Stacey May Fowles' debut picture book is a whimsical, warmhearted story of how a super-special surprise can lead to anxiety - or invite imagination. One beautiful fall day, Fern opens her mailbox and finds an envelope. After much worrying about what it could possibly contain, her friend Fawn encourages her to open it. Inside, she finds an invitation to a super-special surprise at the museum - but Fern doesn't like surprises! Luckily, Fawn offers to come with her to the party. What could possibly happen, he asks. Along the way, Fern voices her worries: What if they can't make it in time? What if they don't know anyone there? Fawn playfully follows his friend's way of thinking, while gently suggesting twists to her story and a fun new cast of characters - the chipmunk who could show them a shortcut, the grumpy bear who could clear their path, the brave dentist who might treat the bear's toothache - until at last they arrive, and Fern is able to enjoy the wonderful surprise happening around her. Marie Lafrance's delightfully dreamy illustrations bring the imagined world of Fern and Fawn to life in this super-special story about catastrophic thinking. Key Text Features illustrations Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4 Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

The Tweedles are back and ready to take another exuberant swing at going modern. When their neighbors the Hamms announce that they've "gone online" by buying a telephone, Mama excitedly follows suit. But will the lure of the telephone be too much of a distraction for this sweetly old-fashioned family? Fresh from their adventure with their new electric car, Mama decides that the family needs a telephone to keep up with the changing times, and daughter Frances could not be more thrilled. But not all the Tweedles are convinced. Son Francis only has eyes for the family's car, and Papa worries about the family's privacy. Once the phone is installed in the family's home, they can hardly believe the noise it makes! But Frances takes a shine to the telephone immediately, and her enthusiasm for the new device threatens to keep the whole family up at night. Eventually Mama and Francis warm up to the telephone, too, and soon they can't sit still long enough to play a family game of Crokinole. Will the Tweedles ever be able to go offline again? This clever companion to The Tweedles Go Electric gently pokes fun at our modern addiction to technology, while further endearing readers to the sweetly odd Tweedles family.

This vibrant, engaging assortment offers children an entertaining introduction to the French language. From stories of friendship, family, discovery, and self-esteem to silly, snappy songs of one-of-a-kind barnyard animals, lullabies, and segments of classical music, children tune in to a variety of musical styles and multi-cultural experiences. The accompanying CDs provide children an opportunity to hear the pronunciation of the words and sing along as they learn the language. In the title song and story of this musical collection, a stuffed, woolen puppy falls victim to famished mites after having been left at home alone while his parents go to see an exhibit of humans at a local park. Upon their return, they discover his red, soggy, cotton tail on the floor and are faced with the challenge of putting him back together. Lionel Daunais's lighthearted rendition of this song was a popular radio favorite in French-speaking Canada in the 1950s. The additional 12 songs in this storybook-music CD are off-the-wall fun for the whole family, full of clever word play and many strange creatures, including a bird who is part kangaroo and part rooster, a tortoise named Sue who goes around town without a shell, and a hard-headed hammer who has gone bonkers.