Linden is the youngest of the Dungy family and the least motivated because he hasn't found "it." In a family where everyone seems to have found their special talent, all Linden knows is that he wants to make people happy. With encouragement from his parents, a helping hand from his older brother Tony, and inspiration from God, Linden learns that if he dreams big and has faith, he can do anything!

    He finds other street children who share their food and a place to sleep. Together they proclaim a message of hope through murals and radio programs. Now in paper, this beautifully illustrated story is supplemented with photographs of Haitian children working and playing together, plus an essay by Edwidge Danticat. Included in the 2005 ALA Notable Children’s Book List and the Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List.Youme Landowne is an artist and activist who has worked with communities in Kenya, Japan, Haiti, and Cuba to make art that honors personal and cultural wisdom. She makes her home in Brooklyn, New York, and rides her bike everywhere.

    What makes you thankful?A book? Weekends? Your family?How do you say thanks? With a flower? With a chocolate bar? With a surprise?In sixteen extraordinary poems that range in form from a haiku to a rebus to a riddle, Nikki Grimes reminds us how wonderful it is to feel thankful, and how powerful a simple "thank you" can be.

    That means "no extras," so Emma must be content to make her own stories and books. Emma has a plan, though – she's going to save all the money she earns picking apples and put it in Mama's hard-times jar. Then there will surely be enough for extras. But when Mama tells Emma that this year she has to go to school instead of to work, it spoils everything. Now she will never own a store-bought book! But school turns out to have a wonderful surprise in store for Emma.Based on Ethel Footman Smothers's childhood, the story is brought to life with lush acrylic paintings, giving us a touching portrait of a book-hungry child.

    In this touching bedtime story, a little girl describes why her Mom is awesome. We see her going through her day, carrying the warmest feeling about her mother. Mom always knows how she feels and can help with any problem. Mom can make the most complicated braid and explain fractions; Mom can help to wake her up in the morning and hug her tightly when she’s sad. With adorable illustrations and a message to which everyone can relate, this is a perfect book for kids and their moms.

    Girls and boys, women and men invite us to experience their world, understand their lives, and find the connections that bring us together.

    Hope’s father can’t stand the waiting a minute longer and decides to join the Union army to fight for freedom. He slips away one tearful night, leaving Hope, who knows she may never see her father again, with only a conch shell for comfort. Its sound, Papa says, echoes the promised song of freedom. It’s a long wait for freedom and on the nights when the cannons roar, Papa seems farther away than ever. But then Lincoln finally does it: on January 1, 1863, he issues the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves, and a joyful Hope finally spies the outline of a familiar man standing on the horizon.Affectingly written and gorgeously illustrated, Hope’s Gift captures a significant moment in American history with deep emotion and a lot of charm.

    There's a problem outside and this cute bug is going to fix it by swapping colors. TThis is a fun and colorful, fully illustrated ebook, for ages 18 months and up.

    Different as this new country is, however, it is far from ideal. In this new, gray world, the lack of freedom is felt in the simplest things, such as the colors one can and cannot wear.Yara Kono was born in Brazil. Her first drawings were made on the wall of her family's living room. Her mother wasn't pleased, but eventually embraced the artistic talents of her daughter.Henriqueta Cristina was born in Portugal into a family of many brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins, and stories. She graduated Porto University and has been a teacher for over thirty years.

    Each story is accompanied by a Booktalk for review, a Motifs & Ideas for discussion, a Connection to a subject area, and a Vocabulary for cloze exercise. Answer Keys, Group Activities, and Self Evaluation are also provided for maximum learning results. These ten Cinderella tales provide an assortment of stories from around the world that create natural bridges to other curricular areas. Teachers may use the lesson plans as a comprehensive language arts unit that can be integrated with other subject areas, or choose individual lessons with stand-alone worksheets that support and offer practice for concepts already introduced.

    You can sample sushi. Build a burger. Eat an empanada! There's a food truck flavor to satisfy every appetite in this comically illustrated picture book with rhyming text. A fun and informative homage to tasty treats and transportation. Additional fun facts on food history and nutrition are also peppered throughout the book.

    But when Buddy Walker, the play leader on Althea's street in Harlem, watches her play paddle tennis, he sees something more: pure possibility. Buddy buys Althea her very own stringed tennis racket, and before long, she's on her way to becoming a great athlete - and to proving that she's more than just trouble. Althea Gibson, born in 1927, was the first African American ever to compete in and win the Wimbledon Cup. Sue Stauffacher's lively text, paired with vibrant paintings by artist Greg Couch, captures the exuberance, ambition, and triumph of this remarkable woman.

    Helen is excited, but anxious. How will she and her siblings, who know only English, communicate with Gong Gong, who speaks only Chinese?At first Gong Gong keeps to himself, reading the Chinese newspapers he brought with him. Then one day, as Helen sits outside watching for the train that runs behind her house, Gong Gong joins her. He starts counting the train cars in Chinese, and then teaches Helen the words. Helen reciprocates by teaching Gong Gong to count in English. Soon Helen and Gong Gong are teaching each other more words, and a special bond between them begins to develop and grow.A moving intergenerational story, Grandfather Counts highlights the universality of the love shared between grandparent and grandchild, a love that helps them cross the boundaries of language and culture.

    Saturday mornings he walks with his sister, Lisa, to her dancing school on his way to the park for his weekly game. One morning Max is early, and Lisa's teacher invites him to join the class. Max stretches at the barre. He struggles for a split. And before he knows it, he's having fun! Young ballplayers and ballet dancers will share Max's delight when he discovers that dance class is a great way to warm up for a home run.