In "Blastin' the Blues," still fearing they are being followed and even more worried they have a traitor in their midst, the team travels to New Orleans, where the magic of their ball and the music of the city create one memorable game. But like always, trouble is right around the corner and the hits keep on coming for the Payne family and all of the Travelin' Nine
In "Home of the Brave," after the rousing success in New Orleans, Griffith, Ruby, and Graham are determined to beat the Chancellor at his own game and save their family as well as the game of baseball. Pulling into their hometown of Baltimore, the Paynes are reunited with a familiar face, and the Travelin' Nine are tested on the field once again. Can they win without the help of their baseball? Prepare for fireworks in this final inning to the grand slam series, "Sluggers"

In over their heads?

THE YEAR IS 1899, and the Travelin' Nine are barnstorming their way across the good ol' U.S. of A., trying to raise money to pay off the Payne family's big-league debt.

Griffith has a run-in with the Chancellor and learns that the baseball isn't the only item the infamous industrialist is after. Even more mysteriously, the Chancellor claims to have something that the Paynes want.

And Ruby. Where in the world has she vanished to? Does her disappearance have anything to do with the Chancellor's threats? Or is there some other plan in play?

And finally, Graham makes a heartfelt birthday wish and somehow gets exactly what he asks for. But questions still remain: Was it real? Can it possibly be true? Or is it all just a dream?

If they don't watch out, Griffith, Ruby, Graham, and the Travelin' Nine may find themselves in deep water in the Land of 10,000 Lakes!

Join Otis and his farmyard friends for all kinds of fun. Now available in Step into Reading, the premier early reader line. Otis is a very busy tractor. He loves working on the farm and playing with his friends. But at the end of a long day, Otis is happy to go home and rest! This is the perfect complement to Loren Long's New York Times bestselling picture books featuring Otis, and a great book with which to learn to read! Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired picture clues help children decode the story.

In the middle of a little forest, there lives a Little Tree who loves his life and the splendid leaves that keep him cool in the heat of long summer days. Life is perfect just the way it is. Autumn arrives, and with it the cool winds that ruffle Little Tree's leaves. One by one the other trees drop their leaves, facing the cold of winter head on. But not Little Tree - he hugs his leaves as tightly as he can. Year after year Little Tree remains unchanged, despite words of encouragement from a squirrel, a fawn, and a fox, his leaves having long since turned brown and withered. As Little Tree sits in the shadow of the other trees, now grown sturdy and tall as though to touch the sun, he remembers when they were all the same size. And he knows he has an important decision to make. From #1 New York Times bestselling Loren Long comes a gorgeously-illustrated story that challenges each of us to have the courage to let go and to reach for the sun.

A never-before-published picture book from Margaret Wise Brown, the bestselling author of Goodnight Moon, brought to life by Loren Long, #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of President Barack Obama's Of Thee I Sing. When the sun comes up and the day begins, the little bunny says good day to all the familiar things outside. To the birds in the skies and the bees in their hives, to everything one by one. And as the sun starts to set, it's time for the little bunny to say goodnight. Goodnight, kitty. Goodnight, bear. Goodnight, people everywhere. This previously unpublished picture book by beloved children's book author Margaret Wise Brown uses her signature word pattern from the classic Goodnight Moon that has soothed generations of children to sleep. Paired with Loren Long's gorgeous illustrations, readers will take comfort in the reassuring world of the little bunny and delight at the attention to detail and hidden surprises on every page.

Like the "New York Times "bestselling "Smash Crash "and "Truckery Rhymes," this truck-tastic alphabet adventure is full of creativity, fun, and truck-loving action
Honk if you love trucks--and get ready to play with your As, Bs, and construction Cs This rollicking, boisterous, bold, concept picture book features your favorite Trucktown friends as they race around town, pointing out quirky items and actions that incorporate all the letters of the alphabet. Rev your engines and get ready for rowdy fun from A to Z

What happens when Trucktown has a snow day? It's time for Jack and the gang to have some seriously frosty fun and clear the streets while they're at it, in this reader featuring full-color illustrations by David Gordon, Loren Long, and David Shannan. Full color.

THE ALL-TIME CLASSIC, RE-ILLUSTRATED BY THE CREATOR OF "OTIS"
Everyone loves "The Little Engine That Could, " that classic tale of the determined little engine that, despite its size, triumphantly pulls a train full of toys to the waiting children on the other side of a mountain.

Now the great Loren Long ("Otis; Of Thee I Sing") has brilliantly re-illustrated this classic story, bringing it exuberantly to life for today's child. Get on board for the publishing event of the year.

Otis and all his farm friends are enjoying a summer's day, but the bull has no interest in playing and stays in his pen. Suddenly the day turns frightening and stormy: it's a tornado Otis takes all of the animals to safety, but the bull is still locked in his pen Quick as his tires will take him, Otis putt puff puttedy chuffs back to the farm to save the day.

"In the beginning there is light and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed and the sound of their voices is love. A cab driver plays love softly on his radio while you bounce in back with the bumps of the city and everything smells new, and it smells like life." In this heartfelt celebration of love, Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Pena and bestselling illustrator Loren Long depict the many ways we experience this universal bond, which carries us from the day we are born throughout the years of our childhood and beyond. With a lyrical text that's soothing and inspiring, this tender tale is a needed comfort and a new classic that will resonate with readers of every age.

All across this great big world, jobs are getting done by many hands in many lands. It takes much more than ONE. Gorgeously written and illustrated, this is an eye-opening exploration of the many types of work that go into building our world - from the making of a bridge to a wind farm, an amusement park, and even the very picture book that you are reading. An architect may dream up the plans for a house, but someone has to actually work the saws and pound the nails. This book is a thank-you to the skilled women and men who work tirelessly to see our dreams brought to life.

Get ready for a sound-filled, fun-filled adventure with the Trucktown crew Trucks make all kinds of sounds and kids will have a blast reading about them and trying them out themselves

Welcome to Jon Scieszka's Trucktown, a brand-new preschool/kindergarten series that will come in more shapes, sizes, and formats than you can shake a bumper at. It's a world where all the characters are trucks, all the stories are action driven, and boys and girls can imagine themselves in all their crazy, loud, funny, creative, excited, full-throttle glory! It's a world where we work at play, and we play at work...and no one's afraid to get dirty or be LOUD! And it all kicks off with "Smash! Crash!" Best friends Jack and Dan are spending their day doing what they do best - smashing and crashing! All the while a strange shadow is following them around every corner...Who is this new addition to Trucktown? What does she want? Rhythmic, rollicking text will get kids' motors running and horns honking with each refrain! This is a book that begs to be read again and again!

Max is having so much fun that he keeps getting stuck! Will anyone in Trucktown be able to help him out?

* "With plenty of buoyant charm and imaginative artwork, this contemporary "Little Toot" has an abundance of child appeal."--"Booklist," starred review

"A resonant tale with wide appeal."--Publishers Weekly A little boy has a toy boat that he made out of a can, a cork, a yellow pencil, and some white cloth. The boy and his boat are inseparable . . . until the day the wind pushes the boat out into the wide lake, and the little boat must face fierce waves, a grumpy ferry, a sassy schooner, and a growling speed boat if he is to find his way home. From Randall de Seve and bestselling artist Loren Long, creator of the Otis series and illustrator of "The Little Engine That Could," comes a child-friendly adventure sure to inspire imaginative toy play.

Izzy the ice-cream truck is doing everything he can think of to make himself dizzy, but nothing seems to be working as well as he'd like. Among other attempts, Izzy goes through the car wash, gets covered in suds, and spins himself in circles. In all his efforts, he gets in a tizzy, feels whizzy and fizzy...but is Izzy ever dizzy?

Young readers will love this tongue-twisting, rhyming text--and many of the words in the book can be found on road signs, making it easy and fun for kids to apply their knowledge!

Cement Mixer Melvin worries a lot. He worries he might get dirty. He worries he might get stuck. He even worries he might get worried. But one fateful day Rescue Rita is in need of a little rescuing, and Trucktown's biggest worrywart is the only one who can save the day. There's just one problem: He worries he can't. Jon Scieszka's latest racing and rollicking installment to the Trucktown franchise is a hilarious (and maybe even a little heartwarming) look at all the things a cement mixer can do...no matter how much he worries

Otis and his farm friends love to play hide-and-seek, but when the newest addition to the farm - a bounding puppy who can't sit still and has a habit of licking faces - tries to hide one day, he finds his attention wandering along with his legs and soon he is lost in the forest. Night falls and Otis, knowing his new friend is afraid of the dark, also knows he must be terrified all alone in the woods. So, Otis, the friend you can always count on, sets out to find the frightened pup.

In the short time that "Otis" has been in stores, readers-young and old-have taken to it in the same way that readers throughout the years have embraced many of our most celebrated picture books. Loren Long has created a story that is powerful in its simplicity and timelessness, one with a place on the shelf alongside the classics we all grew up reading. And now a whole new age group will fall in love with Otis, the friendly little tractor, thanks to this board book edition. Let the cries of putt puff puttedy chuff begin

Being thankful is a year-round blessing for Otis the tractor! Giving thanks makes Otis happy. He gives thanks for the land and country he loves. Otis is thankful for time to play games like hide-and-seek and ring-around-the-rosy. He cherishes his farm friends who make life on the ranch as happy as can be. And most of all, everyone's favorite tractor is thankful for the greatest thing in life: love. Told with a sense of warmth, heart, and above all else, gratefulness, this is an uplifting tale that speaks to the soul of Otis' character and reminds readers that taking the time to appreciate our lives is a virtue in itself. From the creator of the Otis series, and the illustrator of The Little Engine That Could and Of Thee I Sing by President Barack Obama.

Jon Scieszka is the creator of Trucktown and the author of The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs , the Time Warp Trio series, Caldecott Honor Book The Stinky Cheese Man, and many other books that inspire kids to want to read. He has worked as an elementary school teacher and is the founder of a literacy initiative for boys (www.guysread.com).

"I can hear change humming In its loudest, proudest song. I don't fear change coming, And so I sing along." Discover this lyrical picture book from presidential inaugural poet Amanda Gorman and No.1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long Join a young girl as she leads a cast of characters on a musical journey. They learn that they have the power to make changes - big or small - in the world, in their communities, and most importantly, in themselves. Packed with incredible illustrations, rhythmic text and an empowering and joyful message, young (and older) readers will adore Change Sings.

Everyone loves The Little Engine That Could, that classic tale of the determined little engine that, despite its small stature, triumphantly pulls a train full of toys to the waiting children on the other side of a mountain. Originally re-illustrated by the great Loren Long (Otis; Toy Boat; Of Thee l Sing) in 2005, this vibrant edition of the classic story was heralded by critics and became a #1 New York Times bestseller. Now abridged and shrunk for the littlest of hands, The Little Engine that Could is ready for the youngest readers to hop on board! I think I can-l think I can-I think l can...