"Run down to the store for me, will you, Steven, and buy six eggs, five bananas, four apples, three oranges for the baby, two doughnuts, and a bag of chips for your snack."

What could possibly go wrong on a simple trip like this? Nothing resourceful Steven can't handle. In the style of the cleverest fairy-tale heroes, he outsmarts a bullying bear, a menacing monkey, a cantankerous kangaroo, and a plethora of other thugs who try to purloin his produce. In the end he arrives home only a little late, with a slightly lighter load, but victorious nonetheless. John Burningham's one-of-a-kind style has established him as one of today's most highly acclaimed author-illustrators of children's books. A two-time Kate Greenaway Medal recipient, this fantastically understated storyteller combines gently repetitive, building text with inviting pen and ink and watercolor wash illustrations. Some of his best-loved children's books include Cloudland, Mr. Gumpy's Outing, and Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter