Gnu and Shrew match wits while trying to reach a cave filled with diamonds in this STEM-filled twist on "The Ant and the Grasshopper." When Gnu says that there's a cave filled with diamonds across the river, Shrew is intrigued. But Gnu seems to be all talk, fantasizing about riches yet dismissing all of Shrew’s suggestions. As Gnu dreams his days away, tossing out one big idea after another, Shrew spends his nights trying to make those dreams a reality. Will Gnu’s big ideas ever be able to mesh with Shrew's hard work to make something remarkable happen? Author Danny Schnitzlein uses deadpan storytelling to put an entertaining spin on "The Ant and the Grasshopper" that values the roles of both dreamers and doers. Anca Sandu's illustrations, rendered in pencil and colored digitally, add to the humor and whimsy. "A refreshing demonstration of different approaches and a friendship that transcends those contrasts." —Booklist Best STEM Books —ASEE / ITEEA / NSTA / SEPA / CBC Also by Danny Schnitzlein: The Monster Who Ate My Peas The Monster Who Did My Math Trick or Treat on Monster Street

Anca Sandu was born in the flatlands of eastern Romania. Her grandma declared her a "drawer" of perfect circles at age two. Heeding the call to be the artist of the family, she studied children's illustration at Anglia Ruskin University, in Cambridge, England, and discovered that her passion for drawing helped her overcome her introversion. She now enjoys engaging most humans nearly as much as drawing them. She's the author-illustrator of Churchill's Tale of Tails, as well as other books about pigs, good monsters, sheep, and gnus and shrews. Anca lives in Beaverton, Oregon, along with her husband and their ever-expanding book collection.

A math-phobic boy faces another dreaded evening of multiplication when a monster suddenly appears in his room and offers him a deal he cannot refuse. After a quick signature on a contract, the boy's problems are solved, and his homework is ready to turn in the next day. At first, everything adds up perfectly. But when the boy's math knowledge is tested at school, his troubles begin to multiply. What did the fine print on that contract read? "In paragraph seven of clause ninety-three, "If you don't learn anything, do not blame me!" When the bill comes due, will our hero have the money—and the math skills—to subtract that wicked monster from his life once and for all?

The popular Social Studies Connects series links history, geography, civics and economics to kids’ daily lives. Featuring stories with diverse characters who face situations young readers can relate to, these books support reading and social studies skills including researching, inferring, comparing, and communication. An activity to stimulate curiosity about the world is included in each book! Carl complains about everything -- until he discovers how to turn complaints into action! (Social Studies Topic: Civics/Petitions)

Read Along or Enhanced eBook: Based on a fable from Aesop, the Sun and the Wind test their strength by seeing which of them can cause a man to remove his coat, demonstrating the value of using gentle persuasion rather than brute force as a means of achieving a goal.

Strawberry-sized sleuths Poppy and Sam are back on the case!

This hilarious picture book from author Danny Schnitzlein will have picky eaters begging for more. What do you dread eating the most? For one young boy, it's peas, but he's discovered a seemingly simple solution. He makes a bargain with a fiendishly funny monster who will eat the boy's peas in exchange for his soccer ball. But soon, peas are on the menu again and with each new encounter, the monster's demands escalate. Eventually, our hero faces a daunting decision―can he conquer his loathing for peas, or will he lose his most prized possession? Danny Schnitzlein's verse combines with Matt Faulkner's uproariously detailed illustrations to create a clever story about how far we're willing to go to avoid the things we hate.