When Anka comes each week on Thursday, young Karrie enjoys her Czech cooking and helps her with the housework.
My Day with Anka
Picture Book
Smile If You’re Human
An alien child’s quest to take a photograph of a “mysterious creature known as a human” has an unexpected result when a search through an Earth zoo brings an encounter with a gorilla.
Walking Through The Jungle
As she walks through the jungle, floats in the ocean, and treks in the desert on her way around the world, a daring young traveler spies nothing alarming — at first. But what’s that lurking in the jungle bush? Or hiding at the bottom of the river? Or coiled up near the cactus? A pleasure to pore over, the boisterously colored artwork captures a world of creatures large and small — and mostly well-behaved — from a variety of intriguing habitats. Very simply written and perfectly pitched for chanting along, the rhyming text is also ideally suited for emerging readers.
Rare Treasure: Mary Anning and Her Remarkable Discoveries
Describes the life of the English girl whose discovery of an Ichthyosaurus fossil led to a lasting interest in other prehistoric animals.
The Shore Beyond
As Little Clara grows up, she longs to see what lies beyond the lake on which she lives, so Clara leaves her familiar world for more distant places in search of something that will make her spirit dance.
Harry’s Home
Harry enjoys visiting his grandfather’s farm and seeing the homes of all the animals, but in the end he is happy to return to his own home in the city where he lives with his mom. By the creators of The Big Book of Families.
Mary Smith
In a time before alarm clocks, Mary Smith, a “knocker-up,” walks through the town early in the morning, waking people up by shooting at their windows with her peashooter.
The Lion Is No Longer King
The King of Beasts loses his crown. This African folktale begins a long time ago, when the lion declares himself king of beasts. The entire animal population of the savanna pays daily respects to a roaring tyrant who works them ragged and allows them no rest.His Majesty’s fearless bodyguard, the mongoose, protects the king from snakes, until one day the mongoose decides instead to play in the babbling stream. Outraged, the king sends two birds, a buffalo and a turtle to fetch him for the purpose of sever punishment. The mongoose explains that all of the animals would be happier if they could play and swim as they wish. The king grows weak from nightmares and finally scurries across the savanna to see the mongoose. The lion arrives just in time to witness the coronation of the new king, the mongoose, who plans to share the pleasures of the savanna with all of the celebrating animals.
Trouble
A retelling of a traditional Eritrean tale in which a young goatherd disobeys his father by inadvertently trading away the board game that was supposed to keep him out of trouble.
Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley In Africa
In 1870, an eight-year-old girl named Mary Kingsley lived in a small house on a lonely lane outside London, England. Her mother was bedridden and her father was rarely home. Mary did not go to school. She served as housekeeper, handyman, nursemaid, and servant, for years. In 1893 Mary traveled to West Africa and proceeded to embark on an astonishing journey of discovery. In her high-necked blouse, long skirt, and Victorian boots, she endured the brutal heat and hardships of Africa, and thrived