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What does the Stupid family do when the kids come home with poor grades on their report cards? Why they celebrate with a costume party and invite their relatives, of course! Anyone who has ever had a bad day will appreciate the silly humor and dumb jokes in this comic picture book.

Friends and amateur detectives Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose set out to help their friend whose money for a new dinosaur museum has been stolen. Who could have gotten into the life-sized Tyrone the Tyrannosaurus and why?

Once upon a time three pigs built three houses, out of straw, sticks, and bricks. Along came a wolf, who huffed and puffed… So, you think you know the rest? Think again. With David Wiesner at the helm, it’s never safe to assume too much. When the wolf approaches the first house, for example, and blows it in, he somehow manages to blow the pig right out of the story frame, and the perplexed expression on the wolf’s face as he looks in vain for his ham dinner is priceless. One by one, the pigs exit the fairy tale’s border and set off on an adventure of their own. (2002 Caldecott Medal Winner)

Told in the form of a recollection, these “confessions” cover 13-year-old Charlotte’s eventful 1832 transatlantic crossing. She begins her trip as a prim schoolgirl returning from England to her home and family in America, but by the end she is in command of the Seahawk.

Children may feel more confident as readers if they read stories aloud to their pets – though with or without a pair of floppy ears listening, these short tales celebrate what makes dogs unique: barking, loving a good bone, and digging holes. Comic illustrations enhance the humor and link the three readable tales.

While they wait to go back into the water, Lolly, Sam, and Spider pass the time by telling stories to each other. One story is so vividly told, the monster seems to come alive! The deadpan language is very humorous, and is complemented by simple line-and-wash illustrations.

Share the sights, sounds, smells, and humor of a family camping trip through this collection of engaging poems illustrated with vivid paintings. From setting up the tent to the ultimate return home, campers and non-campers alike will enjoy this vacation and all its outdoor pleasures.

Trixie’s summer is boring until she meets the new girl who moves into the area. Together Honey and Trixie meet a runaway boy and help him solve the mystery of his eccentric uncle. The first in a series of mysteries written more than 50 years ago has been reissued and reflects a less cynical era.

Four picture books about twins, Jimmy and Janet, have been newly formatted and illustrated to create an appealing and attractive chapter book. Readers will see themselves in the characters as they try to carve out their own space within their family. This is an ideal read aloud for younger children or a solid read alone for independent readers.

The enduring wisdom of Aesop’s fables have been retold and newly illustrated. The large, attractive format invites readers to consider how the actions of the animals are similar to their own.

This spritely collection of both familiar and less well known rhymes is presented in an oversized format just right for sharing. Young children will likely examine lighthearted, detailed illustrations as they extend the rhymes’ action with verve and humor.

Marian Anderson was an extraordinary contralto whose talent was celebrated in Europe long before she was recognized in her native United States. Anderson’s focus, musical talent, and the difficult times in which she lived are captured in a dramatic picture book biography.

Solomon has never had an easy time in school because of his dyslexia. But then, in a desolate part of an old graveyard, he finds himself battling the effects of an ancient curse put on the land by a witch many years before. With the help of a professor, his teacher, and a young girl, they unravel the mystery and break the curse forever.

Frankie lives in Brooklyn, New York, during World War II. He has an active imagination that is enhanced by popular radio shows: The Green Hornet, The Lone Ranger, and others. The story, setting, and characters unfold through the dialogue of the characters and the radio shows to which they listen.

From groaners to puzzlers, this well organized collection of jokes, riddles, puns, and more will intrigue, cause chuckles or a guffaw, and make the reader think as it entertains and engages during multiple perusals.

Going to visit a big city on vacation? Think there’s nothing but concrete above and below? Well, think again! Readers are greeted by bagel-eating Skippy, an Eastern Gray Squirrel, and begin a complex, unexpected, revealing, and animated jaunt through and around New York City. The Big Apple comes alive in sophisticated, surprising ways through cartoons and photographs creatively placed on double page spreads.

Wilfrid helps an elderly friend, Miss Nancy, regain lost memories by bringing her some of her favorite things to remind her of them. This is a tender story of a friendship between two very different people, both of whom have four names, and the nature of memories.

Stunning, bold collage illustrations carry the action in this reworking of the traditional Greek myth. Here, Icarus becomes Ikarus, a boy of color, who learns to fly in spite of the society in which he lives.

I’m normal because I am a normal kid — going to school, being happy, getting homework, having a family. I’m not normal because I’m dyslexic… Thus begins the autobiography of an eleven-year-old boy who describes how he created a board game based on the popular Harry Potter series and entered it into his school’s yearly Invention Convention, where it became an instant hit.

Rhyming tales written for two voices makes an ideal — and humorous — introduction to readers’ theater. Well known fairy tales have been adapted, reorganized and reinvigorated with lively language and sprightly illustrations, worthy of many dramatizations.

Is there really such a thing as a “photographic memory”? That’s how Cam Jansen got her nickname — Cam is short for Camera. And she uses her amazing ability all the time to solve mysteries — this time, to find a lost tooth.

It’s parent-teacher conference time and Hank is in a panic! He’s terrified that his teacher is going to tell his parents that he’ll have to repeat the fourth grade. If only Hank could get his parents out of town. Wait! Hank just might have a plan! (See more books from the Hank Zipzer series (opens in a new window))