The winter solstice--the shortest day of the year--marks the beginning of the coldest, darkest season. Discover the scientific reasons for this phenomenon and learn how cultures past and present have celebrated it.

Exuberant and funny--kids will love this version of the familiar story for its humor and vibrant artwork. --School Library Journal

In Cinder Edna, Ellen Jackson and Kevin O'Malley team up to bring young readers the delightful story of what can be done without the help of a fairy godmother.

Once upon a time there were two girls who lived next door to each other. Cinder Edna was forced to work for her wicked stepmother and stepsisters, just as her neighbor, Cinderella, was.

Edna, on the other hand, had learned a thing or two from doing all that housework, such as how to make tuna casserole sixteen different ways and how to get spots off everything from rugs to ladybugs. And she was strong and spunky and knew some good jokes.

Then one day the king announced that he would give a ball ...

Humans aren't the only ones that use tools

Simple, rhyming text introduces eleven animals around the world and the surprising tools they use, including an octopus that hides in a coconut, a dolphin that protects its nose with a sponge, and a deer that bedecks its antlers with heaping piles of mud and grass. Secondary text offers further information about these crafty creatures. Back matter includes an author note on tools and the science of animal behavior, information on the habitats of each species, and further reading for kids and adults. Perfect for budding zoologists.

It's back to school we go!

The first day of school is an event that brings mixed emotions to children everywhere. There is excitement in seeing old friends, and it's nice to begin a new year with a new teacher and good intentions. But first day feelings are mixed. Will last year's friends still be friends? What if the new teacher doesn't like me? Or what if the work is too hard?

Ellen Jackson and Jan Davey Ellis portray children from eleven different countries experiencing their first day back at school. Each child's first-person account is enhanced by a fact box that tells us something about the culture from which the child speaks, so that the reader is able to compare and contrast the experiences of children from different parts of the world.

In words and pictures, the author and artist have captured the diversity of children's school experiences, while at the same time capturing how much the world's children have in common.

From wriggling chicks to jumpy kangaroos, this hilarious rhyming picture book showcases different kinds of babies, all of which are perfectly, adorably beastly!

Making mischief, having fun
each is precious, every one.
In a knoll, a hole, or nest,
Mamas love their babies best.

In this delightful rhyming read-aloud, author Ellen Jackson and illustrator Brendan Wenzel introduce readers to all sorts of mischievous baby animals--and the grown-ups who love them no matter what. Featuring puppies that slobber, kittens who spill, and young gorillas who won't sit still, this book is sure to resonate with beastly babies of all ages--and their exasperated moms and dads, too!

Dive into this fascinating counting journey through the amazing and mysterious world of octopuses.

Everyone knows octopuses have eight arms. But did you know that they have three hearts and nine brains? This intriguing exploration of octopuses goes through numbers one to ten, with a snappy rhyme and fascinating octopus facts for each number. The book also includes octopus crafts and activities for more learning fun!

This sweet board book about animal friendships shows us that from elephants to otters, everybody needs a buddy

Everybody needs a buddy,
whether clean or green or muddy
Everybody needs a friend,
true and blue who's not pretend.

If a baby's on the ground,
elephants will gather round.
Trying hard to help him stand,
friendly trunks can lend a hand.

This charming board book about friendship highlights the ways animals care for each other Sweet, silly, and all true, these friendships are described in ways that children will understand. With perfect rhyming text from Ellen Jackson and bright illustrations from Maddie Frost, it's very clear: everybody needs a buddy

Exuberant and funny--kids will love this version of the familiar story for its humor and vibrant artwork. --School Library Journal

In Cinder Edna, Ellen Jackson and Kevin O'Malley team up to bring young readers the delightful story of what can be done without the help of a fairy godmother.

Once upon a time there were two girls who lived next door to each other. Cinder Edna was forced to work for her wicked stepmother and stepsisters, just as her neighbor, Cinderella, was.

Edna, on the other hand, had learned a thing or two from doing all that housework, such as how to make tuna casserole sixteen different ways and how to get spots off everything from rugs to ladybugs. And she was strong and spunky and knew some good jokes.

Then one day the king announced that he would give a ball ...

The universe is rapidly expanding. Of that much scientists are certain. But how fast? And with what implications regarding the fate of the universe?
Ellen Jackson and Nic Bishop follow Dr. Alex Fillippenko and his High-Z Supernova Search Team to Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii, where they will study space phenomena and look for supernovae, dying stars that explode with the power of billions of hydrogen bombs. Dr. Fillippenko looks for black holes--areas in space with such a strong gravitational pull that no matter or energy can escape from them--with his robotic telescope. And they study the effects of dark energy, the mysterious force that scientists believe is pushing the universe apart, causing its constant and accelerating expansion.

The popular Social Studies Connects series links history, geography, civics and economics to kids' daily lives. Featuring stories with diverse characters who face situations young readers can relate to, these books support reading and social studies skills including researching, inferring, comparing, and communication. An activity to stimulate curiosity about the world is included in each book!

Zack's cupcake went missing, and someone ate the evidence. Is Tyler innocent--or guilty? Only the Student Court can decide! (Social Studies Topic: Civics/Justice System)

Travel back in time to meet eleven children, each from the turn of a different century. Each century of the second millennium is brought vividly to life by a child of the period. Intriguing facts complement their stories, and richly detailed illustrations serve up a visual feast that holds a few surprises for the careful observer.

Dig these crafty creatures

We all use tools every day: a pen to write a story, a paint brush to illustrate a book, a fork to eat dinner. But it's not just humans who use tools.

Chimpanzees often poke sticks, straw, or blades of grass into termite mounds to draw out insects for a tasty treat. Veined octopuses have been observed carrying coconut shells--they crawl inside them and hide from predators when they need a rest. A New Caledonian crow can even bend a twig with its beak to use as a hook to dig out bugs.

Scientists don't all agree on what counts as a tool, but young readers will be inspired to observe the animals that live around them and how they use various objects to find food, to attract a mate, to protect themselves, or to build or conceal a home.

Renn Benoit's illustrations get closeup with each animal, exploring habitats, the special problems they face, and the ways they solve these problems--either by intelligence or instinct. Tooling Around: Crafty Creatures and the Tools They Use is a wonderful introduction to the animal kingdom and the many different ways animals survive.