Coretta Scott


Ntozake Shange - 2008
    Walking many miles to school in the dusty road, young Coretta knew, too well, the unfairness of life in the segregated south.A yearning for equality began to grow.Together with Martin Luther King, Jr., she gave birth to a vision and a journey—with dreams of freedom for all.This extraordinary union of poetic text by Ntozake Shange and monumental artwork by Kadir Nelson captures the movement for civil rights in the United States and honors its most elegant inspiration, Coretta Scott.

You're Only Old Once!: A Book for Obsolete Children


Dr. Seuss - 1986
    Seuss creates a classic picture-book ode to aging in You're Only Old Once! On a visit to "the Golden Years Clinic on Century Square for Spleen Readjustment and Muffler Repair," readers will laugh with familiar horror at the poking and prodding and testing and ogling that go hand in hand with the dreaded appellation of "senior citizen." Though Dr. Seuss is known for his peerless work in books for children, this comical look at what it's like to get older is ideal for Seuss fans of advanced years. In his own words, this is "a book for obsolete children." A perfect gift for retirement, birthdays, and holidays!

Baseball Is . . .


Louise Borden - 2014
    captures the spirit of this cherished pastime, honoring its legendary past, and eagerly anticipating the future of the sport that is "stitched into our history."

Mary Blair's Unique Flair: The Girl Who Became One of the Disney Legends


Amy Novesky - 2019
    All she wanted to do was to make art. But becoming an artist wasn't an easy. Her parents worked hard to provide her paper and paints, and Mary worked hard to enter contests and earn a spot at a school for the arts. She even had to work hard to find her place at the Walt Disney Studios. But Walt was easily impressed by Mary Blair. When she joined his trip to South America, Mary had never seen such color. She collected that color and used it in her concept art for Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan, and even the It's a Small World attraction at Disneyland. This beautifully illustrated picture book shares Mary's story, in all its inspiring flair.

The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems


Paul B. Janeczko - 2019
    Janeczko and Richard Jones invite you to enjoy an assortment of poems that inform and inspire.Today I walked outside and spied a hedgehog on the hill. When she and I met eye to eye, she raised up straight and still. Be they practical (how to mix a pancake or how to bird-watch) or fanciful (how to scare monsters or how to be a snowflake), the poems in this book boast a flair and joy that you won't find in any instruction manual. Poets from Kwame Alexander to Pat Mora to Allan Wolf share the way to play hard, to love nature, and to be grateful. Soft, evocative illustrations will encourage readers to look at the world with an eye to its countless possibilities.

Little Tree


Chris Raschka - 1955
    e. cummings is given sparkling treatment from the talented author-illustrator Chris Raschka. We couldn't be happier that Cumming's "little tree" poem is back in the spotlight for the holidays. With glorious wonder, Raschka uses the poem's tribute to a small Christmas tree as a cause for colorful celebration. Rewriting the story of a little tree destined for stardom, Raschka presents a flowing tale of true holiday spirit. A little tree, in the green forest, finds comfort in his home. But he often dreams if he'll find his own family, and his own house to brighten as a Christmas tree. When a truck arrives to take him away, the tree knows he is on his way. Standing on a streetcorner in a busy little city, a lively family look for that perfect tree. And when they see little tree their search is over. They take him home and adorn him with ribbons and lights. "The little tree lifted up his little branches, like little arms, to show off all the little ornaments..." He had finally found his place in the world.This touching story is brilliantly matched with stunning watercolor illustrations in geometric shapes. While in some hands the use of geometric shapes would be harsh, Raschka's illustrations shine. Warm emotion and jubilant cheer bounce off the pages. Simple shapes allows readers to pick up the cozy sensibilities of a wash of color, and the play of forms. Enriched by the added beauty of the color and design. e. e. cummings's little poem never sounded or looked so stunning. (Amy Barkat)

No Reading Allowed: The WORST Read-Aloud Book Ever


Raj Haldar - 2020
    And sometimes two words that sound alike can be spelled completely differently. Ptolemy the pterodactyl is back to show us all how absurd and fun language can be when homophones, homonyms, and tricky punctuation are at play!No Reading Allowed allows children and their parents to laugh together while also learning something new. Perfect for baby gifts, birthday gifts, teacher gifts, and anyone who finds humor in the absurdity of the English language.

A Rock Can Be...


Laura Purdie Salas - 2015
    Laura Purdie Salas's lyrical rhyming text and Violeta Dabija's glowing illustrations show how rocks decorate and strengthen the world around them.

The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics


Susan Hood - 2021
    Jane GoodallThere’s no doubt about it—plastic is in almost everything. From our phones and computers to our toys and utensils, plastic is everywhere. But the amount of plastic we throw away is hurting the health of our planet.With The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics, readers will be fascinated as they learn about the growing plastic problem and meet just a few of the young activists who are standing up and speaking out for change.You’ll hear about the “Be Straw Free” campaign, started by nine-year-old Milo Cress.You’ll discover how scientists are using jellyfish snot and munching, crunching caterpillars to break down plastic pollution faster.You’ll meet Xóchitl Guadalupe Cruz López, the eight-year-old girl turning old plastic bottles into solar heaters.And there are many more incredible kids here, not much older than our readers, who will inspire us all to change the way we think about plastic!With an introduction from Milo Cress and bright, colorful illustrations from Christiane Engel, this collection of brilliant, lyrical nonfiction poems by award-winning author Susan Hood highlights the threat of plastic and the kids who are fighting for change to save our planet. Includes extensive backmatter with a timeline, author’s note, further resources, and more.

The Secret Project


Jonah Winter - 2017
    They work hard, surrounded by top security and sworn to secrecy, until finally they take their creation far out into the desert to test it, and afterward the world will never be the same.

How to Read a Book


Kwame Alexander - 2019
    Kwame Alexander’s poetry and Melissa Sweet’s artwork come together to take readers on a journey between the pages of a book.

Good Dog


Maya Gottfried - 2005
    It’s a doggie delight! These dogs beg to be patted, tickled, scratched, and ruffled. Which one will be your best friend?

Things I Meant To Say To You When We Were Old


Merrit Malloy - 1977
    Things I Meant to Say to You When We Were Old [Paperback]

Pomodoro Penguin Makes a Friend


Bryce Westervelt - 2013
    Join a little red, pasta-loving penguin named Pomodoro on his quest to cure boredom and find friendship.Pomodoro encounters a bully, but in the end, it is his love of all things pasta that helps him find an unlikely dinner partner!

How to Stay Bitter Through the Happiest Times of Your Life


Anita Liberty - 2006
    But I wrote a lot of good poems.”So maintains Anita Liberty, the caustically funny New York City performance artist who was going along happily healing her hurt by hating and humiliating her detestable ex-boyfriend on stage and in print until the unthinkable happened: she had a good date. And one good date deserves another. And another. And another. And, all of the sudden, Anita Liberty finds herself in a predicament. Getting dumped launched Anita’s career–Will falling in love finish it? Who’s more important: her devoted audience or her newly devoted boyfriend? And on top of everything, Hollywood won’t stop calling and Anita can’t figure out if It wants a serious commitment or just a little bit of no-strings-attached fun. From digging mercilessly into the minutiae of her new relationship to dramatically torching every professional bridge she crosses in L.A., Anita refuses to let a big load of bliss get dumped right in the middle of her career path.“He said that my work was amazing and hilarious and smart and that he can’t wait to see me perform.So I had sex with him.”“My boyfriend asked me to change my look.To something other than contemptuous.”{BARGAIN} Whatever Hollywood ends up paying me for the rights to the story of my life.“It’s easier to go back to fantasizing about perfection . . .than to accept that perfection is just a fantasy.”“Boyfriend thinks I’d rather be right than happy.Boyfriend’s right.But I’m not telling him that.”Through blog entries, film scenes, poems, and to-do lists, Anita Liberty documents the perils and pitfalls of dating, sex, relationships, artistic success, and the kind of true love that sucks the creative life out of you to the point where you just end up staring at a blank computer screen and thinking gooey thoughts about your new boyfriend even though you should be writing.