Collection: Children

By popular demand, the 100th Who Was...? subject is Steve Irwin!

Steve Irwin did not have a typical childhood. Born in Melbourne, Australia, on February 22, 1962, he was raised on the wildlife park his parents owned. He cared for the animals and especially loved reptiles--he got a python for his sixth birthday! At nine years old, Steve was already helping his father wrestle small crocodiles. He became a crocodile trapper after graduating high school, catching the creatures before dangerous poachers could. Steve met his wife, Terri, at his family's park, and instead of a honeymoon, the pair filmed a wildlife documentary that led to the creation of the well-known series The Crocodile Hunter. Tragically, Steve was killed on September 4, 2006 while filming a documentary when a stingray attacked, piercing his heart. He was forty-four years old. However, his life's work obviously still strikes a chord with kids who voted him the winner of the 100th Who Was...? title.

"The beauty of sky, music, and the belief in 'extraordinary things' triumph in this whimsical and magical tale" (Publishers Weekly) about a girl in search of her past who discovers a secret rooftop world in Paris.

Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. True, there were no other recorded female survivors from the shipwreck that left baby Sophie floating in the English Channel in a cello case, but Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help. Her guardian tells her it is almost impossible that her mother is still alive--but "almost impossible" means "still possible." And you should never ignore a possible.

So when the Welfare Agency writes to her guardian, threatening to send Sophie to an orphanage, they takes matters into their own hands and flee to Paris to look for Sophie's mother, starting with the only clue they have--the address of the cello maker.

Evading the French authorities, she meets Matteo and his network of rooftoppers--urchins who live in the hidden spaces above the city. Together they scour the city in a search for Sophie's mother--but can they find her before Sophie is caught and sent back to London? Or, more importantly, before she loses hope?

Phillip Pullman, author of the His Dark Materials series, calls Rooftoppers "the work of a writer with an utterly distinctive voice and a wild imagination."

Moonbeam Award Winner

Once upon a time, artist Scott Gustafson set out to illustrate classic stories, fairy tales, and nursery rhymes. Decades later, his immediately recognizable paintings have made bestsellers of Peter Pan, The Night Before Christmas, Classic Fairy Tales, and Favorite Nursery Rhymes from Mother Goose. Now he gives us Classic Bedtime Stories, a lavishly illustrated, oversized collection of some of his favorite tales.

Stories such as "Sleeping Beauty," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and "Sambha and the Tigers" leap off the page thanks to Gustafson's exquisite paintings and lively retelling of these classics. "The Lion and the Mouse" and "The Country Mouse and the City Mouse" demonstrate his talent at creating uncanny anthropomorphic characters who keep us smiling even as they teach us about tolerance, diversity, and the Golden Rule.

A book that even adults will enjoy reading aloud again and again, Classic Bedtime Stories will keep youngsters of all ages engaged for hours. Gustafson's unique style makes this a volume to be cherished by children, parents, and grandparents for generations to come.

ONE OF HUFFPOST'S RECOMMENDED "ANTI-RACIST BOOKS FOR KIDS AND TEENS"

FEATURED ON KEYS SOULCARE AS "5 STUNNING VISUAL BOOKS FOR ALL AGES"

[A] celebration of solidarity, allyship, and community...A welcoming resource for conversations about equality and social justice that shows readers how identities are made up of myriad influences.--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

The brainchild of three women-of-color sociologists, IntersectionAllies is a smooth, gleeful entry into intersectional feminism. The nine interconnected characters proudly describe themselves and their backgrounds, involving topics that range from a physical disability to language brokering, offering an opportunity to take pride in a personal story and connect to collective struggle for justice.

The group bond grounds the message of allyship and equality. When things get hard, the kids support each other for who they are: Parker defends Kate, a genderfluid character who eschews skirts for a superhero cape; Heejung welcomes Yuri, a refugee escaping war, into their community; and Alejandra's family cares for Parker after school while her mother works. Advocating respect and inclusion, IntersectionAllies is a necessary tool for learning to embrace, rather than shy away from, difference.

Featuring gorgeous illustrations on every page by Ashley Seil Smith, as well as powerful introductions by activist and law professor Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw, who coined the term "intersectionality," and Dr. Ange-Marie Hancock Alfaro, author of Intersectionality: An Intellectual History.

The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! Getting the facts behind the fiction has never looked better. Track the facts with Jack and Annie!!

When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning, they had lots of questions. Why did people make mummies? What was the mysterious writing on mummy cases? How did most ancient Egyptians spend their days? How were the pyramids built? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts.

Filled with up-to-date information, photos, illustrations, and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie, the Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are the perfect way for kids to find out more about the topics they discovered in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures. And teachers can use Fact Trackers alongside their Magic Tree House fiction companions to meet common core text pairing needs.

Did you know that there's a Magic Tree House book for every kid?

Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books
Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader
Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure
Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures

Have more fun with Jack and Annie at MagicTreeHouse.com!

An empowering celebration of identity, acceptance and Hawaiian culture based on the true story of a young girl in Hawaiʻi who dreams of leading the boys-only hula troupe at her school.

Ho'onani feels in-between. She doesn't see herself as wahine (girl) OR kane (boy). She's happy to be in the middle. But not everyone sees it that way.

When Ho'onani finds out that there will be a school performance of a traditional kane hula chant, she wants to be part of it. But can a girl really lead the all-male troupe? Ho'onani has to try . . .

Based on a true story, Ho'onani: Hula Warrior is a celebration of Hawaiian culture and an empowering story of a girl who learns to lead and learns to accept who she really is--and in doing so, gains the respect of all those around her.

Ho'onani's story first appeared in the documentary A Place in the Middle by filmmakers Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson.

Growing up with undiagnosed OCD sure isn't easy, and here Pan Cooke shares his own experiences with that condition in a graphic-novel memoir that is as funny as it is powerfully candid and openhearted.

Pan Cooke is ten years old when anxious thoughts begin to take over his brain like pieces of an impossible puzzle. What if he blurts out a swear word while in church? What if he accidentally writes something mean in his classmate's get-well card? What if his friend's racy photo of a supermodel ends up in his own homework and is discovered by his teacher? More and more, he becomes hijacked by fears that can only be calmed through exhausting, time-consuming rituals.

Pan has no way of knowing that this anxiety puzzle and the stressful attempts to solve it are evidence of a condition called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This is his story of living with and eventually learning about OCD. Told with endearing honesty and humor, Puzzled shows the reader the importance of empathy for oneself and those going through something they don't yet understand.

Spanish English Bilingual children's book. Perfect for kids learning English or Spanish as their second language.

It's the summer holidays, and Mark is looking forward to having a big adventure!

But when his Mom and Dad announce that the family is going on a camping trip he becomes scared.

Will Mark overcome his fear of the dark and be able to enjoy the trip?

A New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2019

Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year

The Boring Book is a humorous picture book that follows the story of one particularly bored boy.

As the story progresses, our protagonist discovers there's actually more to boredom than what meets the eye--more questions, more theories, and heaps of humor.

This exploration of boredom from acclaimed author-illustrator Shinsuke Yoshitake playfully--and hilariously--unpacks the ways in which a seemingly stagnant state is actually a portal into a dynamic, life-enriching experience.

- Embraces the topic of boredom--an ever-so-popular kid complaint--and runs with it
- The unique comic format, fast pace, smart humor, and narrative approach makes it ideal for reluctant readers
- A universally hilarious book that will amuse children ages 5 to 8, as well as adults

In addition to banishing boredom, Yoshitake's distinctive illustrations promote visual literacy and show young readers what the process of creative thinking looks like.

This smart, laugh-out-loud picture book just might change your child's perspective on the state of boredom forever.
- A wonderful gift for parents, teachers, educators, librarians, caregivers, and anyone who has to answer to the statement "I'm bored!"
- Perfect for readers of early chapter books
- Great for fans of the Fox & Chick series by Sergio Ruzzier, Waiting Is Not Easy! (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems, and I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black

A dedicated mom puts love into action as she creates the perfect rainbow-colored wig for her transgender daughter, based on the real-life experience of mother-daughter advocate duo Trinity and DeShanna Neal.

Warm morning sunlight and love fill the Neal home. And on one quiet day, playtime leads to an important realization: Trinity wants long hair like her dolls. She needs it to express who she truly is.

So her family decides to take a trip to the beauty supply store, but none of the wigs is the perfect fit. Determined, Mom leaves with bundles of hair in hand, ready to craft a wig as colorful and vibrant as her daughter is.

With powerful text by Trinity and DeShanna Neal and radiant art by Art Twink, My Rainbow is a celebration of showing up as our full selves with the people who have seen us fully all along.

Once known, now largely forgotten, these empowering fairy tales have been brought together to inspire a new generation of readers. Discover heroines who outwit giants, fight evil, awaken sleeping princes and, of course, live happily ever after. With a foreword by Kate Pankhurst, author of Fantastically Great Women who Changed the World.

If you got it, haunt it!

Trying to take advantage of the first quiet day at camp in a while, Mal and Molly's date takes a bizarre turn with the appearance of the bear woman! Back at camp, Jo, April, and Ripley must stay on their toes as they try to earn every badge possible which ends up being a lot harder than any of them ever planned.

This New York Times bestseller and multiple Eisner Award-winning series is written by ND Stevenson (Nimona) and Shannon Watters, and illustrated by Carolyn Nowak (Rungs). Featuring spooky guest talent Faith Erin Hicks (Friends with Boys), Brittney Williams (Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat), Felicia Choo, and more.

A Stonewall Honor Book

Children's Illustrated Book of the Year--British Book Awards

Best Illustrated Book -- Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2022

Discover a wonderful grandfather-granddaughter relationship, as a little girl hatches the perfect plan to get her Grandad adventuring again. And don't miss the inspiring sequel, Grandad's Pride, available now!

"As warm and friendly as a kind grandparent." Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

"For the hope for new adventures, and the glimpse of intergenerational kindness and understanding, this lovely book should be on every shelf." School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

Best Picture Books of 2021--School Library Journal

Future Classic Picture Books of 2021--Bookstagang's Best of 2021

"An effective tool for teaching empathy, and the intergenerational bond at the story's center is a heartstrings puller. This picture book, in which a girl helps her grandfather embrace life again following the death of Gramps, may well aid young readers in understanding others' grief." Shelf Awareness

Gramps and Grandad were adventurers. They would surf, climb mountains, and tour the country in their amazing camper. Gramps just made everything extra special. But after Gramps died, granddad hasn't felt like traveling anymore. So, their amazing granddaughter comes up with a clever plan to fix up the old camper and get Grandad excited to explore again.

This beautiful picture book honors love and reminds us not only to remember those we have lost, but to celebrate them.

Bestselling author Chris Grabenstein and the Mystery Writers of America bring together twenty peerless puzzles--from bestselling authors such as Peter Lerangis, Stuart Gibbs, Lauren Magaziner, Kate Milford, and, of course, Grabenstein himself--in an anthology of mystery short stories that invite readers to try to unravel the riddles themselves.

From tales of hapless superheroes and stolen squirrel monkeys to murderous triplets and haunted basements, these thrilling, puzzling, and hilarious cases have one thing in common--YOU get a chance to be the detective before the author reveals the solution.

With twenty never-before-published mystery stories, this collection will leave young detectives sleuthing for more!

This book contains everything you need to start face painting! There's a huge variety of fun faces to choose from: go for a wild animal and paint a giraffe or tiger; a dainty Snow Queen or pretty Flower Garland; scare your friends with a terrifying Zombie or a nasty Witch. Clear, step-by-step photographic instructions mean that all the faces are easy to follow and try, plus there are tips and suggestions for ways to tweak the designs. All projects use a set colour palette and are carefully chosen to appeal to girls and boys alike. Readers of all abilities can get stuck in as each project is graded with a difficulty rating of 1 to 5. A 'techniques and materials' section outlines everything you need to start face painting, from paints, to different brushes and sponges. Tips and techniques are described so you can practise your painting skills before your begin. This book is sure to provide hours of fun!

Discover the man behind the chocolate bar! Milton Hershey's life was filled with invention and innovation. As a young man, he was not afraid to dream big and work hard. Eventually, he learned the secret to mass-producing milk chocolate and the recipe that gave it a longer, more stable shelf life. He founded a school for those who didn't have access to a good education and an entire town for his employees. Both his chocolate empire and his great personal legacy live on today.