Thingity JigAdd a little STEAM to your summer reads with this whimsical storytime romp filled with curious discoveries and imaginative inventions.

One night, under the light of a silvery moon, an inquisitive bear ventures into People Town to find some fun. He wanders around until he makes quite the curious discovery. This thing looks friendly, but what is it? A springy thing—a bouncy thing—a sit-on-it, hop-on-it, jump-on-it thing! Bear can’t wait to share his discovery with his friends, but he needs help getting it back to the woods. His sleepy friends send Bear away empty-handed, forcing him to take matters into his own paws. So what does Bear invent to roll the “Thingity-Jig” back home? A “Rolly-Rumpity” should do the trick. And what does he design to hoist it up the mountain? A “Lifty-Uppity” of course!

Reading specialist and former educator Kathy Doherty blends upcycling and STEAM with a delightful story of trial and error and wacky wordplay in this delightful storytime pick perfect for summer read alouds with little inventors. Illustrator Kristyna Litten brings the charming world to life with detailed, imaginative art and characters.

Dive deeper into this whimsical read with the free teacher’s guide, and get to know author Kathleen Doherty in this Q&A!

“Doherty’s joyous, inventive, action-packed language begs to be shouted out loud. The moonlit night sparkles in town and city as Litten’s fanciful illustrations fill in the details of the tale and showcase Bear’s inventiveness. Little readers might want to create their own Thingity-Jigs. A delightful, rollicking, joyous romp.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“[An] intricately illustrated picture book that rejoices in creative play—and in imaginative takes on ordinary objects.” —Foreword Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“Making the most of Bear’s wacky, ingenious contraptions, the appealing artwork rewards curious viewers with visual details that reappear in different contexts as the story unfolds. The well-constructed text rolls along in a satisfying way, enhanced by the devices’ inventive names, which are uniquely fitting and great fun to read aloud. A dynamic, enjoyable picture book.” —Booklist

“With text as energetic and playful as Bear himself, the story builds a delightful anticipation for each new Rube Goldberg-ian invention. Atmospheric illustrations are washed in softly textured nighttime blues and are chock-a-block full of endearing detail…. With language that trips off the tongue and pictures filled with charming ingenuity, this is a read-aloud that will endure.” —School Library Connection

“Illuminating nightscapes, enveloped in rich purple shadows that contrast beautifully with the shining yellow light from windows. As the sun rises, the scenes masterfully transition to the warm orange morning…. Doherty’s text is at its most playful, with all manner of funny words, when Bear constructs his inventions. Her rhyming text on those pages is bouncy and fun…. A celebration of inventiveness, in both ­contraption and language, this book is a lovely addition to larger collections.” —School Library Journal

Order your copy of The Thingity-Jig today from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, or IndieBound!