Animals

The Hat is a welcome companion to her popular tale The Mitten. Set on a Danish farm, this amusing story about Hedgie, a hedgehog who gets a sock stuck on his head, will engage children on many levels. Everyone will giggle at Hedgie’s plight as he tries to convince his animal friends of the benefits of his new “hat.” The class also will have fun discussing the folly of blindly following a leader. Best of all, though, are Brett’s richly layered illustrations, with borders that portray the sock owner’s preparations for winter, the animal featured on the next page, and the clothesline as, one by one, the animals make away with various garments. Together, illustrations and text offer rewarding reading, inviting children to examine picture clues and make predictions, without losing the spirit of the tale. The book can also inspire a fine study of hats and the reasons people wear them, which could culminate in a parade of children sporting their own chapeaus.

Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who treated him with the utmost care and adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost. Kate DiCamillo and Bagram Ibatoulline take us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the top of a garbage heap to the fireside of a hobies’ camp, from the bedside of an ailing child to the streets of Memphis. And along the way, we are shown a true miracle — that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again.

L is for Lucky… And that’s just how Lucky O’Leary feels when the lottery ticket his grandfather sends him for Christmas turns out to be a million-dollar winner! But before Lucky can cash it in, someone sneaks into his house and steals it. Now it’s up to Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose to track down the thief and return the ticket… before Lucky loses out!

Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggies cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to. Gerald and Piggie are best friends. In There Is a Bird on Your Head! Gerald discovers that there is something worse than a bird on your head — two birds on your head! Can Piggie help her best friend?

In this hilarious touch-and-feel book, a cranky duck dares children to tickle his soft stomach, his hairy armpit, his rubbery foot, and reacts uproariously each time. Despite his protests, does the duck really like being tickled after all? This modern day version of Pat the Bunny will have its audience laughing, and maybe even snorting, “Do it again!” Like Ten Little Lady Bugs and Tails, this treasure of interactive fun is sure to engage parents and children for hours of tickling and giggling.

Little siblings of Duck and Goose fans rejoice! The stars of the bestselling Duck & Goose and Duck, Duck, Goose return in this board book for preschoolers, this time, to introduce basic opposites. Goose carries an ohso-heavy log, while duck easily balances a light-as-a-feather feather. Thistle is one fast bird, but Goose is slooo-w. And when Duck is sound asleep, Goose is wide awake. With a simple text and colorful illustrations–plus the inimitable characters, of course–here’s a wonderful, and humorous, introduction to an important concept.

POOKIE’S UPSET AND POOKIE’S MOM cannot figure out why. And Pookie isn’t helping, either. This familiar scenario is told with Sandra Boynton’s signature humor, in both story and art. Caregivers and young children will laugh their way out of their sorrow as Mom and Pookie work things out. Never fear, a happy ending is on the way! Perfect for toddlers having a meltdown, or anyone in a plain old bad mood, this book will come to the rescue for kids and adults for years to come.

Spot’s more colorful than ever! With a striking new cover to show him off, this lift-the-flap paperback has Spot’s mom looking for her lost puppies — especially Spot. But where is he? Little readers will have a bow-wow-wonderful time looking for the popular pooch, too.