Materials from Europe
Poor Mouse! A bear has settled in his favourite chair and that chair just isn’t big enough for two. Mouse tries all kinds of tactics to move the pesky Bear but nothing works and poor Mouse gives up. Once Mouse has gone, Bear gets up and walks home.
From the bestselling author of A Lion in Paris comes this beautifully illustrated celebration of what makes each child unique. Through bold and sensitively observed portraits and a thought-provoking text, Beatrice Alemagna inspires children, and adults reading with them, to consider their own identity. Destined to become a classic, What Is a Child? is a must-have for every school, library, and bedside table.
Poppy has the most extraordinary imagination. When she is sent upstairs to clean her room, she just can’t help imagining, and suddenly . . . her imagination literally comes alive. Soon her room is jam-packed with all kinds of weird and wonderful creatures. There are a few problems, though: the mammoth puts his foot through the floor, and the hungry crocodile thinks Poppy would make a tasty snack. Poppy needs to get rid of all these creatures fast.
Bear’s search for himself doesn’t matter so much as the charm of Lavie’s storytelling voice as he narrates it . . . Erlbruch gives the bear big, puzzled-looking eyes and a lovable grin. He lives in a forest made of ornate trees seemingly lifted from vintage engravings, whose delicate lines play off Bear’s dumpy figure. Bear’s encounters with various characters—the Turtle Taxi, the Penultimate Penguin—feature gentle wordplay and Lewis Carroll–like paradoxes . . . Everything is new to Bear, and his discoveries will delight readers.
A vibrant, colorful bird wakes up in her nest, surrounded by her chicks. As she flies through the air, she brings joy and energy to all animals in the wood but with every encounter she loses a little of his color. At the end of the day she is gray and tired, until she returns to her nest where the presence of her children revitalizes her with color and life.
A forgetful narrator tries to tell the tale of a knight’s duel with a dragon, and remembers a very important thing along the way.
Mister Pip the cat had a busy night and he’s looking forward to getting some sleep. All he needs is somewhere quiet to lie down. He tries all his favorite spots for snoozing, but between the monstrous VROOOM of the vacuum cleaner, the persistent RING-RING of the telephone, and the incessant COO COO of canoodling pigeons, he is disturbed and awakened over and over again. Not even his favorite plant can offer Mister Pip the solace he needs. Will Mister Pip ever find a peaceful place to rest his head? Thereza Rowe’s stylishly illustrated story is sure to strike a chord with preschoolers who will love making the book’s sounds out loud as much as they’ll adore Mister Pip himself.
Miles does not come when he is called. He does not like going for walks, his food, other dogs, or the rain. What Miles does like is going for drives in the car. So when Mr. Huddy makes Miles a car of his own, Miles becomes a much happier dog. And now he and his friend Norman can go on all sorts of adventures! Inspired by his own dog, Miles, renowned children’s book author and illustrator John Burningham (who celebrated his eightieth birthday this year) creates a new picture book offering all the charm and exuberance of his best work.
Look at that little hamster in a cage, and the other animals, too—a bunny, a squirrel, a bird, a frog, and even a porcupine. All of these little animals want to play outside! Luckily, you, the reader, are in charge of the keys and have only to open the cages to make these critters happy. But wait—what’s in that box that you’re not supposed to touch? Uh-oh.
Hare (Leapus swifticus) can barely stay still for a minute. He’s the fastest on the farm. Tortoise (Slow and steadicus) can stay still for a very long time. She has occasionally been mistaken for a rock. So when they decide to have a race, Hare is certain to win . . . isn’t he? Through the meadow, around the duck pond, and straight into the carrot field. Carrots? Oh, dear. Whether encountering the classic tale for the first time or tracing the racecourse map to relive it, children will be quick to realize Hare’s folly and eager to join the cheering for easygoing, persistent Tortoise. She may be slow, but watch her go!