A young boy snuggles up with a story about mythical creatures while enjoying a slice of crumb cake and a glass of milk. But he had better be careful! The Unicorn on page one will get irritated by any crumbs dropped on her page. The Dragon on the next page may lose his fire if the boy is careless and splashes any milk about. But our boy loves this book. ...And a Book is filled with nervous Unicorns, righteously indigent Golems, befuddled Leprechauns, aquaphobic Mermaids, as well as other colorful creatures of mythology. As the story progresses, some form of neglect seems to befall each page--a sloppy spill, or a reckless rip, or an unwarranted crayon doodle--and the illustrated creature who lives on that page reacts, unless... Eventually, we arrive at a tender and magical ending that will warm the heart and show us the power of relationship between a boy ...And a Book. ...And a Book can be a quick, lyrical read. However, the rich, layered illustrations, charming protagonist and dynamic personalities of the book's inhabitants will draw the child into exploring this world of mythology over and again.

This boisterous family needs to quiet down for their newly adopted baby. Or do they? When J.J. arrives at his new home, his family is so excited to meet him! The four children welcome their tiny brother, then, when he falls asleep, Dad asks everyone to try to be quiet. In no time at all, though, the clamor of family life grows loud, with drumming, shouting, chattering. But, surprise! J.J. sleeps through it all. Even with children running and yelling in his room, J.J. sleeps. Is there anything that will disturb him? Kids will delight in the delicious twist: when you’re with family, a noisy home is the most peaceful place to be.

Nick isn’t sure what he wants—and that’s okay! Youngest siblings and late bloomers will be delighted by this charming and reassuring picture book. There are four mice brothers: Rick, Mick, Vick…and Nick! Nick is the youngest, and while his brothers each know exactly what they want, Nick is never quite sure. Which color shirt is the nicest? What does Nick want to eat? Which flower will be best to pick from the meadow? Nick doesn’t know! But… He might just be waiting for the right moment to bloom.

And Tango Makes Three is the bestselling, heartwarming true story of two penguins who create a nontraditional family. At the penguin house at the Central Park Zoo, two penguins named Roy and Silo were a little bit different from the others. But their desire for a family was the same. And with the help of a kindly zookeeper, Roy and Silo get the chance to welcome a baby penguin of their very own. Selected as an ALA Notable Children’s Book Nominee and a Lambda Literary Award Finalist, “this joyful story about the meaning of family is a must for any library” (School Library Journal, starred review).

Hop in for a droll read-aloud vrooming with sound words and intricate illustrations of all things that go. What’s this? A huge traffic jam? But everyone’s in a hurry! There’s the family in the paneled station wagon (brrrm, brrrmm), packed to the roof rack with gear for the beach. There’s the be-hatted Duke and Duchess, out for a drive in their ornate Rolls Royce (whisper, whisper). Not to mention a yellow school bus bursting with kids in beanies (chug, chug), an overheating race car (bang, hissssss . . .), an ice-cream truck ("Mamma mia! My ice cream is melting!"), and other vehicles revving to go. Who — or what — could be holding them all up?

A young Welsh soldier fights along the Western Front during World War I, experiencing the horrors of trench warfare before participating in the famed Christmas Truce of 1914.

A joyful, sun-drenched tribute to the anticipation and adventures of the warmest season of the year. When the days stretch out like a slow yawn, and the cheerful faces of Johnny-jump-ups jump up . . . then it's time to get ready for summer! From flip-flops and hide-and-seek to fireworks and ice-cream trucks, from lemonade stands and late bedtimes to swimming in the lake and toasting marshmallows, there's something for everyone in this bright and buoyant celebration of the sunny season. Tom Brenner's lovely, lyrical ode to summers spent outdoors will strike a chord with anyone who's ever counted down the days until school gets out, and Jaime Kim's jubilant, nostalgia-soaked illustrations leave little doubt that summer is indeed a time unlike any other.

Even when it’s pouring rain, Malcolm can’t bring himself to stay inside. He puts on his red boots and his red coat, pulls on his goggles, and heads out for an adventure. He splashes around the yard, jumps in puddles, and gets tickled by worms. But when Malcolm’s done playing he runs right through the mud and right through the sand—and right through the house! Mom’s not impressed. How is this silly boy going to fix his mess? Rich Farr’s energetic illustrations add the perfect touch of whimsy to Paige Feurer’s simple yet lively text. And Then It Rained on Malcolm is the perfect read-aloud book for even the squirmiest kids and is sure to get everyone giggling over Malcolm’s silly antics and his clever thinking. Enthusiastic lovers of Malcolm’s adventure might plead for permission to go outside the next time it rains—and even if they race through the house with muddy boots and dripping raincoats afterwards they’ll know how to clean up the mess! Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Simple text reveals the anticipation of a boy who, having planted seeds while everything around is brown, fears that something has gone wrong until, at last, the world turns green. By the Caldecott-winning artist of A Sick Day for Amos McGee.

When Benny’s mother asks him to put his dirty plate in the sink, he responds by asking: “What would you do if I said no?” Her answer is predictable, but not enough for Benny, whose “what if?” line of questioning continues as he dreams up increasingly naughty behavior: What if he threw his plate at the wall? What if he jumped on the couch in muddy rain boots? What if he tore pages out of library books? Playing on their shared sense of humor and imagination, and showing more than a little bit of indulgence, his mother’s answers become equally outrageous. She sends Benny off to the zoo, sells him to the circus, and even happily shoots him off into outer space as punishment for his behavior. Digitally rendered illustrations with a loose, expressive line play out each imagined scenario, with differing color treatment making the distinction between the real and the fantastic clear. The story’s circular ending brings it all back home with a clever — and entirely reasonable — punchline.

Introduces young readers to numbers, counting, and primary and secondary colors by offering the story of ill-tempered Red who got too powerful for his own good and had to be brought down to size by One--a single entity with the courage to stand up for what was right.

Meet elementary school superstar Dylan St. Claire in this laugh-out-loud book about a live-out-loud boy. Dylan's getting ready to audition for the school play, a musical about outer space, and he's got his sights set on playing the star . . . figuratively and literally. But when he ends up being cast as a squirrel, the real theatrics begin. Follow this extremely secure and unique boy through his daily dramas as he tackles each dilemma with pizzazz and skill. Giving a fabulous voice to the kind of boys who are under-represented in children's books, Dylan St. Claire confidently walks between "masculine" and "feminine" behavior: He cries openly and expresses his emotions but also cracks jokes and finds his inner strength when the going gets rough. Full of laughs and a one-of-a-kind character kids will cheer for, this hilarious story is a celebration of individuality, persistence, overcoming disappointment, and what it takes to be a true star.