Books published by publisher Clarion Books

A poor girl in medieval England gains a name, a purpose, and a future in this “delightful” and beloved Newbery Medal-winning book. Now with a new cover! (School Library Journal, starred review)* “A truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children’s literature.” —School Library Journal, starred review * “A fascinating view of a far distant time.” —Horn Book, starred review * “Gripping.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review A girl known only as Brat has no family, no home, and no future until she meets Jane the Midwife and becomes her apprentice. As she helps the short-tempered Jane deliver babies, Brat—who renames herself Alyce—gains knowledge, confidence, and the courage to want something in life for the first time. Introduction by Lois Lowry.

In a spare, powerful text and evocative illustrations, the Newbery medalist Katherine Applegate and the artist G. Brian Karas present the extraordinary real story of a special gorilla. Captured as a baby, Ivan was brought to a Tacoma, Washington, mall to attract shoppers. Gradually, public pressure built until a better way of life for Ivan was found at Zoo Atlanta. From the Congo to America, and from a local business attraction to a national symbol of animal welfare, Ivan the Shopping Mall Gorilla traveled an astonishing distance in miles and in impact. This is his true story and includes photographs of Ivan in the back matter.

"A hilarious story to read together or for kids to read on their own. Cranky Mr. Fookwire is abandoned for a sunnier climate by both the birds he likes to paint and the squirrels he likes to shake his fist at. But the squirrels invite him south, and he soon joins in the fun, as does the reader. Pure entertainment that can be read over and over." - Seira Wilson, Amazon EditorOld Man Fookwire's one pleasure in life is painting the birds in his backyard. When fall arrives and the birds fly south, Fookwire is desolate. The squirrels are curious: Where are the birds going, and what do they do once they get there? With their usual ingenuity and engineering skills, the squirrels devise a way to follow the birds to their destination, a tropical paradise.A wonderful time is had by all—all but grumpy Old Man Fookwire, alone at home. But the squirrels have a solution for that, too. Readers will revel in this third off-the-wall comedy featuring Old Man Fookwire, a lot of birds, and those darn squirrels.

“The simple text is packed with words to delight the ear.”—School Library Journal Who's hurrying, scurrying, whisking and frisking their way through a moonlit pumpkin patch? An adorable family of Halloween mice, of course! And they have a quick and clever plan to scare off any hungry-looking cat who happens to rustle or swish its way by. Full of rhyme, repetition, and wordplay, this holiday favorite is now available in an easy reader format. Perfectly paced for beginners with simple words and short sentences.

A paean to play from an award-winning poet and a New York Times best-selling illustrator. The trappings of childhood change from generation to generation, but there are some timeless activities that every kid loves. Marilyn Singer and LeUyen Pham celebrate these universal types of play, from organized games such as hide-and-seek and hopscotch to imaginative play such as making mud soup or turning a stick into a magic wand. Lyrical poems and bold illustrations capture the energy of a group of children in one neighborhood as they amuse themselves over the course of a summer day. At a time when childhood obesity rates are soaring and money is tight for many families, here is a book that invites readers to join in the fun of active play with games that cost nothing.

Arrr, babies! Mustache Baby and his first mate Beard Baby set sail on the high seas and turn into big bad pirates in this newest addition to the popular Mustache Baby books! "Occasional badness has never been so good." (Kirkus) In this swashbuckling tale, Mustache Baby and Beard Baby work hard to recover stolen treasure and convince baby buccaneers Captain Kid and Short John Silver to go legit. But when the scallywags refuse to play nice, Billy and Javier see red and go rogue, turning into bad guy pirates themselves. High spirits, plenty of pirate talk, and a mild message about not letting emotions get the best of you make for a rollicking read-aloud full of side-splitting, silly fun.

“The classic tale of the old couple, with no children of their own, who bake a gingerbread boy to keep them company. Just as the little old woman is about to take him from the oven, he slips away and runs out the door past a cow, a horse, a group of threshers, mowers, etc. All follow in hot pursuit until the gingerbread boy meets up with a wily fox, and ‘at last and at last he went the way of every single gingerbread boy that ever came out of an oven . . . He was all gone!’ A wonderfully frenetic cross-country chase is depicted in Galdone’s broadly humorous color wash drawings. Of the eight editions of this well-known story now in print, this hilarious version is the most delectable.” —School Library Journal, starred“Galdone has already proven many times over that he is perfectly at home with those traditional nursery tales that are still preschoolers’ favorites, and his expressive, unassuming style just right for their very young audience. . . . Children will follow along breathlessly . . . right up to that last snip snap snip when the Gingerbread Boy goes ‘the way of every single gingerbread boy that ever came out of an oven.’”—Kirkus Reviews

From Newbery Medalist and bestselling author Katherine Applegate, a sweet book of encouragement, filled with humor and insight into the effort behind any meaningful accomplishment in life. A perfect gift for baby shower, birthday, or graduation. This gorgeous gift book, equally perfect for preschool graduations or college commencements, baby showers or birthdays, is an inspirational tribute to the universal struggles and achievements of childhood. Beginning with a first birthday, the scenes travel through childhood triumphs and milestones, coming full circle to graduation. A magical blend of succinct text and beautiful watercolors renders each moment with tenderness and humor and encourages readers to “remember then, with every try, sometimes you fail . . . sometimes you fly.”

Deep within this maze of stone, a creature wakes up, all alone . . . Mummy Cat prowls his pyramid home, longing for his beloved owner. As he roams the tomb, lavish murals above his head display scenes of the cat with his young Egyptian queen, creating a story-within-a-story about the events of centuries past. Hidden hieroglyphs deepen the tale and are explained in an informative author’s note. Marcus Ewert and Lisa Brown’s smart, beautiful book is a marvel of sophisticated simplicity, infinitely engaging to examine in detail, and complete with a sweetly surprising plot twist sure to delight young cat-lovers and budding Egyptologists alike.

Ghosts, a kidnapping, a crew of young detectives, and family secrets mix in this new standalone mystery set in the world of the best-selling Greenglass House, from a National Book Award nominee and Edgar Award–winning author. Marzana and her best friend are bored. Even though they live in a notorious city where normal rules do not apply, nothing interesting ever happens to them. Nothing, that is, until Marzana’s parents are recruited to help solve an odd crime, and she realizes that this could be the excitement she’s been waiting for. She assembles a group of kid detectives with special skills—including the ghost of a ship captain’s daughter—and together, they explore hidden passageways, navigate architecture that changes overnight, and try to unravel the puzzle of who the kidnappers are—and where they’re hiding. But will they beat the deadline for a ransom that’s impossible to pay? Legendary smugglers, suspicious teachers, and some scary bad guys are just a few of the adults the crew must circumvent while discovering hidden truths about their families and themselves in this smart, richly imagined tale.

An ordinary bubble may seem pretty harmless to you. To the monsters of La La Land, however, a fragile, shimmering bubble is an object of terror, and when the frightening habits of bubbles are detailed by a fear-mongering monster, Yerbert, Froofle, and Wumpus run away and cry. But with encouragement from the narrator and readers, the three monsters learn to confront their fears and triumph over bubbles! An original, offbeat, and funny take on conquering fears from the New York Times best-selling team behind Those Darn Squirrels! and Dragons Love Tacos.