Do you have an irresistible idea for a children's book with pictures? Are you inspired by writers like Julia Donaldson and Lauren Child? Get Started in Writing and Illustrating A Children's Book is designed for anyone who wants to write in this genre of fiction, whatever the category or age range. Designed to build confidence and help fire up creativity, it is also an essential guide to mastering the practicalities of working with illustrators and illustrated concepts, from creating ideas for toddler board books to writing high concept middle grade projects. It carries the distinctive learning features of the flagship Teach Yourself Creative Writing series, with Snapshots designed to get you writing quickly, Key Idea to help crystallize thought, and a wealth of supplementary material, including insights into the publishing world and the role of the agent.

This story contains the horrors of the Second World War committed in Nazi Germany. A stigma at the time was that all Germans were Nazis but this story renounces that belief. The Engineer is the ageless story of good versus evil, light versus darkness, and the triumph of the human spirit. A man of great Christian faith named Wolfgang Spreitzel is given the impossible task of freeing people from certain death at the Dachau concentration camp. As a train engineer for the state run railroad he has delivered people into Dachau and watched in horror as these people were unloaded from cattle cars to certain death. It is after one of these trips that God begins to reveal a plan for Wolfgang to follow. As Wolfgang follows God's instruction he is given some of the most unlikely partners to accomplish it. These steps of faith lead some to God's amazing grace, the road to redemption, love for the unloved, and hope for the hopeless. This novel's believable characters defy the Nazis and begin to free captive people from the death trains. This is accomplished by a man on a mission from God. He is simply known as The Engineer.

The first installment in the Ava and Pip series, perfect for aspiring writers and anyone that loves palindromes and word play. Ava and Pip is a funny and heartfelt story of Ava, an outgoing girl who wants to help her sister come out of her shell, and become a writer when she grows up. "A love letter to language."—The New York Times Meet outgoing Ava Wren, a fun fifth grader who tries not to lose patience with her shy big sister. She can't understand why Pip is so reserved and never seems to make friends with others, and decides to use her writing talents to help her sister overcome her shyness. She writes a short story based on the girl that ruined her sister's birthday party ... but it doesn't quite go over like she wanted it to. Can Ava and her new friend help Pip come out of her shell? And can Ava get out of the mess she has made, and really be a real writer like she always dreamed? Great for parents, educators and librarians looking for: A heartwarming read that has messages of sisterhood, identity, and friendship Funny books for girls ages 9 to 12 A story that incorporates word play (especially palindromes!) A story with a character wants to be a writer, perfect for aspiring young authors

A wise man, (wiser than my brother Bill), once said: "Life is like a box of chocolates..." I don't know what that has to do with this book, but it sure says a lot about my brother Bill. My life on the other hand is like a banana split. When people look at me they see a mostly vanilla ice cream, cherry-on-top, kind of guy. Everything seems pretty normal. Oh sure, there are some cracked peanuts sprinkled on top, but that only warns them that I may be a teensy-weensy bit nuts. What they really can't see, is that under it all...I've gone bananas! A hilarious book sure to make you laugh.

Includes music (mostly songs with piano accompaniment).

Ava desperately wants a pet for her eleventh birthday-but gets way more than she bargained for when she adopts T-A-C-O-C-A-T. When Ava Wren hears about an injured yellow tabby with mismatched ears, she becomes obsessed and wants to rescue him. She even picks out a perfect palindromic name: T-A-C-O-C-A-T. But when Taco joins the family, he doesn't snuggle or purr-all he does is hide. Worse, Ava's best friend starts hanging out with Zara, a new girl in fifth grade. Ava feels alone and writes an acclaimed story, "The Cat Who Wouldn't Purr." What begins as exciting news turns into a disaster. How can Ava make things right? And what about sweet, scared little Taco? The New York Times called AVA AND PIP "a love letter to language. " With this second diary, Girls' Life advice columnist Carol Weston hits another home run.

Ernie the Earthworm helps the garden plants with his tunneling, that loosens the soil and helps their roots reach water.