Sometimes you can say a lot without saying anything at all. In this utterly charming wordless picture book, a little girl and her dog find a bird that has fallen out of its nest and cannot fly. They take the bird home and a wonderful friendship blossoms. Then one day, the little bird discovers its wings and flies out the window. The girl and her dog run back to the forest only to find that the little bird has joined a colorful flock of parrots. They return home, happy in the knowledge that their friend has made it home, as well. This 32-page hardcover book was illustrated by Tina Burke.

Where does honey come from and how is it made? Kids can follow along with this young Japanese girl as she spends the day with her beekeeping father in the mountains where he keeps his hives. Learn how the bees collect nectar, how it is turned into honey, and how the honey is collected to end up on the table. This 28-page book was written by Yumiko Fujiwara and illustrated by Hideko Ise.

Harvey’s team always loses. Professor Gertie, Harvey’s neighbor, can’t really understand it, but her game–winning inventions for The Team just haven’t helped. (Her Bouncy Boots were too bouncy and her Smoke Machine was too smoky.) Now she thinks she has the perfect solution: Mark 1, the Soccer Machine. He has a metal body covered with Squidgy Skin, a top speed of 45 miles per hour — and he’s programmed to win! But will this latest invention really work? Can The Team actually win? This 84-page book, from Australia, was written by David Bedford and illustrated by Keith Brumpton.

It’s a book about dinosaurs … with a hole in it that kids or adults can fit their face in. The pages depict dinosaurs who (in one easy to read—except the names—line) tell what they like to eat. From the fern-loving Diplodocus to the dino-loving T-Rex, each page gives the name and eating habits of another animal. The hole? That’s right where the dinosaur’s face is, so readers look pretty silly and have a lot of fun.

Kane/Miller Book Publishers is committed to introducing children to the world through imaginative books at home. Their goal is to educate children about the similarities and differences between cultures worldwide. They offer many foreign children’s book that perfectly illustrates the commonalities shared by children everywhere. Chih-Yuan Chen’s “Guji Guji” first appeared in Taiwan, but will be available to American readers September 1, 2004. Guji Guji feels like the ugly duckling when others point out how different he was from his family. He learns that family is not about sameness, but about the sense of belonging. The story teaches self-esteem and the importance of family, values shared cross-cultures. It has full color illustrations with a hardcover dust jacket. For ages 5-9. $15.95.