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Many things change with each season, Little Nutbrown Hare learns as he and Big Nutbrown Hare explore the outdoors. Tadpoles grow into frogs in the Spring, leaves change color in the Fall and more — but the affection between father and son is a constant. Simple language and soft illustrations once again present the enduring warmth of the Nutbrown Hares.

A girl and her family enjoy the pleasures of a summer day, capturing its colors, sounds, and tastes. The girl and her parents have a picnic in the park before night falls with its own special sights and sounds. Soft illustrations and rhyming text combine for the satisfying story until [I] “Turn off the light…/And dream of summer day…and nights.”

Children tease “crazy old Birdman” who feeds the pigeons in the park. That is, until he helps Rose discover beauty in the city and the color of flowers from simple seeds on her windowsill. Suddenly Rose finds a “singing garden” to brighten the gray city. Luminous illustrations swirl across the page to enliven the staccato free verse.

From one end of the United States to the other, the 4th of July is celebrated: on beaches, with parades, picnics, and of course fireworks. Cut paper collage combine with appealing, rhyming, short poetry to re-create the heat and rhythm of summer and the pleasure in its goings-on.

The charming child and hound first introduced in Apple Pie ABC are back. This time the girl chases her mischievous black-eared dog to reclaim her shoe through the gate to a hen house counting all the while in the cadence of a familiar nursery rhyme. Illustrations are open and appealing, adding story to the counting book.

Colorful sea creatures — from a sea snail and a sea horse, to coral and seaweed — are presented in this small, sturdy book. Single words accompany dark-lined, boldly colored illustrations with glittery paper cleverly incorporated with die-cuts.

A wee piggy escapes his boy at the fair for a very colorful adventure around the fair. The naughty pig “wallowed in white to go with the red…” but “It’s not polite to wallow in white…” The boy catches up just in time to see his pig win a blue ribbon. Funny, animated illustrations accompany the rhyming tale inspired by “I Know an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly.”

Animals at the “edge of the vast rain forest” play hide and seek. As Elephant slowly counts to 10, others hide. Elephant finds all of his friends easily — except Chameleon. Children will share the thrill of finding the right hiding place and being found right along with the colorful, stylized animals of the rain forest.

Good news: rabbit has a picnic to share with his friend mouse; bad news: it starts to rain. So it goes — good and bad events — until mouse is overwhelmed by the bad news, hurting rabbit’s feelings. The duo reconciles, which is “very good news.” Understated text and simple illustrations enliven the series of improbable events for a comical picnic.

Bonnie O’Boy’s first bike ride is a humdinger, taking her (and readers) on an animated, imaginative jaunt through her backyard. It lasts until Bonnie bumps into reality again. Child-like illustrations and lively language combine for an unforgettable ride.

Eleven year old Molly is homesick when her family moves to Connecticut from London. But a book entitled The Life of Nelson connects Molly to her home and to 11-year old Sam, a boy pressed into service in the English navy as an aide to Admiral Nelson during war. Told in two distinct voices, past and present gradually come together bringing both into clear focus.

Huw’s family’s good fortune changes for the better when the silver cow falls in love with music from Huw’s harp; it changes again, however, because of his father’s interminable greed. The Welsh countryside comes to life in soft, evocative watercolor illustration and a rhythmic retelling of a traditional tale.

While on holiday, the Drew children Barney, Simon, and Jane find a map in a hidden room in the Cornwall house, involving them and their great uncle, Merry, in a struggle between good and evil steeped in Arthurian legend. The first in the Dark is Rising sequence, the entire series exudes a strong sense of place and traditional tales. (The sequence continues with The Dark is Rising (opens in a new window) followed by Greenwitch (opens in a new window), The Grey King (opens in a new window), and concludes with Silver on the Tree (opens in a new window).

Boy is transported to the Land of Story when the Magician’s Saint George puppet disappears. There Boy meets well known characters from traditional tales, demonstrates great bravery, and gains a real name. Gentle humor and familiar characters are hallmarks of this fantasy for younger readers.

Nat Field finds friendship and relief from the loss of his parents when acting and is thrilled when chosen to go to England to perform in the new Globe Theater. Instead, he is transported back in time to perform in the original and meet William Shakespeare. Past and present come alive for contemporary readers in this riveting look at the connections between time and place.

Until it strikes uncomfortably close to home, three English boys are fascinated by the war and the bombing of their city, London. Derek and his friends come to understand true fear and the meaning of war in this realistic novel that explores themes of friendship, fear, and retaliation.

When the Volnick family accidentally brings a Boggart home to Toronto from Scotland, the results are tumultuous and very funny. It’s up to Jess and Emily to figure out how to return the rascally spirit. The family meets the Boggart again on another visit to Scotland with similar outrageous results (which include a renowned water creature) in The Boggart & the Monster (opens in a new window). Both books are steeped in the magic and traditions of the region in which they are set.

Product Description: A young boy and his papa may speak both Spanish and English, but the most important language they speak is the language of love. Here, Arthur Dorros portrays the close bond between father and son, with lush paintings by Rudy Gutierrez.

This handsomely illustrated book is accompanied by a CD of songs and lullabies from various parts of Africa.

In this 3rd book about Pacy, she and her family plan to go to Taiwan to celebrate her grandmother’s birthday.

When Nelly’s family could no longer keep the small brown dog, she came to the Rainbow Street Animal Shelter and became a special part of it. Nelly quieted all of the anxious animals when they arrived and even inspired Sam (who met her pet there) to suggest a program to help reluctant readers. Warmly told, this engaging novel is just right for animal lovers.

Sophisticated readers curious about weather science will be riveted by this highly illustrated, well documented, and clearly written look at tornadoes and their power. Photographs from satellites and the ground, newspaper headlines and more are presented album-like to dramatically present the storms power.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were very different in everything from appearance to what they liked to do. But they agreed on one thing: King George of England was a tyrant! This lighter look at American history is factual and informative and may be just the introduction to Independence Day as well as two of its key figures.