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This new release is a picture book adaptation of the classical ballet, “The Nutcracker.” The traditional story has been abridged, and the authors have added a feature that is designed to stimulate conversation between parents and children on the themes within the story. With that in mind, the book has been designed for co-reading the story, and adults are encouraged to open dialogue with their children about various character building themes, including manners, showing respect and helping others, among others. This can help young people to appreciate and understand the story on a deeper level, whether or…
Young Milly’s father worked at Macy’s Herald Square department store, one of the most exciting places in New York City back in 1924. “Papa” emigrated with his family from Poland and missed his country’s holiday traditions. It turns out that many of the immigrant workers had the same homesick feelings. Milly had an idea to cure the workers’ homesickness and bravely barges into Mr. Macy’s office to share her thoughts. Her idea was a parade that would be put on by Macy’s workers, who could each incorporate some of their homeland traditions. Mr. Macy liked the idea and…
This newly released collection of seven Dr. Seuss stories were originally published in magazines in 1950-1951, but never in book form. As such, they were “lost” over the years as magazine copies were simply thrown away. (Remember, the Internet and PCs did not exist then!) Each of the seven stories is unmistakably Dr. Seuss, with his trademark rhyming tempo, unique vocabulary, wild beasts and animals, imaginative kids and outlandish events.
As the title implies, Marshall Armstrong is a new student, and he looks very different from the other students. Marshall’s ears look like seashells, his freckles look like birdseed and he’s filled with mosquito bites. Marshall also eats “space food” that’s packaged in silver wrappers and uses slide rulers and ink pens. When Marshall invites the class to his house for a birthday party, the narrator is very apprehensive about attending, but goes on his mother’s orders. He is pleasantly surprised that Marshall’s house is so big, kids can run around and play hide-and-seek inside,…
Cappy is a talking squirrel who lives in Washington, D.C. and takes readers on a tour of the Capitol building. Through rhyming verse, Cappy leads us through the magnificent building’s highlights, including Emancipation Hall, the Rotunda, the House and Senate chambers and other notable points. He tells readers interesting facts about the building such as the height of the dome, the magic of the “Whisper Chamber,” and the significance of “The Crypt” as a tribute to the “heart” of our democracy.
This newly released title is about a ghost named Fred who happily “lives” alone in a run-down vacant house at 28 Rue Orleans in New Orleans. A father and daughter purchase the house, clean it up and open a restaurant. This makes Fred very unhappy. Once the crowds start coming in, he can stand it no longer and begins to moan and toss food about. The diners cheer, thinking the ghostly antics are a performance, and a finicky food critic gives the restaurant rave reviews. Realizing that his haunting doesn’t deter customers from coming, Fred decides to move out and “bumps” into the restaurant…
A young boy in his Halloween costume walks home by moonlight carrying his trick-or-treating bounty. As he travels through the woods, the blowing wind covers the moon and activates his imagination. He hears a voice saying “Cracklety-clack, bones in a sack. They could be yours — if you look back,” and his walk turns to a run. He hears the voice again and again, and imagines dancing skeletons, a skull at his feet and a hairy beast chasing him. When the clouds clear, the moon reveals that the skeletons were just cornstalks, the “head” was a pumpkin and the hairy beast was his very own kitty.…
Released earlier this year, the Ecology Club, is a two-book series featuring the preschool character, Caillou. In the first book, Every Drop Counts, Caillou and his preschool class learn about water conservation. Over the weekend, Caillou and his parents discover that there are many simple things they can do to reduce the amount of water that they use in the home, such as fixing leaky faucets, shutting off the tap while brushing teeth, and collecting rainwater for the plants. Caillou’s grandmother teaches him a nifty new “trick” in The Magic of Compost. She shows Caillou that certain food scraps can…
When a monster is born, it may be a “faraway-in-the-forest” monster or an “under-your-bed” monster. If it’s the former, then “that’s that.” But if it’s the latter, there are two possibilities. The monster will eat you, and “that’s that.” Or, you can make friends with it. If you and the monster make friends, there are two possibilities. And, so the story proceeds through several funny scenarios until the plot comes full circle and another monster is born.
This new picture book fantasy is about best friends Chester and Forsythia. Everything Forsythia does is over-the-top and Chester is merely ordinary. For example, Forsythia can play a challenging piano concerto, and she can also play it sitting upside down or backwards. Also, she can make roses bloom in winter, and tame zoo animals to act proper at afternoon tea. One day, Forsythia is sick and cannot get out of bed. Chester bakes her a yummy cupcake, which makes her feel a bit better. He also plays piano for her, performs acrobatic tricks and dances a pirate’s jig. His acts of kindness nurse her back to health,…
