In this universal celebration of community and love, Bear gathers his friends from near and far to mark the changing of the season. Acclaimed author Lola M. Schaefer and award-winning artist Bethanne Andersen explores themes of empathy, hope, and peace in this breathtaking picture book that will bring joy to the holidays as well as year round storytimes. On a cold winter morning, Bear welcomes a new star to the sky and searches for the perfect tree—a majestic evergreen—under which to host a celebration for everyone to enjoy. Almost as if by magic, guests start to arrive. They are feathered, furry, scaled—on the wing, on four paws, on two feet. They are young and old. They bring gifts. They bring love. They bring hope for peace. The Bear and the Star is a stunning picture book from acclaimed author Lola M. Schaefer and award-winning artist Bethanne Andersen. With a focus on understanding, empathy, community, and hope, it’s the ideal choice for family sharing during the holiday season and throughout the year.

Because of an acorn, a tree grows, a bird nests, a seed becomes a flower. Enchanting die-cuts illustrate the vital connections between the layers of an ecosystem in this magical book. Wander down the forest path to learn how every tree, flower, plant, and animal connect to one another in spiraling circles of life. An acorn is just the beginning.

In this interactive picture book, young scientists use their imagination to bring experiments to life. They slide tectonic plates together to create earthquakes, blow on a mountain to make a volcano erupt, and press their hands in mud to make a fossil. After predicting what will happen next, eager readers turn the page to see the results. Educator and author Lola M. Schaefer draws on her years in the classroom to make science fun and accessible. Back matter includes a simple experiment for investigating rocks and minerals in the real world.

Press Here meets Bill Nye the Science Guy in this interactive STEM picture book about forces and motion. Welcome to the physics lab! In this picture book, young scientists use their imagination to bring experiements to life. They poke whipped cream in the illustrations, tilt the book to roll a ball down a ramp, and slide beanbags to test friction. After predicting what will happen next, eager readers turn the page to see the results. Educator and author Lola M. Schaefer draws on her years in the classroom to make science fun and accessible. Back matter encourages kids to notice the pushes and pulls all around them and includes a simple physics experiment.

How do you make work easier? With machines, of course! Acclaimed author Lola M. Schaefer and award-winning illustrator James Yang explore various types of machines and their numerous, complex functions. A fun and interactive STEM-themed picture book for fans of David Macaulay and Byron Barton, and anyone curious about how things work and what makes things go. Machines are everywhere. They are the spoons that scoop and the trucks that dump. They are pulleys and ramps and even a giant rocket ship flying through outer space. How many simple and compound machines can you find? Lift, Mix, Fling! introduces readers to the six different simple machines: the screw, the lever, the wedge, the pulley, the inclined plane, and the wheel and axle. Lola M. Schaefer's lively, rhyming text and James Yang's bold and inventive illustrations make this STEM topic easy to understand and fun to explore. Lift, Mix, Fling! illustrates how machines function and why they are important--a necessary building block in science. A fun and educational choice for curious children, for classrooms, and for family story times. Includes backmatter about simple and compound machines.

Light is everywhere: from the shining sun to a bright light bulb to a glowing firefly. Light from a flashlight helps you see in the dark, and light from the sun makes plants grow. And did you know that light makes X-rays possible, and also keeps cars, trucks, trains, ships, and planes moving safely? It even allows us to see deep into space! Where would we be without light?

Meet the deliciously sweet duo, Sprinkles and Swirls, in this first book in a new Level 1 Ready-to-Read Graphics series! Sprinkles and Swirls are two little cupcakes who go on big adventures! Today they are visiting Fun Park. Join them as they zip, zoom, bump, fly, and have tons of sweet fun! Ready-to-Read Graphics books give readers the perfect introduction to the graphic novel format with easy-to-follow panels, speech bubbles with accessible vocabulary, and sequential storytelling that is spot-on for beginning readers. There’s even a how-to guide for reading graphic novels at the beginning of each book.

Sprinkles and Swirls, the deliciously sweet cupcake duo, get up on stage in this third book in the Level 1 Ready-to-Read Graphics series! Sprinkles and Swirls are leaping into more fun! They are going to perform at the talent show. But what should they do? Join them as they discover their many talents in this sweet story! Ready-to-Read Graphics books give readers the perfect introduction to the graphic novel format with easy-to-follow panels, speech bubbles with accessible vocabulary, and sequential storytelling that is spot-on for beginning readers. There’s even a how-to guide for reading graphic novels at the beginning of each book.