With simple text and cartoon artwork, Balloon Toons? are the the perfect way to engage and encourage new readers. Award-winning and up-and-coming cartoonists lend their inimitable and illustrative talents to entertaining stories kids will enjoy again and again. With simple text and cartoon artwork, Balloon Toons? are the the perfect way to engage and encourage new readers. Award-winning and up-and-coming cartoonists lend their inimitable and illustrative talents to entertaining stories kids will enjoy again and again.

Perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly, Arlo & Pips: King of the Birds is the first in a new early graphic chapter book series about the friendship between Arlo, an arrogant crow, and a sarcastic little bird named Pips.  Like most crows, Arlo has a big brain. But Arlo has something else: a little pal who’s not afraid to tell him when he’s being insufferable! In the first of three episodes, a battle of the brains and bird-to-bird banter soon turns into an unexpected friendship. Arlo and Pips'' adventures include a visit the big city and the beach on their hunt for shiny things and French fries. Cool crow facts are included throughout the book. Arlo & Pips is the HarperCollins Canada Kids'' Top Pick for this fall! 

Perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly, Arlo & Pips: King of the Birds is the first in a new early graphic chapter book series about the friendship between Arlo, an arrogant crow, and a sarcastic little bird named Pips.  Like most crows, Arlo has a big brain. But Arlo has something else: a little pal who’s not afraid to tell him when he’s being insufferable! In the first of three episodes, a battle of the brains and bird-to-bird banter soon turns into an unexpected friendship. Arlo and Pips'' adventures include a visit the big city and the beach on their hunt for shiny things and French fries. Cool crow facts are included throughout the book. Arlo & Pips is the HarperCollins Canada Kids'' Top Pick for this fall! 

See below for English description. Quel est le meilleur oiseau du monde? Le corbeau, bien entendu! En tout cas, c'est ce que pense Arlo le corbeau et Elise aussi. Pendant leur voyage entre la ville et la plage, Arlo essaie de prouver à Pips qu'il est le meilleur oiseau du monde. A-t-il raison? Les lecteurs adoreront cette bande dessinée remplie de faits intéressants sur les corbeaux et illustrée par la talentueuse Elise Gravel. Who is the greatest bird in the world? Arlo the crow of course! At least, he sure thinks so, such as Elise herself. Follow the journey of Arlo and Pips as they go from city to beach, while Arlo tries to prove that he is the greatest bird in the world. Could it be true? Readers will love this graphic novel filled with humourous illustrations by the talented Elise Gravel. Filled with plenty of interesting crow facts! Original title: Arlo & Pips: King of the Birds

Hilarious illustrated non-fiction about bats perfect for beginning readers. Conversational text and silly illustrations will have you up all night reading about the only flying mammal on Earth! Fast bat facts: * Distinctive trait: The only flying mammal * Diet: Insects, fruit and even animal blood * Special talent: Sleeping upside down The Bat covers habitat (bats live everywhere except Antarctica!), species (there are over 1,200 kinds of bats), echolocation, hibernation (bats hibernate just like bears!), conservation (don't disturb a sleeping bat!) and much more. Although silly and off-the-wall, The Bat contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time.

Hilarious illustrated nonfiction about bats perfect for beginning readers. Conversational text and silly illustrations will have you up all night reading about the only flying mammal on Earth! Fast bat facts: * Distinctive trait: The only flying mammal * Diet: Insects, fruit and even animal blood * Special talent: Sleeping upside down The Bat covers habitat (bats live everywhere except Antarctica!), species (there are over 1,200 kinds of bats), echolocation, hibernation (bats hibernate just like bears!), conservation (don't disturb a sleeping bat!) and much more. Although silly and off-the-wall, The Bat contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time.

Un album pour expliquer simplement aux enfants la situation complexe des réfugiés. Qui sont les réfugiés? Pourquoi doivent-ils quitter leur pays? Que viennent-ils faire chez nous? Dans cet album tout à fait d'actualité, Elise Gravel explique de manière simple et claire, ce que ça signifie d'être réfugié. Elle rappelle que toutes ces personnes déracinées sont avant tout des êtres humains comme chacun d'entre nous. Un documentaire accessible qui permet aux enfants de mieux comprendre le monde dans lequel ils vivent.

Hilarious illustrated non-fiction about cockroaches perfect for beginning readers. You'll bug out over this perfect pairing of humorous text and funny illustrations about this insect that's been around for over 335 million years! Fast cockroach facts: * Distinctive trait: Flat and oval-shaped body * Diet: Everything! (Especially if it's greasy and sweet . . .) * Special talent: Running The Cockroach covers lifestyle (cockroaches prefer the dark and only come out during the day when their colonies get big enough), anatomy (cockroaches have wings but rarely fly), habitat (they prefer heat to cold), life cycle (a female can give birth to up to 350 babies during her lifetime) and much more. Although silly and off-the-wall, The Cockroach contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time.

Hilarious illustrated non-fiction about cockroaches perfect for beginning readers. You'll bug out over this perfect pairing of humorous text and funny illustrations about this insect that's been around for over 335 million years! Fast cockroach facts: * Distinctive trait: Flat and oval-shaped body * Diet: Everything! (Especially if it's greasy and sweet . . .) * Special talent: Running The Cockroach covers lifestyle (cockroaches prefer the dark and only come out during the day when their colonies get big enough), anatomy (cockroaches have wings but rarely fly), habitat (they prefer heat to cold), life cycle (a female can give birth to up to 350 babies during her lifetime) and much more. Although silly and off-the-wall, The Cockroach contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time.

Ada hates everything about ballet class, yet she still has to go! Arabesques? Grotesque! And then one Saturday, Ada pliés right out the door and into the hallway, smacking into someone who thinks her ungraceful moves are great! In the tradition of Kevin Henkes’s Lilly books and Russell and Lillian Hoban’s Frances classics, Ada is a plucky little kid with her own way of thinking. Through Ada’s stubbornness and emotional honesty, author/illustrator Elise Gravel shows her understanding of how kids feel and why. She shows us that anger is normal and feeling our emotions leads to growth! This short, funny, energetic book—full of word bubbles that enhance visual literacy and Gravel’s signature vibrant illustrations—is a great choice for both reading aloud and reading independently for emergent readers. Children who love ballet—and definitely those who don’t—will delight in this clever, subversive tale about a kid who has to do what she doesn’t like in order to discover what she loves.

With simple text and cartoon artwork, Balloon Toons are the the perfect way to engage and encourage new readers. Award-winning and up-and-coming cartoonists lend their inimitable and illustrative talents to entertaining stories kids will enjoy again and again.Looking like a cross between a slug and a sock puppet, alien Doctor Bugspit plies his trade. He blithely dispenses jars of Fix-It-Up Syrup” (made from sock juice, dead flies, moldy meat, pickle juice and ear wax) and other nostrums to extraterrestrial patients complaining of maladies ranging from split brains ( You have two smaller brains,” the doctor diagnoses, like a cow”) to an all-body outbreak of toes. Despite nap and lunch breaks ( my favorite sandwich: slug slime and glow-in-the-dark jelly”) it’s an exhausting routine but the good doctor is up to it until, that is, the gooey results of a sneeze ( some yellow stuff is coming out of my nose!”) send him into panic-stricken calls for a REAL doctor!” Presented in a loose assortment of graphic panels, page-sized or smaller, this Balloon Toons entry will exert a strong draw on budding graphic-novel fans as well as children fascinated by yucky stuff.

The first in a series of humorous books about disgusting creatures, The Fly is a look at the common housefly. It covers such topics as the hair on the fly's body (requires a lot of shaving), its ability to walk on the ceiling (it's pretty cool, but it's hard to play soccer up there), and its really disgusting food tastes (garbage juice soup followed by dirty diaper with rotten tomato sauce, for example). Although silly and off-the-wall, The Fly contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time.

The first in a series of humorous books about disgusting creatures, The Fly is a look at the common housefly. It covers such topics as the hair on the fly's body (requires a lot of shaving), its ability to walk on the ceiling (it's pretty cool, but it's hard to play soccer up there), and its really disgusting food tastes (garbage juice soup followed by dirty diaper with rotten tomato sauce, for example). Although silly and off-the-wall, The Fly contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time.

Part of a series of hilarious nonfiction books about disgusting creatures, this book examines head lice. It covers such topics as head lice habitats (human heads only, dogs are gross) anatomy (his body is slightly see through, so he can always see what he ate for lunch), and parenting practice (the female louse sticks eggs to human hair and uses the leftover glue for her model airplanes). Although silly and off-the-wall, Head Lice contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time.

Part of a series of hilarious non-fiction books about disgusting creatures, this book examines head lice. It covers such topics as head lice habitats (human heads only, dogs are gross), anatomy (his body is slightly see through, so he can always see what he ate for lunch), and parenting practice (the female louse sticks eggs to human hair and uses the leftover glue for her model airplanes). Although silly and off-the-wall, Head Lice contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time.

Winnie wants a monster! Some monsters smell like pirate feet and some might read your diary, but they are so darn cute! All Winnie’s friends have one. But how much do Oogly-Wumps eat? Don’t they ever sleep? Can monsters get lonely? I Want a Monster! is a humorous, energetic celebration of the responsibility and joy of owning your dream pet, perfect for fans of Peter Brown’s Children Make Terrible Pets or anyone who’s ever longed for or loved a pet of any kind. Includes a “Would You Like to Adopt a Monster?” activity at the back of the book.

Welcome to the charming world of cartoonist Elise Gravels notebook, where her imagination runs wild with creatures of all shapes and sizes In the outrageously amusing If FoundPlease Return to Elise Gravel, Elise Gravel offers readers a sneak peek into her sketchbook, where colorful monsters, imaginary friends, a grumpy things reign supreme. Meet Donald, who sings off-key; Francine, who likes to eat stones; and Marvin, the man with lots of stuff in his beard. Mixing the real with the fantastical, Elises drawings exude curiosity, as microbes and mushrooms share the page with speckled pepper pops, gloppers, and floofs. Filled to the brim with vibrant felt marker illustrations, If Found is not just an exhibition of Gravels work, but a challenge to young artists to keep a daily sketchbook. She reveals her top tips to becoming a successful illustratorpractice! practice! practice!while empowering young artists to face their fears of making "ugly drawings." Stop worrying about what makes a drawing good or badElise draws anything and everything and you can too!

Winnie aimerait bien avoir un monstre de compagnie. Elle promet de bien s'en occuper, de le nourrir, de l'emmener en promenade et de ramasser ses crottes. Mais elle se rend vite compte qu'avoir son propre monstre demande beaucoup de travail. Heureusement, Winnie peut consulter le livre Comment dresser son monstre de compagnie d'Elise Gravel pour l'aider.   Baby monsters are cute. They're fun. They're adorable. But when baby monsters grow up, they can also be an awful lot of trouble. They can be messy, silly, and BIG! Too big, sometimes. It's a good thing they're so cute! Right? Original title: I Want a Monster!

Hilarious illustrated nonfiction about mosquitos perfect for beginning readers. Conversational text and silly illustrations will have you up all night reading about the most annoying bug on Earth! Fast mosquito facts: * Distinctive trait: Leaving annoying itchy bites * Diet: Your blood (and nectar and plant juice) * Special talent: Making a terrible whining sound in your ear The Mosquito covers habitat (mosquitos live everywhere except Antarctica and Iceland!), species (over 3,500!), history (the oldest recorded mosquito was 79 million years ago!) and much more. Although silly and off-the-wall, The Mosquito contains factual information that will both amuse and teach at the same time.

Join Elise Gravel as she explores the science of some of nature's weirdest and wildest characters - mushrooms! Elise Gravel is back with a whimsical look at one of her familys most beloved pastimes: mushroom hunting! Combining her love of exploring nature with her talent for anthropomorphizing everything, she takes us on a magical tour of the forest floor and examines a handful of her favorite alien specimens up close. While the beautiful coral mushroom looks like it belongs under the sea, the peculiar Lactarius indigo may be better suited for outer space. From the fun-to-stomp puffballs to the prince of the stinkersthe stinkhorn mushroomand the musically inclined chanterelles, Gravel shares her knowledge of this fascinating kingdom by bringing each species to life in full felt-tip-marker glory. The Governor General Award-winning author Gravels first book with Drawn & Quarterly, If Found . . . Please Return to Elise Gravel, was a Junior Library Guild selection and an instant hit among librarians, parents, and kids alike. Fostering the same spirit of creativity and curiosity, The Mushroom Fan Club promises to inspire kids to look more closely at the world around them and to seek out all of lifes little treasures, stinky or not!

Who made this mess? When dad asks who left socks all over the place, a brother and sister insist that it was "Not Me." Dad is quite sure the kids are not telling the truth, until he is introduced to the actual Not Me, a creature who in turn accuses Not True, who exposes the real sock bandit, the ever-complaining Not Fair! Parents and caregivers will appreciate this highly relatable book that manages to slyly address the blaming and excuse-making that often happens, while focusing on the humour of the situation.

A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year! Meet Olga, the amazing child scientist who LOVES animals (because they are super-cute)! Brightly put this heavily illustrated don't-miss book on their "Ultimate Summer Reading List for 9- to 12-Year-Olds." Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere is jam-packed with fun: vibrant illustrations, word bubbles, quirky humor, olgamus facts, and plenty of excitement for readers who love making discoveries and meeting new friends. Olga is a charming combination of independent, curious, and smart—making her the coolest girl scientist around—perfect for fans of Dork Diaries and Captain Underpants. When Olga crosses paths with a weird creature and becomes the first kid to discover the species olgamus ridiculus, she is ecstatic! What does an olgamus eat? How does it poop? Why does its burp sound like the word rubber? With her trusty observation notebook and the help of a librarian, a shopkeeper, and some friends, Olga sets out to do science—learning the facts about her smelly, almost-furry pal and searching for him when he goes missing. The scientific method is the best way to discover anything!

See below for English description. Impossible de savoir ce qui est le plus hilarant : la plume d'Elise Gravel? Ou ses illustrations? Et qui, des jeunes adultes ou des enfants, aiment le plus ses oeuvres? Chose certaine, ses nombreux admirateurs seront ravis de retrouver le personnage d'Olga dans cet album tant attendu. L'anti-héroïne aux répliques cinglantes n'en peut plus des humains (ce qu'ils sont casse-pieds à la fin!). Décidée à retracer les origines de Bof, elle décide de quitter la Terre à destination d'une planète meilleure. Retrouvez, dans ce nouveau tome à mi-chemin entre le journal intime et le roman graphique, une héroïne à l'imagination déjantée dont les tribulations et les réflexions feront rire les lecteurs à coup sûr! Truffé de faits scientifiques et de références culturelles, Olga : On déménage! met en scène un modèle féminin fort et anticonformiste que toutes les adolescentes adoreront. Olga, the animal-loving scientist, returns in her second adventure! Where is Meh is from? Olga is 99 percent sure it's outer space! After an extensive kid-genius research session at the library in preparation for the ultimate trip to Planet Olgamus, Olga notices that Meh is acting weird and takes the pink creature to the vet. But vets are humans. And humans are notoriously ANNOYING. She must go collect Meh and solve the mystery herself. Will Olga discover what's really wrong? Packing in twice the girl power, hilarious quips, and kooky science facts as the first installment in the series, Olga : On déménage is out of out of this world! Original title: Olga: We're Out of Here!

See below for English description. Humour, drôles de créatures et un personnage attachant qui adore les animaux sont au rendez-vous dans cette nouvelle série d'Elise Gravel. Olga est la propriétaire d'un uni-sourcil qui ne supporte pas de porter quoi que ce soit aux pieds, mais Olga ADORE les animaux. Elle aime les étudier, les observer et écrire à leur sujet. Un jour, alors qu'Olga joue avec son araignée, un tintamarre près de la poubelle se fait entendre. C'est une créature rare qui s'est manifestée. Une créature si rare que rien n'a encore été écrit à son sujet. C'est ce qu'Olga entreprend donc de faire. Elle documente ses observations, y compris les sons, les odeurs et la diète de cette créature. En fait, ce drôle d'animal n'a accepté aucune nourriture. Olga arrivera-t-elle à découvrir ce qu'il aime manger?   Olga is the proud owner of a unibrow who hates wearing any kind of footwear, but she LOVES animals. She loves to study their habits and write them down. One day, as she's playing with her pet spider, she hears a commotion near the trash can. That's when she discovers a rare creature. A creature so rare that it hasn't been documented yet! She takes it upon herself to jot down her observations, including sounds, smells and diet. But alas, this new creature hasn't taken to any food she's offered it. Will Olga be able to pinpoint his favourite meal? Original title: Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere