Ahoy Matey! Jump aboard and set sail with an adventurous group of pirates. With fun facts about ships and notorious pirates from around the world, along with a catchy singalong, this vibrantly illustrated story will become a beloved treasure of your child!

This poem, through the exchanges between a little Chinese girl and her mother, celebrates the bond between parent and child in a special way. Text royalties will be donated to Mother Bridge of Love, a charity that reaches out to Chinese children worldwide in order to develop a connection between China and the West, and between adoptive culture and birth culture. The charity was founded by Xinran, the acclaimed Chinese author, broadcaster and journalist. This book is illustrated by Josée Masse. “The poem celebrates the love of both mother and adoptive mother,” Melisa Schulman of Barefoot Books told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2007.

A landmark in the translation of French poetry, these translated fables will entertain and bestow upon kids important life lessons.  Award-winning translator Ranjit Bolt has chosen the cream of La Fontaine’s fables, presenting each entry in lyrical, witty and light-hearted verse.  This 64-page book features full-color illustrations by Giselle Potter.  Launch date: September 2006.
— Barefoot Books, especially fairy tale titles, are best sellers at Toys in the Attic in Manchester, Vt., Owner Lynn Robillard told TDmonthly in summer 2007.

With blessings for everyday events from dawn until dusk, for special activities, and for specific times of the year, this exquisite collection offers children and their parents a simple and practical way of bringing a sense of the sacred into their lives. Olwyn Whelan’s beautiful and intricate illustrations enrich Sabrina Dearborn’s thoughtful and touching selection, making this a book that will become a keepsake for generations. Launch date: Spring 2007.

What if your pencil were the size of a crocodile, or just one pea filled your whole tummy? And what if no one would listen to you? Well, that's what happens to Sam in this book by Miriam Latimer. What will stop him from disappearing altogether?

This book includes a catchy sing-along CD featuring Fred Penner so that kids can sing around the planet, from high in the mountains to low in the valleys, in every town and every city, and with all the fish and birds, trees and flowers. A percentage of sales from this title benefits global conservation. The book is illustrated by Christopher Corr and is featured in the February 2008 issue of "O the Oprah Magazine."

There is so much in store on this incredible journey — enormous statues and temples, the legendary Sphinx, tombs and mummies and, of course, the Great Pyramids. With seven exciting destinations, a god or goddess on each page, and informative notes at the end, little readers will be Egypt experts in no time. The book is written by Laurie Krebs and illustrated by Anne Wilson.

Readers will learn about the habitats of many animals as they travel around the world meeting all sorts of creatures in their natural environments. While hopping with kangaroos and swinging with monkeys, can a child find the tiny spider spinning its way through every page?

Kids can sing along with Fred Penner on the included CD as they follow four children from different countries, each getting ready for school. The pictures will tell readers about different ways of life in Europe, Mali, India and China. The book is illustrated by Sophie Fatus.

Written by Stella Blackstone and illustrated by Caroline Mockford, this book helps kids discover the colors with help from Cleo. The poetic rhyming journey will teach youngsters how to recognize and create colors on their own.

Written by Stella Blackstone and illustrated by Debbie Harter, this book delights children with a story and colorful images about a dragon, a crocodile, a gorilla and other creatures storming through the house. The included singalong CD features vocalist Fred Penner. Children ages 5 and up can read this book independently. Launch date: September 2006.

This seek-and-find book is full of things to look at and talk about as readers journey through the changing year. It teaches about the seasons and different kinds of calendars throughout the ages. It is written by Stella Blackstone and illustrated by Maria Carluccio. A Changing Seasons Matching Game is separately available as a companion to this book. Children ages 5 to 9 can read this book independently.Jeanne Nicholson, group branding and publicity manager for Barefoot Books, told TDmonthly that quality sets the company apart. “We don’t put out that many books each season, so we spend a lot of time sourcing perfect illustrators to go with the text.” Launch date: August 2006.

Award-winning author Joanne Oppenheim and illustrator Miriam Latimer tell this delightful tale about a Prince who just can’t sleep, despite everyone’s coming to the palace to lend a hand. The King and Queen are at their wits’ end, but will the strange old woman at the palace gate hold the key to the Prince’s slumber? Children ages 6 and up can read this book independently. Launch date: September 2006.

After ten long years, the Trojan War has finally ended, and it is time for the hero Odysseus to set sail for his homeland. But what Odysseus thinks is the end of this long absence is truly only the beginning. Storytellers Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden breathe new life into Homer’s classic story, and Christina Balit’s magnificent illustrations share in the adventure. Ages 8 and up can read this book on their own. Launch date: September 2006.

“Storytime” presents seven of the world’s best folk tales, each retold in a way that welcomes reading aloud. Brimming with color, action and adventure, this lively collection features many classic characters, providing a perfect stepping-stone into the land of art and story. It is authored by Stella Blackstone and illustrated by Anne Wilson. Children ages 5 and up can read this book on their own. Launch date: September 2005.

Written by Laurie Krebs and illustrated by Christopher Carr, this book shows young readers that in Mexico, you can swim in turquoise seas, admire gray whales and monarch butterflies, sing and dance to the music of mariachi bands, and trek to native villages. The colorful rhyming adventure teaches simple Spanish words and phrases, plus fun facts about life in Mexico. Children ages 4 and up can read this book on their own. Launch date: March 2006.

Written by Stella Blackstone and illustrated by Siobhan Bell, this book explores shapes on a ship and on the sea as children go for a ride in search of jewels and treasure. Children ages 4 to 7 can read this book on their own. Launch date: March 2006.

Written by Sally Crabtree and illustrated by Sonia Esplugas, this book takes children on a fun and colorful train ride and includes a singalong CD. Children ages 4 to 7 can read this book on their own. Launch date: March 2006.

This poetic tour of the solar system takes kids to volcanoes on Venus and seas on Jupiter while teaching facts about outer space and the night sky. It combines adventure, science, and mythology, and even comes with a poster of the solar system. It is written by Theresa Heine and illustrated by Victor Tavares. Children ages 5 to 7 can read this book on their own. Launch date: March 2006.

In this book written by Stella Blackstone and illustrated by Clare Beaton, children can discover dinosaurs or all shapes and sizes, from the spiky Stegosaurus to the tremendous Tyrannosaurus Rex. As they travel back in time and meet all sorts of interesting creatures, they can search for the snail hidden on every page. Children ages 5 to 7 can read this book on their own. Launch date: September 2005.

This fun book by Margaret Read MacDonald is illustrated by Sophie Fatus and comes with a singalong CD featuring Bob King. The story is inspired by a Chilean folktale, and helps develop reading, listening and singing skills. Children ages 5 to 7 can read this book on their own. Launch date: September 2006.

Written by Dawn Casey and illustrated by Anne Wilson, this traditional tale follows 13 animals as they gather at the river to join in the Emperor’s race. Who will win the ultimate honor of having the first year of the new calendar name after them? This book teaches about the Chinese calendar and the festivals and animals associated with it. Ages 4 to 8 can read this book along with someone else, and ages 6 to 10 can read it alone. Launch date: September 2006.

Compiled and illustrated by Jackie Morris and introduced by Carol Ann Duffy, this hardback collection traces our journey through life from birth to old age in the spirit of Shakespeare’s famous lines. Featured poets include John Milton, Lord Byron, Eleanor Farjeon, Robert Frost, and Marianne Moore. “This beautifully illustrated collection contains the works of some of the finest poets in the English language,” Jeanne Nicholson of Barefoot Books told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 2006.

Moose may be shy, but if children keep on the lookout, they just might find one. Readers will learn about the animals and the changing seasons, and even ages 5 and under can read along with someone. “This journey to the far north contains a fun quest for a moose, but also includes important educational endnotes about the wildlife and habitats found in the story,” Jeanne Nicholson of Barefoot Books told TDmonthly. It received the 2007 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award. Launch date: September 2006.

Authored by Stella Blackstone and fabric-illustrated by Clare Beaton, this story is a rhyming underwater adventure that explores the coral reef. This book introduces young readers to underwater vocabulary and even includes five pages of underwater education about coral reefs, sea creatures and the life of a seahorse. Children ages 4-7 may read it alone, while ages 0-4 may want to hear it read aloud.