Children's Books for Parents and Teachers

Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:35:45 +0000

Duck and Goose, where is your pumpkin? Is it in the log? Is it under the leaves? Is it in the apple tree? Preschoolers will surely enjoy going on a pumpkin hunt with Duck and Goose … especially when they find the perfect pumpkin at the end!

Pigs Make Me Sneeze!

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:32:43 +0000

Mo Willems’ award-winning Elephant and Piggie series continues to charm readers. Featuring two lovable and funny characters — an optimistic (and sometimes reckless) pig and a cautious, pessimistic elephant — these books make reading irresistible to the beginning readers. Children who sat on their parents’ laps to have Pigeon read to them will eagerly take the plunge with these books to start reading on their own.

Return to the Hundred Acre Wood

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:25:27 +0000

It was eighty years ago, on the publication of The House at Pooh Corner, when Christopher Robin said good-bye to Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. Now they are all back in new adventures, for the first time approved by the Trustees of the Pooh Properties. This is a companion volume that truly captures the style of A. A. Milne-a worthy sequel to The House at Pooh Corner and Winnie-the-Pooh.

Catching Fire (Hunger Games Series #2)

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:23:19 +0000

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

A Plump and Perky Turkey

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:28:28 +0000

Turkeys around Squawk Valley just don’t jump into pots anymore — they are way too smart for that. So the townspeople hatch a clever plan. They host a turkey-themed arts and crafts fair and lure a vain bird into town by advertising for an artist’s model. Peter the Turkey, proud of his well-stuffed form, takes the bait but doesn’t fall for the trap.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Dog Days (Book #4)

admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:54:00 +0000

It’s summer vacation, the weather’s great, and all the kids are having fun outside. So where’s Greg Heffley? Inside his house, playing video games with the shades drawn.

Greg, a self-confessed “indoor person,” is living out his ultimate summer fantasy: no responsibilities and no rules. But Greg’s mom has a different vision for an ideal summer…one packed with outdoor activities and “family togetherness.”

Whose vision will win out? Or will a new addition to the Heffley family change everything?

Biscuit Is Thankful

admin — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:20:24 +0000

Biscuit is thankful for his bone, his biscuits, and lots more, too. Sweet puppy! Woof!

Happy Thanksgiving, Biscuit!

admin — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:16:06 +0000

Biscuit has so much to be thankful for on his first Thanksgiving. How will he and the little girl spend this special day?Pull back the flaps to find out!

Thanksgiving on Thursday

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:23:01 +0000

The Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to the eve of the first Thanksgiving. There they meet the Pilgrims as well as Squanto, a Native American who helped them. The story offers an age-appropriate, in-depth picture of what life was really like for early settlers, as well as the usual Magic Tree House adventure and excitement.

Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving

admin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:12:41 +0000

Although the story of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving has been a staple in schools for decades, the Native American version of this event is far less familiar. Told in the first person from Squanto’s point of view, Bruchac’s book begins with the brutal hardships Squanto endured at the hands of the English. After being kidnapped and enslaved in Spain, he works desperately hard to sail back to New England, only to find that his family and many other Patuxet people have died from disease brought by the white man. In spite of all this, Squanto is unaltered in his belief that “these men can share our land as friends.” He acts with dignity as an ambassador between the Native Americans and the English and helps the Pilgrims survive in their new world. Shed’s full-page, earth-tone illustrations add warmth and historical detail to this Thanksgiving story.

Night-Night, Little Pookie

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:42:40 +0000

It’s evening, and mom patiently eases Pookie toward bed. Pookie cooperates (mostly)—though with that particular Pookie flair. And imagine who gets the last word.

Told in Boynton’s signature rhyme and illustrations, this humorous and gentle story will delight toddlers and those that love them.

Thumbelina

admin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:41:41 +0000

Thumbelina is content to spend her days rowing in a boat made from a tulip petal and sleeping in a cradle made from a polished walnut shell. Then one horrible night a toad kidnaps her, and she is tossed from one wretched adventure to another.

Will Thumbelina be forced to marry the toad’s son or spend her days deep underground with a rich mole? Only her steadfast kindness and bravery and the help of some loyal friends will lead Thumbelina to true love.

Two-time Caldecott Honor artist Brian Pinkney’s adaptation of the classic tale vividly captures the dramatic journey and quiet strength of Hans Christian Andersen’s tiny heroine.

Where Is Baby’s Beach Ball

admin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:34:41 +0000

Little ones will love lifting the large, sturdy flaps in this summer-themed board book as they search for Baby’s beach ball. Where could it be? Children will discover sparkly foil objects under the flaps until at last they find Baby’s beach ball!

This board book has rounded corners amd foil on the cover and under each flap. This book includes 6 large, sturdy flaps perfect for little hands!

Elephants Cannot Dance!

cindy — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:11:36 +0000

In Elephants Cannot Dance! Piggie tries to teach Gerald some new moves. But will Gerald teach Piggie something even more important?

The Lemonade War

cindy — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:05:40 +0000

As the final days of summer heat up, so does a sibling showdown over a high-stakes lemonade stand business. Jessie and Evan Treski compete to see who will make $100 first off of their respective lemonade stands. Full of surprisingly accessible and savvy marketing tips for running a stand (or making money at any business) and with clever mathematical visuals woven in, this sensitively characterized novel subtly explores how war can escalate beyond anyone’s intent.

Code of the Clans (Warriors Series)

admin — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:42:37 +0000

The secrets behind the warrior code will finally be revealed. An ominous sign from StarClan that signaled the need to patrol borders . The unexpected help from a warrior ancestor that cemented the importance of elders. A secret coup that led to a deputy’s new role. A medicine cat’s pleas that stopped a spree of interClan bloodshed and many more never-before-told stories!

Missing Sisters

admin — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:34:17 +0000

Twelve-year-old Alice, an orphan who has never been adopted because of her physical handicap and difficult personality, is shocked to discover she has an identical twin sister living nearby.

Fancy Nancy: Tea Parties

admin — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:22:31 +0000

Fancy Nancy knows how to throw quite a bash. From what to serve, how to decorate, and which fun-filled activities to do with guests, this party-planning guide provides all the tips readers need for hosting any kind of tea party.

Sloppy Joe

admin — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:07:58 +0000

When it comes to being messy, Sloppy Joe is a pro! He slurps, spills, slouches, talks with his mouth full, and never, ever tucks in his shirt. But being messy has its challenges. So Sloppy Joe sets out to become Neat Joe, only to learn that being messy is a part of who he is — and his family loves him for it!

Publishers Weekly

Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Plum Fantastic #1

cindy — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:15:17 +0000

Alexandrea Petrakova Johnson does not want to be a beautiful ballerina, and she does not want to leave her friends in Apple Creek. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop her ballet-crazy mother from moving them to Harlem, or from enrolling Al at the Nutcracker School of Ballet.
Life is hard when you’re the new ballerina on the block, and it’s even harder when you’re chosen to be the Sugar Plum Fairy in the school recital! Not only is Al a terrible dancer, but she’s also got a rotten case of stage fright! Al’s ballet classmates are going to have to use all the plum power they’ve got to coach this scary fairy!

McDuff Saves the Day

cindy — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:48:22 +0000

When Fred and Lucy’s delectable picnic is devoured by an army of creepy crawly critters, McDuff sets out to find some lunch for his family. With his nose to the ground, the determined Westie bumps into Mr. DiMaggio, who just happens to have more food than he knows what to do with! When a starving Fred and Lucy are invited to share Mr. DiMaggio’s picnic, new friendships blossom, appetites are satisfied, and McDuff is hailed hero of the day on 4th of July!

Umbrella Summer

admin — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:21:37 +0000

Annie Richards knows there are a million things to look out for—bicycle accidents, food poisoning, chicken pox, smallpox, typhoid fever, runaway zoo animals, and poison oak. That’s why being careful is so important, even if it does mean giving up some of her favorite things, like bike races with her best friend, Rebecca, and hot dogs on the Fourth of July. Everyone keeps telling Annie not to worry so much, that she’s just fine. But they thought her brother, Jared, was just fine too, and Jared died.

It takes a new neighbor, who looks as plain as a box of toothpicks but has some surprising secrets of her own, to make Annie realize that her plans for being careful aren’t working out as well as she had hoped. And with a lot of help from those around her—and a book about a pig, too—Annie just may find a way to close her umbrella of sadness and step back into the sunshine.

With winsome humor and a dash of small-town charm, Lisa Graff’s third novel is a touching look at rising above grief and the healing power of community.

Sugar Plum Ballerinas-Toeshoe Trouble #2 in series

cindy — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:24:02 +0000

Brenda Black prides herself on her logical and orderly mind. She studies anatomy books to get a twelve-year head start on medical school, and idolizes genius Leonardo da Vinci. But things go haywire when her spoiled cousin Tiffany comes to visit. At first Brenda tries to ignore Tiffany’s constant bragging. But when Tiffany implies that Brenda is not cultured enough to know who Miss Camilla Freeman is—Miss Camilla Freeman, the very famous prima ballerina—Brenda snaps. She tells Tiffany that not only does she know who Camilla Freeman is, but she happens to own an autographed pair of her toeshoes. So of course, Tiffany wants to see the shoes.

The only problem? The shoes belong to Ms. Debb, the headmistress of the Nutcracker School! Brenda’s anatomy books might get her into medical school, but they can’t get her out of this mess—for that, she’ll need the help of her Sugar Plum Sisters!

Cathy’s Key: If Found Call (650) 266-8202

cindy — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:14:22 +0000

Cathy has finally settled her curiosity about Victor—her off and on boyfriend—and his mysterious past. Suffice it to say that dating an immortal is far from easy! But now Cathy is stumbling across a trail of evidence pertaining to her own family—secrets about her father and the circumstances surrounding his death. Having an immortal boyfriend is sure to come in handy as her investigation continues, considering Cathy’s father is still alive. . . . Complete with evidence photos and a sixteen-page teaser for the third book, Cathy’s Key is sure to please!

Summer Skills: Grade K

admin — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:05:27 +0000

School is out for the summer, but keeping your child engaged in learning through the break will prepare him or her to excel during the next school year. This Summer Skills workbook reviews topics learned in pre-school and introduces skills that will be introduced in the kindergarden, helping your child to transition seamlessly from one grade to the next. Children will love the beautiful full-color illustrations and interesting activities on each page, and he or she will feel more confident about learning when school is back in session!

This book series includes:

Math, science, social studies, and language arts activities to keep your child entertained and interested in learning all summer long.
“Fast Fact” and “On Your Own” features that build upon the theme or activity on a page, helping to expand your child’s understanding of a topic.
A summer reading list and suggested activities to continue the learning long after the book is completed.
Perforations that make removing pages easy.

Summer Skills Daily Activity Workbook: Grade 1

admin — Sat, 30 May 2009 20:08:28 +0000

The Summer Skills Daily Activity Workbook series is dedicated to helping children not only review and keep fresh the skills they have learned throughout the previous school year, but also prepare for the new skills they will encounter at the beginning of the next school year. The first half of each book focuses on reviewing previously learned materials, and the second half introduces new concepts and terms, complete with instructions and examples for better understanding of new material.

Each workbook follows a 90-day format, alternating between math and reading/writing activities each day. These activities are presented using full-color illustrations and involve:

Puzzles
Mazes
Math applications
Word finds
Reading comprehension
Vocabulary practice

Summer Skills Daily Activity Workbook: Grade 2

admin — Sat, 30 May 2009 20:02:26 +0000

Each workbook follows a 90-day format, alternating between math and reading/writing activities each day. These activities are presented using full-color illustrations and involve:

Puzzles
Mazes
Math applications
Word finds
Reading comprehension

Vocabulary practice

The Graves Family Goes Camping

cindy — Sat, 30 May 2009 19:45:55 +0000

When the Graves family goes camping, so do all their ghoulish sidekicks—bats, spiders, and even their Venus flytrap. Yet nothing can prepare them for their latest companion: a fire-breathing dragon. The Graves family knows they’ve got to get rid of the dragon—especially after the giant beast accidentally soaks all the town’s fireworks just before the big Fourth of July celebration. The explosive solution is pure fun.

The Last Olympian

admin — Sat, 30 May 2009 19:18:58 +0000

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series #5. All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of a victory are grim. Kronos’s army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan’s power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it’s up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time. In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy’s sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.

Magykal Papers

admin — Sat, 30 May 2009 18:16:25 +0000

Enter the world of Septimus Heap with this collection of previously unpublished papers.

This rich compendium includes: The private journals of Septimus, Jenna, and Marcia Overstrand. The best—and worst—places to eat as described in The Egg-on-Toast Restaurant Guide. Sirius Weazal’s Speedy Guides to the Palace, the Wizard Tower, and Wizard Way. Excerpts from the Pigeon Post Biography series and the Heaps of History series. Alther Mella’s Guide to Being Dead: Ten Handy Rules for New Ghosts. Beautiful maps, quirky flyers, funny letters, and much more!