Most Popular Books by Mordicai Gerstein

The story of a daring tightrope walk between skyscrapers, as seen in Robert Zemeckis''s The Walk, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. In 1974, French aerialist Philippe Petit threw a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center and spent an hour walking, dancing, and performing high-wire tricks a quarter mile in the sky. This picture book captures the poetry and magic of the event with a poetry of its own: lyrical words and lovely paintings that present the detail, daring, and--in two dramatic foldout spreads-- the vertiginous drama of Petit''s feat. The Man Who Walked Between the Towers is the winner of the Caldecott Medal, winner of the Boston Globe - Horn Book Award for Picture Books, and winner of the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children''s Video.

"Once in a book by Mordecai Gerstein ... there lived a family of characters." This is the tale of one little girl''s search for her own story.

A boy and his father discover a whale tangled in their only fishing net. Is the whale dead? While the man worries about losing their net, the boy worries about the whale. He remembers the fear he felt when, caught in a net himself in childhood, he almost drowned before being rescued by his father. When the whale blinks an enormous eye, the boy knows that he has to try to save the creature, no matter how dangerous doing so may be. Expressive and perfectly paced, this powerful story, The Boy and the Whale, by Caldecott Medal–winner Mordicai Gerstein was inspired in part by a real-life video of a whale’s rescue, and the creature’s joyful dance through the waves after being freed.

The month of May travels to meet her father December, and meets all of her relatives, the other months of the year, on the way.

"A picture book about the Greek god of the wild, shepherds, music, hunting and misrule, Pan."--

The excessively quiet town of Pupickton and the sleeping lovesick giant upon which it was built, are both awakened by the joyful noise of a little girl''s songs.

A roving, rhyming tale about three friends in search of the perfect new home. Giggles guaranteed! Moose, Goose, and Mouse need a new house, so they set off in search of one. But when their caboose comes loose, they''re off on a wild adventure—with a perfect surprise waiting at the end. The rollicking story is a delight to read aloud, paired with boldly-colored, expressive illustrations. This zany friendship tale is sure to be a favorite. Author Mordicai Gerstein, Caldecott medalist, was a four-time New York Times best illustrated book winner. Moose, Goose, and Mouse is the culmination of the humor, wit, and joy that he brought to all of his books. A heartfelt letter from Jeff Mack, who worked with Gerstein to finish the art, celebrates the legacy of this talented artist. With fun rhymes, wordplay, and alliteration, Moose, Goose, and Mouse promotes foundational skills for young readers. Officially leveled using the Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient™ Leveling System, Moose Goose, and Mouse is a Level I book, perfect for late first-grade readers. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

It is time for bed, but Daisy has a hard time getting her stuffed animals to settle down.

At birth, Hermes, son of Zeus and the Nymph Maia, says his first word: "Gimme!" In this brilliant, hilarious graphic novel about the mischievous, fun-loving messenger of the gods, Caldecott Medal winner Mordicai Gerstein, transports classical mythology to the 21st century. "The world!" the newly born Hermes says. "It''s even better than I expected! I love it! I want it all!" This book is filled with joy, exuberance, and humor. On his first day of life, Hermes manages to trick a turtle into surrendering its shell and a ram into surrendering its horns, thereby inventing the lyre, music, and song! He also manages to steal his brother Apollo''s precious cows, but later redeems himself by outwitting the giant brothers Otus and Ephialtes, who have kidnapped Mars. These adventures and more, all derived from classical mythology, are told with great humor as well as a twenty-first century sensibility by the colossally talented Mordicai Gerstein. The art in this graphic novel is truly spectacular, with 250 illustrations, executed by a master artist and filled with unique humor. A Bank Street Best Book of the Year

Imagine you were born before the invention of drawing, more than thirty thousand years ago. You would live with your whole family in a cave and see woolly mammoths walk by! You might even see images of animals hidden in the shapes of clouds and rocks. You would want to share these pictures with your family, but wouldn''t know how. Who would have made the world''s first drawing? Would it have been you? In The First Drawing, Caldecott Medal winner Mordicai Gerstein imagines the discovery of drawing...and inspires the young dreamers and artists of today.

A grandmother tells her story of being tricked into exchanging her young body with that of a fox and trying to get it back while a war tore apart her home and her country.

A beautiful story about the secrets of nighttime and the beauty of dawn from Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator, Mordicai Gerstein. Includes Read-Aloud/Read-to-Me functionality, where available. Book Description:One night, a little boy is awoken by his cat, Sylvie. Everyone in the house is sleeping, but outside, the Night World is wide awake! Beginning with a beautiful black-and-white palette, the shadows of the Night World come to life: lilies, sunflowers, rabbits, deer, and owls are all revealed as Sylvie and the boy explore the world outside his door. But the animals all know something new is coming--what could it be? Finally, in an explosion of color, the dawn arrives.

After dying, a Tibetan woodcutter is given the choice of going to heaven or to live another life anywhere in the universe.

An alliterative alphabet book presents mean and monstrous letters, from A (an awfully arrogant amphibian) to Z (a zig-zagging zoological zany).

Presents glimpses of the many people who have lived in a room that is once again for rent.

In this simple, step-by-step instructional picture book, learn how you too can visit the moon on your bicycle! All you need is a very long garden hose, a very large slingshot, a borrowed spacesuit, and a bicycle . . . and plenty of imagination. With tongue firmly in cheek, Caldecott Medal winner Mordicai Gerstein outlines the steps needed in glorious comic book-style panels and a deadpan voice, leaving nothing out: the food you''ll eat, how to deal with loneliness in space, how to water those sunflower seeds once they''re planted—even how to deal with the media attention back home after a successful trip. An inspired work of whimsy, How to Bicycle to the Moon to Plant Sunflowers is a spacefaring adventure for daydreamers and a starter kit for the imagination. A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2013!

Mistaken for a fish by a nearsighted pelican and deposited with a family of ducks, young Arnold learns to swim, fly, and eat like a duck until his curiosity finally leads him back to his human family.

Rules are made to be broken, Especially for Minifred. But if she wants to go to school, she''ll have to behave, right? Maybe not, because Minifred isn''t a regular child—she''s a kitten! In this playful picture book from Caldecott Medalist Mordicai Gerstein, Minifred makes her own rules about how to have fun.