56 short stories for children and other deep thinkers! These stories were written by Robin And The Giant (also known as Robin MacBlane and Larry Whitler) for their children's radio program.

Biomedical sciences professor Lisa Cuchara fell head-over-heels in love with frogs the first time she and her photographer husband Tom were invited to photograph a red-eyed tree frog. Before long, the couple was clearing out their space in their home for terrariums full of well-loved amphibians! As it turned out, Lisa’s uncanny ability to put frogs at ease set the couple on a new creative path: producing whimsical frog portraits. Through patience, care—and plenty of snacks!—they have been able to achieve incredible images while keeping their animal friends totally content. In fact, some of their frogs now know that they will fed after being taken out of their terrarium—so they sign to Lisa and Tom or smush their faces up to the glass, wanting to be photographed! Whether sitting quietly on a flower or humorously interacting with a carefully selected prop, these frogs are sure to bring a smile to the face of any animal lover.

These superb collections of field recordings and descriptions offer unparalleled access to the sounds and calls of numerous popular and less well known birds and amphibians. Each book and CD provides an introduction to the sound repertoire of species living in eastern and central North America--a variety of calls from each species are included, along with an in-depth description and explanation of their significance. In addition to color photographs of the most common species, the text offers a fascinating look at the science of avian and amphibian calls, making these guides indispensable aids for the outdoor enthusiast.

In spring, when City Dog runs free in the country for the first time, he spots Country Frog sitting on a rock, waiting for a friend. “You’ll do,” Frog says, and together they play Country Frog games. In summer, they meet again and play City Dog games. Through the seasons, whenever City Dog visits the country he runs straight for Country Frog’s rock. In winter, things change for City Dog and Country Frog. Come spring, friendship blooms again, a little different this time. Mo Willems’ spare, poignant text and Jon J. Muth’s expressive watercolors team up to tell a story that will resonate with readers of all ages.

How do you housebreak a dog in a hurricane? When Riley comes into her family’s life, award-winning humor columnist Tracy Beckerman realizes she got a lot more than she bargained for. From tracking wet cement through the house to shredding the family’s underwear, Riley is a one-dog wrecking ball. Yet this lovable retriever also brings joy, laughter, and a renewed sense of wonder into the household. At times hilarious and heartwarming, Barking at the Moon speaks to life’s growing pains, and to mothering children both human and furry. With Beckerman’s trademark wit and heart, she reminds us that no matter what stage of life we’re in, we can learn a lot from the dogs who teach us how to stop and enjoy the ride.

“This celebration of differences displays great respect for readers' intelligence and yields more with each reading. —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Two shy kids discover the power of friendship in this charming picture book that celebrates being different. A boy likes to dress as a cat, but his best friend’s dog objects. What will he dress as now? A giraffe? A fox? A shark? When his best friend, Camille, suggests a frog, they work together to make the frog costume…until Camille runs out of patience. So the boy makes a list of the pros and cons of being a frog: Pros: 1. My friend Camille gave me the idea 2. I’m less likely to be chased by a dog 3. Being in a frog costume makes me feel brave Cons: 1. Not everyone loves wearing a frog costume as much as me 2. If you start getting bossy about your frog costume then your friend will get up and leave 3. A frog is NOT a solitary creature so it is no fun for a frog if his friend gets up and leaves Luckily, he won’t have to choose, because true friendship means accepting each other’s differences: he can be himself and have his friend Camille.

The 70th edition in this long-running reference guide is filled to the brim with maps, statistics, full-color photographs, and fascinating information. You’ll buy a piece of Texas history in every Texas Almanac in your collection. Our features this year include: Everyone knows Texas is a big state, but we continue to grow, sometimes in unexpected ways. Learn more about population growth, shifts, and trends, and where we might be by 2050 in this feature, written by Steve H. Murdock, Ph.D., a former director of the U.S. Census Bureau and currently a professor at Rice University and Director of the Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, and Michael Cline, Ph.D., former Associate Director of the Hobby Center for the Study of Texas. A new entry in our series on Texas immigrants focuses on Asian Indians. From facing early anti-Asian immigration bans to becoming the fourth largest concentration of Asian Indians in the United States, Indian Texans have helped shape the state’s economy, public policy and cultural landscape. Learn about this rich immigration history and how the influence of Asian Indians can be felt across Texas. This feature is written by Ayshea Khan, Asian American Community Archivist at the Austin History Center. The entire book is revised with the latest information for every edition, including the 254 county maps and our population estimates for every Texas town. Chapters include: • Environment: Learn about the geology of Texas, as well as in-depth information about plants, wildlife, rivers, and lakes. • Weather: Highs and lows of the previous two years, plus a list of destructive weather dating from 1766. Also, a look at how our state has recovered since Hurricane Harvey. • Astronomical Calendar: Find the moon phases, sunrise and sunset times, moonrise and moonset times, and any eclipses and meteor showers expected for 2020 and 2021. • Recreation: The places to go visit in Texas, with details on state and national parks, landmarks, and wildlife refuges. • Sports: The results of championship games for sports in Texas, from high school through professional, and a list of all Texas Olympic medalists and the past ten years of Texas Sports Hall of Fame inductees. • Counties: An expansive section featuring detailed county maps, locator maps, and profiles of Texas’ 254 counties. • Population: Figures and the latest estimates from the State Data Center, plus an analysis of what has changed in the past 5-10 years and a comprehensive list of the population of Texas cities and towns. • Elections: Results and maps from the 2018 General Election and information on voter turnout. • Government: Historical documents and lists of governmental officials dating from our time under Spanish rule to today, as well as a recap of the 86th Legislative Session, information about state boards commissions, and lists of state, county, and local officials. • Culture and the Arts: Find museums, competitions and award winners, and cultural and artistic highlights from the past few years, along with maps and data about the variety of religious groups in Texas. • Business, Agriculture, and Transportation: Information about all aspects of our rich economy, and how we’ve faired as a state in the past few years, packed with tables about employment, prices, taxes, and more in a wide variety of industries. • And much more…