New Releases by Gina Mayer

"Dad is taking Little Critter and his sister to the toy store. But when they get there, Little Critter can''t figure out which toy to buy--they all look like so much fun"--

Mercer Mayer''s Little Critter learns lessons about manners in these classic, humorous, and heartwarming stories. Featuring Just Say Please and I''m Sorry, this two-in-one picture book is an excellent way to teach little ones the difference between good and bad manners.

Many versions of Cinderella have been told and retold for hundreds of years by many different cultures and storytellers. The story of a poor young woman or man that rises above it all to reach their dreams is a popular theme. Some stories have fairy godmothers who help the main character realize their dreams while some have talking animals. Some have one ball while others have three. However the themes always remain the same.Sergei Prokofiev''s Cinderella is the most well-known version of the ballet today and one of the composer''s most popular works. It was originally choreographed by Rostislav Zakharov with Galina Ulanova starring in the title role at the Bolshoi Theatre in 1945. Since then many choreographers have set beautiful movement to this melodious music. In this version of Cinderella we combined the familiar elements of this story and the story in the ballet with our own personal additions. Dance around with your little one at the ball or pretend to ride in a fancy golden carriage through the forest. However when the fun is all done be sure to arrive home before the clock strikes midnight!

The Nutcracker is one of the most popular ballets of all time and the most beloved Christmas ballet in America. It is a tradition for many ballet schools and professional companies to produce The Nutcracker every December.The libretto for the ballet was based on E.T.A Hoffman''s version of the story with music composed by Peter Tchaikovsky. The first staging was in 1892 at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. Originally it was commissioned to be choreographed by Marius Petipa. However Petipa became ill during the project and the choreography was completed by his assistant, Lev Ivanov. This first production received some criticism and was considered unsuccessful. It wasn''t until George Balanchine revived it however in 1954 that it became the popular ballet we know today. His production for the New York City Ballet is what started the Christmas tradition that continues to this day. Children love this story especially if they love ballet! I remember the first time I saw a production of The Nutcracker when I was five years old. The memory of the beautiful dancing is still so clear in my mind. Enjoy this story with your little one and hopefully you will start your own tradition dancing in the Lands of Sweets! There are so many fun characters to explore and act out through dance!

Welcome to my Wish Upon a Ballet(tm) book series for preschool ballet! Do you know a little one who loves to dance? My books are meant to introduce popular ballet stories and inspire young dancers to combine those stories with dance!Whether you have a dancer at home or are a teacher with a class full of excited students. Enjoy these books to help jump start creativity and imagination! Let your little one''s ballet journey begin!Carnival of the Animals is a musical suite which was written by Camille Saint Saëns in 1886. Saint Saëns wrote the suite for amusement and never wanted it performed in public or published during his lifetime. As a serious composer he thought this piece might interfere with his reputation. To this day Carnival of the Animals is one of Saint Saëns best-known works. In 2003 Carnival of the Animals was produced by the The New York City Ballet with choreography by Christopher Wheeldon and narration by John Lithgow. The production included almost 50 dancers.Carnival of the Animals, the ballet has also been produced all over the globe with many other professional ballet companies and ballet schools each with their own creative exploration using this entertaining suite.

Welcome to my Wish Upon a Ballet(tm) book series for preschool ballet! Do you know a little one who loves to dance? My books are meant to introduce popular ballet stories and inspire young dancers to combine those stories with dance!Whether you have a dancer at home or are a teacher with a class full of excited students. Enjoy these books to help jump start creativity and imagination! Let your little one''s ballet journey begin!The Snow Queen was originally written by Hans Christian Andersen and published in 1844. To this day it is one of his mostly highly acclaimed stories.It is not until recently that this story has been introduced to the ballet world. The first full-length ballet production of The Snow Queen was presented by the California Contemporary Ballet in December 1998. It was choreographed by Aerin Holt with an original score by Randall Michael Tobin. Since then, other ballet companies such as the English National Ballet, Finnish National Ballet and Eugene Ballet in Oregon have all had their own successful productions. I love to use this story in my preschool Wish Upon a Ballet(tm) classes! The Snow Queen character is very popular and lends itself to so much creativity and imagination. Students love to use their magic powers and build ice castles! Thank you for reading this story! I hope you are now inspired to bring your amazing, snowy ideas to life!

The winter fun has just begun, time to ski and ice-skate with Little Critter! Children ages three to seven will love this winter-themed storybook.

Carve out family time for this Halloween-themed full-color storybook with Little Critter -- including cards, stickers, and a poster! It''s time to go trick-or-treating with Little Critter and friends! Children ages 3 to 7 will love this adorable Halloween storybook--now featuring cards, stickers, and a poster!

Little Critter worries that his hopes of going fishing will be dashed until Grandma volunteers to accompany him on a fun-filled day at the lake.

Little Critter® wakes up one morning ready to go fishing. But no one will take him . . . until his grandma volunteers! It doesn''t matter how many fish they catch—Little Critter and Grandma know how to make the most of their day together. Starring Mercer Mayer''s classic, loveable character, this 8x8 storybook is perfect for story time.

This collection features four stories about health.

In four stories, Little critter''s day is not going as planned, goes on an airplane, rides his bike, and goes to work with his uncle, a racecar driver.

This special collection features four entertaining stories -- "That''s Not Fair, I Didn''t Know That, Just a Little Different, "and" The School Play" -- and uses words and phrases to help children develop reading abilities.

Teaching preschool dance is an art - and that art can to be learned! Most dance teachers do not go to school to learn how to teach dance and therefore must learn through their own training. This book will take the fear out of the beginning teacher and will replace that with fun! You will learn how to effectively prepare and run a preschool ballet class from start to finish. This includes: How to construct your curriculum, How to keep your students interested in your class, How to teach steps and choreography and most of all - How to have a great time with your students! Learn tricks to keep your students listening, behaving and staying safe. Even the pro teacher will learn new ideas to improve their teaching. We all need to be the best teacher we can by learning and growing! Remember those who can, Teach!

Mercer Mayer’s Little Critter is dealing with his little sister learning to use the potty in this classic, funny, and heartwarming book. Whether he’s trying to help her make it to the bathroom, encouraging her when she does well, or getting frustrated when she doesn’t, both parents and children alike will relate to this beloved story. A perfect way to teach children about potty training and how to be a good older sibling!

Little Critter learns about earning and saving money.

A great gift fir the young photographer, this innovative set contains a storybook, photo album, and a 110 mm camera. Children are sure to love sharing in Little Critter''s picture-taking antics. Full color.

Dad takes the kids to the beach and they all learn that outings have their upsides and downsides.

Sometimes a bad day just happens. Nothing goes right on this day.

Little Critter has to do things he thinks just aren''t fair.

Little Critter apologizes for the problems he causes.