New Releases by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

Follow a group of children as they enjoy the rain and all the wonderful activities of spring.

Readers follow the adventures of a group of children and their parents as they enjoy the warmth of a sunny summer vacation. Celebrate all the wonders of summer in this final book in Cocca-Leffler''s delightful series about the seasons. Full color.

A perfect picture book for toddlers on the go! All toddlers live by the pleasure principle. For them, fun times always end too soon. So often they either turn a deaf ear to the words "It''s time to say bye-bye" or simply throw a tantrum. What is the solution? In this warm-hearted picture book, Maryann Cocca-Leffler follows a toddler from morning to bedtime, showing that all saying "byebye" really means is that you''re ready to say "hello" to the next fun thing on your "agenda." With a bare minimum of words, and playful artwork, this is one of those rare read-alouds perfect for very young children.

Behind every cloud there is sun. Nate always sees the bright side of life. While others complain about rain, Nate is happy about the frogs that it brings. When you might think there is nothing to do, Nate is just happy to enjoy the view. Instead of wanting more, Nate is grateful for what he''s got. Smile along with Nate as he enjoys all the good things life has to offer.

Mr. Tanen and his ties are back! But now there''s trouble. Mr. Tanen''s school has run out of funds for the long-awaited playground. He needs to raise money--fast. But how? Then Mr. Tanen remembers the words of Mr. Apple, his boss, "I wish our bank account was as full as your tie closet." "That''s it!" shouts Mr. Tanen. And the next day, the entire town is plastered with signs that read "Mr. Tanen''s Tie Auction."

2013-2014 Show Me Readers Nominee List 2012 Best Children''s Books of the Year, Bank Street College Although she''s always been called Princess at home, Kim is not a real princess, so she decides "From now on, no matter what, I''m only going to tell the truth!" At home, she tells her Dad that the pancakes are rubbery and her Grandma that her new necklace looks the the slimy rocks at the bottom of the fish tank. At school, she''s just as honest...until she learns what too much truth can do.

In this simple rhyming story, three children share the activities of winter, until the first signs of spring appear.

The leaves turn red, brown, and orange, then drift down from the trees. It''s time to go apple picking and on hayrides at the county fair. Fall is finally here! With soft, colourful art, adorable children, and seasonal outdoor scenes, Let It Fall celebrates the beauty of autumn.

The everyday sights, sounds and smells of a colorful and bustling city come alive in this book - a child''s view of Boston. Maryann Cocca-Leffler remembers frequent bus trips she took into the city as a girl with her mother and little sister. Together they shopped for delicious treats in the Italian North End - warm pizza and creamy cannoli - or stopped for ice cream sundaes at Bailey''s after a day of bargain hunting at Filene''s Basement. One of the best things about the trips was the bus driver, Bill. He started his route each day in their neighborhood and knew all the kids on the street. In this engaging Parents'' Choice Award book, the author-artist conveys all the warmth and simple pleasure of childhood memories and the people and places that made them so special.

Special windows cut in holiday shapes give sneak peeks at the Halloween surprises ahead as two brave little kittens, Rascal and Rosie, go trick-or-treating.

Kim wants the kids at her new school to like her, so she tells a teeny, tiny, bitty lie. She says her name is really “K.I.M.”—for “Katherine Isabella Marguerite”—and that she comes from a royal family! Pretty soon all the students know there is a princess in the school. Kim wears her golden tiara from dance class and a big fancy ring she won at the arcade. Her little lie grows and grows. When a classmate invites her to a birthday party, Kim says she can’t go because her grandmother is coming to visit. But she had told the kids her grandmother was a queen. Now they all want to meet the queen. Kim is in a real bind; her lie has grown too big and it’s about ready to explode!

Rhymed text and illustrations describe a young girl''s distribution of her valentines.

My Dance Recital captures the preparation, rehearsals, fun, excitement, and nervousness that go into dance recitals by young girls and boys. This book is chock-a-block with novelty elements—pull-tabs, fabrics, wheels, flaps, and pop-ups (including one grand finale)—and features Maryann Cocca-Leffler’s gorgeous signature artwork. From getting hair and make-up done to pirouettes to the final bow, this book has it all. Young dancers—and aspiring dancers—will love every minute of it.

On the first day of school, as the children in Miss Lucinda''s class introduce themselves and name their special talent, Jack wonders if he is good at anything.

It''s Career Day, and the students are running the Lynnhurst School! Olivia takes Mr. Tanen''s place as principal--along with the keys to his closet filled with 998 crazy ties. While the kids are in charge, there''s an important visitor from Washington, D.C.

Kids will love discovering the floor plan of the White House, a list of presidential perks, and lots of interesting info about all the presidents, from George Washington to Barack Obama. (Did you know he is the only president born in Hawaii?) Each page is jam-packed with trivia, fun facts, and information on the historical events of each presidency.

It''s time to wash the dog! Have a splish-splashin'' good time with simple words, pictures, and flash cards to make learning to read easy and fun!

Degas is famous for his ballerina paintings, but as young Kristin learns more about him she finds a lot more about his art to like. Full-color illustrations.

All Aboard Reading Collections These hardcover compilations of best-selling All Aboard Reading titles are perfect for every young reader! Featuring favorite themes like science and school, and grouped according to the Station Stop reading levels, these compilations offer something for every young reader--and the engaging text and colorful illustrations are sure to captivate all kids!

Rhyming verses tell the story of jungle animals which decorate for Halloween, dress up for the occasion, and participate in the night''s festivities.

After her unsuspecting owners leave for work and school, Catrina invites the neighborhood cats over for a festive Italian meal.

When make-believe Princess Jessica throws a royal ball, she delivers invitations to her loyal subjects, picks out her best ball gown, and even loses her slipper. If only her sister wasn''t such a royal pain!

After losing Coco the class pet at a shopping mall, first-grader Janine learns that the stuffed rabbit has mistakenly been given as part of a toy distribution at a local hospital.

It''s Valentines Day, and a little girl is making Valentines for her mom and dad. When the cards disappear, she tracks down the culprit—and gets a Valentine surprise herself!

Every toddler deserves a hug!Here are two embraceable treats for toddlers to share with their parents! Each book features an ingenious set of arms that folds down over the cover. Open the book and the arms hug each page. All the special hugs -- including boo-boo hugs, proud hugs, and good night hugs -- are here, endearingly pictured with cheerful portraits of moms, dads, and kids of varied ethnicities.

Silly Willy, our eponymous hero, likes to get dressed in a topsy-turvy way—with gloves on his head, socks on his ears, and the rest of his clothes in the strangest places—in this silly story by the author of What a Pest! and Ice-Cold Birthday. Featuring extra-large type and primer easy sentences, this All Aboard Reading book includes 24 flash cards.