Nature Culture

Every February second, people all across the country wonder about the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil. Will he see his shadow on that day, or won't he? Will spring come early or late? Gail Gibbons' clear, simple wording presents information about Groundhog Day, its origins, and the animal at the center of this delightful annual event. Gibbons teaches kids about the homes and habits of groundhogs while explaining the history behind the superstitions and fun customs of the yearly celebration.

It is early spring and Polar Bear and her two cubs are growing hungry after spending the cold winter months in their den. Will Polar Bear be able to find and protect her hungry cubs? Find out as this exciting story unfolds! Reviewed by the Smithsonian Institution for accuracy, Polar Bear Horizon

Suzy is a small striped cat with long white whiskers, who lives in a French seaside village with a fisherman and his four sons. She likes living in France, chasing butterflies and being stroked the wrong way. She doesn't like straying too far from home. But like all cats, Suzy is very inquisitive - which causes problems when she climbs into the basket of a hot-air balloon, falls asleep, and is carried up, up, and away over the Channel to England!

This arctic adaptation of "This Is the House That Jack Built" follows polar bears, walruses, seals, narwhals, and beluga whales as they chase each other around "the ice that floats in the Arctic waters". Not only is the rhythmic, cumulative prose good for early learners; it is a pure delight to listen to. The "For Creative Minds" section helps children learn how these animals live in the cold, icy arctic region.

An Emmy Award-winning producer and the host of more than a dozen TV series, Jeff Corwin has spent his life working for the conservation of endangered species. Corwin’s Junior Explorer series shows kids that there are natural worlds of wonder all over the planet. In this adventure, Lucy, Benjamin, and Gabe go camping in the Gila National Forest in New Mexico—and there they find breathtaking sights that they’ll never forget.

The human species is relatively new to the planet in geologic terms. With origins reaching back only a few million years, the rise of humans from primate ancestors is a remarkable evolutionary success story. Early Humans traces the beginnings of the human species, its success and adaptability, and the development of such innovations as human language and culture.

Nubs, an Iraqi dog of war, never had a home or a person of his own. He was the leader of a pack of wild dogs living off the land and barely surviving. But Nubs's life changed when he met Marine Major Brian Dennis. The two formed a fast friendship, made stronger by Dennis's willingness to share his meals, offer a warm place to sleep, and give Nubs the kind of care and attention he had never received before.

Astro is a stellar Steller sea lion! Only a few days old when found orphaned, he is cared for and raised at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California. When big enough to be released to the wild where he needs to be, he has other plans! Just like a lost dog finding his way home, Astro keeps swimming back toward the center, crossing miles of open ocean water to do so. After several attempts, people realize that Astro is too accustomed to humans and will just keep coming back.

Que felicidad! It's Cinco de Mayo, and Mouse follows his nose to the festival, where musicians play, dancers stomp, and delicious treats abound. Then Mouse spots a piñata and wants just one piece of candy... but he isn't the only one looking for a snack. Cat is planning his own fiesta with Mouse on the menu!

You would think Petronellas 16th birthday would be cause for celebration. After all, fashionable friends are arriving at her country estate near London, teas are being served, and her coming out party promises to be a resplendent affair. Everything is falling nicely into place, until, suddenly, it isnt. For Petronella discovers that her guardian, Uncle Augustus T. Percival, has developed a most unVictorian compulsion: He must eat bugs.

Summer days drift by slowly in Meadville, South Carolina - that is, until Sherman the one-legged pigeon flies into town and causes a ruckus. First Stella, who's been begging for a dog, spots him on top of a garage roof and decides she wants him for a pet. Then there's Ethel and Amos, an old couple who sees the pigeon in their barn keeping company with a little brown dog that barks all night. The pigeon lands smack in the middle of Mutt Raynard's head, but he's the town liar, so no one believes him. And when Stella's brother Levi and his scabby-kneed, germ-infested friends notice the pigeon, they join the chase, too.

Trump the Animal Liaison Officer has her paws full with Dr. Jeanie’s new patient. Cranky Paws, the cat hates everyone: people, dogs, cats, and other animals. Dr. Jeanie can heal her injuries, but what will happen after that? Is there anyone who can offer Cranky Paws a home? And will Cranky Paws accept?

Trump has a new case when she accompanies Dr Jeanie on a visit to a mare named Helen of Troy. Helen is due to have a foal, but her close companion, Paris the Dalmatian, isn't well. How can Trump persuade Helen to put Paris’s needs before her own? And how can she persuade Paris?

A boy and his elephant escape into the jungle when the Viet Cong attack his village immediately after the Vietnam war.

What if Jack and Jill had been playing on a nice soft sand dune instead of that treacherous hill? And suppose Mary's pet wasn't really a lamb. What if Mary had a little...clam? Those questions - and more - are gleefully answered in Mother Osprey: Nursery Rhymes for Buoys & Gulls. This collection retells Mother Goose rhymes and celebrates America's coastlines and waterways - from sea to shining sea.

High in a hot-air balloon, flying away, all alone. How is Suzy the cat ever going to find her way home? A heart-warming purrfect adventure based on Jill Tomlinson's classic story. Thirty minutes of audio entertainment, including story reading, soundtrack, songs and lots of listening fun all voiced by actress Sophie Aldred.

Butterflies bloom as delicately as flowers in this magnificent story of beginnings, middles and ends: eggs, caterpillars, and finally butterflies.

Best-selling author Michael Morpurgo turns his storytelling skills to the drama and tragedy of the Spanish Civil War, illustrated by Michael Foreman. Toro, Toro is the story of a young boy growing up in Andalucia, Spain, on a farm rearing bulls for the bull ring. Antonito hand rears a little black calf, and they become firm friends, but the boy doesn't yet understand the fate of the black bulls: the corrida and death.

After years of harsh monsoon seasons, a forest on the river island of Majuli is in danger of being slowly washed away. Jadav is determined to save the forest he loves. This is the true story of how one young boy dedicated his life to creating and cultivating an expansive forest that continues to grow to this day. In a world impacted by climate change, Jadav Payeng’s inspirational story shows how one person’s contributions can make a difference in helping to save our environment.

In Whistler, British Columbia, dogs can be found riding chairlifts, perched on skiers' shoulders, and even descending from helicopters - all in the race against time to save people caught in the path of an avalanche. Meet Henry, a lovable border collie, and the team of dogs and human partners he works with in the beautiful and sometimes dangerous mountains.