Books published by publisher Orchard (NY)

PreS-K. "Racers . . . Start your engines!!!" And the Wildlife 500 is off! With new words that swing to the rhythm of "The Wheels on the Bus," Zane moves the favorite song from school bus to a racetrack run by a zoo full of animals. Zane squeezes more words into the refrain than the original song, requiring some verbal dexterity to stay on beat, especially in the opening line: "The wheels on the race car go ROUND and ROUND." There may also be a few too many verses to maintain listeners' interest. But the words, filled with the "VROOM-VROOM-VROOM" of the motors and "SWISH-SWISH-SWISH" of the checkered flag will easily capture children, as will Warhola's wonderful pencil-and-watercolor illustrations. Thrilling, full-page spreads of wildly colored cars and winsome animal drivers show the action from the mechanics' pit, the riotous stands, and even the driver's seat. Endpapers feature drawings of a goofy mutt demonstrating the hand gestures that can accompany each verse. A sure-fire hit for rowdy read-alouds. Gillian Engberg Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved

Enter the charming world of Belle and Boo, a bob-haired little girl and her adorable bunny friend. Follow the adventures of this curious pair as they enjoy the simple pleasures of childhood, drawing us into a magical world of imagination and discovery. Today is an extra-special day - it's someone's birthday! Belle and Boo know just how to get ready for birthdays - they make a card, bake a cake and blow up balloons. But whose birthday could it be? And what is the special surprise that Belle has planned? This beautifully-produced picture book comes with a free limited-edition Belle & Boo art print.

Dirk Lloyd, the Dark Lord trapped in the body of a weedy schoolboy, returns in another darkly hilarious adventure... Brilliantly funny and subversive, this is the Funny Prize-winning Jamie Thomson at his best.Sooz, a 13 yr old girl from Surrey has become the Dark Mistress of Dirk's other worldly kingdom, the Darklands. Thanks to the Ring of Power given to her by Dirk, his minions recognise her as their ruler. Sooz immediately sets about redecorating Dirk's Dark Tower to the taste of a young girl.But Sooz has to face her toughest challenge when an army of fanatical paladins and orcs gather to march against her. Despite their centuries of hostility to each other, they prefer to form an alliance rather than accept Sooz's new regime.And what of Dirk? He continues on slaving away at school, plotting ways to rescue Sooz. Eventually he is able to advise her on life in the Darklands and Sooz is able to hold back the fanatical paladins.

Exploring art is fun in Mayhew's fourth book about a little girl who jumps into paintings. Children will come away with a deeper appreciation for fine art, as they join in Katie's museum romp.It's a Sunday afternoon, and Katie is bored. But Grandma knows just what will cheer her up -- a visit to the art museum. There, Katie once again finds herself on an unbelievable adventure through the paintings of renowned post-impressionist painters Georges-Pierre Seurat, Camille Pissarro, and Paul Signac. Children will enjoy learning about art, as they join in on Katie's exciting journey.

From the best-selling illustrator of GIRAFFES CAN'T DANCE, Guy Parker-Rees, comes a silly story about a young hippo trying to be everything he's not.Portly didn't ask to be a hippo; he was just born that way. And frankly, he's starting to find being a hippo kind of boring - standing in the water all day up to his eyeballs, eating grass - no fun at all! So he embarks on a journey to figure out just what kind of animal to be, and along the way, meets all kinds of creatures.As he tries to do everything they do, this heartwarming story of a youngster searching for his identity and trying to be somebody he's not will strike a chord with all readers. Repetitive, silly text and bright illustrations make HIPPO-NOT-AMUS an infectiously fun read.

If Laurie Berkner is a rock star for kids, Victor Vito is her anthem! Packaged with a CD single of this huge hit song, the book, hilariously illustrated by Henry Cole, is destined to become a classic!This road trip book, packaged with a CD for the ride, begins when Victor Vito and Freddie Vasco leave their failed Klondike Cafe in search of zesty new foods from around the 50 states. Along the way, they stop in New Mexico for burritos, South Carolina for rutabagas and collard greens, and NYC's Little Italy for the spaghetti that made this song famous!In the end, when the townsfolk cheer the return of Victor and Freddie, kids and parents will celebrate, too, as their favorite song becomes their favorite new book!

Tom is back in the Quest of his life - and the fate of all the world is at stake! Evil Malvel has stolen the priceless Warlock's Staff which will allow him to rule every kingdom. If he reaches the Eternal Flame in the mysterious realm of Seraph, he will become all-powerful. Stout-hearted Tom has sworn never to let that happen. If Malvel wants to conquer the entire world, he must first overcome Avantia's plucky young hero. But can Tom defend himself in mortal combat with six appalling new Beasts? If he fails, all the world will fall under Malvel's wicked thrall... Shudder as the stakes shoot higher than ever in the ninth nerve-racking series of Beast Quest! This pack contains 6 paperbacks: Koraka The Winged Assassin; Minos The Demon Bull; Silver The Wild Terror; Spikefin The Water King; Torpix The Twisting Serpent; Ursus The Clawed Roar.