Harlem's Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills


Renée Watson - 2012
    Born to parents who were former-slaves Florence knew early on that she loved to sing. And that people really responded to her sweet, bird-like voice. Her dancing and singing catapulted her all the way to the stages of 1920s Broadway where she inspired songs and even entire plays! Yet with all this success, she knew firsthand how bigotry shaped her world. And when she was offered the role of a lifetime from Ziegfeld himself, she chose to support all-black musicals instead.Fans of When Marian Sang and Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa will jump at the chance to discover another talented performer whose voice transcended and transformed the circumstances society placed on her.

Cassidy and the Rainy River Rescue


Keely Chace - 2013
    But it's Cassidy who notices one calf has gone missing from the herd and is stuck in the river! Can Cassidy help save the day?Little ones will love hearing this story as a narrator reads to them, page by page. And if she's nearby, the Cassidy Story Buddy® stuffed animal will respond when you read key phrases from the story.

The Quest for Z: The True Story of Explorer Percy Fawcett and a Lost City in the Amazon


Greg Pizzoli - 2017
    Most people didn't even believe this city existed. But if Fawcett could find it, he would be rich and famous forever. This is the true story of one man's thrilling, dangerous journey into the jungle, and what he found on his quest for the lost city of Z.

Minecraft: Essential Handbook


Stephanie Milton - 2013
    You have only minutes to find food and shelter before darkness falls and the monsters come looking for you. What do you do?The official Minecraft Beginner's Handbook might just save your life. Learn how to find resources, make a shelter, craft tools, armor and weapons, and protect yourself from monsters. With tips from Minecraft experts, inclduing developer Jeb and creator Notch himself, this is the definitive guide to surviving your first few days.

Art From Her Heart: Folk Artist Clementine Hunter


Kathy Whitehead - 2008
    Her paintings went from hanging on her clothesline to hanging in museums, yet because of the color of her skin, a friend had to sneak her in when the gallery was closed.With lyrical writing and striking illustrations, this picture book biography introduces kids to a self-taught artist whose paintings captured scenes of backbreaking work and joyous celebrations of southern farm life. They preserve a part of American history we rarely see and prove that art can help keep the spirit alive.

Go, Go America


Dan Yaccarino - 2008
    So fasten your seat belt and get ready to go, go through fifty states of fun! Snappy, often humorous facts fill each page along with Yaccarino's bold, colorful, quirky illustrations. Also included are maps and cleverly designed backmatter with information every kid needs: state mottos, state flowers, state birds, state trees, state nicknames, etc. This is a rollicking road trip to be visited again and again by readers of all ages on the go, go. About the author: Dan's inspiration for this book came from the road trips he took with his own fabulous family as a kid. He says, I spent a lot of time in the back seat of the family station wagon with my brother and sister as our family traveled the East coast on many road trips. I have amazing memories of touring Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, eating frogs' legs in Georgia, and watching gator wrestling in Florida. These days, Dan travels with his wife and two children to many of the very same destinations. He's even caught himself shouting, Don't make me pull this car over!

The Little Snowplow Wishes for Snow


Lora Koehler - 2019
    Throughout the year, he wishes for snow to come, but winter begins without a single flake in sight. As the weeks pass and the little snowplow's birthday approaches, he starts to wonder whether it will snow at all. Will the little snowplow's birthday dreams come true?

Girl on a Motorcycle


Amy Novesky - 2020
    She wants to wander the world. To go . . . Elsewhere. This is the true story of the first woman to ride a motorcycle around the world alone. Each place has something to teach her. Each place is beautiful. And despite many flat tires and falls, she learns to always get back up and keep riding.Award-winning author Amy Novesky and Governor General's Award-winning illustrator Julie Morstad have teamed up for a spectacular celebration of girl power and resilience.

Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog


Pamela S. Turner - 2004
    Imagine watching hundreds of people pass by every morning and every afternoon. Imagine waiting, and waiting, and waiting. For ten years. This is what Hachiko did. Hachiko was a real dog who lived in Tokyo, a dog who faithfully waited for his owner at the Shibuya train station long after his owner could not come to meet him. He became famous for his loyalty and was adored by scores of people who passed through the station every day. This is Hachiko’s story through the eyes of Kentaro, a young boy whose life is changed forever by his friendship with this very special dog. Simply told, and illustrated with Yan Nascimbene’s lush watercolors, the legend of Hachiko will touch your heart and inspire you as it has inspired thousands all over the world.

What Makes a Baby


Cory Silverberg - 2012
    Just as important, the story doesn’t gender people or body parts, so most parents and families will find that it leaves room for them to educate their child without having to erase their own experience.

Whose Truck?


Toni Buzzeo - 2015
    The answer to each inquiring refrain of “Whose truck is this?” is revealed under a gatefold, engaging the reader in an informative guessing game about trucks and their operators. With lyrical (and factual!) text by New York Times bestselling author Toni Buzzeo, and the expertly stylized art of Jim Datz, this sturdily constructed board book is perfect for curious and playful young readers.

The Iridescence of Birds: A Book About Henri Matisse


Patricia MacLachlan - 2014
    If you were a boy named Henri Matisse who lived in a dreary town in northern France, what would your life be like? Would it be full of color and art? Full of lines and dancing figures?Find out in this beautiful, unusual picture book about one of the world's most famous and influential artists by acclaimed author and Newbery Medal-winning Patricia MacLachlan and innovative illustrator Hadley Hooper.A Neal Porter Book

Best in Snow


April Pulley Sayre - 2016
    From the beauty of snow blanketing the forest and falling on animals’ fur and feathers to the fascinating winter water cycle, this nonfiction picture book celebrates snowfall and the amazing science behind it.

Food Trucks!


Mark Todd - 2014
    You can sample sushi. Build a burger. Eat an empanada! There's a food truck flavor to satisfy every appetite in this comically illustrated picture book with rhyming text. A fun and informative homage to tasty treats and transportation. Additional fun facts on food history and nutrition are also peppered throughout the book.

Teatime Around the World


Denyse Waissbluth - 2020
    Did you know that po cha, the traditional tea in Tibet, is thick and salty like soup? Or that in Iran, tea is served with a rock? (A rock candy, that is!) Or that afternoon tea was dreamed up in England by a duchess who complained of being hungry between lunch and dinner? Teatime Around the World welcomes the youngest of readers with simple, vivid poetry complemented by unique facts about different tea cultures. Vibrant, detailed pictures by Chelsea O’Byrne bring to life debut author Denyse Waissbluth’s joyous celebration of diversity and deliciousness.