She tells him, "Maybe one day you'll break out of that shell, grow wings, and fly away," and then she is off again with millions of other Monarchs. In the spring, she stops again at Hurry's garden just long enough to lay her eggs and head north to Canada. Embedded in this lyrical and tender fictional presentation are the fascinating facts about the amazing 2,000-mile migration and the life cycle of butterflies. An afterword provides additional scientific data.

    Next, some oil is generously applied. (It's really water.) And then some tomatoes. (They're really checkers.) When the dough gets tickled, it laughs like crazy.

    While spending the summer with his aunt and uncle, Henry comes up with a sure-fire money-making project: Henry Reed, Inc., Research. Henry's neighbor, Midge Glass, has an even more sure-fire hit: Reed and Glass, Inc. Now with Henry's ingenious mind and Midge's practical reasoning, Reed and Class Inc. turns into a huge success--while creating more bewildering and outrageous schemes than the townfold could have imagined.

    A boy and his dog go walking in the swamp.They spot a frog in the water.Can they use a net to catch him?

    Half the town joins the exciting chase, but it's not until everyone returns home that Mary Ellen makes a discovery of her own: Sometimes, even the sweetest of things must be worked for.* Polacco has created another charming picture book featuring a child learning from a grandparent in an idyllic pastoral setting . . . Both the writing and artwork are fresh and inviting. --School Library Journal, starred reviewThe newest gem from Polacco's treasure chest of family stories extols the virtue of reading--and of taking a study break . . . Like Mary Ellen, readers will emerge refreshed from this respite, ready to seek out new adventures. --Publishers Weekly Young readers will savor this. --The Horn Book

    Walter lives happily in the remote heights of the Alpine Mountains, caring for his family’s goat herd and practicing his marksmanship in the hopes of making his father proud. But as the end of the year approaches, Walter’s peaceful life is shaken as his country enters a revolution, and Walter must carry a secret that could threaten the life of the father he loves so dearly. More than seven hundred years have passed since the day Walter stood in the marketplace balancing an apple on his head while the Austrian tyrant Gessler commanded Walter’s father, William Tell, to take aim at the apple with his great crossbow. The dramatic tale of William’s arrest and escape and the daring revolt of the Swiss against the Austrians has become a legend around the world.

    Pedro captured his experience between the pages of a journal. If he did not return alive perhaps someone, someday would find it and learn of his incredible journey to the New World.

    A magical meditation on the powerful idea that we are connected to everything and everyone.Playful illustrations and funny, rhyming text show readers all of the many ways we are linked to every big, small, hairy, slimy, snuggly, scaly, floppy, flappy, bristly, buzzy, beautiful creature on Earth.

    ‘An accurate and entertaining book for beginning independent readers.' 'BL.

    A sure bet for read-aloud fun, this entertaining maraud through the amphibious exhibits also includes fun facts about cephalopods. This fun fanciful story is shored up with real information about octopuses and depicts how they move and sneak. With a blend of kid-appeal and fun facts, this engaging story creatively uses sound words, easily enticing repeat readings.

    No student at her dojo tries harder or practices more. She loves the blocks, the strikes, the stances. And she especially loves the super-fast kicks: the running kicks, the jumping kicks, the side kicks ... but no amount of practice can help her conquer the elusive flying kick. You see, kakapos can't fly. Despite this, Kakapo works hard on everything else to perfect her skills. She has earned every belt from yellow to green to blue to red. And now it's time for the most difficult karate challenge of all: the black belt test. Kakapo is ready. After all, she has practiced as much as any bird could and mastered all the moves. Except that one, of course. But surely the senseis won't ask her to do a flying kick. Will they?Loredana Cunti's adorable Kakapo discovers (with a little help from a kind teacher!) that sometimes seeing a problem from a different perspective can help you solve it. It's a wonderful model for children facing obstacles in their own lives, and a great example of a growth mindset. It aligns with social studies lessons on self-awareness and personal development. Award-winning cartoonist Stacy Curtis's illustrations of a kakapo doing karate are hilarious and full of energy, and just might inspire some new students of karate (or other martial arts). The art was reviewed by a karate expert to ensure the moves are accurately portrayed. This playful and funny picture book is perfect for storytime. It also makes a great choice for character education lessons on self-discipline and perseverance.

    After winding a large ball of string, a young boy has fun finding ways of using it.

    What makes the wind blow? How can rain sometimes be red? Why are tornadoes like vacuum cleaners? You'll find out the answers and lots more about weird and wonderful weather in this fascinating book.

    Although his story takes place long ago, he is much like any little boy today--always on the lookout for excitement and adventure!Little Pear is just looking for fun, but he has a knack for finding trouble without even trying! Join him as he stows away to the fair in a wheelbarrow full of vegetables, nearly flies away on a kite, has a mishap with a firecracker, and is rescued from the river by a houseboat family.

    How could they have, when the Yankees were responsible for the deaths of everyone in his entire immediate family?And now Will has to leave his comfortable home in the Shenandoah Valley and live with relatives he has never met, people struggling to eke out a living on their farm in the war-torn Virginia Piedmont. But the worst of it is that Will's uncle Jed had refused to fight for the Confederacy.At first, Will regards his uncle as a traitor — or at least a coward. But as they work side by side, Will begins to respect the man. And when he sees his uncle stand up for what he believes in, Will realizes that he must rethink his definition of honor and courage.