What can smell like bubble gum, glow neon green at night, be poisonous and yet still eaten by humans, and even help create rain? The answer is mushrooms! From their hidden networks underground to the fruiting body above, mushrooms can do incredible things. But don't call them plants--mushrooms are fungi. They're more closely related to animals like you! Through lyrical text and colorful, detailed artwork, the wonderful, mysterious, and sometimes bizarre world of mushrooms is explored. Back matter includes a glossary, additional mushroom facts, and a science activity.
Did you hear it too? Summer is calling. Summer has magic all its own. But Michigan summers? Those are something else. Told in sweet lyrical vignettes, Summer's Call captures that timeless Michigan summer feeling as it follows a family of four from sunrise to sunset. Summer in Michigan isn't just a season; it's a call that must be answered. Back matter includes an art activity that invites the reader to display their summer memories. Written and illustrated by local Michiganders.
What animal is descended from dinosaurs, pollinates plants, flies thousands of miles annually, can weigh less than a dime or as much as 340 pounds, and can even remember when humans have been kind or mean? Meet the bird! Birds are extraordinary creatures and they live almost everywhere on earth. With over 10,000 bird species, there's tremendous variety in sizes, shapes, colors, and abilities. And besides being beautiful to look at, birds are a critical part of our ecosystems and support biodiversity on our planet. Through poetry and sidebar text, F is for Feathers: A Bird Alphabet explores all aspects of bird life, from physical characteristics to types of habitat. Additional information includes a glossary, ways to protect birds and their environment, and tips on how to be a good bird watcher.
Jackie Kennedy loved the arts. And America loved Jackie Kennedy. The first lady knew she had the country's attention--what would she do with it? Encourage Americans to appreciate art, of course! She turned the White House into a historical site filled with some of America's most treasured artifacts and pieces of art. She brought Shakespearean theater to the White House and ballerinas to the South Lawn. And most epically, she brought the Mona Lisa to the states (much to the chagrin of many Parisians) to encourage Americans to visit museums--and it worked! An inspiring story about one of the nation's most influential first ladies.
Fireflies (or lightning bugs) are some the world's most fascinating--and illuminating!--insects. And one many children can find right in their backyards! With a simple story, perfect for read-alouds, and colorful illustrations, this scientific look at a firefly's life-cycle will captivate little entomologists. Informative sidebars are included that let children learn even more about these amazing insects.
Award-winning author Eve Bunting pens a tender tribute to maternal love. The love between mother and child is a deep, profound bond, and that is true whether the pair walks on two legs, flies through the air, or swims in the ocean. A mother knows how precious her child is. Through gentle, rhyming text, human and animal mothers tell their little ones why they love them, sharing what is beautiful and unique about their children. From wrinkly skin to sharp claws to prickly quills, mothers love their babies just as they are.
Just after World War II, the people of McCall, Idaho, found themselves with a problem on their hands. McCall was a lovely resort community in Idaho's backcountry with mountain views, a sparkling lake, and plenty of forests. People rushed to build roads and homes there to enjoy the year-round outdoor activities. It was a beautiful place to live. And not just for humans. For centuries, beavers had made the region their home. But what's good for beavers is not necessarily good for humans, and vice versa. So in a unique conservation effort, in 1948 a team from the Idaho Fish and Game Department decided to relocate the McCall beaver colony. In a daring experiment, the team airdropped seventy-six live beavers to a new location. One beaver, playfully named Geronimo, endured countless practice drops, seeming to enjoy the skydives, and led the way as all the beavers parachuted into their new home. Readers and nature enthusiasts of all ages will enjoy this true story of ingenuity and determination.
Otis P. Oliver is taking a stand. He is NOT taking another bath--ever. But when your opinions matter to the rest of the family about as much as the opinions of the family dog (who, it's worth mentioning, only has to bathe once a month), you have to get serious. So Otis borrows a spiffy suit from his dad and rouses a rabble of neighbor kids to stand up for what the know is right: a bathtub ban. This hilarious story about standing up for what you believe in, compromise, and family will have readers of all ages ready to hit the pavement for their cause--whatever it may be.
On the eve of singing at a community festival, a bout of stage fright threatens a little girl's confidence. As Indigo Blume drifts off to sleep, she isn't sure she's brave enough to take the stage. But once she falls asleep, Indigo finds herself in a dream world with the characters of her favorite book, Acoustic Rooster and his Barnyard Band. The band's members, including Miss Dairy Parton and Chickee Minaj, are rehearsing, and they invite Indigo to join the group. But when a storm destroys their barn, the animals are left with almost nothing. Can Indigo rally the band to work together and save their home? And will she find her voice in time for the festival?
When little Bobby Babinski is reluctant to get into his tub at bath time, his father gets to work to make the event more fun. Cutting a hole in the roof of the house, Papa Babinski constructs a massive slippy slide for Bobby to use. And while doing loopity-loops and glippety-glides is great fun, it's still not enough for Bobby. In order to satisfy the ever-increasing whims of his son, Papa Babinski goes to extreme lengths, including adding a few aquatic critters. Will Bobby ever be satisfied? Will he ever get clean? Comedic over-the-top artwork brings to life every child's dream of the perfect bath time.
Natalie and her devoted tooth fairy exchange letters, asking and answering questions about some of childhood's most important moments. From the loss of her first tooth as a first grader to losing her last two baby teeth as a confident eleven-year-old, Natalie's early milestones, including bad school pictures and best friend troubles, are lovingly told through this epistolary relationship. Readers of all ages--those with baby teeth and those years beyond--will cheer for Natalie as she experiences the highs and lows of this time of life. Energetic, colorful artwork perfectly captures the magic of this toothsome tale, making us all wish for our very own tooth fairy.
When trucker Jo hits the open road, her faithful little doggy pal, Big Al, is always with her. The two make a fine traveling team until Big Al gets distracted after a potty break at a rest stop and wanders off. In her rush to get back on the road, Jo doesn't realize her best buddy isn't in the truck cab. As soon as Big Al figures out what has happened, he is determined that nothing will distract him from his plan to wait for Jo to come back. Well, almost nothing. When you're a dog, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all the unfamiliar and tempting sights and smells, and even new humans. Told in both Jo's and Big Al's voices, this heartwarming story of separation and joyful reunion is based on a true event.
2020 American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Science Book Award, Long-list Dragonflies are some the world's most beautiful (and fascinating!) insects. And one many children can find right in their backyards! With a simple story, perfect for read-alouds, and colorful illustrations, this scientific look at a dragonfly's life-cycle will captivate little entomologists. Informative sidebars are included that let children learn even more about these amazing insects.
Meet Tip and Tucker! These hamsters are best friends and like to stick together. But while little Tip is sometimes nervous about new situations, Tucker likes to explore and see new things. Everything changes when Mr. Lopez purchases them from the pet store and takes them to his classroom. In Hide and Squeak, Tip gets loose from their cage and lost in the school. Will Tucker be able to find him? In playful, simple stories written especially for the K-1 audience, Tip and Tucker will help beginning readers explore new feelings and learn to navigate classroom dynamics and relationships.
Meet Tip and Tucker! These hamsters are best friends and like to stick together. But while little Tip is sometimes nervous about new situations, Tucker likes to explore and see new things. Everything changes when Mr. Lopez purchases them from the pet store. As Tip and Tucker take a road trip, they wonder what their new home will be like. Mr. Lopez says it will be noisy and fun. What is school? In playful, simple stories written especially for the K-1 audience, Tip and Tucker will help beginning readers explore new feelings and learn to navigate classroom dynamics and relationships.
This touching tribute to an Auntie's love celebrates the sweet bond between an aunt and her little bunny. From tender snuggles to play and giggles, author Helen Foster James and illustrator Petra Brown capture the unique relationship in loving color.
Over the course of eighty years a spruce tree grows, along with the little boy who first selected it at a tree farm. As the tree grows from sapling to magnificent evergreen, the child matures as well, becoming a father and then grandfather. Now at the end of its life, the glorious tree is chosen to be the centerpiece of a city's holiday celebration. The tree journeys from rural countryside to big city center, where everyone, young and old, comes together to celebrate a tree for all; everybody's tree.
Say hello to Tip and Tucker! These hamsters are best friends and like to stick together. But while little Tip is sometimes nervous about new situations, Tucker likes to explore and see new things. Everything changes when Mr. Lopez purchases them from the pet store and takes them to his classroom. In Paw Painters, the students in Mr. Lopez's class are doing art projects, and Tip and Tucker don't want to be left out of the fun. But hamsters plus paint equals a big mess! In this new reader series written especially for younger audiences, Tip and Tucker will help beginning readers explore new feelings and learn to navigate classroom dynamics and relationships.
Though small in size at approximately 5/8 of an inch (15 mm), Apis mellifera, otherwise known as the honey bee, is one of the most important insects on the planet. Due to their status as super pollinators, it is estimated that a third of the food we eat each day can be attributed to bee activity. And the delicious honey that our winged friends produce makes its way into numerous food, health, and beauty products. This is one busy bee! But the health and welfare of honey bees are in dire need of our attention and help. Habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change are threatening bee colonies around the world. Helping to better educate readers of all ages, beekeeper and wildlife rehabilitator Robbyn Smith van Frankenhuyzen gives a "behind-the-hive" peek into the world of the honey bee in H is for Honey Bee: A Beekeeping Alphabet.
The traditional carol is hilariously brought to life as 12 birdies count their way through the 12 days. From beret-wearing French hens to calling birds using their cell phones to scuba-diving swans, this visual reimagining of the holiday song is great fun for the youngest readers.
One little girl knows that our world is whole because the connections between us all makes it so--from the family cat to the chatty neighbor to Mom and Dad and cousin Jerry. Our World is Whole is a lyrical meditation on mindfulness that celebrates interconnectedness and the ways we support one another and keep our world whole and spinning.
2019 Top 20 Goodreads Choice Awards As the worst snow storm of the year rolls in, one family hunkers down together in a cozy blanket fort for the night. A little girl makes a wish on a snow globe and, in the morning, the sun rises on a winter wonderland--beckoning all outside. And what if, on this snow-filled day, families shake their busy lives and everyone goes out to play? A lyrical holiday story about wishes and community and snow--lots and lots of snow.
The story of Anne Frank and her diary is one of the world's most important and well-known, but less is known about the woman who sheltered Anne and her family for years and, ultimately, rescued Anne's diary from Nazi clutches. Miep Gies was a woman who rose to bravery when humanity needed it and risked everything for her neighbors. It is because of Miep we know Anne Frank--and now, this is Miep's story.
Everyone knows that when Christmas rolls around Santa employs a legion of helpers to ensure the season goes off without a hitch. But between the santas on parade, the santas at the malls, and the ones ringing bells in front of busy department stores...one intrepid investigator wants to know exactly WHO the real Santa is. Armed with a notebook, pencil, and a barrage of questions, can this young detective get to the bottom of Santa's secret?
With the help of her sister and friend Austin, 12-year-old Anya puts together a kids' summer theater troupe, the Random Farms Kids' Theater, recruiting area kids as actors and crew members for a musical revue. Acting as director, Anya navigates the ups and downs of a showbiz life, including preparing scripts, finding a venue, and handling ticket sales, not to mention calming the actors' insecurities and settling conflicts. It's a lot of responsibility for a 12-year-old but Anya pulls it off. Book 2 opens two days later. Now after a successful first show, Anya turns her attention to the troupe's second show. But trouble rears its head almost immediately when their beloved barn venue is jeopardized. How can they put on a production without a theater? Is the second show doomed before they ever start rehearsal? This series is closely based on the real-life experience of Anya Wallach, who began a summer theater "camp" in her parents' basement when she was just sixteen years old.
