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Join siblings Annie and Jack on their first eight magical adventures as read by the author.

Mercy, the delightful pig adopted by the Watson family, gets mixed up in all kinds of humorous adventures in this collection from Newbery winner Kate DiCamillo.

Children will recognize themselves and everyday problems in these two modern classics.

Freddy is back with his super shoes, his purple zapatos, to help solve a mystery and save a squirrel loose in school. Likeable characters in fast-paced, recognizable activities make these novels appealing and accessible to newly independent readers. Look for the 3^rd installment of Freddy’s adventures in Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Zooms to the Rescue

An empty yellow house that a girl passes is both spooky and intriguing — and a place where the extraordinary may happen. One day, she enters the garden while her mother is distracted and encounters amazing things. Delicate illustrations complement this gentle fantasy.

Growing fruits and vegetables doesn’t take a lot of space; they can even grow in crowded cities! From beekeeping to chickens, small areas can support food which leads to sharing, eating, and caring for others and the environment. Once the concept of urban agriculture is introduced, who knows what may blossom?!

J.J. Tully, a retired search and rescue dog, takes on the task of finding two lost chicks that their mother fears were kidnapped. Not only does J.J. solve the mystery, he finds unexpected friends. There’s plenty of adult humor in J.J.’s narration, but lots of laughs for newly independent readers, too.

Only one ‘unsatisfactory’ tarnishes Stink’s report card: physical education. Smaller children will empathize with Judy Moody’s little brother as he tries to find a sport that he likes and can excel in — which just might be thumb-wrestling! The series continues with verve and good humor.

The mystery of why a Pacific seabird nests inland has only recently been solved. Lyrical language and evocative illustrations with additional information inset on each page brings the modern scientific thriller to light. Additional resources conclude this handsome volume.

Striking photographs combine with readable text to provide an introduction to polar bears. Text appears in two fonts, allowing readers access to more information and enhancing its use with different ages and interests. Additional material about the animals and further resources conclude the book.

For a quick tour of Orlando and a glimpse at the state of Florida, a fast tour in photographs and information snippets may be just right. A brief overview of the high points of the city and state, some of its famous inhabitants, and more are provided. This is one of a series that may pique curiosity about states and some of their better-known cities.

Animal buddies at the boardinghouse for animals do their best to make the new guest comfortable while on a vacation. But what is this chicken up to? And can the other animals prevent an awful occurrence? Lively language and likeable critters create an engaging novel.

Zach has always wanted a dog but when his parents bring home Larry, a funny seriously mixed breed, he’s not so sure. But there’s something special about this mutt, making Zach decide that Larry has a magical tail. Zach’s narration rings true in this fetching early chapter book.

What will 2^nd grade Keena do to keep her best friend from finding out what she’s written in her private journal? Identifiable issues and emotions are plausibly resolved in this readable novel when the class meanie finds Keena’s diary and insists Keena do as she demands — or else!

Want something to do that may spark creativity? Try making inkblots to see what and how you see! Sophisticated children will find this highly illustrated, step-by-step, how-to book of creating, seeing, and imaginatively using inkblots engrossing.

One never knows until they try something — much like a small yellow fledgling that is afraid to leave the nest. Lyrical language and textured, stylized collage illustrations combine for a surprisingly sophisticated push toward flying independently.

Some of them worked; others didn’t but all were based in the folk and academic traditions of the times. With wit and insight, historical medical remedies from around the world are introduced as is the science behind them. Additional resources end this amusingly illustrated book.

If you thought that haiku was a staid poetic form, then you haven’t come across this collection! Boys and all things boy are presented for each of the four seasons. Sprinkled throughout are humorous line drawings that extend the light tone.

Daisy Dawson, an imaginative child, is excited once school is out because she and her parents will spend the summer at the beach. There, she finds, enjoys, and helps new friends — human and animal. Sprightly illustrations bring Daisy’s character and her summer adventures to life.

Four siblings decide to make strawberry jam for Father’s Day — but the strawberries keep disappearing from the garden. In order to make the planned present for their dads, the kids must identify the fruit snatcher! The mild mystery is just right for newly independent readers.

Stunning, full color, close-up photographs of birds combined with evocative poems in different forms present memorable portraits of birds. Factual material about each feathered creature is inserted on every double-page spread to complete the picture.

While children in one part of the world doze, wash, or pick fruit, readers can lift a flap to see others singing, climbing a tree, or sleeping. Carefully formatted illustrations and brief text introduce maps, time zones, and different cultures with varying levels of complexity.

A sly walrus evades the zookeeper, all the while hiding in plain sight: at a lunch counter, in a window display, and many equally obvious (and silly) places. After taking a swimming prize, the walrus returns to the zoo. Flat forms augment the understated comedy of this wordless tale.

“Things were quiet on the Tuckers’ farm…” but really took off once a peacock came to live with them. The chickens become jealous and so trade places with the peacock with very funny results. Cartoon illustrations add humor and charm to the understated, appealing text.