An official tie-in to the globally popular video game traces the story of a new hero stranded in the world of Minecraft who must survive a harsh environment while unraveling the secrets of a mysterious island.

In this picture book classic, travel with young Walter on a fantastical adventure as he journeys--by way of his bed--into a polluted dreamscape world that wakes him up to our collective and individual environmental responsibility. Walter does not appreciate the beauty of nature, or understand his role in keeping the planet healthy . . . until a fantastic journey shows him the tragic fate that could befall Earth if humans like him are not more careful. Chris Van Allsburg (The Polar Express) pairs pitch-perfect narrative with his full-color pastel illustrations, rendering this picture book a story that has stood the test of time. "Two-time Caldecott Medalist Van Allsburg reaches a new pinnacle of excellence in both illustration and storytelling in his latest work." --Publishers Weekly This anniversary edition includes a stunning new jacket!

"I loved every page. This is middle grade fiction at its best."-- Ann Patchett From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Magicians comes a must-read, wholly original middle-grade debut perfect for fans of The Chronicles of Narnia and Roald Dahl. Dear Uncle Herbert, You've never met me, but I'm your niece Kate, and since it is my birthday tomorrow and you are super-rich could you please send me a present? Kate and her younger brother Tom lead dull, uninteresting lives. And if their dull, uninteresting parents are anything to go by, they don't have much to look forward to. Why can't Kate have thrilling adventures and save the world the way people do in books? Even her 11th birthday is shaping up to be mundane -- that is, until her mysterious and highly irresponsible Uncle Herbert, whom she's never even met before, surprises her with the most unexpected, exhilarating, inappropriate birthday present of all time: a colossal steam locomotive called the Silver Arrow. Kate and Tom's parents want to send it right back where it came from. But Kate and Tom have other ideas -- and so does the Silver Arrow -- and soon they're off to distant lands along magical rail lines in the company of an assortment of exotic animals who, it turns out, can talk. With only curiosity, excitement, their own resourcefulness and the thrill of the unknown to guide them, Kate and Tom are on the adventure of a lifetime . . . and who knows? They just might end up saving the world after all. This thrilling fantasy adventure will not only entertain young readers but inspire them to see the beautiful, exciting, and precious world around them with new eyes.

WINNER of Mass Books Early Reader Must Reads/Picture Books! "An imaginative and original depiction of one of life's everyday miracles." -- KIRKUS STARRED REVIEW From award-winning and NY Times bestselling children's and beloved birder, Jane Yolen, and award-winning illustrator, Bob Marstall, comes On Bird Hill the first in a series created for bird-lovers and dreamers alike! On Bird Hill is first in a new Jane Yolen series developed for the Cornell Lab, the world's leading authority on bird's. Loosely based on "The Green Grass Grew All Around," a nursery rhyme first published as a song in 1912, this whimsical version follows a boy and his dog as they find a bird in a nest on a hill in a strange valley. This beautiful and enchanting story is perfect for young minds taking flight. 35% of the net proceeds from every Cornell Lab Publishing Group book purchase will support projects such as children's educational and community programs. About the ON BIRD HILL & BEYOND SERIES The ON BIRD HILL & BEYOND series invites children to reclaim the freedom to explore, wander and adventure outdoors. Created especially for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology - the world leader in the study, appreciation, and conservation of birds - by New York Times bestselling author Jane Yolen and renowned illustrators Bob Marstall and Elizabeth Dulemba. The series artfully engages the senses to see, feel, hear, and touch the natural world and the life within. Back matter contains information on birds and wildlife depicted with full-color photos and "How You Can Help" suggestions for budding naturalists and birders. RAVE REVIEWS FOR ON BIRD HILL... "Expressively captures a luminous moment of discovery in the natural world. On Bird Hill leaves space for the imagination and underscores the surprising wonder found in everyday moments." -- School Library Journal "It's a sweetly surreal meditation on the everyday wonders that await in the wild."--Publisher's Weekly "...opens your eyes to the extraordinary in the ordinary of nature. I look forward to more books in the series..."--NC Teacher Stuff

Long ago unicorns lived in a haven of sun-dappled glades and flower-filled dells. But as civilization spread over the ages -- with its fierce knights, its chugging trains, its thick smogs -- unicorns had to find a new sanctuary. But where? Jane Yolen finds a magical answer in the traditional unicorn myth. Her rhythmic, rhymed text is irresistible to read aloud. And Ruth Sanderson's brilliant artwork gives unicorns a bold reality in everything from ancient cave paintings to their secret, present-day home. After reading this tribute to the mystical, mysterious unicorn, children will enjoy looking for these elusive creatures in the world around them.

A white youth from New York's East 70's discovers that although trumpet technique is not enough to gain entrance to the soul musician's world, friendship with a top jazzman gives him a broader perspective of his environment as well as of the alternatives the future offers.

Approached by a variety of animals driven out of their homes by climate change, a young girl heads to the halls of power and throws a tantrum that just might save the world. Includes a science section explaining global warming, climate change, and the perils of environmental destruction.

Ahab Goldstein is a seventh-grader living in an United States (specifically Maine) where the environment has turned toxic, and the corrupt Environmental Police Force is in control, limiting access to natural resources like gas and water, issuing fines, and transporting "fragile" species (pretty much all of them) to the Center for Species Rehabilitation in New Arcadia (a dubious refuge at best); so when Ahab and his friends find a real live bullfrog on an island in the toxic harbor, possibly the last one in America, they are faced with a choice--turn it over (NO!), leave it alone, or bike to Canada to find it a mate.

This touching story of a father and child's nighttime excursion to watch a meteor shower is told through the eyes of a child in awe of the night world. Rockliff's vivid descriptions make readers feel as though they too are watching the tiny bits of other, distant worlds blazing into our own.The "For Creative Minds" education section includes teaching trivia about meteors, meteor showers, comets, and asteroids as well as a "Meteor Math" game, a "Five Steps to a Fantastic Meteor Watching Party" checklist, and a recipe for comet cookies. This fictional story includes a 4-page For Creative Minds section in the back of the book and a 49-page cross-curricular Teaching Activity Guide online. Pieces of Another World is vetted by experts and designed to encourage parental engagement. Its extensive back matter helps teachers with time-saving lesson ideas, provides extensions for science, math, and social studies units, and uses inquiry-based learning to help build critical thinking skills in young readers. The Spanish translation supports ELL and dual-language programs. The interactive ebook reads aloud in both English and Spanish with word highlighting and audio speed control to promote oral language skills, fluency, pronunciation, text engagement, and reading comprehension.

Burrow into this classic tale about a family of rabbits from the author of Bambi . Hops and his young rabbit friends must face all the triumphs and trials in the first year of life in the woods. Life is dangerous in the forest, especially for the fifteen young rabbits who are learning to navigate their home. While there are many wonderful things and other animals to get to know—including a deer by the name of Bambi—there are also dangers, and the constant threat of man. In order to thrive, the rabbits must stick together... Felix Salten’s story of the lives of fifteen rabbits is brought back to life in this beautiful repackage.