Best Children's Country Life Books

This New York Times bestselling Nordic tale in the tradition of The Snowman, The Polar Express, and the many books of Jan Brett will have readers of all ages believing in the magic of Christmas. The full-page photographs look like they could be movie stills, so sharp and seamless are the figures that Anja and the animals cut against the winter landscape of Northern lights, glaciers, and snowy pine trees.

Inspired by his own travels, Matt Lamonthe transports readers across the globe and back with this luminous and thoughtful picture book.

★ An NPR Best Book of the Year. ★ A Booklist Best Book of the Year. ★ An Entertainment Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of the Year. ★ A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year. ★ A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year. ★ A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. ★ A Wall Street Journal Best Children's Book of the Year. ★ An ALA Notable Children's Book. Betty quickly reveals herself to be cruel and manipulative, and while her bullying seems isolated at first, things quickly escalate, and reclusive World War I veteran Toby becomes a target of her attacks. “The honesty of Wolf Hollow will just about shred your heart, but Annabelle’s courage and compassion will restore it to you, fuller than before. —Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author. “ Wrenching and true …With a precociously perceptive girl as a main character; a damaged, misunderstood recluse; and themes of prejudice and bigotry, comparisons to Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ will abound. ★ “ Echoing the tone and themes found in To Kill a Mockingbird …Annabelle's astute observations of the Philadelphia woods and the people who populate Wolf Hollow will resonate with many readers as they present a profound view of a complex era tinged by prejudice and fear.”— Publishers Weekly , starred review. ★ “The spare but hauntingly beautiful language paints every early morning walk to school, household chore, emotion, and rational and irrational thought in exquisite detail … Perfectly pitched. to be used in classrooms in conjunction with To Kill a. Mockingbird .”— Booklist , starred review. The storytelling here is dignified and the tone is memoir-ish, because Annabelle is remembering the story in the past…The portrait of Betty, an unredeemed sociopath, pulls no punches , and Toby is a nuanced and poignant character, an unlikely hero.”— The Horn Book , starred review. ★ “The narrative is powerful, complex , and lifelike…Thematically, this book raises some of the same issues as To Kill a Mockingbird , but with social status rather than racism as the basis for injustice…VERDICT: Highly recommended for purchase; a truly moving debut.”— School Library Journal , starred review. ★ “Lauren Wolk's nuanced and nerve-wracking middle-grade debut takes a close, dark look at how dangerous it is to make assumptions of guilt or innocence based on appearances—and how telling the truth and standing up against injustice are essential, even if the wrongs are not always righted…Wolk has a clean and poetic way with words and her story is finely crafted, haunting and unlikely to be forgotten .”— Shelf Awareness , starred review. “Annabelle is an earnest, independent and caring character, well supported by a vividly drawn cast—the kind, the cruel and the gossips in between… Coming-of-age novels specialize in moral dilemmas but rarely as well .”— San Francisco Chronicle. “An emotionally intense YA debut from author and poet Lauren Wolk that will get kids thinking about compassion, justice, the importance of speaking out, and how to judge someone's character …The novel reinforces the idea that to be happy with yourself you have to fight for what's right and do what you can to help whenever you can.”— Common Sense Media. For an elementary school student, it’s a lesson in bullying, sticking by your family, and friendship… Wolk’s lyrical language compliments the Pennsylvania town circa 1945 navigating audiences through life after two world wars.”— Albany Times-Union “Lauren Wolk’s Wolf Hollow is nominally a book for young people, but its prose is so exquisite , its story so reminiscent of other great works of historical fiction, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ in particular, that I can recommend it primarily and for adults... ‘Wolf Hollow’ is not a comfortable book; the story is sometimes brutal.

Everywhere Blue looks, he sees buses, police cars, taxis, vans, a street sweeper, and even the mayor’s limousine. Brimming with bright colors, sounds, and city energy, this adventure makes working together and taking turns more fun than ever.

This New York Times bestselling Nordic tale in the tradition of The Snowman, The Polar Express, and the many books of Jan Brett will have readers of all ages believing in the magic of Christmas. The full-page photographs look like they could be movie stills, so sharp and seamless are the figures that Anja and the animals cut against the winter landscape of Northern lights, glaciers, and snowy pine trees.

Tucked into bed by his mama, Baby Llama immediately starts worrying when she goes downstairs, and his soft whimpers turn to hollers when she doesn't come right back. After Mama Llama reads Baby Llama a bedtime story and turns out the light, the llama drama begins. Key worry words, such as fret , are highlighted, and for extra humor, Baby Llama's toy llama mimics his every expression.

Series description: With appealing touch-and-feel elements on every spread, DK's Touch and Feel series is a favorite for both parents and children, in a larger format than DK's Baby Touch and Feel books.

From Rapunzel's Frying Pan Eggs to Ariel's Sea Turtle Cupcakes, this beautiful cookbook is filled with delicious recipes inspired by the Princesses' many adventures.