New Releases by David Biedrzycki

Balls to the head, missed goals, and loud parents—soccer is tough! A funny, heartwarming story about soccer, setbacks, and sticking with it. Our hero wants to quit—but one stubborn leaf inspires her to hang in there in this funny, empowering picture book about perseverance and self-esteem. A young soccer player is struggling during the fall season. Balls to the head! Loud parents! Missed shots! Sometimes she can’t wait to go home. But then she sees one last autumn leaf on a tree, just hanging in there. Can she do the same? Inspired by the leaf, the girl keeps practicing. Come spring, the leaf is still there—and so is she! Gorgeous illustrations full of action and humor celebrate resilience and growth mindset. Author/illustrator David Biedrzycki coached his children’s soccer teams, so he knows how important it is for kids to hear this message of persistence. Just hang in there!

Ever since he was a little chip, Robot knew he was ART-ificially different. A funny and heartfelt picture book exploring AI, art, and creativity. Try as he might, Robot can't keep up with the other robots at the warehouse. But when he's sent off for reprogramming, he takes a wrong turn and ends up encountering music, dancing, and ART! He tries to share his discovery, only to find that art is hard to explain—and even harder to do. Will Robot learn to express himself and transform the warehouse . . . or will he be recycled?

A funny and read-aloud worthy sequel to the best-selling SumoKitty brings two unlikely friends together in this hilarious dog-meets-cat adventure perfect for pet lovers. SumoKitty has taken on an apprentice--but can this eager puppy truly learn the ways of a feline? SumoKitty tries his best to teach an eager but undisciplined puppy the feline ways of catching mice. But this rambunctious newcomer doesn't seem cut out for the job. She drools, snores, and chases away the mice with her constant barking! Can she find a place in the sumo stable--and in SumoKitty's heart?

He's just a cute little unicorn who wants to take over the world. Special Agent Bubble07 is undercover on planet Earth. His mission: to decide whether his team of alien unicorns should invade Earth. Posing as a stuffed animal, he infiltrates the home of Earthling Daughter, where he puts up with dog slobber, tea parties, and show and tell. Will the unicorn blow his cover and call for backup? Or will his alien heart be won over by storytime, snow days, and snuggles?

Who wouldn't want a pet dragon? See what raising a friendly dragon might look like in this hilarious read aloud about a boy and his pet. While dragons may not be the most traditional of pets we come to learn how, Sparky, would be the perfect pet and pal. From helpful tips on how to pick a dragon, what to do when your dragon misbehaves, and what NOT to feed them (broccoli). Clever and wry text paired with bright and comedic illustrations will make Me and My Dragon a storytime favorite for kids and adults alike.

Watch out, mice! This cat is a sumo champion! A stray kitty gets a job in a sumo stable, chasing mice in exchange for food. But when eating like a sumo wrestler slows our feline hero down, he realizes he must train like a wrestler, too. Through hard work and perseverance--and with a little help from a big buddy--SumoKitty is born! A funny and heartwarming story inspired by the Japanese saying "Fall down seven times, stand up eight."

Bears in space! The bears from Breaking News: Bear Alert and Bears to the Rescue are back, and this time they're extraterrestrial. When a UFO beams up Baby Bear and abducts the family, the human world goes crazy. Hilarity and chaos ensue as scouts, scientists, street vendors, and the mayor try to put their own spin on the story. Intrepid but bumbling reporter Chad Newsworthy covers it all, searching for the truth: Why did aliens snatch up these animals? (Hint: It's someone special's birthday!)

Read Along or Enhanced eBook: Phil and his shadow used to do everything together. But Phil got tired of Shadow shadowing him, so Shadow up and left. True friends, however, have a way of finding each other somehow. If the groundhog doesn’t see its shadow come February 2nd, young readers will have an idea of where it might be, based on this sweet story accompanied by David Biedrzycki’s hilarious illustrations. From the Hardcover edition.

This just in: Breaking News: Bear Alert, told as a breaking TV news report is now in paperback! Two bears awaken from hibernation and go to town—literally. During their visit, they eat at a diner, dress up at a department store, and stop a couple of bank robbers, all the while mistaking the townspeople’s terror for friendliness. The news-reporting-style of storytelling puts readers in the action and on the edge of their seats. Illustrations jam-packed with puns, clues, and jokes will have the whole family or classroom laughing out loud and eager to find out what happens next—will the bears terrorize the town? Will the cat burglars be caught? Will the city come to a grinding halt? Tune in to find out. We now return you to your regularly scheduled day.

A missing cub, a carnival, and a gang of cat burglars… Hold on to your hats! Best-selling author David Biedrzycki brings back the hilarious bears from Breaking News: Bear Alert, but now they have sleepy bear cub in tow. When the cub goes missing Mama and Papa Bear go on the hunt. Their search takes them to the town carnival where the whole family rides the Ferris wheel, rocks the rollercoaster, and inadvertently foils another dastardly plot by the persistent cat burglars from Bear Alert. Covering the story is intrepid—but bumbling—reporter Chad Newsworthy and the rest of the crew at Channel 3 News.

Christmas is coming, and our young hero wants to buy his best friend, Dragon, the perfect present. He and Dragon take job after hilarious job, earning enough to buy a deluxe Knight Boy action set—but they eventually realize that the best part of Christmas is sharing what you have with those in need. In the third book of David Biedrzycki's series about a boy and his pet dragon, we learn the true meaning of Christmas—and have a great time doing it. This book has it all: holiday cheer, humor, a meaningful message and a ton of heart.

NEW IN SPANISH: A boy wants a pet--a dragon. Once he gets one their hilarious adventures begin.

Santa Claus is tired of delivering toys and decides to retire to somewhere warm, but things do not work out as expected.

After being mugged, Scratch Murphy the flea asks Ace Lacewing, Bug Detective, for help in finding the culprit who stole money from his Six Legs Amusement Park.

Ace hits another one out of the ballpark. Ace Lacewing, Bug Detective, is back in his third crime-solving adventure—and this time he’s in the big leagues. The Motham City Stinkbugs finally have a chance at winning the pennant, but somebody has stolen Bugsy Goldwing’s lucky bat. Was it Mickey Mantis, Fly Cobb, Derek Skeeter, or Big Hoppi Leafhopper? When Ace takes the mound, bad bugs are going to strike out. Teeming with puns and sight gags, the latest Ace Lacewing mystery will have young readers turning the pages and looking for clues everywhere.

Aided by his friends, Ace Lacewing, Bug Detective, sets out on the trail of kidnappers who took Queenie Bee.