Aided and abetted by his ventriloquist cousin, Wilbur, Elmer pretends to be blown away on the windiest day. They make fools of the other elephants, but when the laughter dies down, Elmer reassures them that a heavy elephant is safe in the worst of gales. When he tries to prove it, much to his surprise, he really does get blown away!

Aided and abetted by his ventriloquist cousin, Wilbur, Elmer pretends to be blown away on the windiest day. They make fools of the other elephants, but when the laughter dies down, Elmer reassures them that a heavy elephant is safe in the worst of gales. When he tries to prove it, much to his surprise, he really does get blown away!

Whether used for thematic story times, program and curriculum planning, readers' advisory, or collection development, this updated edition of the well-known companion makes finding the right picture books for your library a breeze. Generations of savvy librarians and educators have relied on this detailed subject guide to children's picture books for all aspects of children's services, and this new edition does not disappoint. Covering more than 18,000 books published through 2017, it empowers users to identify current and classic titles on topics ranging from apples to zebras. Organized simply, with a subject guide that categorizes subjects by theme and topic and subject headings arranged alphabetically, this reference applies more than 1,200 intuitive (as opposed to formal catalog) subject terms to children's picture books, making it both a comprehensive and user-friendly resource that is accessible to parents and teachers as well as librarians. It can be used to identify titles to fill in gaps in library collections, to find books on particular topics for young readers, to help teachers locate titles to support lessons, or to design thematic programs and story times. Title and illustrator indexes, in addition to a bibliographic guide arranged alphabetically by author name, further extend access to titles.

Over his eighty-plus years, Paul T. Bryant has worked as a farm and ranch hand, soldier, forest-fire lookout, park ranger naturalist, editor, teacher, and academic administrator. He has lived and worked in a variety of states, from Washington to North Carolina and from Texas to Massachusetts, filling in those spans with time in Oklahoma, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, and Virginia. He brings this range of experience to this series of short stories and sketches of various old mentheir lives, their problems, and how they have met those problems. These are fiction, but they draw on actual experience. Old age is a challenging time for old men and old women alike. As more and more of us reach this challenging time, we can profit from learning how others have met those challenges or failed to do so. By the same token, perhaps those who have not yet reached old age will find here some increased understanding for those who have. Other books by Bryant: H. L. Davis (1978), Confessions of an Habitual Administrator (2005). Book Review An eclectic collection of short fiction and poetry explores the challenges faced by men as they age. The author, now in his 80s, begins with a prologue reminding readers that old age is neither a crime nor a sin, but merely another stage of life with challenges and potential triumphs. Reflecting on the fact that more and more people are living to advanced ages, Bryant offers his work as a report on the road conditions from one who has traveled it, to those coming up behind him. Although his book has an explicitly didactic purpose, this does not mean that the authors stories and poems are in any way moralizingnor do they offer easy solutions to the problems of old age such as aimlessness, solitude, pain or the possibility of an afterlife. However its true that Bryants intention are not purely literary. Although told with unusual stylistic concision and vigor only rarely marred by clichd expressions such as references to wind sighing through the pine needles on a mountain slope or a spirited game of touch footballthese fictions do not aspire to aesthetic independence, but rather aim at maximum clarity in representing common experiences. In the process, they reveal the authors deeply humane insight into a wide variety of human types, ranging from retired businessmen, to minor poets and academics, to American Indians before the arrival of European settlers. Although incidental to his main aims, Bryants use of the variety of American geography and history also showcases his deep knowledge of these subjects, thus providing another opportunity for readers to learn from this book. What one storys narrator says about an old farmhand could equally be applied to the author of this collectionWe should treasure people like Stuart Wellborn, people who know and love the land and who can tell its story. Crisp, quietly learned storytelling offers subtle insights into the experience of aging. -Kirkus Discoveries

Set against the backdrop of the rugged beauty of the Alaskan wilderness, Raven Wind is the story of a man who finds through adversity the true test of courage. Raven Wind is also the story of power and greed . how far some will go to acquire the ultimate prize. On the snow-covered deck of an Alaskan fishing boat, a man is murdered and a terrible secret hides the truth about his death. That secret remains undisturbed for years. That is until one of the conspirators, the ultimate political power in his sight, can no longer accept the danger that the secret poses. Years later, the secret dangerously close to being revealed, a bush pilot and his son stumble upon the nefarious plot in the rugged wilds of Cordova, Alaska. As a result of their unintended involvement Tom MacCalister and his young son are forced to struggle through the wilderness of the unforgiving bush so that they may save themselves, so that they may save the truth. As a result they find strength in their bond as father and son and in their courage. In this captivating story, Tom MacCalister becomes one of those fortunate few . a man who can say he had tasted both the bitterness of challenge and the sweet taste of victory.

What is the difference between ‘risk’ and ‘danger’? What can children learn from taking risks? How can you provide key experiences for children and ensure their safety outdoors? Young children will naturally seek out challenges and take risks and this is crucial to their overall development. This book clearly explains why children should be given the freedom to take risks and provides practical guidance on how to offer stimulating and challenging outdoor experiences that will extend all areas of children’s learning. Including examples of activities for all weather conditions across all areas of learning, the book covers: The pedagogical history of adventure, risk and challenge Health, wellbeing and keeping safe The adult role Risk assessment Supporting individual children with different needs Environments that enable challenging and adventurous play Working with parents and addressing concerns Observation, planning and assessment This book is essential reading for practitioners and students that wish to provide rich experiences for children that will enable them to become confident and adventurous learners.

Clyde Lewis and his family live in the San Luis Valley of Colorado where they struggle to survive during the Great Depression.