List

FromCaldecott honor-winning and New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Brian Lies, a charming and lyrical beachy read perfect for summertime--or anytime. The first of many nighttime adventures with the award-winning Bat Book series.

Quick, call out! Tell all you can reach: the night is just perfect for bats at the beach!

So pack your buckets, banjos, and blankets--don't forget the moon-tan lotion--and wing with this bunch of fuzzy bats to where foamy sea and soft sand meet.

Brian Lies's enchanting art and cheery beachside verse will inspire bedtime imaginations again and again. Come visit a bedazzling world of moonlight, firelight, and . . . bats!

Check out brianlies.com for more escapades with these zany bats.

Ernestine has never been camping before, but she’s sure it will be lots of fun . . . won’t it? An endearing story about a girl’s first experience with the great outdoors.

My aunt Jackie invited me to go camping with her and my cousin Samantha this weekend. I’ve never been camping before, but I know I will love it.

Ernestine is beyond excited to go camping. She follows the packing list carefully (new sleeping bag! new flashlight! special trail mix made with Dad!) so she knows she is ready when the weekend arrives. But she quickly realizes that nothing could have prepared her for how hard it is to set up a tent, never mind fall asleep in it, or that swimming in a lake means that there will be fish — eep! Will Ernestine be able to enjoy the wilderness, or will it prove to be a bit too far out of her comfort zone? In an energetic illustrated story about a first sleepover under the stars, acclaimed author-illustrator Jennifer K. Mann reminds us that opening your mind to new experiences, no matter how challenging, can lead to great memories (and a newfound taste for s’mores).

When a family spends a day at the beach, the children investigate various footprints to see what type of creatures live along the shoreline. Rhyming text turns a sandy beach into an outdoor classroom. The tracks and habits of local wildlife, including hopping sandpipers, scuttling crabs, and burrowing turtles, are identified and explained for young ecology detectives. Even Daddy's feet make an appearance! And at day's end, it's time for tired feet to make their way home. STEM-based back matter includes information on how clues like footprints can identify the type of wildlife inhabiting any given habitat.

All the world is here.

It is there.

It is everywhere.

All the world is right where you are.

Now.

Following a circle of family and friends through the course of a day from morning till night, this book affirms the importance of all things great and small in our world, from the tiniest shell on the beach, to warm family connections, to the widest sunset sky

From authors Elisa Parhad and Amy Duchêne and illustrator Anne Bentley, Pool Party is a splashy story picture book celebrating a fun-filled day at a public pool.



Splash, dash! It's time for a pool bash! Grab your swimsuits, inner tubes, noodles, and floats, and jump, belly flop, or dive into this wet and wild ode to swimming pool fun.

A young girl finds a starfish on the beach and wants to show it to her mother at home, but doesn't want to take it from its home. With encouragement from her dad and a little imagination, Ana is able to let the sea star go and yet keep it with her at the same time.

This beautiful picture book celebrates the power of imagination and an appreciation of the natural world.

Back matter invites children into the lives and experiences of a jellyfish, stingray, loggerhead turtle and other sea creatures.

"The sea star waited as the sand settled around it.

Then slowly, slowly it crept home to the sea grass meadow

on hundreds of tiny tube feet."

"Ana watched a snowy plover grab its dinner from the surf.

Then the tiny bird skittered across the sand.

Ana and Papa followed their shadows home."

Step inside a sumptuous sandcastle packed with amazing and amusing visual details for a beach day that’s fit for royalty.

A young girl loves building sandcastles. But not just any sandcastles. She builds one so big and grand and lovely that all the royals of the world come to visit. There are banquets and balls and tournaments, a greenhouse for cacti, a staircase for skateboarding, and ice cream around the clock. Everyone seems to be having fun, until they discover sand in the royal almond strudel . . . and the fig milk bath . . . and everywhere! With a keen eye for the absurd, author-illustrator Einat Tsarfati invites readers beyond the crocodile moat to explore the intricately detailed, increasingly wild festivities that echo the arc of a day at the beach, from euphoria to gritty discomfort. The diverse cast of regal guests, from a Rapunzel-esque princess in pj’s and unicorn slippers to a pair of knights playing badminton, is just as inspired. A visual treat of a tale, Sandcastle opens the doors to a world by the sea where wit and imagination reign.

From Olympic ice dancing medalists Alex and Maia Shibutani, this beautifully illustrated picture book highlights the achievements of many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have made invaluable contributions to the world.

Inclusivity sets this beautifully illustrated picture book apart in its exploration of thirty-six inspirational Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, such as disabled hero Daniel Inouye, immigrant astronaut Kalpana Chawla, and biracial entertainer Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Olympic medalist siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani felt compelled to create a book showing the undeniably positive impacts that Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans have made in this country and around the world. Thanks to quick and accessible biographies written with journalist Dane Liu, readers will learn about important figures who have shaped life-altering policy, made indelible marks on pop culture, and achieved their greatest dreams—paving the way for future generations to make lasting change.

Meet Monique! In this true story, online phenomenon Guirec Soudée shares his adventures both unbelievable and heartwarming, sailing around the world with his brave, affectionate red hen, Monique.

Monique is a highly accomplished chicken: she surfs, she skateboards, and she just crossed the world on a tiny boat with her human companion, Guirec, who helped steer. On their three-year journey, together they were unstoppable. When they became stranded in the ice off Greenland for four months, Monique, unruffled as always, kept Guirec alive with her eggs-- and they both made it home.

Guirec and Monique are irresistible as unlikely comrades and friends taking on the world, and Guirec documented their journey with his remarkable, comical photographs. A deeply touching portrait of the real-life bond between animals and the humans who love them as well as a thrilling survival story, The Hen Who Sailed Around the World is an adventure for the ages.

"From blueberries to vanilla, indigenous foods of the Americas are celebrated in this collection of haiku, which also includes information about each food's origins"--Provided by publisher.

"From blueberries to vanilla, indigenous foods of the Americas are celebrated in this collection of haiku, which also includes information about each food's origins"--Provided by publisher.

Bear’s next project is her most ambitious one yet, she’s going to build a house! But can she and her friends finish before winter sets in?

The bear from Maxwell Eaton’s Bear Goes Sugaring returns in this fascinating follow-up, and this time, she’s going to build a house entirely from scratch! To do so, she’ll need time, careful planning, sturdy materials, and a whole lot of help from. . . most of her friends.

Readers will see a house built before their very eyes as they are guided through detailed descriptions of each step in the construction process, from site selection, to chopping trees to make wooden planks, to laying down foundations, insulation, and power and plumbing. Key to the process is Bear’s attention to sustainable architecture, an excellent lesson for kids who want to learn about clean energy and sustainable planning.

As in Bear Goes Sugaring, readers will love Maxwell Eaton’s humorous approach to a serious subject and the antics and funny dialogue that Bear’s animal cohorts contribute.

An NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Set against a sizzling-hot Greek summer filled with sunshine and souvlaki, Rufaro Faith Mazarura’s Let the Games Begin is a page-turning debut rom-com about two strangers at the top of their game.

"A debut deserving of a gold medal." —Kirkus (starred review)

"A radiant, joyful debut novel with a particularly fun setting." —ELLE

Athens, 2024. Olivia Nkomo has always been ambitious, smart, and an overall go-getter. Now that she’s graduated from university, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to land her dream job at the Summer Games. The first step? Securing her new internship, which will put her in the center of all the action, where she hopes to run into some of her favorite athletes.

Ezekiel “Zeke” Moyo, the heartthrob star runner of Team Great Britain, is more than ready to claim his title as the fastest man in the world, following in the footsteps of the greatest athletes of all time. His future to the finish line is looking bright—despite his recent breakup with celebrated gymnast Valentina Ross-Rodriguez constantly making headlines.

When Olivia and Zeke collide—literally—on the first day of training, sparks fly. As the games grow closer, so do Olivia and Zeke. But the competition starts stirring up uncomfortable memories from Zeke’s past . . . and Olivia’s internship doesn’t turn out to be what she expected. Will they be able to overcome these hurdles and achieve their dreams? Or will it come at the cost of their budding romance?

Enter a world ruled by dragons...

The Sky on Fire is a daring new fantasy heist adventure that will thrill fans of Temeraire, Fourth Wing, and Dragonriders of Pern

Anahrod lives only for survival, forging her own way through the harsh jungles of the Deep with her titan drake by her side. Even when an adventuring party saves her from capture by a local warlord, she is eager to return to her solitary life.

But this is no ordinary rescue. It’s Anahrod’s past catching up with her. These cunning misfits—and their frustratingly appealing dragonrider ringleader—intend to spirit her away to the dragon-ruled sky cities, where they need her help to steal from a dragon’s hoard.

There’s only one problem: the hoard in question belongs to the current regent, Neveranimas—and she wants Anahrod dead.

From Jenn Lyons, the acclaimed author of the Chorus of Dragons series, this soaring standalone fantasy combines conniving dragons, lightning banter, high-stakes intrigue, and a little bit of heat.

NYLON MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2024 - ZIBBY MAG MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2024 - HEYALMA MOST ANTICIPATED JEWISH BOOKS OF 2024 - W MAGAZINE "The Best, Most Talked-About Books of 2024 (So Far)"

An unflinching and deeply reported look at the realities of binge-eating disorder from a rising culture commentator and writer for Vogue.

Millions of us use restrictive diets, intermittent fasting, IV therapies, and Ozempic abuse to shrink until we are sample-size acceptable. But for the 30 million Americans who live with eating disorders, it isn't just about less. More, Please is a chronicle of a lifelong fixation with food--its power to soothe, to comfort, to offer a fleeting escape from the outside world--as well as an examination of the ways in which compulsory thinness, diet culture, and the seductive promise of "wellness" have resulted in warping countless Americans' relationship with healthy eating.

Melding memoir, reportage, and in-depth interviews with some of the most prominent and knowledgeable commentators currently writing about food, fatness, and disordered eating--Virginia Sole-Smith, Virgie Tovar, Aiyana Ishmael, Leslie Jamison, and others--Emma Specter explores binge-eating disorder as both a personal problem and a societal one. In More, Please, she provides a context, a history, and a language for what it means to always want more than you'll allow yourself to have.

A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK * Award-winning writer Kevin Barry's first novel set in America, a savagely funny and achingly romantic tale of young lovers on the lam in 1890s Montana.

October 1891. A hard winter approaches across the Rocky Mountains. The city of Butte, Montana is rich on copper mines and rampant with vice and debauchery among a hard-living crowd of immigrant Irish workers. Here we find Tom Rourke, a young poet and ballad-maker of the town, but also a doper, a drinker, and a fearsome degenerate. Just as he feels his life is heading nowhere fast, Polly Gillespie arrives in town as the new bride of the extremely devout mine captain Long Anthony Harrington. A thunderbolt love affair takes spark between Tom and Polly and they strike out west on a stolen horse, moving through the badlands of Montana and Idaho, and briefly an idyll of wild romance perfects itself. But a posse of deranged Cornish gunmen are soon in hot pursuit and closing in fast. With everything to lose and the safety and anonymity of San Francisco still a distant speck on their horizon, the choices they make will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

In this love story for the ages--lyrical, profane and propulsive--Kevin Barry has once again demonstrated himself to be a master stylist, an unrivalled humourist, and a true poet of the human heart.

From the New York Times best-selling author of The Windup Girl and The Water Knife comes a sweeping literary fantasy about the young scion from a ruling-class family who faces rebellion as he ascends to power.

"Steeped in poison, betrayal, and debauchery, reading Navola is like slipping into a luxurious bath full of blood." —Holly Black, #1 New York Times best-selling author

"You must be as sharp as a stilettotore’s dagger and as subtle as a fish beneath the waters. This is what it is to be Navolese, this is what it is to be di Regulai."

In Navola, a bustling city-state dominated by a handful of influential families, business is power, and power is everything. For generations, the di Regulai family—merchant bankers with a vast empire—has nurtured tendrils that stretch to the farthest reaches of the known world. And though they claim not to be political, their staggering wealth has bought cities and toppled kingdoms. Soon, Davico di Regulai will be expected to take the reins of power from his father and demonstrate his mastery of the games of Navolese diplomacy: knowing who to trust and who to doubt, and how to read what lies hidden behind a smile. But in Navola, strange and ancient undercurrents lurk behind the gilt and grandeur—like the fossilized dragon eye in the family’s possession, a potent symbol of their raw power and a talisman that seems to be summoning Davico to act.

As tensions rise and the events unfold, Davico will be tested to his limits. His fate depends on the eldritch dragon relic and on what lies buried in the heart of his adopted sister, Celia di Balcosi, whose own family was destroyed by Nalova’s twisted politics. With echoes of Renaissance Italy, The Godfather, and Game of Thrones, Navola is a stunning feat of world-building and a mesmerizing depiction of drive and will.

THE #1 KOREAN BESTSELLER WITH OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD

For fans of magical realism and the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi comes this cozy fantasy debut.

What if there was a store that sold dreams? Which would you buy? And who might you become when you wake up?

In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there's a department store that sells dreams. Day and night, visitors both human and animal shuffle in to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom. Flying dreams are almost always sold out. Some seek dreams of loved ones who have died.

For Penny, an enthusiastic new hire, working at Dallergut is the opportunity of a lifetime. As she uncovers the workings of this whimsical world, she bonds with a cast of unforgettable characters, including Dallergut, the flamboyant and wise owner, Babynap Rockabye, a famous dream designer, Maxim, a nightmare producer, and the many customers who dream to heal, dream to grow, and dream to flourish.

A captivating story that will leave a lingering magical feeling in readers' minds, this is the first book in a bestselling duology for anyone exhausted from the reality of their daily life.

An exhilarating novel about one American family, the dark moment that shatters their suburban paradise, and the wild legacy of trauma and inheritance, from the New York Times bestselling author of Fleishman Is in Trouble
“A big, juicy, wickedly funny social satire . . . probably the funniest book ever about generational family trauma.”—Oprah Daily

“Were we gangsters? No. But did we know how to start a fire?”

In 1980, a wealthy businessman named Carl Fletcher is kidnapped from his driveway, brutalized, and held for ransom. He is returned to his wife and kids less than a week later, only slightly the worse, and the family moves on with their lives, resuming their prized places in the saga of the American dream, comforted in the realization that though their money may have been what endangered them, it is also what assured them their safety.

But now, nearly forty years later, it’s clear that perhaps nobody ever got over anything, after all. Carl has spent the ensuing years secretly seeking closure to the matter of his kidnapping, while his wife, Ruth, has spent her potential protecting her husband’s emotional health. Their three grown children aren’t doing much better: Nathan’s chronic fear won’t allow him to advance at his law firm; Beamer, a Hollywood screenwriter, will consume anything—substance, foodstuff, women—in order to numb his own perpetual terror; and Jenny has spent her life so bent on proving that she’s not a product of her family’s pathology that she has come to define it. As they hover at the delicate precipice of a different kind of survival, they learn that the family fortune has dwindled to just about nothing, and they must face desperate questions about how much their wealth has played a part in both their lives’ successes and failures.

Long Island Compromise spans the entirety of one family’s history, winding through decades and generations, all the way to the outrageous present, and confronting the mainstays of American Jewish life: tradition, the pursuit of success, the terror of history, fear of the future, old wives’ tales, evil eyes, ambition, achievement, boredom, dybbuks, inheritance, pyramid schemes, right-wing capitalists, beta-blockers, psychics, and the mostly unspoken love and shared experience that unite a family forever.

In the wake of tragedy, a group of friends makes a pact that will cause them to reunite a decade later and embark upon a life-changing adventure together—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meant to Be.

Four freshmen arrive at college from completely different worlds: Lainey, a California party girl with a flair for drama; Tyson, a brilliant scholar and aspiring lawyer from Washington, D.C.; Summer, an ambitious, recruited athlete from the Midwest; and Hannah, a mild-mannered southerner who is content to quietly round out the circle of big personalities. Soon after arriving on campus, they strike up a conversation in their shared dorm, and the seeds of friendship are planted.

As their college years fly by, their bond intensifies and the four become inseparable. But as graduation nears, their lives are forever changed after a desperate act leads to tragic consequences. Stunned and heartbroken, they make a pact, promising to always be there for one another, no matter how separated they may become by circumstances or distance.

Ten years later, Hannah is anticipating what should be one of the happiest moments of her life when everything is suddenly turned upside down. Calling on her closest friends, it soon becomes clear that they are all facing their own crossroads. True to their promise, they agree to take a time out from lives headed in wrong directions and embark on a shared journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance.

In this tender portrayal of grief, love, and hope, Emily Giffin asks: When things fall apart, who will be at our sides, helping us pick up the pieces?

The New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye and The Rose Code returns with a haunting and powerful story of female friendships and secrets in a Washington, DC, boardinghouse during the McCarthy era.

Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation's capital where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship: poised English beauty Fliss, whose facade of perfect wife and mother covers gaping inner wounds; policeman's daughter Nora, who finds herself entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Beatrice, whose career has come to an end along with the women's baseball league of WWII; and poisonous, gung-ho Arlene, who has thrown herself into McCarthy's Red Scare.

Grace's weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. When a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst?

Capturing the paranoia of the McCarthy era and evoking the changing roles for women in postwar America, The Briar Club is an intimate and thrilling novel of secrets and loyalty put to the test.

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates a gruesome murder that reveals a little-known chapter of early Amish history in this next riveting installment of the bestselling series by Linda Castillo.

Newlywed Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is awakened by an urgent midnight call summoning her to a suspicious fire in the woods. When she arrives at the scene, she discovers a charred body. According to the coroner, the deceased, an Amish man named Milan Swanz, was chained to a stake and burned alive. It is an appalling and eerily symbolic crime against an upstanding husband and father.

Kate knows all too well that the Amish prefer to handle their problems without interference from the outside world, and no one will speak about the murdered man. From what she’s able to piece together, Swanz led a deeply troubled life and had recently been excommunicated. But if that’s the case, why are the Amish so reluctant to talk about him? Are they protecting the memory of one of their own? Or are they afraid of something they dare not share?

When her own brother is implicated in the case, Kate finds herself not only at odds with the Amish, the world of which she was once a part, but also the English community and her counterparts in law enforcement. The investigation takes a violent turn when Kate’s life is threatened by a mysterious stranger.

To uncover the truth about the death of Milan Swanz, Kate must dive deep into the Anabaptist culture, peering into all the dark corners of its history, only to uncover a secret legacy that shatters everything she thought she knew about the Amish themselves—and her own roots.

With Spanish vocabulary and a clever color concept, this poetic picture book shares the life cycle of beloved amphibian—the axolotl—in its natural habitat.

An axolotl may look like one, but it is certainly Not a Monster. This curious creature, made popular by Minecraft, is actually a salamander that will never lose its gills or fins. Not a Monster explores the traits of the axolotl, the Aztec origin myth about the species, and the way pollution is affecting its natural habitat: the canals of Xochimilco in Mexico City.

Fun and engaging, this playful and informative read-aloud introduces curious readers on one cool character who is NOT a monster!

With warm and heart-fluttering illustrations, discover the next nonfiction picture book about butterflies and moths from the creator of the New York Times bestseller Women in Science!

Butterflies soar in the sunlight. While moths flutter under the moon and stars.

Find out more about these mysterious and majestic insects similarities and differences, and their awestrucking metamorphosis! 

Rachel Ignotofsky's distinctive art style and engaging, informative text clearly answers any questions a child (or adult) could have about butterflies and moths in this nonfiction picture book series.

Some animal features are easy to see--long tails, large wings, patterned fur, or sharp beaks. But look closer--you might be surprised by what you find!

A penguin's sharp beak hides a textured tongue that helps it grip fish. A red-eyed tree frog has a golden eyelid that covers its eyes so it can see predators while it sleeps. A platypus fends off predators with a venomous spur. Rhyming text and eye-catching photos offer an up-close look at lots of fascinating hidden creature features!

Pando is an inspiring tribute to a Utah grove of quaking Aspen trees connected by their roots to form one of the world's oldest and largest living things. Author Kate Allen Fox engages readers' senses to help convey the vastness of Pando, the challenges it faces, and how we all can be part of the solution. With lyrical poetry, Fox summarizes the science, action, and compassion needed to save this wonder of nature.

Around the world, city highways and country roads have cut through natural spaces. Wild animals are blocked from the resources they need to survive, or must make dangerous crossings across busy roads to get to them. Fortunately, solving this problem has inspired some creative solutions! Take a tour of wildlife crossings across the globe, from grassy badger bridges to underpasses for elephants. Discover how these inventive pathways have saved both animal and human lives and helped preserve ecosystems.

This groundbreaking book from award-winner Katherine Roy explains and demystifies how everything from fish to mammals and plants to insects reproduce.

From fish to mammals and plants to insects, every organism on Earth must reproduce, and the survival of each species—and of life itself—depends on this and on the diversity it creates. In this groundbreaking book, Katherine Roy distills the science of reproduction into its simplest components: organisms must meet, merge their DNA, and grow new individuals; and she thoughtfully highlights the astonishing variety of this process with examples from across the natural world, from plants to insects to fish, birds, mammals, and more.

Lucid, informed, and illuminated by beautiful paintings, Making More weaves a story that seamlessly explains life’s most fundamental process, answers children’s questions, and provides an essential tool for parents, caregivers, and educators. 

Early readers can blast off into outer space with the Smithsonian in this leveled reader that supports STEM learning and introduces the planets, stars, galaxies, space exploration, and more.

Developed in collaboration with the Smithsonian and esteemed literacy expert Dr. Adria Klein, Smithsonian Kids All-Star Readers: Outer Space Level 1 includes a carefully designed leveling structure for early readers. Covering STEM-oriented topics such as comets, asteroids, moons, and more, the concepts in this reader are reinforced by photos and include vocabulary familiar to kindergarteners and first-graders. After reading this introduction to nonfiction, children can use the included quiz and glossary to reinforce their reading comprehension. This edition contains sturdy library binding.

Celebrate the life-changing power of art in this inspiring and stunningly illustrated picture book biography of American artist Alma Thomas.

Meet an incredible woman who broke down barriers throughout her whole life and is now known as one of the most preeminent painters of the twentieth century. Told from the point of view of young Alma Thomas, readers can follow along as she grows into her discovery of the life-changing power of art.

As a child in Georgia, Alma Thomas loved to spend time outside, soaking up the colors around her. And her parents filled their home with color and creativity despite the racial injustices they faced. After the family moved to Washington, DC, Alma shared her passion for art by teaching children. When she was almost seventy years old, she focused on her own artwork, inspired by nature and space travel.

In this celebration of art and the power of imagination, Jeanne Walker Harvey and Loveis Wise tell the incredible true story of Alma Thomas, the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum in New York City and to have her work chosen for the White House collection. With her bold and vibrant abstract paintings, Alma set the world ablaze with color.

Ablaze with Color includes extensive back matter with photos, an author's and illustrator's note, a timeline, and a list of sources and resources that will be a great tool for parents, educators, and librarians. Perfect for Women's History Month and Black History Month units alongside such favorites as Malala's Magic Pencil, Hidden Figures, and Mae Among the Stars

A Caldecott Honor Book
A Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book

New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds’s debut picture book is a snappy, joyous ode to Word King, literary genius, and glass-ceiling smasher Langston Hughes and the luminaries he inspired.

Back in the day, there was a heckuva party, a jam, for a word-making man. The King of Letters. Langston Hughes. His ABCs became drums, bumping jumping thumping like a heart the size of the whole country. They sent some people yelling and others, his word-children, to write their own glory.

Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka, and more came be-bopping to recite poems at their hero’s feet at that heckuva party at the Schomberg Library, dancing boom da boom, stepping and stomping, all in praise and love for Langston, world-mending word man. Oh, yeah, there was hoopla in Harlem, for its Renaissance man. A party for Langston.

You've seen the building. Now meet the man whose life went into it.

Philip Freelon's grandfather was an acclaimed painter of the Harlem Renaissance. His father was a successful businessman who attended the 1963 March on Washington. When Phil decided to attend architecture school, he created his own focus on African American and Islamic designers. He later chose not to build casinos or prisons, instead concentrating on schools, libraries, and museums--buildings that connect people with heritage and fill hearts with joy. And in 2009, Phil's team won a commission that let him use his personal history in service to the country's: the extraordinary Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon celebrates a contemporary black STEAM role model, a man whose quiet work enabled the creation of an iconic building reflecting America's past and future. With a stirring text by Kelly Starling Lyons, vibrant pictures by Laura Freeman, and an afterword from Philip Freelon himself, it is sure to inspire the next generation of dreamers and builders.

Meet fearless Frieda Caplan—the produce pioneer who changed the way Americans eat by introducing exciting new fruits and vegetables, from baby carrots to blood oranges to kiwis—in this brightly illustrated nonfiction picture book!

In 1956, Frieda Caplan started working at the Seventh Street Produce Market in Los Angeles. Instead of competing with the men in the business with their apples, potatoes, and tomatoes, Frieda thought, why not try something new? Staring with mushrooms, Frieda began introducing fresh and unusual foods to her customers—snap peas, seedless watermelon, mangos, and more!

This groundbreaking woman brought a whole world of delicious foods to the United States, forever changing the way we eat. Frieda Caplan was always willing to try something new—are you?

Three children and their hilariously subversive nanny pig embark on zany adventures in this award-winning middle grade debut illustrated by Caldecott winnter Dan Santat.
The three Green children are cared for by a nanny pig. Yes, a pig--a fabulously sassy and impeccably dressed pig, as a matter of fact! With her insatiable urge to eat chocolate (and feed chocolate to everyone she loves), her high-flying spirit, and her unending sense of fun, Nanny Piggins takes Derrick, Samantha, and Michael on a year of surprises, yummy treats, and adventures they'll never forget.

A New York Times bestseller!

National Book Award finalist Sy Montgomery reflects on the personalities and quirks of 13 animals--her friends--who have profoundly affected her in this stunning, poetic, and life-affirming memoir featuring illustrations by Rebecca Green.

Understanding someone who belongs to another species can be transformative. No one knows this better than author, naturalist, and adventurer Sy Montgomery. To research her books, Sy has traveled the world and encountered some of the planet's rarest and most beautiful animals. From tarantulas to tigers, Sy's life continually intersects with and is informed by the creatures she meets.

This restorative memoir reflects on the personalities and quirks of thirteen animals--Sy's friends--and the truths revealed by their grace. It also explores vast themes: the otherness and sameness of people and animals; the various ways we learn to love and become empathetic; how we find our passion; how we create our families; coping with loss and despair; gratitude; forgiveness; and most of all, how to be a good creature in the world.

A 2014 Newbery Honor Book
A New York Times Bestseller

Award-winning, nationally bestselling author Kevin Henkes introduces second-grader Billy Miller in this fast-paced and funny story about friendship, sibling rivalry, and elementary school. The Year of Billy Miller includes black-and-white art by Kevin Henkes and is perfect for fans of the Ramona books; Frindle, by Andrew Clements; and the Clementine series.

The New York Times declared: "Henkes's delightful story is restrained and vivid . . . forgoing the overdramatic or zany, it shows the substance, warmth and adaptability of beautifully common family love." When Billy Miller has a mishap at the statue of the Jolly Green Giant at the end of summer vacation, he ends up with a big lump on his head. What a way to start second grade, with a lump on your head! As the year goes by, though, Billy figures out how to navigate elementary school, how to appreciate his little sister, and how to be a more grown up and responsible member of the family and a help to his busy working mom and stay-at-home dad. Newbery Honor author and Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes delivers a short, satisfying, laugh-out-loud-funny school and family story that features a diorama homework assignment, a school poetry slam, cancelled sleepovers, and epic sibling temper tantrums. This is a perfect short novel for the early elementary grades.

Can Wednesday and her service dog, Woof, sniff out Mrs. Winter's missing cat before her big trip? This is the first book of a fun full-color early chapter book series about the best detectives in the Midwest!

Detective Tip #1 Try not to jump to conclusions. Wednesday and her service dog, Woof, are the best detectives in the whole world--or at least their neighborhood. But can they find Mrs. Winters's missing cat before her big trip? Or will the case of the cat-napped kitty be their first unsolved mystery?

HarperChapters build confident readers one chapter at a time! With short, fast-paced books, art on every page, and milestone markers at the end of every chapter, they're the perfect next step for fans of I Can Read!

2024 Beverly Cleary Children's Choice Award

David Suárez gets stuck in the middle of a prank war when the neighborhood twins and triplets compete to rule the school. This is the first book of this hilarious, highly illustrated early chapter book series.

David can't wait to go back to school and get far away from his trickster neighbors. But he's in for a surprise when a set of equally prank-loving triplets move onto his block--and into his class!

Now the twins and triplets are battling for control of the playground and David is stuck in the middle. Can he end the prank war before recess gets cancelled for the whole year

HarperChapters build confident readers one chapter at a time! With short, fast-paced books, art on every page, and milestone markers at the end of every chapter, they're the perfect next step for fans of I Can Read!

Wallace and Gromit meets Winnie-the-Pooh in a fresh take on a classic odd-couple friendship, from Newbery Honor author Amy Timberlake with full-color and black-and-white illustrations throughout by Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen.
 
No one wants a skunk.
 
They are unwelcome on front stoops. They should not linger in Important Rock Rooms. Skunks should never, ever be allowed to move in. But Skunk is Badger’s new roommate, and there is nothing Badger can do about it.
 
When Skunk plows into Badger’s life, everything Badger knows is upended. Tails are flipped. The wrong animal is sprayed. And why-oh-why are there so many chickens?
 
“Nooooooooooooooooooooo!”
 
Newbery Honor author Amy Timberlake spins the first tale in a series about two opposites who need to be friends.
 
New York Times bestselling author/illustrator and Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen completes the book with his signature lushly textured art. This beautifully bound edition contains both full-color plates and numerous black-and-white illustrations.
 
Skunk and Badger is a book you’ll want to read, reread, and read out loud . . . again and again.

A brand new, fun filled chapter book series that answers the question: What if Frozen's Elsa went to regular school?

It's Winter Break at Hilltop Academy and Lina couldn't be more excited. With time off from school, Lina's parents say it's all right for her best friend, Claudia, to come up to their cloud palace for a sleepover (as long as she double pinkie-swears never to tell the royal family secret!). Claudia can't wait to see what it's like to actually be a real princess! But she soon learns that all the stuffy palace protocol isn't nearly as fun as it sounds. The girls just have to get out and play! Claudia suggests they go down to the ground and have some fun with Lina's winter magic. They have a blast sledding and skating in the snow until an actual winter blizzard moves in. The girls are stuck on the ground, lost in the storm. They will have to get resourceful, be brave, work together - and use Lina's magic in a creative way - if they are going to find their way out.

An ALA Notable Title

Renowned for their courage, their chivalry, and their ability to fight mythical creatures, the Knights of the Round Table must face their most dangerous opponents yet—DINOSAURS!

This heavily illustrated middle grade novel from award-winning author and artist Matt Phelan is a hilarious, rip-roaring tale of derring-do perfect for reluctant readers and fans of How to Train Your Dragon and The Terrible Two.

Let me tell you a secret about the Knights of the Round Table: they don’t have much to do. The realm is at peace and dragons are few and far between. So Merlin decides to send the knights out on a real adventure to a world filled with the most terrible lizards of all: DINOSAURS!

Knights vs. Dinosaurs is a highly illustrated, fast-paced adventure full of uproarious knightly hijinks, surprising secrets, and terrifying dinosaurs. With art on nearly every page, including an epic fight scene depicted in several graphic-novel style spreads, this engaging story is Monty Python for young middle school readers.

A great choice for reluctant readers, aspiring knights, and fans of Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot.

When Sadiq's father leaves on a business trip, he worries he'll miss his baba too much. But Baba has a story for Sadiq: the story of the Desert Star. Learning about Baba's passion for the stars sparks Sadiq's interest in outer space. But can Sadiq find others who are willing to help him start the space club of his dreams?

Meet Bessie Lee! The Teeny Houdini chapter book series from author Katrina Moore and illustrator Zoe Si begins with a simply magical story. The adventures of Teeny Houdini come in short, easy-to-read chapters full of hilarious illustrations--a favorite series for building confident readers!

Bessie Lee might be the teeniest in her first-grade class, but with the tap-tap-tap of her wand, some glitter, and a little magic . . . she's going to dazzle the crowds to win the school talent show.

But when a trick goes disastrously wrong, Rufus, the class hamster, disappears!

Can Bessie find a way to bring him back in time Or is Rufus truly gone forever

Teeny Houdini, also known as Bessie Lee, is an overly excited, mischievous first grader who bounces off the walls--and off the page--with her volume, enthusiasm, and grand ideas, which are just too big for her tiny frame. Bessie's multigenerational Chinese American family is the warm center of the stories, from exasperated but loving big sister Bailey to the always encouraging and understanding Gramma.

Kid-friendly and engaging, the Teeny Houdini series is a good fit for early chapter book readers. And as a bonus, kids learn the real and simple steps to a different magic trick in each book!

★ "This simple story of discovery, sport, and friendship is filled with likable characters and innocently joyful moments...Delightful."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Kenyan orphans, Kitoo and Nigosi, spend their days studying, playing soccer, helping their elders with chores around the orphanage and reading from the limited selection of books in their library. When the librarian gives Kitoo a copy of Sports Around the World he becomes fascinated by an image of the Canadian national men's ice hockey team. Then one day the fates align and Kitoo finds a pair of beat up old roller blades, he teaches himself to skate and dreams of one day playing hockey like the men in his book. But you can't play ice hockey in Kenya, can you?

Winner of the 2017 Pura Belpré Author Award

Fans of Judy Moody and Clarice Bean will love Juana, the spunky young Colombian girl who stars in this playful, abundantly illustrated new series.

Juana loves many things — drawing, eating Brussels sprouts, living in Bogotá, Colombia, and especially her dog, Lucas, the best amigo ever. She does not love wearing her itchy school uniform, solving math problems, or going to dance class. And she especially does not love learning the English. Why is it so important to learn a language that makes so little sense? But when Juana’s abuelos tell her about a special trip they are planning—one that Juana will need to speak English to go on—Juana begins to wonder whether learning the English might be a good use of her time after all. Hilarious, energetic, and utterly relatable, Juana will win over los corazones — the hearts — of readers everywhere in her first adventure, presented by namesake Juana Medina.

Real-life super-sleuth and media sensation Hilde Lysiak's reporting skills are put to the test in this fun early chapter book mystery series!

Pick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!Nine-year-old crime reporter Hilde Lysiak is starring in her very own early chapter book series -- inspired by news stories Hilde wrote in real life! In this first book, there's been a break-in on Orange Street! Cupcakes have been stolen, and soon a pie goes missing, too. Hilde and her sister/photographer, Izzy, must interview witnesses and follow the clues. Can Hilde crack the case in time to post her news story online? Joanne Lew-Vriethoff's personality-filled illustrations appear on every page, bringing Hilde's adventures to life for young readers!

As Abby gets used to life in space, can she keep the things that are most important to her from drifting away?

It's the first day of third grade, and Abby Baxter is determined not to make any mistakes. It's a little trickier than it was last year, though, because Abby is starting school on the OASIS International Space Station, where her parents are scientists. Abby is so focused on getting used to microgravity, watching her little brother, Nico, and meeting her new classmates that she almost messes up Mami's big experiment. Can she figure out how to make things right, or is she destined to be sent back to Earth?

Amelia Bedelia meets James Patterson’s House of Robots series in the adventures of Geeger, a robot who goes to school for the very first time, in the first story in a new, fun-to-read Aladdin QUIX chapter book series that’s perfect for emerging readers!

Geeger the Robot is going to school. But not robot school…a school with kids, the human kind! Geeger isn’t used to human ways, and his zany misunderstandings and overly literal responses to instructions lead to quite a few mishaps. He’s starting to wonder if he can even make it until snack time! Will a bot made of wires, nuts, and bolts fit in with a classroom of kids?

"Utterly endearing!" --Annie Barrows, New York Times-bestselling author of the Ivy + Bean books

"Hilarious and heart-melting." --Sara Pennypacker, New York Times-bestselling author of Pax

Introducing eight-year-old Marisol Rainey--an irresistible new character from Newbery Medal winning and New York Times-bestselling Erin Entrada Kelly!

Maybe, Maybe Marisol Rainey is an illustrated novel about summer, friendship, and overcoming fears, told with warm humor and undeniable appeal. Fans of Clementine, The Year of Billy Miller, and Ramona the Pest will be thrilled to meet Marisol.

Marisol Rainey's mother was born in the Philippines. Marisol's father works and lives part-time on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. And Marisol, who has a big imagination and likes to name inanimate objects, has a tree in her backyard she calls Peppina . . . but she's way too scared to climb it. This all makes Marisol the only girl in her small Louisiana town with a mother who was born elsewhere and a father who lives elsewhere (most of the time)--the only girl who's fearful of adventure and fun.

Will Marisol be able to salvage her summer and have fun with Jada, her best friend? Maybe. Will Marisol figure out how to get annoying Evie Smythe to leave her alone? Maybe. Will Marisol ever get to spend enough real time with her father? Maybe. Will Marisol find the courage to climb Peppina? Maybe.

Told in short chapters with illustrations by the author on nearly every page, Maybe, Maybe Marisol Rainey is a must-have for early elementary grade readers. Erin Entrada Kelly celebrates the small but mighty Marisol, the joys of friendship, and the triumph of overcoming your fears in this stunning new novel for readers of Kevin Henkes, Meg Medina, Andrew Clements, Sara Pennypacker, and Kate DiCamillo.

Features black-and-white artwork throughout by Erin Entrada Kelly.

A new and exciting pick-your-path STEM adventure for emerging readers!

This series starter takes emerging readers on an expedition to the ocean's twilight zone in search of a giant squid. But giant squids are hard to find. Readers will need to join the expedition and help make choices along the way.

First they'll pick their submersible. And then their pilot and dive site. They'll need to be careful--not every path leads where it seems, but whatever path they pick, they'll see and learn amazing things!

Meet Yasmin! Yasmin is a spirited second-grader who's always on the lookout for those "aha" moments to help her solve life's little problems. Taking inspiration from her surroundings and her big imagination, she boldly faces any situation, assuming her imagination doesn't get too big, of course! A creative thinker and curious explorer, Yasmin and her multi-generational Pakistani American family will delight and inspire readers.

Meet Hotdog, the wiener dog, and his friends In this colorful illustrated chapter book series, Anh Do introduces us to a small hero with a big heart.

Hotdog and his friends are going on a mad adventure to help a baby bird find his missing mom They'll climb to crazy heights to find her But can they handle dirty diapers and karate-chopping roosters along the way?

Now an animated series on Disney Junior!

They’re darling. They’re daring. They know their shapes! They’re chicks on a mission—and on this, their first (mis)adventure, the Chicken Squad launches a galactic backyard expedition.

Meet the Chicken Squad: Dirt, Sugar, Poppy, and Sweetie. These chicks are not your typical barnyard puffs of fluff, and they are not about to spend their days pecking chicken feed and chasing bugs. No sir, they’re too busy solving mysteries and fighting crime.

So when Squirrel comes barreling into the chicken coop, the chicks know they’re about to get a case. But with his poor knowledge of shapes (“Big” is not a shape, Squirrel!) and utter fear of whatever it is that’s out there, the panicky Squirrel is NO HELP. Good thing these chicks are professionals.

But even professionals get worried. Especially once they see that round, shiny, green, BIG thing in the yard. What if it’s a UFO full of aliens who want chickens as pets? It’s up to the Chicken Squad to crack a case that just might be out of this world.

Meet the ever-curious Isla Verde, a young girl with a secret—she can speak with animals—in the first book of an all-new chapter book series!

Welcome to the adventurous island of Sol! For eight-year-old Isla Verde, Sol is the perfect place to live. The sun shines bright, the markets brim with delicious food and music, there are animal friends around every corner, and her best gecko buddy, Fitz, is up for almost every adventure!

Yes, Isla’s best friend is a gecko. In fact, that’s part of her big secret…she can speak to animals—and they speak right back! No one else knows about her special talent, not even Mama, Abuelo, or Abuela! But when new girl Tora moves in next door, Isla starts finding it harder to keep her secret under wraps.

With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Isla of Adventure chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

King & Kayla are back on the case in this laugh-out-loud mystery from the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award-winning series.

Kayla made peanut butter treats for Thor, Jillian's new puppy. But now the treats are missing, and King is under suspicion.

Analytical Kayla notices that King's breath doesn't smell like peanut butter, so he didn't eat them. Sensitive King detects the presence of an intruder in their house. Is it Jillian's little brother Adam? Or someone else? Who took the missing dog treats?

With simple, straightforward language and great verbal and visual humor, the King & Kayla series is perfect for newly independent readers. King and Kayla model excellent problem-solving skills, including working as a team, gathering facts, making lists, and evaluating evidence.

A new silly and spooky highly illustrated series that's perfect for fans of Eerie Elementary and Notebooks of Doom, featuring art on every page and fun activities at the end of each book. It's a Halloween chapter book treat!

Cousins Malia, Ivan, and Dante are visiting their aunt Lucy for the summer. But on their way to Gulf City's water park, they get lost on 13th Street. Only it's not a street at all. It's a strange world filled with dangerous beasts! Will the cousins find their way back to Aunt Lucy's?

Each story in this hilarious and scary new series from award-winning author David Bowles is designed to set independent readers up for success--with short, fast-paced chapters, art on every page, and progress bars at the end of each chapter!

A beginning chapter book series based on the award-winning picture book, A Friend for Henry!

Henry likes Classroom Ten. He likes how it is always the same. But this week, Henry's class will have a parade, and a parade means having Share Time on the wrong day. A parade means playing instruments that are too loud. A parade means this week is not like always.

Join Henry as he navigates the ups and downs of marker missiles, stomach volcanoes, and days that feel a little too orange. From the creators of the Schneider Family Honor-winning picture book A Friend for Henry, this warmly funny book starring a child on the autism spectrum is a reassuring read for school-bound kids of all stripes.

Printz Honor winner and National Book Award Finalist Elana K. Arnold makes her chapter book debut with this charming story of a girl and her chicken, irresistibly illustrated by A. N. Kang.

Introducing Starla Jean!

She's full of moxie, clever as a fox, and obsessed with catching a chicken she finds at the park.

When Starla first sees the scrawny bird wandering around, she just knows they're destined for one another. Her dad says, "If you can catch it, you can keep it," and Starla Jean is not one to back down from a challenge.

K's Car can go anywhere! Join J and K on a breathtaking adventure as they go on the ultimate road trip in the world's greatest car.

Tadpole J is ready for a lazy Saturday in Lilypad City, but his big sister, frog K, has other plans – they're going on a road trip! K built a spectacular car that can go anywhere, so J packs them a picnic lunch and off they go! Beyond the lakeside cliffs, through the Spikey Spike Forest, and past the Domed City of Fafa. But when the road gets blocked at the Waterfall Mountains, they get stopped right in their tracks. Or do they? Because when K says her car can go anywhere, she really means anywhere!

From Caldecott Honoree and two-time Geisel Award-winning author-illustrator Corey R. Tabor, this is a fresh and funny young graphic novel series sure to delight readers. Perfect for fans of Catwad, Bird & Squirrel, and Narwhal & Jelly.

Ladies and gentlebugs, presenting the duke of the dandelion patch, champion of truth and justice, the one, the only--Sir Ladybug!

Sir Ladybug never shies away from a quest, even when he'd rather be playing a video game or baking a cake. So when a caterpillar needs rescuing from a "monster" (a hungry chickadee), Sir Ladybug and his trusty friends--his herald, a roly-poly named Pell, and his squire, a snail named Sterling--hatch the perfect (delicious) plan.

This is the first in a new graphic novel series for newly independent readers, following the adventures of a ladybug knight and his pals in the dandelion patch.

Woven seamlessly into this funny and surprising story are the themes of friendship, bravery, teamwork, creative thinking, and helping others. With warmth and heart, surprising and delightful asides, and memorable cast of characters, this new series will appeal to avid and reluctant readers alike.

The first in a hilarious young graphic novel series about Pizza and Taco. Two best friends, lots of toppings...but only one of them can be the BEST, right? Fans of Narwhal and Jelly will eat this book up...and be hungry for more!

Best friends are the BEST! But WHO is the BEST? Is it Pizza or Taco? The question is debatable! They both love water slides. They both are friends with Hot Dog and Hamburger. In fact, maybe they should have a debate and get their friends to VOTE for who's the best! Can their friendship survive the race for top spot on the popularity food chain? Cast your VOTE!

This graphic chapter book will tickle the funny bones of kids ages 5-8 and bolster their reading confidence. oung graphic chapter books are also a great step on the way to longer chapter books and graphic novels.

Planet Earth meets Narwhal and Jelly in this funny and suspenseful young reader graphic novel adventure series featuring heroic animals! Inspired by true events, the book includes facts about climate change, elephants, and how kids can help protect the environment.

"A heartening and pensive story, told through irresistibly charming art, Star the Elephant is an utter delight." —John Patrick Green, New York Times-bestselling creator of InvestiGators

Star the Elephant and his herd are searching for a new home. But when Star is separated from his family, he must journey alone into the great unknown. He'll come face to face with giant spiders, the vast ocean beyond his island, and strange humans. Can Star find his way back to his family?

Perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly, Arlo & Pips: King of the Birds is the first in a new early graphic chapter book series about the friendship between Arlo, an arrogant crow, and a sarcastic little bird named Pips.

Like most crows, Arlo has a big brain. But Arlo has something else: a little pal who's not afraid to tell him when he's being insufferable!

In the first of three episodes, a battle of the brains and bird-to-bird banter soon turns into an unexpected friendship. Arlo and Pips' adventures include a visit the big city and the beach on their hunt for shiny things and French fries. Cool crow facts are included throughout the book.

Everyone's crowing about Arlo & Pips, with Kirkus praising it as a perfect match for newly independent readers!

More praise for Arlo & Pips #1: King of the Crows: A New York Public Library Best Book * A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best * A Junior Library Guild Selection * An unexpected friendship story! In three short graphic chapters marked by [Gravel's] signature sly humor, facts about crows are sprinkled throughout, making the reader believe that maybe crows are truly as amazing as Arlo says." --The Horn Book (starred review)

A new early reader graphic novel series from the critically acclaimed creator of Pashmina, perfect for fans of Narwhal and Jelly.

Meet Kitana—a Shark Princess and the first of her kind. Her allergy-ridden, best friend, Mack, wants to be one too, but he worries that his sharp teeth and big sneezes make him too dangerous to be a princess.

With Kitana's help, Mack realizes his unique shine. When Mack puts on his crown for the first time, these Shark Princesses are ready to explore the ocean and embark on a fintastic adventure!

Nidhi Chanani's signature artwork brings this underwater series to life in a spunky tale about friendship and redefining who and what a princess can be.

A ghost and a kid team up to solve mysteries and do fun stuff! A hilarious new graphic novel series for fans of Bad Guys and Dog Man.

Welcome to the world of Simon and Chester, ghost and boy duo extraordinaire.
They don't like chores.
They are best friends.
And they are about to solve the MYSTERY OF A LIFETIME.
(Oh, and eat some snacks probably.)

Join Simon and Chester in their first adventure, and fall in love with this hilarious odd couple by fan favorite author and illustrator Cale Atkinson.

Worm and Caterpillar are friends—best friends. Worm loves how they are just alike, but Caterpillar has a feeling there is a big change coming. Then Caterpillar disappears for a while and comes back as Butterfly. Will Butterfly and Worm still be friends?

Ready-to-Read Graphics books give readers the perfect introduction to the graphic novel format with easy-to-follow panels, speech bubbles with accessible vocabulary, and sequential storytelling that is spot-on for beginning readers. There’s even a how-to guide for reading graphic novels at the beginning of each book.

Ling and Ting are twins. They have the same brown eyes. They have the same pink cheeks. They have the same happy smiles.

Ling and Ting are two adorable identical twins, and they stick together, whether they are making dumplings, getting their hair cut, or practicing magic tricks. But looks are deceiving--people can be very different, even if they look exactly the same.

Cornbread LOVES planning. Poppy does not. Cornbread ADORES preparing. Poppy does not. Cornbread IS ready for winter. Poppy...is not. But Cornbread and Poppy are the best of friends, so when Poppy is left without any food for the long winter, Cornbread volunteers to help her out. Their search leads them up, up, up Holler Mountain, where these mice might find a new friend...and an old one. Celebrating both partnership and the value of what makes us individuals, young readers will find this classic odd-couple irresistible as they encounter relatable issues with humor and heart.

New York Times bestselling author Max Brallier's easy-to-read scary stories are perfect for beginning readers

Pick a book. Grow a Reader

This series is part of Scholastic's early reader line, Acorn, aimed at children who are learning to read. With easy-to-read text, a short-story format, and full-color artwork on every spread, these books will boost reading confidence and fluency. Acorn books plant a love of reading and help readers grow

What is hiding under the bed? What is scratching at the window? Find out in New York Times bestselling author Max Brallier's scary stories collection. These five spine-chilling stories will have beginning readers everywhere begging to stay up late to read (with the light on ). With authentically scary, easy-to-read text and creepy, full-color artwork throughout, this book is perfect for young children who crave lite scares. This is also THE book to share at sleepovers or around a campfire. It will send SHIVERS down your spine

This gorgeous picture book shows how one little girl's careful tending of a pecan tree creates the living center of a loving, intergenerational Black family. For Earth Day and every day! Perfect for fans of Matt de la Peña and Oge Mora.

Before her grandchildren climbed the towering tree,

explored its secret nests,

raced to its sturdy trunk,

read in its cool shade,

or made pies with its pecans...

Nell buried a seed.

And just as Nell's tree grows and thrives with her love and care, so do generations of her close-knit family.

Inspired by the pecan trees of the creators' own childhoods, Anne Wynter's lyrical picture book, brought to life with breathtaking illustrations by Daniel Miyares, brims with wonder and love.

A joyful and informative guide to birdwatching for budding young birders from an award-winning author-illustrator duo.

How do you find a bird? There are so many ways! Begin by watching. And listening. And staying quiet, so quiet you can hear your own heartbeat. Soon you’ll see that there are birds everywhere—up in the sky, down on the ground, sometimes even right in front of you just waiting to be discovered!

Young bird lovers will adore this lushly illustrated introduction to how to spot and observe our feathered friends. It features more than fifty different species, from the giant whooping crane to the tiny ruby-throated hummingbird, and so many in between, and a detailed author’s note provides even more information about birding for curious readers. This celebration of the wondrous variety, colors, and sounds of the avian world is sure to have children grabbing their binoculars and heading outside to explore.

It's Dat's first day of school in a new country! Dat and his Mah made a long journey to get here, and Dat doesn't know the language. To Dat, everything everybody says -- from the school bus driver to his new classmates -- sounds like gibberish. How is Dat going to make new friends if they can't understand each other?

Luckily there's a friendly girl in Dat's class who knows that there are other ways to communicate, besides just talking. Could she help make sense of the gibberish?

While picking berries with her mother, a little girl wanders too far into the woods. When she realizes she is lost, she begins to panic. A large grey wolf makes a sudden appearance between some distant trees. Using his sense of smell, he determines where she came from and decides to help her. Through a series of questions from the wolf, the little girl realizes she had the knowledge and skill to navigate herself--she just needed to remember that those abilities were there all along.

From the critically acclaimed author of Your Name Is a Song and the bestselling illustrator of The Proudest Blue comes a story about a Muslim boy who receives a salat (prayer) rug on his seventh birthday and becomes empowered about his faith.

In this beautiful story of community, family, and acceptance, a boy named Muhammad receives a special salat rug on his seventh birthday. Seven is the age when Muslim children are encouraged to pray, and Muhammad is determined to do all five daily prayers on time. But one salat occurs during the school day--and he's worried about being seen praying at school. His father parks his truck to worship in public places, and people stare at and mock him. Will the same thing happen to Muhammad?

In the end, with help from his teacher, he finds the perfect place to pray. Salat in Secret, by two highly acclaimed Muslim creators, is a poignant and empowering look at an important facet of Islam that many observant children cherish but might be scared to share.

A lush companion to The Nest That Wren Built brings to light the habits of a secretive creature with lifelike illustrations and a lyrical, informative text.

Resourceful Beaver and his family work every day to build the perfect lodge in the pond, made of branches from the shore willow and silty mud from the streambed. Secure and safe from the elements and all the forest animals who come by, the beavers sleep, play, and grow inside the lodge. But come springtime’s flood, this family of beavers will move on, leaving behind the remains of the lodge that Beaver built. Gently scientific and accessible, with soft, glowing illustrations from award-winning artist Anne Hunter, this lilting, poetic companion to The Nest That Wren Built introduces young children to the engineering feat of dam-building and the life cycle of beaver families. Budding nature lovers can explore more beaver facts, a glossary, and a list of suggested resources in the back matter.

Caldecott winner Beth Krommes and Newbery Honor-winning poet Joyce Sidman team up in this singular celebration of a beautiful, fascinating shape in nature. A nonfiction picture book companion to their acclaimed Swirl by Swirl.

Branches are all around us: in butterfly wings, on gecko toes, in flowers, frost, and mud. Whether as electricity moving across the sky or rivers flowing to the sea, branches are nature's most efficient way to spread and to connect. They are even found inside our own bodies, helping us reach and grow with each breath and heartbeat.

Branches--strong, hopeful, beautiful--are the shape of life. How many can you find

An irresistible picture book about a boy and his classmates who long for a class pet, but discover the joys and rewards of nurturing a class plant.

Room 107 has a cockatiel. Room 108 has a chinchilla. Even the Art Room has a bearded dragon. But in Room 109, Arlo's classroom, there is a plant. A mostly green, hardly growing, never moving plant. Even though it doesn't squeak, whistle, or whimper, Arlo’s teacher says the plant is “more than enough excitement for us.” But what could possibly be exciting about a plant?

One day, Arlo decides to name the plant Jerry. Something about naming the plant makes it more exciting. As the class learns to take care of Jerry, he starts to grow . . . greener and longer and twistier. And before long it's clear that something amazing has taken root in Arlo's classroom.

In this strikingly illustrated debut with a quirky, surreal sensibility, the tale of an Arctic expedition invites readers to discover an elusive creature.


Dr. Morley absolutely loves jellyfish. Her entire life, she has been fascinated by one specific species, a legendary creature that no one has ever seen. Does the giant Arctic jellyfish even exist? After years of research, Dr. Morley and her crew don their red parkas and set off to icy northern waters in hopes of finding the mysterious creature. The Arctic Circle is filled with wonders: playful orcas, the glowing aurora borealis, and formidable ice shelves—but will Dr. Morley find what she is searching for? Or, perhaps, will it find her? Bringing the stark and breathtaking beauty of the Arctic to life, author-illustrator Chloe Savage’s whimsical and charming adventure into the unknown is sure to capture the imaginations of young explorers.

With humor and heart and brought to life by Jonathan Nelson's warm, distinctive artwork, Kim Rogers's A Letter for Bob celebrates the treasured cars that carry us through our most meaningful childhood moments.

Ever since the day Mom and Dad brought Bob home from the car dealership, Bob has been a part of Katie's family.

Bob has taken them all over, from powwows to vacations to time spent with faraway family. Bob has been there in sad and scary times and for some of the family's most treasured memories.

But after many miles, it's time for the family to say goodbye to Bob...

This humorous and tender story about a beloved family car--and all the stories and love carried along for the ride--will appeal to every kid whose family has owned a special car.

Winner of the American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award and a Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly Commended Title!

Kim Rogers is the author of Just Like Grandma, illustrated by Julie Flett, which received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and ALA Booklist, which called it "a joyous, uplifting celebration of culture and family."

It's Afghani schoolgirl Aria's first day back at school since her accident. She's excited, but she's also worried about sitting on the hard floor all day with her new prosthetic "helper-leg."

Just as Aria feared, sitting on the floor is so uncomfortable that she can't think about learning at all. She knows that before the war changed many things in Afghanistan, schools like hers had benches for students to sit at. If she had a bench, her leg would not hurt so much. The answer is obvious: she will gather materials, talk to Kaka Najar, the carpenter in the old city, and learn to build a bench for herself.

In A Sky-Blue Bench, Bahram Rahman, author of The Library Bus, returns again to the setting of his homeland, Afghanistan, to reveal the resilience and resolve of young children--especially young girls--who face barriers to education. Illustrator Peggy Collins imbues Aria with an infectious spunkiness and grit that make her relatable even to readers with a very different school experience. An author's note gently introduces an age-appropriate discussion of landmines and their impact on the lives of children in many nations, especially Afghanistan, which has the highest concentration of landmines of any country in the world.

A celebration of the love between a father and daughter, and of a vibrant immigrant neighborhood, by an award-winning author and illustrator duo.

When Daisy Ramona zooms around her neighborhood with her papi on his motorcycle, she sees the people and places she's always known. She also sees a community that is rapidly changing around her.

But as the sun sets purple-blue-gold behind Daisy Ramona and her papi, she knows that the love she feels will always be there.

With vivid illustrations and text bursting with heart, My Papi Has a Motorcycle is a young girl's love letter to her hardworking dad and to memories of home that we hold close in the midst of change.

From Smriti Prasadam-Halls, the internationally bestselling author of I Love You Night and Day, and illustrator Steve Small, comes the charming picture book I'm Sticking with You, a sweet celebration of friendship.

Bear and Squirrel are best friends. Wherever Squirrel goes, Bear follows. Bear vows to stick with Squirrel whether he’s grumpy, or silly, or mad—which is put to the test when Bear sinks Squirrel’s canoe. And catapults him from the seesaw. And breaks his favorite mug.

Finally, Squirrel has had enough. He tells Bear he needs his space—only to realize he has much more fun with his best friend around. Funny and poignant in equal measure, I'm Sticking with You shows that friendship always finds a way.

Acclaimed poet Bao Phi delivers a powerful, honest glimpse into a relationship between father and son - and between cultures, old and new. A Different Pond is an unforgettable story about a simple event - a long-ago fishing trip.

As a young boy, Bao Phi awoke early, hours before his father's long workday began, to fish on the shores of a small pond in Minneapolis. Unlike many other anglers, Bao and his father fished for food, not recreation. A successful catch meant a fed family. Between hope-filled casts, Bao's father told him about a different pond in their homeland of Vietnam.

A funny, fish-filled story about the joys of learning, and the rewards that come with staying true to who you are

Agatha May just can’t understand why her classmates aren’t as crazy as she is about the hideous humpback anglerfish. But when a school assignment gives Agatha the chance to show everybody what they’re missing, she single-handedly schools them all--and, in the process, discovers a passion for research and an exciting new dream for her future.

This book is perfect for dreamers, outside-the-box thinkers, and anyone who has ever felt like their special interest wasn't appreciated.

Ernestine has never been camping before, but she’s sure it will be lots of fun . . . won’t it? An endearing story about a girl’s first experience with the great outdoors.

My aunt Jackie invited me to go camping with her and my cousin Samantha this weekend. I’ve never been camping before, but I know I will love it.

Ernestine is beyond excited to go camping. She follows the packing list carefully (new sleeping bag! new flashlight! special trail mix made with Dad!) so she knows she is ready when the weekend arrives. But she quickly realizes that nothing could have prepared her for how hard it is to set up a tent, never mind fall asleep in it, or that swimming in a lake means that there will be fish — eep! Will Ernestine be able to enjoy the wilderness, or will it prove to be a bit too far out of her comfort zone? In an energetic illustrated story about a first sleepover under the stars, acclaimed author-illustrator Jennifer K. Mann reminds us that opening your mind to new experiences, no matter how challenging, can lead to great memories (and a newfound taste for s’mores).

In this tale set in the ancient Inka (sometimes spelled Inca) empire, Little Chaski has a big job: he is the Inka King's newest royal messenger. On his first day delivering messages he stops to help several creatures in need along the way, causing him to nearly miss his sunset deadline.

But the kindness he bestowed on these animals winds up helping him in surprising ways. Descriptive language and bold illustrations give readers insight into Little Chaski's nervousness and excitement as he runs the Inka Trail, working earnestly to fulfill the responsibilities of his new role.

A child, mother, and grandmother travel all the way to the end of the earth in author Rajani LaRoccaand illustrator Archana Sreenivasan's Where Three Oceans Meet, a picture book that celebrates multigenerational love--perfect for fans of Drawn Together and Alma.

"I want to see what's at the end of the earth!"

Sejal, Mommy, and Pati travel together to the southern tip of India. Along the way, they share meals, visit markets, and catch up with old friends.

For Pati, the trip retraces spaces she knows well. For Mommy, it's a return to the place she grew up. For Sejal, it's a discovery of new sights and sounds. The family finds their way to Kanyakumari, where three oceans meet, and delight in making it to the end of the earth together.

This own voices picture book celebrates the beauty of India and the enduring love of family.

From author-illustrator Maple Lam comes a new picture book about a Chinese American girl and her younger sister as they attend their weekly dim sum family gathering. A celebration of the traditional Chinese customs passed on from generation to generation: togetherness, love, family--and FOOD!

Today is Sunday and that means its dim sum time with my whole family! I can't wait to see everyone, especially Grandma.

I'm going to eat lots of shrimp dumplings, rice noodle rolls, egg tarts, and my favorite--char siu buns. We will have to order enough for us all to share.

So what are you waiting for Dim sum, here we come!

The beloved critters are nervous about going off to camp in this hilarious and reassuring companion book to New York Times bestselling author Jory John and critically acclaimed illustrator Liz Climo's First Day Critter Jitters.

Some familiar faces and some new ones meet up at summer camp . . . and they all feel nervous! There's a duck afraid everyone will find out he can't swim, a bear afraid of noises in the woods, and a sloth who worries he'll have to catch his own lunch. But can they get over their nerves to have some fun and make new friends?

A Caldecott Honor Book!

Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade's first self-authored picture book is a gorgeous celebration of the land she knows well and the powerful wisdom of elders.

On an island at the edge of a wide, wild sea, a girl and her grandmother gather gifts from the earth. Salmon from the stream, herring eggs from the ocean, and in the forest, a world of berries.

Salmonberry, Cloudberry, Blueberry, Nagoonberry.

Huckleberry, Snowberry, Strawberry, Crowberry.

Through the seasons, they sing to the land as the land sings to them. Brimming with joy and gratitude, in every step of their journey, they forge a deeper kinship with both the earth and the generations that came before, joining in the song that connects us all. Michaela Goade's luminous rendering of water and forest, berries and jams glows with her love of the land and offers an invitation to readers to deepen their own relationship with the earth.

An intergenerational story of family ties, cultural pride, and spelling bee victory following a young boy who bonds with his beloved abuela over a love of Spanish.

As a boy prepares for his school’s Spanish spelling bee, he asks his grandmother for help with some of the words he doesn’t know how to spell yet. When she studies with him, she tells him how different things were back when she was a girl, when she was only allowed to speak English in school. This only inspires him to study even harder and make his family proud.

Based on stories author Michael Genhart heard from his mother as a child, Spanish is the Language of My Family is about the joy of sharing cultural heritage with our families, inspired by the generations of Latino people were punished for speaking Spanish and the many ways new generations are rejuvenating the language.

Simultaneously published in Spanish as El español es la lengua de mi familia, Michael Genhart’s text is as touching as it is poignant, and it’s paired with the striking artwork of multiple Pura Belpre Award-Winning Illustrator John Parra. Extensive material at the back of the book includes essays from the author about the history of Spanish suppression in U.S. schools and information about the Spanish alphabet.

How does this city garden grow? With help from L’il Sissy and her siblings--and love, love, love! A celebration of nature, family, and food.

Visiting the city from her home in the suburbs, an African American girl sees how a few packets of seeds, some helping hands, and hard work transform an empty lot in a housing project into a magical place where vegetables grow and family gathers. It’s the magic of nature in the heart of the city!

Bernette Ford’s autobiographical story is a loving glimpse at a girl, her siblings, and her uncle, and their shared passion for farming. L’l Sissy’s fascination with measurement, comparison, and estimation introduces children to STEM concepts. And the progress of Uncle John’s garden introduces readers to the life cycle of plants.

Frank Morrison, winner of multiple Coretta Scott King awards and an NAACP Image Award, depicts dramatic cityscapes as well as the luscious colors and textures of Nature.

This cheerful love-your-body picture book for preschoolers is an exuberant read-aloud with bright and friendly illustrations to pore over.
 
From the acclaimed creator of Dancing at the Pity Party and Roaring Softly, this picture book is a pure celebration of all the different human bodies that exist in the world. Highlighting the various skin tones, body shapes, and hair types is just the beginning in this truly inclusive book. With its joyful illustrations and encouraging refrain, it will instill body acceptance and confidence in the youngest of readers. “My body, your body, every different kind of body! All of them are good bodies! BODIES ARE COOL!”

Even rocks have big dreams in this sweet and wacky picture book for fans of Aaron Reynolds and Mac Barnett about a display rock who longs to explore the great outdoors!

Rick is a rock. For as long as he can remember, he’s lived on the Nature Finds shelf in Room 214 alongside an acorn, some moss, and a piece of bark. One day, the teacher shows the class what rocks do outdoors, and Rick is captivated. Exploding out of volcanos? Plunging off cliffs? Now Rick’s determined to get outside—after all, he’s a rock, and rocks are made for adventure.

But when Rick does make his way into the great outdoors, he finds it’s not quite what he imagined—and that sometimes the greatest adventure of all is being a friend.

A lyrical and unifying picture book that “will inspire young readers” and “magnificently showcases the immigrant experience” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) in America from Newbery Honoree Margarita Engle and award-winning illustrator Raúl Colón.

Discover the myriad contributions that all immigrants have made as they come to join family or start their own lives together in a new country they call home. Coming with their hopes, dreams, and determination, generations of immigrants have made the fabric of this country diverse, vivid, and welcoming.

This vibrant and timely celebration demonstrates the thousands of immigrants who built America and the importance of having acceptance and light for everyone.

From author Ame Dyckman and illustrator Jenn Harney comes a hilarious faux-cautionary tale featuring dad jokes and tantrum-throwing dinosaurs!

In this outrageous "safety guide," a child in a museum asks their parents how the dinosaurs all became extinct. Well, their father has some theories. Gallimimus? Ran with scissors. Ankylosaurus? Tipped in their chair. Spinosaurus? Swam after eating. Tyrannosaurus rex? Didn't change their underwear. By the end of the story, the child vows to never do any of these "dangerous" things again. Those dinosaurs should have been more careful!

This off-the-wall picture book written by New York Times bestselling author Ame Dyckman with uproarious illustrations by Jenn Harney will have kids laughing out loud as they see dinosaurs getting into some all-too-familiar hijinks.

A summer tale about family, overcoming fears, and the importance of being oneself, all in the pursuit of performing the perfect cannonball

I'm ready to pull off the perfect cannonball, but everyone has advice.

"You need more weight"

"Bigger shorts!"

"More muscles!"

"BIGGER SHORTS!"

As one boy searches for the secret to executing the perfect cannonball, it's only by listening to his own voice that he finds his unique style and pulls off a truly awe-inspiring CANNONBALL.

A celebration of native culture, a glossary including Maori words is included.

The fable of the tortoise and the hare receives a charming new spin in this wonderfully illustrated, cheering tale about a lovable and relatable trouper.

Barbara Hendricks, a tortoise, has entered a road race, but what was she thinking? With only a week to go before the big day, she worries that she doesn’t stand a chance against the other animals competing. Barbara’s friend and owner, Lorraine, inspires her to train a little bit more each day and coaxes her out of her shell when the race day arrives. How intimidating to line up next to the slow loris, the snail, the sloth, and the walrus! But Barbara realizes that if she just tries her best, she’s already won. Adorably illustrated in rich color and detail and told with splashes of dry humor, this touching story of perseverance celebrates all that can be accomplished with a little preparation and a lot of self-love.

Let's all draw dinosaurs ... outdoors!

In this remarkable picture book, a group of students spend an unforgettable day drawing dinosaurs outside with their extraordinary teacher.

Maybe your school has a playground, gym, computers, and a library. But at this school in a faraway mountain range, things are a little different. There's a blackboard, some chairs ... and not much else. But with the help of an extraordinary teacher and a little imagination, anything is possible!

The students in this spirited picture book spend their days drawing dinosaurs outdoors. They draw astounding, spectacular creatures that come to life before their eyes, and turn their school into a wondrous place, where any child would want to go and learn.

Drawing Outdoors celebrates the amazing impact of teachers, and the wonderful worlds kids can create while drawing. A perfect gift for a beloved teacher, kids who love dinosaurs, and aspiring artists!

Follow the enchanting, beautifully illustrated story of Mimi, a young girl who longs to see fairies in her garden.

Mimi was a perfectly ordinary girl who lived a perfectly ordinary life. She had toys to play with, a little brother who wasn’t too annoying, and cakes on her birthdays. Mimi didn’t want many things. But there was one thing she wanted so very much, so very much indeed… to see a fairy in her garden.
 
Poor Mimi spends hours and hours making her fairy garden completely perfect, but the fairies never come. Whatever could she be doing wrong?

Just when she has given up all hope, some twinkling lights appear. They’re here! And they are bringing an important message…

With captivating artwork from Isa Bancewicz, and activity spreads at the back which tell readers how to create their own, perfect fairy garden this beautiful story will capture readers’ imaginations.

And, just maybe, it will help them attract fairies to their own gardens!

As with all new Ivy Kids titles, this book is printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper... it's a planet friendly book!