“Hold on to the saddle, pony might prance, bucking and frisky, he’s roaming the ranch. GIDDY-UP!”
A pony inspires a child to ride high on her father’s shoulders, a sailboat stirs two others to set off to sea in a cardboard box, and an airplane invites kids to soar like a bird.
In 13 striking spreads, we see how children use the world around them as the inspiration for play. Vibrant photographs are juxtaposed with lively drawings to reveal the child’s own inventive interpretation. Short bursts of action-packed, rhythmic poetry encourage preschoolers to identify the patterning throughout the text and the sounds associated with each idea.
While developing language skills, kids can join in the fun as they create their own imaginative play from what they see around them.
Slosh from the big one into the small. Whooshing and slooshing–your own waterfall.
When young children observe the natural world, what do they see? Very often, it’s an inspiration for creative play. In this sequel of WIGGLE GIGGLE TICKLE TRAIN, 13 vibrant spreads show how children use the world around them to come up with ideas for play. Striking real-life photographs of waterfalls, worms, and wintry roads are juxtaposed with lively drawings to reveal a child’s own inventive interpretation. Short bursts of action-packed poetry encourage preschoolers to identify patterning in text and the sounds associated with ideas.
The sight of a beautiful rainbow is reflected in multihued crayons as two children create their own masterpieces. The sound of noisy geese flying south sets the stage for a concert with bugle and horn. And imitating a frog leads to a game of jumping over logs.
While developing language skills, kids can create their own imaginative play from what they see in nature.
Captain Rex and his dinosaur pirates sail the seven seas in search of buried treasure. But whenever they hit an obstacle—like a giant shark or pea-soup fog—the crew members are quick to say they can’t overcome. To this, Captain Rex always glares with teeth bared and says, “CAN’T YE?” And, somehow, the crew always comes up with a clever solution. This delightful story highlights the value of one’s creativity and determination in tough situations. It will encourage kids everywhere to think and say, “I can!”
Astro is a stellar Steller sea lion! Only a few days old when found orphaned, he is cared for and raised at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California. When big enough to be released to the wild where he needs to be, he has other plans! Just like a lost dog finding his way home, Astro keeps swimming back towards the Center, crossing miles of open ocean water to do so. After several attempts, people realize that Astro is too accustomed to humans and will just keep coming back. Based on real events, readers follow Astro through some of the travels that have taken him across the U.S. to his current home at the Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut. The “For Creative Minds” educational section includes: Steller Sea Lions, Steller Sea Lions Threatened and Endangered, Where in the World? (A Map Activity), Steller Sea Lion Life Cycle, Sea Lion or Seal? (Whats the Same? Whats Different?).
As a young boy growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina, Romare Bearden listened to his great-grandmother’s Cherokee stories and the whistles of trains steaming through town. When Romare’s family, faced with unjust Jim Crow laws, decided to head north, tears stung Romare’s eyes but he watched out the train window as the world whizzed by. Later he captured his childhood memories in a famous painting, Watching the Good Trains Go By. Using that painting as inspiration and creating a text influenced by the blues and jazz that Bearden loved, Jeanne Walker Harvey has created a story of Bearden’s childhood. She describes the patchwork of daily Southern life that he saw from the train’s window and the story of his arrival in shimmering New York City. Artists and critics today praise the collages for which Bearden became famous, collages filled with visual metaphors honoring his past, African American culture, and the human experience.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC sees over 4 million visitors every year. Celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2017, the wall’s stark design provoked controversy and almost did not get built. The monument’s visionary designer is profiled in Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines by Jeanne Walker Harvey, illustrated by Dow Phumiruk (Christy Ottaviano/Holt; May 2, 2017).
As a child, Maya Lin loved to study the spaces around her. She explored the forest in her backyard, observing woodland creatures, and used her house a model to build tiny towns out of paper and scraps. The daughter of a clay artist and a poet, Maya grew up with art and learned to think with her hands as well as her mind. From her first experiments with light and lines to the height of her success nationwide, this is the story of an inspiring American: the visionary artist-architect who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Once upon a time there was a princess named Zelda. One day, when she is out in her finest satin dress playing with her favorite golden ball, she tosses her ball up in the air, and it lands—SPLAT!—in the mud. Princesses don’t go in the mud. How will she ever get back her favorite ball? Along comes an ugly, disgusting frog who will help her, but in return, Zelda must promise to be his best friend forever!
Ages 1 and up
She’s the Top Doggy Diva!
Zelda’s favorite thing to do is play dress up, so what better holiday to celebrate with her than Halloween?! Her adorable personality and undeniable wisdom have made Zelda products bestsellers, and the number one Hallmark card line. In her newest board book for kids, Zelda will make Halloween fun for everyone regardless of what they want to wear. Watch kids laugh along with her pooch-er-ific costumes and have everyone ready to lick-or-treat!
