Ellen DeLange

Early in the morning, just before Sam's alarm clock is about to go off, a strange sound enters the bedroom. SHRIEK! SHRIEK! What's that noise? This is not a good way to start the day! Sam is woken up by a loud bird, but he tries to sleep through it. What can Sam do to stop it? This bird is relentless! Will Sam find a new friend in this magpie and finally manage to sleep in?

What do you see when you look up? Where does your imagination take you? What do you wish for? A story about dreaming of beautiful things, and about being happy with what you've got.

A boy finds an abandoned egg and decides to take care of it. He wonders what is growing inside. Could it be the friend he has in mind? A sweet story about caring and dealing with expectations.

""It's raining! Time to walk your dog and jump in puddles! A rainy day can be such fun . . . but how do the birds, insects, and other animals feel about the rain?"--Back cover.

"Grandma is reading from a diary. Lissy listens intently to the exciting stories. But . . . who are these stories actually about?" -- Back cover.

On Christmas Eve, all the neighborhood cats are called inside. All but one little kitten, who doesn't have a warm, cozy home to go to. She roams around the streets and peeks into the houses, until a little girl decides to take her in. And thanks to each other, they both have a purrfect Christmas.