Grandma does, and Johnny runs to show her what he spotted near the ditch: a sleeping pheasant. What Grandma sees is a small feathery hump. When Johnny wants to take it home, Grandma tries to tell him that the pheasant might have been hit by a car. But maybe she could use the feathers for her craftwork? So home with Grandma and Johnny the pheasant goes . . .  It’s hard to say who is most surprised by what happens next—Grandma, Johnny, or the pheasant. But no one will be more delighted than the reader at this lesson about patience and kindness and respect for nature, imparted by Grandma’s gentle humor, Johnny’s happy hooting, and all the quiet wisdom found in Cheryl Minnema’s stories of Native life and Julie Flett’s remarkably evocative and beautiful illustrations.

    But some days are the worst! Sometimes everything just goes wrong: your little sister presses the elevator button first your favorite socks are missing you're not allowed to wear your mermaid costume to the dentist you can't wear your snorkel in the bathtub But how great would it be if we could learn how to have a good do-over day? Think of all the moaning and groaning and fussing and grumping we could avoid.The Do-Over Day is a great book for kids ages 3-9 and can teach us all how to handle the occasional worst day ever. It even comes with practice cards, so you can begin to have better do-over days, too.

    Elizabeth Cotten was only a little girl when she picked up a guitar for the first time. It wasn't hers (it was her big brother's), and it wasn't strung right for her (she was left-handed). But she flipped that guitar upside down and backwards and taught herself how to play it anyway. By age eleven, she'd written "Freight Train," one of the most famous folk songs of the twentieth century. And by the end of her life, people everywhere—from the sunny beaches of California to the rolling hills of England—knew her music.

    Her walk home takes so long that when she arrives, it is too dark to do her homework. Working through the lunch hour instead, she doesn’t see the truck from the bicycle library pull into the schoolyard. By the time she gets out there, the bikes are all gone. Anna hides her disappointment, happy to help her friends learn to balance and steer. She doesn’t know a compassionate friend will offer her a clever solution—and the chance to raise her own cloud of dust. Brought to life by Brian Deines’ vivid oil paintings, Alma Fullerton’s simple, expressive prose captures the joy of feeling the wind on your face for the first time. Inspired by organizations like The Village Bicycle Project that have opened bicycle libraries all across Africa, In a Cloud of Dust is an uplifting example of how a simple opportunity can make a dramatic change in a child’s life.Ages 4-8.

    Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert come from completely different places and play tennis in completely different ways. Chrissie is the all-American girl: practiced, poised, with perfect technique. Martina hails from Czechoslovakia, a Communist country, and her game is ruled by emotion. Everything about them is different, except one thing: they both want to be the best. But as their intense rivalry grows, something else begins to swing into place, and a friendship forms that will outlast all their tennis victories. Phil Bildner and Brett Helquist tell the engaging true story of these two masters of the court as they win title after title and, most importantly, the hearts of the fans."

    She invites her brothers to help, but they just laugh and tell her she doesn't know how to build."Then I'll learn," she says.And she does!When she creates a dazzling fort that they all want to play in, it is Ruby who has the last laugh.With sprightly text and winsome pictures, this modern spin on the timeless favorite The Little Red Hen celebrates the pluck and ingenuity of young creators everywhere!

    "How kind!" says Pig. Pig is so touched, in fact, that he decides to do something kind too. So Pig gives Rabbit a gift. "How kind!" says Rabbit, who does something kind for Cow, who is kind to Cat, who wants to be kind in turn. Where will all of this kindness lead?

    When people scoffed at her dreams of becoming a pilot, Hazel wouldn't take no for an answer. She joined the Women Airforce Service Pilots during World War II. It was a dangerous job, but Hazel flew with joy and boldness.This moving, true story about a groundbreaking figure will inspire young readers to challenge barriers and reach for the sky.

    With gentle coaxing, the woman tries to befriend the animal, but the dog is too scared to let her near. Day after day, the woman tries--and day after day, the dog runs away. With perseverance and patience--and help from an enticing tennis ball--a tentative friendship begins. But it's not until a raging storm forces the two together that a joyous and satisfying friendship takes hold.

    Lightning gash! Windy lash! A storm drives all the farm animals indoors except for a lonely fox family. The barn isn’t their home. But where will they go for safety? This stunning picture books explores themes of acceptance and belonging: Large or small, Short and tall, There is room, There is room, There is room For us all.

    Below, Birrarung begins its long winding path down to palem warreen.Yarra Riverkeeper Andrew Kelly and Aboriginal Elder of the Wurundjeri people Aunty Joy Murphy join to tell the Indigenous and geographical story of Melbourne’s beautiful Yarra River — from its source to its mouth and from its prehistory to the present day. The writing dazzles with poetic descriptions of the trees, plants, and wildlife that thrive in harmony along the iconic waterway. Lush and vibrant acrylic paintings from Indigenous illustrator Lisa Kennedy make the mighty Yarra come to life — coursing under a starry sky, drawing people to its sunny shores, mirroring a searing orange sunset. Jewel-like details in the illustrations offer opportunities for discovery on every page. As gorgeous and powerful as the river itself, this stunner invites all to come to Wilam: home.End matter includes an authors' note and a glossary of the Woiwurrung words used in the story.

    Grumpy Owl wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and, just when he thinks things can't get worse, he discovers his animal friends are making all the wrong sounds! Brown Bear says "Woof!", Tan Toad says "Gobble!", and Red Rooster says "Moo!" Grumpy Owl cannot believe his ears and frantically tries to correct his friends without much success! Come along on this silly adventure as Grumpy Owl learns a valuable lesson about treating others with kindness whether they "Woof, oink, gobble! Moo, quack or squeak!"

    One spark. Faint and fading in the dark. Flicker . . . Flicker . . . Flicker . . . Glow. Tiny ember. Burning low. Inspired by the global movement to empower girls through education, this lyrical story tells of one small girl who reads a book that lights a spark. She shares what she learns with her class, and the spark grows. The girl is then moved to write her own story, which she shares with girls around the globe, and it ignites a spark in them, lighting up the whole world. This heartwarming and moving narrative shows how books and education can inspire change and how one child can make a huge difference.

    The long-awaited realistic handling of this theme makes it a landmark book."—School Library JournalMore than anything, William wants a doll. “Don’t be a creep,” says his brother. “Sissy, sissy,” chants the boy next door. Then one day someone really understands William’s wish, and make it easy for others to understand, too. William gets a doll, so he can learn to be a loving parent someday.Written by beloved author Charlotte Zolotow and illustrated by Newbery Medal-winning author and Caldecott Honor Book illustrator William Pène du Bois, William’s Doll was published in 1972 and was one of the first picture books to deal with gender stereotypes. William's Doll has been welcomed by teachers, librarians, and other caregivers as a springboard for discussion about gender roles and intolerance, whether shared one on one or with groups in a classroom or library setting.

    In his tiny backyard next door to hers, Larry grows the most extraordinary vegetables. Grace loves helping him - watering and weeding, planting and pruning, hoeing and harvesting. And whenever there's a problem - like bugs burrowing into the carrots or slugs chewing the lettuce - Grace and Larry solve it together. Grace soon learns that Larry has big plans for the vegetables in his special garden. And when that garden faces its biggest problem yet, Grace follows Larry's example to find the perfect solution.Inspired by a real person, author Laura Alary has written a heartwarming story about how amazing things can grow when you tend your garden with kindness. In this case, Larry, a teacher, is helping to grow community. He has his students grow tomato plants that they then give away to their neighbors with personal notes. It offers a powerful lesson on the influence of generosity, while encouraging young children to become community activists in their own neighborhoods. This uplifting story fosters an appreciation for neighborhood and community at a time when that sentiment seems to be eroding. The book also contains an environmental message about harvesting your own vegetables and, with Kass Reich's colorful illustrations, works beautifully for a life science exploration of growth and changes in plants. There are character education connections to caring, cooperation, empathy, kindness, perseverance and teamwork.