Three friends, Dog, Cat, and Mouse, live happily—or so they think—in their beach hut by the sea until one night a mysterious Stranger, bearing gifts from the Winds of Change Trading Company, blows into their little world and turns it upside down. Soon Dog, Cat, and Mouse are fighting with each other. Is the foxy Stranger a troublemaker or does he mean well? And will Dog, Cat, and Mouse ever be happy again? Children will find this thought-provoking picture book of true friendship from award-winning Mini Grey, author of Traction Man Is Here! and Traction Man Meets Turbodog, deeply satifying, a story they’ll want to hear—and discuss—again and again.
Primary (ages 6-9)
Material appropriate for primary age groups
Traction Man and the Beach Odyssey
Traction Man, the action figure, and his sidekick, Scrubbing Brush, share dangerous adventures at the beach.
Indian Children’s Favorite Stories
The Greedy Sparrow
A sparrow receives kindness from strangers and repays each act of kindness with a trick to get more, but at last, in a surprising twist, the sparrow is back with his original problem.
Featured in Volume VI, Issue 1 of WOW Review.
Good-Bye, Havana! Hola, New York!
When five year old Gabriella hears talk of Castro and something called revolution in her home in Cuba, she doesn’t understand. Then when her parents leave suddenly and she remains with her grandparents, life isn’t the same. Soon the day comes when she goes to live with her parents in a new place called the Bronx. It isn’t warm like Havana, and there is traffic not the ocean outside her window. Their life is different- it snows in the winter and the food at school is hot dogs and macaroni. What will it take for the Bronx to feel like home?
Here Comes Hortense!
What could be more fun for a six-year-old than having your nana and her new husband take you to a theme park? But the fun is spoiled when Nana and Bob announce that they’ve planned a surprise: they are going to be joined by Bob’s granddaughter, Hortense. It turns out to be the worst surprise ever. Nana shares her room with Hortense instead of her disgruntled little grandson. She sings her special good-night song to Hortense. She goes on all the scary rides with Hortense. And, worst of all, Hortense has a special name for Nana.
A perceptive and hilarious exploration of rivalry, there’s a gentle lesson for readers, young and old.
The French Fry King
A delectable feast for French fry lovers the world over, written and illustrated by acclaimed French Canadian artist, Rogé, this wonderful story will amuse, beguile and delight young readers! The French Fry King is a clever tale about dreaming big and finding love, told by a charming sausage dog named Roger.
Roger is a sausage dog who is destined for incredible things! He is most definitely NOT the kind of dog that would chase the mailman, chew on bicycle tires, or bark at every car that drives goes by. All of that bores him….
He longs to be human, and spends a great deal of time dreaming about his future. For Roger, happiness will only come when he becomes King – King of the French Fries! But will this bring him true happiness?
Spot the Difference
An amazing collection of bright illustrations by a well-known comic strip artist Tak Bui, Spot the Difference is a collection of search-and-finds that challenge readers to compare pictures and find the differences. Each illustration is a rich mixture of compare-it images, wordplay (there’s a school of fish, complete with blackboard) and hilarious scenes that invite storytelling – an unlikely group of animals form a wild street corner jazz band – to keep young readers intrigued.
Great for expeditions of all kinds, this book will keep children amused for hours on end.
I Am Tama, Lucky Cat
A retelling of the traditional Japanese tale describing the origins of the beckoning cat and how it came to be a symbol of good luck.
The Runaway Wok
When a boy goes to the market to buy food and comes home with an old wok instead, his parents wonder what they’ll eat for dinner. But then the wok rolls out of the poor family’s house with a skippity-hoppity-ho! and returns from the rich man’s home with a feast in tow! With spirited text and lively illustrations, this story reminds readers about the importance of generosity.