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"Many African stories, whether or not they are about Kwaku Ananse the 'spider man,' are called 'Spider Stories.' This 1971 Caldecott Medal-winner is about how that came to be. 'Spider stories' tell how small, defenseless men or animals outwit others and succeed against great odds.

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Tommy's desire is to become an artist. He counts the days until he can begin first grade and be in an art class. When he finally is in art class, he has to face some disappointment. By persevering and doing some compromising, Tommy is able to pursue his dream.

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Tiny mouse Bartholomew is amazed when an angel and then a fox invite him to come to the stable to receive the animals' special blessing from the new born king.

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Reginald wants nothing more than to create beautiful music on his violin. But Papa, manager of the Dukes, the worst team in the Negro National League, determines Reginald should be the Dukes' bat boy. Gavin Curtis's beautifully told story of family love, in spite of differences in opinions, and E.B. Lewis's lush watercolor paintings capture a very special time in US history

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One of It's a Wild Life, Buddy! books, Ben the Beaver tells the tale of Ben, his father and mother, and three siblings as they build their lodge, cut down trees, and exist together with other wetland animals in their lake habitat.

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Autumn changes to winter and all the animals prepare to stay or migrate, each in their own way. When a big snow comes to the forest, the animals who winter there are faced with a crisis. Gorgeous black and white sketches fill every page. This 1949 Caldecott Medal winner is sure to please the nature-lover of 5 - 8.

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In Paris during the 1920's were gathered some of the world's most interesting characters. This is the story of an art dispute that began one Sunday evening when Pablo and Henri both wanted to display their new paintings in Gertrude's salon. Mr. Satie is asked to "judge" which is the better painting.

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The Bremen-town Musicians by Ilse Plume is the classic fable of four elderly barnyard animals escaping from imminent death at the hands of their owners by running away to become a street band in Bremen-Town. On the way they spy a cozy cottage in which to spend the night, but a band of robbers are inside. Their run-in with the robbers will change their future.

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Brundibar is based on a Czech Opera of the same name. Brundibar is Czech slang for "bumblebee". With a libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister, set to music by Hans Krasa, completed in 1938, the opera was performed iffy-five times by the children of Terezin, the Nazi concentration camp. Krasa, who was Jewish, was also imprisoned in Terezin. He was killed in Auschwitz in 1944.

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This is a classic fairy tale. A poor farmer meets and falls in love with the mayor's daughter. Before he can marry her, he has to prove his merit. There is an unexpected twist in this tongue-in-cheek folktale.

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With a burst of color and poetry young readers are introduced to numbers and animals in English and in Spanish. This picture book is a good way to introduce the Spanish language to the 3 - 8 year-old child.

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One night before bedtime three young mice ask the wise old mouse to take them to see the dark at the top of the stairs. Sam McBratney and Ivan Bates collaborate to create a suspenseful read-aloud picture book for preschool children. What is the dark at the top of the stairs? The mice ask this question as they fearfully and bravely climb one stair after another. This story helps develop young children's imaginations. It is a good Halloween read.

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These words are from the inside flap, "In a reflective tribute to the African-American community of old, noted poet Ntozake Shange recalls her childhood home and the close-knit group of innovators that often gathered there." A Coretta Scott King Award winner

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Ernest, a miniature donkey, and Chipper, a bluebird, work together to solve an 'earthquake-size' problem

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There's a fairy in town, and Buttermilk Hollow is churning with excitement. Will the mayor's plans suddenly go sour?

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In this 19th book of the "Franklin series", Franklin, with the help of his friends, overcomes his fear of thunderstorms. This copy is gently read with slight wear to the corners and edges of the cover.

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Franklin's Classic Treasury, Volume II,contains four of the most popular Franklin stories: Franklin is Lost, Franklin Wants a Pet, Franklin's Blanket, and Franklin and the Tooth Fairy. In these four classic stories Franklin confronts familiar childhood fears and worries--getting lost, wanting a pet, feeling insecure and wanting to conform. This volume has been gently read. The corners are bumped. There are no markings on any pages.

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Paulette Bourgeois presents a special Franklin book full of activities for day campers and stay-at-homers. Franklin fans can solve word puzzles and find their way through a maze. There's even a board game to play over and over again.

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It's the first day of school and Franklin, the well-known TV character, is so excited to be riding the bus for the first time. However, as he sits on the bus he begins to worry about what happens in kindergarten, what will the teacher be like, will I have any friends. This picture book by Paulette Bourgeois addresses and calms a young child's normal fears about attending pre school or kindergarten for the first time.

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Synopsis of Franklin Is Lost

Franklin, the well-known TV character, wants to visit a friend. His mom and dad warn him not to go into the woods alone. When Bear, Fox, Goose and Otter wanted to play hide and seek, Franklin disobeys his parents and follows his friends into the woods. As it gets dark, Franklin realizes he is lost. He is scared and his parents are worried. Bourgeois' book for beginning readers, ages 5 - 8, addresses both the common fear of being lost and the worry of the parents.

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Frog and Toad together by Arnold Lobel is An I Can Read Book. With short chapters and engaging stories about frog and toad's friendship it is a perfect picture book selection for your beginning reader. There are five chapters of ten - twelve pages.

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Grandma's Scrapbook shares two lives--a grandmother and a granddaughter. The reader is privy to the special relationship they shared as they aged from year-to-year. At the end of the fictional story the grandmother has died but left a legacy of love, memories, and a scrapbook to her granddaughter.

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On each page Josephine Nobisso and Maureen Hyde share with the reader something Grandpa loved and taught his grandson to love. The final page reveals that Grandpa has died. Nobisso celebrates Grandpa's life and presents the message that Granpa lives on as people remember him and the things he loved and shared with others.

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Grateful, words and music by John Bucchino, is a poem of gratitude for the blessings of life. Full-color drawings of children expressing thankfulness, tenderness, kindness, wistfulness, and joy help young readers relate to Bucchino's words.

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One of It's a Wild Life, Buddy! books, Harry the Wolf tells the tale of Harry and the other animals of the forest, Rodney, the Mole, Mr. Fox, Mrs. Beaver, and Simon the stork.

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Granddaughter Molly guides her grandma on a grand adventure at the American Natural History Museum in New York.---an educational treat and an example in story-form of how grandparent and grandchild build relationships.

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After he eats an eighth of a ton of ice cream at Cohen's Cones Ice Cream Parlor, Larry the polar bear happily becomes the spokesbear for the Iceberg Ice-Cream Company under the slogan, "I do not feel sick."

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Grade 1-4--From the School Library Journal "The creator of Animalia, Graeme Base, here applies his far-out fantasy style to Lewis Carroll's "narrative" nonsense poem. A princely hero sets out from his castle to slay the Jabberwock."

Six full-page and nine double-page Graeme Base paintings illustrate Lewis Carroll's "Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe:..."

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Jack is introduced to the wonders a garden can hold for him--the insects which make the soil their homes, the butterflies that extract the pollen, the birds that feed on the worms, the beautiful flowers that bloom as a result of his seed-planting.

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Kitten confuses the full moon with a delicious bowl of milk. Wonderfully expressive black-and-white illustrations tell of Kitten's night of adventure. A 2005 Caldecott Medal Book.

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Lilly loves everything about school, especially her teacher, but when he asks her to wait a while before showing her new purse, she does something for which she is very sorry later.

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Little Bear's Visit is an early An I Can Read Book. With short chapters and delightful illustrations by Maurice Sendak, it is a perfect picture book selection for your beginning reader. The stories center on Little Bear's visit to his grandparent's house and on the fun things Little Bear and his grandmother and grandfather bear do together-- a very gentle, loving storybook.

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Mayer draws upon African-American folklore to tell the story of Liza Lou who outwits the gobbly gooks, witches, and devils as she travels through the Yeller Belly Swamp. This copy is a rare vintage 1976 Parents' Magazine Press edition (0-8193-0801-3.)

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Lon Po Po, the 1990 Caldecott Medal Winner, retells the story of Little Red-Riding Hood as it is told in China. In this fairytale the wolf visits three sisters pretending to be the grandmother (Po Po.) Although the wolf appears fearsome, he is outwitted by the children in the end. The illustrations are gorgeous. This copy of Lon Po Po is gently read, with very slight wear to the edges. There are no markings to inside pages.

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Miles' loves to practice his new saxophone. However, his parents--and the whole neighborhood--can not bear any more saxophone sound. His mother suggests Miles practice outside. Miles teams up with three other musicians to form the Swamp Band. This clever book is "high-energy, high-decibel fun." The Kirkus Reviews

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Mr. Wolf asks some of his neighbors to help him make pancakes, but they all rudely refuse. However, when the pancakes are done they expect to share the feast. This is a clever retelling of "The Little Red Hen" story.

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If you enjoy poetry, especially humorous poetry, you will particularly get a kick out of Jack Prelutsky's The New Kid on the Block. Mr. Prelutsky has created more than 100 original poems that address children's experiences. They talk about relationships between siblings and parents, about the new kid who just moved in on the block, about school situations, or about one's relationship with oneself. The poems encourage children to not take themselves overly seriously.

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What caused the children of Napville School to sit up and take notice of Officer Buckle and listen to his safety tips talk? The answer is Gloria, the police dog, and Officer Buckle's buddy. Officer Buckle and Gloria won the 1996 Caldecott Medal.

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Caldecott Honor winner Kevin Henkes expresses with humor and love how Owen learns to do without his beloved blanket and just in time for school.

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When Pedro and his friends are threatened by a hungry wolf, he keeps his wits and changes the wolf's mind about what he wants to eat.

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Philadelphia Chickens by Sandra Boynton is a rollicking kids music book/CD set. Performed by such notables as Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline the music will have your child clapping his hands and tapping her toes. The snappy lyrics and expressive illustrations by Boynton and the all-star cast of this children's set have made it a New York Times # 1 best seller.

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Jay is a boy enjoying the last summer days before the start of first grade. He finds a stone with a fern pattern on it, an arrowhead, a grey goose feather, and a cricket. On the first day of school he takes his friend cricket to school. His first day threatens to be disastrous as the cricket in his pocket begins to "fiddle" and disrupt class. But, an understanding, creative teacher turns a potential unhappy first day for Jay into a happy, exciting experience. This is a Caldecott 1965 Honor Book.

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Child music and lyrics book Rhinoceros Tap by Sandra Boynton with music by Michael Ford and Sandra Boynton is a deluxe illustrated song book/kids CD set the whole family will enjoy. Learn some new car-trip songs by reading the words on the brightly illustrated page and listening to the matching CD track> Learn to play the songs by reading the one-note melodies included with the text.

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Simeon's Gift is set in the days of long ago when castles dotted the countryside, knights rode forth on adventures for the king, and minstrels played their songs for princes and paupers alike. Simeon feels he has nothing of worth to offer his true love and sets out on a journey to find a gift worthy to give. Included is a CD, Julie Andrews, reader, Music Composed by Ian Fraser.

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Stella, who never shares her ribbon-winning raspberry pies and preserves with anyone, wonders what to do about a bear that starts stealing her berries.

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A young Haida prince washes ashore in an unfamiliar village inhabited by strange enormous creatures. There begins his spiritual adventure.

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Lucy receives a birthday invitation to a birthday party from a frog. A magic birthday hat and a finger of moonlight shrink Lucy to the size of a garden leaf. With lush watercolor paintings the young reader is drawn into the nighttime garden habitat of baby bird, Madame mouse, an enormous owl, and an inchworm. During her excursion she finds a lost treasure and restores it to its first owner.

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Little Hippo waits eagerly for the arrival of the Tooth Fairy and ends up making a final tooth-to-coin exchange for her.

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One bear follows one bee, but instead of honey, he finds trouble.

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This is a picture book about all aspects of music--about composers and instruments, about artists and performers, about its history, and about the feelings aroused in its hearers' minds and hearts.

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The thousands of children who begin ballet instruction every year (and the many who think they might like to) will love this wonderful introduction to ballet, with 42 fun pictures to color.