John Burningham

Shirley and her parents are spending a relaxing day taking a trip to the seaside. While her mother and father settle down in their folding deckchairs to snooze the day away, Shirley has entirely different plans. She steps away from the beach blankets and instantly sets sail for uncharted seas. In her wild imagination, she is embarking on a thrilling pirate adventure, fighting off scoundrels and searching for deeply buried treasure. Back on the sandy beach, her mother is constantly calling out familiar, nagging warnings about avoiding stray dogs, staying away from the sticky tar, and not getting her clothes wet in the cold ocean. Her parents have absolutely no idea that their daughter is currently busy battling a pirate ship just a few steps away. Jump into this funny, clever story that shows exactly what happens when a boring beach day turns into an epic imaginary voyage.

Albert is a boy who really does have his head in the clouds. While hiking high up in the mountains, Albert accidentally slips and takes a tumble off a cliff. Luckily, the magical cloud children see him and quickly shout out secret magic words to make him light enough to float right into the sky. Suddenly, Albert is living in a fluffy white wonderland. He spends his days jumping from cloud to cloud, swimming in the pouring rain, painting bright pictures next to the rainbow, and walking along the invisible trail left by a soaring airplane. It is an incredible adventure high above the earth. But as the sun goes down, Albert starts to miss his cozy bed and his parents down below. With a little help from the cloud queen and the man in the moon, he just might find his way back to his family.

Every single night, Marie Elaine watches her cat Malcolm slip out the door, and every morning she finds him fast asleep. She wonders exactly where cats go when the sun goes down. One evening, she catches Malcolm at his cat door wearing his very best clothes. She begs to go with him, and surprisingly, Malcolm says yes. There is only one catch. She has to put on her fanciest dress, shrink down to the size of a cat, and promise to keep the whole journey a secret. Soon, Marie Elaine and Malcolm are racing through the dark city streets, dodging grumpy neighborhood dogs, and balancing on tall brick walls. Their thrilling rooftop journey leads them to an amazing hidden party filled with cats from all over town. They are all waiting for the special arrival of the Queen of the Cats. Get ready for a magical nighttime adventure you will never forget.

Trubloff is a small mouse with a very big dream. While his family lives a quiet life in a cozy village inn, Trubloff listens to the wonderful music playing in the tavern. He wants nothing more than to become the greatest balalaika player in the whole country. One cold night while his family is fast asleep, Trubloff makes a brave decision. He runs away into the snow with a traveling band of gypsies who promise to teach him how to play the special stringed instrument. Back at the inn, his poor family is worried sick about their missing brother. Just as things start to look terribly bleak for the mice left behind, Trubloff returns. He quickly discovers that his new musical talents might be the exact thing needed to save his entire family from a terrible disaster. Discover how one little mouse uses the power of music to become a true hero.

Simp is a chubby little dog with a tiny stump for a tail. Because she does not look like a fancy pet, nobody wants to give her a home. One lonely evening, she is abandoned near a trash dump and must fend for herself. Cold and hungry, Simp tries her best to avoid the scary dog catcher. Just when things look their worst, her luck completely changes. She meets a friendly circus clown who needs serious help to make his act funnier. The clown takes her in, feeds her, and makes her part of his circus family. When the big show starts, Simp discovers a hidden talent that nobody ever expected. She is not just an ordinary stray dog. She is a brave performer ready to be shot right out of a giant cannon. Follow Simp on her exciting journey to becoming the star of the circus.

Christmas Eve is almost over, and Santa Claus has finally finished his long journey around the world. He has put his reindeer to bed and is ready for sleep. But when he looks in his giant sack, he gets a terrible shock. There is one present left at the very bottom. It belongs to a little boy named Harvey Slumfenburger, who lives far away on top of the Roly Poly Mountain. Santa knows that this is the only gift Harvey will get all year. Even though he is exhausted, Santa refuses to let Harvey down. He sets off into the freezing night completely alone. Santa will try absolutely anything to get there before morning. He hikes on foot, hitches a ride on an airplane, borrows a jeep, and even straps on a pair of skis. Join Santa on this wild, bumpy rescue mission to make sure one special little boy gets his only Christmas present.

Granpa and his little granddaughter share a very special and beautiful friendship. They spend their days going on wonderful adventures without ever having to leave each other's side. Granpa gamely helps nurse her sick baby dolls back to health, happily eats her pretend strawberry flavored ice cream, and bravely takes her tobogganing through the thick winter snow. He even falls right in step with her big imaginary plans to become a captain and sail a giant ship all the way to Africa. Through quiet moments and playful games, they show how much they truly care for one another. But life changes, and the little girl has to learn how to hold onto those beautiful memories when things are no longer the same. This is a gentle, deeply moving story about the powerful love between a grandparent and a child, and a friendship that will be remembered forever.

Have you ever had to choose between two completely outrageous things? In this hilarious book of choices, you get to decide exactly what kind of wild adventure you want to go on. Maybe you would rather have supper in a giant castle, eat breakfast in a hot air balloon floating in the sky, or sip tea gently floating down a river. But watch out, because some choices are much yuckier. You might have to decide whether you would rather eat sticky spider stew, taste slimy slug dumplings, chew on mashed worms, or drink a gross snail shake. Every page asks you to use your imagination to pick the most fun, silliest, or weirdest option. It is a perfect game to play before bedtime or anytime you want to laugh out loud. Jump right into these wonderfully weird questions and discover what you would really choose if you could do absolutely anything in the world.

Mr. and Mrs. Plumpster are thrilled when their six eggs hatch into adorable baby goslings. But one of the babies, Borka, looks completely different from her brothers and sisters. Poor Borka is born without a single feather. To help keep her warm in the chilly air, her mother knits her a fuzzy gray wool sweater. Even with her cozy sweater, Borka cannot fly properly, and the other young geese constantly tease her. When the cold winter arrives, the whole flock flies south to a warmer climate. Sadly, Borka has to be left behind all by herself. But this lonely moment is actually the start of an incredible journey. With the help of a friendly dog and a kind boat captain, Borka sets sail on a big ship toward the busy city of London. Find out how this unique little bird proves that being different can lead you to the perfect home.

It is bedtime, but a young boy and his favorite toy dog are not ready to go to sleep just yet. Instead, they climb aboard his magical toy train and set off on an amazing journey across the world. The night is quiet as they puff along the tracks until they suddenly hear a voice calling out. A large elephant wants to jump on the train because his home in the jungle is being destroyed. As the train keeps rolling, more and more incredible animals ask for a ride. A seal, a crane, a tiger, and even a polar bear are looking for a safe place to escape the dangers in their wild habitats. But the train is getting very crowded, and the boy has to decide if there is room for everyone. Hop aboard this midnight express and discover how one boy and a magical train try to help protect the earth's magnificent animals.

When the children head to the local shelter to pick out a new pet, their parents expect them to bring home a fancy dog. Instead, the children fall completely in love with an old, scruffy, ordinary looking mongrel named Courtney. The parents are disappointed because Courtney looks like the kind of dog nobody else wants. But they soon discover that you can never judge a book by its cover. Courtney is actually a brilliant wonder dog hiding a massive secret. Much to the shock of the entire family, this scruffy rescue dog knows how to cook delicious meals, juggle objects in the air, and even play beautiful music on the violin. Just when the family starts to realize how lucky they are to have him, Courtney mysteriously packs his trunk and disappears. Find out what happens when the most talented dog in the world leaves home to go on a secret mission.

Steven is just trying to do a simple chore. His mother sends him to the grocery store to buy a few basic things, giving him nothing but a regular shopping basket to carry them home. But the city streets are full of wild surprises today. On his way back to his house, Steven keeps running into some very strange characters. A grumpy bear, a menacing monkey, and a cranky kangaroo all block his path. Every single one of these hungry animals is determined to reach into his basket and steal his delicious groceries. But Steven is smart, quick thinking, and refuses to give up his food without a fight. He has to use the city streets around him to trick every single wild beast so he can make it home safely in time for tea. Join Steven on the most dangerous and exciting trip to the grocery store you will ever take.

It is a bright, sunny day, and Mr. Gumpy decides it is the perfect weather for a relaxing ride in his red motor car. He barely makes it out of his lane before all of his friends ask to come along. The children, a rabbit, a cat, a dog, a sheep, some chickens, a calf, and a goat all want a seat. Mr. Gumpy kindly agrees, and they squash tightly together into the car. At first, they chug happily across the grassy fields. But the summer weather suddenly changes, and a heavy rainstorm begins to pour down. The ground turns into slippery mud, and the tires get completely stuck. Mr. Gumpy needs volunteers to help push the heavy car out of the muck, but everyone has a silly excuse for why they cannot help. Find out what happens when this crowded, muddy road trip requires everyone to finally step out and work together.

Shirley is taking a bath, and her mother is busy tidying up the bathroom while reminding her that it is time to get out of the tub. But Shirley is not listening to her mother at all. While the water splashes around her, Shirley has magically floated completely away to a secret, watery kingdom hidden just beyond the plughole. In her incredible imaginary world, she is embarking on a thrilling journey. She meets brave knights riding on brilliant white horses and sees powerful kings and queens floating in moats around grand, ancient castles. Her mother thinks Shirley is just playing with her bath toys, completely unaware of the spectacular royal adventure happening right there in the bathtub. Dive right in and see the amazing things Shirley discovers while simply taking a bath.

Humbert is a hardworking horse who happily pulls a cart for Mr. Firkin, a friendly scrap iron dealer. Humbert loves his daily job, but deep down, he feels a little jealous. He looks at the fancy horses with their shiny coats who get the honor of pulling the Lord Mayor of London's beautiful coach and wishes he could do something that important. Everything changes on the day of the huge city procession. While the crowds are cheering and the parade is moving through the streets, a sudden disaster strikes. The Lord Mayor's magnificent coach completely breaks down, and the entire celebration comes to a halt. It turns out the only horse close enough to save the special day is humble Humbert and his trusty cart. See how an ordinary scrap cart horse becomes the absolute star of the biggest parade in the entire city.

The Hargraves are a very kind but slightly weak and scrawny family. When they have a new baby, they want him to grow up to be big, strong, and tough. The only problem is that their tiny baby is a very picky eater and refuses to eat almost anything they offer him. He stays small and puny until one amazing day. Mrs. Hargraves spots a green avocado sitting in the fruit bowl and decides to mash it up for him. To her absolute shock, the baby gobbles the whole thing down. Almost instantly, the strangest things begin to happen. The baby develops incredible, superhuman strength. Suddenly, this tiny infant is strong enough to move heavy furniture, chase away bullies, and protect his entire family from danger. Get ready for a hilarious, tall tale that proves you should never underestimate the amazing, super powered strength of a healthy green vegetable.

When Georgie finally outgrows his baby crib, he gets to choose a new bed from a dusty second hand shop. The shop owner tells him it is a magical bed, but his granny just laughs and teases him about the silly idea. However, the shop owner was telling the truth. Every single night, all Georgie has to do is whisper the magic word, and his bed instantly whisks him away on a fantastic journey. He flies through the night sky to swim with playful dolphins, hang out with sneaky gnomes, and search for treasure with real pirates. Georgie loves his secret nighttime travels more than anything. But while he is away on a family holiday, his well meaning granny decides to surprise him by throwing out the old bed and buying a brand new one. How will Georgie ever get his amazing, magical adventures back?

Edwardo is actually just a very ordinary boy. Sometimes he can be a little bit clumsy, a little bit messy, and a bit too noisy, just like anyone else. But every time he makes a small mistake, the grown ups around him yell and tell him that he is being very bad. The more people complain and criticize him, the worse Edwardo starts to behave. Soon, he starts doing awful things on purpose, trying hard to earn the terrible title of the horriblest boy in the whole wide world. Just when things cannot get any worse, Edwardo's luck suddenly begins to change. After a series of completely accidental good deeds, people start complimenting him instead of yelling. The praise changes everything. Discover how a few nice words can transform the messiest, noisiest troublemaker into the absolute nicest boy in the whole wide world.

Every single morning, John Patrick Norman McHennessy packs his bag, leaves his house, and sets off down the road to get to school on time. He always hurries, but the most strange and unbelievable things keep happening to him along the way. One day he gets attacked by a crocodile, and another day he is delayed by a giant lion. Because of all these wild interruptions, he is late for class every single day. To make things even worse, his strict teacher, Sir, completely refuses to believe a single word of his crazy stories and punishes him for making up silly excuses. John Patrick tries his hardest to finally make it to school without any delays. But one morning, he manages to arrive perfectly on time, only to discover that a very strange and improbable thing has just happened to his teacher. See how the tables turn in this hilarious school adventure.

Mr. Gumpy lives right next to a peaceful river. One beautifully sunny summer day, he decides it is the perfect time to take his small wooden boat out for a relaxing ride on the water. But as he gets ready to push off, he quickly realizes he will not be traveling alone. First the local children ask to jump in, and Mr. Gumpy kindly agrees as long as they promise not to squabble. Then, a hopping rabbit, a sneaky cat, a bouncing dog, a heavy pig, a bleating sheep, and a flock of chickens all ask to join the trip. Soon, the boat is completely packed with a busy crew of passengers. Everyone is having a wonderful time until the goat starts to kick, the chickens start to flap, and the dog begins to tease the cat. Find out what happens when this crowded little boat suddenly starts to tip over into the water.

Welcoming a new member to the family brings up a whirlwind of exciting and nervous thoughts. You will step into the mind of a young boy who is trying to imagine exactly what life will be like when his new sibling finally arrives. As he waits, his mind fills with questions. What will the baby be called? What will they do together? Do they even really need a baby? You will journey through his vivid daydreams, picturing the baby as a brave sailor, a skilled chef, or a busy banker. This charming story perfectly balances the curiosity and hesitation that comes with becoming an older sibling. It is a warm, deeply reassuring exploration of family changes, filled with affection and wonderful possibilities.