My Friend Isabelle


Eliza Woloson - 2003
    Charlie tells about the things they both like to do together, and also how he and Isabelle are different. Lively full-color illustrations dovetail beautifully with the text to bring this simple story to life. Encourages readers to think about what makes frienships special and how our differences can make the world more interesting.

The Hula-Hoopin' Queen


Thelma Lynne Godin - 2013
    But then Mama reminds her that today is their neighbor Miz Adeline s birthday, and Kameeka has a ton of chores to do to get ready for the party they are hosting. Kameeka s disappointed to be stuck at home and can only think about the hoopin competition. Distracted, Kameeka accidentally ruins Miz Adeline s birthday cake, and has to confess to her that there won t be a cake for her special day. But then Miz Adeline s confesses something too: she s also got the itch the hula-hoopin itch! Her fingers start snappin . Her hips start swingin . Soon everyone s hips are swinging as the party spills out onto the street. The whole neighborhood s got the itch the hula-hoopin itch! With vibrant illustrations by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, The Hula-Hoopin Queen is a charming celebration of family and community ties. Set in Harlem, this intergenerational story shows the importance of staying young at heart."

Bunnybear


Andrea J. Loney - 2017
    He prefers bouncing in the thicket to tramping in the forest, and in his heart he's fluffy and tiny, like a rabbit, instead of burly and loud, like a bear. The other bears don't understand him, and neither do the bunnies. Will Bunnybear ever find a friend who likes him just the way he is?

Sparkle Boy


Lesléa Newman - 2017
    When his older sister, Jessie, shows off her new shimmery skirt, Casey wants to wear a shimmery skirt too. When Jessie comes home from a party with glittery nails, Casey wants glittery nails too. And when Abuelita visits wearing an armful of sparkly bracelets, Casey gets one to wear, just like Jessie. The adults in Casey's life embrace his interests, but Jessie isn't so sure. Boys aren't supposed to wear sparkly, shimmery, glittery things. Then, when older boys at the library tease Casey for wearing -girl- things, Jessie realizes that Casey has the right to be himself and wear whatever he wants. Why can't both she and Casey love all things shimmery, glittery, and sparkly? Here is a sweet, heartwarming story about acceptance, respect, and the freedom to be yourself in a world where any gender expression should be celebrated. Sparkly things are for everyone to enjoy!

Don't Throw It to Mo!


David A. Adler - 2015
    He may not be the biggest, the strongest, or the fastest player, but he won't let that stop him from playing!Mo is the youngest kid on the Robins, his football team. His classmates don’t mind, but the kids on their rival team tease him for being a "butterfingers" who's too tiny to catch the ball. But Mo's coach has a plan to turn Mo's little size into a big win for the Robins!

We Don't Eat Our Classmates


Ryan T. Higgins - 2018
    But it’s hard to make human friends when they’re so darn delicious! That is, until Penelope gets a taste of her own medicine and finds she may not be at the top of the food chain after all... Readers will gobble up this hilarious new story from award-winning author-illustrator Ryan T. Higgins.

Two Friends


Dean Robbins - 2016
    Anthony and Frederick Douglass, get together for tea and conversation. They recount their similar stories fighting to win rights for women and African Americans. The premise of this particular exchange between the two is based on a statue in their hometown of Rochester, New York, which shows the two friends having tea.

Time to Pray


Maha Addasi - 2010
    On her first night, she's wakened by the muezzin at the nearby mosque calling the faithful to prayer, and Yasmin watches from her bed as her grandmother prepares to pray. A visit with Grandmother is always special, but this time it is even more so. Her grandmother makes Yasmin prayer clothes, buys her a prayer rug, and teaches her the five prayers that Muslims perform over the course of a day. When it's time for Yasmin to board a plane and return home, her grandmother gives her a present that her granddaughter opens when she arrives: a prayer clock in the shape of a mosque, with an alarm that sounds like a muezzin calling the faithful to prayer. Maha Addasi's warm and endearing story is richly illustrated by Ned Gannon. Features a text in English and Arabic, and includes an author's note and glossary.Book Details: Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 9/1/2010 Pages: 32 Reading Level: Age 7 and Up

The Lion and the Bird


Marianne Dubuc - 2013
    With the departure of the bird's flock, the lion decides that it's up to him to care for the bird. He does and the two become fast friends. Nevertheless, the bird departs with his flock the following spring. What will become of Lion and what will become of their friendship?Marianne Dubuc received her degree in graphic design from the University of Quebec, Montreal. She has created many different kinds of books for readers of all ages. She is an internationally acclaimed illustrator whose work has been published by major publishers in fifteen countries.

Little Melba and Her Big Trombone


Katheryn Russell-Brown - 2014
    As a child, she daydreamed about beats and lyrics, and hummed along with the music from her family's Majestic radio. At age seven, Melba fell in love with a big, shiny trombone, and soon taught herself to play the instrument. By the time she was a teenager, Melba's extraordinary gift for music led her to the world of jazz. She joined a band led by trumpet player Gerald Wilson and toured the country. Overcoming obstacles of race and gender, Melba went on to become a famed trombone player and arranger, spinning rhythms, harmonies, and melodies into gorgeous songs for all the jazz greats of the twentieth century: Randy Weston, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, and Quincy Jones, to name just a few. Brimming with ebullience and the joy of making music, Little Melba and Her Big Trombone is a fitting tribute to a trailblazing musician and a great unsung hero of jazz.

Love


Matt de la Pena - 2018
    "In the beginning there is light and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed and the sound of their voices is love....A cab driver plays love softly on his radiowhile you bounce in back with the bumps of the city and everything smells new, and it smells like life."In this heartfelt celebration of love, Matt de la Peña and illustrator Loren Long depict the many ways we experience this universal bond, which carries us from the day we are born throughout the years of our childhood and beyond. With a lyrical text that's soothing and inspiring, this tender tale is a needed comfort and a new classic that will resonate with readers of every age.

When My Worries Get Too Big! A Relaxation Book For Children Who Live With Anxiety


Kari Dunn Buron - 2004
    This book replaces "When My Autism Gets Too Big." This second edition contains the same sweet story about anxiety and learning to relax but also has added ideas for teachers and parents to help the young child with anxiety.

The Moon Over Star


Dianna Hutts Aston - 2008
    For the young protagonist of this lyrical and hopeful picture book, that landing is something that inspires her to make one giant step toward all of the possibilities that life has to offer. Caldecott Honor– winning painter Jerry Pinkney and the poetic Dianna Hutts Aston create a moving tribute to the historic Apollo 11 Mission, just in time to commemorate its upcoming fortieth anniversary.

My Heart Will Not Sit Down


Mara Rockliff - 2012
    Men and women are unable to find work. Children are going hungry. In her teacher's village of New York City, people are starving because they do not have money to buy food. But can one small girl in Africa's Cameroon like Kedi make a difference all the way across the great salt river in America?Inspired by true events, Mara Rockliff's gorgeous and accessible text matched with Ann Tanksley's vibrant and warm illustrations bring to life the remarkable story of one child's vision, passion, and dedication to make the world a better place.

Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea


Meena Harris - 2020
    A big idea: they would turn their empty apartment courtyard into a playground!This is the uplifting tale of how the author’s aunt and mother first learned to persevere in the face of disappointment and turned a dream into reality. This is a story of children’s ability to make a difference and of a community coming together to transform their neighborhood.