Animal Friendships

19-year-old Phoebe and her courier father Al have recently moved to Devon, to a small cottage with a river at the end of the garden. Struggling with her health, Phoebe doesn't go out much these days. Instead, she spends her time playing detective—trying to deduce from her father's deliveries what kinds of lives her neighbours lead. When Phoebe finds an abandoned baby otter by the river, it's just the push she needs to finally step into her new community. Taking the otter to the local sanctuary, she feels a joy that she has not felt in a very long time.

Clever, sensitive Jama likes elephants better than people. While her classmates gossip—especially about the new boy, Leku—12-year-old Jama takes refuge at the watering hole outside her village. There she befriends a baby elephant she names Mbegu; Swahili for seed. When Mbegu’s mother, frightened by poachers, stampedes, Jama and Mbegu are blamed for two deaths—one elephant and one human. Now Leku, whose mysterious and imposing father is head ranger at the conservancy, may be their only lifeline.

Since the day he hatched, Owl dreamed of becoming a real knight. He may not be the biggest or the strongest, but his sharp nocturnal instincts can help protect the castle, especially since many knights have recently gone missing. While holding guard during Knight Night Watch, Owl is faced with the ultimate trial—a frightening intruder. It’s a daunting duel by any measure. But what Owl lacks in size, he makes up for in good ideas.

Otis the faithful farm tractor is frolicking in the meadow with his animal friends when an approaching tornado darkens the sky and threatens the farm. Rousing the animals for another game of follow-the-leader, Otis calmly guides them to the safety of a protected valley. But as the twister turns toward the barn, Otis hears the frantic bellowing of the bull, still locked in his pen.

What makes Isaiah so unique? First, his fur is as blue as the sky - which until recently was something he'd never seen, but had read all about. That's right - Isaiah can read, and write. He can also talk to humans, if any of them are willing to listen! After a dramatic escape from a mysterious laboratory, Isaiah is separated from his "mischief" (which is the word for a mouse family), and has to use his special skills to survive in the dangerous outdoors, and hopefully find his missing family.

It's a bright and beautiful spring day, and Pearl, a pig, is dawdling on her way home from school. Most unexpectedly, she strikes up an acquaintance with a small bone. Pearl and the bone immediately take a liking to each other, and before you know it she is on her way home with the bone in her purse, left open so they can continue their conversation. Won't her parents be surprised when she introduces her talking bone!

Christmastime is approaching, and Annie is so thrilled about her upcoming school play that she has to call her cousin Henry. “I’m going to be a star in a play!” she tells him. Annie will get to light up the stage in her bright, shiny costume! She couldn’t be more excited. But then the big night comes, and Annie’s feelings change. She is very nervous and is having a hard time staying calm.

Marty McGuire would rather spend recess catching frogs in the pond than playing dress-up with the other girls in third grade. So when her teacher casts Marty as the princess in the class play, Marty's absolutely, positively sure that there's been a huge mistake. But after a special lesson in the art of improvisation, Marty comes up with her OWN plan to IMPROVE the play: Why use stuffed-animal frog onstage when a live one would be so much better? In the end, Marty's one-of-a-kind performance makes for an unforgettable show. Maybe a tomboy princess CAN live happily ever after, after all!

Life is good for the four humans in Cleveland who know that mice have evolved into possibly the smartest species on Earth. Eleven-year-old Megan and her cousin Joey have great summer jobs at the mouse-powered factory that makes Thumbtops - the tiny computers mice use to spread the word about climate change. But suddenly, the Big Cheese, leader of the Mouse Nation, needs their help. There's trouble at his Headquarters in California.

Meet Marty McGuire! Marty would rather spend recess catching frogs in the pond than playing dress-up with the other girls in third grade. So when her teacher casts Marty as the princess in the class play, Marty’s absolutely, positively sure that there’s been a huge mistake! But after a special lesson in the art of improvisation, Marty comes up with her own plan to improve the play. Maybe a princess in muddy sneakers can live happily ever after, after all!

When a remote island's rain forest is threatened by the greedy timber company Loggocorp, the Humans Who Know (that mice have evolved) develop a secret plan to save the forest. And they need all the help they can get from the Big Cheese, Trey, and their other friends in the Mouse Nation. First the team must unravel a centuries-old mystery: Who actually owns the rain forest? The mission to find that person brings Megan and her family across the ocean to England, where everything starts to go just a little bit...weird.

Luke Oldham's warm and engaging narration brings these charming characters to life, making this audiobook a delightful experience for listeners of all ages. Whether you're revisiting the story from your own childhood or sharing it with a new generation, Winnie-the-Pooh is a must-have addition to any audiobook collection.

Living in foster homes for the last six years, David now has trouble making friends and keeping up in school. More than anything in the world, he just wants something to call his own. He thinks he's found that something when he hatches an owl named King Arthur with the help of his "girl genius" friend, Mab. But when it looks like King Arthur must be set free, David learns a powerful lesson. The real "good stuff" in life isn't something he can own.

Oscar is a happy dogg - a rambunctious kid who loves being a Dogg Scout. Molly is a clever katt who just knows she's destined for fame and fortune as an actress. For their whole lives, Oscar and Molly have been told that katts and doggs hate each other. One day, they each get hopelessly lost in the woods, but those lifelong prejudices flare up when they cross paths. Slowly, they realize the only way to survive and find their way home is to...work together?

When a very lonely firefly goes out into the night searching for other fireflies, it sees a lantern, a candle, and the eyes of a dog, cat, and owl all glowing in the darkness. It even sees a surprise celebration of light. But it is not until it discovers other fireflies that it finds exactly what it's looking for! Soothingly told with a gentle rhythm and complete with a surprise sure to "light up" children's faces, The Very Lonely Firefly will fast become a story-time favorite.

Uni is just like all the other unicorns...except for one thing: She believes that little girls are REAL. This magical story by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (author of I Wish You More) illuminates Uni's not-so-fantastical dream and celebrates the sparkle of believing.

Emma Lane Cake has five brothers, four dogs, and a family that can't stay put. The Cake family travels from place to place, setting up bakeries in communities that need them. Then, just when Emma feels settled in with new friends... they move again. Now the Cakes have come to Aurora County, and Emma has vowed that this time she is NOT going to get attached to ANYONE or ANYTHING. Why bother, if her father's only going to uproot her again? But fate has different plans. And so does Ruby Lavender, who is going to show Emma Lane Cake a thing or two about making friendship last.

On the night that Aunty dies, the Raggedy Witches come for Mup's mam. Pale, cold, relentless, they will do anything to coax Mam back to Witches Borough. When they kidnap Mup's dad, Mup and her mam must leave the mundane world to rescue him. But Mam is strange on this side of the border - striding, powerful, and distant. Even if they can save Dad, Mup is not sure anything will ever be the same again....

The thing about Hank's new friend Inkling is, he's invisible. No, not imaginary. Inkling is an invisible bandapat, a creature native only to the Peruvian Woods of Mystery. (Or maybe it is the Ukrainian glaciers. Inkling hardly ever gets his stories straight.) Now Inkling has found his way to Brooklyn and into Hank's laundry basket on his quest for squash - bandapats' favorite food. But Hank has bigger problems than helping Inkling fend off maniac doggies and search for yummy pumpkins: Bruno Gillicut is a lunch-stealing dirtbug caveperson and he's got to be stopped.

The temperature is rising, which can only mean one thing: it's summer! Bookings are up at Hotel Flamingo, and the hotel is getting busy. Anna is excited to receive word from King Penguin royalty asking to holiday in their Royal Suite. But there's a lot to get done, and it's not easy to manage the needs of the penguins when there's a heatwave on and a huge ice shortage. Help! Can Anna get Hotel Flamingo back to its usual shining self and have happy guests all round?