New Books for 2006 Please Play Safe!: Penguin's Guide to Playground Safety Penguin and his rambunctious young friends are off to the playground, running so fast that they knock each other down. Is that right? No, that's wrong! They should walk so that no one gets hurt. My Book Box What can you do with a box? You can make a bug box or a hatbox or a hide-and-seek box. But just imagine all the fun and adventure you can have with a book box. Smash! Mash! Crash! There Goes the Trash! The garbage trucks are here today! Smashing, mashing, lights-a-flashing, gobblin garbage, gulpity-gulp. What A Treasure! Have shovel, will dig. Such is the simplicity of young Mole's experiences in this warm look at appreciating the small, often unexpected, joys in one's life. [ See Upcoming Works for more ]

This Little Piggy
by Jane Yolen.
As its subtitle announces, it is full of lap songs, finger plays, clapping games, and pantomime rhymes for babies and toddlers. The pictures by Will Hillenbrand are absolutely delicious.

The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence
Judith St. George, author of "So You Want To be President?", and Will Hillenbrand bring readers a witty and wonderfully illustrated true story of the invincible Declaration, giving heroic testimony to the grit and determination of the country itself. A fun and fascinating way to share the history of the document that gave the American people their freedom.

Asleep in the Stable
(A Star review), Publisher's Weekly
Whooo better than a baby barn owl to deliver a bird's-eye-view of the Nativity? While the baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the animals sleep in the stable, Baby Owl and his mother are just waking up for their usual nighttime breakfast. As the feathered youngster inquires about "that baby sleeping in the nest below," Mama's soothing answers provide a lilting, lullaby-like rendition of the first Christmas.

Hillenbrand's starry mixed-media night skies and a shadow-filled barn serve as backdrop for wide-eyed owls and the peaceful Holy Child.

One, Two, Three O'Leary
Publisher's Weekly
Doyle (The Bold Boy) skips down memory lane for this dandy collection of ditties culled from his childhood in Ireland.

As the book opens, Hillenbrand depicts a peacefully slumbering band of siblings. Tucked in their big fluffy bed, the 10 O'Leary kids seem a cute and cuddly bunch. But the peace and quiet do not last for long before the brood shows its rambunctious side.

Down on the Farm
Simple rhyming text describes the sounds and activities of animals during a day on the farm.

School Library Journal
Kid, a mischievous young goat, begins the day by startling the rooster that crows in alarm. When Kid jumps into the pond, the ducks and geese quack and honk frantically. Throughout the day, the young goat's antics elicit raucous responses from all of the other animals, until the sun goes down and, finally, all is quiet. Listeners will delight in following Kid's adventures.

Please Say Please!: Penguin's Guide to Manners
Penguin is having a party, and his nine adorable animal guests have their manners all mixed up.

From one silly incident to another, the guests learn where to put your napkin (not on your head!), how to sip your milk (don't spray it!), and when to tell a joke (NOT when your mouth is full!). Proper Penguin's patience is tried, but by the time his guests say good-bye, they have even learned to say, "Thank you!"

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
A traditional nursery song is expanded to tell the story of a young child's first day at school.