Lars, the little polar bear, dreams of flying like the seagulls he watches. One day he meets a lost puffin whose wings are sticky with oil. Lars takes the bird to the hot springs where they discover a red hot air balloon. At last, it seems Lars's dream of exploring the sky is about to come true. Full color.
A soaring love story set in Napoleonic France This irresistible literary debut novel was inspired by the life of Sophie Blanchard, one of the first women to fly. In Paris, a young widow inherits her late husband’s considerable debts, as well as his celebrated hydrogen balloon. Drawn by the allure of flight despite its dangers, Sophie takes to the skies with a boldness that wins her fame throughout the country. Along with her new celebrity, Sophie wins the love of two very different men: one, her faithful childhood friend Andre Giroux, and the other a brash young Napoleon Bonaparte, soon to be emperor of France. Beautifully written and enriched with seven historical etchings, The Little Balloonist distills themes of love, freedom, and loyalty into a powerful tale that brings to mind bestselling historical fiction like Silk by Allessandro Baricco and I Was Amelia Earhart by Jane Mendelsohn. BACKCOVER: “Exquisite and beautiful . . . It will break your heart and take your breath away.” —National Book Award–winning author Lily Tuck “Delightful. . . . Glimpses of the history of primitive flight, tales of high romance and juicy anecdotes about Napoleon make this sweet novel soar. . . . Charming and smart—singularly high-spirited historical fiction.” —Kirkus Reviews “Whimsical . . . as pretty and slight as its heroine.” —Publishers Weekly
Julianna Margulies presents this story her father wrote for her and her sisters when they were children. Saturdays at the Children’s Zoo with their father always end the same way for Ariel, Miranda, and Jane: he offers them money for a treat, but they instead choose to buy food for the animals. On this particular Saturday, a mysterious balloon man gives them a small reward for their kindness—one balloon each, to be tied to their bedposts that night. Soon they find that the balloons bring them more magic than they could ever have imagined. For readers who love the magic and wonder in Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.
“Don’t worry,” said Princess Leora’s father just before he left for the tournament. “If anything goes wrong, release a bunch of balloons from the castle tower. Wherever I am, I will see them and come home right away.” Now, something is wrong—very wrong. Princess Leora’s grumpy uncle, the Archduke, wants to be king, and the very first thing he does is pop every balloon in the kingdom. Princess Leora is afraid, but she doesn't give up. If she can find just one whole balloon, the kingdom will be saved!
It's Little Bunny's birthday and he thinks everyone has forgotten. Suddenly he notices a balloon floating by. He chases the balloon to return it to its owner because he's sure it will cheer him or her up. Along his journey, he is aided by friends who help him travel across the land, through the forest, in the air, and over the sea. When he finally catches up to the balloon, he sees a large bunch of balloons at the top of a hill beside his family and friends shouting, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Every day can be an adventure. Especially if you bring balloons. Ever wondered what it would be like to ride a carousel right off its platform? As Emma discovers, all it takes is a handful of balloons and a very kind polar bear to show you the way. This soaring story of friendship, between a carousel bear and the little girl who noticed him, will take readers to the arctic and back—in time for bedtime, of course—and remind them anything is possible. Even flying.
The acclaimed novel of love, ambition, and Arctic adventure “told with fin de siecle elegance”—with an introduction by Philip Pullman (Kirkus Reviews). It is July 1897, at the northernmost reach of the inhabited world. Swedish inventor Gustav Crispin is determined to become the first person to set foot on the North Pole, and return, borne by hot air balloon. Making the expedition with two companions—an American journalist and a young, French-speaking adventurer—all three climb into the small wicker gondola and cuts the ropes. But as Gustav pursues his history-making ambition, and their flimsy balloon is battered by Arctic winds, his mind returns again and again to his fraught romance with the beautiful Luisa. Nominated for the National Book Award in 1977, The Balloonist was hailed by Mary Renault as a “tour de force.” The story of Gustav Crispin is “chilling and comic by turn . . . An unusual mixture of Arctic adventure and Parisian love story with philosophic overtones” (Kirkus Reviews).
Buzzy continues to tackle common childhood issues in this story about finding and losing a new playmate. Like any child who has a favourite new toy and has to learn to move on when that toy breaks or is lost, Buzzy has to find his own replacement for his balloon when it bursts.Ages 1-4
The Little Girl and the Balloon is a magical story about believing in our dreams and never letting them go. It tells the tale of a little girl who lives in a big city. The little girl is a happy child, full of ideas and dreams, but in the big, tumultuous city, she sometimes feels a little lonely. Until she finds a friend: a magical green balloon that teaches her the true meaning of friendship and loyalty.