For Little Historians & Young Explorers

Home to thousands of US sailors, the USS Alabama fought bravely in World War II, but after she finished her service, the battleship was set to be scrapped. The people of Alabama decided they had to save the ship named for their proud state. No one was more determined than Alabama's schoolchildren.

Author Karyn Tunks traces the story of the children's efforts in this informative and entertaining account. Tunks reveals a wealth of detail about life at sea before the ship was decommissioned and the many challenges Alabamians faced in securing the ship's permanent home.

Artist Julie Dupré Buckner captures the feeling of the era in her detailed, vivid illustrations of the ship, those who called her home, and those who saved her for future generations. Complete with a glossary, illustrated ship's diagram, and timeline, USS Alabama: Hooray for the Mighty A! offers beginning readers a glimpse of the fascinating history of the battleship and how even the smallest of actions can produce incredible results.

Bursting with laugh-out-loud jokes and fun facts, LOL Jokes: Cleveland combines the best of humor and history for young readers!

Inspired by all the wonderful sights, sounds, and . . . smells of the CLE, this local joke book delivers kid-friendly punchlines that will have readers laughing ’til they cry! Alongside hilarious jokes and puns are fascinating facts, goofy tidbits of local history, and engaging graphics that will keep readers chuckling and sharing with friends. LOL Jokes: Cleveland is sure to deliver hours of knee-slapping entertainment.

Why didn’t the potato chip trust the sandwich?

Because the sandwich was full of baloney!

Fun Factoid: The first potato chip factory in the world was built in Cleveland by farmer William Tappendon, in 1895!

Ghost stories from the Southwestern United States have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of the Southwest comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Visit Fort Huachuca to catch a glimpse of the ghosts of Buffalo Soldiers. Or spend the night at the Museum of Colorado Prisons in Canon City, but don’t count on getting much sleep while surrounded by restless spirits. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

This delightful collection of poems alters our image of alligators and crocodiles from ferocious reptiles into everyday individuals who explore their environment with the curiosity of a small child.

It's Christmas Eve, and this police officer is on patrol. He encounters Sergeant Kringle, who takes over his patrol so the cop can go home to his family. This whimsical illustrated tale for young readers is a tribute to law-enforcement officers everywhere.

Ghost stories from the Midwestern United States have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! 

The haunted history of the Midwest comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Visit Ohio, the oldest state in the Midwest, to glimpse ghosts in the Butler County Historical Museum. Or travel to Crown Point, Indiana, and see Ruffle Shirt Hill’s Underground Railroad site. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained all across America’s Midwestern states; just be sure to keep the light on.

Welcome to the seashore! Follow parent and child seagulls as they visit the seashore together. Join the pair as they slather on sunscreen, build a sand castle, splash in the waves, and look for seashells. During their visit they stroll along the shore, discover tide pool creatures, and learn about the shoreline. Whether flying kites, enjoying a picnic, or watching the sunset, these feathered tour guides will remind children and loved ones of their own fun visit to the seashore! Bestselling author Martha Day Zschock is an artist and former elementary teacher with a passion for helping children explore new places. The Hello! series illustrates how exploring real places yields new discoveries. Through these journeys, kids can explore and become experts on the world they see inside and outside the book, through the engaging, bright, and detailed illustrations. For ages 0-3. Made in the USA.

Welcome to the spooky streets and shores of Newport!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. Did you know that a flaming phantom ship with one lone passenger sails along the shores of Newport in the winter? Can you believe that the beautiful mansions owned by America’s wealthiest families are now home to ghosts? Can you believe the spirit of a keeper refuses to leave the lighthouse he once looked after?
Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Newport, Rhode Island, and have you sleeping with the light on!

In this board book for our littlest readers, ages 0 to 3, we'll learn to count down from 10 to 1, while discovering Fenway Park, ducklings in the Public Garden, pedaling swan boats, Old North Church, and more! There's so much to see--won't you join me?

Ghost stories from Cheyenne, Wyoming have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of the Magic City of the Plains comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Visit the Plains Hotel to catch a glimpse of the spirits who checked in but never checked out. Or look for the ghosts of cowboys at the town’s Wrangler Store. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

When Alycat's daydreaming causes her to miss out on Dessert Day at school, she will need to rely on her imagination to satisfy her sweet tooth! With the help of her best friend Spotty, she discovers that trying new things can lead to fun adventures and tasty inventions. A recipe is included at the end of the story to assist young readers in creating their own dessert.

The themes of the books in the Alycat Series all reflect a reliance on friendships, imagination, and creativity towards problem solving. The character traits of Alycat and her friends inspire and encourage young readers to find their own special gifts.

An original and entertaining delight from cover to cover, Alycat and the Thursday Dessert Day is especially recommended for family, preschool, elementary school, and community library collections. —Midwest Book Review

Alycat and the Thursday Dessert Day provides colorful, enticing illustrations to keep the young reader engaged throughout the book! —Independent Book Publishers Association

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The Alycat Series features: Alycat and the Thursday Dessert Day, Alycat and the Monday Blues, Alycat and the Friendship Friday, Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday, Alycat and the Cattywampus Wednesday, Alycat and the Sleepover Saturday, and Alycat and the Sunday Scaries. The books in this series have won more than 17 awards, including the NYC Big Book Award, the Mom's Choice Awards, and the Next Generation Indie Book Awards; have been featured in Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly; and have appeared in the Oscars celebrity swag bag and the Grammy Awards gift bag. Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, featured Bourque and her life-size mascot, Alycat, on her popular YouTube channel Little Red News.

From alligators to winding country lanes and fried zucchini, this picture book is an alphabetized list of Southern delights. Breezy rhymes recall an appreciation for good food, laid-back evenings, and the gentle dispositions the region is known for.

Scientific discovery changes the world!

Discover the fascinating story behind one of the most important changes to nautical navigation in this nonfiction book for young readers. More than 300 years ago, explorers wandered the seas using unreliable maps. What they needed to know was the longitude of their locations, but for that they needed accurate time keeping. Unfortunately, no accurate source of time measurement at sea existed. In 1714 the British government decided to offer a reward to anyone who could solve the problem. Learned men and great thinkers alike tried unsuccessfully to work out a solution. They declared it unsolvable! Carpenter John Harrison was intrigued; he thought he might have a solution. He worked for years to design a clock that functioned accurately at sea, even though no one believed he could do it. Even after his timepiece was demonstrated effective at sea, he was still not acknowledged for his ingenious solution. It took many years and intervention by the king to grant Harrison the recognition and reward he deserved for solving the problem of how to accurately track longitude and for winning the British government prize. The book offers a detailed map of the world at that time and includes the advancements in the use of longitude since then.

Move over Bre'r Rabbit, there's a new trickster in town!

When hungry Deer asks Possum how he stays so plump during the long dry season, the sly marsupial gets an idea. It wouldn't take much for Possum to help Deer; he could just climb that ol' persimmon tree and knock down the fruit. But Possum is just plain lazy and he'd rather trick Deer into doing the work for both of them. Once Possum decides to take advantage of his starving neighbor they both become marked forever.

Sometimes the coolest places are right outside your front door. Learning about Houston’s interesting and unique culture has never been so super fun!

Did you know that NASA’s Manned Space Center has a home in Houston? Or that camels and ostriches race at the Sam Houston Race Park? Have you ever been to the annual Livestock Show and Rodeo? From the Astrodome, to the Texas Medical Center, Super Cities!: Houston covers it all, and is sure to engage any reader with fun facts about the history, culture, and people who make the Space City great. Dive into Galveston Bay, shop till you drop at the Galleria, and attend a Beyonce concert, all right here. Take a peek inside to learn more about the impressive, unusual, super history of Houston!

Saint Emergency Nick pays the hospital staff a surprise visit on Christmas Eve with helpful elves, new supplies, and even a Christmas tree.