Maureen Fergus

The Paper Bag Princess meets The Parent Trap in this unconventional fairy tale about a quick-witted princess and her ogre buddy trading places Best friends Oggy and Pru spend their days playing games, having adventures, and getting spoiled by shopkeepers. Then, every evening, Oggy goes home and does whatever he wants, while Pru returns to the palace where she must finish her vegetables, tidy her playroom, and go to bed on time. She's had enough of the rules--she wants freedom So Oggy and Pru hatch a plan for Pru to experience the easy existence of an independent ogre: they'll disguise themselves as each other and switch lives with their hilariously apt transformations. But as time passes, Pru realizes that the life she resented as too limited was great after all. And when a dragon swoops in to kidnap the "princess," their plan quickly goes awry. This fearsomely funny sequel to Princess Pru and the Ogre on the Hill is a fun take on the classic saying "the grass isn't always greener on the other side" with expressive, comical illustrations that perfectly portray the characters and kingdom.

Shrek meets The Paper Bag Princess in this fearsomely funny story about a savvy princess who looks past appearances to befriend an ogre Princess Pru's life is practically perfect. She has two loving dads, an ostrich named Orville, and three royal tarantulas. But one day, a ghastly ogre with crusty toenails and goopy ears moves into the house on the hill. At first, Pru sees the ogre as a nuisance: he disrupts her royal rock band practices, weekly tickle tag games, and even the hide-and-seek tournament. But then she starts to wonder if the ogre is just lonely. The unsympathetic townspeople become especially terrified when Oggy the ogre is spotted buying cupcakes and balloons. They receive ominous notes (that look very much like invitations), and the kings are convinced that Oggy wants to make everyone into a stew But with courage and spunk, Pru heads to the house on the hill to meet Oggy--for a party All along, Oggy just wanted to make friends--and thanks to Pru, he does. Whimsical, hand-drawn illustrations and expressive characters perfectly capture this unconventional fairy tale about empathy, belonging, and daring not to follow the crowd.

Santa has a problem. This kid? Harold? Santa doesn't think he's real. He WANTS to believe in Harold - after all, Harold is one of the most magical parts of Christmas. Getting Harold's letters, eating the cookies he leaves out, feeding his carrots to the reindeer... what would Christmas be without that? But Santa's just not sure. Some of his friends are telling him they think Harold's not real...

Mato hommissa on hurmaavan hulvaton kuvakirja, joka todistaa, ettei koolla ole väliä – vaan asenteella! Pieni mutta pippurinen Mato rakastaa työtään kirjastossa, mutta kaipaa uusia haasteita. Se kokeilee mielessään monenlaisia ammatteja, kuten uimavalvojaa, syvänmeren kalastajaa ja ikkunanpesijää. Sitten vastaan tulee täydellinen tilaisuus: vartijan pesti keksintönäyttelyssä on auki! Ongelmana on vain yksi asia: työnantaja ei usko Madon kykyihin. Se on liian pieni. Ja lisäksi... no, se on mato. Mutta voiko päättäväisyys ja kekseliäisyys voittaa ennakkoluulot? Palkitun kirjailijan Maureen Fergusin lämminhenkinen ja riemastuttavan absurdi tarina yhdistää huumorin, oivaltavan tiedon ja tärkeät teemat: sinnikkyyden, itseluottamuksen ja rohkeuden olla oma itsensä. Madon suusta kuullaan myös yllättäviä faktoja – tiesitkö esimerkiksi, että mato voi syödä päivässä oman painonsa verran multaa ja muuttaa biojätteen arvokkaaksi lannoitteeksi? Kuvittaja Paul G. Hammondin yksityiskohtaiset ja kekseliäät kuvat pursuavat hauskoja oivalluksia ja tekevät Madosta jokaisen sivun tähden – vaikka ympärillä vilisee paljon suurempia hahmoja. Mato hommissa on täydellinen valinta: • varhaiskasvatukseen ja alkuopetukseen tukemaan tunnetaitoja ja kasvun asennetta • kirjastoihin ja kouluihin monipuoliseksi lukuiloksi • koteihin iltasaduksi, joka naurattaa ja kannustaa yhä uudelleen Tämä sydämellinen ja hauska tarina muistuttaa, että joskus kaikkein pienin voi olla kaikkein urhein.

Size isn't everything. Especially when it comes to Worm, who's willing to stretch his limits to get the job done Worm loves being a librarian but has decided it's time for a new job. He considers many options - lifeguard, deep-sea fisherman, window washer - but none of them quite fits his, um, skill set. Until he comes across a posting looking for a courageous security guard to keep a thief from stealing the Invention Convention's exhibits during the night. It sounds like the perfect job for him Unfortunately, the hiring manager doesn't agree. Worm is too small Also, he's a worm. Can Worm convince the manager he's got what it takes? And, if he does get hired, will he really be able to capture the dastardly thief? Award-winning author Maureen Fergus's story about the loveable, winsome Worm is just the right kind of absurd to tickle the funny bones of young children everywhere. With his outsized self-confidence and can-do spirit, Worm is sure to steal their hearts as well. Some facts about worms are introduced right into the story, such as when Worm sells himself to the manager by asking, "Can you survive being cut in half, eat your own weight in soil every day and turn kitchen scraps into valuable fertilizer?" Award-winning illustrator Paul G. Hammond's artwork is packed with loads of clever details (and hilarious inventions ) and manages to make Worm the star of every page, even as he's interacting with the much larger creatures in the human world. This is a great story for character education lessons on optimism and perseverance.

Fans of Narwhal and Jelly will love this laugh-out-loud graphic novel adventure with Weenie, Frank and Beans that features a new villain: another (cuter) wiener dog named Sweetie-Pie who's out to ruin Weenie's good time. Meet Weenie. He loves his best friend Frank (a cat) and his other best friend Beans (a guinea pig) and Bob (the guy who takes care of them). The thing Weenie does NOT love? When another wiener dog comes along to make his life miserable by peeing on his toys, messing with Bob's stuff (that's Weenie's job) and getting between Weenie and breakfast sausages. Sweetie-Pie must go . . . and Weenie's going to be the one to get rid of him

Fans of Narwhal and Jelly will love this laugh-out-loud graphic novel adventure with Weenie, Frank and Beans that features a new villain: another (cuter) wiener dog named Sweetie-Pie who's out to ruin Weenie's good time. Meet Weenie. He loves his best friend Frank (a cat) and his other best friend Beans (a guinea pig) and Bob (the guy who takes care of them). The thing Weenie does NOT love? When another wiener dog comes along to make his life miserable by peeing on his toys, messing with Bob's stuff (that's Weenie's job) and getting between Weenie and breakfast sausages. Sweetie-Pie must go . . . and Weenie's going to be the one to get rid of him

A girl who yearns for freedom, a handsome thief . . . and the start of an epic romantic adventure that will change the course of history, combining the romance and adventure of The Princess Bride with the political intrigue of Game of Thrones. For fans of Stephanie Garber, Leigh Bardugo, Shelby Mahurin and Jennifer L. Armentrout. The only life Persephone has ever known has been one of servitude, and she dreams of freedom, buoyed by a spirit and sense of humor that have never wavered. When a chance encounter with a handsome thief offers her a chance to leave, she grabs it with both hands . . . and the thief, Azriel, will just have to keep up. But Azriel is not everything he seems, and he believes Persephone holds the key to a greater freedom for himself and his people, who have been hunted for years by the king's regent, an evil and sadistic man who will stop at nothing in his quest for power. Azriel has a plan to defeat him, and he needs Persephone -- but does Persephone need him? As her journey brings her deeper and deeper into a cruel and dangerous world, Persephone must quickly learn who to trust . . . and whether an impossibly broad-shouldered thief holds the key to her future, or her ruin. Once Upon a Broken Heart meets The Queen's Thief in Prophecy, the first book in The Fractured Kingdom trilogy -- filled with heart-pounding romance and epic adventure.

Zander the goose is trying something new this winter. He is not going to go south. Zander is going to stay! Now available as a board book! As winter approaches, geese return south to avoid the cold and snow. Not Zander, though. Zander declares he wants to stay this year, but first he’ll have to learn how to survive the harsh winter climate. Should he do as Bear suggests and put on a thick layer of fat? Or should he snuggle up with friends like bat does? None of his furred friends seem to have the right answer for Zander, but he’s determined to make the best of a freezing situation. He just needs to find a northern animal whose winter adaptation works for him. Luckily, one such animal arrives just in the nick of time, walking on two snugly booted feet. In Zander Stays, celebrated illustrator Scot Ritchie brings humor and charm to Zander’s adventure, from awe-filled autumn walks along the shore to cozy winter hijinks with his new human friend. Award-winning author Maureen Fergus imbues Zander Stays with humour that is simultaneously silly and clever. An author’s note further explores how Zander’s animal friends adapt to their winter environment. “[T]he images are sure to provoke giggles… Ritchie’s palette changes with the seasons, with the charming pencil, ink, and digital illustrations centering the goose and his every emotion…Readers are sure to want a goose of their own to overwinter with.”—Kirkus Reviews

Roopella on paljon vaihtoehtoja eri iltapäiväkerhoista, joihin hän voisi liittyä uudessa koulussaan - mikään vaan ei tunnu hänelle sopivalta. Vanhempiensa ehdotuksesta Roope päättää perustaa oman kerhon häntä kiinnostavasta aiheesta, ja Roope tietää tarkalleen, mikä se on: Matelijakerho! Hän on varma, että koulussa on muitakin lapsia, jotka jakavat hänen intohimonsa näihin luikertelijoihin. Roope järjestää ensimmäisen kokoontumisen, mutta ketään ei kuulu paikalle. Juuri kun hän on luovuttamassa, Roope kuulee kuiskauksen käytävältä ja kiirehtii katsomaan, kuka se on. Hämmästyksekseen ensimmäiseen kerhotapaamiseen saapujat eivät olekaan Roopen koulukavereita...Suositun, palkitun kirjailijan Maureen Fergusin kuvakirja sisältää leikkisän tarinan lisäksi hauskoja faktoja matelijoista (esimerkiksi sen, että gekon on nuoltava silmämuniaan pitääkseen ne puhtaina ja kosteina!). Lapsia kiehtoo tässä kirjassa myös Matelijakerho-nimen näppärä kaksoismerkitys, joka selviää tarinaa lukiessa. Elina Ellisin eloisan värikkäiden kuvitusten yksityiskohdat rohkaisevat lapsia käyttämään aikaa jokaisen sivun tutkimiseen. Kirjan on suomentanut suosituista, humoristisista lastenkirjoista ja -animaatioista tunnettu Mikko Kunnas.

Zander the goose is trying something new this winter. He is not going to go south. Zander is going to stay! Every year as winter approaches, geese return south to avoid the cold and snow. Not Zander, though. Zander declares he wants to stay this year, but first he’ll have to learn how to survive the harsh winter climate. Should he do as Bear suggests and put on a thick layer of fat? Or should he snuggle up with friends like bat does? None of his furred friends seem to have the right answer for Zander, but he’s determined to make the best of a freezing situation. He just needs to find a northern animal whose winter adaptation works for him. Luckily, one such animal arrives just in the nick of time, walking on two snugly booted feet. In Zander Stays, celebrated illustrator Scot Ritchie brings humor and charm to Zander’s adventure, from awe-filled autumn walks along the shore to cozy winter hijinks with his new human friend. Award-winning author Maureen Fergus imbues Zander Stays with humour that is simultaneously silly and clever. An author’s note further explores how Zander’s animal friends adapt to their winter environment.

Fans of Narwhal and Jelly will love this laugh-out-loud graphic novel: a pancake adventure with Weenie, Frank and Beans featuring wiener dog smooches, a huge pile of stinky brussels sprouts and a whole lot of syrup. Weenie loves his human, Bob. He loves his guinea pig friend Beans and his cat friend Frank. He loves naps, adventures and sharing. In fact, Weenie loves pretty much everything (except brussels sprouts). And Weenie SUPER LOVES pancakes. Maybe too much. When the SuperSonic Pancake Maker malfunctions, Weenie knows exactly what to do Sort of . . .

Meet Weenie, a meatloaf-obsessed wiener dog, and his best friends Frank and Beans in this hilarious early graphic novel for fans of Narwhal and Jelly and The Bad Guys. Weenie loves his human, Bob. He loves his guinea pig friend, Beans, and his cat friend, Frank. He loves naps, adventures and sharing. In fact, Weenie loves pretty much everything (except the mail carrier). But the thing Weenie loves and desires more than anything else in the world is meatloaf. And he'll do anything to get it. Join Weenie, Frank and Beans on a laugh-out-loud meatloaf adventure, complete with a trench coat disguise, a wild meatloaf trap and even a hungry wolf.

Wonder Buddy and Super Earl come to the rescue when their new neighbors need help! The fifth installment of a charming and critically acclaimed series.When Wonder Buddy and Super Earl learn that the Evil Doctor Stinker is planning to shut down the only hamburger factory in town, they know they have to find the supervillain’s secret lair — fast! Hopping into the Earl-mobile, they race into the yard next door where they come face-to-face with the new neighbors.At first, Mister the bulldog is alarmed by Wonder Buddy’s laser-beam eyes (even though Buddy does not know how to turn them on), and Snowball the cat thinks that Earl is the funniest-looking mouse she’s ever seen.But when Snowball ends up in mortal danger, Buddy and Mister team up to save the day, and Snowball and Earl discover that they have more in common than they thought.The dog who likes to play by the rules and the hedgehog who knows no limits make some super new friends in this fifth book in the critically acclaimed Buddy and Earl series.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

“An understated winner of a friendship story. … simultaneously of-the-moment and timeless.” — Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEWWhat’s in the box that Meredith has carried into the living room? Buddy doesn’t know, but when the small, prickly creature says he is a pirate — and that Buddy is a pirate, too — the mismatched friends are off on a grand adventure.In this first book in the best-selling Buddy and Earl series, a dog who likes to play by the rules meets a hedgehog who knows no limits. Their friendship is tender and loyal, and their adventures are funny and imaginative. Maureen Fergus’s text is witty and understated, and Carey Sookocheff’s art emphasizes both the humor and the warmth of this odd and loveable animal couple.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

Our favorite odd-couple friends explore the wilds of their house after dark in book two of the Buddy and Earl series.Buddy is just settling in for the night when Earl announces that he’s going on a trip.Where will Earl go? Wherever the road leads him, of course!Before Buddy knows it, he and Earl are off on another grand adventure. While exploring the wilds of the kitchen, they see wondrous sights, make delicious discoveries and even encounter a couple of unusual monsters.This second book in the best-selling Buddy and Earl series reunites the dog who likes to play by the rules and the hedgehog who knows no limits.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.