Books in First Flight series

Richard Thompson and Maggee Spicer join forces with Kim LaFave in this colorful tour of the seas. The young narrator and his friends, Maggee and Jesse, travel to a myriad of places to look at sea life that is every color of the rainbow. Children will delight in the pink octopus, the blue manatee, and the orange barracuda, to name but a few. Richard Thompson and Maggee Spicer have created a rhythmic poem (in the same vein as their ealier collaboration, Fishes in the Ocean) that will encourage the very youngest of new readers. Together with Kim La Fave's bold and playful illustrations, this delightful poem will make a fine book To show what we'll see, When we all go sailing On the rainbow seas.

Omar loves drawing pictures and wishes he could be as good at it as his classmate Elsie. But his teacher, Ms. Fudge, can never figure out what Omar's pictures are- no matter how hard she tries. When the whole class goes ice skating, however, Omar's true talent emerges. He shows Elsie how he can glide and whirl and spin. After all, it's easy when you don't worry and just have fun. And the whole class discovers with Omar that there is more than one way to draw pictures. Shortlisted for the Mr. Christie's Book Award honouring Canada's Best Children's Books for 1999 TD Canadian Children's Grade One Book

Omar loves drawing pictures and wishes he could be as good at it as his classmate Elsie. But his teacher, Ms. Fudge, can never figure out what Omar's pictures are- no matter how hard she tries. When the whole class goes ice skating, however, Omar's true talent emerges. He shows Elsie how he can glide and whirl and spin. After all, it's easy when you don't worry and just have fun. And the whole class discovers with Omar that there is more than one way to draw pictures. Shortlisted for the Mr. Christie's Book Award honouring Canada's Best Children's Books for 1999 TD Canadian Children's Grade One Book

Someone left the back door open, and Dad thought he saw the tip of a tail. "Andrew!" Dad yelled. "Catch that cat!" Join Andrew as a simple search for a missing cat turns into a wild adventure -- and turns the neighbourhood upside down. From wet cement to buttercream frosting, you'll laugh at the mess and you'll love Andrew's clever clean-up solution.

David McPhail has done it again - Fox and Rabbit are the newest characters to join his irresistible menagerie. These three simple stories of fun and friendship are told with all the warmth, charm and humour we've come to expect from this acclaimed author. John O'Conner's whimsical illustrations successfully introduce the two friends, Fox and Rabbit, to the minds of the youngest readers.

Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice, 2007 Matthew loves his art class, but he hates trying to find a way home without running into the neighbourhood bully, Big Mike. Later, as Matthew watches his favourite wrestling show, he sees a tag team dressed like artists. It gets him thinking. Maybe, if he drinks enough milk, he'll be strong enough to become a wrestler one day. But later, as Matthew drifts off to sleep, he becomes convinced that muscles alone won't do it - he needs a good costume! Then he can take care of Big Mike. Before he knows it, Matthew is in the middle of another midnight adventure. He meets up with Tooloose the Wrecker, a wrestler who is looking for a partner. Before he knows it Matthew is now called Slap Dash the Masher, and he is about to enter the ring in his first tag team fight. This is no ordinary wrestling match. All the wrestlers are artists, and they have the craziest costumes. But during the main event, Matthew has to face the Masked Marvel, who looks suspiciously like someone Matthew knows. Another wild and imaginative adventure that could only happen after bedtime, Matthew and the Midnight Wrestlers is a fun and fast-paced story for beginner readers who are ready for an early chapter book.

Matthew's latest ambition is to become a firefighter. So that evening, when he and his mother enjoy a July long-weekend barbecue, Matthew supervises his mother carefully. "These coals stay hot for a very long time," he reminds her. After watching the fireworks, Matthew goes to bed, still thinking about fire safety as he hears the sound of the last hissing rockets zoom up into the sky. Before he knows it, Matthew is wide-awake. A rocket streaks through his window and lands on the floor, hissing, burning, and just about to explode! Quickly Matthew douses the flames with a glass of water, and immediately, a fireman climbs up a ladder and jumps in through the window. Praising the boy's quick thinking, he recruits Matthew for the Midnight Fire Department. And not a moment too soon. A call comes in from the fire hall, Matthew grabs his boots and his new firefighter hat, and AWAY THEY GO! A wild and imaginative adventure that could only happen after bedtime, Matthew and the Midnight Firefighter is a fast-paced story for beginner readers who are almost ready for longer chapter books. Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice, 2005