Have you ever encountered an underwater marching band, a pig in a bathing suit, a pet orangutan, or a witch in a hardware store? Have you ever sat with a skunk in a courtroom, shopped for a dinosaur, or conversed with a Bupple, a Wosstrus, a Violinnet, or a Celloon? You will have, once you've read this exuberant collaboration from Jack Prelutsky and his "partner in crime"* James Stevenson. (2008)

Ages 6 Up
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Join two young explorers as they set off on safari to Scranimal Island, a land where anything is possible, nothing is normal and everything is outlandish. It's an expedition of puns and rhymes, discovery and adventure in which fruits and veggies, birds and beasts, have been scrambled together to create never before seen creatures. So, come along and enjoy the wordplay. You'll meet Spinachickens fussing in the yard, a potatoad unaware of its own existence, a cardinalbacore whose wings are sore from holding up its head and many many more.

"Sweet PORCUPINEAPPLE,
Unflappable chap,
You happily amble
All over the map.
Sharp prickles protect
Your subtropical hide,
Not many could chew you,
Not many have tried.

Your spirits are high
And your worries are few,
You go where you go,
And you do what you do.
A pointed example
Of perfect design,
Sweet PORCUPINEAPPLE,
Your life is divine."

Ages 5-7
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And
friends,
books,
recess,
a food fight,
math,
the infirmary,
a visit,
history,
art,
show-and-tell . . .

What a funny, outrageous, exciting, incredible, silly, extraordinary day it was at school!

Are you ready to read all about it?

Ages PreK Up
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A collection of 28 short rhymes with the classic feel of Mother Goose. Many of these poems have a geography theme, coverng 15 states and Canada.

"In Indianapolis, what did we see?
An elephant perched on a sycamore tree,
sipping warm milk through an oversize straw—
In Indianapolis, that's what we saw."

"In Indianapolis, what did we do?
We danced on the green with a blue kangaroo.
The elephant sneezed, so we ran off and hid—
In Indianapolis, that's what we did."

"In Winnemuca, way out west,
a monkey sat is a bluebird's nest.
The bluebird squawked and fussed all day,
till the monkey ran to San Jose."

Ages 6 Up
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Wait until you see
Awful Ogre's
"Ogress Divine"

Spend an entirely "awful" day with Awful Ogre. Here are 18 "awfully" hyterical poems from waking...

"My rattlesnake awakens me,
I swat its scaly head.
My buzzard pecks my belly
Till I fling if from the bed.
My rats attack me as I rise
But scatter when I roar.
I boot my sweet tarantula
Across the stony floor."...

to the time Awful Ogre goes to bed...

"My awful day is ending,
I've ranted, roared, and raved.
At best I've been unpleasant
And greatly misbehaved.
But now I'm growing weary,
It's time to rest my head
Upon the stony pillow
Atop my rocky bed."...

Just for the record, Awful Ogre's day is just the way he likes it—perfectly awful. Paul O. Zelinsky's illustrations are packed with wit, humor, and simply outrageous fun.

Ages 4-8
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Ridiculously delicious, Jack Prelutzy and illustrator, James Stevenson are at it again. Here's a sample:

"Purple orangutans hurtle through space,
Silvery unicorns gallop in place,
Onions run races with noodles and spoons,
Monkeys emerge from enormous cocoons.

"Turtles wear sweaters, and pickles wear wigs,
Talking tomatoes give lectures to pigs,
Peanut-size elephants flutter their wings,
Cantaloupes dance as a pineapple sings.

"Bison ride bicycles, tiger fly kites,
Pelicans flicker their myriad lights,
Feathery fishes float high in the air,
Radishes wash their luxurious hair.

"Rabbits and parrots play tag in the stars,
Marshmallows march in the meadows of Mars…
These are a few of the wonders I find
In the magic museum I keep in my mind."

Meilo So, Illustrator

This is perfection. The combination of poetry, animals, birds, in brilliant watercolor.

POEMS FROM THE ANIMAL KINGDOM is a collection of 200 poems selected by Jack Prelutsky and put into categories of animals and birds. This book is the essence of beauty.

Ages: 4-8
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Peter Sis, Illustrator

Just the right mix of scary, animated with humor and dollops of emotions, sprinkled with tenderness and garnished with perfect meter and illustrations.

"I am, alas, a lonely troll,
my days are all the same,
I seldom see a single soul,
My neighbors fear my name.
Because I'm gruesome, grim, and gruff,
I've had no guests for years.
The situation's bad enough
To drive a troll to tears.

"I'm destined, it appears to me,
To live my life alone,
But, desperate for company,
I've bought a telephone.
Feel free to call me night or day,
No matter if I slumber,
And furthermore, you need not pay-
I've got a toll-free number."