StoryTime Effective Practice (STEP), developed by the authors, is an approach that articulates the link between child development theory and storytimes. This important resource shows how presenters can use STEP to craft a storytime that is effective for mixed-age groups and adheres to best practices.

A young girl's world is turned upside-down when her mother decides to remarry. Along with the ring comes a few more, Step One, Step Two, Step Three and Four. The girl will do whatever it takes to keep step siblings out of her life. She eventually realizes there are some benefits to having a blended family.This lighthearted story will reassure children that in spite of change, the outcome is worth the transition. It delights in the possibilities with having a blended family.

Dogs, including Vampoodle--a poodle with fangs--enjoy Halloween fun.

Coretta Scott King 2021 Honoree A winner of the ILA 2021 Children’s and Young Adults’ Book Awards in the fiction category. NCSS 2021 Notable Social Studies Book Maine Lupine Award Winner A CBC Recommended Book • A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A New York Public Library Best Picture Book of 2020 Kirkus Starred Review PW Starred Review School Library Journal Starred Review Told by a succession of exuberant young narrators, Magnificent Homespun Brown is a story -- a song, a poem, a celebration -- about feeling at home in one’s own beloved skin. With vivid illustrations by Kaylani Juanita, Samara Cole Doyon sings a carol for the plenitude that surrounds us and the self each of us is meant to inhabit.

Paddywack is a petite nine hands high, and every pony inch is packed full of spunk. It hasn’t been easy, but he now has his rider, Jane, well trained. He’ll trot. He’ll canter. He’ll jump the jumps. He’s a perfect pony . . . when she gives him treats. But on the day of the big horse show, Jane is so nervous she forgets his treats. Will Paddywack dig in his hooves? Or can he rise to the occasion? This sweet story is sure to capture young horse-lovers’ hearts.

A Step 1 reader to welcome winter, featuring the family from Pumpkin Day! and Apple Picking Day! The brother and sister from PUMPKIN DAY! and APPLE PICKING DAY! have woken up to a winter wonderland--it's a snow day! Read along as they engage in favorite winter activities with their neighborhood friends on their day off from school. Easy-to-follow rhyme ensures a successful reading experience, and bright, fun art enhances the story. Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words. Rhymes and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story. For children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading.

Scuffy the Tugboat—star of one of the bestselling Little Golden Books of all time—is in his first Step into Reading book! Fans of Scuffy the Tugboat will now be able to read about him all on their own! This Step 1 Step into Reading title has been adapted from the original Little Golden Book story for early readers. Freshly illustrated in the style of the original book, this sweet tale about Scuffy the Tugboat—and his adventures down the river—is the perfect addition to the Step into Reading line. Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.

Nothing can ruin a new school year...except maybe a pesky little brother. This Step 4 reader is the perfect back-to-school story for newly independent readers! Will should be excited to start third grade. But his little brother, Steve, is starting kindergarten. The same laugh-out-loud writing and hilarious illustrations that brought us How Not to Babysit Your Brother now portray the tribulations and embarrassments of starting school with a very troublesome little brother. School will never be the same! Step 4 Readers use challenging vocabulary and short paragraphs to tell exciting stories. For newly independent readers who read simple sentences with confidence.

Recognizing that informed, caring adults are critical to supporting early literacy development, Storytimes for Everyone! builds on the concepts introduced in the second edition of the Every Child Ready to Read® initiative to offer practical suggestions for incorporating early literacy information and strategies into the storytime setting.

Neil Armstrong's journey to the moon is the focus of the fifteenth picture book in the New York Times bestselling series of biographies about heroes. This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great--the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Each book tells the story of one of America's icons in a lively, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero's childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos. This volume tells the story of Neil Armstrong from his childhood on a farm to a career as an engineer and pilot and how he became the first person on the moon. All of the small steps he took in life—even his failures—led up to his steps on the moon.