Most Popular Books by Marion Dane Bauer

Move over, Christmas Carol—here’s a new holiday ghost story! It''s Christmas Eve, and Kaye’s family is on the way to her grandmother’s house in a swirling snowstorm. Suddenly the car hits a patch of ice. It slides across the road and skids into a snow-filled ditch! Through the car window, Kaye spots a light in the woods. Its glow leads her and her parents through the blizzard. They find a warm cabin and a kindly old woman named Elsa. And Kaye finds something else—a green ghost who needs her help! Newbery Honor–winning author Marion Dane Bauer spins a third spooky tale to complement her previous stories, The Blue Ghost and The Red Ghost.

Discusses the history and lore of Niagara Falls.

The award-winning author “provides mentoring and practical and technical advice in this handy how-to book . . . as useful to teachers as to young writers” (School Library Journal, starred review). Storytelling is a universal experience. From an early age, we begin to shape our own world by crafting tales. But learning to tell—and write—a good story isn’t easy. It takes dedication and practice, just like for a musician or an athlete, and it can be just as rewarding to accomplish as winning a game or mastering an instrument. It’s the kind of work that feeds our souls and makes us glad to be alive. In What’s Your Story?, Newbery Medal-winning author Marion Dane Bauer discusses how to write fiction from beginning to end, including creating a story plan, choosing the best idea, bringing characters to life, deciding on a point of view, creating realistic dialogue, keeping readers hooked, and revising and polishing the finished product. “Her last comment is telling: ‘Knowing your craft can help you tell a story. But only by taking risks can you make art.’ After many pages of provocative information and straightforward counsel, that sentence may be the one to launch youngsters to the challenge. The book speaks directly to young writers, but many adults (teachers, librarians, reviewers, editors, would-be writers) will also find this sensible dissection of the storytelling process invaluable.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “A pragmatic, organized approach to story writing . . . the exercises and thought processes introduced as groundwork come across as stimulating rather than tedious and may serve to hone analytical skills as well as inspire even the most reluctant writers to try their hand.”—Publishers Weekly

Baby critters are soft and cuddly, but which is the cutest? Award-winning author Marion Dane Bauer poses this question, leading readers on a heartwarming journey to find The Cutest Critter. Stan Tekiela''s adorable photographs provide plenty of choices, but by story''s end there is just one answer. Stan and Marion''s other collaborations both won Mom''s Choice Awards. The Cutest Critter is sure to become another family favorite. Share it with someone you love, and introduce them to the wonders of nature.

Mr. Geo explores North Carolina, examining the geography, history, and pop culture as well as maps and various learning activities about the state.

Illustrations and simple text explain what wind is, how it is used by plants, birds, and people, and how wind can become a storm.

Mr. Geo explores Florida, examining the geography, history, and pop culture as well as maps and various learning activities about the state.

Newbery Honor recipient and New York Times bestselling author Marion Dane Bauer explains what causes earthquakes in this Level 1 Ready-to-Read. What causes an earthquake is a mystery—until you go deep beneath the Earth’s surface. Find out the answers in this informative Ready-to-Read!

The author explores the influences that led her to become a writer including the importance of inspiration.

Mr. Geo explores the state of Washington, examining the geography, history, and pop culture as well as maps and various learning activities about the state.

Learn about the Rocky Mountains, how they came to be and what animals live there.

Takes beginning readers on a whirlwind tour of Massachusetts, the Bay state with Mr. Geo. Join this fun and funny geography teacher as he goes up and down the state visiting Boston for a Fourth of July celebration, walking the Freedom Trail, and cheering on the Boston Read Sox! He also plans to meet the Pilgrims, go whale watching, bike along the seashore and much much more.

Illustrations and simple text explain what rain is, how it is used by plants, birds, and people, and the importance of clean water.

Ten-year-old Jonathan practically lives at the Anchorage Zoo, where his father is a keeper. He loves animals, and even imagines himself inside their bodies, seeing what they see, feeling what they feel. Meanwhile, a young brown bear is wandering through the woods near Anchorage, alone and hungry. One night, while searching for food, the bear crosses paths with Jonathan, who eagerly follows him onto the zoo grounds. But when the bear accidentally kills Mama Goose, Jonathan’s favorite zoo creature, the boy loses the empathy he had felt earlier. He wishes that the bear—now nicknamed Trouble—would meet the same fate as his beloved goose, and he impulsively takes steps to make sure that happens. Based on an actual incident, and told in alternating chapters from the bear’s and Jonathan’s points of view, this is both an involving animal story and a thought-provoking investigation into the consequences of one’s actions.

Visit Yellowstone National Park as Newbery Honor recipient and New York Times bestselling author Marion Dane Bauer takes you on a tour of one of our country’s greatest treasures in this Level 1 Ready-to-Read. Bubbling mud puddles, shooting steam, and majestic bison make Yellowstone National Park—the world’s first national park—a magical place to visit! Read all about it in this Level 1 Ready-to-Read that almost makes it feel like you’re there!

When her great-grandmother is placed in a nursing home, a twelve-year-old is sent to a foster home where the fanatically religious father presses his attentions on her.

Visit the Appalachian Trail as Newbery Honor recipient and New York Times bestselling author Marion Dane Bauer takes you on a tour of one of our country’s greatest treasures in this Level 1 Ready-to-Read. The Appalachian Trail is one of the longest trails in the world! It crosses fourteen states between Georgia and Maine. Hikers from all over the world come to explore and discover the natural wonders along the trail. Beginning readers will enjoy trailing along in this informative Ready-to-Read.

Visit the Grand Canyon as Newbery Honor recipient and New York Times bestselling author Marion Dane Bauer takes you on a tour of one of our country’s greatest treasures in this Level 1 Ready-to-Read. It all started with water. But how did one river make such a deep canyon? Beginning readers will love learning about one of the great wonders of the United States: the Grand Canyon.

Real live bears are the main characters in this dynamic tale of adventure and discovery! Photos by nationally known wildlife photographer Stan Tekiela pair with text by award-winning author Marion Dane Bauer for a lively story that will fascinate children and adults. This Mom''s Choice Award winner for Most Outstanding Children''s Book creates a compelling dynamic between reality and imagination.

This retelling of the nativity is ideal for baby''s first Christmas.

Twelve kinds of animal babies swim, snuggle, slither, and scoot through this enchanting picture book that celebrates the miracle of birth, the magic of childhood, and you...the most precious baby of all.

This book describes the creation of Mount Rushmore, the carved monument of four American presidents.

A little girl goes through a normal day tripping, dropping things, spilling milk, and waking the baby--uh-oh! A bestselling author showcases childhood clumsiness with compassion and humor in this lift-the-flap book. Petrone''s quirky illustrations perfectly capture a toddler who knows that her mommy and daddy love her--no matter how many uh-oh''s she has. Full-color illustrations. 9 gatefolds.

A simple introduction to the life and work of Harriet Tubman.

Benjamin Franklin was curious about the world around him. He had wide and varied interests that led him to become a printer, a writer, an inventor, a statesman, and eventually one of the fathers of our nation. This book introduces Benjamin Franklin to the youngest readers and inspires them to learn about the world. Illustrations.

Simple text and illustrations explore the wonders of snow.

Why do kittens purr? Because they''re happy, deep inside their fur. Lions roar in the dining room and frogs hop down the stairs as a child''s curiosity leads to whimsical fun. Marion Dane Bauer and Henry Cole create an inviting child''s-eye view of the world in their imaginative book.

Inside my boots I''ve got toes, and beneath my scarf is a... Baby is bundled in a mountain of clothes! Peek under the flaps of clothing to find out what''s underneath, and play this fun peekaboo book again and again!

Marion Dane Bauer''s bestselling My Mother Is Mine is now available as a Classic Board Book! In simple verse, baby animals praise the attributes of their mothers and one little girl does the same. A baby robin loves how her mother feeds her worms, a baby kangaroo loves how tightly his mother holds him, and a baby giraffe loves how tall her mother is. Of all the special reasons why a mother is so special, baby loves her mother because her mother belongs only to her. Perfect for sharing at Mother’s Day or any time of the year. This book resonates with the warmth and love between a mother and child.

After an outburst at her brother''s wedding, 17-year-old Michelle is taken to Minnesota''s Apostle Islands for a rest and there meets Paul, a young Native American writer who is the first to sense how deeply disturbed she is.

A fox wonders how he should prepare for the coming winter, but what other animals advise will not work for him until another fox comes to his aid.

Thirteen-year-old Caitlan looks forward to the camping trip with her older sister in the woods of northern Minnesota, but she doesn''t count on the intrusion of her sister''s boyfriend or the ghost of a boy who died in the fire that destroyed the forest a century before.

In England with her mother for a year, dreamy Diana meets an eccentric old man and shares his frustrations and use of the royal family as a means of escape.

Blast into orbit in the fifth book in this nonfiction Level 1 Ready-to-Read series about the universe that’s perfect for kids who love science and space! Why do planets orbit the sun? What are Saturn’s rings made of? Readers can explore the solar system in this stellar Level 1 Ready-to-Read.

A popular collection of some of the best short fiction and short stories ever written.

An exploration of how the Big Bang may have formed the universe, giving birth to its many organisms including humans.