Pokeweed Press

The New Reader series
These early reader books were first written as stories for a remedial reading class that Frank B. Edwards was teaching as a parent volunteer in Kingston, Ontario. The kids loved them and were always anxious to assume the roles of the characters in the books so they could read their favourite lines aloud. When Frank showed the text to illustrator to illustrator John Bianchi, John insisted on creating art for a new series of books.

Since the first three titles were released in 1999, the books have been reprinted several times and been welcomed to primary classrooms across North America. The stories offer a mix of standard literacy reading strategies — repetition, rhythm, some rhyme, predictability, counting sequences, close links between text and illustrations — with clever, funny stories and simple surprise endings.


By Frank B. Edwards. Illustration by John Bianchi
ISBN 978-1-894323-02-5, Reg.$5.95
24 pages, 8 x8 inches
Grades K-1

A farmer driving to the county fair encounters a series of hitch-hiking animals. As the truck fills up with pigs, cows, sheep, chickens and a dog, the animals have to help the driver climb a steep hill. Their dramatic arrival at the fair involves a collision with the pie stand. Features rhyming text.



By Frank B. Edwards. Illustration by John Bianchi
ISBN 978-1-894323-39-0, Reg.$6.95
24 pages, 8 x8 inches
Grades K-1

When the zoo animals wander through an open gate, they end up lost in the city and seek help at The Downtown Lost & Found office. As more animals crowd into the waiting room, the monkey helps keep things organized until the zookeeper finally arrives to rescue them. 



By Frank B. Edwards. Illustration by John Bianchi
ISBN 978-1-894323-07-9, Reg.$6.95
24 pages, 8 x8 inches
Grades K-1

A noisy owl keeps all the zoo animals awake one night, so they make their way to the zookeeper's house in search of a solution. Already in bed, she patiently gives each of them a book to help them sleep and then realizes that they don't know how to read. Eventually they all end up in bed with her for a goodnight story.



By Frank B. Edwards. Illustration by John Bianchi
ISBN 978-1-894323-00-9, Reg.$5.95
24 pages, 8 x8 inches
Grades K-1

Poor little Red Bug has never weathered a winter before and his friends worry that he won't find a warm, safe place to hibernate. After being turned away from a series of wool, feather, fur and hair resting places, he finally finds a solution that doesn't invole "bugging" the other animals. Features rhyming text.


By Frank B. Edwards. Illustration by John Bianchi
ISBN 978-1-894323-04-1, Reg.$5.95
24 pages, 8 x8 inches
Grades K-1

After the farmer climbs into bed for the night, her animals leave their stalls for an late night frolic but predictably they drop out of the fun one by one until only the rooster is left. Features rhyming text and a classic counting backwards pattern.



By Frank B. Edwards. Illustration by John Bianchi
ISBN 978-1-894323-06-2, Reg.$5.95
24 pages, 8 x8 inches
Grades K-1

A visitor takes a ride on the zoo's tour bus but has trouble finding the animals who all play a game of hide and seek. Each page features a clue to the missing animals' whereabouts before they jump out to surprise him. But at the end, they all disappear one more time.



By Frank B. Edwards. Illustration by John Bianchi
ISBN 978-0-921285-67-1, Reg.$15.95 (hardcover)
24 pages, 8 x8 inches
Grades K-1
The zoo animals are starving for dinner and line up for a big plate of spaghetti, each finding a special way to carry their serving to the table. But when the zookeepers joins them, she is surprised that no one is eating yet. At the zoo, good manners trump hunger but the meal ends in happy mayhem.


By Frank B. Edwards. Illustration by John Bianchi
ISBN 978-0-921285-63-9, Reg.$15.95 (hardcover)
24 pages, 8 x8 inches
Grades K-1
It's bath day at the zoo and the zookeeper hands out soap and towels to each of the animals. When she heads over to check out their progress, she can barely see them for all the bubbles they've created. But she knows exactly how to solve the problem.

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Pokeweed Press is a division of 307681 Ontario Limited