Funny Book #5

Patrick the upside-down pelican is a swamp bird who becomes dizzy whenever he looks down while flying—a problem that keeps grounding him at the worst moments. When a helpful woodpecker and a wise worm suggest he try flying on his back, Patrick finally discovers a way to take to the sky and put his magic flute and peas to good use. It's a silly tale of a bird learning to overcome his unusual ailment just when his friends need him most.

A hungry cat stalks through the house on the prowl for a meal, sniffing and sneaking about until he spots just what he's looking for—but his plans hit an unexpected snag when he discovers it's meatless Tuesday. This playful 1943 tale invites young readers to act out the cat's every move as the story unfolds, making it as much fun to perform as it is to hear.

Mr. Quince whisks young Bobby Baxter away in his Magic Bubble on a whirlwind tour through the history of boats, from the first hollowed log canoe to mighty ocean steamships, stopping to meet the inventors and adventurers who shaped maritime travel. As they hop from ancient Egypt to Viking longships to the age of clipper ships and steam power, Bobby gets an up-close look at how humans learned to master the seas—before a domestic mishap sends Mr. Quince hastily on his way.

Rosebud is a young skunk born completely black—no stripes like his family—and his parents feel so embarrassed they tape stripes onto him so he'll fit in. When wartime blackout orders sweep through the woods and all the striped creatures struggle to hide their bright markings, Rosebud discovers that his solid black coat might be the most valuable thing about him after all.

Biff the dog and the Duchess the cat are famous for their fights, but when a scrap drive poster lands at their feet during one of their usual scraps, the two rivals set aside their differences to help Uncle Sam collect rubber, metal, and rags from around the house. As they work their way from attic to cellar, their temporary truce leads to all sorts of comic mishaps—until they find themselves locked in the master's desk and tumble right back into their old habits, much to the family's dismay.

Good King Pugnose of the Kingdom of Honeycomb is desperate for sleep, and the scholars and doctors of his realm have tried everything—until a shepherd's daughter named Emmiline suggests the simple remedy of counting sheep. When a clumsy young lamb named Kinky fumbles his jump and spoils the king's chance at rest, Emmiline takes matters into her own hands, crafting a gift that might just be the key to solving the royal sleep crisis. It's a charming tale about how the smallest gestures of kindness can work wonders where all the kingdom's learning could not.

Years before meeting the cab driver Jerry, the young horse once called "Darkie" learns kindness and loyalty under the care of Squire Gordon, befriending the temperamental mare Ginger and proving his worth by refusing to cross a dangerously damaged bridge despite the whip—a choice that saves his master's life. But when Gordon's wife falls ill and the family must leave, both horses are sold into increasingly harsh circumstances: tight bearing reins, cruel handlers, and neglect wear them down until our hero ends up scarred, worn, and passed from one owner to another. After years of hardship that test his spirit and his body, a chance encounter on the streets of London brings an unexpected reunion with an old friend, hinting that even the darkest chapters may not be the end of his story.