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What Kansas Means to Me

Thomas Fox Averill

"To understand why people say 'Dear old Kansas!" is to understand that Kansas is no mere geographical expression, but a 'state of mind,' a religion, and a philosophy in one," writes historian Carl Becker in the classic 1910 essay that leads off this volume. Like Becker, the twelve other essayists and four poets try to map the spiritual topography of Kansas and explain why this particular patch of prairie is so dear. They share the conviction that Kansas represents something powerful, something significant, something noteworthy.

The seventeen selections are put into perspective by Thomas Fox Averill's headnotes and introductory essay, which makes its own contribution to our understanding of Kansas. The essays and poems (all previously published except for the last essay) are arranged chronologically, from the earliest (1910) to the most recent (1990).

Illustrated with woodcuts from the Prairie Print-makers.

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Without Warning: The Tornado of Udall, Kansas

Jim Minick

2023 Martin Kansas History Book Award
2024 Society of Midland Authors Award Honoree for History
2024 Kansas Notable Book
Longlist for Reading the West Book Award

In 1955 the small town of Udall, Kansas, was home to oil field workers, homemakers, and teenagers looking ahead to their futures. But on the night of May 25, an F5 tornado struck their town without warning. In three minutes the tornado destroyed most of the buildings, including the new high school. It toppled the water tower. It lifted a pickup truck, stripped off its cab, and hung the frame in a tree. By the time the tornado moved on, it had killed 82 people and injured 270 others, more than half the town’s population of roughly 600 people. It remains the deadliest tornado in the history of Kansas.

Jim Minick’s nonfiction account, Without Warning, tells the human story of this disaster, moment by moment, from the perspectives of those who survived. His spellbinding narrative connects this history to our world today. Minick demonstrates that even if we have never experienced a tornado, we are still a people shaped and defined by weather and the events that unfold in our changing climate. Through the tragedy and hope found in this story of destruction, Without Warning tells a larger story of community, survival, and how we might find our way through the challenges of the future.

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What Is Color?

Steven Weinberg

In this zany and vibrantly illustrated nonfiction guide to all things color, the origins of today's pigments come alive across continents and history, with oodles of art, tons of science--and extensive interactive backmatter!

"An absolute masterpiece." - Jon Scieszka, First National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature

"Steven Weinberg's zany, thorough, and accessible guide to the wonderful world of color is simply joyous.” - Emma Straub, bestselling author and co-owner of Books Are Magic

"This is color like you’ve never seen it before! . . . Just loads of fun!" - Betsy Bird

So what is color? A red apple? A yellow banana? The purple goo from a squished sea snail?

Once you start digging, color turns out to be a lot of things--it’s messy, stinky, and even a little bit dangerous. You may already know that it’s art, but it’s science, too! What Is Color? will take readers all over the world, introducing them to talented, brilliant, creative people from scientists to famous artists and everyone in between as we take the color wheel for a spin.

Perfect for curious and creative minds who love paintbrushes as much as microscopes, this clever and eye-catching full-color nonfiction book dives deep into the strange, wacky, silly, and occasionally perilous history behind the colors that paint our everyday lives.

Readers will get:
• A laugh-out-loud funny adventure full of gross-out facts (like how cow pee can be used to make the color yellow!). 
• Hilarious illustrations that encourage creativity and fun while learning!
• A kid-friendly primer on global art history, from Yayoi Kusama to Van Gogh, Basquiat, and many more.
• A dazzling full-color book, with rainbow edges and vibrant info-filled endpapers.
• Extensive backmatter with a glossary plus art and science activities perfect for the classroom and home!

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Art Lab for Kids

Susan Schwake

Art Lab for Kids is a refreshing source of wonderful ideas for creating fine art with children. This step-by-step book offers 52 fun and creative art projects set into weekly lessons, beginning with drawing, moving through painting and printmaking, and then building to paper collage and mixed media. 

Each lesson features and relates to the work and style of a contemporary artist and their unique style. The labs can be used as singular projects or to build up to a year of hands-on fine art experiences. Grouped by medium, the labs are set up loosely to build skills upon the previous ones; however, you can begin anywhere.

Have fun exploring:

  • drawing by creating a whimsical scene on a handmade crayon scratchboard.
  • painting by using watercolors and salt to create a textured landscape.
  • printmaking by using lemons, celery, mushrooms, and other produce to make colorful prints.
  • paper by creating an expressive self-portrait using pieces of colored tissue paper.
  • mixed media by making insects from patterned contact paper and watercolor pencils.

Color photos illustrate how different people using the same lesson will yield different results, exemplifying the way the lesson brings out each artist’s personal style. Art Lab for Kids is the perfect book for creative families, friends, and community groups and works as lesson plans for both experienced and new art teachers.

The popular Lab for Kids series features a growing list of books that share hands-on activities and projects on a wide host of topics, including art, astronomy, clay, geology, math, and even how to create your own circus—all authored by established experts in their fields. Each lab contains a complete materials list, clear step-by-step photographs of the process, as well as finished samples. The labs can be used as singular projects or as part of a yearlong curriculum of experiential learning. The activities are open-ended, designed to be explored over and over, often with different results. Geared toward being taught or guided by adults, they are enriching for a range of ages and skill levels. Gain firsthand knowledge on your favorite topic with Lab for Kids.

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Play With Art

DK

With more than 40 fun ideas to try out, this book is the perfect starting point for little ones who want to discover all types of art.

A child will love getting to grips with the basics of painting (using non-toxic food-safe paint), print making, drawing, paper crafting, and more.

For each different creative media, there are 6+ easy projects to try - so you don't have to keep putting things away and getting out something new! All the projects feed a child's imagination and encourage creative play. From vegetable printing, to making shadow puppets and a unicorn hobbyhorse, Play with Art is packed with exciting ideas for a little learner starting on their art journey.

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Children's Book of Art

Go on an artistic journey around the world. Discover the power of art and be inspired by cultures from all over the world with the Children's Book of Art.

You'll learn about the fascinating lives and achievements of great artists and sculptors from Leonardo da Vinci to Tracey Emin and Henry Moore. The book is packed with facts and photos highlighting artistic styles from around the world, from the very earliest cave paintings to Renaissance art and surrealism, via China's terracotta army, and African sculpture.

Plus, there are fun activities and projects so you can create your own works of art—the perfect gift for budding painters and sculptors.

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Mix It Up

Herve Tullet

An interactive picture book from the New York Times bestselling "Prince of Preschool"

Great for toddlers, preschoolers, and early readers to learn about combining colors in a fun and imaginative way.

A mess-free way to learn about transforming colors and following directions: Accept Hervé Tullet's irresistible invitation to mix it up in a dazzling adventure of whimsy and wonder. Follow the artist's simple instructions and suddenly colors appear, mix, splatter, and vanish in a world powered only by the reader's imagination. In Mix It Up! Tullet sets readers on an extraordinary interactive journey all within the printed page.

  • The perfect book for young children to develop an understanding of colors
  • Ideal as a fun and interactive read aloud book for families or small groups
  • Known as the "Prince of Preschool," the versatile Hervé Tullet has been an art director at various ad agencies, a magazine illustrator, and for the past 15 years, a creator of children's books

Fans of Press Here, Let's Play!, and Say Zoop! will love this glorious and richly satisfying companion book, Mix It Up!

Great for preschoolers and early readers to learn about combining colors in a fun and imaginative way.

  • Kids will giggle as they mash, smoosh and mix up colors as they participate in the story
  • Paint colors are vibrant, fun and incredibly realistic
  • Books for kids ages 3-7
  • Stimulating children's book that encourages imagination and creativity
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The Day the Crayons Quit

Drew Daywalt

The hilarious, colorful #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon that every kid wants! Gift a copy to someone you love today.

Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! Blue crayon needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. Black crayon wants to be used for more than just outlining.  And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking—each believes he is the true color of the sun. What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?

With giggle-inducing text from Drew Daywalt and bold and bright illustrations from Oliver Jeffers, The Day the Crayons Quit is the perfect gift for new parents, baby showers, back-to-school, or any time of year! Perfect for fans of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Sciezka and Lane Smith. 

Praise for The Day the Crayons Quit:

Goodreads’ 2013 Best Picture Book of the Year 
Winner of the E.B. White Read-Aloud Award

* “Hilarious . . . Move over, Click, Clack, Moo; we’ve got a new contender for the most successful picture-book strike.” –BCCB, starred review 

“Jeffers . . . elevates crayon drawing to remarkable heights.” –Booklist

“Fresh and funny.” –The Wall Street Journal

"This book will have children asking to have it read again and again.” –Library Media Connection

* “This colorful title should make for an uproarious storytime.” –School Library Journal, starred review 

* “These memorable personalities will leave readers glancing apprehensively at their own crayon boxes.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review 

“Utterly original.” –San Francisco Chronicle

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Splatter

Diane Alber

Ever wonder how the colors GREEN and ORANGE came to be? It all started with a little teamwork and some perseverance! Join three primary paint splatters, RED, YELLOW, and BLUE as they discover why everything is better when you work together!

This story begins when Red, Yellow and Blue encounter a persistent problem and are unsure of how to solve it. They each try to solve it in their own way and it seems to make the problem worse. Instead of giving up, they embrace each other's differences and learn how to work together and in process learn about about some NEW colors too!

If you loved I'm NOT Just a Scribble you will love Splatter too!

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I Am An Artist

Marta Altés

Meet the boy who can't stop creating art!

He loves colors, shapes, textures and EVERYTHING inspires him: his socks, the contents of the fridge, even his cat gets a new coat (of paint!). But there's just one problem: his mum isn't quite so enthusiastic. In fact, she seems a little cross! But this boy has a plan to make his mum smile. He's about to create his finest piece yet and on a very grand scale . . .

Funny, irreverent and perfect for creative children and adults, I Am An Artist by Marta Altés is a sharp, silly, fabulous book which shows that art is EVERYWHERE!

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The World Needs the Wonder You See

Joanna Gaines

New York Times bestselling author Joanna Gaines welcomes you on an imaginative adventure through nature's small surprises and invites you and your children to be curious, slow down, and take in everyday wonders. With vibrant art by Julianna Swaney that is full of dreamy details, this whimsical picture book will inspire your family to pause busy schedules and explore together.

Inspired by Joanna's young son's insistence to "look up!" and the shift to a slower perspective she enjoyed after having her last child, this book shares the delight of taking a friend by the hand, getting your boots muddy, and discovering the secrets just waiting to be uncovered.

In The World Needs the Wonder You See, you and your kids will

  • slow your pace, look closely, and find joy as you make discoveries together;
  • join a diverse cast of children on a journey below leaves, amidst treetops, under ocean waves, through rabbits' tunnels, and into the clouds;
  • imagine hidden worlds in which ladybugs live in tiny cabins, snails journey through mushroom fields, and stars paint stories across the sky; and
  • learn to notice the amazing beauty that children naturally see.

This companion book to The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be is perfect for

  • children ages 4-8;
  • grandparents, parents, teachers, and librarians;
  • classroom story times and discussions about valuing others' ideas and perspectives;
  • households that enjoy watching Chip and Joanna on Magnolia Network and HGTV's Fixer Upper; and
  • holiday or Christmas gift-giving, birthdays, graduations, or other celebrations.

Celebrate the wonder of the world through a child's eyes in this imaginative book about all the beauty, hope, and surprise hiding in plain sight. Look up. Lean in. Bend low. Reach for new heights. Every day, from every place, there's more to see in this great big world of possibility.

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Linus The Little Yellow Pencil

Scott Magoon

A kid-friendly tale of two ends of the same pencil learning to get along!

Linus and his eraser, Ernie, don't always see eye to eye. But with the family art show drawing near, these two will have to sharpen their collaboration to make something neither one could do on their own! 

This cheerful ode to art points out the power of sharing the creative process and sticking with it.

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Maybe Something Beautiful

F. Isabel Campoy

In this exuberant picture book about transformation through art, Mira lives in a gray urban community until a muralist arrives and, along with his paints and brushes, brings color, joy, and hope to the neighborhood.

What good can a splash of color do in a community of gray? As Mira and her neighbors discover, more than you might ever imagine!

Based on the true story of the Urban Art Trail in San Diego, California, Maybe Something Beautiful reveals how art can inspire transformation--and how even the smallest artists can accomplish something big. Pick up a paintbrush and join the celebration!

"Simply superb." (Kirkus)

Tomás Rivera Book Award * ALA Notable Children's Book * Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books of the Year * Huffington Post Best Picture Books of the Year * Kirkus Best of the Year * School Library Journal Top 10 LatinX of the Year

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The Color Collector

Nicholas Solis

The Color Collector is a poignant story about newness, friendship, and common ground.

When a boy notices the new girl picking up all manner of debris and litter on their walks home from school he wants to know why. So she shows him the huge mural she's created in her room that reminds her of the home she left behind. He learns all about where she's come from and they both find how wonderful it is to make a new friend.

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If You Are an Artist

Meg Auchenbach

If you are an artist, you wonder . . . How? Why? and What if? You daydream adventure, you stare at the stars, you let your imagination grow, and grow, and GROW! And most importantly, you know that the world is waiting for what YOU and only YOU can create. Because YOU are an artist. Follow a band of young artists -- each with their own individual contribution -- through this inspirational homage to trusting your own voice, believing in yourself, and cultivating your creativity and sense of wonder to make the world a more beautiful place.

  • 32 pages.
  • Full color picture book.
  • Hardcover with dust jacket.
  • Book measures 8-3/4'' wide x 11-1/4'' high.

Meg Auchenbach has been writing and illustrating books since she was a little girl. If You Are an Artist is her debut picture book and is inspired by her former career as an elementary art teacher, where she watched children daydream, experiment, and create. She holds a B.F.A. in painting from Arcadia University, and an M.F.A. in Illustration/Visual Communication from Marywood University. She lives in Eastern Pennsylvania with her husband, two children, and their dog and cat.

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The Artist

Ed Vere

From the award-winning Ed Vere comes a joyful and inspirational celebration of beauty, mistakes and the artist in all of us

‘The Artist's optimistic ending, in particular, makes it perfect for bedtime reading and bedtime dreaming for little artists. It’s a useful reminder for grown-up artists too.’ - Art Quarterly

One brave little artist goes on one epic adventure to share her art, and in doing so learns that it doesn't matter if you colour outside the lines, that art is full of heart... and that maybe you are an artist too!

What is an artist?

Someone who sees beauty... Someone with a mind full of colours, feelings, and ideas... Someone who plays and dreams and makes...

Praise for How to be a Lion - winner of the Oscar's Book Prize
"This witty, resonant picture book is a manual for anyone's life, young or old." Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week

"Positive role models showing boys how to be a whole person are few and far between these days. This marvellous book triumphs in that essential job." Kirkus

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Art's Supplies

Chris Tougas

In this delightful tale of the power of the imagination, Art’s supplies come to life in the studio, creating mayhem and magic—and art! Pastels, pencils, paints, crayons, brushes and markers...everything gets in on the act of creating a mess-terpiece of fun. Chris Tougas’s brilliant illustrations and clever text explore the essence of the creative process in a way that children will understand.

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The Undefeated

Kwame Alexander

Winner of the 2020 Caldecott Medal 
A 2020 Newbery Honor Book 
Winner of the 2020 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award

The Newbery Award-winning author of THE CROSSOVER pens an ode to black American triumph and tribulation, with art from a two-time Caldecott Honoree. 
Originally performed for ESPN's The Undefeated, this poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world's greatest heroes. The text is also peppered with references to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and others, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present. Robust back matter at the end provides valuable historical context and additional detail for those wishing to learn more. 

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The One and Only Ivan

Katherine Applegate

Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.

Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.

Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.

Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan’s unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope.

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Finding Winnie

Lindsay Mattick

A #1 New York Times Bestseller and Winner of the Caldecott Medal about the remarkable true story of the bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh. 

In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian on his way to tend horses in World War I, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and he took the bear to war.

Harry Colebourn's real-life great-granddaughter tells the true story of a remarkable friendship and an even more remarkable journey--from the fields of Canada to a convoy across the ocean to an army base in England...

And finally to the London Zoo, where Winnie made another new friend: a real boy named Christopher Robin.

Before Winnie-the-Pooh, there was a real bear named Winnie. And she was a girl!

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The Girl Who Drank the Moon (Winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal)

Kelly Barnhill

Winner of the 2017 Newbery Award
The New York Times Bestseller

An Entertainment Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of 2016
A New York Public Library Best Book of 2016
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016
An Amazon Top 20 Best Book of 2016
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2016
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2016
Named to KirkusReviews’ Best Books of 2016
2017 Booklist Youth Editors’ Choice

Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.

One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna’s thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge--with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth’s surface. And the woman with the Tiger’s heart is on the prowl . . .

The Newbery Medal winner from the author of the highly acclaimed novel The Witch’s Boy.

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We Are Water Protectors

Carole Lindstrom

Winner of the 2021 Caldecott Medal
#1 New York Times Bestseller

Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruptiona bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade.

Water is the first medicine.
It affects and connects us all . . .

When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth 
And poison her people’s water, one young water protector
Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.

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Watercress

Andrea Wang

Caldecott Medal Winner
Newbery Honor Book
APALA Award Winner

A story about the power of sharing memories—including the painful ones—and the way our heritage stays with and shapes us, even when we don’t see it. 

New England Book Award Winner
A New York Times Best Children’s Book of the Year
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

While driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl's Chinese immigrant parents spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road. They stop the car, grabbing rusty scissors and an old paper bag, and the whole family wades into the mud to gather as much as they can. 

At first, she's embarrassed. Why can't her family just get food from the grocery store, like everyone else? But when her mother shares a bittersweet story of her family history in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged—and the memories left behind in pursuit of a new life.

Together, they make a new memory of watercress.

Author Andrea Wang calls this moving, autobiographical story “both an apology and a love letter to my parents.” It’s a bittersweet, delicate look at how sharing the difficult parts of our histories can create powerful new moments of family history, and help connect us to our roots. 

Jason Chin’s illustrations move between China and the American Midwest and were created with a mixture of traditional Chinese brushes and western media. The dreamy, nostalgic color palette brings this beautiful story to life. 

An endnote from the author describes her personal connection to the story, and an illustrator’s note touches on both the process of the painting, and the emotional meaning brought to the work. 

New England Book Award Winner
A New York Times Best Children’s Book of the Year
A Wall Street Journal Best Children's Book of the Year
A Boston Globe Best Children's Book of the Year
A Washington Post Best Children's Book of the Year
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book
Winner of the Cybils Award
An SCBWI Crystal Kite Award Winner
A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
An ALSC Notable Children's Book
Named a best book of the year by Publishers Weekly, BookPage, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Lunch, Shelf Awareness , and more!
A CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
An NPR 'Book We Love!'
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!

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Hello, Universe

Erin Entrada Kelly

Winner of the Newbery Medal

“A charming, intriguingly plotted novel.”—Washington Post

Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly’s Hello, Universe is a funny and poignant neighborhood story about unexpected friendships.

Told from four intertwining points of view—two boys and two girls—the novel celebrates bravery, being different, and finding your inner bayani (hero). “Readers will be instantly engrossed in this relatable neighborhood adventure and its eclectic cast of misfits.”—Booklist

In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball.

They aren’t friends, at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.

The acclaimed and award-winning author of Blackbird Fly and The Land of Forgotten Girls writes with an authentic, humorous, and irresistible tween voice that will appeal to fans of Thanhha Lai and Rita Williams-Garcia.

“Readers across the board will flock to this book that has something for nearly everyone—humor, bullying, self-acceptance, cross-generational relationships, and a smartly fateful ending.”—School Library Journal

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The Tale of Despereaux

Kate DiCamillo

A brave mouse, a covetous rat, a wishful serving girl, and a princess named Pea come together in Kate DiCamillo's Newbery Medal–winning tale.

Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives. What happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out. 
With black-and-white illustrations and a refreshed cover by Timothy Basil Ering.

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The Stars Beneath Our Feet

David Barclay Moore

"The right story at the right time. . . . It’s not just a narrative; it’s an experience. It’s the novel we’ve been waiting for." —The New York Times

A boy tries to steer a safe path through the projects in Harlem in the wake of his brother’s death in this outstanding debut novel that celebrates community and creativity. Winner of the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for New Talent and soon to be a major motion picture directed by Michael B. Jordan!

It’s Christmas Eve in Harlem, but twelve-year-old Lolly Rachpaul and his mom aren’t celebrating. They’re still reeling from his older brother’s death in a gang-related shooting just a few months earlier. Then Lolly’s mother’s girlfriend brings him a gift that will change everything: two enormous bags filled with Legos. Lolly’s always loved Legos, and he prides himself on following the kit instructions exactly. Now, faced with a pile of building blocks and no instructions, Lolly must find his own way forward.

His path isn’t clear—and the pressure to join a “crew,” as his brother did, is always there. When Lolly and his friend are beaten up and robbed, joining a crew almost seems like the safe choice. But building a fantastical Lego city at the community center provides Lolly with an escape—and an unexpected bridge back to the world. 

David Barclay Moore paints a powerful portrait of a boy teetering on the edge—of adolescence, of grief, of violence—and shows how Lolly’s inventive spirit helps him build a life with firm foundations and open doors.

A New York Times Notable Book
A Time Magazine Top 10 Children's Books of the Year
A Boston Globe Best Children's Book of the Year
Six Starred Reviews

“A fast and furious read in which we meet some amazing people, people that stay with us. David Barclay Moore is an exciting new voice. We definitely haven’t heard the last of his brilliance.” —Jacqueline Woodson, Newbery Honor and National Book Award–winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming

The Stars Beneath Our Feet is about the weight of the world on the back of a child, and the creative tools necessary to alleviate that pressure. I found myself rooting for Lolly, and you will too.” —Jason Reynolds, Coretta Scott King Honor Winner for As Brave As You

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Hot Dog

Doug Salati

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE 2023 CALDECOTT MEDAL • This glowing and playful picture book features an overheated—and overwhelmed—pup who finds his calm with some sea, sand, and fresh air. Destined to become a classic!

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington PostPublishers WeeklyKirkus Reviews • New York Public Library

“An utter joy from beginning to end!” —Sophie Blackall, two-time Caldecott Medal winner

This hot dog has had enough of summer in the city! Enough of sizzling sidewalks, enough of wailing sirens, enough of people's feet right in his face. When he plops down in the middle of a crosswalk, his owner endeavors to get him the breath of fresh air he needs. She hails a taxi, hops a train, and ferries out to the beach.

Here, a pup can run!

With fluid art and lyrical text that have the soothing effect of waves on sand, award-winning author Doug Salati shows us how to find calm and carry it back with us so we can appreciate the small joys in a day.

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Stella

An uplifting and poignant story about a former service beagle named Stella who must find the courage to overcome her fears and use her special nose to save a girl's life.

Ever since Stella was a puppy, she was trained to use her powerful beagle nose to sniff out chemicals used in explosives and warn her human handler in order to keep people safe.

But during a routine security inspection, Stella is distracted and misses the scent of an explosive chemical. The sound of the blast is loud and scary. Stella survives but her handler--her best friend in the whole world--is gone. Stella blames herself, certain she's a bad dog.

Scared of loud noises, especially thunder and fireworks, Stella struggles with her anxiety and must be retired from being a service animal. Several families try to foster her, but sometimes Stella is so scared she howls or digs or tears things up with her teeth. She wonders if anyone will want to adopt her.

An expert dog trainer, Esperanza, thinks she can help. It's Stella's last chance to prove she can be a good dog. Stella has every reason to love her new family, especially the young human named Chloe who smells like chocolate chip cookies, newly cut grass, the pages of books, and something else--a strange chemical she can't quite identify.

Chloe has epilepsy, and a chemical inside her body surges just before she has a seizure. Stella's nose makes the connection. But how can she warn Esperanza without her thinking it's just Stella's usual anxiety? How can she convince her new family that she can be a new kind of service dog and hopefully save Chloe's life?

Told from Stella's point of view, readers will experience life through a dog's eyes, ears, and, especially, her nose. Like Babe the pig or Ivan the gorilla, Stella the beagle is an extraordinary story for kids who love animals. An endearing novel of courage, compassion, friendship, and love.

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When You Trap a Tiger

Tae Keller

WINNER OF THE NEWBERY MEDAL • WINNER OF THE ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE • #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A PARADE BEST KIDS BOOK OF ALL TIME

Would you make a deal with a magical tiger? This uplifting story brings Korean folklore to life as a girl goes on a quest to unlock the power of stories and save her grandmother.

Some stories refuse to stay bottled up...

When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni's Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now they want it back. And when one of the tigers approaches Lily with a deal--return what her grandmother stole in exchange for Halmoni's health--Lily is tempted to agree. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister and her new friend Ricky, Lily must find her voice...and the courage to face a tiger.

Tae Keller, the award-winning author of The Science of Breakable Things, shares a sparkling tale about the power of stories and the magic of family. 

"If stories were written in the stars ... this wondrous tale would be one of the brightest." —Booklist, Starred Review

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Henry, Like Always

Jenn Bailey

A Schneider Family Book Award Winner 

A Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book 

A NPR 2023 Books We Love Pick

A School Library Journal Best Book of 2023 

A 2023 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book 

A beginning chapter book series based on the award-winning picture book, A Friend for Henry!

Henry likes Classroom Ten. He likes how it is always the same. But this week, Henry's class will have a parade, and a parade means having Share Time on the wrong day. A parade means playing instruments that are too loud. A parade means this week is not like always.

Join Henry as he navigates the ups and downs of marker missiles, stomach volcanoes, and days that feel a little too orange. From the creators of the Schneider Family Honor-winning picture book A Friend for Henry, this warmly funny book starring a child on the autism spectrum is a reassuring read for school-bound kids of all stripes.

GREAT FOR BEGINNING READERS: With short chapters and simple text, this book is perfect for newly independent readers who are just moving into longer books.

BACK TO SCHOOL: Familiar school scenarios--from new schedules to making new friends--are portrayed with humor and understanding in this series that will appeal to and reassure any child starting or continuing in school.

DIVERSE STORIES: Representing neurodivergent kids is a vital aspect of expanding diverse representation across books for all ages. Henry, Like Always provides a mirror and a window for kids on the autism spectrum and their friends to see themselves in the stories they read.

AN AWARD-WINNING TEAM: Jenn Bailey and Mika Song were awarded a Schneider Family Honor Award for their picture book A Friend for Henry. See how the story continues in this classic-feeling early reader series based on the same character!

Perfect for:

  • Newly independent readers
  • An excellent resource for parents of kids on the spectrum
  • Librarians, teachers, and booksellers looking for a children's book that offers a window into the experience of autism
  • A reassuring read for kids with varying levels of social anxiety
  • Gift-givers looking for a sweet and relatable book about friendship
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Mexikid

Pedro Martin

Pedro Martin has grown up hearing stories about his abuelito-his legendary crime-fighting, grandfather who was once a part of the Mexican Revolution! But that doesn't mean Pedro is excited at the news that Abuelito is coming to live with their family

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Big

Vashti Harrison

Winner of the Caldecott Medal! A Coretta Scott King Award Author and Illustrator Honor book, a National Book Award finalist, and a New York Times bestseller! This deeply moving story shares valuable lessons about fitting in, standing out, and the beauty of joyful acceptance, from an award-winning creator.

The first picture book written and illustrated by award-winning creator Vashti Harrison traces a child's journey to self-love and shows the power of words to both hurt and heal. With spare text and exquisite illustrations, this emotional exploration of being big in a world that prizes small is a tender portrayal of how you can stand out and feel invisible at the same time.

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