Sydney & Taylor and the Great Friend Expedition

Jacqueline Davies & Deborah Hocking

Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: Feb 22, 2022

Sydney and Taylor have been best friends since before they can remember. But how does one make new friends? Taylor wants to try, so Sydney does what any best friend would do: accompany him on his biggest adventure yet! When sincere compliments and gifts of friendship don't lead anywhere, Sydney and Taylor may need to look where they least expect . . .

This hilarious chapter-book buddy story, illustrated with expressive full-color art, highlights the importance of friendships old and new.

Sydney and Taylor Explore the Whole Wide World

Jacqueline Davies & Deborah Hocking

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: Feb 2, 2021

Sydney is a skunk and Taylor is a hedgehog, but no matter how odd the pairing may seem, their friendship comes naturally. They live happily in their cozy burrow…until the day Taylor gets his Big Idea to go see the Whole Wide World. From mountains taller than a hundred hedgehogs, valleys wider than a thousand skunks, to the dangers that lie in the human world, Sydney and Taylor wanted to see it all. With a map and a dream, they bravely set off, soon discovering that the world is much bigger than they realized…

• ★ "With a nod to The Wind in the Willows (not to mention that wink to the author of the All-of-a-Kind Family books), Davies sends an odd-couple pair of animal burrow mates out to explore the “whole wide world.”…Readers of this series kickoff, which lends itself equally well to solo or shared reading, will be eager to see [their next expedition], too."— Booklist, starred review

• Junior Library Guild selection

• Chicago Public Library’s “Best of the Best books of 2021” selection

Max Explains Everything: Puppy Expert

Stacy McAnulty & Deborah Hocking

G.P. Putnam’s Sons: July 7, 2020

Max knows a lot about puppies. After all, he's wanted one his whole life! So he's pretty much an expert. Grown-ups will warn you: Puppies are a lot of work. And they're right! Your puppy will need the perfect bed (which she'll never sleep in), the perfect toys (though she prefers playing with shoes and socks), and the perfect treats (she likes those, but she'll also have whatever you're eating). Dogs aren't good listeners like kids are, and they have a lot to learn. So you might have to take her to doggy school. (Her favorite part will probably be recess.) Yup, a puppy is a big responsibility--but also a lot of fnun, a lot of cute, a lot of cuddle, and a lot of love. Full of humor, energy, and warmth, Max Explains Everything: Puppy Expert is the perfect read aloud for animal lovers everywhere.

Max Explains Everything: Soccer Expert

Stacy McAnulty & Deborah Hocking

G.P. Putnam’s Sons: February 19, 2019

A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book of the Year

• "A simple, funny, and exciting story. McAnulty and Hocking score again." —Kirkus Reviews

• "Very funny. Kids who remember—and parents who are new to experience—that first season . . . will laugh and slap their foreheads over Max’s misplaced enthusiasm, cleverly chronicled by Hocking’s mixed-media artwork and McAnulty’s wry text in the speech bubbles." —BCCB

• "Sports fans and lovers of a good silly picture book will have much to cheer for here." —School Library Journal

• "Max is a relatable hero for readers who like being on the field but whose minds might not be entirely in the game." —Publishers Weekly

Max Explains Everything: Grocery Store Expert

Stacy McAnulty & Deborah Hocking

G.P. Putnam’s Sons: April 10, 2018

A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year

• ★ "A fun romp around the grocery store that kids will relate to and a wonderful read-aloud." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

• “The single greatest breakdown of grocery store shopping you’ll find." --Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production

• "Max bounces through the pages with seemingly boundless energy. Youngsters will appreciate Max’s tips on turning a usually uneventful outing into some serious entertainment." --The Bulletin

• "A charming story about a trip to the grocery store that will resonate with children and adults." --School Library Journal 
  "McAnulty and Hocking breathe fresh new life into the chore by presenting it from the perspective of an irrepressible kid. Playful and relatable." --Booklist

The Great Henry Hopendower

Justin Roberts & Deborah Hocking

G. P. Putnam’s Sons: June 6, 2017

Henry wakes up one bright morning ready to take on the day and find magic! After all, he is the Great Henry Hopendower—an aspiring young magician who learned everything he knows from the very best, his grandpa. Henry has so many favorite memories of his grandfather, including his house with its wobbly cuckoo clock and his famous leaning tower of pancakes that tipped but never toppled. And then there was the day his grandpa gave him a red checkered suit and shared the secret to being a magician: magic is everywhere, you just have to see it. So with Grandpa’s words as his guide, Henry sets off to do the truly impossible.

This heartwarming story is a celebration of the magic that surrounds us all and the people we love most.

• “Even more enchanting than Henry’s magic is Roberts’ gentle way of addressing how Henry handles the loss of his grandfather.”—BCCB

• “[A] sensitive, sweet story about a little boy and his grandfather.”—Booklist 

Build, Beaver, Build! Life at the Longest Beaver Dam

Sandry Markle & Deborah Hocking

Millbrook Press: January 1, 2016

The first year of a beaver kit's life is full of new discoveries and dangers. But the most important lesson the kit learns is how to take care of his family's home. The lodge where he lives is protected by a long dam that many beavers have worked to build over the years. As the kit grows up, he helps repair and add to the family dam--and begins to build a life for himself.

Set at what is believed to be the world's longest beaver dam, Build, Beaver, Build--by award-winning author Sandra Markle--provides a glimpse of beaver life, seen through the eyes of one young beaver and his family.

• Junior Library Guild Selection, 2016