Spotlight: Willy and the Cloud by Anthony Browne

When a niggling worry begins to cloud Willy’s whole day, Anthony Browne shows readers that facing your fears head-on can clear the skies once more.

One warm, sunny day, Willy the Chimp decides to go to the park. There’s not a cloud in the sky — well, except for just a little tiny one. It doesn’t bother Willy too much at first. But as the cloud follows him, it grows bigger and bigger and becomes harder and harder to ignore. Pretty soon the cloud is all Willy can think about, and he has no idea how to make it go away. Quietly powerful and remarkably perceptive, Anthony Browne’s thoughtful tale depicts worry and anxiety in a way readers of any age can understand. And as Willy discovers, sometimes a little bravery — and a willingness to face your problems — can make a world of difference.

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About the Author

Anthony Browne is the acclaimed author and illustrator of Gorilla (winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal) The Night Shimmy and Zoo (winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal.) The Shape Game was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal.

Spotlight: Can’t Catch Me! by Timothy Knapman and Illustrated by Simona Ciraolo

A cheeky tale follows a speedy mouse as he taunts a progression of hungry animals — with a wickedly funny final twist.

“I’m the fastest mouse in the world!” Jake claims. “I’m like the wind. I am faster than lightning!” But will speed alone keep boastful Jake from being caught by a cat, a fox, a wolf, or a bear? “Can’t catch me!” he shouts. Well, clever Old Tom Cat will just have to see about that. . . . Expressive and energetic illustrations pair with a fun cumulative text in a mischievous story that begs to be read aloud.

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Spotlight: Once Upon a Tree by Dawn Jarocki and Soren Kisiel and Illustrated by Jessica McClure

This fable of a little leaf looking for his purpose will delight children and their caretakers.

The whirling, swirling adventures of an ordinary little leaf high on a tree, struggling to find its purpose. The leaf watches baby birds break out of their shells and grow until they learn to fly. Caterpillars wrap themselves in silk and emerge as magnificent butterflies. Warm sunny days get shorter and windy chilly nights grow longer. The little leaf is terribly worried that it should be transforming too. It no longer noticed anything other than the thoughts spinning in its head. The leaf held on to the tree with all its might, growing exhausted as increasingly cooler winds blew. Then one day, the leaf noticed it had become a beautiful crimson color. And it became aware that maybe, maybe it was time for the leaf to fly too. The leaf was very tired, so it just let go. As it danced and twirled to the ground in the amber sunlight, the leaf finally learns its own unique purpose.

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Spotlight: My Best Pop-up Noisy Train Book by DK

An exciting, fun-to-read, noisy board book with flaps and pop-ups, perfect for reading aloud with preschoolers and promoting hands-on, active learning.

From steam trains to underground trains to double-decker trains, My Best Pop-up Noisy Train Book covers all the favorites, and an embedded sound button enhances the reading experience on each and every page. Train drivers, passengers, and other featured characters inspire toddlers to talk and focus on the scene, and text and word labels help develop vocabulary and encourage picture-and-word association.

With its heavy board format, topical appeal, and lively approach, My Best Pop-up Noisy Train Book is a must-have for train-loving toddlers.

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About the Author

DK was founded in London in 1974 and is now the world’s leading illustrated reference publisher and part of Penguin Random House, formed on July 1, 2013. DK publishes highly visual, photographic non-fiction for adults and children.  DK produces content for consumers in over 87 countries and 62 languages, with offices in Delhi, London, Melbourne, Munich, New York and Toronto.

DK’s aim is to inform, enrich and entertain readers of all ages and everything DK publishes, whether print or digital, embodies the unique DK design approach.  DK brings unrivalled clarity to a wide range of topics with a unique combination of words and pictures, put together to spectacular effect. We have a reputation for innovation in design for both print and digital products.

Our adult range spans travel, including the award-winning DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, history, science, nature, sport, gardening, cookery and parenting.

DK’s extensive children’s list showcases a fantastic store of information for children, toddlers and babies. DK covers everything from animals and the human body, to homework help and craft activities, together with an impressive list of licensing titles, including the best-selling LEGO® books.

DK acts as the parent company for Alpha Books, publisher of the Idiot’s Guides series and Prima Games, video gaming publishers, as well as the award-winning travel publisher, Rough Guides.

Spotlight: Buster and the Baby by Amy Hest by Illustrated by Polly Dunbar

What could be more endearing than the bond between a baby and a puppy? A sweet and spirited tale from two picture-book masters.

In the little red house, a dog ducks under the table. He waits and watches and waits some more as his heart goes thump, thump, thump. And then . . . CHAAA! Out of the shadows comes the baby, squealing and whirling and bumping his nose! Go Buster, go Buster, go! Is behind the blue chair a good place to hide? With beautifully tender artwork and an engaging repetitive text, author Amy Hest and illustrator Polly Dunbar follow two little ones in a breathless game of chase — winding up in a heart-tugging role reversal sure to sweeten readers’ dreams.

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About the Author

Amy Hest is a three-time winner of the Christopher Medal and winner of the BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. She lives in New York City.

Spotlight: Gum By Nancy Willard and Illustrated by Jeff Newman

In a timeless tale of small moments and big victories, two boys’ singular obsession with an elusive prize pays off in a most surprising way.

James has five quarters and Danny has four. That means nine whole tries to get the little silver race car out of the gumball machine at Mr. Wright’s store after school. Only very, very lucky people get both gumballs and the silver racer. It’s a good thing that one of James’s quarters is a Canadian quarter, which just so happens to be very, very lucky. But is it lucky enough to get him that silver racer? Bing! Bang! Kaboom! He’s about to find out! Retro-style illustrations in vivid colors add to the classic feel of this new story by poet Nancy Willard, author of the 1982 Newbery Medal winner, A Visit to William Blake’s Inn.

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About the Author

Nancy Willard was educated at the University of Michigan and Stanford University. She was the author of two novels, seven books of stories and essays, and eleven books of poetry. A winner of the Devins Memorial Award, she received NEA grants in both fiction and poetry. Her book Water Walker was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award. She was also a beloved writer of children’s books, one of which, A Visit to William Blake’s Inn, with illustrations by Alice and Martin Provensen, won the Newbery Medal, the first poetry book to win that medal. A longtime teacher in the English department at Vassar College, Willard died in 2017.