It takes one smart sheep to escape from a piano movers' van and find his way home in this humorous friendship story for emerging and newly independent readers by beloved, award-winning author Gary D. Schmidt and coauthor Elizabeth Stickney. Wilson is a curious sheep, and after he foolishly climbs into the back of a piano movers' truck, he ends up alone in the big city, far from the farm. But Wilson is also one smart sheep, and soon enough he's finding his way home to his worried owner by recognizing the sounds that he heard while he was trapped in the truck--a jackhammer, a calliope, a hotdog man. And could that be the excited barking of his friend Tippy, the border collie? This lighthearted story about loyalty, problem solving, friendship, and independence is divided into short, action-packed chapters and has the cozy feel of a modern classic.

Kids who love wicked humor will gobble up this tale of a trickster sheep and a comically gullible turkey. Ewww! Little Baa Baa is bored. So when Quirky Turkey comes along, the opportunity to make mischief is too good to resist. “What’s that?” asks Turkey, pointing at a suspicious something on the ground. “What’s what?” “That there.” “This here?” “Yes, that there.” “Oh, it’s just a pile of . . . smarty tablets.” “Ohhh. . .” After a well-sustained buildup evoking hilarity and disbelief, this kid-pleasing trickster tale will have readers both groaning and laughing out loud at the payoff.

Deresiewicz takes a sharp look at the high-pressure conveyor belt that begins with demands for perfect grades and culminates in the skewed applications received by college admissions committees. Students are losing the ability to think independently. College is supposed to be a time for self-discovery-- but the system is broken, and he offers solutions on how to fix it.

After being tricked into eating Little Baa Baa's 'smarty tablets' Quirky Turkey decides it's payback time. But has Quirky got what it takes to pull the wool over Baa Baa's eyes?

Farmer McFitt’s mischievous sheep have escaped! Who wants to stay on the farm when they could be shot out of a cannon at the circus or go surfing at the beach—they even pose as art in a museum! Can Farmer McFitt round up this rowdy bunch in time for a wooly surprise? This rollicking, rhyming read-aloud will become a favorite counting and bedtime book for parents and kids. Bill Mayer’s energetic, expressive sheep are adorably silly, and his pictures are chock-full of hilarious details kids will love.

Whenever Ava can't sleep, she counts sheep. But Ava takes so long to fall asleep, it's the sheep that are growing tired-until finally, they quit! When the sheep promise to find a replacement that Ava can count on, chaos ensues as chickens, cows, pigs, hippos, and more try their hand at jumping over Ava's fence. Finding the perfectly peaceful replacement for sheep might not be so easy after all. With irresistibly adorable art, this delightful take on a familiar sleep tactic is sure to become a bedtime favorite.

With shades of When You Reach Me, The Thing About Jellyfish, and Bridge to Terabithia, and a big, timely climate hook at its core, here is a heartfelt middle grade debut about the inevitability of change that will resonate profoundly during these extraordinary times. Spring has arrived, and yet an unyielding winter freeze has left Louisa snowed into her apartment building for months with parents coping with extreme stress, a little brother struggling with cabin fever, and—awkwardly—her neighbor and former close friend, Luke. The new realities of this climate disaster have not only affected Louisa's family, but when Luke's dad has an ice-related accident and it's unclear if he'll recover, both families' lives are turned upside down. Desperate to find an escape from the grief plaguing their homes, Louisa and Luke build a massive snow fort in their yard. But their creation opens up an otherworldly window to what could lie ahead, and sets them on a mission: to restore the universe to its rightful order, so the ice will melt and life will return to "normal". With a deft combination of heartfelt prose and a touch of magic, Monica Sherwood's affecting debut novel is a relatable story of families grappling with—and emerging from—a different kind of quarantine.

Itês time for bed! Ä Or is it? Duncan does not like going to sleep ã and heêll do anything to avoid it. Until one day, his mom has had enough of his stalling and leaves him to figure it out on his own. –Try counting sheep,” she suggests. Which actually turns out to be kind of fun. At first. But when itês Sheep #68ês turn to jump over Duncanês bed, he wonêt. He needs a drink of water, he says. Then he has to go to the bathroom. Then he wants running shoes. Will Sheep #68 ever do what heês supposed to?

A witty philosophical murder mystery with a charming twist: the crack detectives are sheep determined to discover who killed their beloved shepherd. On a hillside near the cozy Irish village of Glennkill, a flock of sheep gathers around their shepherd, George, whose body lies pinned to the ground with a spade. George has cared devotedly for the flock, even reading them books every night. Led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world), they set out to find George’s killer. The A-team of investigators includes Othello, the “bad-boy” black ram; Mopple the Whale, a Merino who eats a lot and remembers everything; and Zora, a pensive black-faced ewe with a weakness for abysses. Joined by other members of the richly talented flock, they engage in nightlong discussions about the crime, wild metaphysical speculations, and embark on reconnaissance missions into the village, where they encounter some likely suspects. Along the way, the sheep confront their own all-too-human struggles with guilt, misdeeds, and unrequited love. Funny, fresh, and endearing, it introduces a wonderful new breed of detectives to Canadian readers.

Doing the same thing every day can make it seem common or ordinary. But there is nothing even remotely ordinary about a daily encounter with Jesus Christ. Walking with the living Son of God through the ups and downs and ins and outs of daily circumstances doesn't just add value to life; it completely transforms it. Seeking and finding God in the course of a normal, three-dimensional day adds a fourth dimension: eternity. In the pages of God's Word we begin to grasp an eternal perspective that changes everything we experience. It isn't like getting a new pair of glasses; it's like getting a new pair of eyes. For well over thirty years through his teaching, preaching, and numerous books, Greg Laurie has been leading people into the adventure of knowing Christ and understanding the Bible. The readings in this book will kindle a new or renewed hunger to spend time in God's Word--and empower you to experience the life of His Son.