But clean drinking water is scarce in her small African village. And try as she might, Gie Gie cannot bring the water closer; she cannot make it run clearer. Every morning, she rises before the sun to make the long journey to the well. Instead of a crown, she wears a heavy pot on her head to collect the water. After the voyage home, after boiling the water to drink and clean with, Gie Gie thinks of the trip that tomorrow will bring. And she dreams. She dreams of a day when her village will have cool, crystal-clear water of its own.

    The story of his mother and her journey as a young woman is heartfelt. Vividly portraying the graceful formality of Japan, this book effectively captures the struggle between two cultures as May, the young girl in the story, strives to live her own destiny. Full color.

    Her name was Swatch, and color was her passion. From brave green to in-between gray to rumble-tumble pink . . . Swatch wanted to collect them all. But colors don’t always like to be tamed. . . .This is an exuberant celebration of all the beauty and color that make up our lives.

    Through rain and sunshine, fairy houses and fishing, this happy camper discovers that lots of fresh air and looking on the bright side is all a girl needs to make her a princess."

    Inspired by actual events in the author's life.

    With bright portraits in Vanessa's signature style of vibrant colors and unique patterns and fabrics, this book invites readers to find themselves and each other within its pages.

    The family were struggling Polish immigrants, and despite Keats’s obvious talent, his father worried that Ezra’s dream of being an artist was an unrealistic one. But Ezra was determined. By high school he was winning prizes and scholarships. Later, jobs followed with the WPA and Marvel comics. But it was many years before Keats’s greatest dream was realized and he had the opportunity to write and illustrate his own book.   For more than two decades, Ezra had kept pinned to his wall a series of photographs of an adorable African American child. In Keats’s hands, the boy morphed into Peter, a boy in a red snowsuit, out enjoying the pristine snow; the book became The Snowy Day, winner of the Caldecott Medal, the first mainstream book to feature an African American child. It was also the first of many books featuring Peter and the children of his — and Keats’s — neighborhood.   Andrea David Pinkney’s lyrical narrative tells the inspiring story of a boy who pursued a dream, and who, in turn, inspired generations of other dreamers.

    Up! depicts ten places around the world, from Afghanistan to northern Canada, Peru to West Africa. In each place, a mom, dad, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin, or sibling lovingly carries a baby.With various family configurations and settings ranging from a busy outdoor market to a high-rise apartment kitchen, the book wholeheartedly celebrates diversity. Gorgeous cut-paper collage art adds warmth and brightness, and brings the lyrical text to life. Repetition of the phrase “Upsy-daisy” on each spread lends familiarity, and reminds readers that love for a little one is a universal feeling.LEVELINGGrade Range: Pre-K–2Fountas & Pinnell: IReading Recovery: 15Lexile: AD 400LCOMMON COREL.1.5,5b,5c,5d,6W.1.1,2,3,5,6,7,8RF.1.1,2,3,3f,3g,4,4a,4cL.1.1,1b,1d,1g,1I,1j,2,2a,4,4cRI.1.1,2,3,4,6,7,8,10SL.1.1,1b,1c,2,3,4,5,6

    But summer doesn’t start until her Lola—her grandmother from the Philippines—comes for her annual visit.Summer is special. For her Lola fills the house with the aroma of mango jam, funny stories of baking mishaps, and her quiet, sweet singing in Tagalog. And in turn, her granddaughter brings Lola to the beach, to view fireworks at the park, and to catch fish at their lake.When Lola visits, the whole family gathers to cook, eat, and share in their happiness of another season spent together. Yet as summer transitions to fall, Lola must return home—but not without a surprise for her granddaughter to preserve their special summer a bit longer.

    Just as his eyes start to close, Rocket Raccoon bursts onto the scene! Groot can't go to sleep yet, there's a whole galaxy that needs to be defended and they must work together to save the day! Then maybe, just maybe, Groot will finally get the rest he deserves!

    When Mrs. Brown’s fresh apple pie goes missing, witnesses come forward to place Cardigan at the scene of the crime. Finding himself on trial, Cardigan insists to judge and jury that he didn’t take the pie — he just wanted to smell it. No one believes him. But despite his assurances, he can’t explain what happened to the pie, either . . . or can he?

    The beautifully intricate artwork, with tiny, precisely rendered details of life across the globe, complements the spare and powerful text that includes quotations from famous peacemakers. And with each reading, you’ll find something else to notice—such as the visual storylines that subtly play out across the pages. Poetic and soothing, Peace is a masterful exploration of the true path to world peace and serves as a perfect springboard to discussions about bullying, conflict resolution, and right actions.

    A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest. Along with esteemed illustrator Bryan Collier, Andrews has created a lively picture book autobiography about how he followed his dream of becoming a musician, despite the odds, until he reached international stardom. Trombone Shorty is a celebration of the rich cultural history of New Orleans and the power of music.

    Or not. Nick Bruel's first picture book about Bad Kitty since the uproarious Poor Puppy in 2007 is full of rhyming mayhem... and Christmas cheer.

    He believed that all life on earth, and the earth itself, is sacred. A moving and compelling plea for an end to man's destruction of nature.