Tony Johnston

Lizzie meets an elderly man and his companion, Cecile, at the park, but Lizzie is afraid of dogs, so she relies on her new friend to help her take things one step at a time.

The beauty and spirit of Christmas resounds in the melodic chimes of a church bell in this lyrical picture book by well-known author Tony Johnston with breathtaking illustrations by watercolor artist Cheng-Khee Chee. On Christmas Eve, people bundle up in the cold and follow the sounds of the bell to gather in celebration. Creatures great-children, dogs, cats, and birds-and small stop to listen as a brass band marches through town. The poetry and imagery...

A young boy lists all the things he will have to take with him on his first day in kindergarten.

In a busy urban neighborhood, six very different individuals who don't know each other have something in common: they all relish the companionship of a friendly cat that roams the area. From a librarian to a homeless war veteran to a little girl who's just moved in, this cat makes everyone's world a little brighter, a little less lonely. Each neighbor is unaware of the cat's visits with everyone else, so he goes by many different names: Stuart Little,...

Living in the Bloggins School boiler room isn't glamorous, but that's life for Martha Snapdragon, daughter of the beleaguered janitor. Life only gets weirder when Martha realizes bizarre events are afoot at the school. There's the dastardly dealings of evil principal Dr. Klunk and school bully Rufus. There's the dozen dancing eggs and the misbehaving dragons, property of the mysterious science teacher. And then there's the strangest thing of all:...

From award-winning author Tony Johnston and David Walker comes the perfect book for first time First Graders! Kindergarten? Done! "I'm zooming off to first grade now.I need about five friendsto play good games like hide-and-sneakand where-the-sidewalk-ends."Tony Johnston's playful stanzas meet with David Walker's joyful art to create a remarkable foray into first grade--with all its peaks and valleys. There's reading and counting, sure, but also...

Twelve-year-old Manuel leaves his small town in Mexico to join his older brother in Los Angeles. To cross the US border, he must become a "beast rider"-someone who hops on a train. The first time he tries, he is stopped by the Mexican police, who arrest and beat him. When he tries again, he is attacked by a Mexican gang and left for dead. Just when Manuel is ready to turn back, he finds new hope. Villagers clothe and feed him, help him find work,...

Rabbit outwits Coyote in this Zapotec tale which explains why coyotes howl at the moon

A pumpkin shimmering in the moonlight attracts the attention of an owl, a cat, crickets, a witch, and a group of boys and girls, who change it into a scary jack-o-lantern

The antics of ten fat turkeys on a fence illustrate counting from ten to one