Books published by publisher Dragonfly Books Nov - 1998

What do monsters eat?The waitress in this restaurant just doesn’t have a clue.Monsters don’t eat broccoli!How could she think we do?In this rollicking picture book written by Barbara Jean Hicks and illustrated by Sue Hendra, monsters insist they don’t like broccoli. They’d rather snack on tractors or a rocket ship or two, or tender trailer tidbits, or a wheely, steely stew. But boy do those trees they’re munching on look an awful lot like broccoli. Maybe vegetables aren’t so bad after all!This hilarious book will have youngsters laughing out loud and craving healthy monster snacks of their own.

Shake, clap, jump, and wiggle your way through this classic Raffi sing-along book!Join a group of happy campers on a fun moonlit night in beloved Raffi Song to Read. The rhythm, rhyme, and repetition of singing support and encourage speech and listening skills, and lay the foundations for later reading. This paperback edition includes sheet music for singing and playing along!

A little girl longs to see beyond the scary sights on the sidewalk and the angry scribbling in the halls of her building. When her teacher writes the word beautiful on the blackboard, the girl decides to look for something beautiful in her neighborhood. Her neighbors tell her about their own beautiful things. Miss Delphine serves her a “beautiful” fried fish sandwich at her diner. At Mr. Lee’s “beautiful” fruit store, he offers her an apple. Old Mr. Sims invites her to touch a smooth stone he always carries. Beautiful means “something that when you have it, your heart is happy,” the girl thinks. Her search for “something beautiful” leaves her feeling much happier. She has experienced the beauty of friendship and the power of hope.

Raffi's most popular and beloved song about the "little white whale on the go" is available in a sturdy board book edition--just the right size for babies and toddlers!Singing supports and encourages even the youngest child's speech and listening skills, which makes Baby Beluga perfect for early learning. Join this adorable baby whale in a busy day at sea, culminating in a warm mother-child bedtime ending. With its delightful illustrations, this is the ideal sing-along for a whole new generation of readers.

A hilarious book about manners for ages 3-6A little girl is shopping in a grocery store when--surprise!--she meets a dinosaur. Don't worry. The dinosaur is very friendly. She's polite, too. In this funny story, told in lilting read-aloud rhyme, the girl has numerous opportunities to be helpful to the clumsy shopping dino and demonstrate when to say "thank you," "excuse me," "I'm sorry," "You're welcome," and other niceties of life. Tim Bowers's whimsical illustrations bring an extra dimension of fun to Judy Sierra's hilarious picture book fantasy. Altogether, Suppose You Meet a Dinosaur is an entertaining and painless way to show preschoolers why basic manners are a good thing to have.

"A fresh and moving story of a mother's dedication to acquire a coat for her daughter in post-World War II hard times. Anna's mother decides to trade the few valuables she has left for wool and for the services of a spinner, a weaver, and a tailor. Lobel's pictures do a tremendous job of evoking the period. Insightful and informative, this may make children consider how precious the ordinary can become in times of turmoil."--(starred review) Booklist

This board book featuring a counting song by Raffi makes the perfect "addition" to your springtime reading list! Babies and toddlers willl love counting down as first five little ducks, then four, then three, then two, then one go out to play, not to return. Mother Duck waits until spring returns and with it her five ducks, all grown up-along with their new families of baby ducks. With sweet illustrations by veteran children's book artists Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey, this lovely counting song will invoke squeals of delight. Sheet music is included in this paperback edition, perfect for singing and playing along!

With the help of Miss Brooks, Missy’s classmates all find books they love in the library—books about fairies and dogs and trains and cowboys. But Missy dismisses them all—“Too flowery, too furry, too clickety, too yippity.”Still, Miss Brooks remains undaunted. Book Week is here and Missy will find a book to love if they have to empty the entire library. What story will finally win over this beastly, er, discriminating child? William Steig’s Shrek!—the tale of a repulsive green ogre in search of a revolting bride—of course!Barbara Bottner and Michael Emberley pay playful homage to the diverse tastes of child readers and the valiant librarians who are determined to put just the right book in each child’s hands.

When rain comes to the parched African savanna, the animals use all their senses to track the storm. The porcupine smells rain in the air. The zebras see lightning. The baboons hear thunder. The rhino feels the first drops. And the lion tastes the cool water. For a time, the grasslands abound with new green leaves, juicy fruits, and fresh pools of water. But soon the hot sun dries out the land, and the animals must again wait for the next big rain.Manya Stojic's picture book debut is as satisfying and refreshing as the rain she describes. With paintings that are exuberant and saturated with color and a simple text that rolls off the tongue with pleasure and ease, here is a book parents and teachers will enjoy sharing again and again.

A book for every patriotic American kid! Never before has the riveting American saga of "The Star-Spangled Banner" been so beautifully and thoroughly presented. This info-packed story of our national anthem includes:★ Illustrated lyrics★ The fascinating history of the War of 1812 and the battle that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the words★ Musical notation★ Historical images★ A reproduction of Key's original manuscriptCaldecott Medalist Peter Spier's magnificent tribute takes readers from our anthem's turbulent origins at the Battle of Baltimore through the flag's significance in modern-day America. It's a must-have for every American family's library.★ A Bank Street Book of the Year★ An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists"Spier . . . is one of our finest creators of children's books alive."—The New York Times Book Review"Beautifully illustrated by the award-winning artist."—Publishers Weekly

Virginia Hamilton's Coretta Scott King Honor book is the breathtaking fantasy tale of slaves who possessed ancient magic that enabled them to fly away to freedom. And it is a moving tale of those who did not have the opportunity to “fly” away, who remained slaves with only their imaginations to set them free as they told and retold this tale.Leo and Diane Dillon's powerful illustrations accompany Hamilton's voice as it sings out from the pages with the soaring cadences that echo the story tellers of her childhood as the granddaughter of a fugitive slave. Awards for The People Could Fly collection: A Coretta Scott King Award A Booklist Children’s Editors’ Choice A School Library Journal Best Books of the Year A Horn Book Fanfare An ALA Notable Book An NCTE Teachers’ Choice A New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books of the Year