Gone were the Saturdays at Abuela's house, filled with cousins and sunshine. Instead, things were busy and fast and noisy. Areli's limited English came out wrong, and schoolmates accused her of being illegal. But time passed, and Areli slowly became a New Yorker--although not an American citizen. I could do anything here, Areli says one day to the city sky. Someday, I will.This is a moving story--one that resonates with millions of immigrants who make up the fabric of our country--about one girl living in two worlds, a girl whose DACA application was eventually approved and who is now living her American dream.

    Weaving together Kalia's story with that of her beloved grandmother, the book moves from the jungles of Laos to the family's early years in the United States.When Kalia becomes unhappy about having to do without and decides she wants braces to improve her smile, it is her grandmother--a woman who has just one tooth in her mouth--who helps her see that true beauty is found with those we love most. Stunning illustrations from Vietnamese illustrator Khoa Le bring this intergenerational tale to life.A deep and moving reflection on enduring hardship and generational love. . . . Poignant storytelling with stunning visuals.--starred, Kirkus Reviews A sincere narrative that centers on the power of family love.--starred, School Library JournalMinnesota Book Award Finalist, ALA Notable Children's Book, New York Public Library Best Book for Kids, NPR Best Book of the Year

    So, when it's his turn to take one to school, he uses a little bit of creativity and a few socks. Felipe is the sock thief, but finding socks is not that easy and the neighborhood pets make it even harder. "Au, au, au!" a dog barks in Portuguese. Felipe wonders if he'll play soccer with his friends today or if he will be caught by a tattle-tale parrot? Along the way, Felipe leaves delicious mangoes in exchange for the socks he steals. After he swipes each pair, he twists and turns them into an ever-growing soccer ball. At the end of the day, he returns each pair of socks with a note to say "thank you."THE SOCK THIEF: A SOCCER STORY received the 2016 International Latino Book Award for Best Latino Focused Children's Book, Bilingual category, and was listed in the 2016 CCBC Choices list, featuring the best books of 2015.

    It was unlike any other garden she knew. It had no flowers or vegetables. Instead, Ojiichan made it out of stones: “big ones, little ones and ones in-between.” Every summer, Mayumi visits her grandfather in Japan, and they tend the garden together. Raking the gravel is her favorite part. Afterward, the two of them sit on a bench and enjoy the results of their efforts in happy silence. But then one summer, everything changes. Ojiichan has grown too old to care for his home and the garden. He has to move. Will Mayumi find a way to keep the memory of the garden alive for both of them? This gentle picture book story will warm children's hearts as it explores a deep intergenerational bond and the passing of knowledge from grandparent to grandchild over time. The lyrical text by Chieri Uegaki and luminous watercolor illustrations by Genevieve Simms beautifully capture the emotional arc of the story, from Mayumi's contentment through her anger and disappointment to, finally, her acceptance. The story focuses on an important connection to nature, particularly as a place for quiet reflection. It contains character education lessons on caring, responsibility, perseverance and initiative. It's also a wonderful way to introduce social studies conversations about family, aging and multiculturalism. Mayumi lives in North America with her Japanese mother and Dutch father, and visits her grandfather in Japan. Some Japanese words are included.

    This joyous and loving celebration of family is the first-ever picture book to highlight Black nighttime hair traditions--and is perfect for every little girl who knows what it's like to lose her bonnet just before bedtime. In my family, when the sun goes down, our hair goes up!My brother slips a durag over his locs.Sis swirls her hair in a wrap around her head.Daddy covers his black waves with a cap.Mama gathers her corkscrew curls in a scarf.I always wear a bonnet over my braids, but tonight I can't find it anywhere!Bedtime Bonnet gives readers a heartwarming peek into quintessential Black nighttime hair traditions and celebrates the love between all the members of this close-knit, multi-generational family.Perfect for readers of Hair Love and Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut

    “You’re a big boy now,” Granny says. “Time for you to learn.”At Granny’s, Sunday isn’t Sunday without a big family gathering over a lovingly prepared meal. Old enough now, our narrator is finally invited to help cook the dishes for the first time: He joins Granny in grating the cheese, cleaning the greens, and priming the meat for Roscoe Ray’s grill. But just when Granny says they’re finished, her grandson makes his own contribution, sweetening this Sunday gathering—and the many more to come.

    As his bus draws closer, she imagines all the fantastical adventures that await them. From climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in the playground to building a cardboard castle, every adventure, large or small, is more fun . . . when my brother gets home.

    Join Jack and his monster companion as they explore exotic locations to try and find out what makes children scared. Learn about the secret world of monsters, what makes monsters afraid, and how to help a monster with their homework. Like all good bed-time books for kids, My Best Friend is a Scary Monster is appropriate for all reading levels and can be enjoyed over and over again. There’s even a lesson about finding true friendship and overcoming your own fears. Overall, if you have any interest in bed-time books for kids , then My Best Friend is a Scary Monster is a great way to introduce your young ones to the genre.

    He drinks his tea, waters his plants, tidies up, and takes the bus into town. Papa enjoys his daily tasks, but there's one day each week that is extra special. That's the day he might visit the craft store, get two orders of dumplings to go, and possibly pick some flowers he sees along the path. With its spare text and wonderfully warm watercolor and cut-paper illustrations just begging to be pored over, Joowon Oh's tale of the singular love between a grandfather and granddaughter will nestle within the heart of every reader.

    Who will earn the honor in this story?The First Laugh Ceremony is a celebration held to welcome a new member of the community. As everyone--from Baby's nima (mom) to nadi (big sister) to cheii (grandfather)--tries to elicit the joyous sound from Baby, readers are introduced to details about Navajo life and the Navajo names for family members. Back matter includes information about other cultural ceremonies that welcome new babies and children, including man yue celebration (China), sanskaras (Hindu) and aquiqa (Muslim).

    The first Carnival since Malaika’s mother moved to Canada to find a good job and provide for Malaika and her grandmother. Her mother promised she would send money for a costume, but when the money doesn’t arrive, will Malaika still be able to dance in the parade?Disappointed and upset at her grandmother’s hand-me-down costume, Malaika leaves the house, running into Ms. Chin, the tailor, who offers Malaika a bag of scrap fabric. With her grandmother’s help, Malaika creates a patchwork rainbow peacock costume, and dances proudly in the parade.A heartwarming story about family, community and the celebration of Carnival, Nadia Hohn’s warm and colloquial language and Irene Luxbacher’s vibrant collage-style illustrations make this a strikingly original picture book.

    This charming picture book is about a little girl who loves her bindis (and the many creative shapes they come in!). The bindis are also a connection to her Nani who lives in India. When Nani comes to visit Bindu and brings the bindis to her, it is just in time to wear something new to the school talent show. Bindu and Nani work together to shine their brightest and embrace their sparkle, even when they stand out from the crowd.

    After several hours of fighting, he's found himself cornered in a tree fort with only a handful of teammates remaining. At four in the morning, with no sleep or ammo, Joshua will have to act fast if he expects to win this war before the sun comes up.Water Balloon Wars is a 6900 word funny adventure that's entertaining for children, middle school students, and adults (who secretly never grew up)! Written by Marcus Emerson and Noah Child with art by David Lee.

    So is feeding it to a T. rex! Instead, be patient, pay attention, and you might find that you’re pretty handy. And just maybe, with grandpa’s help, you’ll get that dollhouse after all. This clever story celebrates kindness, hard work, and community, as well as variety in gender expression: the male main character proudly engages in activities that might be considered typically girl (playing with dolls) and typically boy (building with tools).

    He’s different to what you might imagine a little mouse to be, because Woody is the most respected of all the forest animals. Even the lion and the elephant come to Woody’s cave to bear him gifts.But Woody has a secret that none of the animals know about. He has secretly been fooling them into believing he eats the most powerful animals, the ones of which he leaves bones scattered at the entrance to his cave.A chance encounter with a fox, who takes shelter in his cave one evening, reveals Woody’s deceit to the other animals and he is soon presented at the animal court to decide a fitting punishment for his lies.But there is danger looming for all the animals and Woody is given one last chance to redeem himself. Can he save the forest dwellers and win back their trust? Or will he face a punishment that he could see him lose it forever?