Once upon a time a dog traveled the globe in search of the perfect home. He visited many countries, learned interesting facts, and made new friends. And he did find that perfect home ...at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, to be precise. A very special address with a very special family. And now at Christmastime, Dog learns that his new home hosts a very special holiday party. With a lot of important visitors on the guest list, it's going to take a lot of preparation to get this "house" ready for the holidays. It's all paws on deck to make sure everything is in order, from the sparkling tree in the Blue Room to the delicious gingerbread house in the State Dining Room. But Dog is curious about how the rest of the world celebrates and he asks his international guests to share their favorite holiday traditions. And when the festivities start there's no stopping these tail-wagging partygoers! J. Patrick (Pat) Lewis lives in Westerville, Ohio, and is the author of 60 books for children. He visits elementary schools and speaks at literature conferences. This is his second book with his daughter, Beth Zappitello. Beth has a marketing company and lives in Portland, Oregon. Tim Bowers has illustrated more than 25 children's books, garnering such awards as the Chicago Public Library's "Best of the Best" list. Tim lives in Granville, Ohio.
From its achievements in architecture (Chartres Cathedral), science (Louis Pasteur), and literature (Marcel Proust), the country of France has had a profound impact on the world. E is for Eiffel Tower: A France Alphabet explores its venerable history and cultural heritage. Sumptuous artwork magnifies each letter topic's poem and expository text. Artists and critics tried to stifle The daring design of Gustave Eiffel. Yet a hundred years later, still it stands A symbol of France to other lands. Young readers can experience the treasures of the Louvre Museum, play hide-and-seek in the gardens of Versailles Palace, or get a bird's-eye view of Paris from the Eiffel Tower. The achievements of Claude Monet and Victor Hugo come to life alongside stunning monuments, breathtaking scenery, and history-in-the-making moments. This is Helen Wilbur's fourth book with Sleeping Bear. Helen also authored Lily's Victory Garden; M is for Meow: A Cat Alphabet; and Z is for Zeus: A Greek Mythology Alphabet. She lives in New York City. Yan Nascimbene's work includes over 40 books. Among his prestigious awards are the Society of Illustrators' Silver Medal and the Bologna International Book Fair Graphic Award. His book, Yuki and the One Thousand Carriers, received the Society of Illustrators' Gold Medal. Yan lives in France.
Where can one find the world's largest mounted African elephant? Or the world's largest blue diamond? Why, at the world's largest museum complex and research organization, of course! In S is for Smithsonian readers can take an armchair tour of the incredible exhibitions and collections found in the Smithsonian Museum. When it opened in 1855, no one could have imagined that the Smithsonian Museum would grow to include 19 museums, nine research centers, or over 130 million objects, artworks, and specimens collected from all over the world. With over 25 million visitors a year, the Smithsonian truly is the world's largest museum! See the airplane Amelia Earhart flew on her solo Atlantic flight. Admire diamond earrings that once belonged to Marie Antoinette. From A-Z, S is for Smithsonian explores the amazing objects and memorable displays that are part of this remarkable museum. Marie and Roland Smith have collaborated on several alphabet titles, including B is for Beaver: An Oregon Alphabet and Z is for Zookeeper: A Zoo Alphabet. They live on a small farm south of Portland. The author of many books for children, Roland has also penned Sleeping Bear Press's middle-grade series, I, Q. Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen has illustrated more than 20 books with Sleeping Bear Press, including the bestselling The Legend of Sleeping Bear; The Edmund Fitzgerald: Song of the Bell; and most recently, Itsy Bitsy & Teeny Weeny. He and his wife, Robbyn, live in Bath, Michigan, on their 40-acre farm and wildlife refuge.
From "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens" to "Doe, a deer, a female deer," many people have grown up humming the tunes or singing the lyrics to the songs from the beloved movie The Sound of Music. But what is the real story behind the brave von Trapp family? V is for von Trapp: A Musical Family Alphabet gives a behind-the-headlines look at this real-life singing family made famous in the classic movie. Starting with their idyllic early life in Austria where their love of music and performing began, author William Anderson takes readers along on the family's courageous mountaintop escape from Nazi authorities to their new life in America and the famous von Trapp family lodge in the Vermont hills. Meet determined Maria, the dashing Captain, and their talented children; the famous von Trapps whose life story captivated thousands and continues to inspire with its legacy of hope and achievement. Author, historian, and lecturer William Anderson did extensive research and interviews with the von Trapp family. His previous book with Sleeping Bear is M is for Mount Rushmore: A South Dakota Alphabet. William lives in Lapeer, Michigan. Linda Graves is the illustrator of over 30 children's books, published worldwide. She was born in Eureka, California, and graduated with a degree in illustration from San Jose State University. Linda is a member of the Western Massachusetts Illustrators Guild, and lives in the woods of Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
Teachers and parents of ESL students will cheer when they discover the Hola, English! series, as will those seeking to expose English-speaking kids to Spanish. Ten Little Fish combines numbers with simple adjectives (fish above, fish below; seven fish, fast and slow) and simple verbs (swim and dive fish, here are five fish).
The books in the Hola, English! series were written for Spanish-speaking children new to English and English-speaking children whose parents or teachers want to introduce a foreign language early on. Max and Sarah Build a Snowman teaches numbers and counting within the context of the familiar hide-and-seek game.
The Hola, English! series provides children with reasons to talk and things they will want to talk about. In Sleepy Barker, Barker the dog is awakened by one sound after another (howl, hoot, boom) but finally falls asleep after being reassured that mom and dad are there for him.
This bilingual series will appeal both to Spanish-speaking ESL students and English-speaking kids who are learning Spanish. Its Raining Cats and Frogs features plural words and idiomatic expressions. It explores the difference between real and pretend and engages young children in selecting appropriate clothing for wet weather.
The bilingual books in the Hola, English! series help teachers and parents guide young children into the back-and-forth of a conversation. I Say Yes! I Say No! is told entirely in simple dialogue between parents and children. It features familiar nighttime and bedtime rituals.
Explores wishing traditions from around the world, including rainbows, wishing wells, the moon, birthday candles, and wishbones.
From bog snorkeling to kayaking over waterfalls, this exciting book has lots of strange water sports from around the world.
Throwing and kicking things have long been part of competitive sports. Now read about some of the weirdest sports in this category--from caber tossing to the Alaskan high-contest.
What kinds of competitions do other countries have? Well, how about unicycle polo? Or Finland's famous wife-carrying contest? Read about some of the strangest world sports inside!
Animal sports can be found all around the world. But this fun,informative book takes you beyond horse- and dog-racing to the weird world of turkey bowling and ostrich racing.
Explores global traditions surrounding the loss of first teeth, including the tooth fairy, the tooth mouse, and beliefs to make teeth strong.
Explores global traditions surrounding the arrival of a new year, including food, parties, finding good luck, and making resolutions.
Explores national day (patriotism day) traditions from around the world, including independence days and patriotic holidays.
Introduces the Greek god Eros and explains his importance; features well-known Greek myths about this god; and includes map of ancient Greece and family tree of the Greek gods.
Explores Christmas traditions from around the world, including foods, gift-giving, and religious celebrations.
Thanks to whimsical illustrations and everyday examples, kids can finally discover the true meanings behind such odd idioms as 'Break a leg!'
Introduces the Greek goddess Aphrodite and explains her importance; features well-known Greek myths about this god; and includes map of ancient Greece and family tree of the Greek gods.
Introduces the Greek god Apollo and explains his importance; features well-known Greek myths about this god; and includes map of ancient Greece and family tree of the Greek gods.
La Llorona (The Crying Woman) is a sad and haunting tale from Mexico. Parents have told the story for hundreds of years to misbehaving children and to guard against vanity. Some say the story is about Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and a native Mexican woman who served as his translator. Her loss can be compared to the loss of native Mexican culture after the Spanish conquest.
Slavery in the United States became illegal in the 1860s. Before that, many slaves found their way north by following the Big Dipper, or the Drinking Gourd as they called it. Our story begins in 1880 with Old Ellie and Old Sam, two escaped slaves who share their brave story along the path to freedom called the Underground Railroad.
In the early 1800s, white settlers and missionaries were intent on bringing the English language to the illiterate Native Americans. Sequoyah was intrigued by these leaves of paper with strange marks that talked. Doing what no one had ever done before, Sequoyah set about creating a written Cherokee languagehelping preserve the tribe's history and culture even today.
