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As the sun rose, an egg was ready to hatch but whose chick was it? “Whose egg is this?” quacks, chirps and honks each different bird. But the swan knows who the little gray cygnet belongs to; it’s her much loved hatchling! Children will empathize with the simply told, realistically illustrated tale.

While a family with a baby enjoys a picnic, forest animal babies and their families engage in comparable activities. Lighthearted illustrations show parallel human and animal family scenes with a rhythmic text for added fun.

This reworked version of the traditional tale of the hardworking, unaided Little Red Hen continues until her own baby chick befriends the offspring of the lazy cat, rat, and pig and together they play. By the end of the day each baby learns a new lesson in forgiveness and sharing. Dramatic black/white woodcuts with splashes of red and green enhance this meaningful saga, giving it a contemporary feel.

A baby jay, a small striped kitten, and a little girl with a bike come together in an unexpected way with wonderful results, as each grows and gains confidence. Dialogue in conversation balloons creates a comically paced series of events that reach a satisfying conclusion.

Kittens prance, leap, and spill over and through the pages of this rhyming celebration of baby cats: “Here and there and everywhere, Kittens! Kittens! Kittens!” The lively rhyming look at feline activity makes a fine companion to Puppies! Puppies! Puppies!

A little boy prepares his puppy for bed in his basket, recalling the everyday adventures they shared. Of course, the sleepy puppy winds up cuddled in bed with the boy. Rhyming text follow the familiar lullaby, “Hush Little Baby.”

A fox is born on a spring day, and the passing days turn to passive seasons until the young fox becomes confident and independent. Evocative language and textured, richly colored illustrations are used in this triumphant story.

Baby animals are shown here in transport! Rich language and expressive illustrations give an engaging and informative look at how animals move. Some animals stand up right away while others need time to grow — just like young humans.

Close-up photographs introduce animal babies who live in rain forests, from a jaguar cub to a young sloth, with lots in between. With a turn of the sturdy page, baby and mama appear together.

Dreams are for the day and the night. Children dream for themselves as well as their community and their world. Short poems, richly imagined and vibrantly illustrated appear in English and Spanish and are firmly rooted in a child’s experience.

Vivid images combine with lively language to present a sunny season with its foods, fun and family in short poems in both English and Spanish.

Vivi Cochinita is a very shy pig. She is so shy that on her birthday, she doesn’t dare invite anyone. But when she goes to bed that night, she dreams about all the fun others are having and wakes up to a wonderful surprise.

Overcoming a difficult childhood, Victoria took control of her own destiny in sometimes unorthodox ways and became the first woman to run for U.S. President in 1872 before women even had the right to vote (Frederick Douglass was nominated to run as Vice President). Photorealistic illustrations add to this remarkable tale of a woman who was truly ahead of her time.

The alphabet is used as a device to introduce the vocabulary for a range of musical styles as well as the names of famous musicians. Jaunty illustrations combine with energetic language for an intriguing glimpse into music and musicians.

Short, fresh and fun essays present a broad array of musicians and their music - from Bach to Guthrie to Joplin with lots in between. Unexpected information can be found in each informal entry along with caricatured portraits.

Short, clever, sometimes irreverent snapshots introduce a range of artists and their peculiarities. From Michelangelo to Georgia O’Keefe, the artists are presented in brief essays accompanied by lighthearted illustrations.

The words for over 60 well known traditional American folksongs (e.g., “Home on the Range,” “Michael Row the Boat Ashore”) and easy-to-follow music are presented in an illustrated, oversized format. Notes about each song’s origin and a music CD are included.

Realistic illustrations and appealing text introduce the life and magical feats of one of the world’s greatest showmen and best known magician, Harry Houdini.

Count the animals on their way to the zoo! From one elephant to ten birds, colorful creatures are presented in Carle’s signature style as they board the train.

The capable canine kindergarten teacher leads her class (also animals) on a field trip around the community to meet its helpers. The rhyming text and crisp illustrations make this a delightful book for young children. Readers can also search for hidden shapes found during this well chaperoned tour.

If only every child could have a teacher like Ms. Frizzle, every field trip would be unforgettable! Here, the kids get the inside scoop on hurricanes by going into its eye in their school bus (turned weather plane) to learn how hurricanes form and to experience their power. There’s an extra bit of drama when Arnold becomes separated from the class, but is happily reunited.

Dinosaurs are endlessly fascinating. Perhaps because it is hard to imagine giant lizards roaming the earth. In simple illustrations and straightforward text, the size of dinosaurs is related to more familiar things, so that children can picture this prehistoric time. Before embarking on a museum field trip, start kids thinking about how big dinosaurs were!

How you get to your destination is half the fun. This sturdy book glimpses ways we travel, using real and imaginary modes of transportation — like an airplane or a magic carpet. Simple language and flatly colored, child-like illustrations make this appropriate to share with the youngest reader.