Children's Literature - Genres/Indianapolis

Austin and his parents travel around the country in their trailer performing with their band, and every night Austin's father tells him one bedtime story, until the night they stay in a two-story house instead of their trailer.

It's an E-mergency! The letter E took a tumble and the only way to get her back on her foot is for people to stop using her. But who can take her place? The other letters have to make a decision ASAP. Z is too sleepy and Y asks way too many questions. Thankfully, O rolls in to try and save the day. Now E can rost up and got bottor . . . as long as ovorybody follows the rulos. Chock-full of verbal and visual puns, this zany book is sure to tickle both the brain and the funny bone.

A boy who does not like trying new foods receives many confusing words of advice in the form of such phrases as "people need three square meals a day" and "I knew you were a tough cookie."
Translated from the French.

Out of the Blue shows children the magic of idioms - words that separately have one meaning, but together take on something entirely different. Children are curious about words, especially phrases that make them laugh ("Tickled Pink"), sound silly ("Shrinking Violet") or trigger images that tickle a child's sense of the absurd ("A Red Letter Day"). Out of the Blue uses outlandish illustrations of what the words describe literally. The reader then has to guess the "real" meaning of the phrases (which are upside down in the corners of each spread). At the end of the book, the reader is invited to learn more about these figures of speech. Our first book of idioms, Birds of a Feather (2009), dealt with birds, insects or animals. Our second, Life is a Bowl Full of Cherries (2011) uses food idioms. Out of the Blue uses color idioms. All three are fun - and instructive.

In a pickle. Apple of my eye. Take the cake. Have you ever heard these crazy expressions? People use them even when no pickles, apples, or cakes are around! That's because these sayings are idioms--phrases that mean something different from what the words in them actually say. But don't let idioms leave you with egg on your face. Let's explore a variety of food-related idioms and figure out what people really mean when they use them.

The collective names of 26 animals.

The great rivers of North America are teeming with life and on the pages of Over in a River - from blue herons in the Hudson to salmon in the Columbia, and from dragonflies in the Rio Grande to mallards in the St. Lawrence. Children will "slither" like water snakes and "slide" like otters while singing to the tune of "Over in a Meadow." And they'll count baby animals in watersheds all over North America! What a delightful way to learn about riparian habitats and geography at the same time!

Every year, giant pumpkin contests take place at fairs across the country—the 2012 record-holder weighed over aton!The latest craze is to carve the most enormous pumpkins into racing boats. But what’s next? Why not thinkreallybig? Award-winning artist Wendell Minor does just that as he imagines larger-than-life pumpkins decorating some of America’s favorite places—as immense as the Capitol dome, Mount Rushmore, the Brooklyn Bridge, even the Grand Canyon! This celebration of famous landmarks and landscapes plays with concepts of size and scale and is full of fun facts.

In only five words -- four of which are in the title -- Kate Greenaway Medalist Emily Gravett presents a delightful picture book that is "simple and stunning" (The Guardian), and "daring, original, and a joy" (Sunday Times, London).

Take Away the A is a fun, imaginative romp through the alphabet. The idea behind the book is that within every language there are words that change and become a different word through the simple subtraction of a single letter. In other words, without the "A," the Beast is Best. Or, without the "M," a chomp becomes a chop#151;though it could be that this particular play on words didn't even make it into the book, there are so many! We certainly don't want to give too much away. . . . Now, take a look and find some more! Discovering all of the words in the book is a lot of fun, and then there's the wild, exciting adventure that follows, of trying to find more! Michaël Escoffier was born in France in 1970. Raised by a family of triceratops, he discovered his passion for writing and telling stories at a young age. He lives in Lyon, France, with his wife and two children. Kris Di Giacomo is a popular children's book illustrator who has lived in France for most of her life. After living in the United States for a while, she moved to France, where teaching English to young children and discovering French picture books were the triggers that led her into illustration. This is her fourth book to be published with Enchanted Lion Books.

Take a peek at prepositions while searching for a missing mouse in this clever concept book from the author of Balancing Act. The mice can’t find their friend Jumper! They look over branches and under leaves. They look between the weeds and down into Mole’s tunnel. But still no Jumper. Where, oh where, could their sneaky pal be? In the tradition of Ellen Stoll Walsh’s beloved concept books Balancing Act, Mouse Paint, and Mouse Shapes, this story explores prepositions through the antics of charming, fun-loving mice.

Told almost entirely in sound words, this day-in-the-life look at firefighters and their fire truck will appeal to the youngest vehicle enthusiasts and to parents with a penchant for exuberant read-aloud sessions. With art reminiscent of Donald Crews's transportation books, Mike Austin evokes the excitement of a 911 call as we follow firefighters sliding down the fire pole, racing through town, and up the ladder truck. Includes fire safety tips from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault's rhythmic chant and Lois Ehlert's exuberant collage illustrations have made Chicka Chicka Boom Boom a read-aloud favorite for twenty years. To celebrate, here is a special anniversary edition of this quintessential picture book with these exciting new features including completely restored artwork, twenty years of Chicka historical note and a Happy Birthday, Chicka! poster on the inside jacket that will surely delight old and new generations of Chicka Chicka fans alike!

If you were a fuzzy caterpillar crawling through the tall, tall grass on a sunny afternoon, what would you see? To find out, just follow the tiny tour guide as he inches his way through the pages of this book. You'll see ants and bees and birds--hip-hopping bunnies too. You'll even hear the sounds some of them make. Crunch, munch, caterpillars lunch... Crack, snap, wings flap... Beginning as the sun is high in the sky and ending as fireflies blink and the moon rises above, this backyard tour is one no child will want to miss. In the Tall, Tall Grass is a 1992 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award Honor Book for Picture Books.

Illus. in full color."Mirandy is sure she'll win the cake walk if she can catch Brother Wind for her partner, but he eludes all the tricks her friends advise. This gets a high score for plot, pace, and characterization. Mirandy sparkles with energy and determination. Multi-hued watercolors fill the pages with patterned ferment. A treat to pass on to new generations."--(starred) Bulletin, Center for Children's Books. Cassette running time: 20 min.

This book contains a lullaby which asks animals such as a lizard, monkey, and water buffalo to be quiet and not disturb the sleeping baby. 1997 Caldecott Honor Book

‘A clever reworking of a classic story. The little old lady’s fearless attitude and her clever solution as to what to do with the lively shoes, pants, shirt and pumpkin head that are chasing her will enchant young audiences. With brilliantly colored, detailed folk art illustrations. A great purchase.’ —SLJ. Children's Choices for 1987 (IRA/CBC) Notable 1986 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC) Children's Books of 1986 (Library of Congress) 1988 Keystone to Reading Book Award (Pennsylvania Reading Association)

It's time for the annual Corn Maze Festival. The farm is bursting with activity. Cluck Whack! The chickens build a fence around the cornfield. Moo Thwack! The cows give the barn a fresh coat of paint. Thump. Quack! Duck builds the ticket booth for the hot-air balloon ride. Everyone is excited. Well, Duck is not excited exactly. But he has a plan. As Farmer Brown designs the corn maze for the festival, Duck does some designing of his own. Guess who's in for a big surprise? The always-creative, always-hilarious, always-champions-of-corn-mazes pair who brought you Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type; Giggle, Giggle, Quack; and Duck for President have planned a terrific event. Step right up, folks.

"McCanna's carefully chosen words are nearly all onomatopoeia, a cacophony of water sounds that resonates on tongue and ear, demanding to be read aloud...Beautiful." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review In glorious onomatopoeia, Tim McCanna takes the reader on a dazzling journey as a fox seeks shelter from a rainstorm. Drip Drop Plip Plop Pitter Patter Pat. As the rain begins, a little fox seeks shelter. But then it builds and builds into to a torrential storm. Wash! Wham! Lash! Whirl! Bash! Swirl! Hiss! Slap! Slam! Both a visual feast and a joy to read aloud, this stunning picture book showcases the power and beauty of nature.

This raucous story about the sounds animals make-including three pigs who say "la la la!"-is just right for reading aloud. Serious silliness for all ages. Artist Sandra Boynton is back and better than ever with completely redrawn versions of her multi-million selling board books. These whimsical and hilarious books, featuring nontraditional texts and her famous animal characters, have been printed on thick board pages, and are sure to educate and entertain children of all ages.

Grab your backpack and head into the countryside for a camping adventure full of contrasts! Little ones love to try out the opposite actions as they sing and dance along. Enhanced CD includes audio singalong and video animation.