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Titles indicated with an "A" indicated next to their ISBN means the stock are available at point of creating this catalogue.
When Santa arrives at a child’s house on Christmas Eve, does he go down the chimney feetfirst or headfirst? What if he gets stuck? What if there’s no chimney? Maybe he slides under the door, as thin as a piece of paper? Or is it possible he pours himself through the tap? What happens once he’s inside?
Mac Barnett’s iconic talent for earnest deadpan humour and Jon Klassen’s irresistibly funny art honour this timeless question with answers both ridiculous and plausible, mounting in hilarity as the night continues. Channeling a child’s fanciful explanations, this latest collaboration by a bestselling team will find a secure spot among family Christmas traditions.
(Hardcover / 32 pages / Age 4 - 8 / $32) Meet Randolph Caldecott, the artist who revolutionized picture book illustration and for whom the prestigious Caldecott medal is named!
Quick! If you don’t move fast, you’ll miss him—there he goes—Randolph Caldecott, future famous illustrator. His sketchbook is full of hurly-burly: wild weather, frisky animals, and people so sprightly they can barely hold onto the pages. But in the 1850s, there were no children’s books like that. Not yet. Many books are published, but their pictures look stiff, full of pretty poses and cluttered scenery. No one has imagined how much fun an illustrated book could be because the future hero of children’s book illustration is still just a lad. Join Michelle Markel and Barbara McClintock for a riotous adventure through the seminal history of children's books—their art, their joy, and the man who changed them for good. [Tomfoolery noun: silliness, shenanigans, buffoonery, skylarking, or pranks] FASCINATING TRUE STORY: This picture book biography introduces readers to the man who redefined children's books, transforming the reading experience of people all around the world! Anyone who loves history, biographies, or books for children will find themselves charmed by this lively look at the life of Randolph Caldecott. WHIMSICAL AND ENGAGING: Full of verve and fun, humor and dynamic vocabulary, this book is history with pure delight, sure to engage even the most reluctant readers! Teachers and librarians who introduce the Caldecott Medal to kids will find this invaluable as an introduction to looking at, thinking about, and celebrating art. (Hardcover / 44 pages / Age 5 - 8 / $33) Iconic Bibliophile creator Jane Mount makes her children’s book debut in this imagination-driven story of a shy booklover’s attempts to open her mind and find joy with the people around her.
Lotti isn’t sure she wants to make friends. She’s shy, and she doesn’t really know how. While everyone around her is playful, outgoing, and loud, Lotti prefers a quiet place and a book to read. Lotti LOVES books. To her, books are full of magic and aren’t as scary as new friends. But perhaps Lotti’s books can show her how to find magic in everyday moments, and maybe the friends she can share this magic with are closer than she thinks. This journal-esque narrative—which includes fun recommended reads on each page—explores the process of book discovery for bibliophiles-in-training, and is perfect for enthusiastic and reluctant readers alike!
(Hardcover / 48 pages / Age 5- 8 / $33) This is the story of the sadly neglected Book That No One Wanted To Read – can its destiny change when it finally meets the right reader?
Have you ever thought about how it feels to be a book? To be left under a whiffy pant pile or shelved, forever collecting dust? To have your pages bent backwards or your spine BROKEN? What if you don’t have a sparkly unicorn or dragon adorning your cover – who will pick you out of the bookshop then? Multitalented author Richard Ayoade and award-winning illustrator Tor Freeman bring to life a hilariously subversive take on the nature of books and reading, with a heartening theme of finding the courage to tell our own stories. Readers of all ages will be delighted by the myriad bookish references and laughs on every page.
(128 pages / Age 9-12 / $22) "Directly addressing the audience, the narrator waxes philosophical about judging books by covers before plunging readers into a story told in second person about a child who finds “a particular Book That No One Wanted To Read” on a library shelf. For bibliophiles, browsers, and the just plain curious, this delightful book is a joyful celebration of reading in its many and varied ways. It is a perfect gift for all who love books and reading and will prove especially inspiring to bookworms who desire to pursue their cherished pastime one hundred and one percent of the time.
“…the final few pages of this French import unexpectedly suggest a gloriously serious “why” to read a book: Reading isn’t just an escape from the world; through reading, one’s imagination can “transform the world.” ..The next step is obvious: Add your own favorite reading situation to the list, then label and illustrate it.” Kirkus Reviews (Hardcover / 128 pages / Translated from French / Age 7 - 10 / $35) About the author:
Timothee de Fombelle was born in the heart of Paris in 1973, but often accompanied his architect father on his travels to Africa. Each summer his family left for the countryside (the west of France), where the five brothers and sisters lived like wild horses, making huts in the trees, playing in the river and losing themselves in the woods. In the evening they performed plays for their parents and devoured the books in the library. Childhood remains for him the lost paradise which he re-discovers through writing. After becoming a literature teacher, Timothee taught in Paris and Vietnam before choosing the bohemian life of the theatre. Passionate about books and theatre, Timothee has been writing since he was young. The stage has been his testing ground but it is life, with its joys and trials, which inspires his real work. From a Carnegie-shortlisted author and illustrator duo comes a wonderful collection of ghost stories told equally in manga and prose.
Abducted by spirits from his village, lost boy Akira must make the long journey in northern Japan to find his family and save his young sister before time runs out. Voyaging deeper and deeper into a Japan ‘between the worlds’, Akira and his companions encounter a host of yokai monsters and famous ghosts, discovering a sometimes comical and sometimes terrifying world of interlinked and ghostly short stories along the way. (420 pages / Short Stories + Manga / Age 12 - 14 / $22) About the author: Julian Sedgwick read Chinese Studies and Philosophy at Cambridge, before working as a bookseller, painter, researcher and script developer for film and TV, and shiatsu therapist. From Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl, comes a truly compelling, empathy-building book based on real life events in illustrator Chris Judge's own life.
Erin’s favourite game is spotting animals in the clouds with her mum and dad. She calls them her "cloud babies". One day, Erin falls very ill. She has to spend a long time in hospital but she still manages to find comfort and joy in spying cloud babies through the windows with her new hospital friends. When Dr Bernadette tells Erin that even though there would still be some "hospital days", she can now go home, she is so excited. But being back at school is not at all what she expected. Erin must reconcile the comforting, safe world she has built for herself inside the hospital with the world outside that has now become unfamiliar to her. But with her Mum and Dad’s love and guidance, and with the support of her school teacher and friends, Erin realizes that by sharing her world, and her cloud babies, she will find happiness in being herself once more. Sensitively told and vibrantly brought to life on the page, this is a truly powerful source of guidance, acknowledgement and, ultimately, comfort. (40 pages / Age 3 - 7 / $20) A Daily Cloud is an ongoing art project by illustrator Chris Judge whose creative approach fuses sketches and photography.
This lyrical, poignant nonfiction picture book tells the fascinating story of the honeybee colonies that lived on the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris and survived the devastating 2019 fire.
High above the bustling streets and gardens of Paris is a little-known wonder: a cluster of beehives. They sit atop the roof of the Notre-Dame cathedral, lovingly tended to by a beekeeper named Sibyle. But when fire broke out in the catherdral in 2019, the bees almost didn’t make it. Firefighters battled heat and smoke, carefully spraying their hoses around the hives, pumping in water from fireboats on the Seine, and, miraculously, they survived. Meghan P. Browne and E. B. Goodale imbue the story of Notre-Dame’s bees and the fire that almost killed them with great hope. After the fire, there is rebuilding to be done, but with hard work and collaboration, perhaps the cathedral can be restored after all. From the rooftops of Paris to the intricacies of a beehive, here is a moving picture book about resilience in the face of disaster. (Hardcover / 40 pages / Age 4 - 8 / $33) A powerfully moving graphic-novel memoir of the author's experiences with family, religion, and coming of age in the aftermath of World War II, and the childhood struggles and family secrets that shaped her.
It’s 1950s New York, and Marisabina Russo is being raised Catholic and attending a Catholic school that she loves—but when she finds out that she’s Jewish by blood, and that her family members are Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, her childhood is thrown into turmoil. To make matters more complicated, her father is out of the picture, her mother is ambitious and demanding, and her older half-brothers have troubles, too. Following the author’s young life into the tumultuous, liberating 1960s, this heartfelt, unexpectedly humorous, and meticulously illustrated graphic-novel memoir explores the childhood burdens of memory and guilt, and Marisabina’s struggle and success in forming an identity entirely her own. (240 pages / Age 12-18 / $32) For John Cage (1912 – 1992), music was everywhere: in the hum of the refrigerator, the screech of a garbage truck, the patter of the rain. But other people disagreed. They felt that, surely, a pianist on stage must actually play their piano to create music…not just sit there. And in no way was it melodic to turn a musician’s mic on and off as they do play their instruments–it was just chaos!
John Cage found sound in silence, and knew that all noises were unique. All you had to do was listen to hear it.
Told in second person and paired with exciting illustrations as innovative as Cage’s music, here is a picture book–perfect for any budding musician–that celebrates the genius of a nonconforming musician who always stayed true to his artistic vision. (Hardcover / 40 pages / Age 4 - 8 / $33) Strings quivered. Notes shimmered. Meet best friends acclaimed composer Ludwig van Beethoven and bold female entrepreneur Nannette Streicher in this lively and lyrical nonfiction picture book.
In 1787, aspiring yet unknown composer Ludwig van Beethoven arrives at young Nannette Stein’s home. What follows is a decades-long friendship that persists whether life hits a low or high note. Acclaimed nonfiction writer Laurie Lawlor deftly depicts how these two fascinating friends—a composer with hearing loss and a woman who became an innovative piano maker in a time that discouraged female entrepreneurship—fought the odds and worked together in perfect harmony. Lawlor masterfully uses forgotten historical letters, a glossary, and rich back matter on both friends’ lives and art to introduce readers to the man behind the music, from his loud laughter to his crushing handshake. (Hardcover / 40 pages / Age 6 - 9 / $33) In this collection of reimagined Indonesian fairy tales, the girls are the ones with power. The power to fight evil, to protect others, and to grow as people. Because why should girls in folktales always need saving? What if they save themselves instead?
Based on graphic novelist Clar Angkasa’s favorite childhood stories and gorgeously illustrated with a dedicated color palette for each tale, this retelling of “Keong Mas,” “Bawang Merah Bawang Putih,” and “Timun Mas” is filled with spectacular landscapes, deep emotions, and a firm belief in the power of girls’ stories. (176 pages / Age 8 - 12 / $26) The ancient gods of Ireland were once worshipped throughout the land. Powerful and brave, they were unafraid to show their vulnerability, reject violence, or lean on others for support. Sadly, their stories – passed down by our ancestors – are all but forgotten.
Gods Don’t Cry reawakens these gods, whose ancient tales redefine modern ideas of what it means to be a hero. From Mannanán, who uses his neurodiversity to discover the Otherworld, to Méiche, who finds the courage to accept his illness, Fer Maisse, a monster slayer who gives up glory to become a healer, and Cnú Deróil, who overcomes bullies with his musical talent. Hurlers and warriors, academics, and activists – these are gods of many abilities, sizes, and skin shades, from every corner of Ireland. Follow their adventures as they perform magic, battle demons, overcome struggles and find the courage to be true to themselves. (Hardcover / 224 pages / Age 9 - 13 / $45) In this provocative discussion-starter about what really matters, Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park’s linked poems capture the diverse voices of a middle school class answering the question: “If your house were on fire, what one thing would you save?” Recipient of four starred reviews.
When a teacher asks her class what one thing they would save in an emergency, some students know the answer right away. Others come to their decisions more slowly. And some change their minds when they hear their classmates’ responses. A lively dialog ignites as the students discover unexpected facets of one another—and themselves. With her ear for authentic dialog and knowledge of kids’ priorities and emotions, Linda Sue Park brings the varied voices of an inclusive classroom to life through carefully honed, engaging, and instantly accessible verse. Elegantly illustrated with black-and-white by Robert Sae-Heng art throughout. (80 pages / $14) This zombie doesn’t want to eat your brains—he wants to eat your books! Hide your textbooks and your fairy tales, because the little zombie is hungry and he doesn’t discriminate between genres. Will the school library be devoured, or will the children discover something the zombie likes to do with books even more than eating them?
This monster book is silly and fun, with a strong message about kindness and friendship. The little zombie teaches kids not to jump to conclusions and to give everyone a chance. And when a real-life mummy shows up, the zombie is the first to step up and offer the mummy his friendship—and to teach her a few things about the joy of books. This is the perfect monster book for little ones who want a thrill but aren’t looking for anything too scary. (32 pages / Age 3 - 6 / $24) One summer can change your whole life.
As soon as school lets out, Eliot's parents send him to the very edge of the world: a fishing village in a remote part of Nova Scotia. And what does the small town of Point Aconi have to offer? Maggots, bullies and grumpy old men. But along the way, Eliot discovers much more, a hidden library, starry nights and a mysterious girl named Mary Beth. See Point Aconi through Eliot's eyes, as he finds that this place he never wanted to visit is becoming a home he doesn't want to leave. (116 pages / Age 7 - 12 / $26) "Playful typography weaves the art and story together in unexpected ways. . . . The inventive visuals reward careful attention."--Kirkus Reviews Featuring queer authors of color putting fresh spins on classic horror tropes and tales.
No matter its name or occasion, Halloween is more than a Hallmark holiday, it’s a symbol of transformation. NIGHT OF THE LIVING QUEERS is a YA horror anthology that explores how Halloween can be more than just candies and frights, but a night where anything is possible. Each short story is told through the lens of a different BIPOC teen and the Halloween night that changes their lives forever. Creative, creepy, and queer, this collection brings fresh terror, heart, and humor to young adult literature. (304 pages / Age 13 - `18 / $24) More LGBTQ teen titles in
our PRIDE Kid Catalogue What happens when freedom of expression comes under threat? In frank and wide-ranging interviews, historian and critic Leonard S. Marcus probes the experience of thirteen leading authors of books for young people.
A powerful photo essay on transgender teens is called anti-religious and anti-family. A meticulously researched primer on sex education stirs up accusations of pornography and child abuse. Picture books about two mommies (or two penguin daddies) set off a hue and cry. Two hugely popular children's series run afoul of would-be censors, one for its scatological humor, the other because it's deemed too scary. Kids' books that touch on race, sex, LGBTQ matters, the occult, "coarse language," and more have found themselves under the scrutiny of those who challenge First Amendment rights. Tune in as thirteen top children's and young adult authors speak out about what it's like to have your work banned or challenged in America today. Prompted by Leonard S. Marcus's insightful questions, they discuss why their books have faced censorship--both blatant and "soft"--how the challenges have or haven't affected their writing, and why some people feel they have the right to deny access to books. In addition, Leonard S. Marcus puts First Amendment challenges in a historical context and takes a promising look at the vibrant support network that has risen up to protect and defend young people's rights. (240 pages / $27) Authors interviewed include: Matt de la Peña / Robie H. Harris / Susan Kuklin / David Levithan / Meg Medina / Lesléa Newman / Katherine Paterson / Dav Pilkey / Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell / Sonya Sones / R. L. Stine / Angie Thomas. |
Ancient Love Stories brings together some of the most remarkable romances in history - from tales of fearless queens and besotted emperors to men who died fighting for the men they loved. These accounts of passion, jealousy, hope and longing show that perhaps little has changed over the last three thousand years - love, above all, has endured.
Written by award-winning classicist Emily Hauser and with beautiful artwork by illustrator Sander Berg. (Hardcover / 96 pages / Age 12 + / $42) Ten captivating stories of adventure and resilience celebrating LGBTQ+ characters, published as an illustrated collection of queer classics for the first time.
These are the fairy tales that history forgot - or concealed. Tales in which gender is fluid and where queer stories can have a happy ending. Meet the humble sailor who finds his very own handsome prince and the Black trans market girl who becomes queen. Journey to the ends of the earth with an Indian prince, and discover the gay ghosts whose love lasted beyond death. From Europe to Asia via the African savannah, LGBTQ+ folklore researcher Pete Jordi Wood has combed through generations of history and adapted ten unforgettable stories, each illustrated by an artist who shares heritage with the culture from which the stories were born. (272 pages / Hardcover / $28) More LGBTQ titles for children in our PRIDE KID catalogue. A humorous and playful story, both poignant and inspiring, about a man who loses his prized hair, and how to make space for newness and growth.
Mr. Fiorello's Head is both a playful romp and a philosophical tale. Mr. Fiorello loved his hair and never wanted it to go away. But, sometimes, the things we care the most about, the things we never want to see gone, leave anyway. Such is the fate of Mr. Fiorello and his hair. Fortunately, he still has a head on his shoulders and thoughts in his head, which help him to navigate his loss and disappointment in favor of a larger possibility. Possibilities that lead him from his apartment into the world, to grow and tend to a larger garden than the hairs on his own head.
We may not have control over many things in our lives, but when we do the work inside our own heads that we need to do, our most petty concerns give way to a larger, more generous conception of the world and our place in it. (Hardcover / 64 pages / Age 4 - 9 / $35) An old woman will no longer leave her house, not even on Christmas.
She prefers to stay home, rather than take the risk of falling or coming down with a cold. She settles into the solitude and isolation of her safe, interior world. But just as she's about to enjoy a peaceful dinner in front of the TV, her doorbell rings . . . This is a touching story about overcoming fear and the role of chance in life. (Hardcover / 72 pages / Age 8 + / $35) "Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Little Yellow Riding Hood—" "Not yellow! It's Red Riding Hood!" So begins the story of a grandpa playfully recounting the well-known fairytale—or his version, at least—to his granddaughter.
Try as she might to get him back on track, Grandpa keeps on adding things to the mix, both outlandish and mundane! The end result is an unpredictable tale that comes alive as it's being told, born out of imaginative play and familial affection. This spirited picture book will surprise and delight from start to finish, while reminding readers that storytelling is not only a creative act of improvisation and interaction, but also a powerful pathway for connection and love. Telling Stories Wrong was written by Gianni Rodari, widely regarded as the father of modern Italian children's literature. It exemplifies his great respect for the intelligence of children and the kind of work he did as an educator, developing numerous games and exercises for children to engage and think beyond the status quo, imagining what happens after the end of a familiar story, or what possibilities open up when a new ingredient is introduced. (Hardcover / 40 pages / Age 6 + / $32) A detective tries to uncover the truth about the infamous ‘Blue Bagoo’ – a creature so big and scary that it can’t possibly be made up, can it?
Our detective addresses us – the reader – on the very first page, and then walks the winding cobbled streets of a Dr Suess-esque seaside town, taking statements from the residents. The Blue Bagoo proves elusive, but rumours of its ‘supposed’ qualities have spread throughout the town. However, as the investigation proceeds, there is a critical twist.... This is a tale of rumours and fears, that also teaches us a gentle lesson about jumping to conclusions and judging others! (32 pages / Year 4 - 6 / $19) Nina is not like the other children. She doesn't want to stay up late like the grown-ups do. In fact, she can't WAIT to go to sleep . . . because that's when dreams happen. She goes on amazing adventures to the jungle, explores cake villages and visits a city on wheels. When she wakes up she MUST tell everyone . . . but something strange is happening. Her dreams wiggle and twist, shrink and grow until they're nothing like her dream at all. And then one night, her dream isn't fun or exciting . . . but quite scary instead.
Join the determined heroine as she captures her dreams once and for all!
With its bright, bold illustrations, this bedtime book dives into early experiences of good and bad dreams. It explores dream journalling for the very young, making this the perfect book to share with little ones as they settle to sleep. (32 pages / baby to 5 years / $21) A complex, beautifully crafted debut about a sixteen-year-old girl who is forced to live—and kill—on a parallel Earth. Mikaela Everett’s The Unquiet is for readers who loves dystopian thrillers.
For as long as anyone can remember, there have been two Earths. Two versions of every city, every building, even every person. But the people from the second Earth know something their originals do not: two versions of the same thing cannot exist. For the people born on the second Earth to survive, they must kill their originals and take their places. Lirael had one purpose from the moment she was sent to Earth 1 as a child—to learn everything she could about her other self. When the time comes, she kills her original and slips seamlessly into her life. But as Lirael takes over her original’s life, she begins to wonder if there’s more. More than mindlessly following orders, more than living life in a holding pattern, waiting for a war that will destroy everything and everyone she has come to love. An intricate, literary stand-alone from an astonishing voice, Mikaela Everett’s The Unquiet takes readers deep inside the psyche of a strong teenage heroine struggling with what she has been raised to be and who she really is. (464 pages / Age 14+ / $28) Discover all kinds of weird and wonderful jobs you never knew existed in this incredible large-format picture book debut.
Do you know what you want to do when you grow up? Why not work as a babysitter . . . for sloths? Or become a farmer . . . of corpses? You might even grow up to be someone who gets paid to actually sleep on the job! From taste testers to dinosaur dusters, there are all kinds of incredible jobs that you've probably never heard of . . . and one of them might be just right for you! (48 pages / Age 7 - 11 / $24) "Each image to go with each job really helps to explain what someone might do in that position and I think the imagery will really help younger children to realise what those jobs are". Me, him, the dog and a baby Why this picture book is an eye-opening read for both children and adults?"Erin is now at an age where she questions everything. She asks what people are doing in the street, she asks about what me and her Dad do for work and she asks what other people do as well. It’s important to let her know that there are so many possibilities when it comes to jobs and nothing should feel impossible". Me, him, the dog and a baby "I’m 33 and there were so many jobs in this book that I hadn’t even heard of before so it was great to discover them myself." Me, him, the dog and a baby This book asks you to imagine and think about some things. That sounds easy, right? Anyone can think stuff. You don't even need to be standing up. We shall see. Good luck.
Metacognition is the act of thinking about thinking and forms the basis of all critical thought. It is also a concept that comes easily to children whose inquisitive nature makes them a natural at engaging in abstract questions and open-ended thinking. The Very Hard Book starts that 'thinking' journey and has a great deal of fun in the process. (Hardcover / 32 pages / Age 4 - 10 / $22) Realistic illustrations accompany the stories behind various more or less peculiar vehicles that were invented but in the end, they did not make the cut.
We all travel sometimes—by car, by public transport, or by plane. But there are some means of transport that we will never be able to use. Let’s open this book and learn how come we don’t travel in flying cars, why trains don’t ride on a single rail, or why there are no life-size remote control cars. You’re about to be flooded with infamous ideas, prototypes, and crazy attempts at coming up with something new over the course of the last century. The means of transport presented in this book may have not led to a technological revolution but did help us progress. After all, people learn from their mistakes. (Hardcover / 64 pages / Age 12 - 15 / $35) A young boy in Iraq yearns to taste the bananas that have been made unavailable by warfare.
Banana Dream is inspired by Hasan’s own childhood in Iraq, where bananas (among other things) were not available due to war. In North America, they are plentiful and inexpensive, but in this story, they represent something longed for but unattainable. With simple prose, Hasan addresses the relatable issue of a child coming to terms with his name against a unique story of scarcity and want. An author’s note provides some helpful context about the feel of this particular time and place. This picture book explores a unique perspective on a fruit that’s often overlooked in North America, giving readers insight which sheds light on a place and time with which they might not otherwise be familiar. (Hardcover / 32 pages / Age 4 - 8 / $33) Sometimes we feel brave as a lion or shy like a mouse… and that zoo inside our heads can make us behave differently on the outside.
Feelings can be hard to understand. You can’t see it, but this little boy is part mischievous monkey, part curious llama, and part chameleon, hiding from the world. It feels to him like there’s not enough room for all of those jumbling feelings inside, but the zoo in all of us makes us who we are – reaching out to the world from the part you can’t see. And sometimes, all it takes to make things right is friendship – and to realise that everyone else has a zoo inside them, too… This is a picture book that champions our emotions, feelings and behaviours in a way that makes them feel relatable and easier to understand. (32 pages / Age 3- 5 / $19) A soul-stirring reimagined Grimm tale hauntingly illustrated by Júlia Sardà which will spellbind and thrill readers of all ages.
When a poor fisherman chooses Death to be godfather to his son, he’s sure he’s made a good choice – for surely there’s no man more honest than Death? At the christening, Death gives the fisherman a gift that seems at first to be the key to the family’s fortune, but when greed overcomes the fisherman, he learns that nobody can truly cheat Death . .
(Hardcover / 48 pages / Age 7 - 12 / $32) Author Sally Nicholls has been shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Costa Children's Book Award, and the Carnegie Medal, twice. A stunning gift book drawing together mythological poems – classic and brand-new – from around the world, illustrated throughout in black and white by award-winning former children's laureate Chris Riddell and compiled by bestselling anthologist Ana Sampson.
People all over the world have always told each other stories. And from the very earliest times, many of these stories were told in verse. This collection of poems includes retellings and reimaginings of Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Norse, Celtic, Aztec, Japanese and Inuit mythology. You will meet gods, monsters, tricksters, heroes, magical creatures and objects, magicians and spirits including Medusa, Icarus, Loki, Osiris, the Minotaur, Pegasus, Bunyip, Kukulcan, Cerberus, Beowolf and Mjolnir and there are footnotes to shine a light on stories themselves. (Hardcover / 320 pages / $37) A stylishly illustrated non-fiction book about the search for life on Mars, told from the unique perspective of NASA's Mars rover, Curiosity.
Discover the incredible story of the search for life on Mars, told from the unique perspective of Curiosity, the Mars Rover sent to explore the red planet. Markus Motum's stylish illustrations and diagrams reveal how a robot travelled 350,000,000 miles to explore a planet where no human has ever been. (56 pages / Age 7 - 12 / $24) How do you move forward when your entire life is stuck in the past? In this captivating YA debut, Michelle I. Mason tells the story of a girl who takes off on a flight and lands...twenty-five years later.
After visiting her grandparents in New York City, Jenny Waters is ready for the perfect senior year. She's going to hang out with her best friend Angie, finally kiss her new boyfriend Steve, and convince her parents to let her apply to Columbia so she can become an award-winning journalist. But when her plane lands in St. Louis, Jenny and the other passengers are told their plane vanished into thin air. . . and then reappeared twenty-five years later. Suddenly, it's not 1995 anymore. Everyone in Jenny's life has spent the last twenty-five years mourning her death. Jenny has missed two decades of pop culture, and her high school is practically unrecognizable. Learning about cell phones and social media is difficult enough, but the unexplainable mystery of the flight has also thrust Jenny's entire life into the spotlight-which makes it extra-complicated when Jenny falls for a cute, kind classmate with an unusual connection to her past. Can Jenny figure out a way to move forward, or will she always feel stuck in the past? (384 pages / $21) Asher Hunting wants revenge.
Specifically, he wants revenge on the drunk driver who killed his mom and got off on a technicality. No one seems to think this is healthy, though, which is how he ends up in a bereavement group (well, bereavement groups. He goes to several.) It’s there he makes some unexpected friends: There’s Sloane, who lost her dad to cancer; Will, who lost his little brother to a different kind of cancer; and eighty-year-old Henry, who was married to his wife for fifty years until she decided to die on her own terms. And it’s these three who Asher invites on a road trip from New Jersey to Graceland. Asher doesn’t tell them that he’s planning to steal his dad’s car, or the real reason that he wants to go to Tennessee (spoiler alert: it’s revenge)—but then again, the others don’t share their reasons for going, either. Complete with unexpected revelations, what begins as the road trip to revenge might just turn into a path towards forgiveness. (288 pages / Age 14 + / $24) We are in an epidemic. An epidemic of unhappiness.
When Seb is offered a place on a radical retreat designed to solve the national crisis of teenage unhappiness, he is determined to change how people see him and make his parents proud. But as he finds himself drawn to the enigmatic Finn, Seb starts to question the true nature of the challenges they must undergo. The deeper into the programme the boys get, the more disturbing the assessments become, until it’s clear there may be no escape… (400 pages / $22) 'This is a truly thought-provoking thriller, channelling the menace of dystopian favourites such as Maze Runner and The Hunger Games .' ― Observe |
Spark meaningful discussions about loneliness, friendship, community and coping with loss with this enchantingly illustrated story about a girl who befriends a monster.
He was big and lumbering and a wore a tiny top hat perched on top of his rather large head. She didn’t think he had any friends, so she brought him a flower. It wasn’t long before their friendship bloomed… the Thing was gentle and kind and the adventures they went on were the best she could ever imagine. The girl soon discovered that there were many Things, living all over the place… which gave her an idea. She invited them all to a party, and the Things danced till midnight. Thing had never felt so happy. But one day the Thing had to go and their adventures came to an end.
All Things have to go sometime… In this poignant story, discover how small acts of kindness can grow into great friendships, and how the community you build from those friendships can provide comfort and companionship when you need it most. The Thing at 52 offers a comfortable starting point for discussing difficult topics with children. The book’s magic will draw you back again and again. (Hardcover / 40 pages / Age 4-7 / $28) In this Native American tale, a wise grandmother explains the meaning of death, or the Great Change, to her questioning granddaughter. While going through their daily tasks in the Native way, taking from Mother Earth only what is needed and returning what is not used so as to replenish her, nine-year-old Wanba asks, “Why do fish have to die? Why does anything have to die? Why did Grandpa have to die?” Grandmother explains that just as a caterpillar “dies” only to become a beautiful butterfly, there is no “death” in the Circle of Life—only the Great Change.
This is a story of passing on tradition, culture, and wisdom to the next generation. It is a moving tale for everyone—child and adult—who wonders about what lies beyond this life. (32 pages / Age 6-12 / $23) Hédi Fried was nineteen when the Nazis arrested her family and transported them to Auschwitz. While there, apart from enduring the daily terror at the camp, she and her sister were forced into hard labour before being released at the end of the war.
After settling in Sweden, Hédi devoted her life to educating young people about the Holocaust. In her 90s, she decided to take the most common questions, and her answers, and turn them into a book so that children all over the world could understand what had happened. This is a deeply human book that urges us never to forget and never to repeat. (Hardcover / 208 pages / $36) Hédi Fried (1924–2022) was an author and psychologist. She was deeply committed to working for democratic values and against racism.Her bestselling autobiography, Fragments of a Life: the road to Auschwitz, was published in English and Swedish in the 1990s. Read, play, and DANCE on the pages of this interactive and definitely out-of-the box picture book/
Harnessing his love of dance, the passion of his illustrations, and the great big format of this book, Herve Tullet invites you to a very special dance: your hand becoming the dancer and the book the dance floor. Starting with a gentle glide, growing in complexity and animation, finally building to a crescendo of color, action, and movement - here's a book perfect for kids bursting with energy. A celebration not only of releasing emotion but also of carefully controlling motion and dexterity. Featuring a larger size specially designed to allow children to actually fit-and move-their hands freely on the page. Readers will delight in exploring all the ways their hands can move, a subliminal but essential lesson in improving dexterity-a critical foundational skill. Combining rhythm, motion and shapes, here's a great tool for arts education that will appeal to parents/educators looking to build their children's skills of creative thinking and discovery. (Hardcover / 64 pages / Age 3 - 5 / $35) Even monks get angry sometimes. That's when it's time to pause and reflect.
The monk is almost never angry. But when a pesky fly comes buzzing happily by, zipping around his head, landing on his nose day after day, the monk becomes very angry indeed. This makes him confused and sad. Until one day, the monk stops to look at this irritating fly more closely. That is when he sees something truly wonderful! The Angry Monk and the Fly teaches children to pause and reflect about people and things that annoy us or make us angry - a lesson both children and adults can benefit from! At the end of the book, various animals share simple instructions on how to mediate and breathe. (Hardcover / 64 pages / Age 4 - 9 / $26) When the pandemic hits and India goes into lockdown, high-spirited Swara keeps up her daily chats with her just-as-imaginative grandmother, Pitter Paati, through video calls. But soon Pitter Paati becomes too ill to even call, and then Swara's parents say she has died of the virus.
Swara can't believe it. Pitter Paati would not just leave! It's impossible! As Swara investigates the mystery of her grandmother's disappearance, she stumbles upon a neighborhood mystery as well. With help from her friends, usually-annoying brother, and clues she's certain came from Pitter Paati, Swara solves that very real mystery and, slowly, comes to terms with the truth about her grandmother. She also realizes Pitter Paati will be with her, in many important ways, forever. (Hardcover / 176 pages / Age 8 - 12 / $24) Jane De Suza is the author of several bestselling adult and children’s books published in India. She currently lives in Singapore with her family. A special offer at the pet store results in an unforeseen rabbit situation for two siblings in this lighthearted cautionary tale with a fun counting twist.
After a month of pleading, Dad finally takes Owen and Zoey to the pet store to adopt a rabbit. Once there, a two-for-one special offer just cannot be ignored; so they take home two rabbits - one male, and one female. Two rabbits make more rabbits, who then make even more rabbits, and soon there are just too many of the sweet little creatures. So begins a hilarious counting adventure as Owen and Zoey find homes for all of the rabbits. Full of little 'easter eggs' hidden in the art, Too Many Rabbits is a mirthful reminder to be careful of what you wish for and a hilarious lesson in chaos control for young readers. (Hardcover / 28 pages / Age 5 - 7 / $31) One fine day, Mr. Bobbin dons his hunting outfit and heads into the forest. Fully equipped and ready, he's forgotten one thing––that he's a hunter, as well as a vegetarian, who cannot hunt because of his great love of animals. Curiously, this is a true story. When first published in 1961, the real happy hunter had been "hunting" for 25 years.
Roger Duvoisin was born in Switzerland and came to the US in 1925. He wrote and illustrated forty books, and illustrated over 100 more by other authors. He received the Caldecott Medal in 1947 for White Snow, Bright Snow and a Caldecott Honor in 1966 for Hide and Seek Fog. (Hardcover / 40 pages / Age 3 - 8 / $32) "A poor person is not someone who has little, but one who needs infinitely more, and more, and more." Thus spoke José Mujica, then the President of Uruguay, before the United Nations in 2012.
Paraphrasing the wisdom of the great thinker Seneca, he asked the world to question the dogma of consumption that has driven us into environmental and economic crisis. Often referred to as the worlds “poorest” president, in part because of his practice of donating 90% of his $12,000 monthly salary to charity, José Mujica lived his words and proved that one need not have money to be rich. (Hardcover / 40 pages / Age 4 - 8 / $32) Adventure along with Sato the Rabbit as puddles on the ground become doors into the sky and stars fall into his fishing net to light the darkest night.
Do you ever wonder what wonderful things might be hiding in the world that we can’t immediately see? What stories your breakfast would tell you if it could talk, or where your pet would take you in its dreams? Haneru Sato thinks such things, so one day, he decides to find out how the world will change if he changes a little, too. He becomes a rabbit and discovers a world where every corner is a door to somewhere new and the simplest actions lead in unexpected directions. Coming from Japan, this whimsical book is the first in a trilogy. (Hardcover / 68 pages / Age 4-8 / $32) A beautiful and timely story about turning fear into courage, and a reminder that though we may face our fears alone, we’re all in this together.
Ella sits alone in a boat, battling waves so high they touch the sky. A bodiless voice beneath the surface of the sea tells her it is hopeless, she’ll never find land, she’ll never be safe… But there are kind voices at sea too – ones that offer encouragement, support and the promise of hope. With the kindness of a small white bird, a lesson from a pod of porpoises and the support of a gentle whale, Ella finds her courage and discovers she was never alone. 32 pages /Age 3-5 / $17) What makes you you? So much goes into who you are, and you are so many different things: A child, an animal, a body of water, a friend, a mystery, one-of-a-kind, a miracle. You are and could be so many things, but whatever you choose to do, it’s your life to write, you are a story.
Poet Bob Raczka’s You are a Story highlights all of the nuance and potential of a growing person’s identity, delighting in the things that make us special and connect us to others. Text and illustrations replete with inventive imagery and appealing metaphors show how we all live as individuals and citizens of the world. (Hardcover / 32 pages / Age 4- 8 / $33) Caldecott Medalist author-illustrator Jon Klassen delivers a deliciously macabre treat for folktale fans.
In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both? Steeped in shadows and threaded with subtle wit – with rich, monochromatic artwork and an illuminating author’s note – The Skull is as empowering as it is mysterious and foreboding. (Hardcover / 112 pages / Age 6 - 8 / $37) Follow unexpected possibilities on fanciful and humorous journeys, powered by the limitlessness of the imagination and the openness of the human spirit.
Supposing leads to pondering a chain of hypothetical events that play with the way that things are, daring to imagine a world beyond the laws of physics and unbeholden to societal conventions. Each sentence may start with the same word “SUPPOSING,” but it’s impossible to predict where the zany musings will lead! Alastair Reid’s text, still as delightful and fresh as it was in 1960, is accompanied by new, dazzlingly vibrant illustrations from JooHee Yoon. (Hardcover / 48 pages / Age 4- 8 / $33) An incredible collection of scientific facts about colour.
We'll talk about light (the most important thing) and waves (not the kind you see at the beach - though you will learn why the sea looks blue!). You'll find out how some animals are able to glow in the dark and how others change their colours to hide from predators. Keep reading to discover why leaves change colour in the autumn, why your veins look blue but your blood is red, and why the language we use shapes the colours we see . . . And you'll learn exactly how to make a rainbow - in space. (Hardcover / 128 pages / Age 7-9 / $35) It’s a little out of fashion to buy a pet cloud, but Lizzy doesn’t mind. She’s not looking for a big one or a fancy one, just one that’s right for her. And she finds it in Milo.
Soon, she’s taking Milo out on walks with her family, watering Milo right on schedule and seeing Milo grow and grow. But what happens when her pet cloud gets too big for Lizzy to handle? This charming story with beautiful illustrations from the exceptionally talented Fan brothers will enchant readers young and old alike, teaching children an unpredictable journey of growth and loving something enough to set it free. (Hardcover / 56 pages / Age 4-8 / $28) A picture book about a boy and his larger-than-life immigrant grandfather, who shares with him the kind of learning that’s not taught in classrooms.
At six years old, the child-narrator of this picture book loves nothing more than spending time with his grandpa, Luis—especially in his marvelous garden, where green beans reach as high as the sky. Luis’s garden is where the little boy practices reading and writing. But just as importantly, it’s also where he learns wonderful things from Luis, like the names of all the birds in the trees and new expressions that are so much fun to say. Luis's playful vocabulary is as vibrant and full of life as his garden, and phrases that are particular to his way of talking, like "at the drop of a cat" (which means right away), are soon adapted into the little boy's lexicon, too. A talented cook, artist, and gardener, Luis has much wisdom to impart and many experiences to share with his grandson—even though, as a war refugee, he never went to school himself and never learned to read and write. A loving testament to the intergenerational transmission of knowledge and the breathtaking beauty of the natural world, illustrated with evocative, multilayered art by Violeta Lópiz.
(Hardcover / 36 pages / Age 4 - 8 / Out in March) / $33) Go on a tour of eco-friendly farms around the globe! From urban gardens to farms under the sea, discover the many different sustainable ways people have been growing food for centuries, and new innovations that are battling the effects of climate change on farming.
Rhyming text and inset boxes with definitions for new vocabulary words make the topic accessible to young learners. End matter includes detailed information about each country's farming practice, sustainable farming and more. (40 pages / Age 3 - 8 / $21) Remarkable Remy is a warm and optimistic story that introduces an Autistic character to a young audience. The story helps explain the Autistic brain – how it works a little differently and how unique it is – and how our neurodivergent friends make the world remarkable!
A picture book for both Autistic and non-Autistic readers aged 3 and up, Remarkable Remy illuminates the experiences and strengths of Autistic people, and the joys of having Autistic friends. (Hardcover / 32 pages / Age 3+ / $25) A collective biography of 40 influential Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders whose historical contributions readers may not know but whose light shines on, with stunning illustrated portraits by Hugo Award nominee Victo Ngai.
Meet forty people who helped change the world in countless ways in this beautifully illustrated collective biography. From scientists to sports stars, aerospace engineers to artists, every person shines in this collection. Dynamic portraits portray each person with bold colors and clever, precise details. Each biography celebrates the determination and courage of people who were on the forefront of changing society. Using their specific talents, each individual fought for the space for people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to be seen and treated with dignity and respect. Their important legacy lives on today. (Hardcover / 112 pages / Age 8 - 12 / $31) A hilarious absurdist tale about a precocious girl who transforms her community in surprising ways.
What are people for? That’s the burning question on the mind of Leeva Spayce Thornblossom. Fame! says Leeva’s mom, the mayor of Nutsmore. Money! says her dad, the town treasurer. With the help of an orphaned badger, a risk-averse boy in a hazmat suit, and the town's librarians, Leeva sets off to discover her own answer—setting off a chain of events that will change Nutsmore forever. (320 pages / Age 8-12 / $22) Charity Brown’s life is about to change – her family have been left a huge, rambling house by a mysterious benefactor, and her parents want to move in and throw open its doors to the needy.
Only recently back from hospital after months of isolation with polio, Charity is over-protected and lonely as the only child still at home. Her family are very religious – her sisters are called Faith and Hope, and her brother Ted is studying to be a preacher – so she's both excited and nervous at the thought of sharing her family and new home with strangers. It’s a recipe for confusion, joy and endless misunderstandings, including with the new neighbours, an Austrian family with a daughter just Charity’s age . . . (352 pages / Age 9 - 11 / $21) |