Love

If I Had a Dog

Six-year-old Maxine is dog crazy. She draws dogs, she has dogs on her T-shirts, she even drags home neighbors’ dogs in the hopes that her parents will let them stay. On a walk to the park with her big brother, Hugh, Maxine stops every time she sees a dog, hoping for a kiss or a tail-wag from the four-footed friends she adores. Hugh and some of the pet owners she meets along the way teach Maxine how to know when it is safe to approach, how to greet, and what to do to ensure a happy experience for both child and canine.Whether they’re small or big dogs, working or guard dogs, old or young dogs, even aggressive dogs, Maxine learns how best to deal with each situation. And though she aches to have them all, she is about to find out that the best dog is her own dog — the squiggly surprise her parents have waiting for her.Written so that young children can learn to “read” dog language, the veterinarian-approved information is presented in a charming storyline that is sure to appeal to young children.

Emily’s Eighteen Aunts

All of Emily’s friends have someone special to take them to the ice cream parlor, or the ballet, or the park. Now that her mother is busy with the new baby, Emily doesn’t have anyone to entertain her — no uncles or big sisters or aunts. Emily sets out to solve her little difficulty and succeeds beyond her wildest dreams. The result is eighteen eager aunts, who cause mayhem wherever they go. If only they weren’t so. . .different. Now Emily has a much bigger problem. How can she stop the aunts from embarrassing her without hurting their feelings? Emily’s Eighteen Aunts is a warm, funny look at what happens when one thing leads to another — and another. And happily, Emily finds out that being different is far more fun than she thought possible.

My Mom Is So Unusual

“My Mom and I live alone. That makes our family different from the families of most of my friends.” A young girl and her unusual mother share affection, humor, sometimes anger, and more humor, and a whole lot of love. And because of her mother’s unusual ways, the youngster is content about their being an unusual family.

Waiting for the Whales

This book tells the simple story of an old man who lives alone in a house overlooking the sea. His life has assumed a cozy regularity to match the seasons: collecting firewood and clams in wintertime; planting his garden in the spring; and, in summer, watching his beloved orca whales swimming by. When his daughter comes to visit one spring with a new infant, the man has someone with whom to share his love of the natural world–especially the whales.

I Love My Mommy

I love my mommy very much, She’s great to cuddle, soft to touch. Wonderfully child-like verses about everything that makes mothers special are illustrated with bold and bright pictures in this life-affirming book. Toddler-friendly, funny, and loving, this is an experience to be shared time and time again.

The Revenge of Ishtar

In this second volume in the Gilgamesh trilogy, Enkidu joins Gilgamesh in the quest to slay Humbaba, the monster who has attacked the city and caused great destruction, including the death of the beautiful singer, Shamat. Gilgamesh and Enkidu successfully slay the monster and in so doing, Gilgamesh attracts the attention of the goddess Ishtar. In rejecting her advances, he incurs her revenge and an attack by the Bull of Heaven. Enkidu manages to kill the bull, but is slain by Ishtar, striking at the bond between the two friends. Shattered, Gilgamesh vows he will destroy the last monster.

Did My Mother Do That?

What was I like when I was born? The perennial question receives a fanciful response in a tale that takes an interspecies tour of mothers and babies. Holly loves to hear the story of the night when she was born—but first she needs to ask a lot of questions. Did her mother hatch her out of an egg? Did she carry Holly in her pocket? Maybe she fed her baby mice for dinner? As Holly and her dad rule out one imaginary scenario after another, little listeners will be eager to join in, while learning some interesting details along the way. And they’ll be just as comforted as Holly to hear one final, satisfying tale of a happy and loving human mother on the day her baby was born.

Pinocchio

Everyone knows the story of the wooden puppet who, after many trials, succeeds in becoming a real boy. Now renowned Belgian illustrator Quentin Greacute;ban brings his unique vision to this old favourite. The text has been carefully edited to preserve all the flavour of the original.