Tuko and the Birds: A Tale from the Philippines

Life was peaceful on the small Philippine island of Luzon. The men fished, the women cooked, the children played games, and the birds sang. Everyone knew it was time for bed when they heard the birds’ good-night song. Then Tuko arrived. Tuko, the gecko, bellowed his name five times every time he ate—day or night. Everyone was miserable from lack of sleep. That is, until Haribon the eagle devised a plan to trick Tuko into leaving for good.

Slam

Just when everything is coming together for Sam, his girlfriend Alicia drops a bombshell. Make that ex-girlfriend—because by the time she tells him she’s pregnant, they’ve already called it quits. Sam does not want to be a teenage dad. There’s only one person Sam can turn to—his hero, skating legend Tony Hawk. Sam believes the answers to life’s hurdles can be found in Hawk’s autobiography. But even Tony Hawk isn’t offering answers this time.

Little Fur: A Mystery of Wolves

Little Fur goes in search of her friend, Ginger the cat, who has vanished completely in this third book in the Little Fur quartet. The wise Sett Owl tells Little Fur that she must first discover who or what the Mystery of Wolves is. The only creature Little Fur finds who has heard of them is a mad prophet. He explains that the Mystery of Wolves is a mystic order of wolves who dwell in the high mountains to the east of the city. On an adventure that leads to more than just Ginger, Little Fur learns more about her long-gone father and mother and ultimately risks everything she loves to save the mysterious and dangerous humans who do not even know she exists.

Waynetta and the Cornstalk: A Texas Fairy Tale

Times sure are tough on the ranch, and Waynetta and her ma can use all the luck they can get. But when Waynetta trades their last longhorn for a handful of so-called magic corn, Ma is none too pleased. “The only magic this corn’s got is the disappearin’ kind,” she says, and tosses it out the window. But come the next morning, there’s a giant cornstalk growing up to the sky, and Waynetta climbs it to find her own luck… Helen Ketteman’s Texas-style retelling of “Jack and the Beanstalk” is full of cowgirl sass. Diane Greenseid’s paintings bring rollicking new life to a familiar tale. The author lives in Florida; the illustrator lives in California.

The Lord Is My Shepherd

The Twenty-third Psalm, one of the world’s most cherished prayers, is paired with some of the most exquisite illustrations in this inspirational picture book by New York Times Best Illustrator Gennady Spirin. This never-before-created format, made from one large, magnificent painting, gives parents and children an opportunity to share the experience, making prayer time even more profound.

One Earth, One Spirit: A Child’s Book of Prayers from Many Faiths and Cultures

All over the world, in every country and culture, people express their innermost thoughts, feelings, and hopes through prayer. When we pray, the mystery and beauty of the universe and of our own earth can comfort and uplift us, for our prayers give us a way of connecting with something greater than ourselves.This collection of prayers, compiled especially for children, brings together offerings from many cultures and religions. The prayers themselves, which read like poetry, are enhanced by beautiful photographic images of children from around the world. Together, words and pictures express a deep reverence for the earth and a spirit of oneness among all living things. A special section at the end of the book offers information on the origins and significance of each selection so that adults can help young readers toward a greater understanding of the prayers.

Good Neighbors

The Floods may bury relatives in their backyard, grow cobwebs in every room, and eat slugs for breakfast, but this loving family of wizards and witches is a delight to have next door unlike their neighbors the Dents—a mean, nasty family that shatters the calm of the whole block. Maybe a little of the Floods’ magic will cure the Dents of their obnoxious ways. And if not, a lot of magic will rid the neighborhood of the Dents once and for all.