New Releases by Bonny Becker

A little girl and her grandfather walk along the quieter paths which take them past a chopping hoe, the shirr of grasshoppers, and the shushing of a water sprinkler.

Taking the bus to make a delivery to his grandmother, a little boy is alarmed by the bus's scary driver, who grows creepier by the minute as the other passengers disembark.

Bear’s understated Christmas celebration has Mouse feeling a bit anxious in this humorous and heart-warming story featuring the unlikely, loveable pair. Features an audio read-along! Get ready for Christmas and the best kind of surprises as grumpy Bear and eager Mouse, of the Bear and Mouse series, return in a funny tale full of festive cheer and friendship. One frosty night, Bear hears a tap, tap, tapping on his front door. “Merry Christmas!” cries Mouse, who has arrived for a Christmas party. Bear has never had one before, but he’s certain that pickles are essential, along with the reading of a long and difficult poem. The problem is, whenever Bear comes back from the kitchen with treats, Mouse has vanished – only to be found, small and grey and guilty-eyed, scurrying under the bed or searching the closet. Will there be a present for Mouse? Even just a tiny one?

Curmudgeonly Bear succumbs to Mouse’s entreaties and discovers the joy of books in a hilarious story that fans will covet for their own library. Features an audio read-along! Bear does not want to go to the library. He is quite sure he already has all the books he will ever need. Yet the relentlessly cheery Mouse, small and gray and bright-eyed, thinks different. When Bear reluctantly agrees to go with his friend to the big library, neither rocket ships nor wooden canoes are enough for Bear’s picky tastes. How will Mouse ever find the perfect book for Bear? Children will giggle themselves silly as Bear’s arguments give way to his inevitable curiosity, leading up to a satisfying story hour and a humorously just-right library book.

The relentlessly cheery Mouse pushes a cold-suffering Bear to new heights of melodrama in a hilarious new adventure starring the unlikely pair. Features an audio read-along! Bear has a terrible cold. In fact, Bear is quite sure that no one has ever been as sick as he is. So when Mouse comes tap, tap, tapping on his front door eager to make Bear “as good as new” by reading a sunny story, singing a rousing chorus and plinking a twangy tune on her banjo, the pitifully coughing Bear – growing weaker by the minute – is convinced that his tiny friend does not appreciate the gravity of the situation. Can there be any saving Bear from his certain demise? Welcome the world’s most lovable curmudgeon and his endearing, unstoppable sidekick in a wry new comedy sure to have even red-eyed, sniffly-nosed readers rolling with laughter.

"A Visitor for Bear has the feel of a classic, and it’s so cozy no parent could object to reading it aloud every night." — The New York Times Book Review (starred review) Features an audio read-along! Bear is quite sure he doesn’t like visitors. He even has a sign. So when a mouse taps on his door one day, Bear tells him to leave. But the mouse — who keeps popping up in the most unexpected places — just won’t go away! Cheery persistence wears down the curmudgeonly Bear in a wry comedy of manners that ends in a most unlikely friendship.

When the impish Mouse comes to spend the night, Bear is in for a rude--and very funny--awakening in this irresistible new story starring the unlikely pair. (Ages 5-7) Features an audio read-along! Bear must have absolute quiet when he goes to bed. He likes to set out his glass of water, adjust his nightcap, fluff his favorite pillow, and then drift peacefully to sleep. But the effervescent Mouse, small and gray and bright-eyed, finds it terribly hard to be as quiet as a . . . well, you know. With masterfully paced slapstick humor, droll repartee, and comic visual details, the curmudgeonly Bear and his irrepressible friend Mouse return in a third wry adventure that will have readers of all ages laughing in recognition.

Follow-up to the NEW YORK TIMES bestseller A VISITOR FOR BEAR Features an audio read-along! Bear does not like birthdays. He doesn’t like parties or balloons, cards or candles. In fact, Bear does not like anything to do with birthdays at all. He would much rather spend his birthday alone cleaning his house, but Mouse, small and gray and bright-eyed, has other ideas. With a perfectly paced story by Bonny Becker paired with Kady MacDonald Denton’s slapstick visual comedy, A Birthday for Bear — previously published as a first reader — welcomes young listeners to the party in a new picture-book format, with all new artwork, ideal for sharing.

Ms. Plum is the magical teacher every schoolkid wishes for! Everybody wants to be in Ms. Plum’s class. It’s not just that she teaches the usual things in unusual ways. There’s something more, something about Ms. Plum herself—and her mysterious supply closet. Whenever she asks her students to get her an eraser or a pencil or some paper clips, they come back with something . . . unusual. Who’d have thought a pinky-sized alligator, a big-mouth parrot, or a tiny wolf could teach kids a thing or two about life? Each year, Ms. Plum is certain she’s had her best class ever. And it looks like this year . . . she’s right! Relatable behavioral and personality issues are poked gently with empathy and humor in this fun, warmhearted chapter book.

Chip didn't think anything could be worse than almost failing the fifth grade -- until his new brother, Simon, arrived. Simon is the latest in robotic technology. He's ten times better than a human boy. Dad hopes Simon will set a good example for Chip. Instead, Chip feels like Simon is taking his place -- at school, on the swim team, even in his parents' hearts.Included in Juvenile 10.An accelerated Reader® Title

What happens when a crocodile comes for Christmas? Chaos! Here is one delicious Christmas story readers aren't likely to forget. Full color.