Some kids' hopes are familiar while others are off-the-wall. Whether it's looking good on picture day or skateboarding at school, everyone's wishes are shown in humorously exaggerated illustrations. As the first day draws to a close, there can be no doubt this school year will definitely be the best!

    Told in the form of a children's story, this allegory pleads with us to ensure the future of society by helping to meet the mental and emotional needs of young people in school. 56 pages (all in color), 12 X 9.

    There's tall Kia, Keisha the reader, Charlotte her best friend, Dina Rose-Marie the artist, Imani the dancer, Anna who loves sports, Ruby the singer, and honey-haired Tracy. Mia finds that Pretty is within herself and her friends, and being pretty is way beyond what the mirror shows.

    For Zuri, there are so many things to ponder -- a new teacher who replaced the old one she liked so much, passing math, and worrying about her mother's health. But for Danitra, the only real deal is being true to herself, having fun, and supporting Zuri in any way she can.Multiple Coretta Scott King award winners Nikki Grimes and E. B. Lewis have poured their best into Danitra Brown, Class Clown. This third book starring Zuri and Danitra speaks to everyone who has faced the trials of a new school year.

    Follow the fates of a group of ultra-ordinary railwaymen as one of them happens across a mysterious ship's log and thereafter falls victim to a major crime. Scooped up by a tide of events way beyond their control, the unlikely band of heroes become the focus of a full-blown, worldwide, media whirlwind and all the while unanswered questions are piling up around them. Paul Gallimore's first novel is a hugely original fusion of ideas, where raw humour transmutes into whodunit, and science fiction blurs with cold fact. What is it that this delightful assortment of misfits has accidentally dragged out into the open? Did the US Navy really conduct a top secret experiment into invisibility in 1943? Just what did happen to the Mary Celeste? And will the truth finally lie somewhere in the ocean between Fulham and Philadelphia? The Mary Celeste Papers is an intelligent, well written, thought provoking funny book; filled to the brim with fully-formed, larger than life characters whose fortunes will grab your attention and hold it in a vice-like grip until the final page has been turned. The Mary Celeste Papers is a people book; about little guys on a big stage and you absolutely deserve to read it.

    Long, pretty braids, woven with gold coins and seashells, just like her older sister and the other women in her family. But she is too young for braids. Instead, all she has are four little tufts of hair; all she ever gets are cornrows. However, when Bintou saves the lives of her two young cousins and is offered a reward of her choosing, Bintou discovers that true beauty comes in many different forms. Rich, earthy illustrations and a heartwarming story capture the spirit of a West African village in this wise tale about a girl who learns she's perfect just the way she is.

     Benjy has an unusual problem. He looks just like Abraham Lincoln-right down to the wart and beard. Needless to say, his life isn't easy. He gets gifts of Lincoln Logs and stovepipe hats on every birthday. He gets stuck playing Lincoln in every school play-whether he's part of the story or not. And the teasing is unrelenting. When school ends he plans on spending another summer sitting inside alone, but his parents have a surprise. They're sending him to Camp What-cha-ma-call-it-The Camp for Kids Who Look Like Things! Within scenes reminiscent of Bosch and Brueghel, Benjy learns that he's not unusual-he's unique! And when he realizes what's special about himself, it doesn't take long for others to realize it as well. Mike Reiss and David Catrow have created a wonderfully hysterical tale that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt a little different from his or her peers. Illustrated by David Catrow.

     Hey black child,Do you know who you are?Who really are? Do you know you can beWhat you want to beIf you try to beWhat you can be? This lyrical, empowering poem celebrates black children and seeks to inspire all young people to dream big and achieve their goals.

    For fourteen years, her library has been a meeting place for those who love books. Until now. Now war has come, and Alia fears that the library--along with the thirty thousand books within it--will be destroyed forever.In a war-stricken country where civilians--especially women--have little power, this true story about a librarian's struggle to save her community's priceless collection of books reminds us all how, throughout the world, the love of literature and the respect for knowledge know no boundaries. Illustrated by Jeanette Winter in bright acrylic and ink.Includes an author's note. *From the New York Times, July 27, 2003

    Family love and the shared stories and symbols that connect the generations are pervasive themes." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

    In this rhyming picture book, Maya attends a lively dance class. She can’t get enough of dance: the costumes, the grand entrances, the pirouettes, the music, the final bow, and the magic of recitals. She even loves the hard work of practice. But why doesn’t her friend dance, too? The pages themselves seem to dance, thanks to the charming verse of Cheryl Willis Hudson and the vibrant colors and motion of Eric Velasquez’s paintings.

    . . . I’m the prettiest thing that ever lived!"From the moment a fired-up teenager from Kentucky won 1960 Olympic gold to the day in 1996 when a retired legend, hands shaking from Parkinson’s, returned to raise the Olympic torch, the boxer known as "The Greatest" waged many a fight. Some were in the ring, against opponents like Sonny Liston and Joe Frazier; others were against societal prejudice and against a war he refused to support because of his Islamic faith. Charles R. Smith Jr.’s rap-inspired verse weaves and bobs and jabs with relentless energy, while Bryan Collier’s bold collage artwork matches every move — capturing the "Louisville loudmouth with the great gift of rhyme" who shed the name Cassius Clay to take on the world as Muhammad Ali.

    Today is his last day. And all the mailboxes along his route are filled with surprises.There is a drawing from Debbie, Dennis, and Donny. There is a bottle of aftershave from the Johnsons. There is a small, fat book from Mr. Porter.But the real surprise is at the very last house on the very last street. There is no doubt that everyone loves Curtis!

    Kian wonders if he could add just one more S, to make his family even happier. Hmm . . . Sonny the cat's name starts with S--but Sonny knocks the whole table over! Can Kian find seven special somethings to make a new haft seen before his family arrives for their Nowruz celebration?

    "Young Bull's struggle to hold on to his heritage will touch children's sense of justice and lead to some interesting discussions and perhaps further research." —School Library Journal