Philip C. Stead

Amos McGee, a friendly zookeeper, always made time to visit his good friends: the elephant, the tortoise, the penguin, the rhinoceros, and the owl. But one day, he woke with the sniffles and the sneezes. Though he didn't make it into the zoo that day, he did receive some unexpected guests. -- From book jacket.

"Based on a set of unfinished Mark Twain notes for a children's story, this is the tale of Johnny, a young boy with a magical ability to speak to animals who sets off to rescue a stolen prince"--

When a curiously croaking stranger comes knocking at the door, Aunt Josephine launches into a rambling tale about her lifelong pursuit of a rare giant frog.
Eccentric Aunt Josephine poignantly ignores a stranger knocking at her door as she tells her niece Sadie the story of her time in the jungles of Peru, cataloguing amphibians for the scientific team of Admiral Rodriguez. When the admiral's son was suddenly swallowed by a giant frog, Aunt...

Children's author and illustrator Philip C. Stead counts a Caldecott Medal among his many literary accomplishments. A Home for Bird is a touching tale of friendship and determination. Out one day, Vernon the toad happens upon a tiny blue bird who is oddly silent. Vernon introduces Bird to his friends and tours him around to many of his favorite places, but Bird still won’t talk. Thinking that Bird is quiet because he is homesick, Vernon takes his...