Central Kansas Library System

As spring arrives on Gardam Street, there are surprises in store for each Penderwick, from neighbor Nick Geiger's expected return from the war to Batty's new dog-walking business, but her plans to use her profits to surprise her family on her eleventh birthday go astray.

On Halloween, Melly is invited to Cousin Malberta's home for a surprise, but as she walks there on a beautifully spooky evening, she is followed by increasing numbers of creatures that may actually be frightening.

The elephants decide it's their turn to play a trick on Elmer: all of the animals must pretend to forget his birthday tomorrow! But when the day comes the trick doesn't quite go according to plan. The elephants should have listened to Elmer's friends ... A new tale to celebrate Elmer the Patchwork Elephant's 30th birthday from master-storyteller David McKee, this is the twenty-seventh Elmer storybook!

As final preparations are being made for a long-planned surprise party, Bear gets so excited he nearly ruins everything.

In a story told entirely in similes, Rufus the fox is behaving strangely, but for a very good reason. Includes a definition of simile and suggestions for writing a simile story.

Joan makes a surprise for her little brother, Ben, but in the end, she is the one who is surprised.

A boy finds a mysterious treasure in a junkpile and creates a monster to guard it.

It is SpongeBob's birthday, but everyone seems to have forgotten.

Splat is thrilled when he finds out that Seymour's brother is coming to visit. Splat even stays up all night planning ways to impress his new friend. Although Splat's big surprise takes a calamitous turn, everyone ends up having even more fun than they expected!

Warning readers who dare to open the book that there is a lion hiding inside, this surprising story helps them discover what is really lurking in the pages of this interactive adventure.