On a winter night, in a cottage far away from the town, Mum's baby is ready to be born. The midwife arrives and the whole family prepare for the home birth. This honest and moving portrayal of a home birth as seen through the eyes of the youngest daughter is the perfect book for the whole family to share in preparation for the arrival of a new baby.

"

I went walking.
What did you see?
I saw a black cat
Looking at me."

These catchy stanzas frolic through the Australian author Sue Williams's simple, funny read-aloud picture book that tracks a crazy-haired boy's stroll through the countryside. The boy sees a black cat, then a brown horse, then a red cow, and so on, and before he knows it, he's being trailed by the entire menagerie The Australian illustrator Julie Vivas brings the parade to life in lovely, lively watercolors--when the pink pig looks at the boy, for example, the boy sprays off his muddy body with a hose. Big type, repetition, friendly art, clean design--and the visual guessing game created by introducing each animal only partially at first--make this beloved tale a winner at story time.

The biblical story of the Nativity is one about faith, love--and a miracle. With illustrations that are enchanting and unexpected, Julie Vivas reveals the human side to Mary's story, beautifully imagining the Angel Gabriel delivering the news to her, the exhausting journey with Joseph to Bethlehem, and at last the deliverance of the baby Jesus.

A counting story in which a boy visits his farmyard friends, from one brown foal to six yellow puppies.

A colorful farmyard visit brightened by lively baby animals and lots of counting fun. Let's go visiting and see who's ready to play--one foal, two calves, three kittens, four piglets, five ducklings, and six puppies! And once we've stomped in the mud with the piglets and swum in the lake with the ducklings, let's curl up with this adorable menagerie and take an afternoon nap. This adventure-filled cumulative counting book will help youngsters practice their counting skills while they learn to identify their favorite animal babies--a visit every child will remember.