Beneath this comical adventure, quirky characters, and high-flying drama lies a beautiful unfolding of understanding. Kate DiCamillo has developed her characters so well that readers feel their pain when challenged to put aside their long-held beliefs about others. Wise Mrs. Meecham gently helps remove blinders and Flora's heart starts to hope while her squirrel, whose heart was open from the star ...

The journey of Fancine Poulet's emotions in this engaging tale runs an entire gamut -- from confidence, to fear, to doubt, to resignation, to cautious optimism, to trust, and eventually, restoration. And this journey's joyful end shows how kindness and encouragement from a friend are just the antidote to healing her wounded self-esteem. Realistic, lively illustrations skillfully capture every deci ...

This is laugh-out-loud fun for beginning readers, who will be hoping for more stories featuring this little-in-common duo!

While this is primarily Pedro Martinez's biography, it is equally a celebration of the relationship he shared with his talented baseball-player brother, Ramon. A humble upbringing challenged them both to creatively pursue their love of baseball, and eventually dedicated practice and big dreams gave way to major-league contracts, friendly rivalry on national stages, and a championship win. Gorgeous ...

While this is primarily Pedro Martinez's biography, it is equally a celebration of the relationship he shared with his talented baseball-player brother, Ramon. A humble upbringing challenged them both to creatively pursue their love of baseball, and eventually dedicated practice and big dreams gave way to major-league contracts, friendly rivalry on national stages, and a championship win. Gorgeous ...

Comically dramatic illustrations set the tone for this humorous, hare-raising adventure on the high seas with the wild, buccaneer bunny crew of the "Salty Carrot." Full color.

A gentle story that begins with a miserable brother and sister longing for their lost dog. They decide a game of hide and seek might be the best distraction, until Poppy cannot find Cy. As fear creeps in, a familiar canine friend comforts all. A simple, beautifully illustrated tale.

Expect the unexpected! Houses, apartments, underground lairs, giant shoes and hollow trees capture the imaginations of young readers dreaming of home. Ellis encourages children to ask and answer questions (‘Whose home is this?’ ‘Why would someone live here?’) in a way that evokes wonder and inspires creativity. Kids will be redecorating their rooms and building forts afte ...

The subtle dance of friendship is played out in three sweetly humorous tales about an unlikely, likable pair. Howe's funny and endearing world of ginger tea, no-bean chili, and firefly watching is brought to life in cozy watercolors by Gay in this tender chapter book about what it means to be friends. Full color.

The creators of the E.B. White Read Aloud winner "Houndsley and Catina" offer a charming sequel about taking time out from the hustle and bustle and appreciating quiet time. Full color.

These tales of friendship are as humorous as they are heartwarming. Great characters!

Houndsley loves to canoe. Catina loves to ride bikes. But when Houndsley takes Catina out canoeing, she chatters the whole time, drowning out the sounds Houndsley loves, like the call of birds or the plink and plunk of the paddles. Full color.

A little boy notices what everyone misses. He wants to help, but doesn't know how. Told mostly through illustration, the boy with a big heart is colored the brightest. He's easy to spot among all the gray busyness. With gentle direction from his parents, he learns healing comes with rest, time, and hope. A beautiful story of active compassion.

All the emotion of a pet story, but with no animals in sight! You’ll have fun helping young readers ‘get’ all the humor in Eaton’s imaginative treatment of trains as pets, and you’ll find yourself looking at supposedly inanimate objects in a whole new way. Share the ‘Dear Readers’ note aloud first if you’re afraid listeners might take Eatonâ� ...

The author provides facts and information about guinea pigs while telling about his own two favorites he has had as pets.

Written in poetic language interspersed with fascinating facts, Davies' breathtaking tale of an Arctic polar bear struggling to survive in a habitat threatened by global warming is brought to life in striking paintings by Blythe. Full color.

Working up the courage to take a big, important leap is hard, but Jabari is almost absolutely ready to make a giant splash. Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He's finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he's a great jumper, so he's not scared at all. "Looks easy," says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. But when his dad squeezes his hand, J ...

"This simple and sincere tale of working up courage to face fears makes quite a splash." -- Kirkus Reviews Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He's finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he's a great jumper, so he's not scared at all. "Looks easy," says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. But when his dad squeezes his hand, Jabari squeezes ba ...

An adventurous giraffe drives off with his friend, a cautious turtle, to see the world in an endearing comedy of errors perfect for early readers. Full color.