Animal Crackers

It was supposed to an exciting, yet normal trip to the circus. Dangerous stunts, flying acrobats, and even the clowns Uncle Doug hated so much—Owen is itching to see all of it. But when his little sister Zoe, a self-proclaimed animal whisperer, accuses the ringmaster of mistreating the circus animals, the last thing Owen has time to do is to watch the show! With the help of some magical animal crackers that can transform him into a bear, a hippo, or even a hamster, Owen sets out to rescue his kidnapped uncle and sister from the hands of the scheming ringmaster and his circus lackeys.

How does Uncle Bob do it? Owen couldn't figure it out. Buffalo Bob's Rootin' Tootin' Animal Circus is famous for its jump-roping giraffe, tangoing lion, and knife-throwing elephant. But they have to be fakes, right? Owen is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery. When he visits the circus he discovers that his uncle and, coincidentally, all of the animals, are missing. It can only be the work of Buffalo Bob’s sideshow rival: Contorto. Owen stumbles upon the one thing that can save the day: Buffalo Bob’s box of animal crackers. But these aren’t any ordinary cookies: one bite and you’re transformed into a circus animal! The audience is wowed by Owen’s animal antics, but it will take more than a few carnival tricks to defeat Contorto and his pack of goons.

She's fast. She's feisty. And she outsmarted that sly fox in her boisterous debut. Now the gingerbread girl is back with a new batch of friends - the animal crackers! They don't want to listen to the Gingerbread Girl's advice, even though she is one smart cookie. But they'd better watch it, or they'll all become treats for that trickster fox. With fun twists on the classic refrain plus big, candy-colored illustrations, this is one sweet treat.

With bravura storytelling, daring imagination, and fierce narrative control, this dazzling debut introduces that rare writer who finds humanity in our most unconventional behavior, and the humor beneath our darkest impulses. In these ten strange, funny, and unnerving stories, animals become the litmus test of our deepest fears and longings. In the title story, an elephant keeper courts danger from his gentle charge; in “Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus,” a headstrong young woman in Africa is lured by the freedom of the monkeys in the trees; in “Talk Turkey,” a boy has secret conversations with the turkeys on his friend’s family’s farm; in “Slim’s Last Ride,” a child plays chilling games with his pet rabbit; in “Gallus Gallus,” a pompous husband projects his anger at his wife onto her prized rooster. This fresh, inventive debut will introduce Hannah Tinti as one of the most gifted writers of her generation. Enter her world at your own risk, and you will come away bewitched.

Which are the biggest and smallest animals? Which are the most dangerous? Why do dogs love people so much? What animals can live in the heat of the desert, or deep below the oceans? Sarah Webb is animal crazy and has put the answers to all these questions and more in Animal Crackers, a book bursting with information about animals of all types! Crammed full of pictures, cartoons and more from Alan Nolan this is the perfect book for children who want to know more about our furry, feathered (and scaly!) friends. With a special section on Irish wildlife, and the 'Irish Animal Detective' activities, children will want to explore their gardens, parks and beaches to seek out all kinds of native animals. Animal Crackers also provides fun facts and engaging activities that kids will love - from how to draw your favourite animals to suggestions on how you can help save the planet!

"A stage vehicle for the Marx Brothers. The scene is the Long Island estate of Mrs. Rittenhouse, a wealthy patroness of the arts with a marriageable daughter. Her celebrity weekend guest is the renowned Captain Jeffrey Spaulding, the African Explorer. He arrives with his secretary, Horatio Jameson, followed by pair of "musicians": Ravelli and the Professor. What follows is typical Marxian lunacy, involving a stolen painting, a surreal bridge game, a Broadway gossip columnist named Wally Winston, a financial wizard formerly known as Abie the Fish Peddler, and a climatic burlesque of Marie Antoinette and the Three Musketeers."--George S. Kaufman website.

Adorable dogs, spirited horses, mischievous donkeys and cats who barely tolerate us are just some of the colourful characters you will meet in Animal Crackers. You will also encounter bright bunnies, cunning foxes, wise old birds, a drake who believes he is human and a host of other furry friends some of whom are as mad as hatters. Many do extremely funny things, more reveal remarkable skills, others experience sad endings. Animal Crackers contains stories from all corners of Ireland. It is a must-read for all animal loves. This is a funny and moving book.

"This volume collects Gordon Yamamoto and the king of the geeks and Loyola Chin and the San Peligran order, both previously published by SLG Publishing."--T.p. verso.