Books published by publisher Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

What makes a camel friends with a Vietnamese pig? Or a wild polar bear pals with a sled dog? In this young preschool book, Catherine Thimmesh makes us wonder at the truth and mystery of unlikely animal friendships. Because the stories behind these friendships are true, not contrived, captured by photographers in many countries ranging from Siberia to Japan, they not only give readers insight into animals but challenge preconceived notions about compatibility. This book also expresses tolerance of differences and makes us look at the kindness of animals—and humans—a little differently.

Poor Margaret is waking up to another bad day. Ever since her parents died, her brother and sister have made her sweep the floors, chop the wood, cook the meals, feed the pigs, and anything else they can think to demand. Selfish, mean, and twice as big as Margaret, they always get their way. When at last Margaret has had enough, she runs away into the forest. Just as she is wondering how she will survive, she comes upon an old lady with a very sad story: a dog has run off with her walking stick, and she can’t do a thing without it. When the old lady promises Margaret a reward of three gold coins for its safe return, the girl readily agrees. Little does Margaret know that the old lady is really a witch, her reward a trick, and her walking stick a magic stick the witch has used to make a thousand miserable wishes come true . . .

A sequel to critically acclaimed THE NEDDIAD told from the point of view of Ned's friend, IggyLa Brea Woman is missing. Valentino, too. The ghosts of Los Angeles are disappearing right and left!Iggy Birnbaum is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, no matter what Neddie Wentworthstein and Seamus Finn say.There’s just the little matter of traveling to another plane of existence, first and then, of course, not pissing off a witch once she gets there.From L.A. to Old New Hackensack, fans of The Neddiad will be delighted to join up with Iggy, Neddie, Seamus, and the usual apparitional entourage for another weird and wonderful adventure by Daniel Pinkwater. As Neil Gaiman said about the first book: "it's funny and tender and strange and impossible to describe. What Pinkwater does is magic and I'm grateful for it."THE IGGYSSEY is vintage Pinkwater: laugh out loud funny, incredible characters, dialogue, humor. And like THE NEDDIAD, this book will be similarly illustrated throughout by Calef Brown.

Scientists in the Field .s.s. to the extreme!When Paul Flaherty goes to work, he climbs into a four-engine WP-3D Orion turboprop plane and heads directly into the eye of a hurricane. Miles below, Hazel Barton’s job in microbiology takes her to the depths of the world’s most treacherous caves. And on the other side of the topsoil, way, way above the forest floor, Stephen Sillett passes his days (and sometimes his nights) in the canopies of the tallest trees on earth. Welcome to the work—and worlds—of extreme scientists. From hurricanes to caves to the crowns of towering redwoods, these scientists battle some of the earth’s most intense conditions in order to save lives, preserve species, and help us to better understand the way our planet works.

What if you loved music more than anything? Suppose you had just learned to play the piano. Imagine that your family has to move to a new city and you have to leave your piano behind. People don’t like you in the new city because of what you look like. How will you make yourself feel better? Mary Lou Williams, like Mozart, began playing the piano when she was four; at eight she became a professional musician. She wrote and arranged music for Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, and was one of the most powerful women in jazz. This is the story of Mary Lou's childhood in Pittsburgh, where she played the piano for anyone who would listen.

In the mid-nineteenth century, little was known of the west coast and waterways. The ships that sailed those waters did so at a considerable risk, sometimes depending on only a school atlas to navigate and all too often crashing into the rocks. So the U.S. Coast Survey, whose purpose was to map every mile of American shoreline, commissioned George Davidson to chart all of the major points on the coast and all of the waterways in between. In this beautifully illustrated book, Taylor Morrison chronicles the challenges and adventures Davidson and his team faced and the methods they used to accomplish this monumental, and essential, task.

From the perspective of the young adult he was then, Francisco Jiménez describes the challenges he faced in his efforts to continue his education.During his college years, the very family solidarity that allowed Francisco to survive as a child is tested. Not only must he leave his family behind when he goes to Santa Clara University, but while Francisco is there, his father abandons the family and returns to Mexico. This is the story of how Francisco coped with poverty, with his guilt over leaving his family financially strapped, with his self-doubt about succeeding academically, and with separation. Once again his telling is honest, true, and inspiring.

When Wodney must face off against that big bully Camilla Capybara for a second time, a talking robot becomes his secret weapon. The meek wodent . . . er, rodent . . . hero with a speech impediment and a heart of gold is back! So is Camilla Capybara—the BIG bully who makes poor Wodney and his classmates tremble. But this time, Wodney has a secret weapon: a robot that helps him pronounce his r’s and seems to be just the thing to scare Camilla away for good. With the second empowering tale about Wodney, Lester and Munsinger use their signature dose of humor to remind us that the little guy can finish first, and it’s often brains—not brawn—that save the day.

One magpie,lots of stuff,and a few friendly miceshow us that less ismore.This innovative and spare picture book asks the question: When is MORE more thanenough? Can a team of well-intentioned mice save their friend from hoarding toomuch stuff? With breathtaking illustrations from the award-winning Brian Lies, thisbook about conservation wraps an important message in a beautiful package.

What will happen when the sheep go trick-or-treating? Could there be wolves lurking in the woods, hoping to waylay them as they return home with their bags full of goodies? In crisp verse and whimsically eerie pictures, Nancy Shaw and Margot Apple tell the lively story of a remarkable Halloween adventure. Simple sentences, rhyming text, and a humorous tone make this the perfect treat for beginning readers. Fans of this adventuresome flock of sheep will not want to miss this Halloween treat.