Books published by publisher Harcourt Childrens Books

In this exuberant collection, Lois Ehlert celebrates the animal kingdom with quirky, playful rhymes and bold collage illustrations that perfectly capture the spirit of each creature. Sixty-four of her favorite animal friends are here, from hamsters to monkeys, geckos to mountain goats--and with its clever combination of fact and wordplay, this stunning volume is as fun to read as it is to look at. Includes an author's note. Visit www.HarcourtBooks.com/LoisEhlert for activity sheets and more!

Evie reluctantly moves with her widowed father to Beaumont, New York, where he has bought an apple orchard, dismissing rumors that the town is cursed and the trees haven't borne fruit in decades. Evie doesn't believe in things like curses and fairy tales anymore--if fairy tales were real, her mom would still be alive. But odd things happen in Beaumont. Evie meets a boy who claims to be dead and receives a mysterious seed as an eleventh-birthday gift. Once planted, the seed grows into a tree overnight, but only Evie and the dead boy can see it--or go where it leads. The Garden of Eve mixes spine-tingling chills with a deeply resonating story that beautifully explores grief, healing, and growth.

Crickwing never set out to be a bully. All he wants is to create his art in peace. But it's not easy being different--a cockroach with a cricked wing and a flair for sculpture is a ready target for the bigger creatures in the forest. Crickwing just wants to even the score, and leafcutter ants are so easy to pick on. . . .Big mistake. Nobody angers the leafcutter queen and gets away with it. In this epic adventure beneath the foliage, Crickwing and the leafcutter ants go head-to-head. Then a swarm of ferocious army ants threatens, and suddenly everyone is in danger. Crickwing has to do something, but what? He's an artist, not a fighter. What the leafcutters need is a hero. Or, maybe, a cockroach with a really clever idea. . . .

A boy, his dad, and his dog are out for a drive on a beautiful sunny day. Unfortunately, a hapless toad is trying to make its way across the very same road. Talk about bad timing. Is there any hope of avoiding toad-al disaster? Maybe. See what a sharp-witted and caring boy can do to save the day. Storyteller Jane Yolen has written a deceptively simple tale that's fun, exciting, and perfect for reading aloud again and again. Illustrator Karen Lee Schmidt has created an irresistible creature--and everyone who meets this toad will root for a happy ending!

Eight-year-old Kahu, a member of the Maori tribe of Whangara, New Zealand, fights to prove her love, her leadership, and her destiny. Her people claim descent from Kahutia Te Rangi, the legendary "whale rider." In every generation since Kahutia, a male heir has inherited the title of chief. But now there is no male heir, and the aging chief is desperate to find a successor. Kahu is his only great-grandchild--and Maori tradition has no use for a girl. But when hundreds of whales beach themselves and threaten the future of the Maori tribe, it is Kahu who saves the tribe when she reveals that she has the whale rider's ancient gift of communicating with whales. Now available in simultaneous hardcover and paperback editions. Feature film in theaters in June 2003!