When they see a car sitting unoccupied at the cageless zoo where they live, adventurous Joe the giraffe convinces shy Sparky the turtle to go for a ride and soon the two are tearing up the town--visiting a burger joint, going through a car wash, and having the wildest time of the lives!

When Joe the giraffe and his friend Sparky, a turtle, see a television talent show, Joe tries to find Sparky's talent so that they can compete.

“A humorous, high-interest package . . . a hit.” — The Horn Book (starred review) The endearing and mismatched pals Sparky the turtle and Joe the giraffe accidentally latch on to a big yellow bus and leave the zoo for their first trip to school. There’s a lot to learn, and the goal of the day seems to be to get a star. But just when Joe fears that he may have to go home starless, Sparky reminds him of all the ways that his loyal friend already shines.

The endearingly mismatched duo has their hands full when a party for a friend goes comically awry. One day Joe, an exuberant giraffe, hears a commotion coming from another part of the famous cageless zoo he calls home. Joined by his small, green, slightly more serious turtle friend, Sparky, Joe discovers the source of the hullabaloo: a group of children — or noisy short people, as Joe and Sparky call them — having a party. Inspired, Joe decides to throw a party for his pet worm, Wiggy. There’s just one problem: Sparky is not entirely sure if Wiggy even exists! What will happen when every animal in the zoo shows up to Wiggy’s party with presents and cake? Worm or no worm, this silly, satisfying tale is sure to leave new readers smiling.

When the introspective Frank meets the gregarious Bean, can they find a way to make beautiful music together? Dry wit and hilarious illustrations introduce a new unlikely pair. Frank likes peace and quiet. He likes his tent, his pencil, and writing in his secret notebook. Bean likes noise. He likes his bus, his trumpet — toot, toot! — and making music. Loud music. But Bean is missing something: he does not have words. What will happen if Frank shares his words with Bean? With a laugh-out-loud narrative by Jamie Michalak, author of the Joe and Sparky series, and Bob Kolar’s bright, graphic, comical illustrations, this fresh and funny story will go down easy for beginning readers and young listeners alike.

Ling and Ting are twins. They have the same brown eyes. They have the same pink cheeks. They have the same happy smiles. Ling and Ting are two adorable identical twins, and they stick together, whether they are making dumplings, getting their hair cut, or practicing magic tricks. But looks are deceiving--people can be very different, even if they look exactly the same.

"Turtle Sparky enjoys the safety of his shell while giraffe Joe is up for any adventure. . . . Utterly charming." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Sparky is a turtle who likes to stay inside his shell. Joe is a giraffe who likes to stretch his neck and see the world. When a car appears one day at the famous cageless zoo where they live, the two set off on the ride of their lives, with Joe behind the wheel and Sparky hanging on for dear life. From the shopping mall to the car wash to the take-out burger joint, Joe and Sparky cause mayhem everywhere they go. Young readers will love sharing the road with this unlikely pair in a string of adventures that are by turns innocent, charming, and laugh-out-loud funny.