Books published by publisher Scholastic Book Clubs Softcover Book and Audiocassette Tape

What a difference a new format makes! This "re-imagined" edition of the classic story, originally published as The Mystery of the Missing Red Mitten in 1974, is now in an oversize format with color illustrations, and it seems like a delightful new offering. Annie has lost five mittens this winter, and she's in trouble. She and her dog, Oscar, set out to retrace her steps, through the deep, deep snow. As Annie and Oscar return to where they went sledding and built snow castles, the day's high jinks appear inset in boxes. They follow a bird, and the boxed action becomes Annie's imaginings: the bird has used her mitten for its nest; a mouse is using it for a sleeping bag. Annie wonders if it might be easier to grow new mittens; she thinks about planting her remaining mitten so she'll have a mitten tree next summer with enough mittens to give away on holidays. But when the sun comes out, and the snowman she has made begins melting, the mitten makes its appearance as a snowman's heart. Kellogg really outdoes himself with pictures that are filled with good cheer, warm spirits, and happy daydreams. He captures the way the light looks on a winter's day, and he also shows the way a room glows at Christmas when it's lit by candlelight. A book that's upbeat and touching by turns.

When a fierce storm destroys the tree that housed the Rabbit-Bunn, Hoot-Toowit, and Buzz families, Mr. Bear packs his trusty baby buggy full of tools and heads out to the rescue. Though most of his efforts to put things right are more valiant than effective, his heart is clearly in the right place, and with a little luck, he gets everyone back to his house safely. Once the storm passes, Mrs. Bear works her magic, mending hive and nest. Love of family and friends is evident in both the text and the illustrations, and the happily-ever-after factor is strong. With all the natural disasters in the world, the fire and earthquake drills, and the tornado and hurricane watches, this reassuring book could be just the thing to encourage discussion or to comfort nervous youngsters. Gliori's watercolor cartoons are a delightful blend of warmth, color, humor, and detail. The double-page spreads of Mr. Bear trudging uphill against the driving rain are very effective as is the depiction of his cozy home and the intricate bark on the trees. Though some may find the family names cutesy, the text has a simplicity and directness sure to appeal to the audience for whom this book was carefully crafted. A genuine, warm-and-fuzzy read.

Fresh as a fiddlehead fern in spring, this beguiling bedtime tale features a pip of a young rabbit and his indulgent parent. Searching for words to tell his dad how much he loves him (and to put off bedtime just an eentsy bit longer), Little Nutbrown Hare comes up with one example after another ("I love you as high as I can hop!"), only to have Big Nutbrown Hare continually up the ante. Finally, on the edge of sleep, he comes up with a showstopper: "I love you right up to the moon." (Dad does top this declaration too, but only after his little bunny falls asleep.) Effused with tenderness, McBratney's wise, endearing and droll story is enriched by the near-monochromatic backdrop of Jeram's pen-and-wash artwork, rendered earthy tones of moss, soft brown, and gray for a visually quieting effect just right for that last soothing tale before sleep.

The sun may be setting, but the wackiness is escalating on the shores of the farm pond. "Wheeeee!" proclaims a wide-eyed frog as it jets into the air, "Can you dance like me?" A duck, a pig, and a sheep are the first animals to rise to the challenge, and Mitton, building up the momentum, begins by patterning their respective responses in cumulative verse. As more and more critters join in, each proud of its own inimitable style ("Playful Pony began to prance. Donkey drummed his hoofbeat dance"), Mitton shifts the narrative's structure to move the action resolutely forward toward a literally splashy climax, in which everyone falls in the water. Parker-Rees ratchets up the goofiness of his kinetic watercolor cartoons by giving his animal stars the arm and leg extensions of ballerinas but the bodies of couch potatoes; their faces radiate an infectious silliness. The typography, too, enters into the spirit by shimmying and bouncing through the full-bleed spreads. Kids will likely want to dance or chant along.

An enchanting animal guessing game for preschoolers. Lloyd, a baby llama, asks each of his friends, "Is your mama a llama?," and all respond in turn with a rhyming description of their mother that is answered on the following page. Young listeners will delight in the playful rhythm of the text, and each riddle is sure to result in a resounding chorus of response. Kellogg's full-color illustrations of animals in their natural surroundings maintain their usual appeal and humor and will carry well to groups, while individual readers will be further rewarded by the subtlety and detail of the backgrounds.

The title of Rylant's exuberant tale is an understatement, for when "those relatives" came, they came en masse and they came for an extended stay. Their anticipation at seeing kin during their long, long drive and finally hugging them "against their wrinkled Virginia clothes" set the tone for this welcome family reunion, a visit that never wears thin. The relatives are depicted as a support system to help a fatherless family with all the things that need to be done in and around their house. In down-to-earth language that harbors strong emotion, Rylant recounts the festive celebration of the relatives' stay and the ensuing sadness when they depart. The relatives in question are a large rural brood, depicted, in Gammell's joyous color pencil drawings, as running the gamut from porcine to scrawny, old to young, and rowdy to silent. In pictures of this group hugging, eating, and sleeping, the unspoken closeness of the unnamed relatives can be felt. These softly colored pictures, which capture the spirit of the brief text, are large enough for sharing in groups -- a use of this warm book that seems particularly appropriate.

"If you don't believe in dragons, / It is curiously true / That the dragons you disparage / Choose to not believe in you," matter-of-factly claims America's premiere children's poet Jack Prelutsky. Dragons aren't all the same, of course--some are amiable, some are disconsolate, and some are downright nasty. Here Prelutsky, who has written over 30 books of poetry for children, turns his considerable talents to the subject of dragons--a secret dragon, a thunder dragon, a mechanical dragon, even a lazy dragon who likes to sleep all day. The 17 poems range from the whimsical to the scary, but all reflect Prelutsky's incomparable flair for rhythm and humor. The fabulous fire-breathers are illustrated in all their irresistible splendor by award-winning artist Peter Sis. The sophisticated style of his large oil paintings is complemented by his trademark borders in antique gold, giving the pages an Old World look. If you don't believe in dragons then you need this book, because the magical combination of art and poetry will make you and your kids believers. If you listen closely, you might even hear the dragons singing tonight: "We are dragons! We are real!"

This rhythmic, storytime counting treat features a frightfully friendly cast of characters on their way to a monsters' bash. "Eleven witches," "Ten funny, floaty ghosts," "Nine skeletons," and so on make their way across a dark forest to a party in a castle, where they all slice into "One gigantic pumpkin pie." Mitton's catchy rhyming couplets correspond nicely with Parker-Rees's floodlit illustrations. Colorful two-page paintings show marching trolls and dancing wizards. On some spreads, two single-page illustrations are paired together, and details in the art cross the book's gutters–a sprig of grass here, the bristles of a broom there–and keep the action flowing smoothly. This book is good, nonthreatening Halloween fun for even the youngest of children.

Portly is trying to find his true self. He was born a hippopotamus, but is sick of wading in water and eating boring old grass. Searching for new possibilities, he sets off on a quest where he encounters a herd of rhinoceros, a bat, an elephant, and a giraffe, and transforms himself into a hippo-gir-ele-bat-onoceros. Each new identity has comical, albeit unsuccessful consequences. His adventures make him long for the grass and cool waters of home. Portly and his parents are glad to be reunited, but when he sees a monkey swinging from tree to tree, he knows his explorations must continue. The artist uses bright, sunny colors, portraying this jungle fantasy through large, eye-catching paintings. Portly's multifaceted personality is well illustrated. While the theme is far from new, children will enjoy the humorous tale and will identify with Portly's desire to try out new personas. A smooth flowing, witty text gives this tale good storytime potential.

The fun and frustration of a winter's day are energetically described in this brightly illustrated picture book: "Frozen noses / Tingly toeses / Sniffle, snuffle / Winter's cold!" Instead of using only standard picture-book words, Carr uses a rather sophisticated vocabulary. Words such as quiver, veer, and collide are folded so effortlessly into the rhyme that it seems a wonder such language isn't used more often in books for the very young. The collage illustrations, which appear to be paper or felt, feature a multiracial trio of friends whose brightly colored clothing contrasts nicely with the gray snow and sky. The book starts with a snowball fight and a sleigh ride and ends, as all winter days should, with a soothing cup of hot cocoa and a nap.

Martin dreams of building a snowman, but the weather refuses to cooperate. As the winter months pass with hardly a flake, he tries to use available resources to fulfill his creative needs. He dumps a bag of flour over his syrup-sticky sister to make a snow baby, and glues cotton balls to his pet to fashion a snow dog. Finally, having turned himself into a snow boy during a bubble bath, he just manages to greet his mother's book club before his foam covering unexpectedly slips away to reveal "Martin in his nothingness." After this series of misguided ideas, an April blizzard finally closes school and provides him with the opportunity to build to his heart's content. In May, a bathing-suit-clad Martin stares out at the rain, daydreaming about swimming and sand castles. Repeated plot elements and refrains give the story an evenly measured pace, allowing the humor to build with each passing month. McCauley's crisp mixed-media illustrations are irresistible. From the tartan endpapers (a pattern repeated on Martin's wool hat) to the breed of his dog (a Scottish terrier) to the snowflake patterns that are subtly incorporated into the scenery, amusing details reflect and extend the story. With irregularly shaped heads and elongated necks, the characters have a stylized appearance, and Martin's perfectly round eyes are punctuated by thick eyebrows that change their angle according to his mood. A fun choice for snow dreamers.