You don't have to be a chatterbox to appreciate this tale of listening and learning. Owen McPhee doesn't just like to talk, he LOVES to talk. He spends every waking minute chattering away at his teachers, his classmates, his parents, his dog, and even himself. But all that talking can get in the way of listening. And when Owen wakes up with a bad case of laryngitis, it gives him a much-needed opportunity to hear what others have to say.From the author-illustrator team behind The Invisible Boy comes a bright and lively picture book that captures the social dynamics of a busy classroom while delivering a gentle message about the importance of listening.

    There's work to be done.Get to the job site. Run, dogs, run!Top dog Duke leads a busy work crew to a new construction site. All sorts of dogs have plenty to do before the day is out. These clever dogs will dig, haul, push, plow, and even bring in a crane to build a new park. But what happens when they find something unexpected buried deep in the ground?James Horvath brings a new perspective to the construction "tail" with this hilarious crew of colorful dogs. Bright, detailed illustrations beg to be looked at again and again, with readers discovering something new each time.

    . . unless she has to. This series of brief stories about Isabel's adventures are a beguiling combination of child-friendly scenarios and Eastern wisdom perfect for the youngest readers.

    Now it's Yoon's turn to teach her parents about something she's learned in America. When Yoon's teacher lends her a book about Santa Claus, Yoon can't wait to show it to her parents. To Yoon's disappointment, though, her mother responds, "We are not a Christmas family." As Christmas Eve approaches, Yoon learns more and more about this exciting holiday. But no matter how hard she tries to convince her parents to sing Christmas songs or put up Christmas stockings, they always say no. A determined Yoon soon realizes that she must use her own "Shining Wisdom" to persuade her parents that they can indeed be a Christmas family. Distinctive and glowing pictures with brushstrokes echoing Renoir accompany this charming story that rings true and reaches deep.

    In this bold, funny, and unflinching collection, the beloved author-illustrator retains all the emotion and humor of the original fairy tales: the heroes are courageous, the villains are horrible, and the children are tasty. With her sly, simple language and vibrant illustrations, even the scariest fiends become the stuff of shared hilarity and shivery thrills.

    . .A delightfully silly barnyard tale-now in paperbackWhat happens when a flea gets a bad case of the sniffles? Utter pandemonium in the barnyard! This rollicking picture book follows a lovable flea and his exceptional sneeze through the mayhem. Before the night is over, every animal-from the mouse to the cow-has something to say. Will the animals ever fall back to sleep?Lynn Downey's quirky text and Karla Firehammer's charming pictures make this a winning story for preschool children.

    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.

    From beloved author and artist Barbara McClintock comes Vroom!, a playful picture book following a little girl's imaginative journey in a race car.Join a little girl as she zooms—past fields and forests, up mountains, over rivers, through deserts, home again, and into bed in this playful picture book about the power of imagination, from award-winning author and artist Barbara McClintock.

    Beak & Ally is a new early reader graphic novel series perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly.Ally the alligator is perfectly happy being alone . . . until one day a noisy bird named Beak lands on her snout. Much to Ally’s annoyance, this chatty bird likes to sing all the time and has chosen a nearby tree to build his new nest. Even worse, he insists that he and Ally will be best friends. In fact, he has all kinds of friendship goals in mind, and it seems nothing Ally says will convince him that she’d rather just be alone.Nothing beats peace and quiet . . . except for maybe a new best friend?Beak & Ally is a brand-new graphic novel series by Norm Feuti, perfect for emerging readers and comic lovers alike.

    Carry Me! Talk to Me! and Sing to Me! express the animal's desires: to be held close by a loving parent, read to, sung to, and told stories. Each picture, mainly in soft pastel hues, exemplifies a moment of shared happiness between child and parents. The paintings, generally one to a page, are on a background of white and are framed with a simple blue line. The book speaks for all young children who yearn to be included in their parents' lives. The lucky bunny in this book is well loved by patient, caring adults and appears to be the center of their world.–Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    But Oliver doesn't eat vegetables - only chips. How will Grandpa persuade him into a week of healthy eating?

    But now the treats are missing. What does Kayla know? There are three treats missing. King was in the kitchen. King's breath doesn't smell like peanut butter. What does King know? There's an intruder in the house. How will they solve the mystery?

    After Tom describes all the parts of his bike, he rides the bike to work. He rides along busy roads and bustling streets, past cars and buses and animals and people, until he arrives at the circus, changes into his work clothes, and goes to work. It turns out that Tom is a clown, and his job is to ride a unicycle on a high wire under the big top! A fresh and fun look at riding (on two wheels and one), community, transportation, and professions, with a surprise ending!

    Green has lost his school bus. "A bus is a big thing to lose," Jeffrey says. But sometimes, big things are hard to find. Maybe Mr. Green's bus was stolen. Detective Bones gets out his pad, notes the clues, and the search begins. . . .

    Using traditional reading teaching techniques like alliteration, rhyme, repetition, and short sentences), the text invites young children to read along, while Michael Emberley's lively illustrations enhance the stories' humor and high spirits. Goldilocks, the Little Red Hen, the Three Little Pigs, and many more beloved characters star in these tales-with-a-twist that are perfect for early and reluctant readers, readers' theater, and bedtime fun. A 2005 Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts by the Children's Literature Assembly of the National Council of Teacher of English. Also chosen as a 2004 Gryphon Award Honor Book by the Center for Children's Books.