Books published by publisher Larch Books

Kids will really enjoy these 26 brightly illustrated projects. “There’s lots of fun to be had here, and it’s refreshing to see attractive finished products that look like youngsters have actually made them.”—Booklist. “Appealing....Ellis provides clear directions, uses simple procedures, suggests inexpensive tools, and usually offers several photo examples of completed projects.”—School Library Journal.

When the treat is sweet, children want to cook their own confections. And with this cheerful, beautifully designed kids’ cookbook—the fifth in Lark’s bestselling series—they can. Author Rose Dunnington is back once more, presenting a flavorsome and fun collection of recipes for what is unarguably the most anticipated course of the meal. A handy basics section gets beginners started, but with goodies such as snickerdoodles, chocolate mint cookies, hot cheesecake brownies, strawberry stickies, spumoni, and trifle, eating will be the best part of all. Also included is information on sugar substitutes, less fattening variations, and healthful options. Each recipe features helpful how-tos, and a color photo that will have children grabbing their mixing bowls.

Judith Rossell has created an exciting maze mission that will entice kids everywhere! With pencil (or pen for the brave) in hand, they’ll set out to rescue Doctor Fortuito, who’s lost somewhere deep in the jungle. And that means solvers will have to figure out a pathway through the dense foliage and across the lush, exotic terrain. Can they do it? Children will get help from the good Doctor’s notes on the cover gatefolds, and sneak past some pretty dangerous forest creatures and adventure towards the lost treasure that Fortuito was trying to find. Attractive picture-book quality art and an involving story create a wonderful challenge.

Crash, boom, bang: destroy! There's nothing children love more than the satisfying smash and bash of things being demolished. They always do it for sheer amusement; now they can do it in the name of science. Just imagine watching a marshmallow grow bigger and bigger: up to four times its size in the microwave. Will it blow up? Or crashing cardboard racecars powered by ordinary balloons, or launching homemade rockets. With over 50 mind-blowing, eye-popping experiments accompanied by safety precautions and commonsense advice, kids and parents are set for a smashing time!

Drawing in Color, the newest addition to the critically acclaimed Art for Kids collection, teaches children indispensable tricks and techniques for adding a rainbow of color to their work. It’s an entertaining combination of practical information and hands-on exercises. Budding artists will see how easy it can be to create original, vivid pictures using everything from colored pencils and markers to watercolor, pastel, and paint.

Is an oak tree blue? Or maybe a birch tree? Of course not! Trees are green. Right? Well--have you ever seen a blue tree? Teach your child about colors with this entertaining picture book! Can a Tree Be Blue? is a fun, brightly illustrated nature story for toddlers, preschoolers, and young readers. In this book, children will discover all the colors that a tree can be, while also learning how trees change throughout the year. Can a Tree Be Blue? focuses on a variety of common North American trees, but introduces children to ideas that can be explored anywhere in the world. So snuggle up to read this story--then take the adventure outside and search your own neighborhood for your local trees and their colors! Plus, find more great details to observe outdoors with the scavenger hunt included at the end of this book! For fans of Eric Carle's Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and Herve Tullet's Mix It Up, this is an early science/nature story written to engage young children and encourage them to explore the world around them. This book is an excellent resource for preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary students, for parents and teachers alike. Ideal for ages 3 to 8. Get it now and start exploring with your children!

Everyday pet or wild creature? When we think of hamsters, we imagine them domesticated, in cages, running around on exercise wheels. But did you know that they, along with some very close relatives, also live in the wild? From gerbils in Africa to guinea pigs in South America, these popular creatures are found all over the world. This newest volume in Lark’s superb science series—which includes the award-winning Is My Dog a Wolf?—lets kids take an up-close look at where these rodents live, what they eat, what their families are like, how they travel and communicate, and other fascinating behaviors. (Not only will children learn more about these animals in nature, they’ll get a better understanding of their tame cousins at the same time.) Most of the spreads are self-contained, so kids can either read from start to finish, or flip through and find out all about something specific. Sidebars, lots of engaging captions, bold headers, blurbs, and plenty of big, entertaining pictures of animals in action communicate concepts quickly and capture the attention.

they’re frighteningly adorable, and they’re about to conquer the world of kids’ crafts! Influenced by the popularity of Japanese animé, video-game culture, and urban illustration and design, lovable plush monsters have become a big new phenomenon. Yet they’re so simple to sew that kids can do it—as long as they have this book, the only one of its kind created just for children. Just take fabric, a needle and thread, and stuffing to make one of a dozen cute, odd, and irresistible projects: creatures fashioned from old clothes, sporting Velcro faces (change expressions everyday!), and that even do double duty as mp3 player covers, backpacks, and pillows. Sidebars offer amusing information about the critters’ names, skills, and tastes. Not only will kids have fun, they’ll learn how to work with patterns and master basic hand and machine sewing skills. And, because encouraging creativity is so important, the guide suggests variations so children can make one-of-a-kind creations.Featuring the illustrations and monster designs of John Murphy, author of Stupid Sock Creatures!

Join the animals at home! Just open this BIG, beautiful reference book that showcases wild creatures all around the world, nesting, burrowing, and building their shelters. Every child’s favorite animal is sure to be here, as well as some new friends they’ll enjoy meeting. Enter the cozy houses of rabbits, mice, moles, and platypuses; the intricate cities of bee hives and coral reefs; and unusual birds’ nests that are sewn together and decorated. The easy-to-read and well organized text—arranged by type of home, from beaver dams to ant hills—and vividly colored, realistic illustrations of animals in action are guaranteed to draw children in.

Any child who can make a stick figure can learn to create funny cartoons--and this enjoyably illustrated guide tells them exactly how. Written by professional cartoonist Art Roche, it gives kids lots of hands-on opportunities to turn their creative ideas into delightfully drawn reality. The emphasis is on doing original illustrations and developing a personal vision, rather than tracing or copying someone else's style; after all, cartooning is a free and fun form, so there's no "wrong" way to draw one. Roche also includes plenty of information that other children's how-to books overlook, including advice on writing jokes, composing panels, and getting published. In short, it addresses every step of the process, from buying a pencil to seeing the cartoons in print.