What happens when a bossy new girl tries to make everyone play by her rules? Ally-saurus is back—and ROARING louder than ever! 
Ally-saurus and her friends always have lots of fun playing pretend. They stomp, they roar, they dance, each in their own way.  But new girl Maddie wants everyone to play by HER rules. “Monsters can’t be dinosaurs or dancers,” she insists. Worst of all, she won’t let little Petey have his teddy bear! Can Ally-saurus help Maddie understand that bossiness is no fun at all?  With charm and humor, Richard Torrey teaches a gentle lesson in respecting each other’s differences . . . and playing nice. 

•"It's a story that advocates for defending one's passions and running wild with them." - Publisher's Weekly

•"A message for the bossiest of friends but also a quiet lesson in valuing differences." -Kirkus Review

• "It's a story that offers encouragement to STAND UP!" - Bookology Magazine

• "ALLY-SAURUS & THE VERY BOSSY MONSTER earns 4 stars! " - Katie Reviews Books

•"Imagination flows from every page, letting it's magic unfold"--Bookworm for Kids

You can call her Ally-SAURUS! When Ally roars off to her first day at school, she hopes she'll meet lots of other dinosaur-mad kids in class. Instead, she's the only one chomping her food with fierce dino teeth and drawing dinosaurs on her nameplate. Even worse, a group of would-be "princesses" snubs her! Will Ally ever make new friends? With its humorous art, appealing heroine, and surprise ending, this fun picture book celebrates children's boundless imagination.

•"Torrey nicely tackles lots of first-day issues in this imaginative offering...and he does so with aplomb." --Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

•"The children's make-believe accouterments create a fun visual effect...demonstrating the way children's passions loom large in their lives." --Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

•"Ally is an ebullient heroine, and her enthusiasm is infectious." --Booklist

•"Imparting the lesson that everyone has their own personality and can still be themselves and make friends, this story is worth the read." --School Library Journal

•"Clever!" --The Wall Street Journal

•"It just keeps getting better." --Examiner.com

From Goodreads:

Ideal for all families who have ever heard (or said!) the words “Why can’t you both JUST GET ALONG?!”, here is the story of two young children with VERY different ideas of what they want to play. What starts with an innocent question (“What do you want to play?”) soon veers hilariously toward chaos, as two children engage in the age-old struggle of princesses, ponies, and ballet vs. dinosaurs, dragons, and race cars. Which child will win? Or will both find a way to play nicely together?
 
In a humorous mock–epic battle staged with crayon illustrations of each child’s increasingly steadfast and elaborate ideas of what they want to play, Richard Torrey taps into the charged and volatile emotions of childhood, which every parent and child will recognize with a smile. It’s a lighthearted and funny way to reflect on the ideas of sharing, cooperation, patience, and generosity.

•"A clever story of dueling imaginations." - School Library Journal                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       •"[A] delightful look at the importance of compromise among friends." -  Kirkus

•"A playful and accessible introduction to cooperation." - Booklist  

• "Building on the visual tactic he used so effectively in Ally-saurus. His design brings the children's ideas to vivid imaginative life." - Publishers Weekly

•“Friendship, it seems, like make-believe, takes an act of imagination." - The New York Times

MY DOG, BOB receives a starred review from Kirkus Reviews:

"Bob is an unassuming sort, just a midsize, white dog with floppy ears and a big nose. His talents, however, are undeniable, as he can cook breakfast, drive the family to work and school, play golf, and help an archaeologist excavate a dinosaur bone. His family accepts all these stellar qualities as normal for Bob. But when the narrator meets a snobbish little girl in the park, her equally snobbish poodle shows off some standard dog tricks that Bob can’t handle, such as fetching a stick and sitting on command. The snooty little girl declares her dog the winner of her self-styled contest and flounces off in search of someone else to impress. Bob apologizes for his shortcomings, the boy gives him a pat, and they head home to get something to eat—homemade pizza made by the talented dog. Though the story is short and understated, its gentle, ironic humor and quiet acceptance of individual strengths sends a powerful message. Not everyone has the same abilities, and sometimes one who is less than successful on the playground may be a star at home in the family constellation. Cartoon-style illustrations in watercolor and oil pencil use simple shapes and uncluttered backgrounds to effectively complement the restrained feeling of the succinct text. Quiet and clever, just like Bob." (Picture book. 3-7)

Moe is little, but he wants to be the best. He tries to prove his worth to his older siblings by showing off all the things he can do. Each feat turns out to be harder than expected, however, and Moe's brother and sister call attention to his many mistakes. He feels discouraged, until his siblings point out that he is actually the best at one important thing: Moe is best at trying!

Meet Jack.

He's almost six years old. And that's almost grown up. 

After all, he can almost ride a big bike just like his older brother. And he almost never gets scared.

This spunky little almost-six-year-old is ready to take on the world.

Well, almost.

Richard Torrey's sweetly funny tale is sure to resonate with any child who just can't wait to be big.

About the Book 

Like any almost-six-year-old, Jack is full of questions. 

Why does all the good-for-you food taste bad? 

Why can't he have a tail? 

Why doesn't hair hurt when you cut it? 

From bedtimes to ball games, Jack has a question for everything.

Why?

Why?

Why?

Richard Torrey's funny, sweet companion to almost is a celebration of every child's favorite question.

Jack's mom may tell him that "because" is not an answer, but he disagrees. In fact, this almost-six-year-old thinks "because" is the perfect answer . . . to any question!

Why did he cover himself in Band-Aids?

Why is the dog wearing a cape?

Why did he eat all the chocolate cake?

Richard Torrey's endearing companion to Almost and Why?celebrates every child's favorite answer to life's trickiest questions.

KIRKUS REVIEW

Young Joey has a case of the belly butterflies on his first morning with his new hockey team.

What if everybody else is better than him or the coach is mean or no one talks to him or he has to go to the bathroom? “My stomach hurts.” But he starts to gather himself by getting suited up (the soothing presence of his parents helps, too). Sure, he puts his gloves on first, which doesn’t work, and he gets his skates on the wrong feet, which doesn’t work either, but the other kids are all nervous and fumbling, so he’s just part of the gang. Then he hits the ice, and things click: a nice pass, a goal, a high five. Though Torrey’s artwork is all delicate lines and generally light washes of color, it conveys the angst and the action with notable success. What he catches so well are the flutters and apprehensions, which are instantly recognizable for anyone who has ever experienced the joining a new team. And satisfying indeed is the message sent by the new coach: “He says if we always try our hardest, we’ll get better every time we play. But mostly he tells us to have fun.” No nutty hockey dads need apply.

Drew loves playing football with his father, and he is slightly nervous about playing on a team. But as in the other titles in this series, he makes friends, and realizes that he will have a lot to teach his dad after each practice. Readers will giggle at his new friend Zack's inability to keep his shoes on and the joy with which the youngsters put on their new uniforms. All sports should be like this one!

Author/illustrator Richard Torrey explains what it means to “play ball!” from the uniform to warming up, from field positions to ice cream after a “good game.”

New-to-the-game players will love this detailed, child’s-eye look at the diamond and what goes on both on and off the field.

Praise for A Baseball Story…

“This is the perfect book to share with children who are just starting to play baseball on a team.”
School Library Journal


“This is a perfect story for kids wondering about what takes place in baseball or desiring to play the game.”
Meridian Magazine


“An innocent, sweet and charming introduction to the national pastime.”
Kirkus Reviews

Ty learns that passing, shooting, dribbling and making friends are all part of playing on his very first real basketball team –what’s more, it’s the same team his big brother, Alan, played on!

When he receives the number five jersey from his baseball coach, Beans is worried that his career will go the same wrong way as that of Wrong Way Haskins, who also wore number five. Will Beans be able to forget about the number he is wearing and play the game?

Beans Baker sure can pogo. He’s the Robo-Pogo champion of the school—until his classmate Sheldon beats his record. Beans knows he can become the Robo-Pogo Champion for Life, if only he didn’t have to study for that pesky spelling test Readers will love this funny sequel to Beans Baker Number Five.

When Beans hurts his leg in soccer practice right before the big championship game, his best friend Chester thinks it’s all his fault! Beans may not be able to play in the game, but he can still play an important role on the team when he cheers up—and cheers on—Chester.