The Shopping Expedition

Setting out to pick up some things from the store entails more than a brave family bargains for in this funny flight of fancy from Allan Ahlberg and André Amstutz.On the day Mom goes shopping with her young daughter, baby Harry, and Wilf the Wonderdog, she starts by making her usual grocery list. But with Allan Ahlberg at the helm, what begins as a mundane shopping trip can quickly become just a little unusual. With the help of whimsically detailed illustrations by André Amstutz, this persistent family treks through a blizzard and under the desert sun, into a jungle of tropical beasts, and even across the sea. But what will they find at the end of their journey?

Pippi Longstocking in the Park

The tiny town where Pippi Longstocking lives is really peaceful. But it’s different in the big city. The city park is teeming with bad guys, and the police seem powerless to stop them. So Pippi decides to move to the park with her friends, Tommy and Annika, her monkey, and her horse — and Villa Villekulla. Pippi simply brings the boards and rebuilds the house in an afternoon. The very first evening, as the three friends gaze happily out at the city’s twinkling lights, the bad guys show up to begin their usual fun. They pull men’s mustaches and grab women’s purses. But that’s only until they come face-to-face with Pippi, the world’s strongest girl!

Bertil and the Bathroom Elephants

It is not Bertil’s fault that the bathroom gets so wet when he takes a bath. It’s the fault of the elephants that are splashing and spraying. There’s no end to the mischief they cause! At first Bertil loves his funny new friends, but when he is not allowed any peace and quiet in the bathroom, he has a change of heart. The problem is, just how do you get rid of naughty bathroom elephants?

Lost and Found Cat

When an Iraqi family is forced to flee their home, they can’t bear to leave their beloved cat, Kunkush, behind. So they carry him with them from Iraq to Greece, keeping their secret passenger hidden away. But during the crowded boat crossing to Greece, his carrier breaks and the frightened cat runs from the chaos. In one moment, he is gone. After an unsuccessful search, his family has to continue their journey, leaving brokenhearted. A few days later, aid workers in Greece find the lost cat. Knowing how much his family has sacrificed already, they are desperate to reunite them with the cat they love so much. A worldwide community comes together to spread the word on the Internet and in the news media, and after several months the impossible happens—Kunkush’s family is found, and they finally get their happy ending in their new home.

Featured in WOW Review Volume XIII, Issue 3.

Thunder Boy Jr.

Thunder Boy Jr. is named after his dad, but he wants a name that’s all his own. Just because people call his dad Big Thunder doesn’t mean he wants to be Little Thunder. He wants a name that celebrates something cool he’s done, like Touch the Clouds, Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth, or Full of Wonder. But just when Thunder Boy Jr. thinks all hope is lost, he and his dad pick the perfect name…a name that is sure to light up the sky.

Pan de Sal Saves the Day

Although Pan De Sal feels like an outsider because of her name, appearance and lack of fancy possessions, when she is unexpectedly forced into the limelight, her talent and resourcefulness help her win the admiration of her classmates.