Books published by publisher Owlkids Books

Living in a new house and about to start at a new school, Florence feels sad that all her friends are a long way away. So, she decides to write a letter to the panda who lives in the zoo next door to her new house, asking him to be her friend. Happily, he obliges. Soon, when Flo is asked to stand up in front of her whole class and talk about any special friends she has, it only seems right to tell everyone about Panda, and for him to come for a visit.It’s thanks to Panda that Flo meets Bea, a little girl who shares her love of pandas — and swimming, and hula-hooping, and all kinds of other things. A quiet, introspective story about finding the confidence to make new friends, Dear Panda plays with the boundaries of what’s real and what’s imagined, and gives readers a new way to think about finding kindred spirits.Grade: 2Fountas & Pinnel: KReading Recovery: 18Lexile Measure: AD 680LCommon Core State Standards:CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.2,2a,2b,5,5a,5b,6CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.2.4,4a,4b,4cCCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.1,2,3,5,6,7,10CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.3,5,8

This picture book atlas of Canada is a whimsical, informative introduction to our country from sea to sea to sea. Each province and territory is featured on its own spread, with icons and labels indicating the capital city, other major cities, key lakes and rivers, iconic landmarks, animals, and plants, significant national and provincial parks, and more.Each map is lively and colorful with plenty of details to discover. Simple labels make key places and landmarks easily searchable for further research. Inspired by the illustrator’s map of PEI, a longtime gift shop bestseller, My Canada includes basic information about Canada and a full map of the country. It’s an excellent resource for celebrating Canada’s sesquicentennial.

One day, Jeremy wakes up at the vet’s with a giant cone around his head. In a momentary existential crisis, he resigns himself to his new role as clumsy, smelly Cone Cat. That is, until the cone becomes instrumental in lapping up the last few bites of cereal on the breakfast table. Surprisingly, Cone Cat can do a lot of things old Jeremy couldn’t. He can hunt spiders with ease, collect stuffing from the couch, and disguise himself as a bowl to steal a scoop of ice cream at a birthday party. When the cone is removed the next day, Jeremy starts to miss it. Will he ever get another chance to indulge in the tricks he pulled off as Cone Cat? It doesn’t take him too long to find out … With lively illustrations and plenty of wit, this hilarious picture book about adapting to seemingly im-paw-ssible situations is sure to please kids and cat-lovers alike.

This zany and generous treasury combines scores of games, jokes, puzzles, comics, and crafts in one portable collection. It provides countless hours of entertainment to liven up even the rainiest afternoon. Among the brainteasers and funny-bone ticklers are riddles, optical illusions, and other baffling brain bogglers such as Wacky Spoonerisms and Animal Ducktionary; astonishing did-you-know facts; amazing magic tricks; yummy things to make and eat like Gross-out Gummi Worms and Martianmallows; and easy-to-follow games and activities like Silly Kid Tricks, Windy Indy 500, Silent Movie Sound Effects, and Gerbil Jailbreak. Significant educational aspects are cleverly integrated throughout the book.

Around the world, baby animals grow up in all kinds of families. Whether it’s albatrosses raising babies in big colonies or sibling pairs of polar bears, baby animals with their families are not only adorable―they can teach us about animal behavior, too. The fourth and final book in the Baby Animals series, Baby Animals with Their Families showcases more than ten species from around the world in different family behaviors and arrangements. Stunning, intimate, full-color photographs by Suzi Eszterhas are each paired with a short sentence highlighting information about the animal. Designed both to be read aloud and for young children to explore independently, this book will encourage readers to make connections between their own families and the animals. Back matter gives further information about Suzi Eszterhas and some behind-the-scenes detail.

Maxwell the monkey operates a barbershop, where he offers everything from a trim to a chop. He excels at helping his fellow animals look shipshape and feel their best, no matter how unruly their locks. Whatever the coiffure quandary, Maxwell is your monkey. He tames Baboon’s curls, styles Lion’s mane, and trims Bear’s beard, exclaiming each time: “Your hair’s the best I’ve seen today!”All’s well until Elephant comes in, feeling sad because he has no hair. Can Maxwell help? Of course! After some careful thinking, he devises a solution to help even Elephant feel his best.Cale Atkinson’s bright, cartoon-like digital illustrations beckon readers into Maxwell’s world in this playful tale. Rhyming text, speech bubbles, and a refrain make this story a fun read-aloud accessible to early readers. Full of personality and style, Maxwell has a genuine charm and enthusiasm for helping others that kids will find immediately contagious.LEVELINGGrade Range: PreK–3Fountas & Pinnell: JReading Recovery: 17Lexile: AD 520LCOMMON COREL.1.1,1f,2,2a,2d,4,4a,5,5a,5dRF.1.1,2,3,3a,3b,3f,4,4a,4b,4cSL.1.1,1a,1b,1c,2,4,5,6W.1.1,3,5,6,8RL.1.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10

Branching, spiraling, spinning―you can find patterns almost anywhere in nature, if you look for them. This book is a starting point that introduces kids to some major patterns in the natural world. Just as the branches of a tree spread upwards into the sky, roots branch deep into the ground. Branches also spread through our bodies, inside our lungs and veins. Storms and snail shells spiral; electrons and galaxies spin. With brief text and full-spread illustrations, this book is designed to inspire kids to observe, discover, and explore hidden structures and shapes in the natural world around them. Why are things the way they are? This question, key to scientific inquiry, runs throughout the text. Artwork in multilayered screen prints shows how the natural world is inherently beautiful, from the curve of your ear to the spiraling arms of our galaxy. Kids will come away with a deeper understanding that we are all connected to nature and part of its patterns.

While bodily changes are the most obvious signs that a kid is growing up, they're not always the first (or most stressful) signs. Why does it feel so weird to cry now? How can you tell if someone is really your friend? Is it okay to have a crush on someone who's the same sex as you? These kinds of questions (and answers) are what separates Growing Up, Inside and Out from other books — it tackles how boys' and girls' emotions change during puberty rather than just what happens to body parts (although that's in here, too).And though puberty can often look different for boys and girls (growing facial hair versus getting a period), kids may be surprised by what all their classmates have in common: crushes, acne, anxiety, getting mad at their parents. Not only does Growing Up, Inside and Out break with the tradition of having separate books for separate sexes, it unites kids by showing them that there are things that everyone goes through.

Fashion surrounds us . . . and some might even say overwhelms us. Whether it’s shopping for clothes or getting dressed in the morning, it’s easy to feel at odds with a world that seems to be all about appearances. But not only can fashion be fun, silly, impulsive, and even inexpensive — it can also be a really rewarding avenue of self-expression for everyone.By starting with the most basic formula (clothes + art = fashion), Learn To Speak Fashion strips away the anxiety and artifice to get to the heart of what makes clothing so much more than what we put on our bodies. The lessons within these pages range from understanding how to dress every part of the body and how to make your own pair of pants, to learning how to harness your design ideas with an inspiration board, or hold a fashion show in your backyard.

Emily and Matt have seen the movies, they've read the books, and they've learned in school what pioneer life was like — but nothing could have prepared them for the journey they are about to take. The key is the antique Canadian Flyer sled they find in the attic, which whisks them away for a new adventure. Before they know it, they're in Ontario in the early 19th century, and much of it is still wilderness. Emily and Matt meet Jane, whose family has just arrived from England to start a new life. Together they travel rough roads through uncharted forests and down untamed rivers, only to reach overcrowded inns and other unforeseen delays on their journey from Montreal to Jane's family's new plot of land. On top of that, Jane fears for her mother's health — her child is due to be born any day. Homesick and worried, Jane wants to return to England. Can Emily and Matt help her feel comfortable in her new country? Like the previous volumes in this beloved series, this one gives young readers a fascinating tour of Canadian history along with an action-packed narrative.

An inuksuk, a powerful symbol of the Arctic, is a stone structure that acts as a messenger. Traditionally, inuksuit (plural) have been built by the Inuit to act in the place of a human being: to show the way when travelers were a long way from home, to warn of very dangerous places, or to show where food was stored.Following the acclaimed and award-winning The Inuksuk Book, Make Your Own Inuksuk shows readers how to build their very own inuksuk. This full-color book provides an engaging overview of inuksuit— what they are, why they were important in the past and how they can bring significance to our own lives today.Filled with startlingly beautiful photographs of various inuksuit in different natural settings, Make Your Own Inuksuk is as visually arresting as it is easy to follow. Make Your Own Inuksuk offers clear step-by-step instructions and practical advice on selecting and preparing stones to build a wide variety of inuksuit. It also helps readers choose a location that reflects their inuksuk’s meaning, whether in a garden, at the cabin or at home.

What if the impossible were actually possible? What if we turned our dreams into action? What if our imagination could help solve real-world crises, like war, famine, and human rights violations? Through a series of seemingly whimsical questions, this middle-grade nonfiction book introduces readers to people and organizations that are subverting violence, war, and totalitarian power. What if soldiers refused to carry weapons? What if fighter pilots dropped seeds instead of bombs? What if music could be a creative force for democracy? None of these ideas are impossible―in fact, they are all true historical examples of ideas that have been put into action. Accessible, engaging text introduces a different question and example on each spread. Evocative conceptual illustrations provide a light-hearted reminder of the power of imagination. This timely book encourages readers to think critically and dare to ask big questions, which might just change the world.