Author Profile
Erica S. Perl
18 Books
Erica S. Perl is an award-winning author of books for young readers, ranging from picture books to middle-grade novels. She is widely recognized for her humorous and emotionally resonant works, including the Sydney Taylor Honor Book "All Three Stooges" and the novel "Aces Wild." Perl's engaging storytelling frequently explores themes of friendship, family dynamics, and personal growth.
Do you think you know everything there is to know about cats? It is time to put your feline knowledge to the ultimate test. You might believe cats were domesticated before dogs, but that is actually a complete lie. Dogs were living with people thousands of years before cats ever moved in.
In this unique and funny trivia book, you get to play detective alongside the Truth Sleuth. As you read through the wild questions and answers, you have to figure out which animal facts are true and which are completely made up. The pages are packed with real photographs and funny illustrations of all kinds of cats.
It is a clever way to learn real science while trying not to be tricked. You will laugh, you will learn surprising secrets about your favorite furry pets, and you will be ready to test your own friends and family to see if they know their facts from their fables.
6-8 Years
49 Pages
The air is turning chilly, and the leaves are finally dropping to the ground. For Louise the chipmunk, this means it is the start of fell, the magical time perfectly wedged between fall and winter. She wants nothing more than to rush outside and dive into giant leaf piles.
But Arnold the bear has a completely different plan. He is determined to stay inside where it is warm and make delicious popcorn balls. A disagreement erupts, and the two best friends stubbornly decide they are going to celebrate the season all by themselves. They go their separate ways, convinced they do not need each other to have a good time.
However, playing alone quickly loses its spark. Both of them realize that their favorite activities feel completely empty without their best friend there to share them. You will love watching these two stubborn buddies discover that the best part of any season is being together.
6-8 Years
66 Pages
Dive into the deep end and test your knowledge about the ocean's most famous predators. You might have heard that baby sharks are born without any teeth, but that is a giant lie. The truth is that these fierce little swimmers are born with a full mouthful of sharp teeth, ready to hunt and protect themselves from the very first day.
Swim alongside the brilliant Truth Sleuth as you try to figure out which shark facts are real and which are just fishy fables. This book will quiz you with tricky questions while showing off amazing action photographs of massive sharks hunting in the wild.
See if you have what it takes to separate the unbelievable truth from the completely fake stories. You will be amazed by the weird science behind these powerful creatures, and you will walk away with enough incredible ocean trivia to stump all your friends and family.
6-8 Years
50 Pages
Welcome to a zoo where every single animal believes they are the absolute ruler of the park. From the roaring lions to the stomping elephants, everyone is convinced they wear the crown. But Carlos the Chameleon knows the real truth: he is the undeniable King of the Zoo.
The only problem is that nobody else seems to realize it yet. Carlos might be small and hard to spot, but he is determined to prove his royal status to the rest of the giant animals. Armed with massive confidence and one very loyal ally, this tiny lizard sets out to make his claim.
You will giggle at the silly arguments as you meet all the different creatures vying for the top spot. It is a colorful, funny adventure proving you do not have to be the biggest or the loudest to rule the animal kingdom.
6-8 Years
Arnold the big bear and Louise the chatty chipmunk are the most unlikely best friends in the forest. When Arnold finds a brand new, wonderful treasure, he is thrilled. But then Louise borrows it, and Arnold gets incredibly nervous. Louise has a terrible habit of losing almost every single thing he ever lends her.
When Arnold asks for his treasure back, Louise promises she has not lost it. Instead of simply handing it over, she sends her big friend on a wild and wacky treasure hunt to find it. Now Arnold is following clues and hoping his prized possession is actually waiting at the end of the trail.
Join these two funny friends as they navigate a hilarious chase through their woodland home. You will be laughing as you follow Arnold on his quest, wondering if he will ever see his special treasure again or if Louise has accidentally sent him on a giant goose chase.
6-8 Years
66 Pages
Mr. Drake's second grade class is thrilled to welcome a new classroom pet. Fluffity looks like the sweetest, softest, most docile hamster in the world. But the students are in for a massive shock the second her cage door swings open.
Fluffity is not a cuddly little furball at all. She is a tiny terror, biting and chasing every single person she sees down the hallway and straight into the school library. The entire class is suddenly on the run from a pint-sized beast completely out of control.
Told in bouncy, laugh-out-loud rhymes, this hilarious story shows exactly what happens when a cute animal goes wild. You will crack up watching the kids desperately try to tame the ferocious hamster and restore peace. It perfectly captures the unpredictable, chaotic fun of bringing an animal into the classroom.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Do you consider yourself a true dog expert? It is time to put your canine knowledge to the ultimate test in this clever and funny early reader. You might hear people say that dogs do not actually sniff each other's tails very often, but that is a complete lie. The truth is, that is exactly how they gather important information about their furry friends.
Join the Truth Sleuth on an interactive reading adventure where you have to spot the fake facts hidden among the real science. As you look through amazing photographs and hilarious illustrations of all types of pups, you will be quizzed on their habits, history, and weirdest behaviors.
You will have an absolute blast trying to separate the proven facts from the silly fables. It is the perfect way to learn surprising new secrets about your favorite pets while laughing out loud at the ridiculous lies trying to trick you.
6-8 Years
27 Pages
Get ready to hunt down the craziest facts about the largest creatures that ever walked the earth. You probably think the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex is closely related to the alligator. Think again, because that is a total lie. The truth is that this massive predator is actually a close cousin to the modern chicken.
Join the clever Truth Sleuth on a prehistoric journey to separate the real science from the silly fables. You will answer tricky questions about your favorite reptiles and try to catch the facts hiding among the falsehoods. Fully loaded with cool photographs, amazing fossil discoveries, and hilarious artwork, this book keeps you on your toes.
Test your dinosaur knowledge and see if you can spot the completely fake facts mixed in with the fascinating history. You will walk away with amazing trivia to share and a totally new way of looking at these giant ancient beasts.
6-8 Years
27 Pages
You might think you know the story of the three bears and their uninvited guest, but you have never heard it told quite like this. While the bear family steps out, a very hungry little goat wanders right up to their front door.
Goatilocks is not just looking for a soft bed or a comfortable chair. She has a massive appetite, and she is perfectly willing to eat everything in sight. When tasting the porridge is not enough to satisfy her stomach, she starts munching on the bowls, the furniture, and anything else she can chew.
This hilarious twist on a classic fairy tale flips the traditional story completely upside down. You will be giggling as you watch this mischievous goat devour a house piece by piece, leaving total chaos for the poor bears.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
Can a healthy vegetable and a sweet dessert really become best pals? Cookie and Carrot are an absolutely unstoppable duo who love doing everything together. Carrot shows Cookie the perfect way to dip into a bowl of hummus, and Cookie teaches Carrot the absolute best technique for dunking into a cold glass of milk.
But their perfect partnership hits a bump when the other food groups start making fun of them. Their friends simply do not understand how two things that are so completely different can hang out. Suddenly, Cookie and Carrot start to wonder if they belong in separate aisles after all.
Packed with clever food puns and tons of laughs, this sweet story is all about standing up for the people you care about. You will learn that true friendship does not care about rules, and the most unlikely pairings often turn out to be the most satisfying combinations of all.
6-8 Years
33 Pages
Louise the chipmunk has suddenly transformed into someone completely different. She is now The Great Louweezie, a powerful mystic who claims she can see directly into the future. Her best friend, a large black bear named Arnold, is not entirely sure what to make of this new game, but he is willing to play along for a while.
However, predicting the future turns out to be a very demanding job. The Great Louweezie starts making a lot of rules, and her constant demands quickly begin to wear down Arnold's normally calm patience. What started as a fun pretend adventure is turning into a real test of how much a good friend can handle.
You will giggle as you watch this tiny chipmunk boss around a giant bear in this charming early reader. As the tension builds, you will wonder if Arnold will finally lose his temper or if these two friends can find a way to keep their bond strong in the future.
6-8 Years
66 Pages
Ida is heading into her first day of school, and she is not going alone. She brings a special blue string attached to Dotty. Dotty is a large, colorfully spotted creature with horns, and she also happens to be completely invisible.
At first, Ida feels comfortable because she notices other children have brought imaginary friends to class. But as the school year rolls on, the other invisible companions disappear. Soon, Ida is the only one left holding a string, and her classmates begin to tease her. She starts to wonder if there is still room for her special friend in the real world.
This beautifully illustrated story captures the quiet worries of growing up and the bravery it takes to stay true to yourself. You will love discovering the secret surprises waiting in the classroom and learning that imagination makes everything better.
6-8 Years
40 Pages
The ultimate prankster and his feathery friend have returned, and this time they have a brand new target. Mom is busy grocery shopping, and she thinks she has caught on to the classic chicken joke. But she has no idea what is coming next.
Get ready for a hilarious barrage of sneaky wordplay as our tricky duo unleashes a flurry of homophones and homonyms. You will laugh out loud as words that sound the same but mean different things cause total chaos in the aisles. What is the difference between a dear and a deer? You are about to find out.
This wildly fun story is designed for you to read aloud with someone else, taking turns calling out the funny responses. You will love trying to trick your family with this fast-paced adventure that makes silly wordplay incredibly entertaining.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
You know what? What? Chicken butt! The classic, goofy schoolyard joke is taking over the house in this incredibly silly story. A young boy is determined to drive his dad crazy using the oldest trick in the book, and he is not going to stop until he gets a laugh.
This fast-paced adventure is built entirely around hilarious call-and-response questions. As the rhyming banter gets faster, the artwork explodes with chaotic fun. It is the perfect opportunity for you to team up with a parent and trick them into participating in a ridiculous conversation.
You will be shouting and laughing as the silly jokes build toward a totally surprising ending. Once you finish this slap-happy comedy, you will want to turn right back to the beginning and trick your family all over again.
6-8 Years
36 Pages
Max and Rachel are thrilled to celebrate Hanukkah in their family's new apartment. But when it is time to light the menorah, they discover a massive problem: their special holiday box is completely missing. They have no candles, no dreidels, and no way to start the celebration.
Fortunately, their new neighbors are happy to step in and save the day. Every single night, different people from their building offer thoughtful and hilarious substitutes to help the kids keep the holiday spirit alive. The children are touched by everyone coming together to help a family they barely know.
Inspired by the shamash, the special helper candle that lights the others, Max and Rachel hatch a brilliant plan. You will love watching them organize a magical, unexpected ninth night of Hanukkah to celebrate the beautiful power of community and kindness.
6-8 Years
Billy the Kid, a French bulldog with a nose for country music, lands in Nashville dreaming of stardom. When the Battle of the Bow‑wows turns rough, bullies try to silence his bark, but Billy finds a chorus of new friends and the encouragement of a famous singer to keep his tail wagging. With catchy songs and bright illustrations, the story shows how confidence, kindness, and a little rhythm can turn a shy pup into a star. Young readers hear the beat of perseverance and the joy of standing up to anyone who tries to dim their shine.
40 Pages
Billy the Kid has a Nashville home, a band, and a tour schedule any pup would wag about. So why does Christmas still feel like it is missing something?
This French bulldog musician is headed for a big holiday performance at Barkafeller Center on Christmas Day. The spotlight is waiting, the music is ready, and the crowd is sure to be excited. But as the big day gets closer, Billy starts thinking about the people and pups who matter most. Fame may be fun, but Christmas has a way of making the heart tug in another direction.
Funny, warm, and full of paw-some music, this holiday picture book is a lively story about family, friendship, and choosing what matters when the stage lights shine bright.
6-8 Years
21 Pages
Billy the Kid can sing, tour, and rock a stage, but dancing in front of a crowd? That makes his paws feel wobbly.
When Billy and his band are chosen to open for Dolly Parton’s Doggy Dance Pawty, he suddenly has to learn moves he would rather avoid. Dance lessons bring whirling, twirling dogs, plenty of awkward steps, and Bella, a talented teacher who catches Billy’s eye. Now Billy is trying to face his nerves, keep up with the routine, and make a good impression before the big performance.
Lighthearted and energetic, this picture book mixes music, humor, and a sweet dose of courage. Readers ages 6 to 8 will enjoy cheering for Billy as he tries something new and learns to put his best paw forward.
6-8 Years
21 Pages
