Bucket filling and dipping are effective metaphors for understanding the effects of our actions and words on the well being of others and ourselves.

    Whether he's having an X-ray taken, getting a teeth cleaning, or finding a cavity, both parents and children alike will relate to this beloved story. A perfect way to help allay any fears of going to the dentist!

    She is ready to celebrate freedom. She is ready to celebrate a great day in American history — the day her ancestors were no longer slaves. Mazie remembers the struggles and the triumph, as she gets ready to celebrate Juneteenth.This beautiful story by award-winning author and illustrator Floyd Cooper will captivate both children and adults.

    There across the road, it looked like any rocky hill—nothing but sand and rocks, and some old wooden boxes. But it was a special place. And all children needed to go there was a long stick and a soaring imagination.“A celebration of the transforming magic of the imagination. An original.” —ALA Booklist

     A is for America, the land that we love. B is for the Birthday of this country of ours.... To choose the twenty-six people and ideas that comprise the book, Lynne Cheney has drawn on a lifetime of learning about the American past, and on the inspiration that comes from witnessing recent history firsthand. Illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser imbues Mrs. Cheney's words with childlike joy through her exuberant drawings. Together they have created a patriotic primer, a book that teaches history by celebrating the diversity, tenacity, and faith of the American people. This A to Z of America frames the story -- and the miracle -- of our country.

    The house has an expressive face of windows and doors, and even the feelings of a person, so she’s sad when she’s surrounded by the dirty, noisy city’s hustle and bustle: “She missed the field of daisies / and the apple trees dancing in the moonlight.” Fortunately, there’s a happy ending, as the house is taken back to the country where she belongs.

    Detailed facts and figures as well as a focus on the issue of diversity make this a great book for reference and a basis for discussion, both at home and in the classroom.

    The entertaining yet informative text is a good conversation starter for discussions on the election process. A note about this process accompanies the story. Full color.

    It's been around for centuries; from the ancient Greeks to the American Indians, everyone's chewed it. But the best kind of gum; bubble gum! wasn't invented until 1928, when an enterprising young accountant at Fleer Gum and Candy used his spare time to experiment with different recipes. Bubble-blowing kids everywhere will be delighted with Megan McCarthy's entertaining pictures and engaging fun facts as they learn the history behind the pink perfection of Dubble Bubble.

    How much? In this universal story, a child tests the limits of independence and comfortingly learns that a parent's love is unconditional and everlasting. The lyrical text introduces young readers to a distinctively different culture, while at the same time showing that the special love that exists between parent and child transcends all boundaries of time and place. The story is beautifully complemented by graphically stunning illustrations that are filled with such exciting animals as whales, wolves, puffins, and sled dogs. This tender and reassuring book is one that both parents and children will turn to again and again.• Set in a captivating and unusual Arctic setting• Includes a carefully researched glossary provides additional information on Arctic lifeFans of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Goodnight Moon, and Guess How Much I Love You will love this book. This book is a great read for:• Toddlers and young children• Families interested in different cultures• Parents• Librarians

    Lewis.Through the eyes of one little girl, All Different Now tells the story of the first Juneteenth, the day freedom finally came to the last of the slaves in the South. Since then, the observance of June 19 as African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. This stunning picture book includes notes from the author and illustrator, a timeline of important dates, and a glossary of relevant terms. Told in Angela Johnson’s signature melodic style and brought to life by E.B. Lewis’s striking paintings, All Different Now is a joyous portrait of the dawn breaking on the darkest time in our nation’s history.

    The Amish first came to Pennsylvania in the early 1700s, and to this day preserve a religious and "plain" life-style. As part of her household chores, Naomi looks after the chickens with her little sister, Ruth.One day Naomi and Ruth find an abandoned egg near the road. This is no ordinary chicken egg, though. In fact, surrounded by the simplicity and austerity of their Amish ways, this egg is almost "fancy." Naomi decides this special egg must be hatched. And when it is, it's plain to see that this is no ordinary chick!The girls manage to keep the chick, dubbed Fancy, a secret... until the day of the Vleckes' frolic, or community working bee. On this day, Naomi is to receive a white organdy cap, a family tradition, as a reward for her hard work and responsibility. But on this day, too, Fancy decides to introduce himself to the community.The results are a sheer delight, pure and simple. Patricia Polacco's passion has taken her into the heart of Amish country in search of a story. In this unabridged reading of her award-winning book, her lively voice, accompanied by her beautiful artwork carry this story of discovery and growing up into the hearts of all who listen and turn its pages.

    Franklin also designed the lightning rod, suggested the idea of daylight savings time, and invented bifocals-all inspired by his common sense and intelligence. In this informative book, Gene Barretta brings Benjamin Franklin's genius to life, deepening our appreciation for one of the most influential figures in American history.Now & Ben is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

    One by one, many of the seeds are lost -- burned by the sun, fallen into the ocean, eaten by a bird. But some survive the long winter and, come spring, sprout into plants, facing new dangers -- trampled by playing children, picked as a gift for a friend. Soon only the tiniest seed remains, growing into a giant flower and, when autumn returns, sending its own seeds into the wind to start the process over again. Eric Carle's eloquent text and brilliant collages turn the simple life cycle of a plant into an exciting story, a nature lesson, and an inspiring message of the importance of perseverance.

    He believed that all life on earth, and the earth itself, is sacred. A moving and compelling plea for an end to man's destruction of nature.