The boastful hare thinks no creature can beat him in a race, but his overconfidence is tested in a race against a slow-moving tortoise. Additional features include pages defining fables and morals, an introduction to Aesop, a Think-About-It section, activities for further learning, and an introduction to both the author and illustrator.
When a meek mouse is spared from becoming a hungry lion's next meal, she promises to return his great kindness. The little mouse later rescues a huge cat from a hunter's trap. Additional features include pages defining fables and morals, an introduction to Aesop, a Think-About-It section, activities for further learning, and an introduction to both the author and illustrator.
Carrying her pail of milk upon her head, a milkmaid daydreams of what she will purchase once she sells the milk at market. But the milk is spilt before the maid can sell it, and thus readers learn the phrase 'don't count your chickens before they're hatched.' Additional features include pages defining fables and morals, an introduction to Aesop, a Think-About-It section, activities for further learning, and an introduction to both the author and illustrator.
Mr. Fox plays a trick on Ms. Stork--but he doesn't enjoy having the same trick played on him in return. Additional features include pages defining fables and morals, an introduction to Aesop, a Think-About-It section, activities for further learning, and an introduction to both the author and illustrator.
A hungry heron spends all day looking for the perfect meal--bypassing all sorts of perfectly fine food in the process. The heron is so choosy that the sun soon sets, and he is forced to eat only a small snail. Additional features include pages defining fables and morals, an introduction to Aesop, a Think-About-It section, activities for further learning, and an introduction to both the author and illustrator.
A vain crow has found some cheese to eat, but a hungry fox knows a secret: the crow cannot resist showing off! Flattering the crow into singing a song, the fox grabs the cheese when it falls from the crow's beak. Additional features include pages defining fables and morals, an introduction to Aesop, a Think-About-It section, activities for further learning, and an introduction to both the author and illustrator.
A hungry fox tries repeatedly to reach some grapes hanging high on a vine. After numerous attempts, the fox gives up and stalks angrily away, saying that the grapes were most likely sour anyway. Additional features include pages defining fables and morals, an introduction to Aesop, a Think-About-It section, activities for further learning, and an introduction to both the author and illustrator.
A bored shepherd entertains himself by falsely telling townspeople a wolf is stealing his sheep. When a wolf really does appear, the twice-tricked townspeople are convinced the shepherd is lying, and no one comes to his aid. Additional features include pages defining fables and morals, an introduction to Aesop, a Think-About-It section, activities for further learning, and an introduction to both the author and illustrator.
Two mice cousins decide to visit each other's surroundings to learn more about their different worlds. But the city mouse soon feels that the country life is far too simple and boring for him, and the country mouse fears the city's many dangers. Additional features include pages defining fables and morals, an introduction to Aesop, a Think-About-It section, activities for further learning, and an introduction to both the author and illustrator.
A young bear learns about teamwork and patience during his school's field day events. Additional features to aid comprehension include a letter to educators and caregivers, an introduction to the authors and illustrator, a phonetic glossary, and an activity.
The old skateboard that a young bear built with his dad is worn out. Now that his birthday is near, the youngster wishes for a zippy new store-bought skateboard. But will that hurt Dad's feelings? Additional features to aid comprehension include a letter to educators and caregivers, an introduction to the authors and illustrator, a word list, and an activity.
A busy ant spends all her time preparing for winter, while a lazy grasshopper enjoys the sunshine and summer warmth. When the cold winds begin to blow and food becomes scarce, the hungry grasshopper regrets his wasteful ways. Additional features include pages defining fables and morals, an introduction to Aesop, a Think-About-It section, activities for further learning, and an introduction to both the author and illustrator.
A young bear and his siblings must learn to share and take turns when playing a game on a rainy day. Additional features to aid comprehension include a letter to educators and caregivers, an introduction to the authors and illustrator, a word list, and an activity.
After the ball they're playing with gets ruined, a young bear and his friend must find an alternative. In their attempts to trade items for another ball, the boys learn a lesson in sharing. Additional features to aid comprehension include a letter to educators and caregivers, an introduction to the authors and illustrator, a word list, and an activity.
A young bear wonders how best to show family members his appreciation for all they do. Additional features to aid comprehension include a letter to educators and caregivers, an introduction to the authors and illustrator, a word list, and an activity.
A young bear struggles with math problems, but learns to take his time, raise his hand, and answer correctly. Additional features to aid comprehension include a letter to educators and caregivers, an introduction to the authors and illustrator, a word list, and an activity.
A young bear loves to paint, but learns that some things are better off left as they are. Additional features to aid comprehension include a letter to educators and caregivers, an introduction to the authors and illustrator, a word list, and an activity.
A young bear is scared to go underwater, but an imaginary adventure gives him the courage he needs. Additional features to aid comprehension include a letter to educators and caregivers, an introduction to the authors and illustrator, a phonetic glossary, and an activity.
A young bear loves storytime at his library, but spends more time asking questions than he does listening. He must learn to sit quietly to hear his favorite stories. Additional features to aid comprehension include a letter to educators and caregivers, an introduction to the authors and illustrator, a word list, and an activity.
A young bear loves to draw, but doesn't like to clean up. Using his imagination helps to get him through the task. Additional features to aid comprehension include a letter to educators and caregivers, an introduction to the authors and illustrator, a word list, and an activity.
A family of mice offers ideas about how to warn themselves when their enemy--the cat--approaches. When it is suggested to tie a bell around the cat's neck, everyone agrees that the idea is a good one. But who will do the deed? Additional features include pages defining fables and morals, an introduction to Aesop, a Think-About-It section, activities for further learning, and an introduction to both the author and illustrator.
A young bear and his siblings and friends decide to build a fort, but must learn to cooperate and share their items to get the job done. Additional features to aid comprehension include a letter to educators and caregivers, an introduction to the authors and illustrator, a word list, and an activity.
Kenyan orphans, Kitoo and Nigosi, spend their days studying, playing soccer, helping their elders with chores around the orphanage and reading from the limited selection of books in their library. When the librarian gives Kitoo a copy of Sports Around the World he becomes fascinated by an image of the Canadian national men's ice hockey team. Then one day the fates align and Kitoo finds a pair of beat up old roller blades, he teaches himself to skate and dreams of one day playing hockey like the men in his book. But you can’t play ice hockey in Kenya, can you?
Voici une histoire tout en douceur, aux illustrations vaporeuses et au texte réconfortant, sur la façon de trouver le calme dans l’agitation qui nous entoure. Quand la fête est finie et que le bébé s'endort enfin, quand le chien a épuisé ses jappements et que les écrans sont éteints, le Silence s'avance à pas feutrés sur ses pattes poilues. Le Silence—une présence chaleureuse et réconfortante—se blottit douillettement comme un chat dans un rayon de soleil et nous aide à lire, à réfléchir et àtre calmes. Le Silence est un ami de l’Obscurité. Ensemble, ils adoucissent les contours déchiquetés laissés par le passage du Bruit et relâchent doucement dans la nuit les bateaux chargés de nos rêves. Quand la journée devient pénible ou que certaines émotions prennent trop de place, le Silence se glisse à côté de nous.
When the tsunami destroyed Makio's village, Makio lost his father . . . and his voice. The entire village is silenced by grief, and the young child's anger at the ocean grows. Then one day his neighbor, Mr. Hirota, begins a mysterious project—building a phone booth in his garden. At first Makio is puzzled; the phone isn't connected to anything. It just sits there, unable to ring. But as more and more villagers are drawn to the phone booth, its purpose becomes clear to Makio: the disconnected phone is connecting people to their lost loved ones. Makio calls to the sea to return what it has taken from him and ultimately finds his voice and solace in a phone that carries words on the wind. The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden is inspired by the true story of the wind phone in Otsuchi, Japan, which was created by artist Itaru Sasaki. He built the phone booth so he could speak to his cousin who had passed, saying, "My thoughts couldn't be relayed over a regular phone line, I wanted them to be carried on the wind." The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011 destroyed the town of Otsuchi, claiming 10 percent of the population. Residents of Otsuchi and pilgrims from other affected communities have been traveling to the wind phone since the tsunami.