Showing results by narrator "John McDonough" in All Categories

A baby is found by wood nymphs in the forest of Burzee. They raise him as their own and give him the name Neclaus. When he grows up, Neclaus has to leave the forest so he makes a home for himself in the laughing valley of Hohaha, where he lives amongst humans for the first time. He discovers there that many children are very poor and neglected so, to cheer them up, he whittles wooden toys as gifts. Eventually he makes presents for all the children and so the story of Santa Claus is born.

A final African adventure from the writer whose gimlet eye and effortless prose have brought the world to generations of readers. Journeying alone, in what he feels will be his last African journey, Paul Theroux encounters a world increasingly removed from both the itineraries of tourists and the hopes of post-colonial independence movements. Having travelled down the right-hand side of Africa in Dark Star Safari, he sets out this time from Cape Town, heading northwards up the left-hand side, through South Africa and Namibia, to Botswana, heading for the Congo, in search of the end of the line.

Motor Mouse is a busy little mouse, between driving his delivery car, eating cake, and visiting with friends. Come along with him on his adventures! In "The Friday Cake Day", Motor Mouse and his friend Telly have been looking forward all week to their Friday tradition of eating cake. But when Friday arrives, the Cake Shop is closed. This is not acceptable! In "Going for a Look-About", Motor Mouse hires a cab. In "Front Row at the Picture Show", Motor Mouse and his brother, Vincent, are going to a movie.

What does a little bear wear as he dances and plays his way through a sunny summer day? Young listeners will be fascinated as John McDonough's upbeat narration perfectly delivers this book's lilting, musical rhyme and joyful, exuberant rhythm that make Jesse Bear's day a pleasure for everyone.

Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, like winter. But when the snow is deep outside and there's nothing to do inside, even a cozy winter day can be a little slow. Not for long! When Mrs. Teaberry and her good dog, Zeke, pull two sleds out of the garage, the four friends head for the sledding slope for the wildest ride ever. Maybe winter is not so slow after all!

Award-winning author Jim Murphy whisks you back in time to witness the disastrous 1871 Chicago fire. He depicts the tragedy so vividly, you can almost feel the scorching heat and hear the roar of the blaze as it reduces the bustling city to a smoldering wasteland.

Twelve-year-old Trevor Frederick Ackerman can't stand another summer with his confusing tangle of step-parents, step-brothers, and step-sisters. So instead, his mother sends him to a remote area of New England to stay with two elderly aunts. Despite his initial fears, Freddie finds that he is comfortable in the eccentric aunts' rambling house. Soon, he has made a new friend in the nearby village and, in a mysterious book, he discovers something surprising and wonderful.

This collection of short poems from Newbery Award-winning author Paul Fleischman delightfully celebrates the essence of birds. The companion to Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, its poems feature two voices speaking sometimes together and sometimes in turn. Experience the magic and magnificence of the immortal phoenix. Enjoy the fluttering elation of finches at dawn and the swiftness of swallows at dusk. And empathize with the loneliness of the pigeon in the Cincinnati Zoo.

Long ago, when the world was new, the ostrich's neck was so short that he couldn't reach the succulent berries in the trees, and he had to sit on the ground to eat bugs. All that changed on the fateful day when the crocodile awoke with a terrible toothache that no one dared to help her with - no one, that is, but a naive and compassionate young ostrich. Compromising his own safety to help a needy stranger, he was rewarded with a most amazing surprise.

Theodore Roosevelt was a colorful adventurer, statesman, and president. But he always felt that the most essential role he played was that of father to his six children. In A Bully Father, noted historical editor Joan Paterson Kerr brings together a collection of his letters—spanning the years between 1898 and 1919—which convey all the boundless affection he felt for his family.

It’s Father’s Day and Froggy wants to show his dad how much he loves him. So he flop flops to the kitchen and tries to make his dad breakfast. But Froggy being Froggy, things don’t go exactly as planned. Then it’s off to the mini golf course, where Froggy attempts to hit a hole in one. Maybe he will be blessed by beginner’s luck. Golf balls can take some crazy bounces, though, so Froggy had better be careful. And it also might help if he faced in the right direction when swinging his club!

Includes Isaiah, from the Contemporary English Version published by the American Bible Society.

Painter and writer Calef Brown pours his boundless creative energy into his poetry. In Flamingos on the Roof, Brown crafts 29 nonsense poems conjuring mythic and contemporary images of everything from gatorflies to light-bulb-topped birthday cakes. Kids will revel in the lively wordplay, while parents and teachers will recognize the value in teaching kids alliterative and assonant sounds.

In this fun-filled addition to the series, Froggy is hop-hop-hopping mad when everyone seems to forget his birthday. But then he's treated to a surprise party that has him flop-flop-flopping with glee.

Young Lentil wants to learn to sing, but no matter how hard he tries he can’t sing on key. He can’t even pucker his lips to whistle! So Lentil learns to play the harmonica instead and beautifully carries his tune through the winding streets of Alto, Ohio. Lentil masters his craft just as the beloved Colonel Carter returns to town and the Alto residents decide to plan a special celebration. But Old Sneep, the grouch, doesn’t want anyone celebrating the Colonel’s homecoming. When Old Sneep stops the parade in its tracks, Lentil’s music turns out to be just what Alto needs.

Explore colors with Bear in the first of a new concept picture book series from the New York Times best-selling creators of Bear Snores On. Colors, colors everywhere! Can you find colors just like Bear? Karma Wilson's playful text creatively introduces colors to the youngest Bear fans, who will delight in discovering a rainbow of fun.

A terrible secret is making the Ferocious Beast sit next to the River of Dreams and cry. Maggie and Hamilton Hocks want to help. "Tell us your secret and then you’ll feel better," they urge their sad friend. "Sometimes I get scared," the Ferocious Beast finally admits. But what could frighten a big, ferocious beast? Is it something worse than sea monsters, ghosts, and spaceships from another galaxy? These are the things that scare Maggie and Hamilton, even though they’ve never seen them. But how can they get the Ferocious Beast to tell them his fears?

For the past 50 years, Paul Theroux has travelled to the far corners of the Earth - to China, Africa, the Pacific Islands, Russia, and elsewhere. In Deep South, he turns his gaze to a region much closer to his home. Travelling through North and South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas, he writes of the stunning landscapes he discovers - the deserts, the mountains, the Mississippi - and, above all, the lives of the people he meets.

Froggy is running for president - class president, that is - but so is Frogilina! Wearing a long, presidential-style tie, Froggy presents his platform, which includes 10 snack times per school day and recess all day long. But Frogilina has a platform, too: a search party for lost things, a lunch-sharing program, and a talent show to benefit the school library. Which candidate will voters choose?

Newbery Medal winner Cynthia Rylant is widely recognized for the consistent excellence of her tales for young readers. Her Mr. Putter & Tabby stories have won immense popularity, and the 20th book in the series, Mr. Putter & Tabby Ring the Bell, showcases Rylant at her very best. When Mr. Putter wishes he could go back to school - just for one day - he soon finds that he’ll need a few tricks up his sleeve (pet tricks, that is) to keep the kids entertained.