Synopses & Reviews
Sophie does not want to do her homework, a research report on polar bears. Bor-ing. Theyandrsquo;re big. They eat things. Theyandrsquo;re mean. What else is there to say about them anyway? As it turns out, plenty. And when a polar bear named Olafur swoops her away to the Arctic, she soon learns all about the playful bearandrsquo;s habits and habitatandmdash;from glacier mice to the northern lightsandmdash;and, despite her first reservations, she finds herself not just interested but excited about the Arctic. When the two are swept out to sea on an iceberg, Sophieandrsquo;s new knowledge and knack for creative thinking pay off in a big way: she calls a whale to their aid! Inspired by her journey, sheandrsquo;s ready to return home and take another swing at her assignment, this time with gusto.
The Bear Report showcases the power of curiosity and imagination to fill any blank canvas, whether itandrsquo;s an incomplete homework assignment or the Arctic ice.
Review
Praise for Alison McGhee: Alison McGhee's previous picture books - Someday and Little Boy illustrated by Peter Reynolds, A Very Brave Witch, illustrated by Harry Bliss, and Bink & Gollie, co-written with Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Tony Fucile - have all been New York Times bestsellers, with Someday hitting the #1 spot.
Alison McGhee's Countdown to Kindergarten won the 2003 Minnesota Book Award, was a Booksense 76 pick, won the Oppenheim Gold Toy Portfolio Award, and was an alternate selection of the Children's Book of the Month Club. Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth was named a Booksense 76 pick, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, a Minnesota Book Award finalist, and it won the Oppenheim Gold Toy Portfolio Best Book Award. Only a Witch Can Fly won the Ezra Jack Keats Award and was named by the New York Times as one of the Ten Best Illustrated Books of 2009. In 2011 Alison McGhee won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for Bink & Gollie, along with co-writer Kate DiCamillo and illustrator Tony Fucile.
Review
“The surprise ending has the same satisfying sensibility as Jules Feiffers Bark, George. A real kid charmer that will elicit ‘Read it again! responses.” (Starred)
Review
"The books humor is built on gentle misunderstandings between father and son (when Elliot asks for a penguin, his father assumes he means a stuffed one from the aquarium gift shop). . . A boy-and-his-pet story [that's] about as sweet as it gets." (Starred)
Review
"Elliot, clad in a proper black suit, discovers the perfect pet when he and his dad visit the aquarium . . . Charming illustrations [draw] the eye to funny little details . . . Highly recommended." (starred)
Review
“This charming picture book has many humorous details throughout, and kids will likely laugh out loud at the surprise (particularly for father!) ending.”
Review
“Suitable for both story time and closer observation, the illustrations (including the comical Magellan) complement the child-friendly premise and will certainly attract young readers to this quirky tale.”
Review
“The comic characterizations of Elliott and his father, and Smalls lively ink, watercolor, and colored pencil illustrations […] will make this a popular choice for both reading aloud and reading alone.”
Review
“A happy tale of domestic amity, with a well-set-up punchline.”
Review
2013 Caldecott Honor Book
2013 Notable Children's Book
New York Times Best Seller
Junior Library Guild Selection
Review
andquot;These two characters are a delight to know...and the irresistible cadence of the text should make this a repeat favorite.andquot;
andmdash;Booklistand#160;
Review
andquot;These two characters are a delight to know...and the irresistible cadence of the text should make this a repeat favorite.andquot;
andmdash;Booklist
* andrdquo;This warm and tender story of two BFFs is made even more enjoyable by the charming, textured tan and blue illustrations . . . the text, suitable for beginning readers, sweetly expresses what it is to be and to have a good friend.andrdquo;
andmdash;School Library Journal, starred review
andquot;Ferry adds zip to the best-friends-forever theme with plenty of sly puns...and Lichtenheld conveys significant expressiveness through the charactersandrsquo; dot eyes and small smiles...The use of instantly recognizable objects as characters gives the story universal appeal, and Ferry makes its moral unmissable.andquot;
andmdash;Publishers Weekly
andquot;A light, enjoyable approach to a recognizable narrative about makingandmdash;and helpingandmdash;friends.andquot;
andmdash;Kirkus
andquot;Preschoolers looking for a model of good friendship need look no further. Kindness rules the day, and humor, rather than obvious lesson-teaching, moves the story along.andquot;
andmdash;Horn Book Magazine
Review
"Funny and expressive . . . a fun addition to most collections, especially where snack-themed stories are in high demand." -
School Library Journal
"The snappy text plays it straight, while the illustrations, drawn with graphite and colored digitally, hold the evidence that allows the reader in on the joke. Clever visual details play up the humor, and the characters are full of expression and movement." - The Horn Book
"McGhee, co-author of the Bink and Gollie titles, has an enjoyably stagey flair to her text that will make it a readaloud treat...This is a stylish Western-lite picture book with an enjoyable twang, and viewers will develop a powerful hankering for their own box of treats." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
andquot;A nifty, unexpectedly sophisticated exploration of the tools and professions connected to the world of construction.andquot;
Review
"A funny family story packed with mayhem and good spirits."
and#8212;Kirkus
"Phillips introduces the family via individual, smiling portraits and utilizes colorful paper cut-out illustrations and bold-faced exclamations to capture the charactersand#8217; dynamic chemistry and the kooky chaos that ensues."
and#8212;Booklist
"The Simple family examines the word "picnic" in a very basic way that will have young ones chuckling."
and#8212;School Library Journal
"The result is merry mayhem, as a menagerie of animals, domesticated and not-so, try to get in on the feast."
and#8212;The New York Times
Review
STARRED REVIEW
andquot;Women are well represented among Datzandrsquo;s carpenters, roofers, electricians, plumbers, and painters (who are drawn in a range of skin tones), providing a subtle and#39;you could do this, tooand#39; message that is cemented in a closing scene of two children playing with blocks in the finished house.andquot;
Review
STARRED REVIEW
andquot;Gorgeous to look at and a tummy tickler to read, this is a very fine book indeed.andquot;
Review
STARRED REVIEW
andquot;Interactive and educational, this one is a must for toddlers and preschoolers fascinated by trucks and the people who operate them.andquot;
Review
andquot;Datz includes a solid mix of male and female workers in a variety of skin colors. A last-page twist reminds readers that toy trucks can be just as fun as the real thing.andquot;
Synopsis
On a momentous visit to the aquarium, Elliot discovers his dream pet: a penguin. It's just proper enough for a straight-laced boy like him. And when he asks his father if he may have one (please and thank you), his father says yes. Elliot should have realized that Dad probably thought he meant a stuffed penguin and not a real one . . . Clever illustrations and a wild surprise ending make this sly, silly tale of friendship and wish fulfillment a kid-pleaser from start to finish.
Synopsis
this tale of doughnut perfidy takes the cake.” - The New York Times
The sheriff and his deputy dog have been charged with a mission: to bring a dozen donuts home safely. All seems to be going well until the young sheriff peeks inside the box to check on the tasty treats. Theyre practically calling his name, and in the blink of an eye (and with just a few nibbles), a donut disappears! Wherever could that missing donut be? Luckily, this is one mystery the sheriff and his deputy are sure to bring to a close.
Synopsis
2013 Caldecott Honor Book.
From New York Times bestselling author Toni Buzzeo and Caldecott Medal winning illustrator David Small, comes a cool tale about an unlikely friendship.
On a spontaneous visit to the aquarium, straight-laced and proper Elliot discovers his dream pet: a penguin. When he asks his father if he may have one (please and thank you), his father says yes. Elliot should have realized that Dad was probably thinking of a toy penguin, not a real one
Clever illustrations and a wild surprise ending make this sly, silly tale a kid-pleaser from start to finish.
Synopsis
Stick and Stone are sticking together in this hilarious and heart-warmingand#160;picture book that proves once and for all why best friends ROCK!
Synopsis
When Stick rescues Stone from a prickly situation with a Pinecone, the pair becomes fast friends. But when Stick gets stuck, can Stone return the favor?
Author Beth Ferry makes a memorable debut with a warm, rhyming text that includes a subtle anti-bullying message even the youngest reader will understand. New York Times bestselling illustrator Tom Lichtenheld imbues Stick and Stone with energy, emotion, and personality to spare.
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; In this funny story about kindness and friendship, Stick and Stone join George and Martha, Frog and Toad, and Elephant and Piggie, as some of the best friend duos in childrenandrsquo;s literature.
Synopsis
This nonfiction ode to building a house from the ground up features six kinds of craftsmen and the 24 tools they use, accurately labeled. The answer to each inquiring refrain is revealed under a gatefold, seven in all, engaging the reader in an informative guessing game. With lyrical (and factual!) text by New York Times bestselling author Toni Buzzeo, and the expertly stylized art of illustrator and designer Jim Datz, this sturdily constructed board book is perfect for curious and playful young readers.
Synopsis
Why have one state worth of fun when you can have SIX! Grace and her cousin Camden enjoy a New England holiday, from big-city Boston to tiny coastal and mountain towns in Maine and Vermont. From lighthouse hopping to moose spotting, itandrsquo;s an unforgettable trip!
Synopsis
This nonfiction follow-up to Whose Tools? features six kinds of trucksandmdash;a utility truck, a fire truck, a snowplow, an ambulance, a crane, and a broadcasting truckandmdash;with five different parts of each truck properly labeled. The answer to each inquiring refrain of andldquo;Whose truck is this?andrdquo; is revealed under a gatefold, engaging the reader in an informative guessing game about trucks and their operators. With lyrical (and factual!) text by New York Times bestselling author Toni Buzzeo, and the expertly stylized art of Jim Datz, this sturdily constructed board book is perfect for curious and playful young readers.
Synopsis
A simple picnic is full of complications for the Simpleand#160;familyand#160;in this hilariousand#160;picture book about togetherness. and#160; and#160;
Synopsis
The Simple family's plans for a picnic in the parkand#160;prove disastrously complex. From the artist and author J. C. Phillipps comesand#160;this hilarious little picture book with a big heart to remind us that picnics areand#160;just aand#160;little about food and a lot about family. and#160;
Synopsis
The sheriff and his deputy dog have been charged with a mission: to bring a dozen donuts home safely. All seems to be going well until the young sheriff peeks inside the box to check on the tasty treats. They’re practically calling his name, and in the blink of an eye (and with just a few nibbles), a donut disappears! Wherever could that missing donut be? Luckily, this is one mystery the sheriff and his deputy are sure to bring to a close.
About the Author
Toni Buzzeo is a
New York Times bestselling childrenandrsquo;s author who grew up in the Midwest and never visited her true homeandmdash;New Englandandmdash;until she was 22 years old. Now she lives in two New England states, in a colonial Maine farmhouse and in a Massachusetts apartment near her new grandson, Camden. Toni is the author of 24 picture and board books including the 2013 Caldecott Honor book,
One Cool Friend, illustrated by David Small. Visit Toni online at tonibuzzeo.com.
and#160;
Liza Woodruff lives in northern Vermont with her husband, Tom, and their two children. She has illustrated many childrenandrsquo;s books, including Ten on the Sled (Sterling), If Itand#39;s Snowy and You Know It, Clap Your Paws! (Sterling), and How About a Kiss from Me? (Dutton). Learn more about her at lizawoodruff.com.