These books were illustrated by John Manders, and they are available for purchase.

Minnie’s Diner: A Multiplying Menu
by Dayle Ann Dodds

Down on the farm one morning, Papa McFay orders his sons to hop to their chores. But from Minnie’s kitchen wafts a smell that gets the boys itchin’, and one by one, they succumb to the call of that sweet aroma. Each brother arrives at Minnie’s twice as hungry as his brother before — and looking for twice as much grub. Now what will happen when Papa McFay finds out his sons are gone and the chores are not done? The boys will be in double trouble for sure!

Jack and the Giant Barbecue
by Eric A. Kimmel

Jack’s late daddy once made the the best barbecue in West Texas, until a giant stole his recipe book. Jack is determined to find that greedy old giant and get those recipes back! With a little bit of strength, the help of an unlikely jukebox, and a whole lot of luck, Jack outwits the giant and opens his own barbecue shack.

The Really Awful Musicians
by John Manders

Once upon a time music sounded so bad that the king decreed a ban on musicians. Each one by himself wasn’t so bad, but when one’s too fast, one’s too slow, one’s too loud and one’s too quiet, together they sounded really awful. Get ready for hungry crocodiles, mail-clad men-at-arms, a daring escape from the kingdom, five unharmonious musicians & a horse who invents musical notation!

The Year Without a Santa Claus
by Phyllis McGinley

The elves, the reindeer and the children around the world are upset when Santa Claus unhitches his sleigh and vows he is taking a holiday. But one boy comes to Santa’s rescue. “Santa deserves a holiday,” he says. “It’s a day to give as well as to get.” And so the children send presents to Santa—and their kindness makes him so happy that he jumps into his sled and away he goes on his Christmas journey!
Ages: 6 to 9 years

Such a Prince
by Dan Bar-el

Will poor, scrawny Marvin win Princess Vera’s heart? An opinionated, love-starved princess. Her status-conscious parents. Two muscular, but rude, hunks. Their kind, thoughtful brother. Three not-so-perfect peaches. An impossible challenge.

Pete & Fremont
by Jenny-Tripp

Pete the poodle, the biggest star in the Circus Martinez, comes nose to nose with the new attraction, a supersized grizzly bear named Fremont. This story is full of daredevil schemes, legendary letdowns, and stunning victories.
Ages: 8 to 12 years

The Perfect Nest
by Catherine Friend

Jack the cat builds the perfect nest to attract the perfect chicken. But what he attracts is more than he bargained for!

Fergus and the Night-Demon
by Jim Murphy

Haunting humor and highly spirited, suspenseful and clever. Come along on an adventurous evening of fun with Fergus O’Mara.

2007 Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year

Henry & the Buccaneer Bunnies
by Carolyn Crimi

Aboard a ship called the Salty Carrot sails a wild, rowdy band of Buccaneer Bunnies. Their leader, Barnacle Black Ear, is the baddest bunny brute of all time, but his son refuses to perform his proper pirating duties. Henry would rather read books than shout “Shiver me timbers!” or make prisoners walk the plank — even if it means he has to swab the decks as punishment. But when a crashing, bashing, thrashing wildcat of a storm threatens the Salty Carrot and its crew, will Henry and his landlubbin’ library save the day?

Humphrey, Albert, and the Flying Machine
by Kathryn Lasky

Humphrey and Albert think Princess Briar Rose’s party is bo-o-oring–after all, everyone falls asleep! But when the brothers are the first to awake nearly one hundred years later, they realize the royal court has been enchanted–and only a kiss can wake up the princess and break the curse. Refusing to do any smooching (Yech!), they go in search of a handsome prince. Instead, they find Daniel Bernoulli, inventor of an incredible flying machine. But can the curse be broken by an ordinary inventor?

In this hilariously fractured fairy tale, science comes to the rescue!

Prancing, Dancing Lily
by Marsha Diane Arnold

The cows in Lily’s herd are always dignified as they walk from the barn to the pasture. But Lily would much rather prance and dance! One day Lily decides to leave the farm and venture out on her own.

All over the world-from New York City to Spain to Senegal-Lily learns new dances and makes wonderful friends. But none of the dances are quite right for a cow, and soon Lily starts to miss home. Will she ever find a place where she fits in?

Spirited, funny, and utterly uplifting, Prancing, Dancing Lily is sure to delight anyone who has ever felt different from the herd.

Lewis and Clark: A Prairie Dog for the President (Step into Reading)
by Shirley Raye Redmond

In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson sends Lewis and Clark out west to explore. He tells them to make maps. He tells them to draw pictures and collect plants. Most importantly, he tells them to send presents! What kind of present is good enough for a president? Beginning readers will truly enjoy reading about this fun and little-known slice of American history.

Senor Don Gato: A Traditional Song
by Anonymus

Oh, Señor Don Gato was a cat.
On a high red roof Don Gato sat. . . .

When Señor Don Gato receives an ardent love letter from the fluffy white lady cat, a dramatic chain of events is set into motion. There’s a tragic fall off the roof, a heart-rending death scene, a village thrown into mourning for its fallen hero . . . and then love, returned to life and triumphant. Lively and full of fun, John Manders’s illustrations capture delightful details of Spanish architecture and customs, while a costumed cast of cats acts out the well-known children’s song with comically melodramatic flair.

What You Never Knew About Fingers, Forks, & Chopsticks (Around-the-house History)
by Patricia Lauber

Stone Age people invented the first knives…and also the first spoons.
In the Middle Ages the first books of manners told readers to wipe their greasy fingers on the tablecloth. And in 1669 King Louis XIV ordered that table knives should have rounded ends because there’d been too many stabbings.

In What You Never Knew About Fingers, Forks, & Chopsticks, Patricia Lauber and John Manders serve up a hilarious and informative look at how ways of eating and manners have changed through the ages.

What You Never Knew About Tubs, Toilets, & Showers (Around-the-house History)
by Patricia Lauber

From the creators of What You Never Knew About Fingers, Forks, & Chopsticks, an informative tale tells how the modern bathroom came to be through lively text and bold illustrations.

What You Never Knew About Beds, Bedrooms, & Pajamas (Around-the-House History)
by Patricia Lauber

With an illustrated time line of how the world’s been waking up since the dawn of time, a well-researched nonfiction title by a celebrated team goes under the covers to explore beds, bedrooms, and pajamas since the Stone Age. By the creators of What You Never Knew About Fingers, Forks, and Chopsticks.

Clarence the Copy Cat
by Patricia Lakin

Clarence has finally found a home in the town library, but will he be ousted when the librarian discovers his uselessness as a mouser?
Clarence may be a cat, but he’s a peace-loving cat–definitely not a mouser. This gets him evicted from his parents’ home at Sam’s Sandwich Shop. Sadly, other storekeepers shoo him away too, as soon as a dreaded m-o-u-s-e appears. Poor Clarence just can’t find a place without mice….

Quiet Night
by Marilyn Singer

It’s a quiet night in the woods, and a group of campers is asleep. That is, until one frog, two owls, three geese, four fish, and a host of rambunctious animals get together to create a symphony of sounds—and enough mischief to wake even the soundest of sleepers. Honk-honk, whap-slap—what a noisy night! This cumulative counting book adds up to plenty of fun, as young readers look for the cleverly hidden critters within each lively illustration.

Dirt Boy
by Erik Jon Slangerup

To avoid taking a bath, Fister Farnello runs away from home and is befriended by Dirt Man, a filthy giant who lives in the woods. By the illustrator of Z Is for Zombie.