Celebrating the supportive relationship between a child and her dog, this story gently introduces the resilience and bravery that come with the first steps toward independence. Billie is reading quietly in her apartment while her mom does laundry downstairs. But her impatient dog Bean wants to go outside. Billie has taken Bean outside before when mom was watching, so she decides to try taking Bean out by herself—just around the block. Billie and Bean enjoy the vibrant city street, but after stopping to pick a flower in the park, Billie becomes disoriented by the tall buildings and can't remember the way back to their building. As Billie begins to worry, Bean tugs on the leash in encouragement and Billie discovers that she's braver than she thought she could be.
Celebrating the supportive relationship between a child and her dog, this story shows how we can all be brave and achieve things in our own time. Billie prefers playing quietly, but the beach is a noisy place. Her energetic dog, Bean, is happy to explore the sand and water. When Billie does try going for a swim, she has a painful surprise and heads back to shore. But Bean digs up something that can help Billie get back in the water where she soon discovers a whole world of quiet solitude and spectacular color beneath the surface.
Frida Bellows lives in a big house made up of four apartments. Every morning, she gets on her father’s shoulders and taps on the ceiling with a broomstick. This wakes her neighbor, a student named Ben Doldrums who knocks on the wall to wake the Mercredis, who in turn knock on the floor to wake the Reynolds. Frida likes this morning tradition. It makes her feel like she’s part of something big. Things change, however, when Ben stops getting out of bed to wake the Mercredis, which throws off the whole routine. Frida notices that Ben Doldrums is not himself and she wants to help. But how?
Mary was four years old when she was first taken away to the Lejac Indian Residential School. It was far away from her home and family. Always hungry and cold, there was little comfort for young Mary. Speaking Dakelh was forbidden and the nuns and priest were always watching, ready to punish. Mary and the other girls had a genius idea: drawing on the knowledge from their mothers, aunts and grandmothers who were all master sewers, the girls would sew hidden pockets in their clothes to hide food. They secretly gathered materials and sewed at nighttime, then used their pockets to hide apples, carrots and pieces of bread to share with the younger girls. Based on the author's mother's experience at residential school, The Secret Pocket is a story of survival and resilience in the face of genocide and cruelty. But it's also a celebration of quiet resistance to the injustice of residential schools and how the sewing skills passed down through generations of Indigenous women gave these girls a future, stitch by stitch.
Indigenous artist and storyteller Andrea Fritz tells a tale of a salmon and a sea otter who learn it's ok to say "I don't know" and to ask for help. Thuqi’ the sockeye salmon knows it’s time to spawn, but she is lost in the Salish Sea and doesn't know the way to Sta'lo’, the river. When she asks Tumus the sea otter for help, he doesn’t exactly know either, and he dismisses her questions. But when Tumus becomes lost in some weeds, Thuqi’ shows him that it’s okay not to know something—you can still find a way to help a friend in need.
How is Vincent supposed to focus when there's so much going on at once?! Vincent has a huge house in his head. It has an entrance, a living room, dark rooms, a light room, a space room and a control room. At school, when he tries to recite a fable in front of his class, he blows it. Even though he knows it by heart, not a single syllable comes to mind. Vincent feels like a misfit when people tell him to just concentrate, and he often has trouble in school. He can't seem to think, but he also can't stop thinking. Sometimes he wants to escape his own head and just be like everyone else. But maybe Vincent doesn't have to be the same as everyone else after all. Maybe he just has to learn how to look, to find the light room and see things in his own way. Inspired by the author's experience growing up with ADHD,
Hyperorganized perfectionist Beatrice More is determined to plan a spectacularly professional birthday party for her little sister, Sophie. But she is foiled at every turn: her mother insists on making a homemade cake (disaster!), her father offers up discount mismatched decorations (debacle!), guests are hard to find in their new neighborhood (dire!), and no gift seems remotely special enough (defeated!). Will Beatrice's organizational skills be enough to turn this party around, or will she need a little help from her friends and maybe even from Sophie herself?
Beatrice More is no average third-grader. She is a list-making, hyperorganized perfectionist whose laid-back parents and messy little sister consistently frustrate her high standards. And when a new house, a new neighborhood and new friends are thrown into the mix, Beatrice sends the family into a comic tailspin, all in the name of “professionalism.” Despite her most feverish organizational efforts, Beatrice ultimately discovers that some of the best experiences are the ones you can’t control.
Tomorrow is moving day and one little girl worries about moving so far, far away from her Aaji and Ajoba. But Aaji gifts her with a handmade kurta. A kurta with two big pockets for holding all the small things that will remind the girl of her grandparents--from the mogra flowers in Aaji's hair to Ajoba's diya. Then the girl has an even better idea and helps Aaji make two more kurtas with pockets she can fill to remind her grandparents of her too. When finally they are on other sides of a big ocean, they put on their kurtas--and do not feel so far, far away from one another. This touching story about worry and loving reassurance is part of our Own Voices, Own Stories collection.
Each of us has a unique and powerful voice, whether we speak loudly or softly, sing or sign, or without any words at all. What matters is how we use that voice--because voices are meant to be used. Some of us use it to express ourselves through art. And some use their voices to vote and make big changes. Others use their voice to inspire or lift up others, helping other voices to be heard. Your voice is yours alone--and the world needs a voice like yours.
Jess cheats off Jaylen during a math quiz.
Provides advice for smart and safe Internet use, including safe searching and safe use of social media, and explores the role of the Internet in modern life.
Discusses why manners are important, gives advice for behaving politely in many situations, and provides simple rules for good manners.
Explores what happens when a family decides to move and provides strategies for adjusting to a new home, neighborhood, and school.
Discusses why words matter and provides scenarios showing examples of what a person can say in a variety of situations.
Discusses what happens when a pet dies, explores ways to remember a pet, and provides strategies for coping with grief.
Explores what makes a good friendship and provides advice for making friends and being a good friend.
Explores what it means to be sad and angry and provides advice for understanding, letting out, and controlling these feelings.
Explores what happens when parents divorce and provides strategies for coping with a changing family.
Jess and Jaylen must figure out what to do when a new boy moves to their neighborhood and starts bullying Jaylen.
Young readers will be absolutely thrilled when they learn a variety of signs to help them express how they feel. Happiness, excitement, and amazement are simply a few of the emotions that kids experience--and will know how to sign--when they finish reading this book.
Jess and Jaylen accidentally break Jaylen's brother's phone and try to hide it.
When Toby gets distracted during a tour in Washington, D.C., Leo the paintbrush teaches him about the importance of learning about our country and respecting all countries. Together, Toby and Leo learn about what makes different countries special and how you can celebrate your own country and honor those who protect it. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, a section on using respectful words, a S.T.E.A.M. activity, a phonetic glossary, sources for further research including web sites, an index, and an introduction to the author.
When classmates Ella, Cal, and Molly can't agree on what to paint, Leo the paintbrush teaches them about the importance of respecting your peers. Together, the children and Leo learn about considering everyone's ideas, working together, and being fair. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, a section on using respectful words, a S.T.E.A.M. activity, a phonetic glossary, sources for further research including web sites, an index, and an introduction to the author.
When Milo notices graffiti on a wall at the mall, Leo the paintbrush teaches him about the importance of respecting property. Together, Milo and Leo learn about the different kinds of property and what to do if someone wants to borrow yours. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, a section on using respectful words, a S.T.E.A.M. activity, a phonetic glossary, sources for further research including web sites, an index, and an introduction to the author.
