Books published by publisher Lark Books

Join the animals at home! Just open this BIG, beautiful reference book that showcases wild creatures all around the world, nesting, burrowing, and building their shelters. Every child’s favorite animal is sure to be here, as well as some new friends they’ll enjoy meeting. Enter the cozy houses of rabbits, mice, moles, and platypuses; the intricate cities of bee hives and coral reefs; and unusual birds’ nests that are sewn together and decorated. The easy-to-read and well organized text—arranged by type of home, from beaver dams to ant hills—and vividly colored, realistic illustrations of animals in action are guaranteed to draw children in.

Any child who can make a stick figure can learn to create funny cartoons--and this enjoyably illustrated guide tells them exactly how. Written by professional cartoonist Art Roche, it gives kids lots of hands-on opportunities to turn their creative ideas into delightfully drawn reality. The emphasis is on doing original illustrations and developing a personal vision, rather than tracing or copying someone else's style; after all, cartooning is a free and fun form, so there's no "wrong" way to draw one. Roche also includes plenty of information that other children's how-to books overlook, including advice on writing jokes, composing panels, and getting published. In short, it addresses every step of the process, from buying a pencil to seeing the cartoons in print.

New in Paper"A perfect combination of text, color photography, design, and child models....This welcome activity book will surely please children and the adults who work with them."--School Library JournalWith this ideal guide in hand, kids will enjoy sud-sational soapmaking success. Here are all the basics of the easy melt and pour technique, with 56 fun projects and nearly 300 colorful photos. Children will have a blast creating gross-out eyeball soaps or smiley faces; fashioning a soapasaurus; or cooking up some "alphabet soap."

The huge success of Spy Kids and other similar movies makes it clear: children love watching young agents who are smart enough and tough enough to beat the bad guys--and they fantasize about doing it themselves. That's why they'll be thrilled to hear about Agent O, the world's most top-secret secret agent. No one knows Agent O's true identity--especially that O is still a kid! And budding sleuths can get in on the fun, because this fully illustrated handbook gives them the opportunity to help Agent O fight a criminal mastermind, crack the codes that reveal a perilous scheme for world domination, and make all sorts of cool gadgets and disguises.

Docktopus, the aquatic nibbler; Skeeterman, the campground creep; and Spook Ook, the attic thumper: these and other creatures lurk on the pages of this quirky how-to. And they’ll reach out and grab kids, “drawing” them into the world of monster art. There’s a ton of great information here on creating weird eyes, strange skin textures, bizarre legs and arms, and a host of creepy facial features so kids will have no trouble creating their very own freaks of nature. See how to add extra limbs, tails, horns, wings, scales, and other effects too! It won’t be long before you’ve brought to life a gallery of fleshed-out monsters.

The youngest children will love this—and so will adults who enjoy sharing reading time with them. Each picture in A Circle Here, A Square There brings out the angles, curves, and lines in objects both everyday and unexpected. Artist David Diehl creates engagingly active graphic designs: whether it’s the secretive square of a wrapped gift, the surprising crescent of a moon, or the (nibbled) triangle of a piece of pizza, all the illustrations are striking and exuberantly colorful. Kids will make exciting connections between the letters of the simple words on the page, the exciting images, and the common shapes of the world around them.

With an off-beat sense of humor that makes learning fun, Jay Stephens shows kids how to draw a wide range of marvelous mechanical creatures complete with hardwired heads, bionic bodies, and lots of electrical extras. Budding cartoonists will be pleased to meet and illustrate such unique characters as Automa Tom, the cyborg Cyborella, Astralux, and Gokin 9. The design data Stephens wittily lays out include everything from wheels and transforming parts to jets, dials, levers, and weapon systems, all of which children can use to “build” their own creations. Kids get to decide whether their robots will have armor, be able to slide into small spaces, have the ability to shoot projectiles, or anything else their imaginations can dream up!

What kind of animals lay eggs?A chicken?An ostrich?Maybe even . . . a dinosaur?!Find out which animals lay eggs in this entertaining picture book for toddlers, preschoolers, and early readers!Who Laid the Egg? is a simple, easy-to-read book that introduces children to some of the wonderful egg-laying animals in our world. Kids will love guessing which animal laid each egg as you read this book together!Featuring: a chicken, an ostrich, a frog, a turtle and others!Ideal for children ages 2-5, and a great resource for parents and teachers of preschoolers and kindergarten students.Also available in French and Spanish!Get it now and learn a bit more about our world with this early science book!

Freeze Tag, Capture the Flag, Balloon Blanket Toss: nothing says childhood more than afternoons spent playing outdoors. With the 200 super activities in this comprehensive collection, the fun never ends. Color photos showing happy-looking boys and girls having a fine time invite young readers to join in. So let the games—both classic and new, with variations too—begin. Children will have a blast with timeless amusements such as Tug of War, Ultimate Frisbee, Hopscotch, Jump Rope, and cool pool-time ideas. From Hackey Sack to Water Limbo, each game is great, and the simple instructions and other tips make them easy to play.

Here is a real “jewel” of a guide that no girl can resist! From simple bead stringing to working with wire, there’s a wide variety of fabulous jewelry to make, and lots of creative techniques to try. Every attractively photographed page encourages experimentation, imagination, and personal artistic expression at the same time. Imagine a bracelet made of copper washers from the hardware store or from old wooden game pieces. Add small metal flower embellishments to a ribbon for a funky choker. “Elegant” describes the glittery Illusion Necklace with sparkly beads that seem to float around the neck. Each piece is as unique and special as the girl who makes it. The author lives in Asheville, NC.

Jam-packed with 200 captivating games, this brightly illustrated collection will make sure that no kid ever whines "I'm bored!" again. Even better, these are zippy, energy-burning activities--not the typical quiet indoor fare. Youngsters will have a blast with scavenger hunts, ball games guaranteed not to break anything, and even a nose-pushing popcorn race. They can test their reflexes with Footsieball (volleyball played with a balloon and one foot) or Hallway Alligator (try to get past the alligator without getting munched). Most of the activities need only minimal set-up time and supplies found around the house. Game variations are included to multiply the fun.