Leo's Monster


Marcus Pfister - 2020
    At least that’s what Leo saw. Or did he? Zoe thinks his description sounds just like Berta, the sweet-tempered cow in the meadow . . .  Bestselling author Marcus Pfister skillfully weaves a hilarious story of mystery, suspense and just a hint of scariness.

William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad


Don Tate - 2020
    As a young man, William went to work for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, where he raised money, planned rescues, and helped freedom seekers who had traveled north. And then one day, a strangely familiar man came into William's office, searching for information about his long-lost family. Could it be?Motivated by his own family's experience, William began collecting the stories of thousands of other freedom seekers. As a result, he was able to reunite other families and build a remarkable source of information, including encounters with Harriet Tubman, Henry "Box" Brown, and William and Ellen Craft.

Red and Green and Blue and White


Lee Wind - 2021
    They enjoy all the things they share, as well as the things that make them different.But when Isaac's window is smashed in the middle of the night, it seems like maybe not everyone appreciates "difference."PRAISE★ "Wind's lightly fictionalized version of the 1993 incident wherein a community stood up to bigotry . . . is conveyed with lyrical simplicity. The visual treatment here is particularly striking—Caldecott Medalist Zelinsky's vibrant digital art has bold, rough-hewn textures of scratch block, and dramatic compositions . . . .[A] moving historical tale that encourages taking a stand." —Publishers Weekly, starred review★ "Zelinsky has covered every page with bright colors, with optional text that dances through the pictures and occasional vignettes that add detail and movement to the story. This is a strong addition to holiday stories, one that can be reread and rediscovered many times and whose theme of community support and friendship is appropriate year-round." —School Library Connection, starred review"[A] quiet, uplifting tale. . . . Readers will feel heartened at children's power to influence others to stand up for justice and defeat vile prejudice. . . . The true meaning of the holiday season shines here." —Kirkus Reviews

I Don't Like to Eat Ants


J.T.K. Belle - 2019
    He'll try anything else - a grilled cheese sandwich, a cinnamon bun, or a chocolate cake - but he's eaten his last ant. Anteater Two only wants ants to eat. And so they enter into a lively debate about the best food for an anteater, until (at the urging of two very relieved ants) they finally agree to go together to Anteater Three's Peanut Butter & Jelly Deli to try something new - a world-famous peanut butter-&-jelly sandwich. Sabine Mielke's beautiful, stylized illustrations accompany JTK Belle's rhyming, laugh-out-loud text, in this charming, relatable, story. A perfect read-aloud for picky-eaters and adventurous eaters alike.

Muddy: The Raccoon Who Stole Dishes


Griffin Ondaatje - 2019
    “Our son’s a picky eater,” his parents say.   When Muddy gets caught, the oldest, wisest raccoon insists he make amends. But when all 27 raccoons enter the restaurant to return Muddy’s stolen plates, what happens next is not what anyone expects.   Mischievous Muddy will steal your heart!   Praise for The Camel in the Sun (Griffin Ondaatje’s and Linda Wolfsgruber)   "A tender story, eloquently rendered."— Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW "A lesson in empathy—for animals but also in general—delivered at a pace as stately as a camel’s." —Kirkus Reviews "This will appeal to many ages, both as a peek into another culture and as an engaging story about a creature that finally gets the empathy it deserves."—Booklist

The People's Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art


Cynthia Levinson - 2021
    So when Ben and the rest of his family make their way to America, Ben brings both his sharp artistic eye and his desire to fight for what’s right. As he grows, he speaks for justice through his art—by disarming classmates who bully him because he’s Jewish, by defying his teachers’ insistence that he paint beautiful landscapes rather than true stories, by urging the US government to pass Depression-era laws to help people find food and jobs.

Making Friends Is an Art!: A Children's Book on Making Friends


Julia Cook - 2012
    He's tall, geeky and lonely. In her trademark clever and humorous fashion, Julia Cook teaches kids (and adults!) how to practice the art of friendship and getting along with others.

Saved by the Boats: The Heroic Sea Evacuation of September 11


Julie Gassman - 2016
    history. Amid the chaos, sea captains and crews raced by boat to the tragic Manhattan scene. Nearly 500,000 people on Manhattan Island were rescued that day in what would later be called the largest sea evacuation in history. In this rarely told story of heroism, we come to understand that in our darkest hours, people shine brightly as a beacon of hope.

Our Shed: A Father-Daughter Building Story


Robert Broder - 2021
    For each practical element the dad brings to the project, his daughter adds her own imaginative creative spin. In the end, they are both happy with their collaboration.And, just as dad passes building skills on to his daughter, so does his daughter eventually pass those skills on to her own son when they fix up the peeling shed at the end of the story.Kids love tools, building things, and spending time with parents. This story hits all those points with love and humor.

The Elephant Keeper: Caring for Orphaned Elephants in Zambia


Margriet Ruurs - 2017
    The rescued baby is brought to an elephant orphanage for care, and given the name Zambezi. Though Aaron has been raised to think of elephants as dangerous to humans and their crops, on a visit to the orphanage, he learns that illegal poaching of these animals is threatening them with extinction, and the orphanage is trying to prevent that from happening. And when Aaron is offered a job at the orphanage, his life is suddenly transformed, as he discovers a bond of friendship with Zambezi and his lifelong vocation as an elephant keeper.Inspired by the real-life Aaron and Zambezi at the Lilayi Elephant Nursery in Zambia. Three nonfiction spreads interspersed throughout the story explore facts about elephants, ivory poaching and elephant orphanages. The back of the book contains ways children can help endangered wildlife.

Survivors of the Holocaust: True Stories of Six Extraordinary Children


Kath Shackleton - 2019
    Yet [this] new extraordinary work in the form of a nonfiction graphic novel for children is a valiant attempt to do just that. These testimonials... serve as a reminder never to allow such a tragedy to happen again."--BookTribBetween 1933 and 1945, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party were responsible for the persecution of millions of Jews across Europe. This extraordinary graphic novel tells the true stories of six Jewish children who survived the Holocaust. From suffering the horrors of Auschwitz, to hiding from Nazi soldiers in war-torn Paris, to sheltering from the Blitz in England, each true story is a powerful testament to the survivors' courage. These remarkable testimonials serve as a reminder never to allow such a tragedy to happen again.Features a current photograph of each contributor and an update about their lives, along with a glossary and timeline to support reader understanding of this period in world history.

A Brief History of Underpants


Christine Van Zandt - 2021
     Gain a whole new understanding of underthings as you:Learn which ruler was buried with over 100 pairs of underwear.Discover how people kept their underclothes from falling off before elastic was invented.Find out why some underwear was made from feathers.And much, much more!Zany illustrations add to the humor, and step-by-step instructions teach real dyeing and washing techniques used hundreds of years ago. Interact with the topic directly by turning the reveal wheel on the front cover to see underwear evolve through the ages.

The Woods


Rob Hodgson - 2019
    The foxes follow some helpful signs over the tallest trees, under the carrot fields, and through the pumpkin patch, but there’s no sign of any rabbits. What on earth has happened to them? And why are there strange eyes following them from the trees?   This is a great title for entertaining children indoors: they will love outwitting the foxes—who continually say, 'No rabbits here'—by spotting the rabbits in each colorful illustration! Don't miss Rob Hodgson's other hilarious books: The Cave and My Best Friend.

On Our Street: Our First Talk about Poverty


Jillian Roberts - 2018
    Using age-appropriate language, this book addresses mental illness, homelessness and refugee status as they are connected to this issue. Quotes from individuals and organizations such as UNICEF are included throughout to add further perspective on the issue.

I Am Harriet Tubman


Brad Meltzer - 2018
    Each book tells the story of one of America's icons in a lively, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero's childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos. This volume focuses on Harriet Tubman's brave heroism as part of the movement to abolish slavery. As one of the key players in the Underground Railroad, she helped enslaved African Americans escape and find freedom.