Search results for ""astra publishing""

Friendship is about far more than being alike in this simple yet satisfying story. Zack and Ike are best friends who like to think they're exactly alike. They have the same backpack, the same bike, and the same kind hearts. But what happens when these best friends disagree? And what happens when they meet a new friend who is exactly different--or is she? In this classic friendship story written by award-winning author Suzanne Bloom, readers will see that Zack and Ike are alike in some ways, but different in others--and that's okay! Because you don't have to be exactly alike to be friends.

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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! A dozen bugs? That’s a lot! Still, Albert is sure he’ll find all twelve on the class field trip to the insect zoo. After all he loves bugs. What doesn’t he love? Subtraction. But if he counts down, bug by bug, he might just win lunch with the famous entomologist, Arizona Brown! Every Mouse Math title includes back matter activities that support and extend reading comprehension and math skills, plus free online activities. (Math Concept: Subtraction)

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The stunning voice and hard life of legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday is revealed through evocative, accessible poetry. In 1915, Sadie Fagan gave birth to a daughter she named Eleanora. The world, however, would know her as Billie Holiday, possibly the greatest jazz singer of all time. Eleanora's journey to become a legend took her through pain, poverty, and run-ins with the law. By the time she was fifteen, she knew she possessed something that could possibly change her life--a voice. Eleanora could sing. Her remarkable voice led her to a place in the spotlight with some of the era's hottest big bands. Through a sequence of raw and poignant poems, New York Times best-selling and award-winning poet Carole Boston Weatherford chronicles the singer's young life, her fight for survival, and the dream she pursued with passion.

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This playful picture book demonstrates key math concepts to children in a merry story featuring the Arithmechicks, ten maths-loving chicks. The Arithmechicks are headed to the beach! Their good friend Mouse is going to compete in a sandcastle contest. The chicks are excited to play all sorts of beach games—including volleyball and surfing—as they cheer on Mouse. Readers are invited to add and subtract as these maths-loving chicks also explore fact families—and to watch as Mouse, along with their new friend Crab, create a magnificent sandcastle! Will they win a prize? This book includes a helpful glossary that defines fact families, providing a playful introduction to essential maths for young children and their caregivers.

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Very short, creative stories pair with bold illustrations in this picture book that will inspire young readers to stretch their imaginations and write stories of their own. "One day. . . I went to school. I came home. The end," says our storyteller—a girl with a busy imagination and a thirst for adventure. The art tells a fuller tale of calamity on the way to school and an unpredictably happy ending. Each illustration in this inventive picture book captures multiple, unexpected, and funny storylines as the narrator shares her shorter-than-ever stories, ending with "One day. . . I wanted to write a book." This book demonstrates a unique approach to writing and telling stories and is a delightful gift for children as well as for teachers seeking a mentor text for their classrooms.

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This collection of 22 poems explores the fascinating lives of North American nocturnal animals. When the sun goes down, many animals come out. Crickets chirp their crickety song hoping to attract a mate. Cougars bury their leftovers for later, leaving few clues for others to follow. Armadillos emerge from their dens to dig for worms, leaving holes in the lawns they disturb. This collection of poetry from acclaimed children's author and poet David L. Harrison explores the lives of animals who are awake after dark. Stephanie Laberis's beautifully atmospheric illustrations will draw in readers, and extensive back matter offers more information about each animal.

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This handsome and easy-to-read mini edition features eight tales from beloved storyteller Hans Christian Andersen and pairs old favorites, including Thumbelina and The Emperor's New Clothes, with lesser-known tales, such as The Sandman and The Jumper. Acclaimed children's book illustrator Lisbeth Zwerger's evocative illustrations perfectly capture the mood of these enduring tales.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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★ WINNER of the 2024 Stonewall Book Award, American Library AssociationPerfect for fans of The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag, HeartStopper by Alice Oseman, and Jen Wang's The Dressmaker and the Prince.In this fresh, sensitive, diary-style graphic novel, 12-year-old Tuva's questions about becoming a teenager are confusing—so when her first crush turns out to be on another girl, it feels absolutely wonderful--so why does it become so complicated?Tuva is starting seventh grade, and her checklist of goals includes: writing out a diary, getting a trendy look, building the best fort in the woods with her BFFs, and much more. But when she starts school, nothing is how she hoped it would be.Seventh grade has split her friends into rival factions: TEAM LINNEA and the girls who fall in love and TEAM BAO and the girls who NEVER fall in love. Linnea has a BOYFRIEND, Bao hates everything related to love. Worst of all, Linnea and Bao expect Tuva to choose a side!In this delighfully hand-lettered coming-of-age graphic diary, Tuva gets caught between feeling like a kid and wanting to know HOW to become a teenager. Then Miriam shows up and suddenly Tuva feels as if she’s met her soulmate. Can you fall in love with a girl, keep it from your friends, and survive? For Tuva, it may be possible, but it's defintely not easy.

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Herbert loves the slide, and in this first of four irresistible miniature full-length picture books, the littlest readers are introduced to new friends and the charming world of the Hippo Park playground. Herbert loves the slide! Climbing up the ladder, sitting himself down, sending Teddy down first—it's all the best part. Herbert imagines sliding down into a magical underwater world and being chased up a mountain by a bear—pre-schoolers will love Herbert's adventures playing on the slide, and thrill to this first visit to Hippo Park. All four Hippo Park Pals mini picture books are set in the playground, where the animals play, imagine, and have lots of feelings—just like pre-schoolers do.

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An Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction Nominee“Look no further for your next favorite read, because The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester has it all: a gripping murder mystery that will keep you turning pages, ghosts, romance, and a treasure trove of queer characters with depth and heart. Here’s something rare—a suspenseful story that also feels like a hug.” —Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of the Reign of the Fallen seriesIn this queer contemporary YA mystery, a nonbinary autistic teen realizes they must not only solve a 30-year-old mystery but also face the demons lurking in their past in order to live a satisfying life. Sam Sylvester has long collected stories of half-lived lives—of kids who died before they turned nineteen. Sam was almost one of those kids. Now, as Sam’s own nineteenth birthday approaches, their recent near-death experience haunts them. They’re certain they don’t have much time left. . . .But Sam's life seems to be on the upswing after meeting several new friends and a potential love interest in Shep, their next-door neighbor. Yet the past keeps roaring back—in Sam’s memories and in the form of a thirty-year-old suspicious death that took place in Sam’s new home. Sam can’t resist trying to find out more about the kid who died and who now seems to guide their investigation. When Sam starts receiving threatening notes, they know they’re on the path to uncovering a murderer. But are they digging through the past or digging their own future grave?The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester explores healing in the aftermath of trauma and the fullness of queer joy.

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In this story about Día de los Reyes, or Three Kings’ Day, a girl and her family discover new ways to celebrate their Puerto Rican heritage in Ohio.It’s eleven days after Christmas and Lucía yearns to be in lush Puerto Rico celebrating Día de los Reyes with family and friends. But this year, instead of dancing and singing in the parrandas of her Puerto Rican neighborhood, she is surrounded by cold and silence in snow-blanketed Ohio. How will she ever be able to guide the Three Kings to her new home in the frosty Midwest? This picture book is a celebration of Puerto Rican culture, heartwarming family tradition, and a reminder that we all carry a piece of home with us wherever life may take us.

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A Best Novel of 2023 - Electric Literature and Largehearted Boy "The novel is a magical-realist office drama infused with millennial anomie, and McGhee’s canny, often bittersweetly hilarious prose reads as if George Saunders infiltrated the Severance writers’ room." —Rafael Frumkin, Washington Post "This laugh-out-loud debut is a wildly imaginative, tender and piercing critique of the squeeze of capitalism."—Xochitl Gonzalez, Good Morning America"A scathing critique of capitalism that holds onto the humanity of its characters." —Laura Zornosa, TIMEJonathan Abernathy is a self-proclaimed loser. . . he’s behind on his debts, has no prospects, no friends, and no ambitions. But when a government loan forgiveness program offers him a literal dream job, he thinks he’s found his big break. If he can appear to be competent at his new job, entering the minds of middle class workers while they sleep and removing the unsavory detritus of their waking lives from their unconscious, he might have a chance at a new life. As Abernathy finds his footing in this role, reality and morality begin to warp around him. Soon, the lines between life and work, love and hate, right and wrong, even sleep and consciousness, begin to blur.Molly McGhee touches on themes most people know all too well—the relentlessly crushing weight of debt, the recognition that work won’t love you back and the awkwardness of finding love when you are without hope. A workplace novel, at once tender, startling, and deeply funny, Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind is a stunning, critical work of surrealist fiction, a piercing critique of late-stage capitalism, and a reckoning with its true cost.

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A New York Times Best Crime Novel of 2023A Wall Street Journal Best Mystery Book of 2023A CrimeReads Best Historical Fiction and International Crime Novel of 2023A Best Book of 2023 - Chicago Review of Books and Marie Claire"An eerily lyrical tour de force . . . [A] horrific, sustained portrait of a traumatized human soul." —Tom Nolan, The Wall Street Journal"Kielland plumbs Belle’s inner life through jaggedly rhythmic prose, where what should be obvious is sometimes opaque and what’s often shrouded — female rage — takes center stage."—Sarah Weinman, The New York Times"This fascinating, off-kilter novel about a female serial killer is an unexpectedly thrilling read.”—Karl Ove Knausgård, author of My Struggle and The Morning StarBased on the true story of Norwegian maid turned Midwestern farmwife Belle Gunness, the first female serial killer in American history. My Men is a fictional account of one broken woman's descent into inescapable madness.Among thousands of other Norwegian immigrants seeking freedom, Brynhild Størset emigrated to the American Upper Midwest in the late nineteenth century, changing her name and her life. As Bella, later Belle Gunness, she came in search of not only fortune and true faith but, most of all, love.From Victoria Kielland, a rising star of Norwegian literature, comes My Men, a literary reimagining of the harrowing true story of Belle Gunness, who slowly but irreversibly turned to senseless murder for release from her pain, becoming America’s first known female serial killer. In pursuit of her American Dream, Kielland’s Belle grows increasingly alienated, ruthless, and perversely compelling.Raw, visceral, and altogether hypnotic, My Men is a brutal yet radically empathetic glimpse into the world of a woman consumed by desire.

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It's Halloween night, also known as Meowl-o-ween! Cats are on the prowl, ready to give trick-or-treaters a fright. But one lost kitten is scared--will she find her way and join the fun?On frightful, delightful Meowl-o-ween, cats slink by carved pumpkins and prepare to spook the trick-or-treaters parading the streets. But not all of the cats are enjoying the flashing lights and costumes. A lone kitten is overwhelmed by the crowds and doesn’t know which way to turn! This fresh Halloween tale is a rhyming read-aloud that shows even the smallest scaredy-cat can find the courage to overcome their fears and anxieties.

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"[A] firecracker of a debut."—The New York Times"Andrea Abreu’s debut novel about two girls in the summer heat of Tenerife is perfect for these dog days."—Shreya Chattopadhyay, The New York Times Book ReviewMy Brilliant Friend meets Blue is the Warmest Color in this lyrical debut novel set in a working-class neighborhood of the Canary Islands—a story about two girls coming of age in the early aughts and a friendship that simmers into erotic desire over the course of one hot summer. High near the volcano of northern Tenerife, an endless ceiling of cloud cover traps the working class in an abject, oppressive heat. Far away from the island’s posh resorts, two girls dream of hitching a ride down to the beach and escaping their horizonless town. It’s summer, 2005, and our ten-year-old narrator is consumed by thoughts of her best friend Isora. Isora is rude and bossy, but she’s also vivacious and brave; grownups prefer her, and boys do, too. That's why sometimes she gets jealous of Isora, who already has hair on her vagina and soft, round breasts. But she's definitely not jealous that Isora’s mother is dead, nor that Isora's fat, foul-mouthed grandmother has her on a diet, so that she is constantly sticking her fingers down her throat. Besides, she would do anything for Isora: gorge herself on cakes when her friend wants to watch, follow her to the bathroom when she takes a shit, log into chat rooms to swap dirty instant messages with strangers. But increasingly, our narrator finds it hard to keep up with Isora, who seems to be growing up at full tilt without her—and as her submissiveness veers into a painful sexual awakening, desire grows indistinguishable from intimate violence.Braiding prose poetry with bachata lyrics and the gritty humor of Canary dialect, Dogs of Summer is a story of exquisite yearning, a brutal picture of girlhood and a love song written for the vital community it portrays.

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A NONAME BOOK CLUB PICK Named a Kirkus Reviews "Best Book of 2021" "Becoming Abolitionists is ultimately about the importance of asking questions and our ability to create answers. And in the end, Purnell makes it clear that abolition is a labor of love—one that we can accomplish together if only we decide to."—Nia Evans, Boston ReviewFor more than a century, activists in the United States have tried to reform the police. From community policing initiatives to increasing diversity, none of it has stopped the police from killing about three people a day. Millions of people continue to protest police violence because these "solutions" do not match the problem: the police cannot be reformed. In Becoming Abolitionists, Purnell draws from her experiences as a lawyer, writer, and organizer initially skeptical about police abolition. She saw too much sexual violence and buried too many friends to consider getting rid of police in her hometown of St. Louis, let alone the nation. But the police were a placebo. Calling them felt like something, and something feels like everything when the other option seems like nothing.Purnell details how multi-racial social movements rooted in rebellion, risk-taking, and revolutionary love pushed her and a generation of activists toward abolition. The book travels across geography and time, and offers lessons that activists have learned from Ferguson to South Africa, from Reconstruction to contemporary protests against police shootings. Here, Purnell argues that police can not be reformed and invites readers to envision new systems that work to address the root causes of violence. Becoming Abolitionists shows that abolition is not solely about getting rid of police, but a commitment to create and support different answers to the problem of harm in society, and, most excitingly, an opportunity to reduce and eliminate harm in the first place.

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*WINNER OF THE 2023 SAMI ROHR PRIZE FOR JEWISH LITERATURE, FICTION*"This vigorous, inventive work will surely fire up readers' neurons." — Starred Review, Publisher's Weekly For fans of Etgar Keret, a debut collection that fuses the humor of everyday life in Israel with technology's challenges and the latest discoveries about the human brain.At once compassionate, philosophical, and humorous, Jerusalem Beach is a foray into the human condition in all its contradictions. Through a series of snapshots of contemporary life in Israel, Gefen reveals a world that’s a step from the familiar.A man’s grandfather joins an army platoon of geriatrics looking for purpose in old age. A scheming tech start-up exposes the dire consequences of ambition in trying to share human memories. An elderly couple searches for a beach that doesn’t exist. And, a boy mourns his brother’s death in an attempt to catch time like flies in his fist.Entirely heartfelt and infused with pathos, Jerusalem Beach is an exploration of both technology and the brain. Whether ruminating on the stakes of familial love or pitching the reader headlong into the absurdity of success and failure, Gefen leaves the reader intrigued throughout.

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This playful picture book demonstrates the concept of fractions in a story featuring the Arithmechicks, 10 maths-loving chicks. Join the Arithmechicks and Mouse as they head off to the fair! These chicks can’t wait to enjoy the roller coaster, bumper cars, games, and delicious snacks; meanwhile Mouse is determined to sink the rooster at the dunk tank. As the Arithmechicks explore the fair, they find ways to show how fractions work in the world. But when one chick doesn’t get to select an activity, the day doesn’t go according to plan until the chicks decide they all need to play fair. This book includes a helpful glossary with further information about fractions, while the story provides an exuberant introduction to essential maths for young children and their caregivers.

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In this charming and nostalgia-filled companion to the best-selling picture book Grandpa’s Tractor, a grandmother shares her fond memories of farm life. Grandma Ginny and Timmy take a trip to visit the site of the family farm, where the old house and some rickety buildings still stand. Timmy had visited with Grandpa before and learned all about his tractor, but Grandma has her own stories to tell of planting the fields, harvesting the crops, and feeding the animals. Guided by Grandma’s farm diary and her fond memories, Timmy and Grandma tour the land and talk about what life was like back then. This heart-warming intergenerational story is perfect for grandparents to share with their grandchildren, and for those looking for a story to share about simpler times.

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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.Albert has high hopes for the new squeakball season. He wants to score lots of goals! Then he gets his uniform number--a big, round zero. He runs and passes and makes lots of assists, but goals? Zero. His sister says zero is a secret super hero. Albert is sure it's cursed! Every Mouse Math title includes back matter activities that support and extend reading comprehension and math skills, plus free online activities. (Math concept:The number zero)

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Learn all about the elephant in this nonfiction picture book that explores every aspect of these giant mammals.This latest title in the Strange and Wonderful series allows young readers to journey into the lives of elephants in various habitats throughout the world. Kids will learn how elephants use their trunk, how they communicate, what they eat, and about their family groupings. The book also shows how we can ensure that elephants continue to live and thrive. Combining careful research and beautiful illustrations, this book is perfect for those who have an interest in animals and conservation.

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Everyone loves a parade, right? Well, almost everyone! In this colorful picture book, young readers can take a rollicking, rhyming journey through some of the most celebrated parades in the United States.Music, costumes, food, and fun. The sights and sounds of a parade are exciting! From Mardi Gras and Chinese New Year to St. Patrick's Day and LGBTQ+Pride, each celebration is a joy for kids, and most adults. With rhyming text and bold illustrations, children will love this festive and humorous look at some of the country's most well-known parades that features a surprise ending.

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Brown is beautiful. Brown is powerful! Perfect for fans of Hair Love and Antiracist Baby, this lyrically written, stunningly illustrated picture book is a love letter to the beauty of brown skin and a message of love, acceptance, and pride for all brown sugar babes. A classic in the making!When a little girl has doubts about the color of her skin, her mother shows her all the wonderful, beautiful things brown can be! “Brown is precious. Brown is feet marching for human rights…. Brown is an after-bedtime-story kiss goodnight.”

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A young girl dreams of being a truck driver—just like her mom and dad! On one special day, she joins them and gets to see all different kinds of trucks zooming by!

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