The Seeds of Friendship


Michael Foreman - 2015
    He missed the colours and friendships of his faraway home. But when a teacher at school gives him a few seeds, she plants an idea in him – an idea that could transform his grey world for ever. Michael Foreman’s beautifully-illustrated story is a powerful fable of how friendship can grow in our world.

The Lady in the Box


Ann McGovern - 1997
    Ben and his sister Lizzie know that there is a lady who lives outside in a box over a warm air vent. The children worry about the kind-looking lady, and begin sneaking food and clothes out of their apartment for her. Gently told and powerfully illustrated in rich hues, The Lady in the Box deals candidly with the issue of homelessness.

The Stars Will Still Shine


Cynthia Rylant - 2005
    Rejoicing in the goodness of daily life with unforced spirituality, Cynthia Rylant's gentle verse becomes more powerful with each reading. Matching the pure reverence of the voice, Tiphanie Beeke's luminous watercolors bring a peaceful and uplifted feeling. Like a prayer, this is soothing at bedtime and is a meaningful gift for anyone facing a crisis or starting anew.

The Secret Message


Mina Javaherbin - 2010
    Will he ever fly free again?Based on a poem by the ancient Persian philosopher Rumi, "The Secret Message "is a funny story of surprising twists, powerful solidarity, exotic travels, and a simple wish fulfilled. This witty tale, told with humor and vibrant images, will enchant young readers as it introduces them to the culture, literature, and history of Persia.

Off We Go to Mexico: An Adventure in the Sun


Laurie Krebs - 2006
    Includes Spanish words.

Happy Like Soccer


Maribeth Boelts - 2012
    Her shoes have flames as she spins the ball down the spread-out sea of grass. But nothing makes her sad like soccer, too, because the restaurant where her auntie works is busy on game days and she can’t take time off to watch Sierra play. On game days, her auntie helps Sierra get ready and tells her, "Play hard and have fun." And Sierra does, but she can’t help wishing she had someone there to root for her by name, and not just by the number on her uniform. With honesty and rare subtlety, author Maribeth Boelts and illustrator Lauren Castillo portray an endearing character in a moving, uplifting story that touches on the divides children navigate every day- and remind us that everyone needs someone to cheer them on from the sidelines.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: Some Girls Are Born to Lead


Michelle Markel - 2016
    Girls weren’t supposed to act smart, tough, or ambitious. Even though, deep inside, they may have felt that way. And then along came Hillary. Brave, brilliant, and unstoppable, she was out to change the world.They said a woman couldn’t be a mother and a lawyer. Hillary was both. They said a woman shouldn’t be too strong or too smart. Hillary was fearlessly herself.It didn’t matter what people said—she was born to lead.With illustrations packed full of historical figures and details, this gorgeous and informative picture book biography is perfect for every budding leader. Includes a timeline, artist’s note, and bibliography.

Penny and the Magic Puffballs


Alonda Williams - 2013
    She wondered why her friends had long straight hair and she did not. Feeling different made her feel sad. Penny’s mom assures Penny that her hair is perfect and just because it is different it doesn’t mean bad. She decides to style Penny’s hair in Puffballs . Penny soon discovers that wonderful magical things happen when she wears her puffballs. Through a series of whimsical adventures, the story reinforces the message of self-acceptance and celebrates diversity. The author’s goals is to help instill a sense of pride in young girls who may feel singled out because of their hair. Join Penny on her magical adventures and watch as she discovers the power of her magic puffballs.

The Flower Girl Wore Celery


Meryl G. Gordon - 2016
    However, nothing is quite as she expected it to be, from the ring bearer whom she expected to be a bear, to her celery-colored dress, which she expected to be covered in real celery, to the wedding's two brides.

Finding Lincoln


Ann Malaspina - 2009
    But it's 1951 in Alabama, and African Americans cannot use the public library. Mama says one day soon they'll be able to check out books, but Louis isn't going to wait! When he makes a brave journey into the "whites-only" library, something surprising and wonderful happens - he meets a brave young librarian. Ann Malaspina's moving story and Colin Bootman's rich paintings evoke the troubles and triumphs of days not long past. Includes a note on the history of racial segregation in public libraries, a brief history of Abraham Lincoln's life, and an "If You Want to Read More" listing.

Mama, I'll Give You the World


Roni Schotter - 2006
    Mama works hard and hardly ever smiles, but when she does, she is the prettiest flower in all the World. At the end of each day, she puts her tip money in a special envelopes for Luisa-- the envelope marked "college." She wants to give her daughter the world-- but Luisa has plans of her own. It's Mama's birthday and, for one night, she wants to make Mama smile... the way she smiles in an old photograph of her dancing at a place called Roseland. So Luisa transforms Walter's World of Beauty into Roseland, by decorating it with roses and collages of Mama's customers, who are also in on Luisa's secret. And it isn't long before everyone is happily dancing, especially Mama, who is the happiest of all.

Twins


Mike Ciccotello - 2019
    Being a twin is great! Sometimes our friends can't tell us apart.A boy and his twin do everything together--leapfrog and piggyback rides, dancing and disagreeing, and everything in between! Their relationship has its ups and downs, but in the end, it's great knowing there's someone in their world who is just like them. This charming picture book is a sweet and silly celebration of twinhood--whether you look alike or not!

Salsa: Un poema para cocinar / A Cooking Poem


Jorge Argueta - 2015
    A young boy and his sister gather the ingredients and grind them up in a molcajete, just like their ancestors used to do, singing and dancing all the while.The children imagine that their ingredients are different parts of an orchestra — the tomatoes are bongos and kettledrums, the onion, a maraca, the cloves of garlic, trumpets and the cilantro, the conductor. They chop and then grind these ingredients in the molcajete, along with red chili peppers for the “hotness” that is so delicious, finally adding a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of salt. When they are finished, their mother warms tortillas and their father lays out plates, as the whole family, including the cat and dog, dance salsa in mouth-watering anticipation.Winner of the International Latino Book Award for Guacamole, Jorge Argueta has once again written a recipe-poem that families will delight in.Each book in the cooking poem series features a talented illustrator from the Latino world. In Salsa the text is complemented by the rich, earthy illustrations of Duncan Tonatiuh, winner of the Pura Belpré Award. His interest in honoring the art of the past in contemporary contexts is evident in these wonderful illustrations, which evoke the pre-Columbian Mixtec codex.

A Woman for President: The Story of Victoria Woodhull


Kathleen Krull - 2004
    Born in complete poverty, the seventh of ten children, Victoria Woodhull was supporting her family by the age of eight as a child preacher. Seeking a better life, she married, divorced, moved to New York City, and became a millionaire by offering Cornelius Vanderbilt financial advice from the spirit world.Victoria did not stop there. Now that she had money and power, she was ready to challenge society's harsh limitations on women. Her boldest act was announcing herself as the first female candidate for the presidency of the United States. She founded her own newspaper to publicize this groundbreaking campaign, which took her from the chambers of Congress to the glorious moment when she was nominated by the Equal Rights Party at a convention that she, a woman, had organized and funded.In the first book about Victoria Woodhull for young readers, Kathleen Krull and Jane Dyer team up to bring one of the most fascinating personalities in U.S. history to life.- The perfect book to explore the electoral process during the upcoming presidential election.- One of the most revolutionary American women has been forgotten by history-until now.- Walker & Company is proud to welcome acclaimed biographer Kathleen Krull and talented illustrator Jane Dyer to our list.

In the Land of Milk and Honey


Joyce Carol Thomas - 2012
    Terrific sights and flavors welcome them with sweet possibility, reflected in the faces of people of all races, cultures, and ethnicities. Where oranges are as big as grapefruits and bears fish like men-California awaits, as one girl makes the exciting cross-country move by train with her family. Awe-inspiring scenes come to life as soaring mountains give way to the sweeping Golden Gate. The adventure of this world unfolds as the train takes them to a place where people from all paths come together, sipping Mexican hot chocolate and eating African bread, and music from the welcome party fills the air. This tells the tale of many who made this same trip, drawn by a land filled with plenty and promise, the land of milk and honey. in this breathtaking and gorgeous story, the dynamic duo of Joyce Carol Thomas and Floyd Cooper capture the anticipation and thrill of a girl on the brink of her new life.