First Day Critter Jitters

First-day-of-school jitters have never been funnier or more reassuring than in this picture book by the New York Times bestselling author Jory John and critically acclaimed illustrator Liz Climo It's almost the first day of school, and the animals are nervous. Sloth worries about getting there on time, snake can't seem to get his backpack fastened onto his body, and bunny is afraid she'll want to hop around instead of sitting still. When they all arrive at their classroom, though, they're in for a surprise: Somebody else is nervous too. It's their teacher, the armadillo! He has rolled in as a ball, and it takes him a while to relax and unfurl. But by the next day, the animals have all figured out how to help one another through their jitters. School isn't so scary after all.

Everyone knows that sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach just before diving into a new situation. Sarah Jane Hartwell is scared and doesn't want to start over at a new school. She doesn't know anybody, and nobody knows her. It will be awful. She just knows it. With much prodding from Mr. Hartwell, Sarah Jane reluctantly pulls herself together and goes to school. She is quickly befriended by Mrs. Burton, who helps smooth her jittery transition. This charming and familiar story will delight readers with its surprise ending. Fun, energetic illustrations brighten page after page with the busy antics surrounding Sarah Jane. FIRST DAY JITTERS is an enchanting story that is sure to be treasured by anyone who has ever anticipated a first day of school.

The beloved critters are nervous about going off to camp in this hilarious and reassuring companion book to New York Times bestselling author Jory John and critically acclaimed illustrator Liz Climo's First Day Critter Jitters. Some familiar faces and some new ones meet up at summer camp . . . and they all feel nervous! There's a duck afraid everyone will find out he can't swim, a bear afraid of noises in the woods, and a sloth who worries he'll have to catch his own lunch. But can they get over their nerves to have some fun and make new friends?

STOP RIGHT THERE. Don’t move a muscle, buster. Stay out of this book or I WILL CHOMP YOU! So says the not-so-fierce inhabitant of I Will Chomp You!, a tale of deception, greed . . . and cake! In their funny read-aloud, Jory John and Bob Shea bring a fresh twist to a time-tested blueprint as their little monster threatens, reasons, and pleads with readers to go no further in the book because he will NOT share his beautiful, delicious cakes. Children will identify with the monster’s high valuation of his possessions, and (importantly) will laugh at the silly measures he takes to protect them. "A monster’s reign of terror begins even before the title page: “HEY. GO AWAY.” Turn to the title page and there the monster waits, blue-skinned and angry-eyed: “I WILL CHOMP YOU!” As the reader turns the pages, the monster’s direct-address threats increase: “If you turn any more pages…I WILL CHOMP YOU, BUSTER!” Another page turn and the monster is even angrier: “NOW QUIT IT!” Until finally, “HEY! I’m warning you! You’ve been officially WARNED! CHOMP!” Unfortunately for the monster, the reader is just too fast, and its chomp misses the mark. The monster proceeds to bite, yell, and barrel its way through the pages, repeatedly trying to halt-by-chomping the reader from reaching its secret hidden in the back pages of the book (psst, it’s cake). This book, written entirely as monster monologue, is all bright colors and sharp edges, creating a feeling of temper-tantrum immediacy that matches the silly-angry words. Shea’s illustrations are bold but not too busy, giving the impression of fast movement and strong emotions, and the striped shirt–wearing monster is lovable in an ankle-biting kind of way. The fast pace, funny faces, and silly secret make this a great read-aloud." — Siân Gaetano THE HORN BOOK

The talented creators of I Will Chomp You! brilliantly frame the struggle to buck stereotypes and learn empathy in this monster’s hilarious lament. Floyd Peterson is so much more than shaggy purple fur and pointy monster teeth— why can’t people just see him for him? Jory John and Bob Shea have struck gold in creating a knee-slapping, read-it-again story that will start a valuable discussion about how we treat others and how it feels to be seen as “different.”

Beloved author-illustrator Liz Climo is back with a hilarious take on (reluctant) friendship that will appeal to fans of We Don't Eat Our Classmates and I Want My Hat Back! When a carefree bunny is approached by a voracious bear in the woods, Bunny has just one request: "Please don't eat me." But the bear has a never-ending list of requests, and Bunny realizes maybe Bear isn't as hungry as he'd let on...maybe he just wants his new friend's company for a while. This witty and poignant exploration of predator and prey will have children and parents alike roaring with laughter--and looking for their next meal.

The bestselling creators of the hilarious Penguin Problems, Jory John and Lane Smith, turn a giraffe's problematic long neck into an enviable advantage in this fun board book. Edward the giraffe can't understand why his neck is as long and bendy and, well, ridiculous as it is. No other animal has a neck this absurd. He's tried disguising it, dressing it up, strategically hiding behind bushes--honestly, anything you can think of. Just when he has exhausted his neck-hiding options and is about to give up, Cyrus the turtle ambles in (very slowly) and helps Edward understand that his neck has a purpose and, besides, looks excellent in a bow tie. Along with a heavy dose of humor comes a gentle reminder about the importance of acceptance.

It's the first day of school, and Curious George has been invited to Mr. Apple's class to be a special helper George is just the right monkey for the job--until he starts to wreak his usual havoc, that is. Red and yellow paint makes orange, yellow and blue makes green . . . and a mixture of all the paint colors makes a big mess Curious George and the First Day of School is a story based on H. A. and Margret Rey's popular primate and painted in the original watercolor and charcoal style. A full-color twenty-four-page paperback with bonus activities inside, including an "Ants on a Log" recipe, a word search, and a "Color Your World" craft idea. For more monkey fun, investigate www.curiousgeorge.com and discover all the latest on Curious George books, promotions, games, activities, and more