Synopses & Reviews
Before I die, I want to be free. But the Big Man says, ?You belong to me.? A runaway slave has broken the chains that bound him, but as he sets out for the land of the free, he still carries the weight of an iron ring around his ankle. As long as it remains, and as long as the Big Man hunts him, he?ll never truly be free. But rescuing an orphaned slave child from certain capture gives him the strength to keep moving on, and miraculously, the child?s love and gratitude are all that is needed to destroy the shackle once and for all.
This moving, poetic text is based on a story from the sacred literature of Buddha.
Review
"In addition to reinforcing the alphabet, youngsters are asked to identify various shapes throughout the story . . . learning has never been more fun." (
School Library Journal)
Review
Following the same successful format as their earlier titles, Slate and Wolff give another stellar performance. (School Library Journal)
Synopsis
A modern Christmas classic about how the animals prepare a cozy welcome for the baby Jesus.
"Who is coming to our house?
Someone, someone," says Mouse.
As Pig makes room, Lamb cleans up, Goose stacks the hay, and Duck lines the crib with eiderdown, Mary and Joseph are on their way by donkey. All the animals are eager to welcome the baby Jesus to their home.
Synopsis
A modern Christmas classic about how the animals prepare a cozy welcome for the baby Jesus, perfect for under the tree or in stockings. Who is coming to our house?
Someone, someone, says Mouse.
As Pig makes room, Lamb cleans up, Goose stacks the hay, and Duck lines the crib with eiderdown, Mary and Joseph are on their way by donkey. All the animals are eager to welcome the baby Jesus to their home.
A warm, lyrical book your family will cuddle up with for years.
Synopsis
"Who is coming to our house?
Someone, someone," says Mouse.
As Pig makes room, Lamb cleans up, Goose stacks the hay, and Duck lines the crib with eiderdown, Mary and Joseph are on their way by donkey. All the animals welcome the baby Jesus to their home.
Synopsis
A holiday classic with a Latino flair
Infused with Spanish words and phrases, this festive retelling of The Night Before Christmas adds a latino twist to the popular holiday poem. Beloved folk icon Pancho Claus, dressed like a charro, donning a sombrero, and leading a team of burros, arrives after a family's Christmas fiesta to spread his cheer. Who could turn down a Macarena and a Christmas cancion?
Synopsis
Miss Bindergarten and her kindergarteners are stepping out of the classroom and going to all sorts of places. Franny gets to decorate a cake at the bakery, Jessie learns to Stop, Drop, and Roll at the fire station, Patricia gets to push the mail at the post office, and all of the kindergarteners read colorful picture books at the library! They even have time to play at the park and have a picnic. Miss Bindergarten's kindergarten is having so much fun!
Synopsis
Miss Bindergarten, the world's best kindergarten teacher, is getting ready for another milestone. Tomorrow she and her class will have been together for 100 days. To celebrate, each student must bring "100 of some wonderful, one-hundred-full thing!" At night, while the students go to work assembling their projects, Miss Bindergarten is working, too, making special surprises for the class. The 100th day of kindergarten is bound to be unforgettable! Children will delight in hearing about this special event, a common cause for celebration in kindergartens today.
Illustrated by Ashley Wolff.
Synopsis
Miss Bindergarten and her class have had a great year in kindergarten! They have gone on a field trip, marked the 100th day, created a circus, and even survived a wild day. But now the school year is over, and it’s time to remember, to celebrate, and for Miss Bindergarten to say,"Goodbye, kindergarten. It’s been a special year."
The bestselling Miss Bindergarten series comes to a sweet and jubilant conclusion by honoring an important passage: the last day of kindergarten. Filled with last-day classroom celebration ideas, it’s also a perfect gift to commemorate graduation and moving-up ceremonies!
Synopsis
It's the first day of kindergarten and Miss Bindergarten is hard at work getting the classroom ready for her twenty-six new students. Meanwhile, Adam Krupp wakes up, Brenda Heath brushes her teeth, and Christopher Beaker finds his sneaker. Miss Bindergarten puts the finishing touches on the room just in time, and the students arrive. Now the fun can begin! This rhyming, brightly illustrated book is the perfect way to practice the alphabet and to introduce young children to kindergarten.
"Multifaceted and appealing, this book can be enjoyed in many ways, at home and at school."
-The New York Times Book Review
Synopsis
Miss Bindergarten is planning a circus and all of her kindergarteners are in on the fun! Everyone is busy preparing: painting posters, practicing somersaults, and making popcorn balls. When at last the big day arrives, there will be a parade, complete with clowns and stunts, from baton twirling to "high-wire" walking. And for the grand finale, Miss Bindergarten will give the audience a spectacular, show-stopping act!
Synopsis
A playful take on a topic that all parents can relate to-getting sick! The ever-lovable Miss Bindergarten is not feeling well. The flu strikes on Sunday, so she has to stay home from kindergarten on Monday. Mr. Tusky (who is a wee bit rusty) will be her substitute, but it just won't be the same. The kindergartners miss Miss Bindergarten! They pass the time by making get-well cards and singing songs, all the while counting out the days that Miss Bindergarten is away. What ever will they do without her?
Synopsis
Things are always a little rowdy in a class of twenty-six kindergartners, but there are some days when chaos reigns. Watch what happens in Miss Bindergarten's rambunctious class when water overflows, ants are on the loose, and oozy paint smudges. How will Miss Bindergarten and the kindergartners get everything back in order? This is one kindergarten adventure not to be missed!
About the Author
Joseph Slate, a native West Virginian, has always loved to paint and write. "I majored in journalism at the University of Washington in Seattle, worked as a reporter on
The Seattle Times, was an editor for
Foreign Broadcast Information Service (Washington, D.C., California, and Tokyo), then took a degree in fine arts at Yale, although I never illustrated my own books. My painting took a direction that was at odds with the fine art of illustration.
"My ideas come from everywhere: a childhood drawing I did of a porcupine, a silly song I once sang to a godchild, and my teacher-niece and pupil-grand nephew getting ready for kindergarten, all kicked off an idea for a book. Now I am writing novels, and it's the same what-if approach, although the first one came out of my West Virginia boyhood. It's called Crossing the Trestle, and the young narrator faces an obstacle I did as a child."
Mr. Slate is Professor of Art Emeritus at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where he taught for 30 years. He now lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with his wife, Patty. A Marine Air Corps veteran, he and his wife have set foot on all seven continents and traveled in 39 countries. They have lived in both Japan and Italy.
"Snacking is my big vice, especially chocolate and oatmeal raisin cookies. To keep my weight down, I take tai-chi courses with a world grand master and play water volley ball."
Awards: National Bookseller's and New York Public Library's annual lists, Library of Congress citation, Ohio and Kansas State Reading Circle lists, Colorado and Wyoming School Children's 1998 Best Book finalist, 1998 Americas Commended list, Publisher's Weekly best seller list (twice), Delaware's l997 Blue Hen Award, Ohioana Library Association's Award for distinguised service in the field of children's literature.
copyright ? 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.