Children Picture Books

Kindergarten has never been funnier with the launch of this new, strong-willed character, in the style of Ladybug Girl, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, and Bread and Jam for Frances.

Amanda Panda has BIG ideas for her first day of school. But when things don't go according to plan, and when a pesky girl in a pink bow decides to be her best friend, she walks out on kindergarten and joins her brother in second grade. It takes an unlikely partner to fix Amanda's terrible day--and to teach her about friendship, tolerance, and how to cope with life's ups and downs.

Amanda Panda perfectly captures the spirit, motivations, and humor of a headstrong five-year-old girl--and will be sure to soothe back-to-school jitters.

"a sweet story about the power of kindness and getting past first impressions."--The Washington Post

"Empathy and kindness are just as important as ABCs and 123s, and Amanda gives readers a good lesson."--Kirkus

"Filled with droll humor that begs to be read aloud, this is an excellent back-to-school purchase and a great fit for storytime."--School Library Journal

"With strong dialogue and well-imagined details of wardrobe and play, Ransom writes an original story around the familiar situation: the beginning of school. . . . This wryly amusing picture book offers a fresh take on an old theme."--Booklist

"The lesson makes an impact without preaching, and kids are likely to want to revisit this one, especially as the first day of school approaches."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Bright, fresh illustrations fill the pages of this adorable book about disappointment, friendship, and kindness."--ReadBrightly.com

Zoom meets Beautiful Oops! in this memorable picture book debut about the creative process, and the way in which "mistakes" can blossom into inspiration

One eye was bigger than the other. That was a mistake.
The weird frog-cat-cow thing? It made an excellent bush.
And the inky smudges... they look as if they were always meant to be leaves floating gently across the sky.

As one artist incorporates accidental splotches, spots, and misshapen things into her art, she transforms her piece in quirky and unexpected ways, taking readers on a journey through her process. Told in minimal, playful text, this story shows readers that even the biggest "mistakes" can be the source of the brightest ideas--and that, at the end of the day, we are all works in progress, too.

Fans of Peter Reynolds's Ish and Patrick McDonnell's A Perfectly Messed-Up Story will love the funny, poignant, completely unique storytelling of The Book of Mistakes. And, like Oh, The Places You'll Go!, it makes the perfect graduation gift, encouraging readers to have a positive outlook as they learn to face life's obstacles.

Back in 1957, Theodor Geisel responded to an article in Life magazine that lamented the use of boring reading primers in schools. Using the pseudonym of "Dr. Seuss" (Seuss was Geisel's middle name) and only two hundred twenty-three words, Geisel created a replacement for those dull primers: "The Cat in the Hat." The instant success of the book prompted Geisel and his wife to found Beginner Books, and Geisel wrote many popular books in this series, including "Hop on Pop, " "Fox in Socks, " and "Green Eggs and Ham." Other favorite titles in this series are "Go, Dog, Go!" and "Are You My Mother?" by P. D. Eastman, "A Fly Went By, " by Mike McClintock, and "Put Me in the Zoo, " by Robert Lopshire. These affordable hardcover books combine large print, easy vocabulary, and large, bright illustrations in stories kids will want to read again and again. Grades 1 - Grades 2.

A tilted tale about a cat who sees the world from an unusual point of view, written by the hilarious Jason Carter Eaton (How to Train a Train) and illustrated by the equally humorous Gus Gordon (Herman and Rosie).

catawampus (cat-a-wam-pus) n. 1. Diagonal or at an angle. 2. Askew, awry.

The catawampus cat walks with a slant. And his skewed point of view has everyone in town looking at everything with fresh eyes. Even Bushy Brows Billiam who never notices anything, including what time class is over, spots the catawampus cat, and now he's a star student! And when the town librarian sees the catawampus cat, she pulls the "wrong" book from the shelf, sending her into a life of adventure. The catawampus cat is in town and everything is about to change.