Though she may be an anomaly in the world of dance, Gilly believes her devotion to God isn’t compromised by following her dreams. Then she meets Jacob Ferrar.Jacob is the brilliant young artistic director of the Birmingham Ballet Theatre and a born-again Christian. When he offers Gillian the lead in his latest ballet she accepts, knowing it won’t necessarily further her career, but it will touch her soul. On the chaotic road to opening night, Gilly and Jacob develop a deep professional respect for each other and begin to fall in love. Then their brilliant first performance is destroyed by a terrible accident, and suddenly both must face an uncertain future. Together, they dance the fine line between personal vision and God’s will, listening for the guidance of the Father’s heart.

    Jack wants to know what it could be, and Alice decides to go find out. "But what if it's the Wicked Wolf?" Jack asks. "Shhh," says Alice. "Everything is going to be all right." As the two go deeper into the woods and get closer to the odd noise, Jack grows more afraid. But Alice reassures him as she guides him along, and together they make a surprising and sweet discovery. Author Timothy Knapman balances the excitement of adventuring into the unknown with the comfort of returning home safe and sound, while Helen Oxenbury's classically charming illustrations make this a perfect bedtime book to share with little explorers, both the brave ones and those who may need some reassuring that everything is going to be all right.

    A modern fairytale about a wolf and a young woman, exploring friendship and sacrifice.

    The paintings used here, of scenes from her beloved home in southern Ohio, illuminate well-crafted essays based on her daily walks and observations. Wild turkeys, coyotes, box turtles, and a bird-eating bullfrog flap, lope, and leap through her prose. She excels at describing and exploring interactions between people and animals, bringing her subjects to life in just a few lines. Her husband and children make appearances, presenting their own challenges and pleasures. The essays are arranged by season, starting with winter, providing a sense of movement through the year.

    . . . Not only are they home to the richest diversity of creatures, but they work hard for humans too.” —New York Times Book Review    An old-growth forest is one that has formed naturally over a long period of time with little or no disturbance from humankind. They are increasingly rare and largely misunderstood. In Nature’s Temples, Joan Maloof, the director of the Old-Growth Forest Network, makes a heartfelt and passionate case for their importance. This evocative and accessible narrative defines old-growth and provides a brief history of forests. It offers a rare view into how the life-forms in an ancient, undisturbed forest—including not only its majestic trees but also its insects, plant life, fungi, and mammals—differ from the life-forms in a forest manipulated by humans. What emerges is a portrait of a beautiful, intricate, and fragile ecosystem that now exists only in scattered fragments. Black-and-white illustrations by Andrew Joslin help clarify scientific concepts and capture the beauty of ancient trees.

    Higgins, #1 New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, celebrates the season of thanks in this Little Bruce Book. It’s autumn in Soggy Hollow, and the mice have a lot to be thankful for. But Bruce the bear is not so thankful for all the thanking.This bite-sized Little Bruce Book is perfect for fans of the Mother Bruce board books.

    But when the forest youngsters ruffle his feathers, he enlists the local bookshop owner to send him handpicked books to help cope with the chaos and the mess. It’s not long before Owl discovers Squirrel and learns that just as important as solitude are companionship and community. Told entirely in letters, this charming picture book celebrates books and bookshops, letter writing, and love.

    But on her first day of ballet class, she suffers a panic attack and makes a horrifying discovery. She's terrified of dancing in front of the other kids, and as for actually performing for an audience? Forget it. Yet Jenny refuses to give up her dream. With determination and a little ingenuity, she finds ways to observe ballet classes without actually participating. She trains in the safety of her room, while hiding the truth from her parents. Then Jenny meets her exact opposite: Ara Reyes, an outgoing, spontaneous, and accident-prone girl who loves dancing but has always been overlooked.The girls' friendship blossoms as they help each other uncover their real talents. Ara's dancing takes a leap forward and Jenny discovers she has an amazing gift for choreography. With the support of the school's newest teacher, Jenny's original ballet might just make it on stage ... but will she?Charming and inspiring, "Dancing on the Inside" shows how pursuing our passions can often lead to wonderful and unexpected results.

    It was unthinkable. It was the adventure of a lifetime.When Don and Dana Starkell left Winnipeg in a tiny three-seater canoe, they had no idea of the dangers that lay ahead. Two years and 12,180 miles later, father and son had each paddled nearly twenty million strokes, slept on beaches, in jungles and fields, dined on tapir, shark, and heaps of roasted ants.They encountered piranhas, wild pigs, and hungry alligators. They were arrested, shot at, taken for spies and drug smugglers, and set upon by pirates. They had lived through terrifying hurricanes, food poisoning, and near starvation. And at the same time they had set a record for a thrilling, unforgettable voyage of discovery and old-fashioned adventure."Courageous . . . Exciting and always immediate." -- The New York Times Book ReviewFrom the Paperback edition.

    Readers follow Rebecca’s progress through the day discovering the secrets of the spring foliage and learning much about the temperate forest and its inhabitants.’ —BL.

    The fresh, new signs of spring. The toe-wiggling freedom of summer. The leaf-dropping days of fall. Each season is celebrated for many different reasons, but one never fails to roll right into the next. Jane Yolen's lilting verses and Lisel Jane Ashlock's sensitive portraits convey the cyclical nature of the seasons in this poetic tribute to the characteristics of the four periods of the year.

    This time in the studio shapes their lives, instilling lessons about gender, power, bodies, and their place in the world both in and outside of dance. In Turning Pointe, journalist Chloe Angyal captures the intense love for ballet that so many dancers feel, while also grappling with its devastating shortcomings: the power imbalance of an art form performed mostly by women, but dominated by men; the impossible standards of beauty and thinness; and the racism that keeps so many people of color out of ballet. As the rigid traditions of ballet grow increasingly out of step with the modern world, a new generation of dancers is confronting these issues head on, in the studio and on stage. For ballet to survive the twenty-first century and forge a path into a more socially just future, this reckoning is essential.

    Butterflies, snakes, rocks and sheep provide fuel for Sam's curious little-brother questions and Stella's confident big-sister answers. Stella, Fairy of the Forest is gently humorous and perfectly captures the playful yet trusting relationship between Stella and Sam.Marie-Louise Gay's exquisite, joy-filled watercolor illustrations bring the wonder of the forest alive as the duo journey towards their fort where Sam resolves to stay forever.

    But then one day the beaver finds himself on the wrong side of a falling tree, which as it turns out, is just the thing to knock some sense into him. After reflecting on his behavior, he decides to make some changes. Soon, the now wiser and gentler beaver is getting down to the business of making things right, much to the delighted surprise of his forest friends. This charming story from the creator of Big Bear Hug and Making the Moose Out of Life gently teaches youngsters how to take care with others, as well as the world around us.

    First the wolves try to scare it away, then the bears, boars, and foxes have a turn. Finally the wise owls suggest sending the smallest critters — the insects — to do the job. A cloud of bees, flies, and dragonflies make sure that the Big Blue Thing runs away at top speed!