Book picks similar to
While You Were Sleeping by Steve Murrie


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Sex is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU


Cory Silverberg - 2015
    Much more than the "facts of life" or “the birds and the bees," Sex Is a Funny Word opens up conversations between young people and their caregivers in a way that allows adults to convey their values and beliefs while providing information about boundaries, safety, and joy.The eagerly anticipated follow up to Lambda-nominated What Makes a Baby, from sex educator Cory Silverberg and artist Fiona Smyth, Sex Is a Funny Word reimagines "sex talk" for the twenty-first century.

Earmuffs for Everyone!: How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs


Meghan Mccarthy - 2015
    Earmuffs didn’t exist yet! But during yet another long and cold Maine winter, Chester decided to do something about his freezing ears, and he designed the first pair of ear protectors (a.k.a. earmuffs) out of wire, beaver fur, and cloth. He received a patent for his design by the time he was nineteen, and within a decade the Chester Greenwood & Company factory was producing and shipping “Champion Ear Protectors” worldwide! But that was just the beginning of Chester’s career as a successful businessman and prolific inventor. In this fun and fact-filled picture book you can find out all about his other clever creations. The Smithsonian has declared Chester Greenwood one of America’s most outstanding inventors. And if you’re ever in Maine on December 21, be sure to don a pair of earmuffs and celebrate Chester Greenwood day!

True Stories


Jon ScieszkaSteven Sheinkin - 2014
    The fifth installment in the Guys Read Library of Great Reading features ten stories that are 100% amazing, 100% adventurous, 100% unbelievable—and 100% true. A star-studded group of award-winning nonfiction authors and journalists provides something for every reader, all aligned with the Common Core State Standards. Compiled and edited by real-life literature legend Jon Scieszka, Guys Read: True Stories is a mind-blowing collection of essays, biographies, how-to guides, and more, all proving that the truth is most definitely out there.Supports the Common Core State Standards

Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh


Sally M. Walker - 2015
    Harry was a veterinarian. But he was also a soldier in training for World War I. Harry named the bear Winnie, short for Winnipeg, his company’s home town, and he brought her along to the training camp in England. Winnie followed Harry everywhere and slept under his cot every night. Before long, she became the regiment’s much-loved mascot. But who could care for the bear when Harry had to go to the battleground in France? Harry found just the right place for Winnie while he was away — the London Zoo. There a little boy named Christopher Robin came along and played with Winnie — he could care for this bear too! Sally Walker’s heartwarming story, paired with Jonathan Voss’s evocative illustrations, brings to life the story of the real bear who inspired Winnie the Pooh.

Celebrate Your Body (and Its Changes, Too!): The Ultimate Puberty Book for Girls


Sonya Renee Taylor - 2018
    Celebrate Your Body (And Its Changes, Too!) will help girls understand (and love) their bodies now and as they continue to grow. For many girls, puberty can be an uncertain time. Celebrate Your Body (And Its Changes, Too!) includes everything girls need to know about breasts and bras, their period, hair here and there, feelings and friends, and so much more. This book will guide them as they learn about (and celebrate) their amazing, changing, one-of-a-kind bodies—during puberty and beyond! Among puberty books for girls, Celebrate Your Body offers encouraging support while answering real questions that girls have about puberty. Positive, judgment-free, and medically accurate, this book discusses puberty in a way to which young girls can relate.Celebrate Your Body offers essential insight such as: An overview of puberty that explains what happens, when it happens, and how she’ll know Explanations of changes in body, mood, and relationships—and how to confidently approach these changes that occur in puberty Practical advice for navigating new situations during puberty—from understanding growth spurts to managing overwhelming emotions to staying safe on social media Complete with current, accessible medical information, Celebrate Your Body offers a fresh take on this whole “puberty” thing that will leave girls feeling informed, empowered, and ready for the changes that lie ahead.

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices


Paul Fleischman - 1988
    They can be fully appreciated by an individual reader, but they're particularly striking when read aloud by two voices, making this an ideal pick for classroom use. Eric Beddows′s vibrant drawings send each insect soaring, spinning, or creeping off the page in its own unique way.With Joyful Noise, Paul Fleischman created not only a fascinating guide to the insect world but an exultant celebration of life.

Between Two Ends


David Ward - 2010
    Assisted by the not-always-trustworthy pirates, Yeats must navigate the unfamiliar world of the story of Shaharazad--dodging guards and tigers and the dangerous things that lurk in the margins of the stories--in order to save Shari and bring peace to his family.David Ward has created a fantasy rich with atmosphere and full of heart-stopping drama.

Who Was Harry Houdini?


Tui T. Sutherland - 2002
    But do they know that the ever-ambitious and adventurous Houdini was also a famous movie star and the first pilot to fly a plane in Australia? This well-told biography is full of the details of Houdini's life that kids will really want to know about and illustrated throughout with beautiful black-and-white line drawings.Illustrated by John O'Brien.

Letters from a Slave Girl: The Story of Harriet Jacobs


Mary E. Lyons - 1992
    Now, with the death of her mistress, there is a chance she will be given her freedom, and for the first time Harriet feels hopeful. But hoping can be dangerous, because disappointment is devastating. Harriet has one last hope, though: escape to the North. And as she faces numerous ordeals, this hope gives her the strength she needs to survive.

Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out!


April Pulley Sayre - 2000
    Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out! But a child scares them away and puts wire mesh over the nest to protect the eggs. As Turtle hatches, scurries to sea, grows up, and becomes a mother turtle returning to the same beach to lay her own eggs, numerous dangers threaten her. Sometimes she escapes through her own efforts, and sometimes she needs the help of human hands. This exciting story vividly describes the life cycle of a sea turtle and the ways we can help these endangered animals survive. Rich artwork and a dramatic read-aloud text make it a tale that will keep children on the edge of their seats.

Green City: How One Community Survived a Tornado and Rebuilt for a Sustainable Future


Allan Drummond - 2016
    So they decided they wouldn't just rebuild the same old thing; this time, they would build a town that could not only survive another storm, but one that was built in an environmentally sustainable way. Told from the point of view of a child whose family rebuilt after the storm, this companion to Energy Island is the inspiring story of the difference one community can make--and it includes plenty of rebuilding scenes and details for construction lovers, too!

Pluto Gets the Call


Adam Rex - 2019
    That is, until the day he gets a call from some Earth scientists telling him he isn’t a planet anymore! You probably wanted to meet a real planet, huh? So, Pluto takes the reader on a hilarious and informative journey through the solar system to introduce the other planets and commiserate about his situation along the way. Younger readers will be so busy laughing over Pluto’s interactions with the other planets, asteroids, moons, and even the sun, they won’t even realize just how much they’re learning about our solar system!

Minecraft: Construction Handbook


Matthew Needler - 2014
    You'll learn how to construct houses, bridges, ships, floating islands and rollercoasters of the highest quality.

The Talk: Conversations about Race, Love & Truth


Wade Hudson - 2020
    Thirty diverse, authors and illustrators engage young people in frank discussions about racism, identity, and self-esteem.THE TALK has the following featured contributors: Selina Alko, Tracey Baptiste, Derrick Barnes, Natacha Bustos, Cozbi A. Cabrera, Raúl Colón, Adam Gidwitz, Nikki Grimes, Rudy Gutierrez, April Harrison, Wade Hudson, Gordon C. James, Minh Lê, E.B. Lewis, Grace Lin, Torrey Maldonado, Meg Medina, Christopher Myers, Daniel Nayeri, Zeke Peña, Peter H. Reynolds, Erin K. Robinson, Traci Sorell, Shadra Strickland, Don Tate, MaryBeth Timothy, Duncan Tonatiuh, Renée Watson, Valerie Wilson Wesley, Sharon Dennis Wyeth.

Survive! Inside the Human Body, Vol. 1: The Digestive System


Gomdori Co. - 2013
    This lively, full-color science comic explores Phoebe's insides after she accidentally swallows a microscopic ship. The only problem? Dr. Brain (the ship's eccentric inventor) and Phoebe's friend Geo are on board! Geo and Dr. Brain must avoid danger at every turn—like hazardous stomach acid and feeding parasites. (Ew!) Will they escape? You've got a front-row seat as they travel through Phoebe's esophagus, stomach, and intestines.For ages 8+