New Releases by Janet Halfmann

A little girl is happy to go on a walk with Grandma, but Grandma is a such a slowpoke! She stops to point out, listen or observe the different creatures they meet, sharing her knowledge with the child. At the river, it is the little girl who spots a little muskrat Grandma didn’t see.

Little ones will soon settle down for bedtime just like Little Sea Otter as she snuggles with Mama in a cozy bed of sea kelp and calls good night to all her ocean friends—sea lions, sea snails, seagulls, seals, and sea urchins. They all reply. The gently rocking seas and Mama''s loving arms soon send Little Sea Otter to dreamland.

Each day, an old woman waves to Mateo''s bus from her window, and the kids all wave back. When she disappears one day, Mateo and his classmates are determined to go check on her.

How Can We Be Kind? teaches children how we can learn kindness from the world around us, drawing on examples from the animal world from emus to capybaras to teach compassion and respect.

A masquerade ball with a blue ribbon! Caterpillar dreams of winning, but wonders how she can since she is just a baby. Tadpole convinces her that her natural baby disguise as bird poo is perfect. As Caterpillar grows, her look changes, and she worries again. Tadpole tells her she now looks like a scary snake, and is sure to win! Then . . . just weeks before the ball, Caterpillar spins a chrysalis and hangs unmoving from her tree. Now, even Tadpole (who is changing into a frog) is worried. Will Caterpillar break out of her chrysalis in time? And if she makes it to the ball, will she still think winning is the most important thing of all?

Have you ever heard a bird whistle wheet, wheet, wheet, birdie, birdie, birdie? That''s the song of a cardinal. Every bird''s song is different. Bird songs often sound like familiar words. That makes it easier for us to tell Who Is Singing?

One year after escaping slavery, Lucy Ann and Dabney Walker used a clothesline code to steal Confederate military secrets and send them back to the Union army, at great risk to themselves.

Big brothers are amazing! Did you know that big brothers are important in animal families, too? Animal big brothers do many of the same things as kid big brothers. They play with their younger siblings, teach them new things, and help with their care. Sometimes animal big brothers even babysit when their parents leave to hunt for food. Are you a big brother or do you have a big brother?

Will Joey, a little gray kangaroo, ever find his mum''s pouch in a mob? Find out in this fun story of friendship-sprinkled with Australian words. This wonderful story by Janet Halfman is illustrated adorably by Abira Das and will soon be one of your child''s favorites.

"The biography of Robert Smalls, a slave steamboat wheelman who navigated past Confederate forts in South Carolina and became one of the Civil War''s greatest heroes. Includes text from Seven Miles to Freedom and additional sidebars."--

Little Sea Otter snuggles with Mama in her sea kelp blanket, but she can''t go to sleep before she says good night to all of her friends. The sweet story and gorgeous illustrations will make this book a favorite.

This historical fiction picture book reveals the unknown story of Lilly Ann Granderson, an African-American teacher who risked her life to teach others during slavery.

Little ones will soon settle down for bedtime just like Little Sea Otter as she snuggles with Mama in a cozy bed of sea kelp and calls good night to all her ocean friends.

Al bebé murciélago le gusta su casa en la cueva y nunca quiere dejarla. Mientras practica agitar sus alas una noche, se cae, y Demuchas-una la Rata Cachibachera lo rescata. Entonces ellos exploran en lo más profundo, las esquinas oscuras de la cueva donde encuentran animales asombrosos--animales que no necesitan ojos para ver o los colores para esconderse de sus enemigos. El bebé murciélago aprende lo importante que son los murciélagos para el hábitat de la cueva y cómo otras criaturas de cueva vivientes dependen de los murciélagos para comer. Finalmente, ¿el bebé murciélago se atreverá a salir de la cueva para ayudar a los otros animales?

Learn how birds made the first rainbow.

What''s a great way for kids to learn about learning? Tell them how animal parents teach their young!

Serving the Community Big Book

A baby bat explores the cave he lives in, discovering the other creatures who live there and the important role that bats play in providing food for them.

Young readers may lift the flaps of the pages to reveal a penguin egg and ends with an ostrich''s clutch of eggs that introduce the numbers from one to ten.

Children read-along to the exciting story of Alligator as she raises her young once they hatch from their eggs. Watch as they learn to hunt, swim, and evade danger. Reviewed by the Smithsonian Institution for accuracy, Alligator at Saw Grass Road delivers a fun and informative story with detailed, beautiful illustrations. Watch your children have a blast reading and learning about the animals that live in an American backyard!

In early spring, a Canada Goose patiently sits on a bundle of eggs. Weeks later, five fluffy goslings finally hatch. Canada Goose and her mate have a lot to teach their young. Reviewed by the Smithsonian Institution for accuracy, Canada Goose at Cattail Lane is a fun and informative story with beautifully detailed illustrations. Watch your children have a blast reading and learning about the animals that live in an American backyard! This book includes an easy-to-download audiobook with realistic sound effects for added fun.

Leaping and bursting above the waves, a group of dolphins swim alongside a research ship. The scientists on board watch and clap. Suddenly one of the dolphins lands on the ship! Will the scientists be able to save the dolphin? Find out as this exciting story unfolds! Reviewed by the Smithsonian Institution for accuracy, Dolphin''s Rescue is a fun and informative story with beautifully detailed illustrations. This book includes an easy-to-download audiobook with realistic sound effects for added fun.

Learn about what life is like for a starfish, also called a sea star.

From Australia''s outback to the neighborhood lawn, animals great and small fill the pages of the 13 Sylvan Dell books in this Wildlife Set. The picture books in this set are each fictional stories with nature & science themes designed for reading fun but, at the same time, to pique a child''s interest and tee-up science, math, and geography learning. Titles include: Tudley Didn''t Know**, Habitat Spy, In My Backyard, Little Skink''s Tail**, Kersplatypus**, Animals are Sleeping, Blackberry Banquet, One Wolf Howls**, Moose and Magpie**, Felina''s New Home, Baby Owl''s Rescue**, Fur and Feathers, River Beds: Sleeping in the World''s Rivers**, and Little Red Bat. (**Award Winners) 4-6 pg For Creative Minds educational section in the back 40-60 pg cross-curricular Teaching Activities and 3 Interactive Quizzes available free on the book''s homepage eBooks with Auto-Flip, Auto-Read and selectable English and Spanish text and audio.

This set contains 14 Sylvan Dell books between Reading Counts Levels 3.1 and 3.9: In Arctic Waters; Christmas Eve Blizzard; Sort It Out!**; If You Were a Parrot**; How the Moon Regained Her Shape**; Loon Chase; Ocean Hide and Seek**; Saturn for My Birthday**; Ready, Set... Wait; Fur and Feathers**; Blackberry Banquet; Where Should Turtle Be?**; Carolina''s Story: Sea Turtles Get Sick Too!**; My Even Day**(Award Winners**).4-6 pg For Creative Minds educational section in the back40-60 pg cross-curricular Teaching Activities and 3 Interactive Quizzes available free on the book''s homepageeBooks with Auto-Flip, Auto-Read and selectable English and Spanish text and audio

This set contains 6 Sylvan Dell books between Accelerated Reader levels 2.0 and 2.8. Titles include: Big Cat, Little Kitty; Champ''s Story: Dogs Get Cancer Too!; One Odd Day**; My Even Day**; Little Skink''s Tail**; Newton and Me**; Pieces of Another World**; and Tudley Didn''t Know** (**Award Winners).4-6 pg For Creative Minds educational section in the back40-60 pg cross-curricular Teaching Activities and 3 Interactive Quizzes available free on the book''s homepageeBooks with Auto-Flip, Auto-Read and selectable English and Spanish text and audio

21 picture books, each fictional nature & science themed stories designed for reading fun yet to pique a child''s interest and science, math, and geography. Includes: Baby Owl''s Rescue, Carolina''s Story: Sea Turtles Get Sick Too!, Champ''s Story: Dogs Get Cancer Too!, Count Down to Fall, Fur and Feathers, Henry the Impatient Heron, Water Beds: Sleeping in the Ocean, Little Skink''s Tail, Riverbeds: Sleeping in the Worlds Rivers, How the Moon Regained Her Shape, If a Dolphin Were a Fish, Happy Birthday to Whooo?, One Odd Day, My Even Day, Newton and Me, Sort it Out!, Panda''s Earthquake Escape, Turtle Summer: A Journal for My Daughter, Whistling Wings, What''s New at the Zoo: An Animal Adding Adventure and The Rainforest Grew All Around. 4-6 pg For Creative Minds educational section in the back 40-60 pg cross-curricular Teaching Activities and 3 Interactive Quizzes available free on the book''s homepage eBooks with Auto-Flip, Auto-Read and selectable English and Spanish text and audio.

On her own since birth, a young garter snake learns important skills such as how to find meals and protect herself from predators such as crows and dogs. Includes facts about garter snakes and a glossary.

13 Sylvan Dell books between 510 and 580 Lexile Levels: Champ''s Story: Dogs Get Cancer Too!, Kersplatypus, Tudley Didn''t Know, What''s New at the Zoo?, My Half Day, Burro''s Tortillas, Julie The Rockhound, Pieces of Another World, Whistling Wings, Little Skink''s Tail, Moose and Magpie, One Odd Day, Pandas'' Earthquake Escape