Macmillan

An encyclopedia of mind-bogglingly random facts that will lodge in your brain and refuse to leave.

Heard about the lizard that shoots blood from its eyes? Or the ancient Romans who used pee as mouthwash? Did you know that going on a roller coaster can cure kidney stones?

In this compendium of obscure facts readers will be treated to baffling knowledge they would never learn at school. Broken into chapters that include geography, space, and history, a team of experts has scoured the margins to find the silliest and most pointless facts that the world has to offer.

Kids will meet the prehistoric camel with no humps, the tortoises that went to the moon, and dancing cave people. And they will meet a court jester called Roland the Farter. Can you guess what his special skill was?

Everybody knows that dragons can breathe fire, but unlike her brothers and sisters, this little dragon is different. She doesn’t like fire but she desperately wants to fly and make her Dad proud. In an attempt at flying, she finds herself plunging into the lake. Being underwater should be wet, cold and horrid, but it feels AMAZING. Could it be that this little dragon isn’t a dragon at all?

What's a fed-up duck who feels all out of luck supposed to do? Go and ask a wise owl for help, of course! But watch out for the hungry Fox . . .

From the award-winning Gemma Merino, author of the The Crocodile Who Didn't Like Water, The Duck With No Luck is a funny, uplifting and reassuring tale about how to tackle the ups and downs of life, take a more positive look at things and appreciate all you have.

After a particularly unlucky moment, Duck has had enough! Heading off to ask Wise Owl why he's so unlucky, he comes across a lonely swan, a hungry fox and a bare tree, all looking for answers of their own. Will Wise Owl's advice help Duck to find his luck after all? And has he just been looking in the wrong place all along?

Award Winner!

By the author-and-illustrator team of the bestselling The Library

Lydia Grace Finch brings a suitcase full of seeds to the big gray city, where she goes to stay with her Uncle Jim, a cantankerous baker. There she initiates a gradual transformation, bit by bit brightening the shop and bringing smiles to customers' faces with the flowers she grows. But it is in a secret place that Lydia Grace works on her masterpiece -- an ambitious rooftop garden -- which she hopes will make even Uncle Jim smile. Sarah Stewart introduces readers to an engaging and determined young heroine, whose story is told through letters written home, while David Small's illustrations beautifully evoke the Depression-era setting.

The Gardener is a 1997 New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year and a 1998 Caldecott Honor Book.

From bestselling creators of The Girl and the Dinosaur comes a new picture book about the value of imagination and storytelling, and the love between a girl and her grandmother.

Alina lives in a lighthouse by the sea: a home filled with the warmth of Granny's magical stories.

But Alina is worried. Granny's memories and stories are starting to fade away, and she doesn't know how to bring them back. Then, one day, Alina meets a mermaid on the rocks near the lighthouse-and she's swept into a magical adventure deep under the sea. Can the mermaid help her find the stories, and can Alina help to keep the memories shining brightly?

This heartwarming picture book takes readers on a deep and fanciful journey to explore the importance of family, memory, imagination, and storytelling.

Whether it's waking up to find toads in their shoes, becoming trapped on the roof, or searching for cheese when their cow makes only lemonade, the Pepin family always seem to get into the most bizarre scrapes. Lucky for them, they have an author with large psychic antennae and great problem-solving readers who can join the Pepins on their hilarious adventures. And they need all the help they can get!

The Rhyming Rabbit loves to make up entertaining poems, inspired by everything he sees, but the other rabbits don’t appreciate his talent for rhyme. Sad and lonely, the Rhyming Rabbit sets off one starry night all on his own – will he ever find someone to share his poems with?

The Rhyming Rabbit is a clever rhyming adventure from the stellar picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, creators of What the Ladybird Heard. With brilliant rhyming verse, bright and distinctive illustrations and a gorgeously glittery cover, this story is a delight to read aloud.

Enjoy all the stories from Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks: Sharing a Shell, The Princess and the Wizard, The Rhyming Rabbit, The Singing Mermaid, Sugarlump and the Unicorn, Princess Mirror-Belle and the Dragon Pox, What the Ladybird Heard, What the Ladybird Heard Next, What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday and The Girl, the Bear and the Magic Shoes.

This sweeping nonfiction picture book The Whale Who Swam Through Time explores the 200-year lifespan of a bowhead whale and the changing environment that surrounds her.

Almost 200 years ago . . .

Our journey begins with the birth of a bowhead whale, the longest-living mammal in the world. Over the course of her life in the Arctic, the bowhead whale witnesses many changes: from an era of peace and solitude to one of oil rigs and cruise liners.

With gorgeous, detailed, and striking illustrations, this well researched and thoughtfully curated nonfiction story captures the magic and beauty of the natural world, while also providing a thoughtful account of how humans have impacted our changing ecosystems and a call-to-action for protecting the environment.

A 2023 OSTB Selected Title

A laugh-out-loud retelling of The Three Little Pigs, The Three Little Guinea Pigs is perfect for fans of fairytales and guinea pigs alike. This clever story by prolific children's book author Erica S. Perl and dynamic illustrator Amy Young makes a perfect read-aloud and includes nonfiction backmatter with additional fun facts about guinea pigs.

Once upon a time there were three little pigs... three little guinea pigs!

Their names were Rosie, Minty, and Pumpkin.
They lived with their mama in a cozy little house.
Then they bid her a fond farewell and set off on their own.
So far, so good....
But what will they do if a hungry fox comes along?
Will they go wheek, wheek, wheek all the way home?
Or can they find a way to save their fluffy behinds?

 Young children will love being part of the action in What Can You Hear?: On the Farm ―a fantastic new sound book series by Priddy Books.

From a noisy tractor and buzzing bees, to a cash register and more, there are 10 busy farm sounds to discover in this unique board book. Children will love pressing the diamond-shaped buttons and listening to the sounds as they spot lots of fun things on the farm.

Children can meet the different animals as they make cherry pies, fresh fruit juices, and lots of other fantastic items as they prepare for market day!

A mindful, gentle picture book about patience and learning to find beauty in the act of waiting.

Sometimes, you have to wait.

For the line at the public pool on a hot summer day.
For mom to come home after being away.

For your legs to grow just a bit longer to ride a new big kid bike.

The seconds drag on... each one feels like forever. Why can’t you have it now?

But while you wait, you might notice things: a possible new friend who is also in line, why homecoming hugs are extra special, and how beautiful the world is when you’re not racing by.

Sometimes, when you have to wait, you find the good in the moments between now and later.