fiction
PUP IS LOST
Highlights Press, March 15, 2022
ISBN-10 : 1644726823
ISBN-13 : 978-1644726822
Fox can’t find his black-and-white puppy–where could Pup be? In this Level P Highlights Puzzle Reader, kids can join in the search and then find hidden letters throughout the book. The simple text has lots of picture support that will keep readers turning the pages. With a bonus matching activity to reinforce vocabulary, kids will love playing along in this forest adventure.
Highlights Puzzle Readers offer an innovative approach to learning that integrates puzzles and stories to develop motivated, confident readers. These Level P books are perfect for kids just beginning to read simple sentences.
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fictionWAKE UP, BEAR!
Aug
31, 2021 |Filed in:
UncategorizedHighlights Press, March 15, 2022
ISBN-10 : 1644726866
ISBN-13 : 978-1644726860
Bear looks for Duck, his friend who visits each spring, but is Bear up too soon? In this Level P Highlights Puzzle Reader, kids can join in the search and then find hidden letters throughout the book. The simple text has lots of picture support that will keep readers turning the pages. With a bonus matching activity to reinforce vocabulary, kids will love playing along in this forest adventure.
Highlights Puzzle Readers offer an innovative approach to learning that integrates puzzles and stories to develop motivated, confident readers. These Level P books are perfect for kids just beginning to read simple sentences.
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early reader, fiction, pre-readerA HOUSE FOR MOUSE
Illustrated by Clair Rossiter
Highlights Press, April 13, 2021
ISBN: 1644723417
Mouse is looking for a new house, but everything Bear and Squirrel suggest isn’t quite right. In this Level P Highlights Puzzle Reader, readers can join in the search for a house for Mouse and then find hidden letters throughout the book. The simple text has lots of picture support that will keep readers turning the pages, while the puzzle encourages re-reading. With a bonus matching activity to reinforce vocabulary, kids will love playing along in this forest adventure.
Download Bear and Friends bookmarks here!
Read my August 2021 interview in the Courier Tribune!
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early reader, fiction, pre-readerFOX WANTS A PET
Illustrated by Clair Rossiter
Highlights Press, September 21, 2021
ISBN: 164472460X
Fox is looking for a pet, but everything Bear, Mouse, and Squirrel suggest isn’t quite right. In this Level P Highlights Puzzle Reader, kids can join in the search and then find hidden letters throughout the book. The simple text has lots of picture support that will keep readers turning the pages. With a bonus matching activity to reinforce vocabulary, kids will love playing along in this forest adventure.
Download Bear and Friends bookmarks here!
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early reader, fiction, pre-readerA SCARF FOR SQUIRREL
Mar
01, 2021 |Filed in:
Uncategorized Illustrated by Clair Rossiter
Highlights Press, September 21, 2021
ISBN: 164472457X
Bear and Mouse lost the scarf they want to give their friend, Squirrel. In this Level P Highlights Puzzle Reader, readers can join in the search for the scarf and then find hidden letters throughout the book. The simple text has lots of picture support that will keep readers turning the pages. With a bonus matching activity to reinforce vocabulary, kids will love playing along in this forest adventure.
Download Bear and Friends bookmarks here!
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early reader, fiction, picture books, pre-readerWHERE IS BEAR?
Illustrated by Clair Rossiter
Highlights Press, April 13, 2021
ISBN: 1644723387
Mouse and Squirrel can’t find their friend, Bear. In this Level P Highlights Puzzle Reader, readers can join in the search for Bear and then find hidden letters throughout the book. The simple story text has lots of picture support that will keep readers turning the pages, while the puzzle encourages re-reading. With a bonus matching activity to reinforce vocabulary, kids will love playing along with this forest adventure.
Download Bear and Friends bookmarks here!
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early reader, fiction, pre-readerEMERGENCY KITTENS!
Illustrated by Dave Mottram
Random House/Doubleday, January 7, 2020
Got a problem? Having a tough day? Maybe you need… EMERGENCY KITTENS!!!!!
Who needs boring ol’ superheroes who leap giant buildings and run faster than locomotives when your day can be saved by the cuddly, super-cute, full-on feline charm of Mimi, Twee-Twee, and Adorbs, aka EMERGENCY KITTENS!!!
Meet the EMERGENCY KITTENS, a trio of furry, gentle superheroes who come to the rescue with their incredible cuteness when the going gets tough. When bullies steal Sheldon’s ball in the playground, a pack of your usual, everyday, human caped crusaders leaps to the rescue. But when their showy feats of strength and agility fail to impress, some real heroes step in to save the day: EMERGENCY KITTENS!!! With their unending cuteness and unforgivably adorable purrs, this mighty trio of fluffy goodness turns any sticky situation into one of pure cuddles.
Pages of silly, good-natured giggles await any kid who loves superheroes, cats, or really funny read-alouds. And parents and teachers will like the gentle way this story subtly teaches that kindness and cuddles can often solve a problem that strength and muscle cannot.
Free Coloring Pages! Click the image you want.
Reviewers love EMERGENCY KITTENS!
“These kitties will win hearts with a glossy-eyed glance.”—Kirkus
“In Emergency Kittens, readers meet Mimi, Twee-Twee and Adorbs who make everything better. And one look at the cover and it is pretty clear why.
When a group of kids won’t give Sheldon his basketball back, it’s up to this trio of felines to save the day. What is their super power? Even this dog fan is mesmerized by their immense kitty cuteness. Shaffer’s text is so fun and Mottram’s illustrations are utterly adorable.”—Beagles and Books
“When life serves up calamities that even costumed superheroes can’t handle, here come Mimi, Twee-Twee, and Adorbs—all perky ears, huge, HUGE dilated eyes, and radiant preciousness—mewing, “We make everything better!” Case in point: when his basketball bounces by accident into the hands of a trio of smirking bullies, naive young Sheldon first calls on a corps of spandex-clad crimefighters (“To the playground and beyond!”) for help, only to see them flummoxed by their adversaries’ b-ball keep-away skills. But stand back for the Emergency Kittens, who chase and pounce and stare so fetchingly with bottomless eyes that, in no time, Sheldon has his ball back and those punks are dazzled into bully goo. Even hardened skeptics will fall to helpless babbling at each glimpse of the fuzzy felines gamboling through Mottram’s bright suburban scenes. Perhaps not every disaster can be remedied by irresistible cuteness, but for those that can, remember the kittens’ tagline: “We’re always here FUR you!” Awww.” — John Peters, Booklist
“For real, these kitties will save you. And this story will knock you out with its hilarity, wit, and supreme pacing and voice…the first page, which begins the story with what I can only describe as one of the most perfect set ups I’ve ever read…I could read this book aloud over and over again (usually in an action film voice-over style), which is the true test of a picture book’s quality for me. The plot arcs in such a satisfying way (spoiler: the three dynamic heroes help a boy who’s being bullied), and with funny, madcap, and surprising language. And the ending…while it finishes this story, it’s totally apparent there could be other adventures for these Emergency Kittens. I certainly hope so.” —Alli Brydon, Author
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bully, bullying, cats, fiction, kittens, superheroesIT’S A FIELD TRIP, BUSY BUS!
Illustrated by Claire Messer
Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, September 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1534440814
It’s a Field Trip Coloring Sheet
Busy Bus takes a field trip—and becomes a little jealous of a shiny red fire truck—in a warm-hearted sequel to It’s Your First Day of School, Busy Bus! This darling picture book offers a gentle exploration of jealousy and a reminder that we each have our own unique talents that make us special.
Today is Busy Bus’s very first field trip! He takes the children to a fire house, where they meet Engine Four, a big, shiny, red firetruck. Engine Four has a hose to put out fires, a ladder to reach tall buildings, and a loud and impressive siren. Busy Bus has none of these things. Will the children still like him?
“Will an earnest school bus get the recognition it deserves?
Colorful, digitally enhanced lino prints and clear, minimal text tell the tale of a yellow bus, aka Busy Bus, on his first field trip. Unfortunately for Busy Bus, the trip is to a fire station to visit a fire truck. To the bus, the fire truck seems superior in every way; it is red, shiny, and huge, with hoses, a ladder, and a siren. Busy Bus looks close to tears—until the station’s captain mentions that there are some things the fire truck can’t do that Busy Bus can: protect children with a stop arm, carry students to and from school, bring kids on trips. An accessible tale of the pitfalls of invidious comparison and the importance of appreciating differences, this deceptively simple description of the ups and downs of new experiences, first field trips, and the characteristics of different vehicles will especially appeal to toddlers and young preschoolers who love buses and trucks. The children are a diverse crew, and their teacher is a black man—a welcome sight, as is the fact that the (light-skinned) firefighter captain is a woman.
Caregivers will find this to be a good conversation starter on topics such as strengths and weaknesses, insecurity, differences, and competition.” (Picture book. 4-8)
School Library Journal:
“VERDICT Many preschool classrooms have a unit of community helpers, and this satisfying story will be perfect for such a unit.”
Sally James, South Hillsborough Elementary School, Hillsborough, CA , Jul 31, 2019
Full review here.
Unpacking the Power of Picture Books:
“As I wrote this draft and saved it to publish now, I had time to think about the importance of young children developing confidence and agency, how they learn to trust older and more experienced kids and adults. I marveled again at the skill in storytelling and simple imagery that brings BUSY BUS to life as so much more than a machine or a character. BUSY BUS is truly a friend to the reader, and a heroic model for the courage he summons despite his self-doubt.” -Sandy Brehl
Full review here.
Bookroo
It’s a Field Trip, Busy Bus! is a “fabulous book about field trips!” See review here.
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bus, fiction, jealousy, picture books, school bus, sequelIT’S YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, BUSY BUS!
Illustrated by Claire Messer
Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, July 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1481494670
FREE to download
BUSY BUS coloring page
Discussion and Activity Guide
It’s the first day of school! But is Busy Bus ready? Find out in this darling picture book that showcases the excitement and worries little ones experience as they prepare for their first day.
Today is the very first day of school! Busy Bus is excited, but he also has some first-day jitters. Will the children like him? Will he be homesick? What if he gets lost?! Luckily, bus driver Ben knows just what to do to make sure that the school year gets off to a great start.
Praise for BUSY BUS…
School Library Journal – PreS-Gr 1–Although Busy Bus is nervous about meeting the children, Ben the bus driver performs final preparations for the first day by checking the tires, windshield wipers, and other safety precautions to reassure Busy Bus before they pick up the children. The illustrations, created with lino prints, black ink, and digital colors, use rounded shapes and a soft, limited color palette. Each scene takes up the full page spread and the illustrations make good use of white space, especially when framing Busy Bus’s most intense moments of anxiety about whether he will miss home or make new friends. The words and pictures together create the gentle introduction to the school bus and leave readers with the knowledge that Busy Bus is safe, clean, and ready for a great school year. VERDICT An excellent read-aloud for young children, especially during the first weeks of the school year or if children have worries about riding the school bus. – Kelly Topita
Publisher’s Weekly full review is here! “Fans of stories about trucks and how things work will enjoy the behind-the-scenes action at the bus barn…”
Kirkus full review is here! “For vehicle enthusiasts just starting school.”
Youth Services Book Review is here! “A perfect back to school read aloud…This is the perfect addition to back-to -school themed story times or one on one sharing.”
Celebrate Picture Books
Everyday Reading
Unleashing Readers
Everyday Reading
Writing and Illustrating
Kirsti Call
Beagles and Books
Unpacking the Power of Picture Books
Bookworm for Kids
Working Mother
Amazon Book Review
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bus, fiction, first day of school, picture books, school busAbout
Jody Jensen Shaffer (SHAY-fur) is an award-winning poet and the author of more than 90 books of fiction and nonfiction for children, including Creep, Leap, Crunch! A Food Chain Story (2026 Bill Martin Jr. Picture Book Award nominee, 2025-2026 Show Me Award/Missouri prelim nominee, Oklahoma’s 2025 Donna Norvell masterlist, 2024 NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book, 2024 Crystal Kite Winner, 2024 CYBILS Award Finalist Elementary Nonfiction, “Best of 2023” Pennsylvania School Librarians, SLJ starred review), The Last Day Julian was My Best Friend (2025 Crystal Kite Winner, Betsy Bird’s Best of 2024 Readalouds List), Porcupine Had a Fuzzy Sweater (2026-2027 finalist Missouri Show Me Award), Prudence the Part-Time Cow (Missouri Show Me Award finalist, National Book Festival pick), A Chip Off the Old Block (Iowa Goldfinch Award nominee, Amazon Teachers’ Pick), It’s Your First Day of School, Busy Bus! (Amazon best seller and Book Box pick), Sometimes I am Hot Lava, and more. Jody’s poetry and fiction have been published in magazines like Highlights, Ladybug, and Clubhouse Jr. Jody lives in Liberty, Missouri, with her family. When she’s not writing, Jody can be found spending time with family, walking her rescue dog, Sophie, and cheering on the Chiefs and Royals. You can find Jody online at jodyjensenshaffer.com, on Twitter and BlueSky @jodywrites4kids, and on LinkedIn.
Proudly represented by @casahasegawa of @the_t2_agency. You can reach Carter at carter@tugeau2.com.
From Jody:
I grew up the youngest of three kids in a northern Missouri college town, where my dad taught anatomy and physiology and my mom taught at the local elementary school. I earned my Bachelor’s in English from William Jewell College and my Master’s in English from Truman State University. After 12 years in the business world, I left to raise my children, and that’s when I fell in love with children’s literature.
10 random facts about me:
1. I am endlessly fascinated by the natural world.
2. I try to walk for exercise most days.
3. I like dogs. A LOT.
4. I am a member of two long-term writing groups. We give each other feedback to make our stories better.
5. I prefer a hoodie over a sweater, tennis shoes over heels.
6. The one food I can’t live without is peanut butter! Yum!
7. I love laughing and funny people and things.
8. I can sing the names of the 50 states in alphabetical order and the preamble to the constitution.
9. I remember the exact moment I learned how to read.
10. I loved being a kid.