The Carrot Seed 60th Anniversary Edition
by Ruth Krauss
from HarperTrophy
Ruth Krauss, author of A Hole Is to Dig, has crafted a story almost Zen-like in its simplicity. A little boy plants a carrot seed and waits patiently, tending to it carefully, while everyone around him insists that "it won't come up." His conviction is steadfast, however, and sure enough, a carrot worthy of first prize at any state fair springs forth from the earth. Krauss's husband, Crockett Johnson (creator of Harold and the Purple Crayon), illustrated The Carrot Seed, and while the little boy is rendered with uncomplicated lines, all of his hope, confidence, and serenity shine through. The image that resonates most strongly in this minimalist tale is the unfaltering faith of the mild-mannered little boy. Young readers learn that standing your ground in the face of opposition and doubt can often result in twice the reward expected (even thrice the reward, if judging by the girth of this carrot). (Ages 4 to 8)
When a little boy plants a carrot seed, everyone tells him it won't grow. But when you are very young, there are some things that you just know, and the little boy knows that one day a carrot will come up. So he waters his seed, and pulls the weeds, and he waits ...
First published in 1945 and never out of print, this timeless combination of Ruth Krauss's simple text and Crockett Johnson's eloquent illustrations creates a triumphant and deeply satisfying story for readers of all ages.
I CAN FLY (Little Golden Book)
by Ruth Krauss
from Golden Books
Ruth Krauss and Mary Blair's I Can Fly won awards upon its first publication in 1951 and has not lost an iota of its charm. The first pages open to a girl standing on a swing, sailing high in the sky next to a bird whose feathers match her dress: "A bird can fly./ So can I." She can moo like a cow, grab like a crab, be merrier than a terrier, and pick, pick, pick like a little chick. Krauss's simple verses capture a child at play and provide wonderful rhythms for a lively, interactive read-aloud session: "Crunch crunch crunch/ I'm a goat out to lunch," Blair's playful illustrations are as exuberant as the story-poem, with their gorgeous (truly '50s!) palette and bold compositions that cleverly juxtapose the girl with her pretend animal playmates, page by page. Arms outstretched on the loops in the playground, the girl looks just like the crab with its grabby claws; eating celery at the table she mimics the goat eating flowers outside the front door. Young children will revel in the young girl's splendidly confident outlook:"Gubble gubble gubble/ I'm a mubble in a pubble./ I can play/ I'm anything that's anything./ That's MY way." We welcome this timeless classic back into print with open arms, much like an octopus might. (Baby to preschool) --Karin Snelson
A bird can fly.
So can I.
A cow can moo.
I can, too.
So begins the simple, delightful rhyme by Ruth Krauss that both celebrates and encourages a child’s imagination. Mary Blair’s vibrant artwork, found in the Golden Books archives and newly scanned, looks as fresh as it did 50 years ago.
A Hole Is to Dig
by Ruth Krauss
from HarperTrophy
What is a hole?
A hole is when you step in it
you go down
A hole is
for a mouse
to live in.
And, of course,a hole is to dig.
This is the funniest book
of definitions you'll ever read!
The Backward Day
by Ruth Krauss
from NYR Children's Collection
Imagine your whole day lived backward, from beginning to end. When you got up, you’d put on your jacket, then your shirt and pants, and over those your underwear, because after all, backward is backward, and on a backward day backward is the way everything has to be. You’d walk downstairs backward and sit on your chair backward with your back to the table, and when your parents greeted you in the morning you’d say, of course, “Good night.” But how long can a backward day go on? Just long enough for a smart kid to reverse the spell he’s cast on the whole household and return everything to normal. The Backward Day, a delightfully stylish picture book by the Caldecott Prize–winning team of Marc Simont and Ruth Krauss, brings to life a humorous and engaging reversal of ordinary reality that will enchant young children, as well parents.
A Very Special House
by Ruth Krauss
from Michael Di Capua
Continuing a two-year program to bring back twenty-two Maurice Sendak treasures long out of print, our second season of publication highlights one of the most successful author-illustrator pairings of all time. A pioneer of great children's literature, Ruth Krausspublished more than thirty books for children during a career that spanned forty years. Krauss and Sendak collaborated on eight books, and we are delighted to reintroduce four of these gems in brand-new editions, together with a favorite Maurice Sendak picture book.
The Growing Story
by Ruth Krauss
from HarperCollins
From this simple beginning grows a story that celebrates those little changes that tell us we're growing up! This Ruth Krauss classic enchanted young readers when it was first published in 1947. Now it blooms again with lush illustrations by one of the world's best-loved illustrators: Helen Oxenbury.
I'll Be You and You Be Me
by Ruth Krauss
from Michael Di Capua
From the creators of A Hole Is to Dig comes a reissue of another classic, I'll Be You and You Be Me. Author Ruth Krauss and illustrator Maurice Sendak, with a little help from some young friends, capture all the ups and downs of friendship. A charmingly meandering series of stories, poems, and pen-and-ink line drawings feels like a scrapbook of kid-speak:
--He runsShort-short plays, mysteries, and fairy tales are sprinkled with Sendak's (Where the Wild Things Are, etc.) tiny, sketchy images. Open to any page and dive right in! (Ages 3 to 6) --Emilie Coulter
--I run
--He jumps
--I jump
--He dunks his toast
and I dunk mine
From the team that brought us A Hole Is To Dig, here's another romp through the wild and wonderful imagination of children.
The Happy Day
by Ruth Krauss
from HarperTrophy
Snow is falling. All the animals are fast asleep in their animal homes. They awake. They open their eyes. They sniff. They run. What will they find?
Open House for Butterflies
by Ruth Krauss
from Michael Di Capua
Continuing a two-year program to bring back twenty-two Maurice Sendak treasures long out of print, our second season of publication highlights one of the most successful author-illustrator pairings of all time. A pioneer of great children's literature, Ruth Krausspublished more than thirty books for children during a career that spanned forty years. Krauss and Sendak collaborated on eight books, and we are delighted to reintroduce four of these gems in brand-new editions, together with a favorite Maurice Sendak picture book.
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