Books published by publisher The Blue Sky Press

Caldecott Honor artist David Shannon is back with an all-new, original board book that lets young readers see what the star of the bestselling No, David! books did as a troublemaking toddler.Oops! Did somebody make a mess?! Join David as he finds himself in a few sticky situations, and learn his five favorite words along the way. From throwing a ball to riding a tricycle to taking a bath, David sometimes has a little too much fun. But he knows there's nothing better than cuddling with Mama at the end of a busy and exciting day. With the same irresistible humor and vibrant style as his award-winning No, David! books, David Shannon takes us back to the "early years" of his most beloved character. Perfect for beginning readers as well as for the youngest children!

Watch out, Junie B., there's a new kid on the block! It's Freddy Thresher, a 1st grader who knows it's a jungle out there. Here's the fourth in a new series by an elementary teacher who's seen it all."I have a problem. A really, really, big problem. I want to try out for the peewee hockey team, but so does Max . . ." Bullies are a problem in school, and Max Sellars is the worst one yet. In addition to hassling Freddy, Max also challenges him for the open spot on the peewee hockey team. Freddy's close friend Jessie is a star hockey player, and she secretly teaches him some rules and tricks. In a warm and funny ending, Max and Freddy make peace with one another, and--in a surprising twist--end up becoming teammates.

Engaging alphabet books are perennial bestsellers with unlimited demand. As in their previous collaboration, the Woods bring lower-case letters to life in a fun adventure. Little x has left, upset he's hardly used, and the other letters set out to find him. They find x playing the castle xylophone for the mysterious Master, capital M, who threatens to turn them into alphabet soup! Some quick thinking by Little x saves the day, and soon they are all on their way home--just in time to make Mom's birthday surprise: a cake with Little x all over. He's the only one who stands for kisses!

The bestselling, award-winning team of Yolen and Teague are back with another playful dinosaur tale--this time about a sick dinosaur child who catches the flu and must go to the doctor.What if a dinosaur catches the flu?Does he whimper and whine between each "At-choo"?Does he drop dirty tissues all over the floor?Does he fling his medicine out of the door? Just like kids, little dinosaurs hate being sick. And going to the doctor can be pretty scary. How DO dinosaurs get well soon? They drink lots of juice, and they get lots of rest; they're good at the doctor's, 'cause doctors know best. As in their previous book, Yolen and Teague capture children's fears about being sick and put them to rest with playful read-aloud verse and wonderfully amusing pictures.

Watch out, Junie B., there's a new kid on the block! It's Freddy Thresher, a 1st grader who knows it's a jungle out there. Here's the third in a new series by an elementary teacher who's seen it all.Freddy Thresher has a problem: a really, really, big problem. His teacher wants the class to do reports on nocturnal animals, and everybody but Freddy has a really cool animal to study. How will Freddy find one? When his best friend, Robbie, says the two boys should have a sleepover and sneak outside at night, Freddy makes a huge mistake and ends up getting his late-night wish in a very unexpected way!

Woof! Meet Roy, an adorable white dog who is wild about digging, digging, digging in the dirt!David Shannon's picture books are loved for their endearing characters and laugh-aloud humor, and Roy's charming naughtiness will remind readers of what they love about Shannon's No, David!, a bestselling Caldecott Honor Book about a boy with a nose for trouble.Although it's a smelly task for those who have to constantly bathe him, Roy's happiness centers on his very favorite thing-dirt-and from sunrise to sunset, he burrows in it, rolls in it, and digs up buried treasures. There's terror in every terrier, and when Roy runs into the house after being sprayed by a skunk, he faces the dreaded bathtub. Readers will see themselves in Roy's childlike delight each time he makes the biggest mess ever.

Celebrated illustrators Leo and Diane Dillon have won the Caldecott Medal twice, and now they present stunning illustrations of an evening of jazz music, complete with a special CD.If you have ever been lucky enough to hear great jazz, then you will understand the pure magic of this book. Leo and Diane Dillon use bright colors and musical patterns that make music skip off the page in this toe-tapping homage to many jazz greats. From Miles Davis and Charlie Parker to Ella Fitzgerald, here is a dream team sure to knock your socks off. Learn about this popular music form and read a biography of each player pictured-and then hear each instrument play on a specially produced CD. What's the featured song? "Jazz on a Saturday Night," written and recorded to accompany this book.

Bestselling author Audrey Wood and artist son Bruce create an undersea counting book that's full of the same vivid imagery and fun story elements that have made their alphabet books so successful!It's an undersea countdown in the newest book by bestselling author Audrey Wood and her dynamic, digital-artist son, Bruce. Follow ten little fish as they swim along a beautiful ocean reef, one by one departing from the school for different reasons, eventually leaving one fellow all alone. What will he do? Along comes another, and that makes two! Soon he becomes a father and she becomes a mother--with ten little children of their own. The rhyming text helps readers go from one to ten and back again, and each illustration pops with all the color and depth of an underwater playground.

With stunning artwork and compelling scientific explanation, Bang and Chisholm have brought forth a masterpiece that is critically relevant in this environmentally tumultuous time. How does the sun keep ocean currents moving and lift fresh water from the seas? What can we do to conserve one of our planet's most precious resources? In this newest book in the award-winning Sunlight Series, readers learn about the constant movement of water as it flows around the Earth. As the water changes between liquid, vapor, and ice, Sunlight powers all living things, ensuring that life can exist on Earth. Perfect for any reader--young or old!--this is an invaluable addition to all classrooms, libraries, and at-home collections.

"What we have here is a bad case of stripes. One of the worst I've ever seen!"Camilla Cream loves lima beans, but she never eats them. Why? Because the other kids in her school don't like them. And Camilla Cream is very, very worried about what other people think of her. In fact, she's so worried that she's about to break out in...a bad case of stripes!

Breathtaking oil paintings bursting with energy pullreaders along into Big Lake, the home of Jangles, thebiggest fish anyone has seen. Fishing alone at dusk,a boy feels a tug on his line and comes face-to-facewith the gigantic trout--whose enormous jaw is coveredwith so many lures and fish hooks that he jingles andjangles when he swims. Terrified by the sight, the boy isshocked when Jangles befriends him and takes him on anadventure to the bottom of the lake. A surprise endingwill leave readers laughing and shaking their heads. Hereis Shannon at his very best-in a wild and witty story thatbegs repeated reading.

What would you do if every spark of electricity suddenly vanished, as if somebody had flipped a switch on the entire planet? Cars won't start, the heat shuts off, there's no water in your faucet, and your radio, TV, and flashlight go dark. Everyone in Charlie's small town is baffled.But as time passes, lawlessness erupts and takes an ugly turn. When the market and pharmacy are torched by an anti-Semitic arsonist, Charlie realizes his mother will die without her medicine. So he dons skis and heads off alone, seeking the nearest hospital. After traveling 50 miles through brutal ice and snow, Charlie encounters a burned-out, looted city of terrified citizens. Will he be able to save his mom?Heroic, eloquent, and unforgettable, The Big Dark raises timely questions about responsibility, tolerance, and love.