New Releases by Jean Merrill

Childrens'' ABC book

"The best book about politics ever written for children." —The Washington Post 50th Anniversary Edition, now in paperback DO YOU KNOW THE HISTORY OF THE PUSHCART WAR? THE REAL HISTORY? It’s a story of how regular people banded together and, armed with little more than their brains and good aim, defeated a mighty foe. Not long ago the streets of New York City were smelly, smoggy, sooty, and loud. There were so many trucks making deliveries that it might take an hour for a car to travel a few blocks. People blamed the truck owners and the truck owners blamed the little wooden pushcarts that traveled the city selling everything from flowers to hot dogs. Behind closed doors the truck owners declared war on the pushcart peddlers. Carts were smashed from Chinatown to Chelsea. The peddlers didn’t have money or the mayor on their side, but that didn’t stop them from fighting back. They used pea shooters to blow tacks into the tires of trucks, they outwitted the police, and they marched right up to the grilles of those giant trucks and dared them to drive down their streets. Today, thanks to the ingenuity of the pushcart peddlers, the streets belong to the people—and to the pushcarts. The Pushcart War was first published more than fifty years ago. It has inspired generations of children and been adapted for television, radio, and the stage around the world. It was included on School Library Journal’s list of One Hundred Books That Shaped the Twentieth Century, and its assertion that a committed group of men and women can prevail against a powerful force is as relevant in the twenty-first century as it was in 1964.

What is your favorite thing to do in the whole world? Whatever it is, odds are that you don’t like doing it as much as the elephant in this book enjoys smashing small cars. He’ll smash any small car that drives down his road. He smashes yellow cars, he smashes blue cars, he smashes red cars, all the while singing a special car-smashing song. Then one day a man comes to town and opens a small-car store right on the elephant’s road. You can probably guess what the elephant does next, but the real fun starts when the man turns the tables on the elephant—and his plan is a smashing success. Jean Merrill’s story of gleeful destruction, revenge, and conciliation is accompanied by Ronni Solbert’s colorful crayon drawings. Rarely has property damage looked so adorable.

A young girl describes how her school friend made over a million dollars by creating and marketing a cheaper and better toothpaste.

In this vivid adaptation of a 12th-century Japanese tale, Izumi finds worms, toads, and especially caterpillars much more fascinating than the hobbies of the ladies in the Emperor''s court. Full color.

The outbreak of a war between truck drivers and pushcart peddlers brings the mounting problems of traffic to the attention of both the city of New York and the world.

A collection of slogans and funny sayings that might be found on bumpers of automobiles, trucks, buses, and other vehicles.

Adam''s aunt accepts the other animals he tames but hesitates about the baby porcupine because porcupines have been eating parts of her cabin.

Two children play hide and seek in the barn.

A Spanish gypsy says he remembers all Christmases and tells how he was caught stealing chocolate from Joseph on the night Christ was born.

Ten children play hide-and-seek on a city street. The winner is rewarded with an ice cream cone.

Because he was a different color and dared to think for himself, The Black Sheep was thrown into prison.

On a rainy day a little girl tries to tell a story to her brother, whose own idea about how the story goes results in a new version of an old folk tale.

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The tale of a Chinese ruler who loved horses.

A country boy, tricked once too often by a greedy boatmaster, executes a clever retaliation.

When Emily''s father promises her the moon, she believes him, in spite of her brother''s teasing. Preschool - Grade 2.

An adventurous pigeon visits some of the fascinating places in New York City.