big and, when we do, to aim for the moon.

    Off they march to show Turtle! The parade continues as every animal brightens the day of a grumpy friend. An irresistible celebration of friendship, sharing, and fabulous hats.

    Lucky for the bird, wolf, and tiger, who pass by his cave, Theodore isn’t hungry…yet. But then something new approaches. A boy. Has Theodore found a new favorite food? Or something more?

    In his debut adventure, Groovy Joe faces three roaring dinosaurs hungry for his doggy ice cream! Oh no! But Joe knows just what to do and soon enough he has them all sharing while moving and singing along.Signature rhyme, repetition, and musical writing style, combined with wild and witty illustrations come together to create an unforgettable new character who embodies positivity, creativity, and kindness. Groovy Joe is here, ready to get groovy! Download your FREE Groovy Joe songs, written and performed by Eric Litwin, at groovyjoestories.scholastic.com.

    But every time this clever spider tries to impress her chosen family, she scares them instead, until the day she unwittingly enchants them. Aaaarrgghh! Spider! spins a lively tale about one creature’s efforts to find her place.

    Yes, a dandy whoop-de-do!But Xander was the only panda. Just one panda at the zoo.The zoo’s paucity of pandas doesn’t impede Xander’s party planning for long. He decides to invite all the bears. But Koala protests. She’s not a bear—she's a marsupial! Does that mean she can’t come? Xander rethinks his decision to invite only bears, and “Calling all bears” evolves into “Calling all creatures.” The Newbery Medal author Linda Sue Park introduces animal taxonomy in a wonderfully engaging way, and the celebrated artist Matt Phelan’s charming ink and watercolor paintings are the icing on the cake. A read-aloud whoop-de-do!

    Mouse tries all kinds of tactics to move the pesky Bear but nothing works and poor Mouse gives up. Once Mouse has gone, Bear gets up and walks home. But what's that? Is that a Mouse in Bear's house?!

    "Mmm," she says. "I'm going to gobble that up!" So she shakes the tree a little to the right, and she shakes the tree a little to the left. But it isn't the nut that falls from the tree, it's Fox, who thinks that Mouse looks pretty tasty! Soon a warthog and then a bear come along with similar ideas. Little readers will enjoy the just-made-it escapes (and be happy to get in on the shaking action), only to laugh out loud when their expectations are foiled at the end.

    Like most mutant potatoes, Rot loves all sorts of games and contests. So when he sees a sign for the “Cutest in the World Contest,” he can’t wait to enter. But when Rot realizes who he’s up against—an itty-bitty baby bunny, a little-wittle cuddly kitten, and an eenie-weenie jolly jellyfish—he loses confidence. Will the judges find room in their hearts for an adorable mutant potato?