At the southernmost tip of New Jersey lie the resort town of Cape May and its sparkling sandy beaches, sheltering the Delaware Bay. Formed by melting glaciers thousands of years past, the Delaware River flows from its headwaters to spill into the Delaware Bay. And for thousands of years, fragments of quartz rock have ridden the river, plucked from the mountains lining its banks. Polished and buffed as they tumble along, these rock particles dazzle like gemstones when tossed onto Cape May's sandy shores. Beloved by beachcombers, these "diamonds" are the daughters of the river, linking the state's past and present.
"L is for lariat or lasso, a loop of rope coiled just so. Swing it wide or swing it low. Hook those horns and yell whoa!" Hold on to your hat and strap on your spurs! Cowpokes and buckaroos of all ages will enjoy this A-Z gallop through the facts, feats, and folks of the cowboy way of life. Even greenhorns are invited to ride this fun-filled range!
The sixth tale in our Legend series, The Legend of the Petoskey Stone focuses on the naming of this unique fossil, found only on the shores of Lake Michigan. From the ancient, warm sea that covered most of the state, through Native American history and the history of the town named after a great chief, The Legend of the Petoskey Stone is a welcome addition to the fables so richly told and illustrated by this much-loved and honored children's book team.
Whose face launched a thousand ships? Who dropped an apple to win a race? What creature has the head of a woman, the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle, and always wakes up on the wrong side of the bed? The Oracle knows and so will young readers after they encounter the strange creatures, exotic gods, and exciting stories in Z is for Zeus: A Greek Mythology Alphabet. Human endeavors are often at odds with the whims and the will and the ways of the gods. Although they're up in Olympus without any cares, they just can't stop meddling in human affairs
Miss Hawthorn's room is neat and tidy, not a pencil or paintbrush is out of place. And that's how she likes it. And she likes trees that are colored green and apples that are painted red. Miss Hawthorn does not like things to be different or out of the ordinary. Into Miss Hawthorn's classroom comes young Willow. She doesn't color inside the lines, she breaks crayons, and she sees pink trees and blue apples. What will Miss Hawthorn think? Magical things can happen when your imagination is allowed to run wild, and for Miss Hawthorn the notion of what is art and what is possible is forever changed.
Following in the footsteps of My Momma Likes to Say comes the charming My Grandma Likes to Say. Thousands of proverbs and idioms can be found in the English language. Derived from many different sources, these expressions are a wonderful link to history and culture, and can be an instructive tool in language education. "That's a horse of a different color My grandma likes to say. I'm not sure what she means But I like it anyway. Polka dots and stripes. Yellow, orange, and blue. What color would a horse be If it were up to YOU?" Original paintings conceived from a child's point of view provide a hilarious visual interpretation of those sayings oft-quoted by the 'senior' members of our families.
From the author of Buzzy the Bumblebee comes a child's hilarious visual interpretation of such parental idioms and witticisms as "Hold your horses;" "Money doesn't grow on trees;" and "I have eyes in the back of my head." "Cat got your toungue?" My momma likes to say. I'm not sure what she means but I like it anyway. My cat has never tried to take my tongue away. But if he did, he'd find that it can stretch a long, long way.
Nearly 85% of American adults own cell phones and most of them send and receive text messages. Communication that began as text message acronyms, OMG and LOL, for example, have become commonplace on our screens for sure, but they've also worked their way into our language. In fact, OMG (oh my god) and LOL (laughing out loud) are formally recognized in the Oxford English Dictionary!
Its the first day of winter vacation and Stella Mae Culpepper is bored. As she looks out from the window of her second-floor apartment, she can see all of the usual happenings on Linden Square, her city neighborhood. There are her neighbors. She knows them all by nameor by the names shes given them, depending on their activities and what Stella Mae can see from her window. Stella Mae thinks she knows her neighbors but she doesnt really. Everyone in the neighborhood is too busy minding their own business to pay much attention to anyone else. But now its the first day of winter vacation and a storm is coming. Not just any storm but a big, wonderful winter storm. Its a blizzard! And when the snow finally stops and Stella Mae ventures outside to play, something quite marvelous happens on Linden Square.
This is the delightful fable of Fibblestax, and how he came to be the one who names everything. He has to battle the tricky, red-faced Carr, a man who "gives terrible names to wonderful things." The mayor of their town gives them five things to name, and the final one, "that very strange feeling, a dreamy kind of cheer/the feeling that makes you feel so good when a special friend is near" stumps Carr. But, Fibblestax knows that feeling...
The Pine Barrens region in New Jersey has long been a place of mystery, with its dark pine groves, black swamps, and dank bogs, oftentimes shrouded in mist and fog. Reputed to be haunted by spirits, its an unsettling place to be sure. But of all the mysterious happenings and sights to be found in the Pine Barrens, there is none so intriguing as the Jersey Devil. Since its first reported sighting in 1735, local lore has it that a devil-like creature with the head of a horse, the wings of a bat, and the hooves of a goat has menaced townspeople, frightened livestock, and caused all manner of trouble over the years. Is the Jersey Devil real? Award-winning author Trinka Hakes Noble weaves a spellbinding tale about the origins of the legend of the Jersey Devil. Atmospheric illustrations by artist Gerald Kelley bring the tale to spooky life.
Eduardo and his family live in a small town in Ecuador, not far from the Amazon rainforest. The rainforest is an important part of their lives. Each month Eduardo and his father travel by river from their town to the rainforest. There, using just a basket and a machete, they gather Brazil nuts. They are castaeros and this is how they earn their living. But the rainforest is not only important to the castaeros; it is home to many exotic species of plants, birds, and mammals, including two playful tamarins that Eduardo has named Tuki and Moka. So although it is difficult work being a castaero, Eduardo looks forward to his visits to the rainforest so he can play with his two friends. But one night, the peace of the forest is threatened by poachers, animal traffickers who illegally capture and then try to sell some of the birds and animals. Can Eduardo save his friends?
Argh!! Things are looking--and smelling!!--a little fishy at Seabreezy Library. When the big X on Pirate Pete's treasure map leads him and his parrot-sidekick Igor to believe buried treasure is hidden at the library, the patrons are quaking in their shoes. But never fear! Library Lou, Seabreezy's librarian-extraordinaire, is as cool as a cucumber and knows how to handle an irate pirate or two. She knows exactly where the treasure is buried. But first she needs to help Pirate Pete and Igor get a handle on their hygiene, brush up on library etiquette, and then tackle learning their letters. And that will lead them to the treasure that can always be found at the library.
Five minutes after his birth, Johnny Kaw is over six feet tall and still growing. When he outgrows his crib and even their town, his parents decide to move west where "little" Johnny can have plenty of room to play. After the family crosses the wide Missouri River to Kansas, Johnny sits down to play with his dog. His bottom ends up making the valley where his family will settle. And when Johnny clears stones from a field so his father can plow, he ends up creating the Rocky Mountains in the process. The legendary folk hero shapes the state's landscape by carving out valleys and creating prairies with his bare hands. Why, he even takes on a tornado when it threatens the family farm.
What is a first draft? What is a narrative? In S is for Story: A Writer's Alphabet, author and writing coach Esther Hershenhorn uses the alphabet to help explain, explore, and examine the tools, techniques, and strategies for those hoping to live the literary life. Writing terms and topics are explained using a two-tier format. C is for the Character, every story's star, the one for whom we cheer, we care, with whom we travel far. Specific genres, story elements (setting and plot), and the mechanics of how to write (including editing and revision) are covered, while quotes from famous authors provide examples of the writer's thought process. Budding writers of all ages will be inspired to put pen to paper (or fingers on keyboards)!
Poor Delia, nothing ever happens to her. Her life is so dull, dull, dull. But perhaps if Delia decided to look up or turn around, she'd see... the elephants marching through her house... the pirate sitting behind her on the school bus... or even the submarine that rises to the surface right after she leaves the pool! If Delia ever paid attention, she'd realize her life is quite exciting after all!
For many years, Monday through Friday, Miss Anderson has walked to Parkland School, eager to begin her day's work in her classroom. She is a devoted teacher, beloved by the many children she has taught over the years. Theschool and her students mean everything to her. After one holiday weekend, Parkland School suffers a devastating flood. Burst pipes send water pouring into classrooms and the library. The school must close for repairs. But it's not just the building that has been damaged. New supplies and materials, especially books, are needed. But there isn't enough money to do it all. Miss Anderson cannot bear to think of her beloved school closed and her students left without materials. What can she do to help? And when the answer comes to her, Miss Anderson knows what to do and whom to ask for assistance.
It's midnight - a special time of night, when anything can happen. Wide awake long past his bedtime, a young boy slips outside his house to join some special friends in a nighttime jubilation. Complete with howls and whoops, they joyously celebrate the mystery and magic of the night, basking in the glow of the moonlight. They howled at the moon, they howled at life, and they howled with all things in the night. But their revelry comes to a halt when the moon is caught in the branches of a tree. Is anyone brave enough to climb the tree and save the moon? Gorgeous atmospheric paintings lure readers of all ages into believing that anything can happen - at midnight!
Mr. Larch is not a very neighborly neighbor. He never has any visitors. His gray, gloomy house never has any decorations. He avoids everyone and everyone avoids him. But now Mr. Larch has a new neighbor. Willow and her family have moved into the bright yellow house directly across the street. Willow loves her new house and neighborhood. She loves the summer and planting her garden. She loves the fall and sharing vegetables with her neighbors. And when winter arrives, she loves that, too. She can't wait for the first snowfall because she has found the perfect hill for sledding. And it's right behind Mr. Larch's house. Can Willow melt his cold heart in time to enjoy a Snow Day?
Day One I swam around my bowl. Day Two I swam around my bowl. Twice. And so it goes in this tell-all tale from a goldfish. With his bowl to himself and his simple routine, Goldfish loves his life..until one day... When assorted intruders including a hyperactive bubbler, a grime-eating snail, a pair of amorous guppies, and a really crabby crab invade his personal space and bowl, Goldfish is put out, to say the least. He wants none of it, preferring his former peace and quiet and solitude. But time away from his new companions gives him a chance to rethink the pros and cons of a solitary life. And discover what he's been missing.
Completing our acclaimed Discover America State by State series is A is for Aloha: AHawaii Alphabet. The landscape of Hawaii is as exotic as its history and people. Written and illustrated by native Hawaiians, U'ilani Goldsberry and Tammy Yee, A is for Aloha is a lovingly created introduction to one of the most-visited places on Earth.
When Pierre, an African penguin living at the California Academy of Sciences, begins to lose his feathers, the zoo staff is at a loss as to what to do. The lack of feathers causes Pierre to lose warmth, making him afraid to swim in the zoo pool. And the other penguins start to shy away, giving Pierre the "cold" shoulder. Unfortunately, heaters and medications fail to correct the situation. But one rainy day, inspiration strikes a biologist named Pam. While walking her dog in the rain, Pam notes that her pet wears a raincoat. Could a "raincoat," or wet suit, help Pierre? A tiny neoprene wet suit is designed especially for Pierre. But will it work?
Finn McCool is the largest giant in all of Ireland. He's a fierce warrior, even beating the giant Culcullan and saving Ireland from the Scots. Helpful and kind, he helps the farmers bring in the hay. And everyone in the village of Drumnahoon admires him. "He's the best-hearted man that ever walked on Ireland's green grass." But for all his strength, courage, and goodness, there's one thing that Finn lacks. He's just not smart. And he knows it. When a wise man living in a nearby village tells Finn about a magical red salmon with the wisdom of the world, Finn sets out to catch the fish. And he learns a thing or two about himself in the process
Miss Wright is a writer. She enjoys her work. Each day she sits at her desk and writes stories with marvelous characters who live exciting lives. But, except for the click-click-click of the keyboard, it is quiet in Miss Wright's office. Too quiet. And too lonely. So Miss Wright decides she needs a pet to keep her company. But finding the perfect pet may not be as easy as it sounds. A mynah bird is too quiet, a cat makes her sleepy, and a hamster running around on its wheel makes Miss Wright dizzy. What's a lonely writer to do? As the happy ending to her story, Miss Wright finds not only the perfect pet but also the perfect helpmate to her work.
From the five lines on a music staff to the seven colors of the rainbow, all the way up to the famous 100th day of school, Number 1 Teacher: A School Counting Book takes a by-the-numbers approach to helping young readers understand and identify many of the concepts and lessons they'll learn in elementary school. There are 3 forms of matter we learn in science class-- One is liquid; two is solid; and the third is gas. Geography, music, and how to tell time are just a few of the many topics featured.
