R. W. Alley

Truly bad things happen in life. And while we cannot shelter children from every hurt and harm, we can reassure them that they, like the little elves in these pages, will always be loved and cared for. We can teach children the skills needed for coping with life's biggest challenges and changes. And we can restore children's trust that life, after all, is good.

Children aren't immune to stress. Kids are especially prone to feel fear before stressful events in their lives. Family, school, and team sports' schedules have been crammed into their daily activities so extensively that many children are robbed of their free recreational "growth" time, and an alarming number of kids are experiencing high levels of stress because of this. All of these realities can lead to our children having the same kinds of fears...

When Paddington and Mr. Gruber decide to take a day off, they share a day of exploration and discovery in the city with Jonathan and Judy.

Paddington is delighted to discover that the Browns are throwing him a birthday party. But when the magic trick he performs goes awry, Paddington needs something more than a tap of his wand to set things straight. Michael Bond s classic character will charm beginning readers with his unique brand of magic. Paddington and the Magic Trick is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it s perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences....

Only Paddington could find himself hiding from the police on a Saturday outing. Or tied with Mr. Curry for a top gardening prize. Or performing a precarious magic trick on Mr. Gruber's birthday. Paddington's nose for adventure leads him to the finest moments any bear could ask for.

Paddington is not a bear to shy away from a tough job. But when he is left in charge of the local barber shop, his determination to keep the customers happy will surprise even himself!

While trying to recover the stolen necklace of his classmate, Kim, Jigsaw witnesses the scarecrow on Kim's neighbor's lawn move, so he and Mila investigate.

April Fools' Day is not a happy one for Wagner the mouse because his best friend, Pearl the rabbit, and other children and adults at school keep tricking him.

A little girl tries to create the perfect heart-shaped valentine for her mother on Valentine's Day.

Nancy's pet chicken Buck-Buck has trouble learning to act like an ordinary chicken.