New Releases by Leslie Helakoski

Kid reporter Scoop Jackson asks readers to consider what is fake news and what is fact, while looking for the gnus--pronounced nooz--that have escaped from their pen at the zoo. The gnu pen is empty! So where are the gnus? There are many different clues to follow, and it's up to Scoop to decide if the evidence he hears and sees is true ... or not! Someone tells Scoop they saw the gnus eating ice cream in Central Park. But this news site says they're climbing the Empire State Building. And here's a photo showing the gnus at a dairy farm. Can all of these sources be real gnus? Or are they fake gnus? Scoop reminds us that a fact is something that can be proven to be true. With every new source, Scoop always checks the facts! This tongue-in-cheek introduction to fake news asks kids to think critically about what they see and hear from media sources. The book includes a quiz and an author's note that touches on AI and expands on the concept of reputable sources. Key Text Features illustrations speech balloons quiz author's note Correlates to the Common Core States Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.4 Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2 Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

"Two ghost crabs on a beach learn to appreciate their differences"--

A stunning picture book by Leslie Helakoski and illustrated by Keisha Morris about resilience, survival, and hope found in community. When the rain came down and the water rose up . . . thousands fled but many couldn’t leave. When the rain came down and the water rose up . . . a community came together. When the rain came down and the water rose up . . . hope grew from heartache. With lyrical text and evocative illustrations, When the Rain Came Down spreads a powerful message of resilience through community building after the tides of a natural disaster and captures the incredible strength of shared humanity even on the darkest days.

"Ready? Set? Camp! Hike through the woods, set up your tent, play on the lake, and gather around the campfire. But watch out! Even the most perfect camping trip has surprises. What will you find when you go back to the woods?"--

"Helps children consider the colors of their everyday lives . . . and imagine how others around the world experience the very same things"--

The free-spirited, fluffy, one-of-a-kind sheep Woolbur is on his way to school, and he’s MORE than ready… But Maa and Paa aren’t so sure. What if Woolbur isn’t exactly ready for school? He’s different. He’s unusual. And his new hairdo is kooky! At school, Woolbur loves trying new things like drawing outside of the lines and eating grass. (No wonder his parents were worried!) The rest of his classmates are nervous about their first day and aren’t excited about trying anything new. Will Woolbur’s excitement help show his friends that doing something different, or unusual, or kooky is the best way to get ready for school? This charming yet spunky follow-up to the beloved Woolbur is the perfect gift for children who march to the beat of their own drum or anyone who needs a little encouragement on their first day of school.

Newly hatched Hoot, an owlet, and Honk, a fuzzy gosling, find themselves in the wrong nests after an egg mix-up places them with opposing families and compels them to find their way back home.

Effie learns what it takes to be a state-fair cow.

Nibbles, Sweet Pea, and Clean Bean each want the coveted title of Biggest Pig. An afternoon of contests will determine who will be the first to squeeze through the garden fence, gobble a row of veggies, and sink to the bottom of the mudhole. Each pig has his talent, and in the end it's clear to their mama that they're all big pigs. But they'll also always be her little piglets. With a wonderful, wry sense of humor, a rhythmic text,and two fun twists in the ending, this is a tale of sibling rivalry that kids will want to read again and again.

As the household changes from a single man to a man with a wife and children, a dog learns to adjust to and enjoy each new member of the family.

Why did the chickens cross the road? To get to town, of course! When those four lily-livered chickens are accidentally dumped off the farmer?s truck, they have no choice but to follow the feed trail through a day of crazy hijinks. What ensues is a raucous adventure through town, including foreign food, weird noises, and strange birds. Sidesplitting silliness abounds in this third riotously funny read-aloud by Leslie Helakoski, once again illustrated with Henry Cole?s boisterous art.

When four big chickens see a wolf sneaking near their coop, they run into the woods to hide. But for a bunch of big chickens, running away from danger isn't as easy as it looks. As they continue on their way, they wonder: What if they get stuck in a ditch? What if they hit an iceberg in the lake? What if they step into a cow patty? Eewww! Brimming with silliness and the kind of slapstick humor small children love, here?s a rollicking read-aloud with an uplifting message and a very satisfying ending.

When the regular schoolbus is in the shop, a clever driver must use all that he knows about addition and subtraction to ensure that seventy-six children get on--and off--of the four-seat substitute bus.

Woolbur, a sheep with a mind of his own, never seems to follow the flock, despite his parents' reminders about how he should behave.