Books in Picture Life Books series

Tomie dePaola's glorious paintings are as luminous as the farolitos that light up on the Plaza in Santa Fe for the procession of Las Posadas, the tradition in which Mary and Joseph go from door to door seeking shelter at the inn on Christmas Eve.This year Sister Angie, who is always in charge of the clebration, has to stay home with the flu, and Lupe and Roberto, who are to play Mary and Joseph, get caught in a snowstorm. But a man and a woman no one knows arrive in time to take their place in the procession and then mysteriously disappear at the end before they can be thanked.That night we witness a Christian miracle, for when Sister Angie goes to the cathedral and kneels before the statue of Mary and Jospeh, wet footprints from the snow lead up to the statue.

Have you ever wondered what sways the trees, and makes the leaves dance across the grass? Follow the billowing wind as it flies a kite, fills the sails of tall ships on the sea, makes birds fly and catches the massive wind turbines to generate electricity for a village! Illustrated by Elena Temporin, illustrator of "The Snowy Day and Lullabies". This is a perfect present which will capture inquisitive imaginations.

Janet and Allan Ahlberg's hilarious picture book, Burglar Bill. Burglar Bill is an entertaining picture book by the iconic British husband and wife picture book team Janet and Allan Ahlberg, creators of Peepo! Perfect as a bedtime story and for children learning to read! Who's that creeping down the street? Who's that climbing up the wall? Who's that coming through the window? Who's that? ... It's Burglar Bill. Allan Ahlberg has published over 100 children's books and with his late wife Janet, created many award-winning children's picture books, including Cops and Robbers, It was a Dark and Stormy Night, Each Peach Pear Plum and the Kate Greenaway Medal winning The Jolly Postman. Look out for these other classics by Allan Ahlberg: Kicking a Ball; The Baby's Catalogue; Cops and Robbers; Each Peach Pear Plum; The One and Only Two Heads; Son of a Gun; The Little Worm Book; Two Wheels Two Heads; Funny Bones; A Pair of Sinners; Happy Families; Peepo!; The Ha Ha Bonk Book; Help Your Child to Read; Ten in a Bed; Please Mrs Butler; Daisy Chains; Yum Yum; Playmates; Foldaways; Woof; The Cinderella Show; The Jolly Postman; The Jolly Christmas Postman; The Jolly Pocket Postman; The Clothes Horse and Other Stories; The Mighty Slide; Starting School; Heard it in the Playground; The Bear Nobody Wanted; It was a Dark and Stormy Night; The Giant Baby; Baby Sleeps; Blue Buggy; Doll and Teddy; See the Rabbit; Please Mrs Butler; The Better Brown Stories; The Boyhood of Burglar Bill

Can you find the hidden critters in these photographs? Animals aren’t always easy to spot. Some hide while they hunt. Others hide to avoid being hunted. Many critters don’t need to hide―their colors match their surroundings. Wildlife photographer Stan Tekiela is also good at hiding. He hides from animals to take pictures of them! In Hidden Critters, the award-winning author presents his amazing wildlife images that prove animals are great at hiding. Look closely. Do you see the animals? Study each picture in the book, and try to spot the critter. Then read the clues and guess which animal it is. When you have an answer, turn the page and find out if you’re right! Hidden Critters is an engaging, interactive introduction to North American animals. Finding them is sure to become your family’s favorite game!

Ben and his puppy Muddypaws do everything together. On Ben's sixth birthday, Muddypaws gets in trouble and can't understand why they put him outside! This beautifully illustrated and heartwarming tale of a boy and his sidekick is fun for children of all ages. Early readers will love reading along as Ben and Muddypaws learn a few lessons about friendship and understanding.

Michael loves his great-great-aunt Dew, even if she can't always remember his name. He especially loves to spend time with her and her beloved hundred penny box, listening to stories about each of the hundred years of her life. Michael's mother wants to throw out the battered old box that holds the pennies, but Michael understands that the box itself is as important to Aunt Dew as the memories it contains. Winner of a Newbery Honor, this beautiful story will be available in a collector's edition featuring heavy interior stock embossing and silver ink on the cover, and a thread-sewn binding for added durability. A timeless story of the relationship between a boy and his elderly relative, this new edition is one that families young and old will treasure for years to come.

Mother Moon is looking for her child. As she calls for him, her tears turn into stars that fall into the sea and are rescued, along with her little one, by a lot of otters. These playful animals cavort and rollick in the starlight until Mother Moon looks down and sees them--and her child, safe and sound. Barbara Helen Berger's poetic words and luminous illustrations are beautifully fused in this dreamlike tale that is just perfect for bedtime."Toddlers are sure to delight in the mischievous antics of all those whiskery otters." --School Library Journal, starred review