New Releases by Joe Rhatigan

This is a hysterical read-aloud picture book that shows children it''s okay to pass a little gas.

Experience a new twist on this classic nursery rhyme with the new book, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. A group of kittens want to get closer to their friend Twinkle, the star. Will they reach Twinkle? Everyone loves and remembers nursery rhymes from when they were a small child. Each book in the Classic Nursery Rhymes Retold series begins with a classic nursery rhyme, then expands on it with more wacky rhymes and fun, toddler and young child friendly nonsense. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star is a re-imagined expansion of the wonderful rhyme. In this story, Twinkle the star has some kitten admirers on Earth that will do anything to visit their star friend. The kittens build a rocket ship, a super slingshot, and other contraptions, hoping that one of their ideas will get them closer to Twinkle. Perfect for children ages 1 through 5, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star will make them giggle with delight as they read this new classic over and over again.

With 50 Wacky Inventions Throughout History, history has never been so fun--or wacky! Have you ever heard of a bike TV? Or a bird diaper? 50 Wacky Inventions Throughout History describes 50 inventions that seem too crazy to be true--but are! Whether useful, entertaining, or just plain silly, these mind-boggling inventions and gadgets from yesterday, today, and tomorrow will surprise and delight fun-fact lovers of all ages.

Rudyard Kipling''s tale of a young boy lost in the jungles of India introduces young children to the magic of the original classic tale. The Jungle Book: Mowgli''s Adventures adapts Rudyard Kipling''s timeless tale of a young boy lost in the jungles of India for young children. This delightfully written and illustrated book focuses on the magic of the jungle and the one-of-a-kind characters and fantastical situations that Mowgli finds himself in. The Jungle Book: Mowgli''s Adventures tells the simple story of Mowgli, who is raised by Mother and Father Wolf and taught the ways of the jungle by Baloo the bear. While this is a faithful introduction to the classic, it doesn''t attempt to cover all the action from the original story and its adaptations-the story focuses on the parts children will understand and enjoy. The Jungle Book: Mowgli''s Adventures is a magical introduction children will recall when they are older and ready for the original work.

''With dozens of doodle game to play, challenges to complete, and activities to attempt, the fun will never end."--Back cover

In Get a Job at the Landfill, fictional character Jeremiah Oliver Baumgartner (Job, for short) introduces readers to a wide variety opportunities found (through his adventure and misadventures) at a landfill. Back matter includes creative writing prompts and activities.

In Get a Job at the Construction Site, fictional character Jeremiah Oliver Baumgartner (Job, for short) introduces readers to a wide variety opportunities found (through his adventure and misadventures) at a construction site. Back matter includes creative writing prompts and activities.

Kids will be catapulted back through American history with dozens of activities, quizzes, games, puzzles, and doodles that explore the wacky side of our country''s past. Explore early American history as you draw a new dress for Abigail Adams, practice your signature like John Hancock, and do a word search of popular names from the 1770s. Conquer a MadLib of the national anthem or write your own modern history by designing your own presidential campaign—then decorate the oval office after you''re elected. Peppered with "A Bit of Learnin'''''' sections to give the real facts behind the activities, Hilarious American History makes America''s past, present, and possibly future come alive for kids.

Living in America''s most famous residence might seem glamorous at first--it''s the most fun place any kid could live! There''s a bowling alley in the basement, chefs are always available to prepare whatever you''re craving, and sometimes presidential aides will even help you with your homework! But life isn''t always easy for the youngsters who call the White House home. They''re always in the spotlight, and those pesky Secret Service agents are always around. For every perk, there''s a problem. From Washington to Obama, see the White House through the eyes of the children and grandchildren. Filled with wacky, weird, and wonderful stories, it shows what it''s like to call the president Dad (or Granddad or Uncle). Find out what schools they went to, what mischief they caused, and what pets they had. There are first-person accounts from letters and interviews, fascinating photos, original illustrations, and even a section that follows the children after they left the White House.

Rain, rain, go away . . . actually, after seeing this activity book, kids will say: Rain, rain, please STAY! It’s so chock-full of fun things that it won’t matter what the weather is like. Children will never be bored when they can create a drawing of what a rooster might look like as a robot, finish silly sentences, and solve mini-crosswords. Or maybe they’ll lose their marbles playing the "Lost Your Marbles?" word search game. Budding fashionistas can design a t-shirt on the page (and maybe a real one), while future rock ‘n’ roll stars can pick the perfect band name by picking from a word list or by randomly choosing phrases from the dictionary. A few games are meant for two—just in case a friend’s around. With tongue twisters to make you snort, "off with its head" fill-ins (where you chop off the first letter), and classic riddles and conundrums, you won’t care how hard it pours!

Vacation--no homework, no school, and no more teacher’s dirty looks! Unfortunately, it usually begins with the family sitting around somewhere or stuck in a plane, train, or car. BOR-IIIING! Fortunately, with these quizzes, puzzles, games, and doodles, the fun doesn’t have to wait, even if you do. And you can do them anywhere—no electricity needed—with just a pencil. Fill in travel quotes, writing in the name of anyone who says one of the phrases on the page—like "I have to go to the bathroom" or "I think we’re lost." Play gomoku, a two-person game that’s similar to tic-tac-toe. Plan the ultimate vacation—a week anywhere in the world. Draw creepy critters, try tongue-tripping-twisters, and unscramble anagrams. It’s all so entertaining that no one will ask the dreaded question: Are we there yet?

It doesn’t have to be a celebrity, it doesn’t have to be a big-name athlete: some of the most important and exciting people a kid can meet live right nearby, in his or her own hometown! These are the folks who quietly help keep us safe, grow our food, and motivate us with their success. And this engaging book explains who these world-changers are, what they do, why they’re important, and how to make contact. Using a fun and appealing notebook-style format filled with lighthearted illustrations, it identifies individuals who might be cool to meet—from farmers and travelers to local entrepreneurs, politicians, and artists. Plus, it gives inquisitive strategies, interview questions, and research ideas, along with plenty of interesting tidbits, great quotes, intriguing profiles, blogs to check out, and Q&As. Every child will find something life-changing in these pages as they explore the lives of animal rescuers, scientists, writers, crafters, chefs, engineers, and so many more. They’ll even learn about the teens and tweens who take an active role in making their communities better places—like Maya Shea Penn, a thirteen-year-old entrepreneur, philanthropist, designer, artist, animator, illustrator, and writer who started her own company when she was only eight! Who knows where it will inspire a kid to go?

This kit contains everything you need to start your own garden of ginormous pumpkins! This kit includes everything you need to begin your perfect pumpkin patch. * Approximately 10 seeds * Seed starter * And a full-color manual that includes instructions for growing your plant/pet successfully. These materials and instructions will give you larger than life results, helping you feed and tend a GIANT pumpkin. Impress all of your neighbors and friends this Halloween with the biggest jack-o-lantern ever, or simply watch the miracle of the garden take this pumpkin beyond the outer limits!

Pizza kings, mama bears, fake PAC ads, and obscene tweets: Today''s politics seem to have grown crazier--and more contentious--than ever. But is it really any weirder now than it ever was? In a world filled with corruption, lies, and illicit affairs, where the news regularly serves up politicians'' gaffes, crimes, and screwups, it''s hard to imagine things were ever stranger. Well, guess what? America has a long history of bizarre politics... and it''s all here! We invite you into the political loony bin, where you''ll encounter dozens of really unlikely candidates, follow campaign trail madness, meet far too many contenders with foot-in-mouth disease, and learn about a host of false promises and lies meant to lure (presumably gullible) voters.

This is history served up high-octane, with all of the fun and none of the boredom. It''s not about memorizing lists of dates or names, or remembering which general won what battle. Instead, BIZARRE HISTORY merrily digs up the scandals, the strangeness, and the scintillating details that illuminate personalities, events, and real life. Think of it not as a textbook, but as history?s juicy unauthorized biography--a historical document in which relevance never gets in the way of a good read. There are humorous quotes from famous figures such as Mark Twain and Napoleon ("History is a myth that men agree to believe"), as well as witty commentary about leaders of the past. After all, while you''re probably familiar with William the Conquerer, have you heard of Charles the Simple, ruler of France and son of Louis the Stammerer? What about the emperor who entered Rome in a chariot drawn by 50 naked slaves?and invented the first whoopee cushion, too? But you can find lots of wildness closer to home: George Washington wrote love letters to a married woman; "Old Hickory" Andrew Jackson had been in at least seven duels before becoming president; and Benjamin Franklin fathered an illegitimate child. Paranoia also plagued a few of our presidents: the only thing Franklin Roosevelt had to fear was the number 13: he wouldn''t invite 13 guests to a dinner party or travel on the 13th. And both Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan had encounters with UFOs! The fun facts span the globe, covering the crazy acts of Caligula in the Roman Empire; the "Dog Shogun" in 17th century Japan; the "Pork and Beans" war between the US and Canada; and even details about fashion, medicine, sports, and the real Dracula. It''s a wild journey that no one could resist!

Rather than paying tribute to the great discoveries and discoverers, the BOOK OF SCIENCE STUFF takes a fun look at the silly, hilarious, horrible underbelly of science. In a series of enjoyable short accounts, it focuses on the failures, reveals the petty squabbles, and introduces the "nerds" who labored in labs around the world. Check out the blunders--like scary Cold War experiments, idiotic research grants, and space study stupidity; meet the "Sigmund Frauds" and the real Frankensteins; and peek into the secret lives of scientists (if you dare). See how science makes the world go round--and directly affects everyone''s daily lives. Scrutinize Hollywood''s presentation of science on film and TV. And ponder the ways science sometimes pulls the wool over our eyes.

New in Paper It''s coming sooner than you think--the time to prepare for the next science fair! For projects, for presentation, for blue-ribbon winning ideas, there''s no better place to come than here. From thinking of a unique science fair experiment to putting fabulous finishing touches on the display, this cool collection of smart and illustrated projects gives budding scientists everything they need to put together a winner--and have fun doing it, too. Kids have seen all the tricks, and they''re tired of science fair books that show them (yawn) how to make the "been there, done that" volcano or another boring model of the solar system. Here are experiments they really want to do, on subjects such as slime, magic sand, video games, mummies, dog germs, horoscopes, bicycles, and more. The whole science fair experience is broken down into small, manageable steps, so youngsters won''t feel overwhelmed. All safety precautions are taken, with notes on parental supervision, when necessary.

New in Paper Just one look at these colorful, lively pages, and young crafters will start putting their creative stamp on everything from t-shirts to duffel bags to picture frames. It''s easy, and so much fun, with this all-in-one stamping guide that presents really cool projects and outlines the entire delightful process. Kids will have such a good time stamping they''ll never want to stop.

With 300 fabulous images, 50 fantastic projects, and lots of fascinating scientific information, this is simply the most out-of-this world introduction to astronomy a child can have. "An excellent introduction to astronomy...outstanding background information ...Spectacular color photos and other graphics, useful charts, and graphs augment the text."--School Library Journal, starred review What are stars? Why does the moon change shape? Budding astronomers will find answers to all their questions about the night sky--and far more--in these 50 eye-opening activities. Three-hundred color photos and illustrations, some from NASA''s magnificent collection, help kids soar out into the solar system and get their bearings among the stars. Youngsters will learn to use binoculars and telescopes, and how to chart their viewing highlights in a stargazing notebook. A photographic trip to the moon will inspire kids to map its many phases, calculate a person''s lunar weight, and find out what happens during an eclipse. Voyaging farther out also reveals why the other planets wouldn''t make a good home for humans, and will help children understand why Earth is avery special place. A Selection of the Children''s Book-of-the-Month Club and the Scholastic Book Club.

Provides instructions for using recycled materials to create fifty different crafts and offers tips for an earth-friendly lifestyle.

Melt-and-pour soapmaking is the perfect easy and safe craft for kids, and this is the ideal guide to teach them how to do it. All the basics are covered to ensure "sud-sational" success, and 56 fun projects and nearly 300 colorful photos add to the appeal. The fun begins with choosing a soap base and selecting molds, from 3-D seashells and eggs to sandbox toys. Add fragrance, color, or other pizzazzy extras, such as pearlescent powder, shimmery cosmetic grade glitter, crushed dried flower petals, or herbs. Children will have a blast getting wacky with gross-out eyeball soaps, making soap popsicles complete with a wooden stick, getting happy with smiley faces, fashioning a soapasaurus, or cooking up "alphabet soap." Great gift ideas include a Best Friend Soap Bracelet or clear bar with a photo embedded for Grandma. Plus, there are cool soap facts throughout.

Provides experiments intented to reinforce the learning of geography.

"Discusses items found in architectural salvage yards.... Projects range from simple (transforming a metal porch support into a corner shelf) to more complex (building a blanket chest from salvaged doors), and safety tips on working with metal, glass, and wood are provided....Recommended for public libraries."--Library Journal. "Try any one of these 45 projects and create something new with all the elegance of the original historic remnant."--Better Homes & Gardens Decorating. "Lively...prove[s] that one man''s trash is another man''s treasure."--Washington Post.