New Releases by Eileen Spinelli

A Chicago Public Library 2012 Fit to Read: Books to Inspire Health Living 2012-2013 Keystone to Reading Elementary Award Master List (Pennsylvania) Miss Fox''s students are too tired and cranky to get through the day! It''s up to Miss Fox and her new wellness regimen to help them eat better, exercise, and get more sleep! Kids will learn ways to stay healthy and bring fitness into their everyday lives.

Rhyming text describes some famous historical figures, from Annie Oakley and Merriwether Lewis to Sigmund Freud and Billie Holiday, and their beloved dogs. Includes facts about the people cited in the book.

A young mouse is encouraged by his mother to enjoy summer while waiting for autumn to come.

Buzz loves absolutely everything there is about being a bee. She loves her yellow and black jacket. She loves the way the flowers smell in the springtime. But the thing she loves most of all is being able to fly. Through the trees and down around the pond, past the farm and around the rosebushes - she flies everywhere. But when she hears that bees aren''t supposed to be able to fly, she finds herself unable to get off the ground. What is little Buzz to do? How will she find her wings again?

Feisty cats. Quiet cats. Curious cats, and striped cats. Cats of all shapes and sizes cavort across the pages of this bright and entertaining book, bringing to life such varied well historical figures as Henry Matisse, Cleopatra, Charles Lindberg, and Queen Victoria. Young readers will be delighted by the colorful, energetic paintings of Geraldo Valerio and the whimsical, rhyming text from best-selling author Eileen Spinelli, supplemented by historical notes at the end of the book. Do You Have a Cat offers an amusing introduction to figures both renowned and less well known and their famous felines!

Miss Fox''s class wants to go to Roller Coaster Planet—but they have to earn their way to the park. When their fund-raising attempts go awry, the class discovers their earnings are going down, not up! This fun picture book introduces kids to budgeting.

When Papa comes home tonight, dear child, (I promise - not too late) you''ll hear me whistling up the road. You''ll meet me at the gate. It can be hard waiting for Papa to come home, but it''ll be worth it because you''ll both have so much fun when he does! From singing songs and making dinner to playing all the way until bedtime, just hanging with Papa is one of the most joyous ways to end the day. Eileen Spinelli''s highly anticipated follow-up to the bestselling When Mama Comes Home Tonight, complete with gorgeous illustrations from David McPhail, is a soothing celebrtion of simple moments shared between parent and child.

Every year a rented pink cottage full of family, swapping stories, and riding waves mean Summerhouse Time for Sophie. Best of all is sharing a room with her favorite cousin and laughing and trading secrets like two happy peas in a cousin pod. Sophie can''t wait! But when she asks the now-a-teenager Colleen if she''s looking forward to their time together, Colleen just says "I guess so." What? It''s the best time of the year, the time they both love. In just a little bit, they will all be together in the cottage on the beach. Will this year be just as wonderful, just like always? Accompanied by charming black-and-white illustrations, classic growingup experiences radiate throughout the pages of this sunny, anytime story.

Miss Fox is tired of hearing her young students quarrel. So she announces Peace Week—no more squabbling for one whole week! The children chime in with their own rules: no fighting, don''t say mean things, and help others. Throughout the week each of the little animals gets a chance to practice this new behavior. When Polecat teases Bunny for wearing a bright yellow sweater, instead of poking fun back at Polecat, Bunny admires his sweater. Soon, to their surprise, the animals are finding that it''s easy to help others, take turns, and say nice things, even when someone is grumpy to them. Wouldn''t it be nice, Squirrel says, if every week could be Peace Week?

A playful goose entertains her barnyard friends

A pig believes herself to be a princess and behaves accordingly, but soon learns that being royalty has a price.

A tiny squeeze is all it takes. With this simple action you can turn a frown into a smile and show that you care. One hug can mean everything, so hug your mom, hug your dad, hug your sister or your brother, and hug your friend. Eileen Spinelli and Dan Andreasen create a sweet, simple, and poetic picture book about the power of a loving hug that is a sure bet to brighten your day—just like a hug.

The best story is one that comes from the heart. The library is having a contest for the best story, and the quirky narrator of this book just has to win that rollercoaster ride with her favorite author! But what makes a story the best? Her brother Tim says the best stories have lots of action. Her father thinks the best stories are the funniest. And Aunt Jane tells her that the best stories have to make people cry. A story that does all these things doesn''t seem quite right, though, and the one thing the whole family can agree on is that the best story has to be your own. Anne Wilsdorf''s hilarious illustrations perfectly capture this colorful family and their outrageous stories in Eileen Spinelli''s heartfelt tale about creativity and finding your own voice.

Three children describe how they feel when one of their parents is away.

Two families—one that is perfect and one that is far from it—celebrate Thanksgiving in their own loving ways.

The mercury is climbing in Lumberville, and the folks are doing everything they can to keep cool. Officer McGinnis spends the day in a cold bath, Lottie Mims does her housework in her bathing suit, and Abigail and Ralphie Blue sell ice cubes. When the temperature refuses to relent, the entire community seeks solace by the river--where everyone dreams of cool relief. A cast of quirky characters and lots of playful details from two celebrated picture-book talents make this heat wave look like fun!

Diana loves where she lives. She loves the astronomy charts on her walls and the fact that she can wave to her best friend, Rose, from her very own window. And best of all, a wren has recently made its home right by her front door! When her family is forced to move, Diana wonders if she?ll ever find that same grounded and happy feeling again. This gentle and ultimately redeeming story in poems is about those secure and fulfilling friendships that happen naturally and easily when you live right next door, and the struggles of losing the comfort of a familiar place. Matt Phelan''s warm and expressive illustrations perfectly complement Eileen Spinelli''s tenderhearted and unique tale that reminds us that sometimes a little uprooting and change is necessary for growth.

A little girl dreams about the things that she will do when she is older.

On this busy little farm, day begins with a loud crow at sunup, and then there are flapjacks to be flipped, cows to be milked, piggies to feed . . . and in the blink of an eye, it''s nighttime. This joyful rhyming celebration of everyday life is just right for bedtime.

A young child learns that love complements every mood.

A cat gives birth to a litter of kittens in an abandoned building that catches fire while she is out searching for food. Based on a true story.

An original collection of poems about tea and tea-time, including recipes and tips.

As snow drifts higher and higher, the pastor of a small country church worries that no one will attend Christmas Eve services, but soon an unusual congregation gathers and shares the spirit of the season.

A collection of poems that appeals to the imagination of young children. Bright watercolor drawings accompany each poem.

An angel spends her day watching over and taking care of the animals and people who are visiting or live in a busy city.

I know it''s autumn when we rake the leaves in piles, when doorstep jack-o''-lanterns wear their crooked smiles ... Leaves are falling, geese are flying, and warm coats are -- reluctantly -- being worn to school. That can mean only one thing: It''s autumn! Eileen Spinelli and Nancy Hayashi invite you to enjoy autumn''s many delights -- from warm socks worn on chilly mornings to tempting piles of crackly leaves on the lawn -- in this sweet, funny look at fall.

More than twenty-five poems about both common and unusual birds.

As a young mouse yearns for spring, his mother reminds him of the wonders of winter he can enjoy now. This gentle story reminds readers to be content in the moment and to look for happiness wherever they are. Full color.

Rhyming text describes a great variety of hats worn by celebrities throughout history.

Sophie is no ordinary house spider. She''s an artist and takes great pride in her work. Every web she spins is more wonderous than the one before. But the guests at Beekman''s Boardinghouse don''t like spiders. Everywhere Sophie goes guests scream and shoo her away. No one there wants anything to do with Sophie and her magnificent creations - no one except the young woman up on the third floor who is busy ''weaving'' something herself; and when she runs out of yarn, Sophie knows that the time has finally come to create the masterpiece of a lifetime.