Children's Books for Parents and Teachers » Social Issues

A Boy and a Bear: The Children’s Relaxation Book

admin — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 20:20:47 +0000

Written for children, this book tells the story of a young boy who encounters a polar bear while they are both climbing a snow covered mountain. The boy and bear become friends and learn an important lesson. Young readers will enjoy the story and benefit from learning calming techniques to reduce stress, prepare for sleep, … Continue reading →

A Smart Girl’s Guide to Friendship Troubles

cindy — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:41:24 +0000

How do you speak up when you’re afraid of hurting your friend’s feelings? What do you do after a really big fight? What if your friend leaves you for the popular crowd? Inside you’ll find tips, quizzes, and real-life stories that can help solve a girl’s most common friendship troubles. When your friendship’s in trouble, you need help — fast. Here’s the advice you need to get through the tough times and help you decide how to deal with friendship dilemmas

Coretta Scott

admin — Tue, 09 Jan 2001 21:42:51 +0000

Walking many miles to school in the dusty road, young Coretta knew, too well, the unfairness of life in the segregated south. A yearning for equality began to grow. Together with Martin Luther King, Jr., she gave birth to a vision and a journey—with dreams of freedom for all.

This extraordinary union of poetic text by Ntozake Shange and monumental artwork by Kadir Nelson captures the movement for civil rights in the United States and honors its most elegant inspiration, Coretta Scott.

Dear Mr Henshaw

admin — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:10:20 +0000

In his letters to his favorite author, ten-year-old Leigh reveals his problems in coping with his parents’ divorce, being the new boy in school, and generally finding his own place in the world.

Fancy Nancy : Bonjour, Butterfly

admin — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 23:21:35 +0000

Nancy thinks butterflies are simply exquisite. And that is why she can’t wait for her friend Bree’s Butterfly Birthday. It’s going to be the fanciest birthday party ever! But when Nancy finds out she can’t go because her grandparents’ fiftieth anniversary party is the same day, she is furious. (Mad is way too plain for how she feels.) Will Nancy be able to overcome her disappointment? In this magical new story from bestselling duo Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser, everybody’s favorite fancy girl gets a surprise lesson in fancy from her grandparents. Looks like fancy runs in the family after all!

Feathers

admin — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 16:46:28 +0000

“Hope is the thing with feathers” starts the poem Frannie is reading inschool. Frannie hasn’t thought much about hope. There are so many other things to think about. Each day, her friend Samantha seems a bit more “holy.” There is a new boy in class everyone is calling the Jesus Boy. And although the new boy looks like a white kid, he says he’s not white. Who is he?

During a winter full of surprises, good and bad, Frannie starts seeing a lot of things in a new light—her brother Sean’s deafness, her mother’s fear, the class bully’s anger, her best friend’s faith and her own desire for “the thing with feathers.”

Jacqueline Woodson once again takes readers on a journey into a young girl’s heart and reveals the pain and the joy of learning to look beneath the surface.

Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully

jen — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:15:07 +0000

Freckleface Strawberry loves the Early Bird program at school because it means extra time on the playground–except when it rains. Rain means indoor playtime…and facing the school bully Windy Pants Patrick in a bruising game of dodgeball. Ignoring him seems the safest thing, but what’s our freckled heroine to do when she’s forced to confront … Continue reading →

Global Babies

admin — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:40:49 +0000

Seventeen cultures, seventeen gorgeous babies. Appealing color photographs depict diverse traditions and showcase clothing worn by babies from around the world. A simple narrative helps demonstrate that no matter how different babies appear, they are all very much alike — nurtured and loved by those who care for them.

Good Enough to Eat

admin — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 18:35:46 +0000

Once there was a poor girl who had no mama and no papa and nothing at all, not even a name. But then one day an Ogre comes knocking at the town’s gate, threatening to ravage the town unless the townspeople give him one of their fair maidens. Of course they pick this poor girl to be sacrificed. They dress her in a gown and a paper crown, put her in a sack, and leave her for the Ogre. But this brave and clever girl manages to outwit the Ogre and all the townspeople, too, earning a purse full of gold, a fine sharp sword, and most important, a fitting name for herself: Good-Enough-to-Eat. This satisfying story has the feel of a classic fairy tale, brought to life by Brock Cole’s expressive watercolors.

Hatchet (Brian’s Saga Series #1)

admin — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:56:50 +0000

Brian Robertson, sole passenger on a Cessna 406, is on his way to visit his father when the tiny bush plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness. With nothing but his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother had given him as a present, Brian finds himself completely alone. Challenged by his fear and despair — and plagued with the weight of a dreadful secret he’s been keeping since his parent’s divorce — brian must tame his inner demons in order to survive. It will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed.

Holes

admin — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:58:28 +0000

Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys’ detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys “build character” by spending all day, every day, digging holes: five feet wide and five feet deep. It doesn’t take long for Stanley to realize there’s more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.

I am a Vivor

admin — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:21:55 +0000

Here is an inspirational story of a young girl who has survived cancer. The superb photography and kid friendly language depict her doing everything other kids can do, with one arm. She is an amazing little girl with a positive attitude and a strong family behind her. This story is wonderful for helping children and … Continue reading →

I Like Myself!

admin — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:53:09 +0000

High on energy and imagination, this ode to self-esteem encourages kids to appreciate everything about themselves—inside and out. Messy hair? Beaver breath? So what! Here’s a little girl who knows what really matters. At once silly and serious, Karen Beaumont’s joyous rhyming text and David Catrow’s wild illustrations unite in a book that is sassy, … Continue reading →

It’s Hard to Be Five: Learning How to Work My Control Panel

cindy — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:36:22 +0000

It’s hard to be five. Just yelled at my brother. My mind says do one thing. My mouth says another.It’s fun to be five!
Big changes are here! My body’s my car, and I’m licensed to steer. Learning not to hit? Having to wait your turn? Sitting still? It’s definitely hard to be five. But Jamie Lee Curtis’s encouraging text and Laura Cornell’s playful illustrations make the struggles of self-control a little bit easier and a lot more fun!

Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse

admin — Sat, 05 May 2007 15:38:15 +0000

Lilly loves everything about school, especially her cool teacher, Mr. Slinger. But when Lilly brings her purple plastic purse and its treasures to school and can’t wait until sharing time, Mr. Slinger confiscates her prized possessions. Lilly’s fury leads to revenge and then to remorse and she sets out to make amends.

Little Dos & Don’ts: A Gift Box Set

cindy — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:14:30 +0000

With bright illustrations and an interactive lift-the-flap format, these three books are a great way for toddlers to learn all about sharing, playing fair, and behaving in the wider world they are now part of. Assembled in a colorful keepsake case so parents will know just where to reach for an emergency “lesson” from Karen … Continue reading →

Little Dos and Don’ts: A Gift Box Set by Karen Katz

cindy — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:12:11 +0000

Mostly Monty

admin — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 05:03:17 +0000

A shy boy with asthma starts first grade — and comes into his own — in this appealing story for early chapter book readers. Six-year-old Monty doesn’t have a brother, a sister, or a pet. What he does have is asthma, which sometimes makes it hard to breathe and often makes him feel like he’d rather be somebody else. And now that he’s starting first grade, he’s very nervous about being with all those kids he won’t know. Luckily, he loves to read — even really hard books — and has a talent for finding things, from a cocooning caterpillar to classmates who want to be in his very own club. With familiar situations and gentle humor, Johanna Hurwitz follows an endearing character as he discovers that being himself can be pretty great after all.

My Book about Me

admin — Sat, 05 May 2007 15:20:49 +0000

Encourages children to find out about themselves, while having fun writing and drawing their own biographies.

One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference

jen — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:33:17 +0000

Loosely based on an actual success story, this tale of a Ghanaian lad who parlays one hen into a major poultry farm highlights the way microloans are helping to break the cycle of poverty in many third-world communities. Young Kojo and his mother are barely getting by gathering firewood to sell in the local market, but with a few leftover coins from a group loan, he is able to buy a chicken, sell the eggs and with the extra money slowly build up a flock. Milway follows Kojo through years of hard work as he completes his education, grows up and at last becomes a grandfather, with a big family and a business that has become an economic cornerstone of his entire town. Effectively lightening the author’s long, message-driven tale, Fernandes adds plenty of chickens and lots of fanciful details to her sunny illustrations. Kojo suffers no reverses in his climb to prosperity, but as an introduction for children to how microloans are supposed to work, this makes an eye-opening case study. The author introduces the real Kojo at the end as well as some of the international organizations that make these life-changing bootstrap loans.

Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution

admin — Sat, 05 May 2007 15:21:38 +0000

In 1966 Ji–li Jiang turned twelve. An outstanding student and leader, she had everything: brains, the admiration of her peers, and a bright future in China’s Communist Party. But that year China’s leader, Mao Ze–dong, launched the Cultural Revolution, and everything changed. Over the next few years Ji–li and her family were humiliated and scorned by former friends, neighbors, and co–workers. They lived in constant terror of arrest. Finally, with the detention of her father, Ji–li faced the most difficult choice of her life. Told with simplicity and grace, this is the true story of one family’s courage and determination during one of the most terrifying eras of the twentieth century.

Sheetzucacapoopoo: Max Goes to the Dogs

admin — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:11:15 +0000

In daytime-TV dynamo Joy Behar’s follow-up to her New York Times bestseller Sheetzucacapoopoo: My Kind of Dog, Max is off to doggy day care. And while the lovable Shih tzu/cocker spaniel/poodle puppy is initially reluctant to leave the comfort of home for the rigors of obedience school, Max finds that school can be fun . … Continue reading →

Sheetzucacapoopoo: My Kind of Dog

admin — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:18:43 +0000

Comedian and talk-show host Joy Behar has teamed up with illustrator Gene Barretta to create a feisty, lovable character in this cheerful, funny picture book. When Max the mixed-breed meets a pack of snobby purebred dogs in the dog run, he can’t understand why they don’t want to play with him and his mongrel friends. Determined to get everyone to play together, brainy Max–who is part poodle, after all–comes up with a way to break the ice between the mixed-breeds and the purebreds. America’s current obsession with designer dogs makes this book as timely as it is lively.

Snow Treasure

admin — Sat, 05 May 2007 15:14:29 +0000

In the bleak winter of 19 0, Nazi troops parachuted into Peter Lindstrom’s tiny Norwegian village and held it captive. Nobody thought the Nazis could be defeated–until Uncle Victor told Peter how the children could fool the enemy. It was a dangerous plan. They had to slip past Nazi guards with nine million dollars in gold hidden on their sleds. It meant risking their country’s treasure–and their lives. This classic story of how a group of children outwitted the Nazis and sent the treasure to America has captivated generations of readers.

The Bravest Boy I Ever Knew

admin — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:58:46 +0000

What makes someone brave? Michael wants to introduce you to someone very important. This boy is just like you. He loves sports, puzzles, and being outside. He loves to race Michael, often beating him. This boy is a great best friend. Michael wants to be just like him because he’s the bravest boy Michael knows. … Continue reading →

The Daring Book for Girls

admin — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:53:40 +0000

The Daring Book for Girls is the manual for everything that girls need to know — and that doesn’t mean sewing buttonholes! Whether it’s female heroes in history, secret note-passing skills, science projects, friendship bracelets, double dutch, cats cradle, the perfect cartwheel or the eternal mystery of what boys are thinking, this book has it all. But it’s not just a guide to giggling at sleepovers — although that’s included, of course! Whether readers consider themselves tomboys, girly-girls, or a little bit of both, this book is every girl’s invitation to adventure.

The Feelings Book: The Care and Keeping of Your Emotions

admin — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 20:25:54 +0000

This sensitive companion to the bestselling book The Care and Keeping of You helps girls understand their emotions and learn to deal with them. They’ll get tips on expressing their feelings and staying in control, plus advise on handling fear, anxiety, jealousy, and grief. Girl-friendly format features fun illustrations and letters from real girls written … Continue reading →

The Hope Tree: Kids Talk About Breast Cancer

admin — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:46:30 +0000

This picture book is narrated by animal characters, ages 5-12, who are part of a support group that helps children cope with their mothers’ breast cancer. Each character shares with the reader a different aspect of dealing with cancer — what it was like when their family found out, what they learned about the disease (including that it isn’t contagious), what doctors are doing to treat their mothers, and how they look for “the good” in the days their mothers go through chemotherapy. They also share their emotions, helpful hints, and the hope that their mothers will get better. This reassuring book with charming animal illustrations will comfort young children struggling with a parent or loved one with cancer or another serious disease.

The Quiltmaker’s Gift

admin — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:30:42 +0000

A generous quiltmaker and a covetous king go head-to-head in this tale of good versus greed. When a can’t-have-enough king demands that a seamstress sew him a quilt, she refuses because she only makes them for the poor. Time after time, the king tries to intimidate her into making him a quilt — but she doesn’t budge a stitch! Instead she tells him that for each possession he gives away, she’ll sew him a patch of a quilt. The king finally receives his own priceless quilt and discovers the joy of giving. Readers will enjoy this quintessential quilt tale and the swatches of material, patterns, and directions for making quilts that are included.

Umbrella Summer

admin — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:21:37 +0000

Annie Richards knows there are a million things to look out for—bicycle accidents, food poisoning, chicken pox, smallpox, typhoid fever, runaway zoo animals, and poison oak. That’s why being careful is so important, even if it does mean giving up some of her favorite things, like bike races with her best friend, Rebecca, and hot dogs on the Fourth of July. Everyone keeps telling Annie not to worry so much, that she’s just fine. But they thought her brother, Jared, was just fine too, and Jared died.

It takes a new neighbor, who looks as plain as a box of toothpicks but has some surprising secrets of her own, to make Annie realize that her plans for being careful aren’t working out as well as she had hoped. And with a lot of help from those around her—and a book about a pig, too—Annie just may find a way to close her umbrella of sadness and step back into the sunshine.

With winsome humor and a dash of small-town charm, Lisa Graff’s third novel is a touching look at rising above grief and the healing power of community.