Meet two endearing, unforgettable new characters--and a friendship like no other.

Trains, cranes, good friends—with warmth and whimsy, Daisy Hirst follows an adventurous bear and a home-loving goose who discover that new experiences are even better shared. Hamish the bear and Noreen the goose live in the country, where they like to watch the trains whoosh by. While Noreen is happy to stay in the country, Hamish can’t help but wonder what it would be like to ride the train into the city. So one day he says goodbye to Noreen and sets off along the tracks. Hamish’s ride on the train takes him to new places, where he meets new friends and even gets a job on a construction site. Before long, though, Hamish realizes how much he misses his home and Noreen. From Daisy Hirst, the award-winning author-illustrator of The Girl with a Parrot on Her Head, here is a warm and friendly story about finding adventure and then finding your way home again.

What do little monsters like to wear? Daisy Hirst brings her charming wit to a silly board book for the youngest set. When monsters get up in the morning, they have to find something to wear. Simon wears socks, Darrell puts on a dress, and Terrence tries on a tomato. Meanwhile, Cassie is wearing cars and Lester has on the latest trend: leaves. What can Evie wear to outdo them all? With child-friendly art in the brightest of colors, this whimsical foray into toddler fashion will tickle the fancy of mischievous monsters everywhere.

This historical novel for young readers, set in 1852 in southeastern Wisconsin between Milwaukee and Chicago, introduces us to two neighboring 13-year-olds, Katie McEachron and her friend Florence Mather, who experience an exciting summer as the wooden plank road that runs by their homes brings intriguing strangers to their dinner tables and the plight of runaway slaves to their consciences. Katie McEachron is a forthright, impulsive girl who has not yet learned the importance of keeping silent. Her friend Florence Mather, a solemn and hardworking girl, came with her family from Cornwall, England. Florence has an eager mind, but her mother is less interested in Florence¿s education than in having her help at the inn. One day in May a stranger arrives at the inn, where neighbors have gathered to plan the first Racine County fair. The visit of the mysterious stranger launches a string of events that will make this a most unforgettable summer for the two girls. Themes include Underground Railroad (fugitive slaves en route to Canada), Transportation (historic plank roads), Rural Pioneer Life and Immigrant Heritage in the Upper Midwest / Great Lakes region. The co-authors are sisters who grew up in locale depicted in the book, where they heard stories of the old plank road from descendants of the early settlers. Hilda Demuth-Lutze, a high school English teacher, lives in rural Northwest Indiana (near Valparaiso). Emily Demuth Ishida, a school library aide and freelance writer, lives in a suburb of Chicago.

Lovable monster siblings Natalie and Alphonse are back with big plans in a second surprisingly touching tale in which Natalie is ready to learn how to read. Natalie and Alphonse REALLY like books. Picture books with Dad, scary stories with Mom, and especially stories they remember or make up themselves. So when it’s time for Natalie to learn to read, she thinks it will be exciting — she can have all the stories in the world now, and even read them to Alphonse. But when Natalie gets her first reading book, the letters look like squiggles and it isn’t even a good story; it’s just about a cat that can sit. “I do not like books anymore!” Natalie declares. But she still wants to make up stories. With Alphonse’s help, can she find a way to turn a love of telling stories into a love of reading stories? With her one-of-a-kind voice and wonderfully droll artwork, Daisy Hirst captures the familiar frustration of struggling to learn something new — and the particular pride that comes when you finally succeed.

What do little monsters like to eat? Daisy Hirst infuses a bright, funny board book with her offbeat charm. Some monsters eat peaches. Some monsters eat pears. And then there are monsters who eat only chairs. Some monsters like noodles and some prefer stew, but there’s always that one you’ll see eating a shoe, or . . . a rake? Picky little eaters, adventurous eaters, and born jokesters alike will see themselves in this comedy of cuisine, perfectly suited for the youngest (and hungriest) of listeners.

Daisy Hirst’s charming ode to a toddler’s love of trains, featuring her sweet signature artwork Whether sending toy animals on a journey around a model track or driving a cardboard-box locomotive, this little puppy really likes trains. All aboard! But best of all is riding a real train to visit someone special—and playing with more trains there! Simple yet evocative prose and pictures make this a delightful read for the youngest train enthusiasts.