A read and listen book

When a little mouse's treasured Christmas gift is broken, Grandpa consoles her with a toy train from his own childhood.

When the rabbi tells Mendel to get a table for the Chanukah menorah, Mendel makes the task more difficult than it should be.

Presents a biography of Buddha from his childhood to his enlightenment.

Uses large, bright, colored pictures and simple text to provide information on different types of bridges.

Examines old sayings, such as eating an apple to keep the doctor away and holding your breath to cure hiccups, and puts them to the test to see whether doctors and scientists agree these pieces of advice actually work.

Introduces big bugs, scorpions, and spiders including the giant water bug the can kill a frog or fish twice its size. Includes close-up photos of the bugs with insets showing their actual size. Describes what these bugs eat and how they elude their predators.

Explores the levels of life in a pond from the muddy shore to the murky bottom.

Introduces colors, textures, mediums, and art to young students.

Examines the different types of homes animals make, including those of river otters, peregrine falcons, and two-toed sloths.

The year after Grandpa's death, Ben's family spends Christmas in Puerto Rico, where Grandma makes sure the holiday still has some familiar elements while being a little different.