It's suppertime, and a little girl named Ann has just enough time to sketch Merl and Jasper, an adorable cat and dog, before being called to dinner. But Ann isn't the only one who's hungry, so are Merl and Jasper! And since supper isn't brought to them, they have to go find supper. What better place for a paper dog and cat to look than on the pages of Ann's favorite books. Young readers will love seeing familiar fairy tale characters as Merl and Jasper follow their noses (and stomachs) up the beanstalk and down to the bottom of the sea--until they discover that the perfect supper is up to them and their imaginations. Without sacrificing the pure fun of a good story, memorable characters, and exhilarating illustrations, Laura Rankin ("Handmaid Alphabet) cleverly conveys the idea that books are food for the soul.

While storytelling is a great favorite of preschoolers, many elementary age children are more drawn to crafts and other activities. StoryCraft is an award-winning library program that combines storytelling with crafts in an exciting and engaging activity for children in first through third grades. Each one-hour program includes storytelling, a craft, movement, activities, music, and discussion. This collection of StoryCraft programs presents 50 fun and educational theme-based sessions. Each includes suggestions for promotion, music, crafts, activities, and stories. The sessions also include bibliographies to help direct young readers toward additional reading, as well as diagrams, detailed instructions, and supply lists for the crafts. The themes range from a Jungle Safari to Math Mayhem to a Western Roundup, all encouraging children to enjoy reading in a variety of ways. Each session has plenty of suggestions, so that the program can be customized. Helpful Hints for implementing the program can help any librarian, volunteer, or parent turn a ho-hum storytime into a dazzling StoryCraft time.

Week-long units for each letter of the alphabet reinforce developing literacy skills. Read-aloud activities, songs, centers, and snacks provide connections to language arts, math, science, and social studies concepts. Teach these stand-alone units in order, or flow from one theme to the next!

""Novel & Short Story Writer's Market" is a must for every writer. Created exclusively for fiction writers, it provides every fiction market, plus agents, articles, contests and organizations."--Barbara Kuroff, editor.