Follow scientists as they scan the Alaskan wilderness for these magnificent creatures. It is springtime on the North Slope of Alaska, and the U.S. Geological Survey team—the polar bear biologists Kristin Simac and Mike Lockhart—is gearing up for polar bear capturing. During a capture, all information is collected on the sea ice. The scientists locate bears from a helicopter, tranquilize them, give them tattoo ID numbers and tags, and collect data such as height, weight, and body fat measurements and samples such as blood, hair, feces, and even teeth. All this information goes into a large database studied by scientists such as Drs. Steven Amstrup and George Durner, the former and current leaders of the Polar Bear Research Project. For more than forty years, scientists have been capturing bears in order to get information. What has this information been telling scientists about polar bears and global warming?

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If I Ran the Dog Show
By Tish Rabe, $8.99 (hardcover), Random House, ISBN 978-0375866821 

In this latest installment of the Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library,the Cat and Co. attend the Short-Shaggy-Tail-Waggy Super Dog Show, a strictly Seussian-style event where readers learn—among other things—that dogs are mammals who vary wildly in size and shape; the difference between purebreds and mutts (who are both featured throughout); how tails help dogs to balance; that they can see better in dim light than we can; the amazing things they’ve been trained to do; and much, much more.
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Ted and Me

By Dan Gutman, $15.99 (hardcover), HarperCollins, ISBN 978-0061234873

Stosh should have figured that the FBI would find him eventually.Now they’ve turned up on his doorstep—and they know all about his ability to travel through time using baseball cards. In fact, they want to send him back in time on a mission: to warn President Roosevelt about the attack on Pearl Harbor!

But when Stosh finds out that his “ticket” back to 1941 is a Ted Williams card, he starts planning a mission of his own. Williams is one of the greatest hitters of all time—even though he lost almost five years of his career to serve in the Marines. How many more home runs would the Splendid Splinter have hit if he had those years back? What if Stosh can prevent the attack on Pearl Harbor and convince Williams not to serve in the military?

Sometimes you can change history. Sometimes history can change you.

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Katy Duck Makes a Friend
By Alyssa Capucilli, $3.99, Simon and Schuster, ISBN 9781442419766

Dancing diva Katy Duck and her new neighbor Ralph must find a way to play together in this all-new Level 1 Ready-to-Read!When Katy Duck and her family get new neighbors, Katy can hardly wait to show off her dance moves. She is ready to curtsy, twirl and leap! Tra-la-la. Quack, quack! But when Katy’s new neighbor turns out to be a rough-and-tumble boy named Ralph, this dancing duck diva starts to wonder if she and Ralph will ever be able to have fun TOGETHER when their interests are so far apart.

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Ride, Fly Guy, Ride
By Tedd Arnold, $6.99, Scholastic, ISBN 9780545222761

The New York Times-bestselling Fly Guy series goes on an action-packed adventure by boat, train, plane, and beyond!

Dad takes Fly Guy and Buzz for a car ride, but in a funny and wacky turn of events, Fly Guy is blown out of the car window and into a passing truck, where he lands in the driver’s mouth! The driver spits him out, and Fly Guy tumbles onto a boat. Fly Guy then winds up on a circus train with an elephant and then an airplane … and he just misses taking off with a rocket ship!

This easy-to-read adventure concludes with Buzz, Dad, and Fly Guy returning home on a bike. Fly Guy loves RIDEZZZ!

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SHOWOFF
By Gordon Kormon, $16.99, Scholastic, ISBN 978-0545320597

The fourth SWINDLE book, centering around a dog show that goes horribly awry!

The heroes of SWINDLE, ZOOBREAK, and FRAMED are back – and this time, things have gone to the dogs! When Luthor goes berserk at a mall dog show, he’s accused of ruining the career of the three-time best-in-show beagle. Griffin always knew that Luthor’s viciousness was simmering just below the surface – so why does he feel bad enough to spring him from the pound?

Griffin and his team have a new plan. This one involves New York City, a sinister saboteur, a reclusive dog-trainer who’s quit the business, an international dog show, and a whole lot of red dye. But if they pull it off, no one will even notice their sting operation…right?

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UnBEElievables: Honeybee Poems and Paintings
By Douglas Florian, $16.99, Simon and Schuster, ISBN 978-1442426528

The buzz is big for Douglas Florian’s new poetry collection about the unBEElieveably unique lives of honeybees—and the vital role they play in our ecosystem.Come inside the honeycomb—a busy, buzzy, bee-filled home—and learn about the unexpected wonders of these tiny insects’ lifestyles, families, and communities. In fourteen funny, fact-filled honeybee poems and paintings, Douglas Florian explores the natural history of these often-unappreciated critters, revealing them to be a totally cool—and totally important—part of our ecosystem. Indeed, these buzzy bugs have been in the spotlight lately as wild bee populations are dwindling, honey prices are rising, and beekeeping has become a popular hobby.

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Poem Runs: Baseball Poems
By Douglas Florian, $16.99, Houghton Mifflin, ISBN 978-0547688381

From the first pitch to the last out and all nine innings between, Douglas Florian’s collection of baseball poems brings wordplay, wit, and laughter to America’s springtime tradition. Featuring a mean-armed pitcher, a daisy-picking right fielder,
and a lightning-swift base stealer, Poem Runs combines irresistible language and Florian’s signature child-friendly, bold illustration style in this celebration of the magic of baseball.

 

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Biscuit Plays Ball
By Alyssa Capucilli, $3.99, HarperCollins, ISBN 978-0061935022

The game is about to begin. Biscuit is excited to be at the ball game, but no dogs are allowed in the game itself. He doesn’t want to just watch, though—Biscuit wants to play ball, too! Can the determined puppy find a way to join in the fun?

Perfect for the youngest of readers—and for anyone who has ever wanted to play along with the big kids—Biscuit’s newest adventure will prove supremely satisfying.

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The Art of Miss Chew
By Patricia Polacco, $17.99, Penguin, ISBN 978-0399257032

After spending the summer with her artist grandmother, Trisha knows she wants to be an artist, too. She’s thrilled when her sketches get her into Miss Chew’s special art class at the high school. A substitute teacher tells her she’s wasting time on art when she should be studying – but fortunately, this is one battle that Miss Chew and Trisha are up for!

This true story shows just how important a teacher can be in a child’s life – and celebrates the power of art itself.
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All for Me and None for All
By Helen Lester, $16.99, Houghton Mifflin, ISBN 978-0547688343

A book about sharing for one and all! Gruntly is a hog—a ball hog, a snack hog, a treasure hog! He doesn’t share his toys with his pals and, in fact, helps himself to theirs! And when Gruntly finds out about Saturday’s treasure hunt, he can’t wait for the first clue so that he may be the one to find the treasure and keep it . . . all for himself.

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