PreSchool-Grade 1. Froggy wakes from hibernation in the middle of the winter. Despite his mother's urgings to go back to sleep, he is determined to go out and play. He puts on different articles of clothing, each with its own fun sound effect. Each time he ventures out, his mother reminds him that he has forgotten something, prompting him to go back inside, undress, and start again. He becomes so exhausted that he decides it is easier to just stay asleep. This story is just as hilarious in Spanish as it is in English. Storytellers will enjoy making sounds that will encourage young listeners to participate in the telling. The cartoonlike illustrations and funny facial expressions make this a wonderful read-aloud.?Diane Tureski, New York Public Library Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Grade 1-3-Truss's picture-book version of her adult bestseller tackles the topic of commas and what can go wrong when they are misused.The title is derived from an old joke in which a panda misunderstands correct panda behavior after reading a poorly punctuated wildlife guide.Versions of two identically worded sentences are presented side by side,demonstrating the difference in meaning achieved when a comma is added or subtracted.Timmons's humorous watercolor cartoons bring the point home.In one spread,the sentence on the left(Look at that huge hot dog!)is illustrated with a gigantic sausage,while that on the right(Look at that huge,hot dog!)shows a tall,sweltering canine.The author cleverly selects examples with the potential for comical(and grammatically correct)revisions.Endnotes elaborate on comma usage in more technical terms.While a title on grammar may need hand selling,both read-aloud audiences and independent readers will discover the potent possibilities of punctuation.More specific than Robin Pulve

Davy Bowman’s brother and their dad hung the moon.Dad looks forward to Halloween more than a kid,and Davy’s brother,Bill,flies B-17s.Davy adores these two heroes and tries his best to follow their lead,especially now. World War II has invaded Davy’s homefront boyhood.There’s an air raid drill in the classroom,and being a kid is an endless scrap drive.Bill has joined up,breaking their dad’s heart.It’s an intense,confusing time,and one that will invite Davy to grow up in a hurry. Still,Richard Peck is a master of comedy,and even in this novel of wartime uncertainty,he infuses his tale with humor:oddballs and rascals and boyhood misadventures alongside the poignant moments.This is one of Richard Peck’s very finest novels-a tender,unforgettable portrait of the World War II homefront and a family’s love.

Demons are all around us—most of them are relatively harmless, like the ones that go bump in the night or make you stub your toe. But some are dangerous—some can kill. Since he was orphaned as a boy, Nat has been trained by his aged mentor Daliwahl to be a demonkeeper, controlling a menagerie of demons in their old, rickety house in Seattle. But now Dahliwahl is gone and Nat is on his own. Keeping demons isn’t a very social activity, and when Nat goes on a date with Sandy, a junior librarian’s assistant, it’s a disaster in more ways that one—while Nat’s out, a very scary demon called the Beast escapes. Can Nat get the Beast back to the house and make things right with Sandy—and do it all by himself? With its fast-paced action, slapstick humor, and a winning, unlikely hero, Demonkeeper is a high-spirited romp that will keep readers glued to the page.

Pico’s father isn’t like the other fathers on Easter Island. Instead of building boats or hunting octopus, he sculpts the giant stone figures that he believes, in times of trouble, will rise and walk. Impossible, thinks Pico, until the Great Wave crashes into the island and Pico experiences firsthand the wonder of the stones. In this stunning tale of faith and the humbling power of nature, T. A. Barron and William Low envision life as it might have been on the mysterious Easter Island ……before the stones became the island’s only inhabitants.

Lola does not like spiders because they are big and they are hairy. When Charlie tells her there is no need to be scared, she says, “I am not scared, Charlie. Spiders just make me feel all yucky. ” Will Charlie be able to convince his small and funny sister that spiders really aren ’t so bad? Here is a brand-new format for enjoying Charlie and Lola! The vibrant artwork has been turned into six puzzles included in a sturdy and appealing book. Read a complete story and have fun with the puzzles — this is a perfect combination of imagination and play. And don ’t miss these lovable siblings on the hit Playhouse Disney show Charlie & Lola!

Celebrity-obsessed teens will clamor for this first novel by famed author Paul Zindel's daughter. After high-school-senior Lily Miles lands a summer internship with teen celebrity Sabrina Snow, she learns firsthand how messed up the lives of the rich and famous can be. Sabrina is manipulative, backstabbing, and unbelievably demanding, and readers will cheer as Lily slowly gets up the nerve to tell her off and do the right thing. With a domineering mother, an eating disorder, and an ever-present cockapoo puppy, Sabrina seems like a collage of real-life teen celebrities. Zindel works as a producer with Maverick Films (Madonna's entertainment company), so it's a safe bet that she knows of what she writes. This is a book of the moment, but for the moment, it offers lots of light fun.