Books with title A Spy in the Neighborhood

Playground songs and classroom songs, silly songs and sweet songs, wake-up songs and bedtime songs . . . Every day, children, parents, friends, brothers, and sisters sing songs to one another. Nina Crews brings her energetic style of illustration to this collection of thirty-four perennial favorites. From "Miss Mary Mack" (watching fireworks from her balcony) to "London Bridge" (built by a brother and sister in the living room) to "Skip to My Lou" (in a rolling green park), the songs make this companion to the acclaimed The Neighborhood Mother Goose a treasure for every child in every neighborhood.

In a book as beautiful as it is informative, author and nature artist Gordon Morrison reveals the diversity and abundance of life that can be found as nearby as your own backyard. As the seasons change, readers learn how the stories and life cycles of each of the plants and animal families in the neighborhood change too. Filled with lovely, detailed illustrations and overflowing with information, Nature in the Neighborhood invites readers to look closely and enjoy the beauty of nature all around them.

Maybe the first "How come?" question is "How come these books do so well?" And the answer is in how they satiate every boy and girl's insatiable curiosity about the world around them. Crack science writer Kathy Wollard answers those sneakily simple questions that ambush even the most erudite moms and dads. Like: "Why do apples turn brown when cut?" Or "Why do we get dizzy from spinning around on the playground?" Or "How can a fly walk up the kitchen wall?" The 125 questions are all derived from the experiences central to a kid's world—stuff that happens at home, in the backyard, at school, on vacation. There are the inevitable insect questions—"Why do bees die after they sting someone?" (the honeybee's stinger is barbed, and can't detach from the bee without pulling out its venom sac, a fatal injury). Food questions—"Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?" (a fruit, in fact a berry). Science questions—"We used dry ice in our school play to make fog. How does it do that?" (Unlike water, carbon dioxide goes straight from gas to solid and back—when frozen as dry ice, it "melts" into fog.) And the classic: "Why can't we tickle ourselves?" (Tickling depends on the element of surprise—and the brain can't surprise itself.)

The Old Neighborhood introduces a group of 8- to 12-year-old boys growing up in the 1950’s. Their leader is Oliver, better known as “The Big O,” who is large not only in size, but in loudness of mouth. The boys are Eddie, Jimmy, Skinny, Phil, Harold, and Ernie. Another boy, technically not a member, is the mysterious John Allen. Although young in years, his wisdom is recognized by the children and their parents. Rumors of his mystic powers circulate through the neighborhoods as he “must be about my father’s business.” Through the six stories, the reader learns lessons in sharing (“The Street Fair”); helping one’s neighbor (“The Court”); dealing with dangerous challenges (“Running the Bridges”); getting along with the elderly (“The Letter”); overcoming one’s inner fears (“Ernie’s Streetcar Adventure”); and learning not to disobey a parent’s instructions (“The Big O: Discus Thrower”).