Tasks

The Tooth

Marissa loves candy – maybe too much. When she wakes up with a toothache, her mother takes her to the dentist, and on the way, Marissa notices a man sitting on a grate on the sidewalk to keep warm. So begins a day that Marissa will never forget.

To Be A Drum

Daddy Wes whispers to his two young listeners one morning the story of the ‘drum’, the pulse that has moved through the African people and through time and place.

Thank You, Mr. Falker

Little Trisha is overjoyed at the thought of starting school and learning how to read. But right from the start, when she tries to read, all the letters and numbers just get jumbled up. Her classmates make matters worse by calling her “dummy” and “toad”.

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch

Mr. Hatch is a drab, predictable gentleman who leads a painfully ordered and uninteresting life. One Valentine’s Day a giant candy-filled heart is delivered to Mr. Hatch with a note that reads, “Somebody loves you.”

Sophie’s Masterpiece

Sophie’s no ordinary house spider. She’s an artist; and every web she spins is more wondrous than the one before. But don’t mention that to the guests at Beekman’s Boardinghouse, because they don’t like spiders.

Stellaluna

When Stellaluna is separated from her mother before she is old enough to fly, she finds out that not all winged creatures eat fruit. Swallowing food that crawls is just one of the many amazing things this little fruit bat must learn to do.

Strega Nona

Strega Nona – “Grandma Witch” – is the source for potions, cures, magic and comfort in her Calabrian town. Her magical ever-full pasta pot is especially intriguing to hungry Big Anthony. He is supposed to look after her house and tend her garden, but one day, when she goes over the mountain to visit Strega Amelia, Big Anthony recites the magic verse over the pasta pot, with disastrous results.

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

On a rainy day, Sylvester finds a magic pebble that can make wishes come true. But when a lion frightens him on his way home, Sylvester makes a wish that brings unexpected results. How Sylvester is eventually reunited with his loving family and restored to his true self makes a story that is beautifully tender and filled with magic.

Sebastian’s Roller Skates

Sebastian didn’t talk very much, even though he had a lot to say. Sebastian was shy. He was very shy. But when he finds a pair of old roller skates in the park, he learns how to do much more than skate…

Romeow & Drooliet

Romeow the cat and Drooliet the dog are two star-crossed lovers who meet by chance, marry in secret and are kept apart by a snarling rottweiler, appalled owners and the animal control warden.

Private I. Guana

Leon the chameleon is missing! But Ace detective Private I. Guana is on the case. This engaging adventure will tickle your funny bone.

Please Please the Bees

Life is sweet for Benedict. Every morning he wakes up to find jars of fresh honey on his back porch. He makes honey toast for breakfast, bakes honey cake in the afternoon, and drinks honey tea before bed. But one day, the jars on Benedict’s porch are empty. The bees in his backyard have gone on strike! They are tired of doing all the work around the hive. What can Benedict do to make the bees happy and bring sweetness back to his days?