Great Books

There is nothing lonelier than a cat who has been loved, at least for a while, and then abandoned on the side of the road. A calico cat, about to have kittens, hears the lonely howl of a chained-up hound deep in the backwaters of the bayou. She dares to find him in the forest, and the hound dares to befriend this cat, this feline, this creature he is supposed to hate. They are an unlikely pair, about to become an unlikely family. Ranger urges the cat to hide underneath the porch, to raise her kittens there because Gar-Face, the man living inside the house, will surely use them as alligator bait should he find them. But they are safe in the Underneath...as long as they stay in the Underneath. Kittens, however, are notoriously curious creatures. And one kitten's one moment of curiosity sets off a chain of events that is astonishing, remarkable, and enormous in its meaning. For everyone who loves Sounder, Shiloh, and The Yearling, for everyone who loves the haunting beauty of writers such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Flannery O'Connor, and Carson McCullers, Kathi Appelt spins a harrowing yet keenly sweet tale about the power of love -- and its opposite, hate -- the fragility of happiness and the importance of making good on your promises.

To ten-year-old Keeper, this moon is her chance to fix all that has gone wrong...and so much has gone wrong. But she knows who can make things right again: Meggie Marie, her mermaid mother who swam away when Keeper was just three. A blue moon calls the mermaids to gather at the sandbar, and that's exactly where she is headed -- in a small boat, in the middle of the night, with only her dog, BD (Best Dog), and a seagull named Captain. When the riptide pulls at the boat, tugging her away from the shore and deep into the rough waters of the Gulf of Mexico, panic sets in, and the fairy tales that lured her out there go tumbling into the waves. Maybe the blue moon isn't magic and maybe the sandbar won't sparkle with mermaids and maybe -- Oh, no..."Maybe" is just too difficult to bear. Kathi Appelt follows up to her New York Times bestseller, The Underneath, with a tale that will pull right at your very core -- stronger than moon currents -- capturing the crash and echo of the waves and the dark magic of the ocean.

Sister, it's down the road again in this second outing for Bubba and Beau, best friends who love to go bye-bye. But when the sun goes down, are those two ready for bed? No siree, Bob!   

Bubbles, BubblesYour 2-year-old approaches daily experiences, such as bath time, with playful exuberance.Tips for reading and sharing:Memorize the story and recite it to your toddler while he or she is taking a bathHelp your child build things out of bubblesBlow bubbles while your child is bathing to enhance the fun of the experience

A biography of Lady Bird Johnson who, as the wife of President Lyndon Johnson, reminded citizens about the importance of conserving natural resources and promoted the beautification of cities and highways by planting wildflowers.

When Cousin Arlene and her dog, Bitsy, arrive in Bubbaville, it’s hugs and kisses galore—and Bubba and Beau are not enjoying the party. But when they round up the froufrou cousins and head for their favorite squishy, squashy, muddy spot in the garden, Sister, the fun finally begins.

There's a watermelon growing in the corner of the patch where the fence posts meet, and Jesse is waiting for it. Waiting for it to fill up with the cool summer rain and the hot summer sun. Waiting until at last it is ripe and ready for eating. Waiting until it is ready for her family's annual Watermelon day.

The Bat Jamboree was held early this year, at the old drive-in movie not too far from here. It was standing room only as the houselights went down. The spotlight came up -- there wasn't a sound! Then: 1 bat sang.2 bats flapped. 3 bats cha-cha-ed4 bats tapped.Every year a troupe of 55 buoyant bats comes up with 10 fabulous acts to entertain and instruct an enthusiatic audience. And every year the bats top themselves when they perform the grandest finale of all . . . With its exuberant text and enchanting illustrations, Bat Jamboree is both a counting book and a thrilling theatrical event.

When Baby Bird says good-bye to his mama at school each morning, he feels sad. Mama Bird feels sad, too. Sometimes it's hard to be apart. But as Mama Bird says, the love they share is with them always, keeping them close until the best part of the day--when they are together again.

It's always hard for Baby Bird and his mama to say good-bye on their way to school and work in the morning. But Mama finds a lilting, lyrical way of showing how her love is with her child all the time--and his love is with her, too. But even when I'm far away, this love I have will stay. and wrap itself around you every minute of the day. Warm, reassuring feelings emanate from this lovely picture book. Mama Bird tells her child how her love slips inside his lunch box, sits upon his shoulder when he sings a happy song, and snuggles on his pillow while he naps. Jane Dyer, illustrator of the bestselling Time for Bed, creates positively touchable watercolors of a pudgy-cheeked preschooler bird and his working mom. Hints of hearts nestle playfully on the pages: on the blackboard under the letter H, and sewn onto his pillowcase. Oh My Baby, Little One will resonate deeply for moms and kids alike, and may make daily separations just a little bit easier. So blow a kiss and wave good-bye-- my baby, don't you cry. This love is always with you, like the sun is with the sky. (Ages 3 to 6) --Emilie Coulter

Bubba, a brand-new Texas baby, and Beau, a brand-new Texas puppy, are best friends who share lots of adventures.