Early Years (ages 2-6)

The Helpful Elves

When the lazy people of Cologne go to sleep, the helpful elves do all their work. They measure and saw for the carpenter, knead and mix for the baker, carve and chop for the butcher, taste and pour for the winemaker, and snip and sew for the tailor. But no one ever sees them. Until one day the tailor’s wife becomes curious.

This classic picture book is based on a poem by August Kopisch (1799–1853), who specialised in re-telling popular legends. It is brought to life with humorous illustrations by Beatrice Braun-Fock (1898–1973).

Little Fairy Can’t Sleep

Faith, the little fairy, can’t get to sleep. It’s a lovely summer’s night and magic is in the air, so she flies off to see who else is still awake. Faith meets a mother fox and her young cubs, who can’t get to sleep, an elf father whose children can’t get to sleep, and the sandman who is filling sacks with magic dust to help children everywhere get to sleep. Finally the little fairy meets a moth-fairy prince who takes her to the source of the night’s magic – a wonderful Midsummer Night’s party – where she dances until she is so tired that she finally falls asleep.This magical, dreamlike tale makes perfect bedtime reading.

Little Mist

Little Mist is a sweet-faced snow leopard cub who is wide-eyed with wonder at the world before him. Guided and protected by his mother, Little Mist discovers the glistening snow, the mountain streams, and the cloud forests. The world may look big to a little cub, but one day, his mother tells him, he will be the king of the mountains. Safely curled up in his mother’s paws, Little Mist can’t wait for his journey to begin. A heartwarming portrayal of the unique bond between parent and child, set against the breathtaking backdrop of snow-covered mountains. This is the perfect picture book to read curled up with your own little cub.

Baby Animals in the Jungle

All the familiar tropical babies are here for their adorable close-ups: Elephant, Tiger, Orangutan, and Gorilla are happy to show off their best sides. Also included are some appealling but less familiar friends like Lemur, Tapir, and the cute green Froglets. Each page includes one fascinating fact to help young children learn more about each jungle friend.

Baby Animals in Grasslands

Young zoologists will recognize some familiar grassland friends like Giraffe, Cheetah, Kangaroo, and Antelope, but have they ever seen an Anteater look so cute on its mama’s back? Not to mention the fluffy Ostrich chick and the ever-alert Meerkat. With huggable pictures and appealing facts, this series is a great way to expand animal knowledge.

Maisy Goes To The City

It’s another first for Maisy! The intrepid mouse is off to the big city with Charley. A perfect story for young children going on an urban adventure.Broom, vroom, beep! Maisy and Charley are in the city visiting their friend Dotty, and there are many things to get used to – noisy traffic, enormous buildings, and sidewalks so crowded they have to walk very slowly (all the better for looking in store windows). Riding the escalator and elevator – and hanging on tight in the subway – are almost as much fun as exploring the giant toy store and eating pizza in a cafe. Even the playground is busy in the city!

Mary Engelbreit’s Nursery Tales: A Treasury of Children’s Classics

Jack and the Beanstalk, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the Little Red Hen, and nine other tales are brought to life in this superb treasury. The delightful characters will become storyland friends for life for children who meet them here. Just wait until your child sees the Giant’s expression as he cries, “Fee, fi, fo, fum,” or the adorable Elves dancing in the Shoemaker’s cottage! The Gingerbread Boy’s candy buttons and the dazzling feathers of the Ugly Duckling are among the many inviting details to discover with each new look. A collection of nursery tales so child friendly, rewarding, and full of fun could only have come from the rich and playful imagination of Mary Engelbreit.

10 Little Penguins

This inventive pop-up, featuring the mischievous stars of Jean-Luc Fromental and Joëlle Jolivet’s 365 Penguins, starts with ten penguins on an icy shore. One by one, they playfully disappear from the scene as the text counts down from ten to zero. The flaps embedded in the book facilitate the story—readers can make the penguins disappear and reappear! It’s a stylish, humorous take on a counting book with winter-friendly, penguin-filled pop-ups.

Where Is My Sock?

Getting dressed can be an adventure. After taking a bath, a boy must put on his clothes—but where are they? Author-illustrator Marijke ten Cate turns this universal theme into a lively hide-and-seek picture book.