Anne Rockwell presents interesting and important details about clouds in an engaging, easy-to-read format. A great choice for young science or meteorology fans!

When Ann Fay's challenge to recover from polio is compounded by her father's inability to cope with psychological war wounds, Ann Fay's attempts to fix both problems fail miserably. But when she realizes burdens are for sharing and quality relationships require humility and trust, she walks a once-lonely path with help. As she becomes less dependent upon clunky, uncomfortable braces for her polio- ...

An out-of-reach cookie jar, a hungry boy and his companion Horsie, and a giant robot. What could go wrong? A fun story with details readers will love, including cookie crumb precipitation!

Karen Harrington calls upon her experience with an agoraphobic mother to movingly convey her main character's angst in learning to live well through tragedy and extreme circumstances. Already facing difficult teenage years, Mysti suddenly becomes provider and voice of reason when her mother's agoraphobia strips away her ability to cope. While the text seems to go on without resolution for a good p ...

When Henry's mom limits his bike-riding exploration to around the block, he assumes he's in for a boring ride. However, the action he sees—conveyed through rich verb use and energetic illustrations—transforms his ride into an exciting adventure. Enticing for very young readers.

This Caldecott winner employs curves and movement on each page that accommodate the story's gentle flow. Narrated by a mom speaking to her young child, the book's clean, soft, subtly-shaded illustrations provide a calm, pleasing visual experience. Notably, both the storyteller and artist incorporate a winding pattern that repeats throughout, creating a familiar reference point that completely sati ...

Compelling, life-sized, carefully-detailed illustrations, punctuate the depth of Frederick Douglass's devotion to justice and liberty for all. The dark pain of loss at a young age translated into grim determination to learn words because "...Frederick sensed that words had power. ...he traded food for words." In a world of fast food and e-books, Rappaport reminds us to value the influence of speak ...

While this is primarily Pedro Martinez's biography, it is equally a celebration of the relationship he shared with his talented baseball-player brother, Ramon. A humble upbringing challenged them both to creatively pursue their love of baseball, and eventually dedicated practice and big dreams gave way to major-league contracts, friendly rivalry on national stages, and a championship win. Gorgeous ...

The unbreakable bond between Moose and his owner Zara is brilliantly conveyed through metaphor; "Hello smelled like homemade cookies" but "Goodbye was hide without seek. Entertaining antics flood each colorful page that lead to a problem-solved, "hello" resolution.

Expect the unexpected! Houses, apartments, underground lairs, giant shoes and hollow trees capture the imaginations of young readers dreaming of home. Ellis encourages children to ask and answer questions (‘Whose home is this?’ ‘Why would someone live here?’) in a way that evokes wonder and inspires creativity. Kids will be redecorating their rooms and building forts afte ...

Gentle humor and fun characters provide a celebration of friendship, old and new.

This story exudes beauty. It is a study in kindness and grace. It shows what knowing how to see beyond personal needs, penchants, and shortsightedness looks like. Nana's wisdom teaches readers to look with eyes that see beyond the surface to love the potential of each individual and to give. Because that is where joy begins. CJ: "How come it's always so dirty over here?" Nana (smiling and poin ...

The literary best friends are back for a winter and Christmas tale that shows how giving is an act of thinking about others. Both young readers and their adult companions will smile at the conclusion!

Little Red (a pencil) leaves her classroom tasked with finding a story worth writing. Almost at once, she becomes bogged down by descriptors, carried away by an endless string of words full-of-stick, and frightened by adverbs "suddenly, abruptly, and surprisingly" catching her off-guard. Play on words, parody, and humor cleverly entertain and show readers how parts of speech can enrich or misguide ...

In a forest of seedlings, only one refused to let go of its leaves season after season. The tree's sad, cowering posture helps early grade school readers see that fear hinders the little tree's growth. Eventually with coaxing and reassurance, it lets go and is able to realize its full potential—to grow and to serve. A wise message, simply illustrated for easy comprehension.

Ranger, a brave dog, wants to convince kids that reading can lead to amazing adventure. History comes alive as Ranger races through time helping young people overcome danger and evil in their quest to stay alive. Ranger and the boys he partners with are the perfect combination of bravery, curiosity, and loyalty. This story presents life-lessons like honesty, standing up for what is right, and how ...

The gentle narrative shows how dreams can come true in unexpected ways and in unusual places.

A delightful introduction to a young boy who turns his personal hurdles—lack of confidence and not knowing how to capitalize on his strengths—into stepping stones for building friendships. Age-appropriate illustrations capture moments beautifully, conveying the emotional experience throughout.