The touching, magical story of a boy in a war-torn country and the stone lion that rescues him. Renato loves his home in Florence, Italy. He loves playing with his friends in the Piazza della Signoria. He loves walking home by the beautiful buildings and fountains with his father in the evenings. And he especially loves the stone lion who seems to smile at him from a pedestal in the piazza. The lion makes him feel safe. But one day his father tells him that their family must leave. Their country is at war, and they will be safer in America. Renato can only think of his lion. Who will keep him safe? With luminous watercolor paintings, Barbara DiLorenzo captures the beauty of Florence in this heartwarming and ultimately magical picture book.

Lionel thinks drawing is boring, all he wants to do is 'RRROAR' at everyone! Find out what happens when he loses his voice, will Lionel discover a hidden talent?

Colorful Illustrations support decodable text, guiding beginning readers to identify, recognize, and use the /l/ sound. Featuring high-frequency words, this authentic fictional narrative also gives emerging readers the opportunity to read with purpose and for meaning while reinforcing basic phonemic sounds. Readers will follow Larry the Lion as he tries to find his way home. This fiction phonics title is paired with the nonfiction phonics title We Love to Learn: Practicing the L Sound. The instructional guide on the inside front and back covers provides: * Word List with carefully selected grade-appropriate words featuring the /l/ sound found in the text * Teacher Talk that assists instructors in introducing the /l/ sound * Group Activity that guides students to identify the /l/ sound, decode the words that contain it, and use the words * Extended Activity that provides students with additional opportunities to think about, list, and use words containing the /l/ sound * Writing Activity that guides students to write the letter that makes the /l/ sound

Research tells us many common psychological problems can be prevented if children are taught specific emotional, social, and behavioral skills when they are young. In this series, an animal loses the very thing it is known for but then regains it with the help of some simple, sound advice.

SWAT Commander Lieutenant William Peterson finds himself under investigation from the police and is forced to defend his honor, his career, and his team against a supervisor determined to bring him down.