Books with author Amy Schwartz

A wry and affectionate look at the ups and downs of preschoolers in the big city."That's why they call permanent markers permanent," Harris' mother says as she surveys Harris and his best friend Ayana's handiwork in his bedroom. In 13 illustrated vignettes, young Harris gets into big and little adventures at home, at best friend Ayana's house, and throughout his diverse city neighborhood. Inspired by her own child, celebrated author-illustrator Amy Schwartz captures a preschooler's sense of wonder and possibility, such as when Harris and Ayana vow to keep holding hands "forever and ever"--even while riding stampeding elephants.A Junior Library Guild Selection

In the grand tradition of “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” comes an uplifting tribute to 100 everyday things worth celebrating. The list, in rhyming couplets, draws directly from a preschool­er’s world—from slippery floors to dinosaurs, from goldfish to a birthday wish. Amy Schwartz weaves a masterful balance between art and text, with each of the 100 items portrayed as its own well-observed and warmly detailed vignette. While the contents provide readers with a frame of reference for the quantity of “100”—a celebratory milestone in preschools and early elementary grades—the oversized pages envelop young children in the wonderful things surrounding them.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Set (Books 1, 2, and 3) Collected from Folklore and Retold by Alvin Schwartz Perfect for reading aloud, these thrilling and chilling collections bring readers one short, suspense-filled tale after another. These copies are Included in the lot: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (Book 1) More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (Book 2) Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones (Book 3)

An exuberant celebration of busy babies on the move! Busy babies have so much to do, from blowing bubbles to making trouble, whether they are in buggies or in snugglies! Join a rambunctious group of little ones as they go about the day, doing all of the wonderful things babies do. This adorable picture book features bouncy, rhyming text that makes it the perfect read-aloud to share with the busy baby in your life.

Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark opens with a legend similar to my scar-inducing "Tailypo," "The Big Toe." Less sinister than severing a woodland creature's tail, in Schwartz's version, a little boy innocently uncovers a large toe sticking up in the garden. Not exploring further, he wrenches it from the ground (or a corpse) and gives it to his mother to cook, as one does. After dinner and settling into bed for sleep and digesting, a voice stalks the house, calling out for its missing toe. Whether zombie or ghost we can't be sure, as some versions end with the storyteller pouncing on a listener, and others with a figure in the chimney who returns the favor of having its toe consumed by eating the little boy. This is the perfect opening for a book set to scar children for life, because what is scarier than the idea of being devoured? Children know they won't stay children forever, that the ever-looming threat of adulthood stands in the shadows, ready to devour playtime and naps. To a child, play is synonymous with the self, and therefore maturity threatens to consume that self. Don't even have a taste of that toe, kids - once adulthood knows you're there, it will come knocking, forks drawn. As a child, I feared being devoured literally thanks to Tailypo and the grandma-eating Big Bad Wolf. As I got older this fear evolved into a biologically absurd terror at sharks that (I believed) swam in the freshwater lakes where my family would water-ski. In high school, my Asian Studies teacher gave a lecture on the film Jaws and the great white as metaphor for our own terror at things deep (and buried - like a corpse!) in our psyche rising up from the darkness to consume us, transforming us into the monsters we know we're capable of being, (the fact that the shark was a great white shark devouring victims is a post for another day). At 17, this lecture blew my mind and resparked my interest in horror,

In the grand tradition of “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” comes an uplifting tribute to 100 everyday things worth celebrating. The list, in rhyming couplets, draws directly from a preschool­er’s world—from slippery floors to dinosaurs, from goldfish to a birthday wish. Amy Schwartz weaves a masterful balance between art and text, with each of the 100 items portrayed as its own well-observed and warmly detailed vignette. While the contents provide readers with a frame of reference for the quantity of “100”—a celebratory milestone in preschools and early elementary grades—the oversized pages envelop young children in the wonderful things surrounding them.Praise for 100 Things That Make Me HappySTARRED REVIEW "A fun, engaging read." --School Library Journal, starred review

Sara has had a terrible day, and to top it off, her teacher has chosen her to create the most wonderful painting for the second -- grade art show. Sara decides to paint the entire universe, but how does she begin to paint something that is so big? Everyone has advice for Sara, but it is up to her to figure out how to begin. Sara discovers that procrastination and creative block are part of the process of starting her picture, as any artist knows. Begin at the Beginning offers a universal message about creativity and how every little artist experiences life.

Henry's day is full.From breakfast to bedtime there is fun with his friends in their small red brick building.There are steps out front to count climbing up and to count coming down.On the street there's the garbage man and a tow truck to watch.And just around the corner there's a playground and even more friends.Fullness makes Henry's day (and every day for Henry) simply GLORIOUS.