New Releases by Helen Ketteman

Fiction: Three little gators strike out on their own in an east Texas swamp. Their mother warns them to build strong houses that can protect them from Big-bottomed Boar, who likes to eat tasty, tender gators for his snack. Soon, First Gator builds himself a nice house out of rocks. Second Gator reckons rocks are too much work, so he builds his house with sticks. And Third Gator''s house of sand is the easiest one to build! But soon Big-bottomed Boar shows up. With a bump, bump, bump of the fierce boar''s rump, he knocks over Third Gator''s house of sand. It doesn''t take long for that rump to bump Second Gator''s house of sticks. But he can''t knock over Third Gator''s house of stones, so he tries another way in - through the chimney! Guess what happens to the Boar''s rump after that?! Nonfiction: Did you know that a male alligator is called a bull? It has a loud roar that can be heard from far away. Learn these and other interesting facts in All About Alligators.

Little Monster is going trick-or-treating for the very first time. There are going to be all kinds of creatures about, like witches and vampires and zombies. And lots of spooky noises too! As Little Monster makes his way around the neighborhood, Papa is there to help guide him through his fears as they encounter one scary thing after another...until they reach the last house of the night. It''s the spookiest house of all, and--YIKES!--there might be a surprise waiting for them. Will Little Monster be brave?

Little Monster''s nervous about his first day of school, but his teacher Mr. Drool and the other monsters put him at ease.

AV2 Fiction Readalong by Weigl brings you timeless tales of mystery, suspense, adventure, and the lessons learned while growing up. These celebrated children’s stories are sure to entertain and educate while captivating even the most reluctant readers. Log on to www.av2books.com, and enter the unique book code found on page 2 of this book to unlock an extra dimension to these beloved tales. Hear the story come to life as you read along in your own book.

"There once was a cowpoke who swallowed an ant— A fiery thing with a Texas-sized sting. The cowpoke panted, and his voice got higher. ''Yippie-ti-yay! My stomach''s on fire!!''" In this Texas-styled reworking of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, a cowboy downs a variety of native Southwest creatures—a spider, a roadrunner, a lizard, an armadillo, a snake, a boar, and more—all to catch that ant! Another hilarious and vividly illustrated tale from the team behind Senorita Gordita and The Three Little Gators.

From the author of the popular Goodnight, Little Monster and a character designer for Pixar films comes a delightful rhyming romp through an old haunted house. Vibrantly painted illustrations lead three children through the house, where new creatures await in each room. Readers can count along as they see Pa goblin and his wee goblins four and witches and ghosts, and so many more. Just the right blend of spooky fun, this book is a can''t-miss treat for Halloween.

Times sure are tough on the ranch, and Waynetta and her ma can use all the luck they can get. But when Waynetta trades their last longhorn for a handful of so-called magic corn, Ma is non too pleased. A fast-paced Texas retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk featuring a girl hero.

Resets the tale of the Gingerbread boy in the southwest, where the scrumptious Gordita eludes her pursuers until she meets a clever owl. Includes glossary of Spanish terms and a gorditas recipe.

Rhyming text describes a mother guiding her young monster through bedtime preparations, such as howling at the moon, snacking on worm juice and beetle bread, and choosing a bedtime story.

Wanda Gag Honor Book 2010 2011 Washington Children''s Choice Picture Book Award nominee A delightfull retelling of the three little pigs story. Three little gators strike out on their own in an east Texas swamp. Their mother warns them to build strong houses that can protect them from Big-bottomed Boar, who likes to eat tasty, tender gators for his snack. Soon, First Gator builds himself a nice house out of rocks. Second Gator reckons rocks are too much work, so he builds his house with sticks. And Third Gator''s house of sand is the easiest one to build! But soon Big-bottomed Boar shows up. With a bump, bump, bump of the fierce boar''s rump, he knocks over Third Gator''s house of sand. It doesn''t take long for that rump to bump Second Gator''s house of sticks. But he can''t knock over Third Gator''s house of stones, so he tries another way in - through the chimney! Guess what happens to the Boar''s rump after that?!

Loosely based on "Cinderella, " this story is set in Texas, the fairy godmother is a cow, and the hero, named Bubba, is the stepson of a wicked rancher.

An eager child finds that it takes time and patience to make friends with Grandma''s cat.

What kind of crazy, windy weather do the townspeople predict for Christmas?

Hardscrabble Tennessee farmer Clemmon Hardigree''s hard-luck changes when he plants seed potatoes in Cow Hollow before his fat mountain cows cause the pasture to collapse.

Beanie''s grandfather tells him about the failure of the corn crop in 1928 and how he was able to make corn trees grow from whittled corn kernels.