Izzy's new neighbor is a bit of a grump--though they are both botanically inclined. When the neighbor discovers unwanted flowers--again and again--in his precious rose garden, he bids Izzy to take them away. Izzy does--and uses the blooms to brighten someone else's day. Before long, the town is bursting with Izzy's flowers. The grumpy neighbor doesn't see the fuss. "They're JUST FLOWERS!" he yells. "Just flowers" that brought joy and color to everyone in town. Can Izzy finally get that neighbor to accept the bloom of friendship?
Amaya was born on a winter night—and every experience and memory helps to build her identity. She is a little bit of Mama, whose family is far away in India, and a little bit of Papa, whose mother immigrated from China for a new life. She is a little bit of the salty ocean and a little bit of the rolling storm. A little bit of the stars in the sky, and a little bit of so many other things. When Amaya’s new sibling arrives, she knows just what to say about who she is, and what her sister will become. With stunning, whimsical art, this lyrical book asks readers to celebrate their own uniqueness—and that of others.
"Jojo, come dance!" Lola calls, inviting him to leap between the clapping and slapping bamboo poles and dance the tinikling with her. Whirling, twirling, and singing in Tagalog, Jojo tries but trips. Lola dances between the two poles easily, the same way she dances between their American and Filipino cultures--Jojo knows that dance! And finally, spinning and hopping to the rhythm of his life, he's dancing the tinikling! Part of the Own Voices, Own Stories Collection.
Tuchi longs to join in and play with the school's mariachi band, but it's the 1970s and in her community, mariachi is only for the boys. Still she hopes--and wishes on Señora Luna. When Tuchi stumbles across her nana's guitarrón, Nana teaches her to play in secret. The music rumbles inside Tuchi like desert thunder. Will Tuchi be ready for the big audition? And will Señora Luna help Tuchi make her wish come true?
What do you want to be when you grow up? Do you reach for the stars? Do you value teamwork and shoot for the moon? Are you out of this world? You want to be an astronaut! It's a tough job but learn from a real-life astronaut what it takes to achieve that goal--and what you can do right now to help prepare for blast off!
"Who am I?" a young girl asks her mom as she snuggles close. "You are the fire that burns and the eagle that soars. You are the oak tree and the wild rose," says momma. Written from an Indigenous perspective, Who Am I? tells the story of how we are all connected to our ancestors, our past and future, and the Earth--and how it is everyone's duty to fend off darkness, connect to the past, offer safety and shelter, and color the world with beauty. An Own Voices, Own Stories Grand Prize winner.
It's a snowy winter's night in the city. The bedroom lights are off and it's time to settle down to sleep. But wait! What's that? Strange and scary sounds are coming from the streets outside. What can be making these sounds? Are monsters coming? Don't worry! All will soon be revealed. These monsters aren't here to frighten. They are here to help. Through rhyming text and atmospheric artwork, young readers can first imagine what might be making these mysterious sounds. Then a turn of the page identifies the actual "monsters"--vehicles and equipment like snowplows and garbage trucks--that help keep a city running smoothly. And now that all is well, it's time to go to bed! This clever concept is based on a bedtime ritual the author used with her own grandchildren to assuage their nighttime fears.
Everyone's family is unique--and good! From sprawling extended families and close-knit units to adopted and chosen families, A Family Like Ours celebrates all those important connections we build over the years. Regardless of what yours looks like, family is a place for support, safety, growth, and inspiration. What is special, surprising, or sensational about your family?
Ring and Asia Wilde's wild life is anything but ordinary. Instead of attending school, they travel the world with their tutor and parents (scientists who work to protect endangered species). On their last adventure, they swung through the Amazon rainforest to save their mom from vile kidnappers--while defending the forest's population of golden lion tamarins. Now they're in Baja, Mexico--the Sea of Cortez to be exact--searching for the endangered vaquita and finding danger and conspiracy instead.
With a little Yiddish and a lot of humor mixed in, this bubbly read-aloud picture book about holiday foods and traditions emphasizes the joy of the Jewish experience. Rhyming text takes readers through Jewish holidays, including Tu B'Shevat, Purim, and Chanukah, and their related special dishes. Colorful artwork brings the mouthwatering foods to the page and the table. But no matter how delicious the foods look, do not eat this book! Back matter includes a glossary describing each holiday, along with easy, kid-friendly recipes for the featured dishes, kitchen-tested by the author and her family.
Nana and her little bunny finish up a day of fun and get snuggled in for bedtime. With a book, a cuddle, and a sprinkle of sleepy dust, Nana's sleepyhead is off to dreamland. A tender celebration of the loving bond between nanas and their snoozy little bunnies sure to become a family keepsake.
Written on a napkin and released just months after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the song "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)" became an anthem and rallying cry for the civil rights movement, as well as a celebration of Black culture and community. The song was penned in 1968 by singer James Brown in response to the rising racial tensions throughout the United States. Now, in first-person lyrical text, the iconic song speaks for itself, narrating the elements and moments that inspired its creation. The song continues to inspire and resonate today. It's been covered by artists like Usher and anchored Spotify's Black Lives Matter playlist. Readers of all ages will be encouraged to lift their own voices in a celebration of Black pride and identity.
Squirrel is busy running his tailoring shop, Fix and Stitch: Tailor for all Needs. He can thread a needle and mend a tear in the wink of an eye. But now that the leaves have fallen and the birds have flown south, it's time for Squirrel to close the shop. He must prepare his winter home before the snow comes. But just as Squirrel goes to collect materials for his winter home, neighbors arrive, needing his special talents and attention. And Squirrel just can't say no to someone asking for help, whether it's fixing a rip in a favorite coat to problem-solving a stinky situation. He is always there for his friends. But what happens if Squirrel doesn't take time to care of himself and what he needs to do? Who will be there to help him? This story offers a gentle reminder that while taking care of others is important, one still needs to make time for oneself.
Superheroes come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes they wear a very familiar face. In one household, Mom is late to work, Dad is sick with the flu, and the rest of the family is dealing with chaos. Who are you going to call? It's Supergran to the rescue! Supergran tackles all the challenges thrown her way, from finding missing pets to cooking a flu-busting stew to even chasing out a stinky skunk. There's nothing she can't handle as she supercharges her way to getting this household back on track. And at the end of the day, all is now right in this family's world. But her greatest superpower? Her love for her family. Now that's a superhero!
While rivers make up just a fraction of the water on Earth, they provide the majority of what we use every day. Rivers run over and through our world, and sometimes we don't even know they are there. But do we fully understand or even appreciate all that rivers can do? All over the world, cities large and small were built near rivers because of what they can provide: drinking water, transportation, power sources. But over the centuries as cities grew, the rivers became polluted by sewage and industrial waste, and their natural flow patterns were disrupted. Disease and flooding were often the result. In a short-sighted attempt to address these issues, city planners buried old rivers beneath city streets. But this solution brought more problems. Finally, a group of naturalists realized that freeing buried rivers could be the answer to managing urban waterways. In rhyming text, the fascinating story of "daylighting," unearthing and restoring buried rivers to their rightful places as source of well-being and beauty, comes to life.
Ahoy! A spectacular Christmas boat parade is underway! Count up to ten as the dazzling crafts bob pass . . . but wait! Where is Santa and his reindeer? Surely, they aren't missing the parade? Never fear, little mariners, Santa simply has a surprise in store. With backmatter on the bevy of boats featured!
Farmer Pumpernickel has a blissful, peaceful farm with his contented cows, satisfied sheep, pampered piglets, cheerful chickens, and happy horse. All is as it should be. But when winter arrives with its cold weather, something wacky happens when the good farmer isn't looking. As snow starts to fall, the farm animals share their delight in the tasty flakes coming down from the sky. The animals prance, dance, and kick up their hooves and feet in a barnyard revelry. Boisterous rhymes combine with humor-filled artwork to bring this snowy celebration to life. And, as it turns out, the farmer has fun as well. After all, who doesn't like snowflakes on their tongue? Back matter includes animal facts as well as information on the science of snowflakes.
One young warrior, Maria, prepares herself--again--to battle through a dangerous land in order to reach the bell on the mountain, ring it, and rid her kingdom of beasts. The brave girl faces Serpent Sea, Fear Forest, and Monster Mountain with courage--and help from a few friends. Will she reach the bell this time? At the end of the day's disappointing quest, Maria returns to her hospital bed feeling beat. But her team reminds her of exactly who she is, a warrior. An allegory telling the courageous story of the millions of children battling cancers and chronic diseases--battling their own monsters every day.
One child feels a hope and a wish growing in their heart--and wonders: How do you make your wishes come true? Wishes of the World learns the answer to that question from children from the United States to Japan, from Thailand to Guatemala, showing readers that hope and wishes are universal even as we make our wishes in unique ways.
Wrangling your monster to a rodeo? Or sharing the stands with him at a hockey game? Buckle up for another cross country trip with your favorite monster--from British Columbia to Newfoundland and all the Canada in between! Wherever you and your monster are traveling, Travel Guide for Monsters Part Deux: Canada is full of essential tips to help you both enjoy the sights of Canada and avoid monster-related trouble--eh?
Roscoe has his campfire going and is toasting the most perfect marshmallow. He slides it onto a graham cracker, adds a chocolate square, and sandwiches it with another graham--the most perfect s'more--when Grizzly Bear shows up. Roscoe welcomes Grizzly--and bear after bear!--to his gooey forest feast keeping hungry (and grumbly) guests content by sharing s'more after s'more. What to do but make s'more?!
Everyone's hair is different and good, and one girl shares all the things that delight her about her nappy curls. It stretches! It's springy! It twirls and loops and hoops! But that's nothing compared to all the amazing things she can do with it to express her every mood and style. It is truly unique. Just like her! Part of the Own Voices, Own Stories collection.
In 1835, Colonel Thomas S. Meacham wanted to give the president of the United States a present that celebrated the achievements of his upstate New York farming community. Believing that big is always better, he decided a colossal, legen-dairy gift was in order: a wheel of cheese measuring four feet in diameter, two feet thick, and weighing 1,400 pounds. Transporting the cheese to Washington D.C. was another big undertaking. It traveled by wagon and by ship, before being delivered to the White House on New Year's Day in 1836. But with a big cheese comes a big smell, and after a year the president had a stinky situation on his hands. How can he get rid of this cheesy gift? Readers of all ages will enjoy this slice of American history. Back matter includes science facts on cheese making.
Seeds are truly amazing! Did you know that every seed, no matter how small (microscopic) or large (weighing up to 14 pounds), contains everything it needs to one day grow into a plant? Three generations of a gardening family work together to bring a backyard garden to full bloom.
In 1945, the attention of the United States, along with the rest of the world, was focused on World War II. After more than five years of fighting, downcast, war-weary people were looking for signs of hope of a better future. One April morning, a duck searching for a nesting spot lands on a tall post sticking out of the Milwaukee River. Situated near a busy drawbridge and the noisy city of Milwaukee, this was an unlikely, precarious spot for a soon-to-be-mama duck to build her nest. But that is exactly where Gertie (named by a local reporter) decides to make her home and lay her eggs. Once local newspapers report the story, crowds begin visiting the bridge to watch Gertie and speculate how she will safely hatch her babies. Soon, news outlets around the world are carrying the hopeful tale of the plucky duck, raising spirits, and giving readers a shared sense of community.
