For him this separation was not as important as finding a meaning behind the contradictions and choices we all must make in life and their consequences.Early one morning a boy comes into town, hungry, and looking for work. He meets a sign painter who takes him on as a helper. The boy yearns to be a painter. The man offers him security.The two are commissioned to paint a series of billboards in the desert. Each billboard has one word, Arrowstar. They do not know its meaning. As they are about to paint the last sign, the boy looks up and sees in the distance a magnificent structure. Is it real? They go to find out.Through a simple text and extraordinary paintings, the reader learns of the temptation of safe choices and the uncertainties of following a personal dream. Here Allen Say tells a haunting and provocative story of dreams and choices for readers of all ages.  This title has been selected as a Common Core Text Exemplar (Grades 2-3, Read-Aloud Story)

    Eliza Wheeler's book tells the story of what happens when six-year-old Marvel, her seven siblings, and their mom must start all over again after their father has died. Deep in the woods of Wisconsin they find a tar-paper shack. It doesn't seem like much of a home, but they soon start seeing what it could be. During their first year it's a struggle to maintain the shack and make sure they have enough to eat. But each season also brings its own delights and blessings—and the children always find a way to have fun. Most importantly, the family finds immense joy in being together, surrounded by nature. And slowly, their little shack starts feeling like a true home—warm, bright, and filled up with love.

    But he also knows that Hamish sent the beautiful white feather on his doorstep.Finn runs to shows his mother the feather from Hamish, but she only gives him a big hug. In school, Finn’s teacher responds similarly. Why isn’t anyone as excited as he is? Finn sits quietly, cradling the beautiful, amazing feather. “Why did Hamish give it to you?” asks his friend, Lucas. “Maybe he wanted to say hi?” wonders Finn. “Maybe,” Lucas says, “Hamish wanted you to have fun with it.” Finn’s Feather is a story about resilience and memory―about a child, his brother, and a friend who meets him where he is.

    The killer, Mario Flores, is found not guilty for reasons of insanity. Fifteen Years Later: Mario, free and rehabilitated, lives a peaceful life with his wife and daughter. His career is blossoming, his family is healthy, and his home is beautiful. However, Naomi Morrison, Trevor's widow, plans on changing that... Naomi has planned a night of gruesome torture for Mario and his family. She hopes to find closure, she hopes to find the truth. She wants an answer to her question: was Mario really mentally unstable when he killed Trevor or was he faking it? Jon Athan, author of The Law of Retaliation, brings you another tale of extreme horror and vengeance. Can you sympathize with a killer? WARNING: This book contains scenes of graphic violence and disturbing themes. This book is not intended for those easily offended or appalled. Please enjoy at your own discretion.

    After all, his mother Anna has been dead for nearly three weeks. What follows is an orchestrated Twitter campaign to lead those Anna loved, and didn’t love so much, to the truth behind her “accidental” death.

    How many shades of blue are there?There’s the soft blue of a baby’s cherished blanket, the ocean blue of a romp in the waves, the chilly blue of a cold winter’s walk in the snow, and the true blue of the bond that exists between children and animals.In this simple, sumptuously illustrated companion to Caldecott Honor Book Green, award-winning artist Laura Vaccaro Seeger turns her attention to the ways in which color evokes emotion, and in doing so tells the story of one special and enduring friendship.

     Share the Christmas magic and experience a whole new retelling of the timeless Christmas classic. With beautifully illustrated pages, The Night Before Christmas is the perfect gift for any child.

    And here Hickory lives with his parents, his brother, Dickory, and his sister, Dock. But Hickory is a restless, fearless mouse, and he longs to be on the move, to breathe the sweet air and nibble on the wild strawberries of the fields. So one day in early spring, with the smells of honeysuckle and clover guiding him, he strikes out on his own. Soon he discovers that a meadow can be a lonely place, even with all its beetles and caterpillars. It’s not until Hop the grasshopper comes around that Hickory finds a true companion. Hop warns him, though, that when the days get shorter and the goldenrod begins to fade, the “song she sings will soon be done.” How Hickory and Hop confront and eventually accept the end of summer forms the core of Palmer Brown’s poignant story.Hickory is a story of friendship and love on par with Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree or E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web. It is also a field guide to the common plants and flowers of spring, summer, and autumn, all beautifully rendered in Palmer Brown’s most colorful and joyous drawings.

    . . . I remember there was one tree, however, that the three of you couldn't stop staring at. . . . After the family spares him from the builders, Steve the tree quickly works his way into their lives. He holds their underwear when the dryer breaks down, he's there when Adam and Lindsay get their first crushes, and he's the centerpiece at their outdoor family parties. With a surprising lack of anthropomorphizing, this is a uniquely poignant celebration of fatherhood, families, love, and change.

    In fact, getting sick and dying can be a big, ugly mess-especially before the modern medical care that we all enjoy today. How They Croaked relays all the gory details of how nineteen world figures gave up the ghost. For example:It is believed that Henry VIII's remains exploded within his coffin while lying in state. Doctors "treated" George Washington by draining almost 80 ounces of blood before he finally kicked the bucket. Right before Beethoven wrote his last notes, doctors drilled a hole in his stomach without any pain medication.Readers will be interested well past the final curtain, and feel lucky to live in a world with painkillers, X-rays, soap, and 911.

    At the same time, we celebrate the arrival of a new baby or a litter of playful kittens. It’s a mystery where we come from and where we are going, so why not enjoy ourselves while we can?Paloma Valdivia’s charming illustrations bring a light touch to this candid contemplation of life and death.

    One day, a lonely orphan named Bruce Wayne finds himself in a dangerous situation. He defends himself against a monster bat--and he wins. From that time on, he is determined to fight evil. He becomes ... Batman! In advance of the new Batman movie coming out in March 2016 comes a beautifully illustrated hardcover version of Batman's Dark Secret! The cover features a new illustration by Caldecott Honor winner Jon J Muth!