Pelican Publishing Children's Books

This beautifully illustrated storybook dictionary explains 26 Irish traditions.

A perfect way to approach the problem of thumb-sucking with young children.

“Everybunny needs a puppy!”

In the fourth book of Steven L. Layne’s Growing with Family Series, he captures a child’s longing for a pet and introduces the realities of owning one. Ard Hoyt’s playful illustrations provide a hilarious look at Puppy’s antics page after page providing a story within the story.

Brother is excited to get his new puppy but he soon tires of the Puppy’s boundless energy. Puppy wants to play all the time! Even worse, Puppy gets into things that Brother has to clean up. Sick and tired of everyone telling him to go “play with puppy,” Brother tells Puppy to go away. What will he do when Puppy actually disappears? Find out in this colorful picture book for the very young.

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.

This beautifully illustrated board book tells the whimsical story of how a little leprechaun protects the secret of his pot o' gold. The book houses a plush leprechaun toy that may be removed after turning the final page.

There is a perfect read for every person if only you search for it!

Gabe and Ellie love soccer, animals, games, and especially gum, but they hate to read! Upon telling Ms. Molly, the mysterious librarian, that "reading is boring," Ellie falls into a deep read! Gabe tries everything to break the curse, but only a read of true love can free Ellie. Determined to have his friend back, Gabe traverses the mountain of books surrounding Ellie to find the perfect book for him. Can he read a book cover to cover and truly love it?

A masterful twist on an enchanting fairytale, this story shows children that there's a book for everyone! The magical library illustrations and hidden Pelican books propel readers and non-readers on an unforgettable adventure sure to help them find their very own "perfect read".

Baku the crocodile and Taki the monkey are back in a tale that teaches lessons in trust, forgiveness, and honesty.

'The interaction between Abue Rosa and her young grandson is comfortable and loving. . . Lewis' warm palette cocoons the characters in manifest familial love. . . Fans of uncomplicated, family centric stories won't be disappointed."
—Kirkus

Arturo and his grandmother return in this charming bilingual sequel. Abue Rosa and Arturo are making a welcome dinner for Tia Ines' new fiancé using plaintains, pollo, and pastel. With a bit of creativity, Arturo takes charge and creates a welcome feast like no other. Charming illustrations infused with the colors of the Southwest bring this touching story to life. A glossary at the end provides explanations and pronunciation for key words.

Jean-Paul and his family are Acadians who have been forced from their Canadian homeland by the British. After many hardships, they settle in Louisiana, establishing the area's first Cajun settlements. The tale is written in English and French.

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.

Tales that have been a part of Irish folklore for hundreds of years, passed down from one generation to another.

A is for Amazon, B is for boa constrictor, C is for caiman, and Z is for zoologist in this colorful and informative nonfiction picture book for young readers. Each alphabetic entry gives children a little background on the term, and the bright collage illustrations provide a great example of what each item looks like.

A pesky mosquito gets his due. Mosquito is a nuisance to all the animals as he buzzes about the forest. With fun word play, including rhyme, alliteration, and onomatopoeia, each critter expresses its annoyance with him. Finally, Mosquito bothers the wrong neighbor, who ends the insect's career as resident pest. A list of mosquito facts appears at the end of this humorous children's story.

A most exciting word has the whole library abuzz. What combination of letters could possibly drive a person to do such absurd things? Fascinated children look on as Miss Divine dines on a table, chomps down a chair, and savors a shelf-all to chase down a single word. Written in the style of "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," this book reveals the only verb that could make a librarian practically purr, and that word is READ.

Watch out crows, this scarecrow won't give up without a fight!

Every year, pesky crows throw a party in a scarecrow’s patch, gobbling up all the pumpkins in sight and leaving a horrid mess. Not this year! Jeb is determined to protect his pumpkins no matter the cost. Those crows are in for an unpleasant surprise!

Author and illustrator Jana Dillon conceived this as her first book. Originally published in 1992, the rollicking dialogue, glowing scenes of evening mischief, and a scarecrow family of unusual charm have all stood the test of time in this inventive tale full of the radiance and excitement of the Halloween season.

The greedy spider gets what's coming!

Long ago, all spiders were as round as the sun—and Anansi was the roundest of all. Anansi was very clever, but he was also very lazy, and he loved to eat. One day, hungry Anansi travels from village to village to eat with them. Each village asks Anansi to help make the food, but he would rather be lazy. Anansi leaves one end of a silken string from his web with each village, ties the other end around his waist, and asks the villagers to tug the string when the food is ready. He goes to another village, and another, and another . . . What will happen when all the food is done? This lively retelling of the Ghanaian folktale will delight all readers from ages 1 to 110.

Out of a bitter storm comes a gift that saves a village.

In this adaptation of an Italian folktale, the young fisherman Gianni braves the thawing, ice-bound lagoon of Burano to catch fish to feed the starving people of his island. His fiancée, Nicoletta, prays for his safety. Gianni, swept from his fishing boat, is rescued by a mermaid who whips the water into a length of elegant lace, which she gives to Gianni for Nicoletta's wedding veil. This gorgeously illustrated tale recounts the mythical origins of Burano lace, whose production has long been a vital part of the island's economy and vibrant culture, ensuring the islanders would never go hungry. The lace is still famed throughout the world for its scalloped, wave-like patterns.

Why so moody, broody Trudy?

As families embrace the farm-to-table food movement, more and more people are housing chickens on their balconies and in their backyards. Children growing up in urban environments surrounded by rural animals experience both the benefits and humor of farm life. Chickens provide farm-fresh eggs year-round, but they can also be noisy and stubborn, just like Trudy. Sylvia has one moody chicken who will not give up her eggs! Exciting and entertaining illustrations accompany this informative story about one annoying chicken—why she is like that and how Sylvia, eventually, cheers her up! An author's note introduces the reader to the real chicken that inspired this story.

One fine day, a small little mouse decides that he doesn't want cheese, or even lemonade. He wants a parade! Carrying a flag, the mouse starts down the street. He’s joined by cats, squirrels, foxes—and even a goat with a tuba! The sound of the animals playing their tambourines, clarinets, and brass follows them as they twirl and romp until every critter, big and small, jams with the beat. Author and illustrator Alexis Braud’s funny, spunky animals boogie right off the page. With enchanting illustrations and catchy rhymes, this exuberant and vibrant tale will have you and your friends marching to the beat of your own drummer in no time.

Dinosaurs stomp through the pages!

Do you think that you may be a dinosaur? If your claws puncture kickballs, you use a whole tree to brush your teeth, and your tail spikes always rip through your pants, it's possible that you may just be a dinosaur. Apatosaurus chomps and Velociraptor romps in this hilarious, informative rhyming picture book. Bright illustrations show children the tail-thumping chaos a Spinosaurus could cause trying to find dinner in a refrigerator and why a T. rex should never, ever try to take the school bus. Featuring information on dinosaurs' sizes, diets, health, and social lives, You May Just Be a Dinosaur is a prehistoric parade of the funniest, punniest, chummiest dinos you'll ever see in the schoolyard.

"Wonderful and powerful . . . This story has kept our memories alive."
-Toshimi Ishida, survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, student at Honkawa Elementary School

"[This] inspiring story . . . reminds us to live hand in hand together on this earth."
-Hiroko Matsui, first lady of Hiroshima

"There's never been a story like this in English. Running with Cosmos Flowers is like a Bible of Peace."
-Tomoko Furusawa, survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, student at Honkawa Elementary School