Books in Sunburst Book series

They eat sand and gravel for breakfast and a stew of sticks and stones for dinner. No one says "please" or "thank you." Instead, they kick and yell and punch and shove. Then one day everything changes, when Baby Brute happens upon "a little wandering lost good feeling in a field of daisies." When he brings it home in his pocket, nothing is ever the same for the Little Brute Family.

Every spring, the geese touch down on the pond in a honking, flapping celebration. But this year, one of them is different. As it stands on one leg—shunned by the other geese, unable to search for food, to swim, or even to fly away—a young girl wonders: how can a goose with one foot survive? “A heartwarming story with a tender message about accepting others in spite of their differences and helping those who are less able.” —Starred, School Library Journal “Best’s simple prose is rhythmic and beautiful . . . Every child who has nursed an injured creature will recognize the bond, the distance, and the hope. ” —Starred, Booklist

A surprising friendshipDo you ever feel like you’ve somehow lost your true best friend? Minn feels this way. So does Jake. But Minn and Jake have no intention of being friends. Minn’s a string bean. Jake’s a shrimp. Minn’s a girl. Jake’s a boy. And in fifth grade, who wants a best friend of the opposite sex? But Minn and Jake are forced together by circumstances, which only strengthen their resistance . . . until Minn takes Jake lizard hunting. There are lots of good ways to choose a friend. This enchanting free-verse novel, accompanied by expressive, humorous black-and-white drawings, proves that sometimes friendship just happens.

The Light Princess--the princess who "lost her gravity"--has been essential fiction for several generations of children. This new edition is a companion volume (same page size, similar design) to our edition of The Golden Key, of which Publishers' Weekly said: "Maurice Sendak lights the way through MacDonald's Kingdom with the most mystical, the most poetic pictures of his distinguished career." Now Sendak has made the pictures The Light Princess always deserved to have.This is the only separate edition available that preserves the authentic text; it is neither cut nor edited nor "improved" in any way.

Ellie Martin fiercely resists her new dog's charmsIt isn't Ellie's fault, really. She's always wanted a puppy, and now that she's almost nine, finally old enough to get one, Preston is foisted on her. What's more, her parents say that this fully grown mutt that Great-aunt Margaret can no longer keep will have to do. They can't very well have a dog and a puppy. Although heartbroken and resentful, Ellie does see Preston's virtues. Still, she refuses to accept him as her dog. Then Ellie's resistance almost costs her Preston, and at last she embraces him. Colby Rodowsky's story about a child's change of heart has just enough tenderness -- and just enough bite -- to satisfy young dog lovers. Captivating drawings by Thomas F. Yezerski highlight the experience.

Three times a voice comes to Isaac in his dreams and tells him to go to the capital city and look for a treasure under the bridge by the royal palace. Feeling a little foolish perhaps, but determined to see for himself if the dream is true, Isaac sets out on his long journey. What he finds makes a surprising and heart-warming ending to this retelling of a well-known folk tale. In a few words, Cadelcott Medal winner Uri Shulevitz draws a man who is innocent enough to have faith in a dream, and wise enough to understand the greatest reward of all.Isaac's solitary journey, his arrival at hte vast city, and his discovery there are all enriched by Mr. Shulevitz's beautifully detailed illustrations, which masterfully capture the spirit of the original tale while keeping it simple enough for the very youngest reader. The Treasure is a 1980 Caldecott Honor Book and a 1979 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year.

"It's snowing, said boy with dog."It's only a snowflake," said grandfather with beard.No one thinks one or two snowflakes will amount to anything. Not the man with the hat or the lady with the umbrella. Not even the television or the radio forecasters. But one boy and his dog have faith that the snow will amount to something spectacular, and when flakes start to swirl down on the city, they are also the only ones who know how to truly enjoy it. This playful depiction of a snowy day and the transformation of a city is perfectly captured in simple, poetic text and lively watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations. Snow is a 1998 New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year and a 1999 Caldecott Honor Book.