Books in My First Story series

Learn how to play chess—the world’s most popular board game!Chess is easy to learn, and anyone can play it. Jessica E Prescott teaches you how you can get good at it—and start winning. Improve your skills through 35 fun activities—this isn’t just a textbook about the rules of the game! Why not have a game of Pawn Football (pawns line up at their starting rank and race to the other side), or do the Queen Dance (make a checkmate using only a queen and king)? Try Scholar’s Mate—the four-move checkmate every beginner needs to know—and when you’re really good, play Bughouse, a crazy four-person game with two chess sets. All the activities have clear, colorful artworks so you can see exactly where pieces should be on the chessboard. There are also helpful hints and tips throughout, and if you’ve ever forgotten how a piece moves or need to brush up on a rule, look at the Starting Out section for a reminder.

Encourage your children to get outside and enjoy the benefits of outdoor living with 'My First Camping Book'.Start with 'Getting Ready to Camp' and plan everything you need to take with you, and why not make a camp diary before you go so you can record every camping trip? Once you arrive at your campsite, you will find out how to identify a good place to camp, how to put up your tent, and the best way to store your food. Once you’ve pitched your tent, learn how to make a campfire (with the help of an adult!)—the recipes in 'Campsite Cooking' are full of fun treats such as hot dogs, s'mores, and fire-baked apples. You’ll never get bored with 'Camping Activities', which has tips on how to climb trees safely, instructions on how to make a sundial, and insider knowledge on animal tracking. In 'When the Sun Goes Down', you will learn how to become an expert in shadow-puppets, how to identify different stars and constellations, and there are tips on how to tell a really scary ghost story. So roll up your sleeping bag, don’t forget your binoculars and start planning your next camping trip!

Looking for a traditional and charming rendition of the Christmas story to read to a 4-to 7-year old in your life? Tim Dowley's My First Story of Christmas retells the biblical account in simple terms, complete with bright, cheery illustrations that are sure to put a smile on the face of the reader. This Christmas, give the children in your life the best gift of all--a story that explains the reason for the season. Make this the Christmas book that your children will treasure for years. They'll read it over and over again each holiday season.

Following the success of My First Classical Music Book, author Genevieve Helsby and illustrator Jason Chapman return with My First Piano Book. Bursting with life and humor, this is a uniquely comprehensive introduction to the piano, designed first and foremost to inspire. Text and illustrations are so perfectly in tune with each other that every page is a treat to explore. With a cast of animal characters showing what they know (and what they don't!), this truly is both informative and great fun. Book and two CDs, with online music, and narration. Part 1: Why is the Piano So Special? How the piano works and sounds. 23 music tracks including: Bach - Prelude in C; Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 21; Joplin - The Entertainer; Debussy - Clair de lune; Faure - Berceuse; John Cage - Perilous Night No. 6; Satie - Gymnopedie No. 1 Part 2: How Do I Play It? A clear introduction to playing the piano. Play along with 12 specially written pieces with Guide Me narration option.

Young readers can learn all about what happens at swim class in this Pre-level 1 Ready-to-Read with sweet text and photographs of swimmers-in-training!It’s the first day of swim class in this early reader by Biscuit creator Alyssa Satin Capucilli. What will it be like? In swim class, students learn to blow bubbles, float on their backs, kick their legs, and to only swim when an adult or lifeguard is watching. Young readers will love seeing kids their age practice swimming in this adorable introduction to the sport! Includes a special section of step-by-step instructions for basic swim strokes—to be done with a parent or guardian’s supervision.

Learn how to create your first pieces of art with these 35 brilliant projects!This book will show you all the different ways you can make fabulous pictures that you will be proud of. You’ll find lots of ideas in Pretty Prints—from using sponge cloths to bubble wrap and potatoes. Then have fun trying out the projects in Painting Fun, where you can get messy with the ink blot aliens and wet tissue paper pictures, and create fabulous pictures like the oil pastel owl. In Beach and Vacation Art, you can make use of natural materials that you find while you’re playing, such as driftwood and shells, plus have a go at the seagull postcards to send to your friends. Finally, use scraps of paper, photos, and magazine pages in Paper and Collage Art for super creations, including a photo collage that would be a great gift and homemade picture frames to display all your new pieces of art. All the projects are easy to follow with adorable artworks to guide you along the way; plus, each one has a grade so you can start with the easiest and then move on as your artistic skills develop.

Sweet text from bestselling author Alyssa Satin Capucilli takes readers through their very first day at ballet class! This 9 x 9 paper-over-board book features striking photographs and whimsical drawn images. Cardstock pages with large fold-out panels feature detailed step-by-step instructions for each ballet position. Each cardstock page folds out into a large 18 x 18 inch page that reveals detailed descriptions of actual dance instructions! The story of Miss Lavender and her young ballerinas will entice young readers to emulate their simple movements again and again! Thanks to this interactive book, aspiring ballerinas can practice their dance steps wherever they go!

Looking for a traditional rendition of Easter story to read to that darling 4 to 7-year old in you life? Tim Dowley's My First Story of Easter retells the biblical account in simple terms, complete with bright, cheery illustrations that are sure to put a smile on the face of the reader. This Easter, give the children in your life the best gift of all--a story that explains the reason for celebration!