At the end of a warm, dark night in the rainforest, dawn starts to break. Soon, animals will rise to greet the day. But not everyone is waking up. Some animals haven't even been to bed yet! Small brown bats have been busy all night, swooping and looping through the starry skies. Now it is time for them to settle in among the trees. But one baby bat wants to stay up and play. How will her mother convince her it's time to close her eyes and go to sleep? Lyrical text and soft, soothing illustrations show little readers that from bath time to lullabies, getting ready for bed looks very similar for bat babies and human babies alike. Fascinating scientific facts and photos from the Smithsonian Bat Lab showcase the amazing lives of bats and reveal how they are not so different from humans in their family behavior.
One little bunny spends a merry day with a special loved one, baking, wrapping, playing, and preparing for Christmas. When family and friends arrive it's time for carols and hot cocoa around the fire. This sweet, cozy story reminds readers that the joy in the holiday season is being with the ones we love.
Topanga the dog gets blamed for everything, but she's here to tell you that the only reason the household works at all is because she's the one in charge. Topanga wakes the family up, takes Big Guy for a run, gets the kids off to school on time, and chases off that trouble-making raccoon. And that's not all! Will Topanga's family ever realize what a giant role she plays in their lives? Maybe not before it's time for her to go back to bed, she has another big day tomorrow after all.
Mardy and Olaus Murie fell in love in--and with--Alaska. Then set out on an adventure across the Arctic for Olaus's work as a biologist, encountering the beauty and danger of the wilds along the way. They learned from Indigenous communities to appreciate the interconnectedness of all living creatures and understood that the way humans were moving in on wild land was threatening the natural world. So they shifted the focus of their work to conservation, fighting to protect the land and animals--and lobbying for the creation of what finally became the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, nine thousand square miles of protected land! Mardy and Olaus's story of passion and hard work will inspire all readers to fan their spark of purpose into flame. Backmatter includes additional information on Mardy and Olaus, their legacy, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and more.
Each season has its own qualities that set it apart. Winter, with its stark-white crust of snow, turns even a mundane scene into a sparkling fairyland. Spring, along with her many shades of green, brings a promise of new beginnings. Summer gifts us with long, lazy days of endless blue skies and the scent of freshly mown grass. But fall has a magic, a secret, all its own. It offers a kaleidoscope of textures, smells, and colors. But what's behind those glorious colors we see among the treetops and upon the leaf-covered ground? Are leaves more than what they seem? Through engaging text and charming artwork, young readers are invited to explore how and why leaves change color. And perhaps, after fall's secret is revealed, we learn something about ourselves and our own distinct beauty. Back matter delves into the science behind photosynthesis.
In 1873, at the age of 21, Jan Ernst Matzeliger immigrated to America, having left all that was familiar behind in South America. He arrived with hopes and dreams of a bright future in this new country. Though Jan had no formal training, he was highly skillful with tools and machinery, having worked in his father's mechanic shops. But no one wanted to hire a Black immigrant who didn't speak English. Yet Jan didn't give up. He finally got a job at a shoe factory. As Jan learned the process and craft of shoemaking, he envisioned a new machine, a lasting machine, that would help produce more shoes more efficiently. People scoffed at Jan's idea, telling him it wasn't possible. But he wasn't deterred. Despite many obstacles, after years of planning, drawing, and experimenting, Jan is finally ready to demonstrate his lasting machine. And his invention will change the shoe industry forever. The little-known story of Jan Matzeliger and his machine comes to life for young readers.
The morning before Diez y Seis de Septiembre, Gloria's Papa wakes up with laryngitis. A disaster! The festivities cannot start without a loud grito to kick the party off--and a Hernandez has always yelled the grito for as long as anyone can remember. When Gloria offers her own grito--and Papa backs her up--the mayor has to agree. But what has she done?! How will she find the courage to yell the grito with the heart it needs? Gloria needs some help from her community and her Papa to find her voice.
During a light rain, a child dozes on a sandy ocean-side beach, snuggling in her mother's arms. But while the sand beneath her is soft and still, there's a whirlwind of activity in the sea next to her. The waves roll back and forth to shore, while beneath them a busy underwater world is teeming with life. As the girl sleeps, she dreams of participating in that world. Through lyrical text, award-winning science writer Suzanne Slade (June Almeida, Virus Detective! The Woman Who Discovered the First Human Coronavirus) takes young readers on an exploration of our oceans and the many creatures and ecosystems found there, from migrating whales to elusive eels to the colorful coral reefs. Back matter includes science facts, as well as a reminder of why we need to be good stewards of the world's oceans. This companion title to The Universe and You illustrates once again that our natural world is full of wonders just waiting to be explored.
There once was a little red chair. Languishing in an antique shop window, the little chair longed to be part of a family. One day a little girl named Mia knew it was just the right chair for her. So Mia and her mother take the little chair home. With new red upholstery and its brightly polished wheels, the little red chair becomes the perfect companion for Mia. She snuggles in it on cold winter nights. She daydreams in it on bright sunny days. And it's the perfect throne for Mia on her birthday. But as Mia gets older, she spends less and less time with the little red chair. She's busy with school and friends and other things. One day, it's time for Mia to leave for a new life. Eventually, the little red chair is packed up and moved to a corner in the attic. Please don't leave me, the little chair says. But no one comes. Seasons come and go; years and years pass by. Will anyone rescue the little red chair?
It's the early 1970s in America and change is in the air. Women are marching in support of the Equal Rights Amendment. It's a time of self-expression and social change. Jillian Parker loves math; it's her favorite subject and she is good at it. So when it's time for the fourth graders to select their after-school clubs, she knows exactly what she'll choose. But when Jillian goes to sign her name on the Math Club sign-up sheet, she is met with snickering and jeers. A girl in the boys' club? Shouldn't she be in Cooking Club, instead? Jillian knows she's smart, but maybe she's not smart enough. Maybe they are right, and she doesn't belong. She's just one girl. But after hearing about the discrimination experienced by her mother and other women, Jillian realizes that maybe what is needed is for just one girl to step forward. A new entry in the Tales of Young Americans series.
Lola's family has an apple orchard and every year they sell hundreds of apple pies for customers' Thanksgiving tables. It's always a big job; so this year Lola is going to cook Thanksgiving dinner on her own to help out. She has a plan and a list. But Mom and Dad need her help making all the pies too. Lola's list keeps getting left behind and Thanksgiving arrives without crossing off a single thing. Luckily, aunts and uncles and cousins arrive ready to help the family prepare a Thanksgiving feast! Just…no apple pie, please! Includes an apple pie recipe.
A hangry bear goes on a rampage through a local fair--pushing friends aside, roaring, and generally doing all the nasty things we do when we're hungry. Finally, sweet Shrew identifies the problem and Hare conjures up a quick snack. Satisfied, and a little ashamed, Bear apologizes and insists on fixing the damage he's caused. Until Shrew gets a bit hangry herself… A funny, rhyming romp that introduces readers to phonics and decodable text.
The late summer and early fall of 1964 was a turbulent time in America. After years of racial struggle, in July President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. This law, declaring that all citizens were equal, outlawed racial segregation. Many Americans cheered this legislation; yet some did not. Many Southerners despised it and worried about what it meant for their traditions and way of life. With the upcoming November presidential election, President Johnson was advised not to campaign in the South due to the threats of violence since the signing of the new law. But someone needed to visit the citizens in the South and explain why the new law was necessary and good for the entire country. Born in Texas, First Lady Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson was from the South and understood its people and customs. Despite her fear of public speaking and threats to her own safety, Lady Bird undertook a train tour to reach out to her fellow citizens and Southerners. This is the true story of her historic Whistle-Stop journey, making almost fifty stops through eight Southern states in four days. July 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.
Even as a toddler, Ailton Nunes was drawn to the joyful, energizing sounds of samba music, with its clinks, bongs, and bangs filling the air. It was part of his heritage and practically the heartbeat of his Mangueira neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. But samba was more than music; it was a way to connect with the past and dream of the future. And samba united not only Ailton's neighborhood--it united all of Brazil, especially at the annual Carnaval festival with its samba parades and competition. The samba school in Ailton's neighborhood was his home away from home. He was mesmerized by the drummers, the bateria, and dreamed of joining their ranks when he got older. And with hard work and determination, Ailton not only joins the Mangueira bateria, he helps lead them to victory at the Carnaval festival. Vibrant, colorful artwork from Brazilian artist André Ceolin brings to life the story of samba director Mestre Ailton Nunes, who followed his passion and his dreams, and continues to share the magic of samba today.
The Wildes have made some serious enemies in their last two adventures--and now they've all shown up in the little Texas town of Glen Rose with vengeance in their hearts. Moving the vaquitas to the Wilds has created quite a controversy and raised a national debate about how to save severely endangered species. Go behind the scenes of the Wilds facility with Ring and Asia and discover how a modern animal park operates--and the dramas they face. Asia and Ring are home and it turns out that home is even wilder than the places they've visited!
This lyrical adventure follows the bluefin tuna, puffin, sea turtle, and Atlantic salmon through their life cycle. Each of these special species has a characteristic called natal homing. They're born, leave home to eat and mate, and then return to precisely where they were born to start their own families. This is a scientific look at these animals' habits--but includes a parallel story reflecting humans' own tendency to return home. Science and nature backmatter includes additional information on the included animals as well as an author's note.
Tomorrow is moving day and one little girl worries about moving so far, far away from her Aaji and Ajoba. But Aaji gifts her with a handmade kurta. A kurta with two big pockets for holding all the small things that will remind the girl of her grandparents--from the mogra flowers in Aaji's hair to Ajoba's diya. Then the girl has an even better idea and helps Aaji make two more kurtas with pockets she can fill to remind her grandparents of her too. When finally they are on other sides of a big ocean, they put on their kurtas--and do not feel so far, far away from one another. This touching story about worry and loving reassurance is part of our Own Voices, Own Stories collection.
Each of us has a unique and powerful voice, whether we speak loudly or softly, sing or sign, or without any words at all. What matters is how we use that voice--because voices are meant to be used. Some of us use it to express ourselves through art. And some use their voices to vote and make big changes. Others use their voice to inspire or lift up others, helping other voices to be heard. Your voice is yours alone--and the world needs a voice like yours.
From their furry ears to their furry tails, baby bears are so cute! Discover more about these adorable animals with your own adorable little one. Filled with fun sound words and sweet photos, (human) babies will reach for Hello Baby Bear! again and again.
In the United States alone there are close to 60 million hikers. And it's the most popular outdoor activity in Canada. While hiking is a lot of fun, there are many health benefits, including physical exercise and stress relief from being out in nature. Using poetry and expository text, T is for Trails: A Hiking Alphabet gives young readers an A-to-Z guide on how to prepare and make the most of their outdoor adventures. Front and back matter includes information on trail symbols and instructions on how to read a compass.
Zoey loves poutine with its French fries, gravy, and squeaky squeaky cheese curds. It's her favourite dish to make with her father. And it's their annual tradition to make it for their shared July 1 birthday. Zoey is excited. Tomorrow is her fifth birthday! It's also a holiday in Canada. This year, family members--grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins--from across Canada are coming to celebrate Zoey's birthday. But as a surprise to Zoey, everyone is bringing their own special poutine dish. Back matter includes information about the history of this classic dish, as well as a recipe.
When you go into nature, just look around you. You'll learn to move slowly and let go, to be flexible and soft while staying strong, and to revel in your uniqueness while working with those around you. This gentle introduction to mindfulness and meditation encourages children to take cues from the creatures and sights around them, giving readers tools to manage worry and big feelings.
Some days are easy! The sky is sunny, and it feels like the whole world is your oyster. Everything goes according to plan, and we know what to expect. Other days are tough! There might be raindrops or skinned knees. Things don't go our way and we feel overwhelmed. But that is the up-and-down rollercoaster ride we call life. And everyone experiences it. The most important thing to remember is "No matter your day, tomorrow's brand new!" What a difference a day can make! An important message to keep in mind.
One child's year is punctuated by the life cycle of the swallows roosting in the eaves of the shed. She watches as they build nests and teach their young to snap up bugs, zipping through the air in loop-the-loops. Winter comes and she imagines their journey south, towards warmer, longer days. And when the swallows return? She greets them open armed as friends. This is a joyful celebration of seasons and life cycles, a lyrical ode to the wonders of nature around us. Back matter includes STEM content on swallows, their life cycle, and migration paths.
Sara can't wait for Eid, the Muslim holiday celebrating the end of Ramadan. It's a wonderful holiday with festive decorations, special foods, and family and friends getting together. But Eid won't begin until the crescent moon is spotted.
