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Click on a book cover to buy or pre-order the book if available.
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Skeleton Meets the Mummy
by Steve Metzger
Illustrated by Aaron Zenz
When available: Now
Where: Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, your local bookstore, and Scholastic's Firefly Book Club (October '11)
Scritch! Scratch!
Sammy looked back and saw...a MUMMY!
On a chilly Halloween night, Sammy the skeleton is walking through the woods. Uh-oh, someone is following him. Dynamic illustrations from Aaron Zenz (Under the Apple Tree) and lively text make this "spooky" holiday tale a page-turning delight!
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Huggapotamus
by Steve Metzger
Illustrated by Gabriele Antonini
When available: Now!
Where: Amazon.com and Scholastic's Firefly Book Club (September '11)
What planet is the biggest?
Where do wild geese fly?
I want to learn about the world,
I'm curious, that's why!
Albert the hippo loves his friends...maybe a little too much. Will this over-exuberant fellow ever learn to rein in his strong emotions? Hilarious read-aloud is just right for discussions about self-control.
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Give Thanks for Each Day
by Steve Metzger
Illustrated by Robert McPhillips
When available: Now
Where: Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, your local bookstore, and Scholastic's Firefly Book Club
(October '11)
Give thanks for the snowflakes
That fall from above,
For getting together,
With people you love.
Tender rhymes encourage your child to be thankful for the simple joys of life. Perfect for the holiday season...or anytime of year.
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The Dancing Clock
by Steve Metzger
Illustrated by Robert McPhillips
When available: Now
Where: Amazon.com and your local bookstore
In New York City stands Central Park Zoo,
With all kinds of animals, visitors too.
And right by its entrance, each day people flock
To gaze at a beautiful, magical clock.
So begins the rhyming adventure of Milo the snow monkey who only wants to dance with the musical animals of Central Park Zoo's Delacorte Clock. On one special day, Milo gets his chance. But, what happens when Milo becomes stuck behind a locked gate? A rollicking read-aloud inspired by one of New York City's most beloved monuments!
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Detective Blue
by Steve Metzger
Illustrated by Tedd Arnold
When available: Now
Where: Amazon.com. and your local book store
Miss Muffet is missing! Miss Muffet is missing!
Don’t worry. Detective Blue is on the case. A funny cast of characters from your favorite nursery rhymes joins the fun. Tedd Arnold, the award-winning creator of Fly Guy series, is the illustrator.
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I was thrilled to receive a starred review in the July 2011 issue of School Library Journal for "Detective Blue." It's on sale now at Barnes and Noble, your neighborhood independent bookstore, and online at Amazon.com. Here's the review:
 METZGER, Steve. Detective Blue.illus. by Tedd Arnold. unpaged. CIP. Scholastic/Orchard. July 2011. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-17286-8. LC 2010025813.
PreS-Gr 2–Nursery-rhyme characters take on new, but somewhat familiar, roles in this comic-book-style mystery featuring the dedicated flatfoot formerly known as Little Boy Blue. After a typical day starting with cleaning the dish and spoon and making sure Mary’s lamb doesn’t get into school, Detective Blue is approached by a panicked Jack Sprat reporting that Miss Muffet is missing. In panels full of funny details and spoken asides, the gumshoe interviews various denizens of the rhyme scene to track down his quarry. The mystery is solved when a spider reports that Miss Muffet hates curds and whey and went looking for some tasty porridge. Blue finds Miss Goldilocks Muffet fleeing the three bears’ cottage, resulting in a celebratory and satisfying conclusion. Referencing more than 20 nursery rhymes, the madcap mystery will keep children–and adults–intrigued with tiny tips that point the detective and readers in the right direction. The bright, full-color art was created using pencil sketches and Photoshop. Arnold’s typical scribbly and big-eyed characters are a perfect match for the “film joie de vivre” atmosphere (the book is rightly dedicated to Stan Freberg) and even older kids will be unable to resist revisiting favorite rhymes from their childhood. A good bet for most collections. –Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI
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