Books with author Heather Tekavec

When the old zookeeper moved the monkeys to a cage next to the picnic area, she didn’t know the trouble it would cause … The little monkeys are fascinated by the children’s behavior, and before long they are imitating the children! They play quietly, pick up their banana peels and chew with their mouths closed. Mother Monkey can’t stand it! “Try to behave like monkeys!” she shouts, but to no avail. The children who visit the zoo aren’t happy either: watching well-behaved monkeys is no fun at all. What’s a zookeeper to do?Children will go ape over the way the tables are turned in this playful picture book. Always topical, the theme of manners and behavior is an essential element of school readiness preparation for preschoolers. A laugh-out-loud tale that is sure to bring out the monkey in everyone!

The farmer’s depending on Max to find the thief who’s been eating the carrots, berries, beans and cherries. So when the determined dog spies a bug chewing on a carrot leaf, the chase is on. But as Max follows the suspect, several farm friends offer to help … between bites of familiar-looking snacks. Will Max catch the thief before all the food is gone? Young readers will find it hard to resist helping Max in his dogged, but perhaps misguided, pursuit.

The old zookeeper has no idea how much trouble it will cause when she moves the monkeys into a cage near the picnic and play areas. Now the monkeys can watch the children up close, and they find the children so fascinating that before long, they start behaving just like them! Mother Monkey is not amused. When she sees her little monkeys chewing with their mouths closed, she demands to know what's going on. ?We are using good manners,? they say. ?Manners are not for monkeys,? Mother tells them. But it's no use. In fact, her little monkeys won't do any monkey things anymore --- no more swinging all at once from the branches, screeching or tossing their banana peels on the ground. Is there anything Mother Monkey can do to get them to behave like ?good little monkeys? again? This funny picture book by Heather Tekavec turns the topic of manners and behavior on its head and offers a clever, non-preachy way to begin discussions with preschoolers and kindergartners about social skills and self-control --- key skills for school readiness. The expressive faces of both the monkeys and the children speak volumes in the lively, detailed illustrations by David Huyck, adding to the fun. This book makes a wonderful choice for a pre-reader storytime.

Think animals are all well-behaved? Think again. These thirteen play dirty. But they're about to get caught!A fish who deceives her prey with a light dangling in front of her mouth? A bird who leaves her eggs in another bird's nest to be raised? A monkey who shouts ?Danger? to scare away the others from the fruit? Meet some of the animal kingdom's most wanted criminals! Slippery Slick, Queenie the Meanie, Lil' Cupid --- they're all here in this hilarious book of animal case files that include rap sheets, mug shots, reports of criminal activity and more. All thirteen animals stand accused of playing dirty, but now that Detective X is hot on their trail, their criminal days may soon be behind them!Author Heather Tekavec offers an original approach to investigating animal behavior, with a fun storyline built on hardcore facts. Paired with Susan Batori's cheeky illustrations, this is a laugh-out-loud read that explores fascinating animal science. Each animal ?criminal? gets a spread that's filled with facts about the animal's characteristics, including distinguishing features, diet, life span, habitat and more, as well as a description of the animal's ?bad? behavior and the reason behind it. This book offers direct STEAM links to life science curriculum, particularly lessons on the characteristics of living things. The underlying premise of the book also offers the opportunity for discussions on what it means to play fair in the world.

?Max,? said the farmer to his dog one day, ?can you catch a thief?? Of course! He can catch anything! And Max eagerly sets off on a quest to find the culprit who has been stealing the farmer's fruits and vegetables. Within moments, the dog is confident he has spotted the thief --- a tiny blue bug, working on a carrot top. ?Stop, thief!? Max cries as the bug flies away. Undaunted, Max chases after the bug, from the carrots to the berries to the beans and the cherries, until, eventually, Max watches in satisfaction as the bug flies away over the farm fence. What Max totally misunderstands in his enthusiasm, however --- and what youngsters will figure out right away --- is that the tiny blue bug isn't the thief at all. The real thieves are hiding in plain sight, right under his nose! Author Heather Tekavec has created a perfect storytime choice in this fun and funny picture book, as the kid appeal of being ?in the know? while the lovable dog remains clueless will surely invite repeated readings. This story provides an excellent opportunity for discussions about jumping to conclusions and blaming others, or even about life on a farm. It also offers terrific lessons for building early literacy skills, such as moving beyond what is strictly presented in the text and critically thinking about what can be observed in the exuberant and friendly artwork by illustrator Pierre Pratt.