Search results for ""astra publishing house""

Toby's getting married! Now in paperback, the fifteenth novel of the Hugo-nominated, New York Times-bestselling October Daye urban fantasy series.It's hard to be a hero. There's always something needing October "Toby" Daye's attention, and her own desires tend to fall by the wayside in favor of solving the Kingdom's problems. That includes the desire to marry her long-time suitor and current fiancé, Tybalt, San Francisco's King of Cats. She doesn't mean to keep delaying the wedding, it just sort of...happens. And that's why her closest friends have taken the choice out of her hands, ambushing her with a court wedding at the High Court in Toronto. Once the High King gets involved, there's not much even Toby can do to delay things......except for getting involved in stopping a plot to overthrow the High Throne itself, destabilizing the Westlands entirely, and keeping her from getting married through nothing more than the sheer volume of chaos it would cause. Can Toby save the Westlands and make it to her own wedding on time? Or is she going to have to choose one over the other?Includes an all-new bonus novella!

Read more less

Now in hardcover, the fourteenth novel of the Hugo-nominated, New York Times-bestselling Toby Daye urban fantasy seriesWhen October is informed that Simon Torquill—legally her father, due to Faerie's archaic marriage traditions—must be invited to her wedding or risk the ceremony throwing the Kingdom in the Mists into political turmoil, she finds herself setting out on a quest she was not yet prepared to undertake for the sake of her future.... and the man who represents her family's past.

Read more less

Jason Morgan is a troubling mystery to friends and enemies alike: once a starship captain and trader, then Joined to the most powerful member of the Clan, Sira di Sarc, following her and her kind out of known space. Only to return, alone and silent. But he's returned to a Trade Pact under siege and desperate. The Assemblers continue to be a threat. Other species have sensed opportunity and threaten what stability remains, including those who dwell in the M'hir. What Morgan knows could save them all, or doom them. For not all of the Clan followed Sira. And peace isn't what they seek.

Read more less

A prequel to the lauded Coldfire trilogy, Friedman's latest novel mixes the best of dark fantasy and chilling sci-fi.A ship full of colonists arrive on a seemingly hospitable planet, only to discover that it harbors a terrifying secret. Soon the settlers find themselves caught up in a desperate battle for survival against the fae, a natural force with the power to prey upon the human mind itself, bringing a person’s greatest fears and darkest nightmares to life.As Colony Commander Leon Case and Chief Medic Lise Perez struggle to find a way to control the fae before more people die, other settlers have ideas of their own…and they may prove more of a threat to colony than the fae itself.Nightborn: Coldfire Rising is a tale that blends sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, suspenseful and emotionally intense, as a handful of humans struggle to survive on an alien world that seems determined to kill them. In the end they will have to draw upon both

Read more less

Now in paperback, the sixteenth novel in the magical alternate history Elemental Masters series follows sharpshooter Annie Oakley as she tours Europe and discovers untapped powers. Annie Oakley has always suspected there is something "uncanny" about herself, but has never been able to put a name to it. But when Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show goes on tour through Germany, Bill temporarily hires a new sharpshooter to be part of his "World Wide Congress of Rough Riders": a woman named Frida, who also happens to be an Elemental Master of Air. Alongside this new performer, Annie discovers that she and her husband, Frank, are not simply master marksman, but also magicians of rare ability. As they travel and perform, Annie must use her newfound knowledge and rare skill to combat creatures of the night scattered across the countryside, who threaten both the performers and the locals. Annie's got her gun, and it's filled with silver bullets.

Read more less

How does a giraffe sleep with such an amazingly long neck? Does it wrap itself around a tree? Does it curl up on the ground, or stretch out like a hammock? In this hilarious lift-the-flap book, each idea is illustrated with great visual humor. Whether the giraffe likes sleeping this way, that way, or in some way only a child could imagine, children will love these clever variations.

Read more less

Written and Drawn by Henrietta: TOON Level 3 (Toon Books) Also available in Spanish as Escrito y dibujado por Enriqueta A Junior Library Guild Selection Reading books is fun . . . but what about making them? Armed with new coloured pencils, Henrietta's ready to try. Peek over her shoulder as she draws the story of a brave young girl, a three-headed monster, and an impossibly wide world of adventure. Whether read aloud to a toddler or discovered by a young reader, Liniers' celebration of the creative process is sure to make everyone want to bring out their pencils. Ricardo Siri Liniers, known as Liniers, is the author of Macanudo, a daily comic strip hugely popular in Argentina, now available in English. His US debut, The Big Wet Balloon, a TOON Book, was nominated for an Eisner Award and chosen as one of Parents' Top 10 Children's Books. He lives in Buenos Aires with his wife and three daughters, Matilda, Clementina, and Emma, whom he credits as inspirations for this book.

Read more less

Did you know a pigeon can fly faster than a car and farther than a small airplane? Or that they have something unusual in common with penguins, flamingos, and even the dodo? With his trademark mix of humor, well-researched facts, and artistry, Kevin McCloskey delivers the straight poop on these humble creatures, which turn out to be...coo, coo, COOL!Kevin McCloskey, who teaches illustration at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, learned about pigeons from Vinnie Torre, one of Hoboken’s last pigeon racers. He dedicated this book to his children, even if his daughter is a little skittish on the subject since a flock of pigeons descended on the family during a visit to London’s Trafalgar Square. He says he considered painting the pictures here on roofing material (because pigeons flock to roofs) but settled instead for painting on a pigeon-blue Fabriano paper, the kind used by Picasso.

Read more less

Who was Melvil Dewey? Learn how Dewey's love of organization and words drove him to develop and implement his Dewey Decimal system, leaving a significant and lasting impact in libraries across the country.When Melvil Dewey realized every library organized their books differently, he wondered if he could invent a system all libraries could use to organize them efficiently. A rat-a-tat speaker, Melvil was a persistent (and noisy) advocate for free public libraries. And while he made enemies along the way as he pushed for changes–like his battle to establish the first library school with women as students, through it all he was EFFICIENT, INVENTIVE, and often ANNOYING as he made big changes in the world of public libraries–changes still found in the libraries of today!

Read more less

How did a pizza become a pizza? Is a pickle really a cucumber in disguise? Explore fascinating food history, nutrition, and American culture through this middle-grade graphic-format nonfiction book for kids that answers oft-asked questions about the foods we love, explaining how they came to be. Whether it's pizza and pickles or sushi and salad, there's a story behind all of our favorite foods. From breakfast to dinner, this book explores popular foods from our history, and explains their origins. Young readers will travel back in time sometimes thousands of years to cultures all over the globe to learn how and why foods were discovered. They'll also meet key people from food history along the way, including the inventor of breakfast cereal and the creator of salad dressing. The science behind unhealthy foods is also explored in this fascinating book, which includes projects and activities for both the classroom and home.

Read more less

Snails Are Just My Speed!: TOON Level 1 (TOON into Reading) What's the scoop behind all the mucus? Did you know snails build roads like engineers and go undercover in camouflage like spies? Did you know they can be smaller than a seed or bigger than a grown-up's hand? Kevin McCloskey mixes snail science, art, and hilarity for the newest book in his Giggle and Learn series, praised by the New York Times as "a winning combination of facts and gross-out fun."

Read more less

"Hansel and Gretel astonishes from start to finish . . ." -The New York Times Bestselling author Neil Gaiman and fine artist Lorenzo Mattotti join forces to create Hansel and Gretel, a stunning book that's at once as familiar as a dream and as evocative as a nightmare. Mattotti's sweeping ink illustrations capture the terror and longing found in the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Gaiman crafts an original text filled with his signature wit and pathos that is sure to become a favourite of readers everywhere, young and old.

Read more less

BFFs Grace and Lola try to unravel the mystery of romance with a plan to observe, study, and analyze the ways of love at their junior high in the first book in this addictive graphic novel series. BFFs Grace and Lola talk about everything related to romance-and have lots of questions: What about the mysterious allure of the popular girl at school? And the rebellious goth with the reputation? And boys. They don't quite understand what makes some school romances soar to legendary heights, while other flirtations fizzle. Lola has an idea-they'll observe, study, and analyze all the couples at their Junior High-and compile their findings as The Love Report. Surprises await them, and force them to learn to see beyond appearances in this fast-paced series opener. They'll also discover secrets between themselves.

Read more less

Scotiabank Giller Prize winner Sean Michaels's moving, innovative novel about an aging poet laureate who "sells out" by agreeing to collaborate with a Big Tech company's poetry AI. Do You Remember Being Born? is sensitively narrated by the aging, world-renowned poet Marian Ffarmer. Marian's pristine life of the mind � for which she's sacrificed nearly all personal relationships, from romance to friendship to showing up for her son � is interrupted one day by a cryptic invitation from a tech giant. Come to California, the invitation beckons, and write with a machine. The Company's lucrative offer � for Marian to compose a 'historic partnership' of a poem with their highly intelligent poetry bot, called Charlotte �, much as it chafes at everything she believes about art-making as an individual pursuit, is a second chance she cannot resist. And so to California she goes, a skeptic. But as unexpectedly welcome to Marian as suddenly being a financially reliable parent is her generative, growing fascination with Charlotte.

Read more less

The Line Becomes a River meets Tell Me How It Ends in this book about translation, storytelling, and borders as understood through the United States' "immigration crisis." Alejandra Oliva is Mexican American, her family lineage defined by a long and fluid relationship with the border between Texas and Mexico, each generation born on opposite sides of the Rio Grande. A translator advocating for Latin American migrants seeking asylum and American citizenship, Oliva knows all too well the gravity of taking someone's trauma and delivering it in the warped form the immigration system demands. In Rivermouth, Oliva focuses on the physical spaces that make up different phases of immigration and looks at how language and opportunity move through each of them. From the river as the waterway that separates the United States and Mexico, to the table as the place over which Oliva prepares asylum seekers for their Credible Fear Interviews, and finally, to the wall as the behemoth imposition that runs along America's southernmost border. With lush prose and perceptive insight, Oliva encourages readers to approach the painful questions that this crisis poses with equal parts critique and compassion. By which metrics are we measuring who "deserves" American citizenship? What is the point of humanitarian systems that dole out aid distributed conditionally? What do we owe to our most disenfranchised? Rivermouth is an argument for porosity. Not just for porous borders and a decriminalization of immigration, but for a more open sense of what we owe one another and a willingness to extend radical empathy. As concrete as she is meditative, sharp as she is lyrical, and incisive as she is literary, Oliva argues for a better world while telling us why it's worth fighting to get there.

Read more less

A collection of contemplative, lyrical stories examining the visible and invisible consequences of atomic power on Japanese society Sunrise is a collection of interconnected stories continuing Erika Kobayashi's examination of the effects of nuclear power on generations of women. Connecting changes to everyday life to the development of the atomic bomb, Sunrise shows us how the discovery of radioactive power has shaped our history and continues to shape our future. In the opening, eponymous story "Sunrise," Yoko, born exactly two years and one day after Nagasaki was decimated, mirrors her life to the development of nuclear power in Japan. In "Precious Stones," four daughters take their elderly mother to the restorative waters of a radium spring, exchanging tales of immortality. In "Hello My Baby, Hello My Honey," a woman goes into labor during the final days of WWII. And finally, "The Forest of Wild Birds" shows Erika visiting the site of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster, touring grounds that were once covered in green. Translator Brian Bergstrom returns in this collection, bringing to life Kobayashi's unsettling, lasting, and striking prose. The stories in Sunrise force a reckoning with the lasting effects of known and unknown histories and asks how much of modern life is influenced by forces outside of our control.

Read more less

Fire Chief Fran A Kirkus Reviews Best Book Four starred reviews! ★ Booklist ★ Kirkus ★ Publishers Weekly ★ School Library Journal Perfect for fans of firefighters and fire trucks, this energetic rhyming picture book shows how a fire chief and her crew keep their community safe. . . . lights begin flashing, and—clang!—the bells blast. They leap into action— they need to move fast! If a puppy is in danger or a café is on fire, Fire Chief Fran is ready to help! Featuring a strong female role model, a huge fire truck, and an action-packed story, this read-aloud is a dynamic introduction to a day in the life of a firefighter. Follow along as Fire Chief Fran and her team respond not only to fires, but also to injuries, blocked roads, and more. With an irresistible rhyming text, acclaimed author Linda Ashman celebrates the many ways that firefighters help their communities. The book concludes with an author’s note that is packed with further fascinating information about firefighters, their equipment, their fire trucks, their training, and more.

Read more less

Now in paperback, the eighth book of the bestselling Rivers of London series returns to the adventures of Peter Grant, detective and apprentice wizard, as he solves magical crimes in the city of London.Peter Grant is facing fatherhood, and an uncertain future, with equal amounts of panic and enthusiasm. Rather than sit around, he takes a job with émigré Silicon Valley tech genius Terrence Skinner's brand new London start up—the Serious Cybernetics Company. Drawn into the orbit of Old Street's famous 'silicon roundabout', Peter must learn how to blend in with people who are both civilians and geekier than he is. Compared to his last job, Peter thinks it should be a doddle. But magic is not finished with Mama Grant's favourite son. Because Terrence Skinner has a secret hidden in the bowels of the SCC. A technology that stretches back to Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage, and forward to the future of artificial intelligence. A secret that is just as magical as it technological—and just as dangerous.

Read more less

Discover #1 New York Times-bestselling Patrick Rothfuss’ epic fantasy universe of The Kingkiller Chronicle, in this illustrated companion novella, The Slow Regard of Silent Things. “I just love the world of Patrick Rothfuss.” —Lin-Manuel Miranda Deep below the University, there is a dark place. Few people know of it: a broken web of ancient passageways and abandoned rooms. A young woman lives there, tucked among the sprawling tunnels of the Underthing, snug in the heart of this forgotten place. Her name is Auri, and she is full of mysteries. The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a brief, bittersweet glimpse of Auri’s life, a small adventure all her own. At once joyous and haunting, this story offers a chance to see the world through Auri’s eyes. And it gives the reader a chance to learn things that only Auri knows.... In this book, Patrick Rothfuss brings us into the world of one of The Kingkiller Chronicle’s most enigmatic characters. Full of secrets and mysteries, The Slow Regard of Silent Things is the story of a broken girl trying to live in a broken world.

Read more less

Teaching little ones about kindness can be as easy as 1, 2, 3! This bright and engaging board book invites young readers to count down from 10 while discovering the many ways to make the world a kinder place. Through vibrant illustrations and age-appropriate language, this 26-page kindness book will help kids 2-5 learn the important concepts of empathy and compassion.Whether it be delivering cookies to a new neighbor, sharing toys, or saying "I love you" to Grandma and Grandpa, this book is filled with tangible ways kids can show kindness toward others. It’s a perfect book to read aloud at home or in the classroom to spark conversations about kindness and empathy. Showcasing a diverse cast of children, this book’s joyful illustrations and simple words encourage children to be their best selves wherever they go.Featuring durable cardstock pages and approachable, kid-friendly language, this book offers a thoughtful and fun read-aloud experience that young children will enjoy again and again. This book is crafted by childhood experts to promote strong social and emotional skills, strengthen early math skills and build positive associations with reading.

Read more less

From A to Z, this hardcover storybook shows young children how they can make the world a kinder place. Through vibrant illustrations and age-appropriate language, this 26-page book will encourage kids 2-5 to be their best selves wherever they go.Showcasing a diverse cast of children, the ABCs of Kindness book demonstrates everyday acts of kindness, inclusion and generosity—whether it be donating blankets to the animal shelter, helping with chores or standing up for what's right. It’s the perfect book to spark conversations at home or in the classroom about the concepts of empathy and compassion.Featuring durable cardstock pages and approachable, kid-friendly language, this book offers a thoughtful and fun read-aloud experience that young children will love. This book is crafted by childhood experts to promote strong social and emotional skills and build positive associations with reading.For over 75 years, Highlights has inspired children to become Curious, Creative, Caring and Confident individuals. With products that encourage thinking, creativity and self-expression, Highlights helps kids build essential skills, all while having fun.

Read more less

In this unique, fast-paced twist on the time-travel genre and the first book in a trilogy, sixteen-year-old Alex is a spinner – one of a rare few who can rewind time to review past events. Alex's society uses spinners to help solve crimes, but their powers come with a price: no spinner ever lives past the age of twenty. Hated and feared because of their ability to find the truth, the small population of spinners is restricted to Centers – compounds created to house and protect them. Alex's society uses the spinners' skills to solve major crimes, but messing with time comes with consequences. At sixteen, Alex is in her prime – until time sickness strikes early. When she is offered an experimental treatment, Alex sees a future for herself for the first time. But the promising medication offers more than just a cure – it also brings with it alarming consequences.

Read more less

The perfect addition to any Easter basket! This Easter-themed collection of Hidden Pictures puzzles is inverted for a unique puzzling experience. Kids can use the included yellow highlighter to create fluorescent scenes and find hundreds of hidden objects.This Easter activity book combines the fun of coloring with highlighters and the enduring popularity of intricate Hidden Pictures puzzles. With images like bunnies, eggs, and flowers, these puzzles create a fun and engaging family Easter activity. Hidden Pictures fans will love creating eye-popping artwork with a neon highlighter on purple paper as they find and color the hidden objects!

Read more less

Ultimate Puzzle Challenge is filled with brain-twisting fun and ultra-challenging puzzles, expertly crafted for the most experienced puzzlers. With more than 125 games and activities inside, this collection features Hidden Pictures puzzles, mazes, Sudoku, word searches, crisscrosses, logic puzzles and more.From the puzzle experts at Highlights, this 256-page book includes our most challenging—and most rewarding—puzzles yet. A perfect activity book for kids ages 8-12, this collection is designed for super-solvers who are ready to up their game. This book is bursting with a wide variety of mind-bending visual puzzles and clever word puzzles, all infused with playful humor that will make kids want to keep on puzzling. With full-color illustrations and brilliant photos, this book is sure to please the most discerning of puzzle fans and offer hours of screen-free fun at home or on the go.Solving tricky puzzles is not only entertaining. It’s a great way for kids to hone their concentration and reasoning skills, challenging them to work with determination and focus to achieve their goals. Plus, kids will love tackling these ingenious puzzles alongside friends and family as a fun and memorable shared activity.

Read more less

Baby’s first seek-and-find puzzles! This adorable puzzle board book, inspired by a popular feature in Hello magazine, encourages interactivity and invites babies, toddlers and their caregivers to read and explore together. Every page helps spark early learning by combining vibrant, baby-friendly illustrations and developmentally appropriate challenges.Touch and feel the embossed pages while searching for both familiar and new vehicles on the road, at the construction site and in the sky. The last page is a bonus learning activity about the sounds that vehicles make.Ready for hands-on fun, this book’s wipe-off surface protects against spills, and rounded edges provide a safe reading experience. Find It board books are easy to take on the go to entertain the littlest readers anywhere—a perfect gift for new parents! This interactive and tactile board book is designed by childhood experts to enhance learning and encourage bonding through play.

Read more less

Guess how I'm feeling? A peekaboo book and a primer on empathy, PEEK-A-MOOD invites children to open the flaps and explore our many emotions.Sometimes you may feel happy. Sometimes you may feel sad -- or angry, or scared, or silly. Whatever your mood, your face will show it. This clever board book uses shaped flaps to help children guess what each animal is feeling before revealing the answers. A final mirror spread allows them to show off how they feel, too.

Read more less

Fiona In the Sandbox Fiona digs, builds, and pretends in her favourite spot--the sandbox--in these second of four irresistible full-length miniature picture books, where the littlest readers are introduced to new friends and the charming world of the Hippo Park playground. This second book in the Hippo Park Friends series—introduces Fiona the Hippo in her beloved sandbox. Fiona is a builder and a digger and has a big imagination. She's digging for dinosaurs when she hits an imaginary bone and poof--she and her brother Herbert and face to face with a Dino. So naturally, they bake cakes and pies and enjoy! The Hippo Park Pals mini picture books are all set in the playground, where the animals play, imagine, and have lots of fun and feelings--just like pre-schoolers do.

Read more less

Boisterous and buzzing, A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree is destined to be an instant classic...with delightfully funny illustrations and clever, fun-to-read text, from the acclaimed author of One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree. When a hungry, fuzzy brown bear and a hive of angry bees come face to face, everybody's abuzz! Award-winning author Daniel Bernstrom and critically acclaimed illustrator Brandon James Scott have created a rowdy, rhythmic read-aloud that's also perfect for beginning readers. This epic chase story features Bernstrom's signature alliterative wordplay and verbal pizzazz, along with Scott's expressive characters that jump off the pages. A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree has the kind of high-energy, uninhibited playfulness that makes kids want to run, chase, find out something about bear and bee behaviour—and learn to read!

Read more less

Each read-aloud book in the Mouse Math series focuses on a single, basic math concept and features adorable mice, Albert and Wanda, who live in a People House. Entertaining fiction stories capture kids’ imaginations as the mice learn about numbers, shapes, sizes and more. Over 3 million copies sold worldwide! Melty's has games! Pizza! Prizes! Albert and Leo promise to split everything evenly, from the food to the tickets to the prizes. But some things just can't be split. When it comes to one special prize--winner takes all! Every Mouse Math title includes back matter activities that support and extend reading comprehension and math skills, plus free online activities. (Math concept: Equal to, less than, greater than). Beautifully illustrated with stunning pictures and cute characters

Read more less

This classic holiday book that brings together nature, the nativity, and the celebration of the first Christmas, Jesus's birth, makes a perfect gift or stocking stuffer for toddlers, boys and girls from 3 to 5 years old, and the young at heart!“Let there be peace on Earth.” A timeless message of how peace can spread from one person to another, ideal for Christmas time, and throughout the year.Long ago a special child was born, and the animals heard a song of blessing and good will for all the creatures of the earth. But now the birds wonder why no one sings the song anymore. And so they fly far and wide, singing the song of joy and peace. Here is a beautiful story about the powerful role we all play in passing on the timeless message: “Let there be peace. Peace on Earth.”

Read more less

When Leah and Alan awaken in an enchanted forest, they have only each other and their wits to guide them. In a world full of pet bees and giant rabbits, they befriend foppish lions and stone frogs. Learning to overcome danger, they find their way home- and their independence.

Read more less

Discover the man behind everyone's favorite call to action, "Full speed ahead!" in this inspiring and engaging biography about the first Admiral of the United States Navy, David Glasgow Farragut.At the age of nine, David Glasgow Farragut was appointed a midshipman in the US Navy by President James Madison. It was the start of a celebrated career. Farragut sailed aboard ships along the Delaware River, in the Caribbean, and across the Atlantic Ocean, even rounding the tip of South America, all while rising through the naval ranks from midshipman to admiral. When the Civil War began, Captain Farragut dedicated his life to protecting the United States as it was being torn in two. When President Lincoln asked him to capture New Orleans, the city Farragut once called home, and later to take Mobile Bay, the officer had only one order for his fleet: Full speed ahead! Noted nonfiction writer Louise Borden's in-depth research uncovers a man dedicated to his country -- a man who earned the title of America's first admiral.

Read more less

A perfect Valentine’s Day gift for young puzzlers, this collection of Hidden Pictures puzzles offers a unique puzzling experience! Kids can use the included neon pink highlighter to find over 300 valentine-themed hidden objects and create fluorescent scenes.This Valentine’s Day activity book with inverted white-on-black puzzles combines the fun of coloring with highlighters and the enduring popularity of intricate Hidden Pictures puzzles. From scenes of classroom parties to a polar bear family's igloo, the reverse-image puzzles will glow with fun as kids illuminate bouquets, cards and more Valentine's Day surprises!This Hidden Pictures book offers kids tech-free entertainment and age-appropriate challenges. At home or on the go, puzzling helps kids improve their attention to detail, persistence and focus. For over 75 years, Highlights has inspired children to become Curious, Creative, Caring and Confident individuals. With products that encourage thinking, creativity and self-expression, Highlights helps kids build essential skills, all while having fun.

Read more less

Ten-year-old Fritz's tranquil life on the family farm is about to end--the Russians are near, Hitler has died, and known Nazi sympathizers like the Friedrich family brace for the Bolsheviks to take over their town -- in this historical novel for middle-grrade readers. At the end of April 1945 in a small village in eastern Germany, the front is coming closer -- and ten-year-old Fritz knows that the Soviet Army's invasion of his family's home can be only a few days away. Grandpa Karl, a Nazi sympathizer, takes Fritz into the forest that surrounds the family farm to show him a secret. Under a tall pine tree, Grandpa Karl has dug a pit and covered it with branches. The hole is to hide Fritz's family when the Russians invade their village. Grandpa Karl is convinced that he and Fritz will defend the Friedrich family to the death. But when the Russian soldiers arrive, Fritz and his sister and mother find themselves alone. Separated from his home, his family, and foreced into a life as a refugee, Fritz has to find his own way in a crumbling world.

Read more less

Fourteen poems compiled by award-winning poet and anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins introduce readers to the various construction people who collaborate to create a high-rise hotel building, from architect to crane operator to glaziers and more.How does an empty lot transform into a new hotel? This anthology begins with a busy construction site, and an architect's (and her daughter's) dreams drawn on blueprint paper. Next, workers with huge machines--backhoes, dump trucks, cement mixers, etc.--roll in. Poems full of noise and action describe every step of the construction process. From welders and carpenters building the skeleton of the building to plumbers and electricians making its insides work, this book celebrates people and equipment working together to build something magnificent.

Read more less

The latest from acclaimed author Gail Jarrow reveals how magicians—including Harry Houdini and his team of investigators—exposed fake mediums who exploited the vulnerable and gullible in the early twentieth century.After millions of people died during World War I and from the 1918 influenza pandemic, the popularity of Spiritualism soared. Desperate to communicate with their dead loved ones, the bereaved fell prey to extortion by fraudulent mediums and fortune-tellers. But magician Harry Houdini wasn't fooled. He recognized the scammers' methods as no more than conjurer's tricks. Angered by the way people were exploited, Houdini set out to expose the ghost hoaxes. In his stage show, he revealed the fraudsters’ techniques, and he used a team of undercover investigators to collect proof of séance deceptions. His head secret agent was a young New York private detective and disguise expert, Rose Mackenberg—a

Read more less

Hidden Figures meets Rosie Revere, Engineer in this STEM/STEAM picture book about Edith Clarke, the innovator who solved an electrical mystery and built the first graphing calculator—from paper!Long before calculators were invented, little Edith Clarke devoured numbers, conquered calculations, cracked puzzles, and breezed through brainteasers. Edith wanted to be an engineer—to use the numbers she saw all around her to help build America.When she grew up, no one would hire a woman engineer. But that didn’t stop Edith from following her passion and putting her lightning-quick mind to the problem of electricity. But the calculations took so long! Always curious, Edith couldn’t help thinking of better ways to do things. She constructed a “calculator” from paper that was ten times faster than doing all that math by hand! Her invention won her a job, making her the first woman electrical engineer in America. And because Edith shared her knowledge with others, her calculator helped electrify America, bringing telephones and light across the nation.

Read more less

For fans of Richard Scarry and Busytown, here is a funny and informative picture book all about firefighters that features lively animal characters, a rollicking story, and detail-packed illustrations.Firefighters to the rescue! The officers of Breezy Valley answer the call to protect their beloved town. Ladders, axes, and water hoses take center stage as the firefighters rescue the tabby cat twins, put out blazes, and save not only lives—but also the town ice cream parlor! Lively action, equipment details, cross-section pictures and more will keep young firefighter fans engaged throughout this delightful story.“This is great fun and works so well. Full of life, humor and real information. The perfect combination. I had a smile on my face from the very beginning. It only disappeared a couple of times… when I was laughing.”—Caldecott Medalist David Macaulay, author of The Way Things Work, Cathedral, Pyramid, Castle, and Mosque

Read more less

Discover Math Matters! With 15 million books sold worldwide, this award-winning series of easy-to-read books will help young readers ages 5–8 approach math with enthusiasm. Great for fans of MathStart or Step into Reading Math.Charlie is eager to participate in Shopping Spree Showdown, her favorite TV game show. With the help of her grandma, she has the chance to enter. With five short minutes and $100 to spend on game-show goodies, she has to choose what to buy—but if she goes over $100, she’s out! Charlie uses her newfound skills in rounding to speedily track her budget. And when the clock runs out, it’s time for victory dinner with grandma—courtesy of Charlie’s winnings!With engaging stories that connect math to kids’ everyday lives, each book in the Teachers’ Choice Award–winning Math Matters series focuses on a single concept and reinforces math vocabulary and skills. Bonus activities in the back of each book feature math and reading comprehension questions, and even more free activities online add to the fun!

Read more less

Blow, wind, blow! The newest addition to the nonfiction Eureka! series is a “biography” of wind power, which is green energy that can help the planet.People have harnessed the power of the wind for thousands of years, to travel by sailboat, to cool homes, to grind grain into flour, and even to make music. But when someone hooked a wind mill to a generator, wind went electric, unlocking the secret to a clean, renewable energy source! Wind Power is an entertaining and informative look at the development of an idea with huge benefits for a greener future. This STEAM nonfiction title is part of the Eureka! series, with each book focusing on one groundbreaking, world-changing discovery that millions of people use every single day.

Read more less

Kirkus ReviewsBest Book of the Year School Library JournalBest Book of the Year This emotionally resonant novel in verse by award-winning author Nikki Grimes celebrates choosing to be true to yourself. Garvey's father has always wanted Garvey to be athletic, but Garvey is interested in astronomy, science fiction, reading-anything but sports. Feeling like a failure, he comforts himself with food. Garvey is kind, funny, smart, a loyal friend, and he is also overweight, teased by bullies, and lonely. When his only friend encourages him to join the school chorus, Garvey's life changes. The chorus finds a new soloist in Garvey, and through chorus, Garvey finds a way to accept himself, and a way to finally reach his distant father-by speaking the language of music instead of the language of sports.

Read more less

This playful collection of poems--peppered with an astounding variety of animal sounds--is meant to be read aloud together.These poems for two or more voices explore the myriad sounds animals make--from a frog's jug-o-rum to a fish's boom! to an elephant's bark. Laced with humor, the poems are a delight to read aloud and cover all major classes of animals: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects, even a crustacean! Readers will learn how to estimate the temperature by counting a cricket's chirps and see how creatures make sounds at specific pitches and frequencies, so that they can be heard despite other noise around them. Extensive end notes provide more information on the animals and how and why they make the sounds they do. Written by noted children's poet Georgia Heard, this is an ideal collection for parents and children to share, or for a fun, interactive classroom read-aloud.

Read more less

Introducing Tiny Bear, the star of a new board book series from Yosuke Yonezu! Climbing is fun, but Tiny Bear must learn to watch where—and who—he climbs in this sweet story that ends with a cuddle from Mama.Tiny Bear loves to climb, even when he isn’t sure what’s up there. In this fun and sweet story kicking off a new board book series full of social-emotional learning for toddlers, Tiny Bear meets several animals of the forest as he clambers up all sorts of trunks and legs. He climbs up a flamingo’s neck, an elephant’s trunk, a giraffe’s legs, and a snake’s body—and oh no! The snake is hungry. It’s Mama bear to the rescue in the book’s only lift-the-flap moment, when Tiny Bear learns that climbing up to snuggle a parent can be the best adventure of all.

Read more less

Some Do, Some Don’t How do families live together, and why are they sometimes apart? This profound and moving book will inspire reflection and conversation about what unites us and what makes us distinct individuals. Colombian creator Dipacho explores the many ways we live with other people—or, at times, apart from them—with striking illustrations of the jabiru, the largest member of the stork family of birds. In spare, poetic text and stunning watercolours, Dipacho honours family togetherness as well as families whose members choose to live apart, or are separated by circumstances. Moving spreads pay tribute to family members who have died, and those just born. This ingeniously conceived book gives equal weight to the conventional and the unconventional arrangements in which we live, sparking conversations about what it means to be a family. The book ends with informational back matter about the fascinating jabiru stork, grounding it in the world of facts.

Read more less

When Max Mouse discovers that all the apples on the tree have been picked by his friend Rico, who does not want to share, Max has to improvise to make treats for his party. Here is a delightful and important story about how a group of friends learns that sharing-and working together-can bring them all closer together.Max Mouse is planning the most wonderful apple party for all his friends. That is, until he discovers that his friend Rico has picked all the apples, and he doesn't want to share. The animals are so upset-what can they do? With a little cleverness, they can work together to show Rico that everything really is more fun when you share. Here's an important story about how a group of friends learns that sharing can bring them all closer together.

Read more less

Who's to blame when a vain, heedless king meets his comeuppance? He is, of course! Fans of Tomi Ungerer's mischievous humor and Jon Agee's sly morality tales will be delighted by this hilarious read-aloud about a long, long beard and its short-sighted royal owner, by a popular Belgian illustrator, designer, and animation whiz.The lush, golden royal beard is a wondrous thing - especially to the king himself. He spends his days admiring and grooming it, and passes laws making it a crime punishable by death for anyone else's face to sport even a single hair. As the people of the kingdom nervously shave daily, the royal beard grows and grows until it appears at the palace's back gate. What happens next will have readers laughing along -- and cheering for the astronomers who, unlike the tyrannical king, know that the earth is round.

Read more less