New Releases by Chris Van Dusen

From a master of visual comedy comes the royally satisfying tale of a head swollen out of proportion and a blowhard brought down to earth. Hugo is a tiny king with a very large ego. But when he mistreats a villager who also happens to be a sorceress, the spell she casts causes his head to literally swell. The more he boasts, the bigger it gets, until it finally topples the mini monarch right off his castle! Who will cut this royal pain down to size? And, more important, will anyone live happily ever after? Chris Van Dusen’s hilarious story is matched only by his outrageous illustrations. Together, they make for a picture book that is sometimes fairy tale, sometimes cautionary tale, and always laugh-out-loud funny.

That big truck is stuck! How will the island residents get where they’re going? A tale of community and ingenuity from the celebrated Chris Van Dusen, inspired by a true story. When a big truck and its big load get stuck on a narrow road, traffic on the little island comes to a halt. Some cars need to go south and some have to travel north. How will Meg get to her swim meet? What about Barry’s ballet class? Luckily, the kids come up with an ingenious solution: why not just swap cars? Inspired by an incident that happened on Vinalhaven, Maine, Chris Van Dusen tells a fun tale of resourcefulness and community through clever, rhyming wordplay and whimsical illustrations, sprinkled with plenty of cars and trucks for transportation-loving readers.

“With all the bases covered — musical text, entertaining artwork, and surefire subject matter — this title bats 1,000 for group or lapsit read-alouds.” — School Library Journal Randy Riley loves two things: science and baseball. When it comes to the solar system, the constellations, and all things robot, Randy is a genius. But on the baseball diamond? Not so much. Then, one night, Randy sees something shocking through his Space Boy telescope: it’s a fireball, and it’s headed right for his town! Randy does the math, summons all his science smarts, and devises a plan that will save the day in a spectacular way. Once again, with visual humor, dizzying perspectives, perfect pacing, and rollicking rhyme, Chris Van Dusen delivers a hit that will make readers stand up and cheer.

“This eloquent, evocative book about compassion is perfect for sparking discussions on prejudice. A sensational choice.” —School Library Journal Hattie McFadden is a born explorer. Every morning she paddles out in her canoe to discover something new on the lake, singing a little song along the way. When her singing lures a huge mysterious beast from the depths of the lake, everyone in town is terrified—except Hattie, who looks into the creature’s friendly, curious eyes and knows that this is no monster. She befriends the giant and names him Hudson. But how can she make the frightened, hostile townspeople see that he isn’t scary or dangerous at all? Chris Van Dusen brings his colorful, perspective-bending artwork to this satisfying story about acceptance, friendship, and sticking up for those who are different.

When Hattie''s singing rouses a giant beast from the lake, everyone in town is terrified except Hattie, who works to convince the townsfolk that Hudson is not dangerous.

The much-anticipated follow-up to the E. B. White Award-winning picture book If I Built a Car In If I Built a Car, imaginative Jack dreamed up a whimsical fantasy ride that could do just about anything. Now he''s back and ready to build the house of his dreams, complete with a racetrack, flying room, and gigantic slide. Jack''s limitless creativity and infectious enthusiasm will inspire budding young inventors to imagine their own fantastical designs. Chris Van Dusen''s vibrant illustrations marry retro appeal with futuristic style as he, once again, gives readers a delightfully rhyming text that absolutely begs to be read aloud.

In this exuberant companion to If I Built a Car, a boy fantasizes about his dream school--from classroom to cafeteria to library to playground. My school will amaze you. My school will astound. By far the most fabulous school to be found! Perfectly planned and impeccably clean. On a scale, 1 to 10, it''s more like 15! And learning is fun in a place that''s fun, too. If Jack built a school, there would be hover desks and pop-up textbooks, skydiving wind tunnels and a trampoline basketball court in the gym, a robo-chef to serve lunch in the cafeteria, field trips to Mars, and a whole lot more. The inventive boy who described his ideal car and house in previous books is dreaming even bigger this time.

“The verse is sprightly, but the pictures are the true stunners.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) When a circus ship runs aground off the coast of Maine, the poor animals are left on their own, but they soon win over the wary townspeople with their kind, courageous ways. So well do the critters blend in that when the greedy circus owner returns to claim them, villagers of all species conspire to outsmart the bloated blowhard. With buoyant rhymes and brilliantly caricatured illustrations evoking the early nineteenth century, Chris Van Dusen presents a hugely entertaining tale about the bonds of community?—?and a hidden-pictures spread for eagle-eyed readers of all ages.

The third book in the much-loved Mr. Magee series A snowy adventure with Mr. Magee and his dog, Dee: One winter morning, Mr. Magee and his little dog, Dee, head out bright and early to learn how to ski. But what begins as a pleasant day in the snow quickly goes downhill when a run-in with a curious moose sends them flying through the air and hanging above an abyss! How will Dee and Magee find their way out of this snowy situation? Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee is another fun-filled adventure for Magee fans old and new. • Filled with charming, vibrant illustrations and playful, rhyming text • Chris Van Dusen is the author and illustrator of Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee and A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee Fans of the Mr. Magee series and Chris Van Dusen''s If I Built a House and If I Built a Car will love this winter adventure with Mr. Magee. A lesson on overcoming obstacles with an easy to follow storyline, fun illustrations, and likable characters. • A fun read-aloud for families and elementary story time • Books for kids ages 4-8 • Books for early and emergent readers

A sexy, high-concept, behind-the-scenes peek at the lives and loves of Seattle Grace''s most popular doctors . . . On ABC''s mega-hit Grey''s Anatomy, when surgical interns Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, George, and Alex (not to mention neurosurgeon Derek, aka Dr. McDreamy) arent putting in long hours at Seattle Grace Hospital, theyre flirting, gossiping, and drowning their sorrows at the Emerald City Bar. In one location, Nurse Debbie sees it all; in the other, Joe the bartender hears it all . . . Grey''s Anatomy is styled as two books in one -- read from one side to get Debbie''s hospital scuttlebutt, and from the other for Joe''s alcohol-fueled tidbits. Notes from the Nurse''s Station and Overheard at the Emerald City Bar are packed with new information on pivotal events. This is the book the show''s millions of fans cant wait to read.

If I built a car, it''d be totally new! Here are a few of the things that I''d do. . . . Young Jack is giving an eye-opening tour of the car he''d like to build. There''s a snack bar, a pool, and even a robot named Robert to act as chauffeur. With Jack''s soaring imagination in the driver''s seat, we''re deep-sea diving one minute and flying high above traffic the next in this whimsical, tantalizing take on the car of the future. Illustrations packed with witty detail, bright colors, and chrome recall the fabulous fifties and an era of classic American automobiles. Infectious rhythm and clever invention make this wonderful read-aloud a launch pad for imaginative fun.

The second book in the much-loved Mr. Magee series A new adventure with Mr. Magee and his dog, Dee: In A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee, Mr. Magee and his trusty dog, Dee, are enjoying a peaceful camping trip when along comes a lumbering, marshmallow-loving bear and the excitement begins. The next thing the two campers know, they are plunging down a mountain, racing down a river, and teetering on the edge of a waterfall! How will Mr. Magee and Dee find their way out of this slippery situation? • Filled with charming, vibrant illustrations and playful, rhyming text. • Chris Van Dusen is the author and illustrator of Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee and Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee Fans of the Mr. Magee series, Llama Llama Loves Camping and Curious George Goes Camping will love this outdoor adventure with Mr. Magee. A lesson on overcoming obstacles with an easy to follow storyline, fun illustrations, and likable characters • A fun read-aloud for families and elementary story time • Books for kids ages 3-6 • Books for early and emergent readers