Synopses & Reviews
Ewetopia is not comfortable in her own wool, and every attempt she makes to impress the other sheep falls flat. So when an invitation to the Woolyones' Costume Ball arives, Ewetopia knows her chance to shine has come at last. After trying on fifty-eight different costumes, she finally finds the perfect one--or so she thinks. But her wolf ensemble turns out to be none too popular with Rambunctious, Ramshackle, and Ramplestiltskin, so Ewetopia finds herself standing all alone again when a stranger enters the room. He is dressed simply as a sheep, but he is so handsome, none of the other sheep notice anything peculiar about his costume choice. Ewecalyptus, Ewetensil, and Heyeywe all look on as the newcomer chooses to dance with none other than Ewetopia. But as they dance across the floor, Ewetopia begins to wonder about her mysterious partner: Why is his growl so deep? Why does he have such long, sharp claws? And why does he keep calling her Mother?!!!
Review
STARRED REVIEW
andquot;The tightly rendered illustrations, which usually appear in twos or three against white backgrounds, have a refreshing emotional reticence; the kidsand#39; happiness is shown as matter-of-fact and grounded rather than euphoric or manic. And then there are the descriptions themselves, eloquent in their unfussiness...Schwartz isnand#39;t the first to try a compendium of this sort, but she sets a new benchmark.andquot;
Review
STARRED REVIEW
andquot;It is a book chock-full of funandmdash;what more could one want?andquot;
Review
andquot;Itandrsquo;s all very, very sweet, but with the occasional offbeat example that will satisfy out-of-the-box thinkers.andquot;
Review
andquot;Schwartzandrsquo;s distinctive pictures in brilliant colors would make anyone happy...a magical romp through the senses and delights of being human.andquot;
Review
"A winner for kids and adults who'll be reading it again and again." Booklist, ALA
Review
An amusing, if decidedly sleepy, tale of sloths and the very relaxing atmosphere of their school-an institution thrown in jeporady by a bureaucrat of conventional stripe-from the hand-and-glove team behind Tacky the Penguin and Wodney Wat. Sleepy Valley Sloth School lives up to its name: nobody here but drowsy sloths. They snooze through their lessons-so do their teachers-through their recess, through their study hall. They sleep "until six o'clock when the custodian swept them out, and they rolled home.". . . One day a disruptive influence makes the scene: ayoung fireplug of a sloth named Sparky, who tries to light some fire under her classmates. . . "'What a bunch of bores.'" she signs. Then a real boar pushes through the door, an operative from the Society for Organizing Sameness, come to close the school for failing in all subjects. Sparky saves the school by dazzling the organization man with feats of reading, music, math, and poetry. Who says sloths are underachievers? They're being sloths, and just how many creatures have had their name elevated to a common adjective? Only Munsinger could so perfectly catch them in all their languid glory, from the opening page when they are quite literally "just hanging around" as loose-limbed and zonked-out as anything ever seen, to as nearly awake as a sloth can get while piled up in a heap trying to pay attention. And the belly laughs induced by Lester's words will Kirkus Reviews with Pointers
"Score another one for Lester and Munsinger, Readers will hope the sloths return for a rematch." and#151;Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly
"Lesterand#8217;s laid-back text is packed with silly puns, and Munsingerand#8217;s hilariously detailed line-and-watercolor pictures express the delicious relaxation of Sleepy Valley Sloth School, where everyone, teachers and kids, literally hangs around." Booklist, ALA
Review
A pun-filled taleand#8230;older children more likely to appreciate the puns, while younger ones will simply enjoy the humorand#8230;playful illustrationsand#8230;clever tale.
and#8212;School Library Journal
[Lynn] Munsinger's artwork catches the quiet to madcap moods of the book.
and#8212;Kirkus 9/1/07 Kirkus Reviews
"[A] winning combination of witty wordplay and hilarious images...Extremely amewesing."
and#8212;PW starred, 8/6/07 Publishers Weekly, Starred
"Best of all...are the winning watercolor-and-pencil illustrations...a set of endearing animal characters..."
and#8212;Booklist 10/01/07 Booklist, ALA
"Munsinger's festive watercolor are charged with energy, and they take clever advantage of the opportunity presented by the costume party..."
and#8212;The Bulletin October 2007 Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Wilde Award Winner - New Heroine
News and Observer, December 16, 2007 News and Observer
Synopsis
I am thankful for music because it makes me want to dance.I am thankful for my feet because they help me run and play.
I am thankful for kisses because they make me feel loved.
Todd Parr's bestselling books have taught kids about unconditional love, respecting the earth, facing fears, and more, all with his signature blend of playfulness and sensitivity. Now, The Thankful Book celebrates all the little things children can give thanks for. From everyday activities like reading and bathtime to big family meals together and special alone time between parent and child, Todd inspires readers to remember all of life's special moments. The perfect book to treasure and share, around the holidays and throughout the year.
Synopsis
In the grand tradition of andldquo;Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittensandrdquo; comes an uplifting tribute to 100 everyday things worth celebrating. The list, in rhyming couplets, draws directly from a preschoolandshy;erandrsquo;s worldandmdash;from slippery floors to dinosaurs, from goldfish to a birthday wish. Amy Schwartz weaves a masterful balance between art and text, with each of the 100 items portrayed as its own well-observed and warmly detailed vignette. While the contents provide readers with a frame of reference for the quantity of andldquo;100andrdquo;andmdash;a celebratory milestone in preschools and early elementary gradesandmdash;the oversized pages envelop young children in the wonderful things surrounding them.
Praise for 100 Things That Make Me Happy
STARRED REVIEW
andquot;A fun, engaging read.andquot;
--School Library Journal, starred review
Synopsis
Pookins always gets her way. But as she learns when she meets a magic gnome capable of granting wishes,and#160;sometimes getting your way isn't always the best way. A new addition to the Laugh-Along Lessons series with parent/teacher discussion guide andand#160;bonus audio download.
Synopsis
and#8220;Kids will recognize bits of themselves in Pookins . . . an amusing, hard-edged heroine.and#8221;and#160; and#8212;
BooklistPookins always gets her way. If she doesn't, she makes faces, she throws apples, and she yells very loudly! But when Pookins finds a magic gnome who grants her three wishes, she hastily wishes to be a flower. Powerless to do anything,and#160;she realizes that her way may not be the best way, and that a bit of empathy for the gnome might set things right. This new addition to the Laugh-Along Lessons series focuses on the importance of being considerate.
Includes parent/teacher discussion guide and downloadable audio!
Synopsis
Jealousy and reckless competition sends the Wizard, the Fairy, and the Magic Chickenand#160;fleeing from hairy,and#160;bumpy, and dotty monsters! Now they mustand#160;run for their lives--or learn to work together. Includes downloadable audio!
Synopsis
The Wizard, the Fairy, and the Magic Chickenand#160;each think, "I am the greatest in the world." After a competition full of jealousy, boasting, and reckless spellcasting, they find themselves fleeing from hairy,and#160;bumpy, and dotty monsters! While running for their lives, the threeand#160;rivals realize that they can't defeat the monsters alone, andand#160;only byand#160;working together can they counter the powerful magic. Safe at last, they can still sometimes competeand#8212;but as friends.
This magical tale of friendship and teamwork is now part of a fun, value-priced 8" x 8" hardcover series about life lessons. Includes downloadable audio and information on the importance of teamwork!
Synopsis
The sloths at Sleepy Valley Sloth School are content in their slothfulness, until a new, energetic sloth named Sparky arrives. Unafraid to be herself, she finds a way to save the sloths and their school from closure in this new addition to the Laugh-Along Lessons series with parent/teacher discussion guide andand#160;bonus audio download.
Synopsis
"Score another one for Lester and Munsinger."and#160; and#8212;Publishers Weekly and#160; The sloths at Sleepy Valley Sloth School are content in their slothfulness. One day, a new sloth arrives, a go-getter, a mover and a shakerand#8212;which is to say she actually moves. The other slothsand#160;think sheand#8217;s a pest, and she thinks theyand#8217;re bores, that is until a real boar arrivesand#8212;an official representative of S.O.S. (Society for Organizing Sameness) sent to close the school. Something has to be done, and all eyes turn to Sparky . . . and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; This new addition to the Laugh-Along Lessons series focuses on the importance of being true to yourself. Includes a parent/teacher discussion guide andand#160;downloadable audio!
Synopsis
Ewetopia must save the day and embrace who she is when the sheep's costume party turns catastrophic!
About the Author
Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger have been together through thick and thin since first publishing The Wizard, the Fairy, and the Magic Chicken in 1983. They have collaborated on the hilarious Tacky the Penguin series and many other wildly funny and popular titles, including the award-winning Hooway for Wodney Wat. Helen Lester is a full-time writer who makes her home in New York, and Lynn Munsinger is a full-time illustrator living in Vermont.LYNN MUNSINGER has illustrated more than ninety books for children. She graduated from Tufts University in Boston and the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, where she majored in illustration. She lives in Connecticut and Vermont.