Best Selling Books by Kevin Henkes

It started out as a bad day for little yellow bird, little white dog, little orange fox, and little brown squirrel. Until . . . A discovery, and love, and luck and persistence, and a different point of view changed all that. What can turn a bad day into a good day? You decide.

Birds come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Birds are magic. Birds are everywhere. If you listen very carefully you will hear them, no matter where you live. And if you look very closely you will see them, no matter where you are. And if you can''t go outside right this minute, you can always read this book!

From Caldecott Medalist and Newbery Honor author Kevin Henkes and acclaimed painter Laura Dronzek, the bestselling and award-winning creators of When Spring Comes and In the Middle of Fall, this picture book about winter celebrates the sights, sounds, and smells of the season. Snow falls, animals burrow, and children prepare for the wonders winter brings. Caldecott Medalist and award-winning author Kevin Henkes’s striking text introduces basic concepts of language and the unique beauty of the winter season. Laura Dronzek’s expressive paintings beautifully capture the joyful wonders of winter. This is an engaging companion to the best-selling When Spring Comes and In the Middle of Fall. Winter Is Here is an ideal choice for story time, seasonal curriculums, and bedtime reading.

Snug and warm, curled and furry, Old Bear sleeps. Red, orange, and brown leaves fly through the air, and it is snowing hard. Old Bear doesn''t notice. Old Bear is dreaming about being a cub again. He is dreaming about the beauty of the world. He is dreaming of everything he loves about the forest that is his home. Turn the page and you will see!

New York Times–bestselling and Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes follows five joyful elephants as they march from dawn to dusk. Where are they going? Read and find out! This engaging picture book is just right for the youngest reader and is a perfect choice for story time and bedtime sharing. Up and down, over and under, through and around . . . five big and brightly colored elephants are on a mission in this picture book for young children by Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes. Where are they going? What will they do when they get there? It’s a surprise! With a text shimmering with repetition and rhythm, bright pastel illustrations, large and readable type, and an adorable parade of elephants, Kevin Henkes introduces basic concepts such as numbers, shapes, adjectives, adverbs, and daytime and nighttime. A Parade of Elephants is an ALA Notable Book and an excellent choice for story time as well as bedtime sharing.

From Caldecott Medalist and Newbery Honor author Kevin Henkes and the acclaimed painter Laura Dronzek, the bestselling and award-winning creators of Birds and In the Middle of Fall, this sturdy board book edition of When Spring Comes is perfect for the very youngest readers. Watch the world transform when spring comes! In a starred review, School Library Journal called this delightful picture book, “A must-have, joyful seasonal title for the youngest listeners.” Before spring comes, the trees are dark sticks, the grass is brown, and the ground is covered in snow. But if you wait, leaves unfurl and flowers blossom, the grass turns green, and the mounds of snow shrink and shrink. Spring brings baby birds, sprouting seeds, rain and mud, and puddles. You can feel it and smell it and hear it—and you can read it! In this beautiful board book edition for young children, Caldecott Medalist and Newbery Honor author Kevin Henkes uses striking imagery, repetition, and alliteration to introduce basic concepts of language and the changing of the seasons. And acclaimed artist Laura Dronzek’s gorgeous, lush paintings show the transformation from quiet, cold winter to the newborn spring. In a starred review, The Horn Book said, “This joyful reflection is as welcome as spotting the first brave crocus.”

Lilly loves everything about school, especially her teacher, but when he asks her to wait a while before showing her new purse, she does something for which she is very sorry later.

Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse is twenty! In 1986, Lilly—award-winning author Kevin Henkes’s exuberant and beloved mouse character—finally got her first starring role with the publication of Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. As USA Today proclaimed, “Lilly is one of the great female characters in literature—like Anna Karenina with whiskers or Scarlett O’Hara with paws.” A modern classic, Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse has sold more than one million copies and was named to ten “best of the year” lists. This special twentieth anniversary edition features a letter from Kevin Henkes about Lilly printed inside the book, and a celebratory and sparkly foil jacket.

“A gentle story of patience.”—Horn Book (starred review) Caldecott Medal–winner Kevin Henkes’s award-winning and bestselling mouse, Penny, stars in an irresistible story about anticipation, disappointment, and a brand-new sled. Told in five short chapters, Penny and Her Sled is perfect for reading alone, reading aloud, and sharing together. When Penny, a sweet and curious mouse, gets a new sled, she can’t wait to use it. But there’s one big problem—there’s no snow! Patiently, Penny waits and watches for the snow to appear. She puts on her scarf and hat. She sleeps with her mittens. Maybe if she’s ready, the snow will finally come. But day after day, the snow does not arrive. Finally, Penny decides she will use her sled for other things—it’s too wonderful not to! With a little imagination, the sled becomes a bridge for her glass animals to cross. It becomes a bed for her doll, Rose. It becomes a magic carpet that takes Penny and Rose on adventures all around the world. And as Penny waits for a snowfall that may never appear, she learns all about the power of patience, imagination, play . . . and spring! Told in five short chapters, and with an emphasis on family and patience, Penny and Her Sled is the perfect choice for emergent readers and for family sharing.

“Full of heart and depth.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Henkes is a master of characterization. —The Horn Book (starred review) “A first-rate choice for reading aloud.”—Booklist (starred review) Billy Miller is back! This stand-alone companion to two-time Newbery Honor author Kevin Henkes’s award-winning, acclaimed, and bestselling The Year of Billy Miller, Billy Miller Makes a Wish is a laugh-out-loud funny and accessible story about summer, family, and wishes that (almost) come true. Billy Miller Makes a Wish is illustrated in black-and-white throughout by the author, and is perfect for fans of the Ramona books and the Clementine series. On his birthday, Billy Miller wishes for something exciting to happen. But he immediately regrets his wish when an ambulance rushes to his neighbor’s house. Is Billy responsible? Award-winning author Kevin Henkes delivers a short, funny, and emotionally complex novel complete with misplaced love letters, surprising critters, art projects, misguided tattoos—and another surprise for Billy and his family, maybe the best one yet! Illustrated throughout with black-and-white art by the author, this is a perfect novel for the early elementary grades and an essential choice for summer reading. A stand-alone companion to The Year of Billy Miller, a Newbery Honor Book.

When Penny receives a surprise box in the mail from Gram, she is thrilled. The surprise is a doll, and she is absolutely perfect, from her head to her toes. Penny loves her immediately. She introduces her new doll to Mama and to the babies and to Papa. But then Papa asks what the doll''s name is, and Penny realizes that she doesn''t know. What do you think will happen?

"There is no Jessica," said Ruthie''s parents. But of course there was. She ate with Ruthie, played with Ruthie, and was sorry when Ruthie was bad. Nobody could see Jessica -- except Ruthie. When it came time for Ruthie to go to school, Jessica went with her. Her parents hoped Ruthie would find a friend at school who would replace Jessica. They were in for a (happy) surprise!

Sheila Rae has a peppermint stick. It is long. And striped. And thin. And sweet. Louise, her little sister, would like a lick…or two…or three. Can one long peppermint stick become two short treats? Of course! Sharing never tastedso good.

Celebrates the big things and little things in the world and everything in between.

A loving story of sibling sympathy and support.