Europe

Materials from Europe

How Dinosaurs Really Work!

Studying dinosaurs is dangerous work. After all, their sharp teeth and monstrously large appetites would make easy work of anyone within jaw’s reach.

But our fearless investigator remains undaunted. Alan Snow, known for his previous explorations into the lives of both Santa Claus and dogs, has turned his clever attention to these ancient reptiles. And thanks to his inside look at what makes dinosaurs tick, you’ll get the answers to all your prehistoric questions: What color were the dinosaurs? Where did they all go? And just how sharp were their teeth?

Randolph Caldecott

Leonard S Marcus, a distinguished historian of children’s literature, presents a short biography of Randolph Caldecott (1846-1886), illustrated with a great collection of his work, including many previously unpublished drawings. From doodling in the margins of his schoolbooks to his tragically early death, the book traces the career of the ‘man who invented the modern picture book’ and whose dynamic visual storytelling was to influence later illustrators, notably Beatrix Potter and Maurice Sendak.

Pirates Love Underpants

This Underpants adventure is full of pirates, sharks, and treasure.

Babushka’s Doll

Natasha isn’t really a bad girl. It’s just that she wants to play on the swing now, not after the wash has been hung up to dry. And she wants her soup now, not after the goats have been fed. Looking after Natasha keeps Babushka, Natasha’s grandmother, very busy.Then, after lunch, Natasha notices a doll sitting on Babushka’s shelf…a doll Babushka tells Natasha she played with just once when she was a little girl. When Natasha plays with the doll while Babushka goes to the store for groceries, she discovers why once is enough with Babushka’s doll…and finds out just how tiring it can be to take care of a child who wants everything now.

Puffin Peter

When his best friend is lost in a terrible storm, an intrepid young puffin teams up with a big blue whale to mount a rescue mission and discovers that while many other birds match his friend’s description, none are quite the same.

My Grandmother’s Stories: A Collection of Jewish Folk Tales

These are stories within stories: the narrator remembers herself as a young child hearing them from her grandmother, as they cooked, hung up laundry, prepared for the Sabbath, or cleaned house for Passover. This framing of the stories emphasizes their continuing pleasure across generations; and customs, idioms, traditions, even recipes that the Jews brought with them from Eastern Europe are an unobtrusive part of the telling.