New Release Books by Robert Heidbreder

The letters of the alphabet get up to zany adventures.

Musical terms come to life, and kids get to join in! A rhythmic poem is paired with exuberant illustrations of a conductor and his animal orchestra to convey the meanings of seven musical terms. The text contains a succinct physical definition for each term. For example, to define glissando the text reads, “Gently gliding, slipping, sliding.” And in the illustrations, the animals use movement to interpret this description, flowing across the spread as if rolling on a wave. Readers will find it easy to learn the terms — and will have great fun playing along! Staccato. Adagio. Allegro. Fortissimo. What child can resist pronouncing these words — or performing them!

“Clever and effective for the pre- and primary school nature shelves.”—Kirkus In the vein of Jack Prelutsky and Dennis Lee comes a celebration of the sky with thirty zippy poems that will lift kids’ spirits and let their imaginations soar. What do you see when you look up at the sky? In this “lyrical” picture book (Booklist) for ages 3-8, the award-winning and critically-acclaimed children’s poet, Robert Heidbreder, shares thirty memorable poems that capture the magic and beauty of all the wonderful things kids can see when they gaze at the sky. Gorgeous illustrations by artist and naturalist Emily Dove depict a diverse cast of children playing and cheering under a sky filled with birds and balloons, snow and shooting stars, sunflowers and falling leaves, and helicopters and kites. “A multicultural cast of children are shown reveling in the outdoors. Readers are encouraged to observe and appreciate the natural world around them.” —Booklist

This delightful novel in verse follows the adventures of a brother and sister around the neighborhood, and especially at the corner grocery store! Race you to our corner grocery store! Stanstones’ corner store is the heart of the neighborhood for the brother and sister in this story. They help to close the store every Saturday and save their pennies to buy candy. The store is the source of many adventures, where they spend a memorably spooky Halloween, play tricks on Mr. and Mrs. Stanstones, and form a search party to find Toby the store cat when he goes missing. What will happen to their beloved corner store when a brand-new supermarket opens up in town? Full of humor and playful language, this novel in verse is a sweetly nostalgic celebration of a time when children had more freedom and a mom-and-pop corner store might be the center of a kid’s world. Based on Robert Heidbreder’s childhood, this follow-up to Rooster Summer can be read as a sequel or a stand-alone story. Chelsea O’Byrne’s vibrant illustrations bring the corner store and its colorful cast of characters to life. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4 Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.

Spend a rooster summer on the farm with these irresistible read-aloud poems. For the brother and sister in this novel in verse, each day begins with a barnyard wakeup call. During a summer spent on their grandparents’ farm, they collect eggs from the chicken coop, put on shows for city folks in passing trains, fill in for the farm dog by barking the cows home and dance around the perfectly ripening watermelon growing in Grandma’s garden. All of these barnyard adventures happen in the company of Rexter the rooster, Seed-Sack the mule and Ginger-Tea the farm dog — animal friends that will steal readers’ hearts over the course of a carefree rooster summer. Based on award-winning poet Robert Heidbreder’s childhood, these irresistible read-aloud poems show the tender relationship between children and their grandparents. Madeline Kloepper brings the cast of lovable human and animal characters to life with her vintage art style. This early novel in verse about the simple joys of childhood on a farm is nostalgic yet timeless. Key Text Features poems illustrations headings table of contents Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4 Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.

As night falls on a soft summer evening, neighborhood children are drawn out of their houses by the sights and sounds of the world after dark. First the fireflies come sparkling past, followed by a host of domestic and wild animals, from cats and dogs to owls and skunks. Accomplished children’s poet Robert Heidbreder creates a world of enchantment, while Qin Leng’s illustrations conjure the harmonious interplay between our everyday domestic world and one that is just a little bit wilder. All the characters, both human and otherwise, have their moment on the nighttime stage, but eventually, the curtain falls, and sleepiness beckons.

Halloween has arrived, but so have spooky skul-a-mug-mugs who frighten the grown-ups into calling off trick-or-treating. It’s up to the kids to take back the night! Told in nonsense verse, this scare-fest will have you yak-yawling with fun!

Chock-full of playful pocket-sized poems that capture adventures big and small in a child''s day, this collection begs to be read aloud from sunup to sundown!

The team that created the children''s title Crocodiles Play (Tradewind, 2008) and Crocodiles Say (Tradewind, 2006) tackle the world of work, again with laughs and poetry.

The child and dog who starred in I Wished for a Unicorn return to transform their urban backyard into the high seas, where they encounter a beastly sea monster, buried treasure, a scurvy pirate crew, lovely mermaids, and more.

A collection of rhymes will have kids clapping, dancing, skipping and chanting on a rollicking journey across Canada.

A delightful poetry book for young children.

Poems describe various ways to have fun, including playing leapfrog and other games, riding a bicycle, running, and using one''s imagination.

Excited that school is out for the year, one crazy crocodile is determined to have a summer to remember and sets out to make the most of the season ahead in this rollicking tale about a mischievous, adventurous, and playful reptile on the loose!

A young hero has a series of adventures such as fighting a Viking warrior and flying a jet plane, in a text with words describing characteristic sounds for each effort.

Don''t Eat Spiders is published by Fitzhenry and Whiteside.

By daylight, the Drumheller dinosaurs rest their ancient bones. But when the moon rises, so do these slumbering skeletons --- ready to tango, fandango, shimmy and shake! This exuberant read-aloud imagines what the dinosaur skeletons of world-famous Drumheller, Alberta, get up to when everyone''s asleep. Kids will want to thumpity-thump along with these dynamic dinos as they dance across the dark, dusty Badlands.

With the help of a barking "unicorn," a spirited child storms a castle, defeats a dragon, digs for buried treasure, and shares other exciting adventures in the backyard.

From the time they awake before the sun rises, crocodiles have much to do, starting with getting dressed, eating breakfast, and brushing and flossing their many teeth and continuing with plenty of raucous reptile romps before being tucked safely back in bed at night.

Parents, children and teachers will all laugh at the silly antics of the crocs in this wonderful new book by the poet and teacher Robert Heidbreder. Rae Mate''s illustrations still charm children and flatter crocodiles everywhere!

Playful poems and rollicking rhymes about Canada by children''s poet Robert Heidbreder.