Summer Reading 2024

It's time for bed, but Natsumi has a brilliant idea, even better than going to sleep: She'll pretend to be something and Mom will guess what she is! Ready? Is she a caterpillar? An arrow sign? An upside-down bug?

Nose picking? Nail biting? Wiping dirty hands on clothes? Before you call them "bad manners," consider the compelling reasons that may be behind these behaviors. For instance, jumping on the bed is great practice for when the road becomes a trampoline! Not being able to sit still might actually be the chair's fault! And what better way to train for the International Straw Chewing Contest than by chewing on straws?

Akira has a problem: He is too small to open packages by himself. He still needs grown-ups to help him. But one day, perhaps one day soon, he'll be able to open so many things without anyone's help--and not just packages. When that time comes, he'll make amazing discoveries and maybe even save the day with his new skills. There is so much to look forward to!

What can you do with a rubber band? You can do everyday things, like keep it close when you sleep or bring it along at bath time. And you can do exciting, unexpected things, like use it to bungee jump out of a plane or to grab a snack. With a special object of your very own, the possibilities are as limitless as your imagination!

Getting dressed and undressed can be difficult, especially for little ones. While getting ready for a bath one evening, a little boy gets stuck in his clothes. He panics and starts to fear what life would be like if he never got unstuck. How will he play outside? How will he stop the cat from tickling his tummy? It's good thing that Mom is around to help. But when it's time to put on his pajamas, the boy finds himself with a whole new problem . . .

What does the future hold? This question can be daunting - or delightfully promising! It's all about perspective, and wading past the bad to embrace the possibility of good.