Showing results by narrator "John McDonough" in All Categories

Acclaimed historian Edward J. Renehan, Jr. - author of Dark Genius of Wall Street - draws upon previously unreleased documents to deliver the definitive biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt, the 19th-century transportation tycoon who accumulated the largest private fortune in U.S. history.

Old Mr. Putter and old Mrs. Teaberry are neighbors. When Mrs. Teaberry hurts her foot, Mr. Putter and his cat, Tabby, offer to walk her little dream dog, Zeke, for a week. But Zeke is no dream dog. Zeke is a nightmare. On the first day, he drags Mr. Putter and Tabby through the neighborhood. On the second day, he wraps them around trees. On the third day, he chases big dogs until the big dogs turn around and chase them.

Open your eyes to one of the greatest naturalist writers of all time with these two short stories by William H.H. Murray. These stories, featuring John Norton, the trapper, were so well loved, that Murray performed them more than 500 times, on book tours in New England and New York. Written at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, Murray’s stories of the Adirondack wilderness of the 1860s made outdoor activities like hiking and camping popular for the first time.

Jonathan London’s award-winning Froggy books teach young listeners valuable lessons. Froggy can’t wait for his baby brother to arrive. But when the big day comes, Froggy receives quite a shock - instead of a little brother, he has a little sister, Pollywogilina. Ever optimistic, Froggy makes the best of things and soon he’s teaching her how to catch flies. Young listeners and parents will delight as Froggy sets a good example for his little sister

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.

There's going to be a marathon for the town's senior citizens, and Mrs. Teaberry and her dog, Zeke, are ready to join up. To make the race even more fun, she asks her friendly neighbors, Mr. Putter and his cat, Tabby, to join them.

The night before the big soccer game, Froggy is so excited he can’t get to sleep. But morning comes, and he’s ready to go. If the Dream Team beats the Wild Things, they win the City Cup. It’s zap, zeep, znap, and Froggy’s in his uniform. On the way to the game his dad reminds him: "Head it! Boot it! Knee it! Shoot it! But don’t use your hands!" The game starts, and Froggy is on the field. He does some cartwheels, he picks some flowers and his nose. With a minute left to go the game is tied, and the ball is headed straight for Froggy. Can Froggy keep his mind on the game and his hands off the ball long enough to save the day?

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.

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.

Cynthia Rylant explores the beauty and tenacity of life. Life begins small, then grows. There are so many wonderful things about life, both in good times and in times of struggle. Through the eyes of the world's animals - including elephants, monkeys, whales, and more - Cynthia Rylant offers a moving meditation on finding beauty around us every day and finding strength in adversity.

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.

Life is hard for 12-year-old Lucas. First Uncle Asa dies of consumption, then Lizy and Pa. Now Mama is sick. And Lucas is the only one left to take care of her and their Connecticut farm. By the time his neighbor tells him of a strange, new cure, it is too late - Mama has just died. Reeling with sorrow, Lucas wanders until he sees a "help wanted" sign for a doctor's apprentice. He feels better while he is helping to pull teeth, visit the sick, and bury the dead.

Grasshoppers, waterstriders, and fireflies light up the pages of this rib-tickling book of poetry for two voices. Written as spirited duets, the poems ring with the love songs of book lice, the serenades of moths, and a choir of cicadas. Each one is a treat, filled with busy insect life. In addition to the voices of these frisky critters, there are also fascinating tidbits about their lives and habits.

New York Times best-selling author Martin Dugard writes the first account of Columbus’s little-known last voyage. Columbus’ famed 1492 expedition wasn’t his last. After tough times, he was given one more chance. But this voyage didn’t have the fortuitous accidents of 1492. Instead it brought a shipwreck and more violence and mutiny than ever before - pushing an aging explorer to his limit.

People come from near and far to buy Walter’s delicious bread, cookies, and tarts. Everyone agrees he is the best baker in the whole Duchy. The Duke and Duchess love his sweet rolls for breakfast. Every morning, he carries a basketful of warm rolls to their castle. But one day the cat spills the milk he plans to use for the bread dough. What can Walter do? He grabs a pitcher of water and pours it into the flour. Will the Duke and Duchess notice the difference?

While bird-watching in Nowhere Land, Ferocious Beast, Maggie, and Hamilton Hocks are stopped in their tracks. Before them, a most amazing sight: a rabbit struggling to dig up a carrot! "Why is that so amazing" you ask? Well, it’s the carrot of all carrots, the most enormous carrot of all time! Nedley the rabbit refuses their offer of help, even as he grows grumpier with each shovelful of dirt. Soon realizing that there is no way he can accomplish such a humongous task on his own, he accepts help.

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.

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.

The little squeegy bug doesn’t know where he comes from or what he is. He isn’t an ant or a cricket, and he definitely isn’t a flea. He thinks it might be fun to be a bumblebee, because then he’d have silver wings and a stinger. Buzzer the Bumblebee tells the squeegy bug to climb to the sky and find his own silver wings. When the squeegy bug tries, he doesn’t find wings. But he does find two new friends. With help from Creepy the Caterpillar and Haunchy the Spider, the squeegy bug gets more than he ever dreamed of.

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.