Waiting for the Magic


Patricia MacLachlan - 2011
    Sometimes we find that love through magic – Sometimes that magic is all around us.This is a story about all of these things. But it's also a story about how four dogs and one cat help one boy and his sister save their family.

Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science


Jeannine Atkins - 2016
    Through careful observation she discovered the truth about metamorphosis and documented her findings in gorgeous paintings of the life cycles of insects.More than a century later, Mary Anning helped her father collect stone sea creatures from the cliffs in southwest England. To him they were merely a source of income, but to Mary they held a stronger fascination. Intrepid and patient, she eventually discovered fossils that would change people’s vision of the past.Across the ocean, Maria Mitchell helped her mapmaker father in the whaling village of Nantucket. At night they explored the starry sky through his telescope. Maria longed to discover a new comet—and after years of studying the night sky, she finally did.Told in vibrant, evocative poems, this stunning novel celebrates the joy of discovery and finding wonder in the world around us.

Soup


Robert Newton Peck - 1974
    His real and righteous name was Luther Wesley Vinson, but nobody called him Luther. He didn't like it. I called him Luther just once, which promoted Soup to break me of a very bad habit before it really got formed. As soon as the swelling went out of my lip, I called him Soup instead of Thoop.Here are the stories of that friendship, and of the troubles--stories from a boyhood filled with barrels to roll in, apples to whip, windows to break, ropes to bind prisoners, acorn pepes, and ten-cent Saturday movies.But then as always nothing was quite as important as a best friend.

The Seven Tales of Trinket


Shelley Moore Thomas - 2012
    She befriends a fortune-telling gypsy girl; returns a child stolen by the selkies to his true mother; confronts a banshee and receives a message from a ghost; helps a village girl outwit--and out-dance--the Faerie Queen; travels beyond the grave to battle a dastardly undead Highwayman; and meets a hound so loyal he fights a wolf to the death to protect the baby prince left in his charge. All fine material for six tales, but it is the seventh tale, in which Trinket learns her father's true fate, that changes her life forever. The Seven Tales of Trinket is a Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2012

How to Bake a Book


Ella Burfoot - 2014
    And then my plot begins to thicken.Join one lucky little girl as she learns the recipe for making the perfect story. A pinch of good, a dash of bad, some big words, and carefully cut out characters all provide the ingredients for a truly delicious read!

Dream


Matthew Cordell - 2017
    In this stunning picture book, a gorilla family celebrates their young child by dreaming of everything their baby will encounter, who he will be, and what dreams he will eventually have. The simple but touching story perfectly expresses the emotions that parents often find difficult to put into words.

Animal Rescue Friends


Gina Loveless - 2021
    From Epic! Originals, Animal Rescue Friends is a heartwarming, three-book graphic novel series filled with humor and furry friendships.Welcome to Animal Rescue Friends, where any stray can find a friendly face—furry or otherwise. This first collection of middle-grade comics includes five tales of found family: A lonely girl living in the suburbs finds happiness with a stray pit bull; a protective mama ferret and her six kits learn to trust a shelter volunteer; a shy boy stands up for himself with the help of a strong-willed bunny; a cantankerous cat helps to mend a troubled relationship; and the shelter's unofficial mascot eventually finds a home. Perfect for animal-loving kids, this adorable comics series will inspire and uplift.

The Chronicles of Narnia Pop-up: Based on the Books by C. S. Lewis


Robert Sabuda - 2007
    S. Lewis's classic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia, springs to life for a younger reader in three dimensional pop-up scenes, created by award-winning paper engineer Robert Sabuda.Each of the seven books—The Magician's Nephew; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; The Horse and His Boy; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; The Silver Chair; and The Last Battle—has its own pop-up spread rendered in spectacular detail with stunning special effects.The Chronicles of Narnia Pop-Up allows readers of all ages, but especially younger children, to experience a different adventure from Narnia on every spread in this beautiful addition to the Narnia library—sure to enchant fans of both C. S. Lewis and Robert Sabuda.

Isabella, Star of the Story


Jennifer Fosberry - 2013
    Anything is possible between the pages of a good book!

Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere


Elise Gravel - 2017
    Olga is a charming combination of independent, curious, and smart—making her the coolest girl scientist around—perfect for fans of Dork Diaries and Captain Underpants.When Olga crosses paths with a weird creature and becomes the first kid to discover the species olgamus ridiculus, she is ecstatic! What does an olgamus eat? How does it poop? Why does its burp sound like the word rubber? With her trusty observation notebook and the help of a librarian, a shopkeeper, and some friends, Olga sets out to do science—learning the facts about her smelly, almost-furry pal and searching for him when he goes missing. The scientific method is the best way to discover anything!

Rasmus and the Vagabond


Astrid Lindgren - 1956
    Dreaming of a home of his own, Rasmus runs away from the orphanage and meets Paradise Oscar, a remarkable tramp who takes Rasmus along on his travels, where they encounter adventure from both robbers and police.

Because I Love You


Max Lucado - 1999
    He talked to them and sang for them and told them stories. He gave them everything they needed. And with his own hands Shaddai built a protective wall around their village, rock by rock.He did all of this for just one reason--because he loved them.One day Paladin, the village's most curious child, discovers something troubling about the wall. Something that makes him wonder about Shaddai's love. Could there be a mistake?Young Paladin is about to discover the answer. And when he does, he will come to understand just how deeply he is loved.And so will you.Everything God does for your children, He does because of love. He protects them. He listens to their prayers. He provides for their needs. He even gives warnings and sets boundaries--for no other reason than love.As an adult you already know this. Now your children can know it too through this captivating tale, which was first published in the award-winning children's bestseller Tell Me the Story.Let this timeless story of a curious boy's choice and a caring man's sacrificial response help you make the infinite love of their Heavenly Father as real to your kids as your own love. Because they need to understand about Him what you have already learned--that everything God does throughout our lives, He does for one reason only, and for the best reason of all: Because I Love You.

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together


Mary Ann Hoberman - 2001
    A unique book 'in two voices' that uses traditional reading teaching techniques (alliteration, rhyme, repetition, short sentences) to invite young children to read along with an adult. Each of the twelve short stories fit on one spread and features childlike themes - family, friendship, pets and seasons. With clear, color-coded typography and amusing illustrations, this collection is sure to entertain.

The Tequila Worm


Viola Canales - 2005
    Here are her tales of growing up in the barrio, full of the magic and mystery of family traditions: making Easter cascarones, celebrating el Dia de los Muertos, preparing for quincea–era, rejoicing in the Christmas nacimiento, and curing homesickness by eating the tequila worm. When Sofia is singled out to receive a scholarship to an elite boarding school, she longs to explore life beyond the barrio, even though it means leaving her family to navigate a strange world of rich, privileged kids. It's a different mundo, but one where Sofia's traditions take on new meaning and illuminate her path.

Batman and Robin and Howard


Jeffrey Brown - 2021
    But when he makes a critical mistake while out on patrol, Damian finds himself benched. And what's more, Damian's dad, Bruce Wayne--a.k.a. Batman--decides that starting over in a new school will be just the distraction Damian needs from his superhero routine.Certain that Gotham Metro Academy has nothing to teach him, Damian is completely unprepared for the challenge he finds in Howard--the smartest and most athletic kid in school. The boys' rivalry is instantaneous and fierce...and both are sure only one of them can be the best in their class.What follows is a funny story of rivalry, friendship, and mystery from bestselling author and illustrator Jeffrey Brown.