New Releases by Carl Sommer

The vivid, rich colors of birds in their natural habitats around the world are an exciting way to introduce young children to nonfiction. From the tiny hummingbird to the mammoth ostrich, this entertaining book from Our Amazing World ignites the curiosity of children. Advanced early readers enjoy mastering the names of the birds as they read the book.

In a creative imaginary world, this fun story unfolds with easy-to-pronounce words, assisting children in development of word recognition. Ben and Nell’s pet monkey, Bell, misbehaves on the plane trip to visit their grandparents. Bell continues his bad behavior when riding horses on the farm, making for funny situations that children will love. The colorful illustrations and exciting adventures will encourage children to read. Target Reader 5 is part of Phonics Adventure''s systematic, leveled reading program.

Children return to this beautiful book repeatedly to learn more about the mammoth beauties of the sea. Did you know an octopus can change its color and the texture of its skin or that sunfish lay millions of eggs? Advanced early readers recognize words they know in this exceptional nonfiction book from Our Amazing World Series, Advanced, and are motivated to add new words to their vocabulary, such as plankton and tongue, as well as explore combinations from words they know like sun and fish (sunfish) and blue and fin (bluefin).

When a cat with muddy paws makes a mess in this cute beginning reader, Dan rushes to help. The multi-colored illustrations help children to use context clues to follow the story while learning to pronounce beginning and ending phonic sounds. Companion Reader 2 is part of Phonics Adventure''s systematic, leveled reading program.

This engaging book from Our Amazing World Series, Advanced, takes children on an underwater journey through exquisite close-up photographs and illustrations. The world’s oceans are home to amazing animals outfitted in gorgeous colors while others are almost transparent. This book is a marvelous introduction to nonfiction for advanced early readers. Children will boost their reading confidence by recognizing many of the words and learning to combine familiar words into compound ones such as newborn, seaweed, and lionfish.

In this charming adventure, children will expand their reading skills by following Rick and Jan’s adventure in the mountains. Lush woodland scenes with beautiful birds and wildlife illustrate the story, adding concept clues to assist early readers. When Rick and Jan ride their bikes through a large mud puddle, the responsible children stop to clean their bikes before going swimming and fishing in the cool mountain water. Jan catches a large, shiny fish for the family dinner, and the siblings pick fresh red apples and nuts before heading home. Target Reader 18 is part of Phonics Adventure''s systematic, leveled reading program.

This enjoyable story engages early readers through beautiful illustrations and one-syllable words encourage a love of reading. Competing to win a game of tag, the cat, the dog, and the rat approach the game with different strategies. The life affirming message to always try your best and don’t give up until the race is over is presented through adorable characters and cheerful illustrations. Target Reader 13 is part of Phonics Adventure''s systematic, leveled reading program.

Take a look at these dazzling photos of wild bears and see a giant panda, a black bear, and an Asiatic bear. This captivating book from Our Amazing World Series, Advanced, introduces the wide and wonderful world of nonfiction to young children through the lives of wild bears in their natural habitats. The carefully constructed narrative is perfect for advanced early readers to gain confidence in their reading skills and boost their understanding of the animal world.

Young children get an inside look at a busy farm and the variety of useful animals in this book from Our Amazing World. Some the animals eat grass, others eat bugs, but they are all important to the success of the farm. Spectacular up-close-and-personal photos and fun facts engage children in lively discussions, such as: How does she get the milk from the cow? Can I ride a horse?

A soccer ball accidently hits Dan’s cat as Jan and Dan play, which instigates a series of unfortunate events. The angry cat with muddy paws perches on the neighbor’s clean van and upsets him. Dan rushes to get his cat off the van and trips over a bucket, spilling the water. No one is hurt in this advanced easy reader, but the story opens multiple discussion points, including dealing with upset pets and people.

Jan and Ted continue their fun at the farm in this delightful family tale. With their friends and parents, Jan and Ted play a spirited game of soccer and find themselves chasing goats when Ted forgets to lock the gate. Once the goats are safely returned to their pen, the children have fun riding ponies. The vivacious, amusing illustrations encourage word mastery and new reading skills.

Kim and Tim return for another boating adventure where the family goes on a fishing trip. A creative advanced early reader packed with lively dialogue and plenty of words with similar sounds produce an enjoyable reading experience. The lush colors of the water scenes coupled with the facial expressions of the characters leave no doubt that Kim and her mother are enjoying the fishing trip more than Tim and his father. The story is a good opportunity for parents to discuss jealousy and doing your best without holding a grudge if you don’t win.

In this exciting series of brightly illustrated adventure-filled tales, children will love the first story of a game of ball with Zag and the cat. After knocking over a fan in the house with a ball, Zag and the cat discover that playing ball is an outside game. Zag becomes a champ by hitting a ball that hits the van and enters a can. The bold colors light up the pages, encouraging children to use the picture and context clues to follow the story as they learn to sound out the words. Target Reader 1 is part of Phonics Adventure''s systematic, leveled reading program.

Pat learns an important lesson that children can relate to when she doesn’t put her pretty hat where it belongs. Pat’s cat finds the soft hat on its favorite chair and curls up on top of it, which upsets the little girl. The bold colors in the illustrations in this book light up the advanced easy reader, and the storyline blends new words and easy one-syllable words into longer sentences to guide children to reading success. This advanced reader contains excellent parent and child discussion points on responsibility and anger.

What fun children have looking at these precious animal babies in their natural habitats around the world. The baby animals featured in this nonfiction book from Our Amazing World Series, Advanced, appear with their mothers keeping a watchful eye on them. The narrative fosters fluency in early readers, promoting independent reading. Each crystal-clear snapshot is accompanied by fun facts, such as the information that a baby kangaroo is as small as a grain of rice when born, to engage children in lively discussions.

Young children are introduced to the captivating world of nonfiction through authentic photos accompanied by fun facts about unusual animals in their natural jungle habitats. From a tapir to a lemur, an anteater to a gorilla, Our Amazing World opens the door to lively discussions about these exciting jungle animals that astonish youngsters. Look at the big teeth! Why is his nose so long? Look at his long fingernails!

The beauty of delicate butterflies is a joy to behold as they flit from flower to flower. But how does a squishy, crawling caterpillar turn into a delicate, flying butterfly? Our Amazing World Series, Advanced, explores the life cycle of monarch butterflies in this enchanting nonfiction book for young children. Did you know that the caterpillars that become monarch butterflies only eat milkweed? That’s where the monarch butterflies lay their eggs so the caterpillars have food when they’re born. The beautiful pictures and illustrations engage the imagination.

When two children have new bikes and good imaginations, a sunny day in the countryside is an invitation to go for a bike ride and possibly forget to follow their parents’ instructions. Vibrant illustrations and creative dialogue remind children of experiences in their own lives. Words and sentences that build on previous stories in this motivational phonics literature program create an exciting learning opportunity for the early reader. Bob’s bravado leads to an injury and give parents an opening to discuss safety rules and the ramifications of ignoring them. Target Reader 15 is part of Phonics Adventure''s systematic, leveled reading program.

The richly colored illustrations in this book beautifully reflect the majesty of this timeless retelling of this ancient oriental fable. When an aging emperor begins the search for his successor, he wisely listens to an elderly advisor and creates a test to find a courageous boy of character and integrity. To choose a worthy successor, he gathers seven of the best students in the land and gives them each a seed to cultivate and return to the palace. Even with careful research and tending, Ming''s seed does not grow. While many urge him to use another seed, he refuses to be dishonest. When it is time to return the pots, six students display vibrant plants, but Ming''s pot is barren. Does Ming even have a chance to become the next emperor? This clever fable highlights the importance of honesty, courage, and integrity.

"Why fit in when you were born to stand out?" When a storm separates a young eagle from his family, he takes up residence with a group of chickens. Poking fun at his crooked beak, the way he flaps his wings, and his white feathered head, the eagle is ashamed and embarrassed. Soon, he discovers even more differences. Unlike the frightened chickens, he does not fear the sly fox. While the chickens are happy to live on the ground, he yearns to fly. Although the rooster insists that he was born to keep his feet on the ground, the sight of two soaring eagles changes everything. From this delightful tale readers learn to reach out for their full potential and let their spirits fly.

"When a donkey, dog, cat, and a rooster become too old to be useful to their masters, they decide to find a new way to be of value to the community. The four friends learn that helping one another and a positive attitude reaps great rewards"--

Everyone enjoys a spirited competition, but when the challenger is a big-headed braggart, it''s easy to cheer for the underdog or in this case, the under-tortoise. The colorful characters in this retelling of Aesop''s beloved fable will tickle the fancy of any child. The forest animals are beyond tired of Harry Hare''s boasting. So what if he is the fastest animal in the forest? Unfortunately, Teddy Tortoise is the only animal willing to race Harry Hare, but everyone knows that tortoises are not famous for their speed. What follows, illustrates the benefits that can come from having the courage to try. Readers will also gain a new appreciation for the saying, Slow and steady wins the race

"When Leo the lion spares the life of Bitsie the mouse, Bitsie promises to return the favor someday. The lion roars with laughter at her. But everything changes when he''s caught in a hunter''s trap and Bitsie''s bravery rescues him"--

Creating a Healthy Body is an inspiring and educational guide for kids and families, teaching the secrets to building a strong, happy, and healthy life. Join Ben and Ann as they present simple yet powerful ways to take care of our amazing bodies, from eating nutritious meals to staying active with fun exercises. This book explains how every part of the human body—like the brain, heart, and lungs—works together as a team, and it shares tips on how to keep them healthy. Learn why listening to your parents, choosing good friends, and avoiding harmful habits are key to staying on the right path. Discover how to boost self-esteem, create a positive home environment, and live by the golden rule: treating others the way you want to be treated. Packed with practical advice, thoughtful lessons, and encouragement, Creating a Healthy Body empowers readers to make wise choices that lead to a lifetime of happiness and success.