"A picture book about moving to a new house and making new friends"--

Itâ??s Lennyâ??s first day at playschool and heâ??s a bit nervous. Mum takes him there, and he meets a little girl called Lucy, who looks after him. Lenny and Lucy sing a song, do some drawing, ride the tricycles and play with a ball. Then, after a drink of juice itâ??s time for a story. When itâ??s time to go home Lenny wants to stay a bit longer to play with his new friend. And he canâ??t wait to come back tomorrow.

'This house is not as good as our old house,' said Peter. 'I want to go back.' But no one heard except for Harold, the dog. Neither of them slept that night, in their room overlooking the unfamiliar woods. What Peter did next, and how he kept the dark on the other side of the bridge, make a magical story of friendship and resilience.

"Ten-year old Lenny wants to save his home, Roseville, Louisiana, from the sinkhole that threatens to destroy it. His mother, Mari-Rose, unable to cope and dreaming of a better life, has abandoned him. His father, Jim, has returned from war suffering from PTSD. Lenny is homeless, sleeping rough in the bayou swampland, and his only true friends in the world are young Lucy Albert, the lonely town librarian, and long-retired schoolteacher Miss Julie Betterdine Valéry - who is still waiting on the return of her husband, Stanley, sent to war in Korea in 1952. Travelling between two storylines - the first taking place in 2011 in the Ubari Sand Sea in Libya, the second along the banks of False River, Louisiana, when the ripple effects of the Great Recession, pollution, environmental destruction and the rapidly rising waters are causing whole towns to empty out all along the Bayou, LENNY is a story about how we treat our planet and each other. It examines the nature of time and reality, conflict, family and love, and explores how hope and imagination can save us."--

Lenny and Mel kick off their incredible summer vacation by doing something huge, something they haven't done since last summer: nothing. They loaf. They doze. They dig into the fridge and come up with new and exciting lunch foods. They're bored -- and it's great! Then August hits, and it's time to go to the cabin. This means piling into the car with Grandma and their parents at the crack of dawn, and driving miles away to breathe fresh air, climb trees, and play with sticks. Yuck. Dad says it'll be an "adventure." But Lenny and Mel know this is parent code for "bad stuff." Why can't they just do what they want this summer?

Cynthia Rylant and Brendan Wenzel explore 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. Brendan Wenzel’s stunning landscapes and engaging creatures make this an inspiring and intriguing gift for readers of all ages.

Peter and his father are moving to a new house beyond the dark unfriendly woods. When they arrive at their new home, Peter wants to turn back. Fortunately, he has Harold for company, but Harold is just a dog and can't help Peter. Scared of the things hidden in the woods, Peter makes a tall pile of pillows. He stitches and sews. He pushes and pulls. And when he is done, he has Lenny, Guardian of the Bridge, to protect him and Harold. Lenny is a good guard but Peter worries that Lenny will get lonely out by the woods all by himself, so he makes Lucy, who is a good friend. Together, Lenny, Lucy, Peter, and Harold discover that this new place isn't so scary after all. --