Which bird has caught the worm? Where is the queasy monkey? And can you spot the scaredy-cat? Never has a search-and-find game been so pleasing to the eye. Each spread features fun rhyming couplets, beautiful and complexly patterned artwork, and a hidden surprise.
Early Years (ages 2-6)
There, There
“There, there” — one of the most soothing expressions in the English language. In this story, Little Hansie Bear loves to pretend, but walking like a duck can be hazardous, especially when he falls into a deep- down ditch and has to be helped out by his dad. With a “There, there” and a hug, Hansie is soon off to play again. So when Dad hurts his foot, Hansie knows just what to do — a “There, there,” a big hug, and everything is all right again.
Friends
Happy was an international hit that showed off Mies van Hout’s uncanny ability to convey feelings with her vibrant illustrations.
With Friends she goes one step further and shows emotional interactions. Just as she made the fish of Happy uniquely hers, here she uses monsters to show different situations–they cuddle, laugh, play, but they also fight, tease and more–making the images recognizable for little monsters of all ages.
A Year Around The Great Oak
Benjamin and Anna love staying with their cousin Robin in his house near the forest. In the autumn, Robin takes them to see his favourite tree–a giant oak that is 300 years old. The children build a den under the oak tree’s giant branches and watch the squirrels hide acorns in its wide trunk.
In the winter they ski through the forest and meet the foresters who chose which trees will become firewood this year–but not their beautiful oak tree!
In the spring the children go searching for badgers and see many animals that live in the forest–nesting birds, gentle deer and shy rabbits. One night, the tree helps Benjamin when he discovers a creature he didn’t expect. How can the children say thank you?
Jumping Penguins And Laughing Hyenas
If a camel gets angry, he will throw up green gastric juice over you. A sloth moves so slowly that green algae grows in his fur. Even a blind chameleon takes the color of its surroundings. Bologna Ragazzi Award winner Marije Tolman, creator of The Tree House and The Island, illustrates in her distinctive style curious, funny, bizarre, unbelievable, disgusting and weird facts about fifty different animals. The animal facts are straightforward nonfiction, Marije Tolman’s illustrations are pure fantasy, creating a combination that is sure to engage readers.
Anton and the Battle
Anton and his friend Luke fight an epic battle to be declared the strongest, but will they be outdone by a puppy?
Peck, Peck, Peck
Pecking his way through the door of a house, an intrepid little woodpecker busily raps on a rhyming sequence of indoor objects, from a hat and a mat and a racket and jacket to a teddy bear and a book called Jane Eyre.
Time For Bed, Fred!
A child has a very difficult time getting Fred, the dog, to bed.
Billy The Goat’s Big Breakfast
Nat the Cat is making a delicious breakfast for her friends to share, but a bit of her homemade bread dough is missing! Billy the Goat was too hungry to wait and now his tummy has started to swell …Jez Alborough’s signature rhyme and humor make this gentle cautionary tale a tasty treat!
Jazzy In The Jungle
Jazzy the lemur and Mama JoJo love to play hide-and-seek in the jungle. As little readers help search for Jazzy – lured by die-cut windows showing glimpses of what’s to come-they also explore a bold new world full of vivid tropical colors and lively jungle creatures. Featuring an all-new format, this innovative, thirty-two-page picture book boasts three sections – each with shaped, die-cut pages – and offers a double gatefold at the end to encompass all the animals of the jungle. Behind a final flap, Mama JoJo says to Jazzy, “Found you, Baby Jazzy,” and Jazzy answers back, “I love you, Mama JoJo.” Bravo to Lucy Cousins!