Snow Angel, Sand Angel

Claire has been surrounded by the deep blue waves of Hapuna Beach and the magnificent mountains of Hawai’i all her life, but has never, ever seen snow. When her father drives her and her family to the top of the Mauna Kea, she can’t help but to be disappointed…it’s not the winter wonderland she’s always dreamed of. And that’s what she wants, more than anything. But as Claire edges ever closer to the new year, she wonders if maybe– just maybe–she can delight in the special joys of winter in her own way–right there, on her Big Island of Hawaii.
Includes backmatter that captures the environmental culture of Hawaii, and will teach children not only about the local flora and fauna, but also the value of being environmentally friendly.

The Dog Walk

It’s time for Grandma’s dog to go for a walk. The eager pooch tugs the boy’s hand, excited to get going. But where will they end up? This is a dog walk like no other, through amazing fairy-tale worlds, paintings come to life, Escher-esque castles, an intricately cluttered antique store, and past countless delights: walking teapots, miniature steamboats, giant hedgehogs and islands with sails.

My Must-Have Mom

Jake’s mom is not like most moms. Say there’s a dumpster in the street, most moms will pass right by without a second glance. Not Jake’s mom. “Look at this, Jake!” she’ll shout. “We must have this! We must have this, too! And we simply must have this!” That’s Jake’s mom for you. She’s a must-have mom.

The Bear And The Little Green Thing

When the little green thing is dropped from the mouth of a bird, it finds an unexpected home – on the back of a bear. The little green thing just needs to convince the bear to let it stay. You might not think a little green thing has a lot to say, but this one does!

Dragon Bones: The Fantastic Fossil Discoveries Of Mary Anning

At home in her seaside town in England, little Mary Anning stared out her window. Unlike other children, Mary couldn’t wait for a rainy day. Because when it rained… the bones were revealed. With her father and brother, Mary would go out searching the damp soil after a storm, with the hopes of finding something nobody had seen before: a dinosaur. After her father dies, Mary must continue her search, picking up his tools and venturing out alone. In her life, she discovered several creatures, but was never given credit…until recently.

A Map Into The World

As the seasons change, so too does a young Hmong girl’s world. She moves into a new home with her family and encounters both birth and death. As this curious girl explores life inside her house and beyond, she collects bits of the natural world. But who are her treasures for?

El Niño De Maíz/ The Boy Of Maize

In a land where the yellow jaguar lives and the sun rises behind green mountains, “the earth was filled with joy” when Balam, the boy of maize, was born. He climbed on top of a big, blue turtle, and along with an assortment of other animals, began the journey to the village. Excited to spread the word about the child’s birth, the creatures worked together–each utilizing its special skills–in perfect harmony with Mother Earth. The turtle walked so slowly that he sent the louse ahead to give the good news to the townspeople. But the louse fell asleep in the road, so the toad swallowed him and said, “I will take you with the message.” The toad, exhausted from taking big leaps, was swallowed by the snake, and the snake, unable to cross the river, was swallowed by the hawk. When the bird flew into the village, the louse delivered the message, but long days and nights passed and still the boy did not arrive! Would the great turtle be able to deliver the special boy?

Free

With Paloma’s quick and creative thinking, she’s able to outwit the bureaucracy and come up with a solution: they free the birds from their cages, and while Paloma and the ringmaster drive across the border in their truck, the birds fly overhead! When the circus is reunited on the other side, Paloma suggests the birds don’t need cages―they can fly free.

The Most Beautiful Thing

Drawn from author Kao Kalia Yang’s childhood experiences as a Hmong refugee, this moving picture book portrays a family with a great deal of love and little money. Weaving together Kalia’s story with that of her beloved grandmother, the book moves from the jungles of Laos to the family’s early years in the United States. When Kalia becomes unhappy about having to do without and decides she wants braces to improve her smile, it is her grandmother―a woman who has just one tooth in her mouth―who helps her see that true beauty is found with those we love most. Stunning illustrations from Vietnamese illustrator Khoa Le bring this intergenerational tale to life.

The Most Beautiful Thing was the WOW Recommends: Book of the Month for March 2021.

When We Are Kind / [Oxia Script]

When We Are Kind celebrates simple acts of everyday kindness and encourages children to explore how they feel when they initiate and receive acts of kindness in their lives. Celebrated author Monique Gray Smith has written many books on the topics of resilience and reconciliation and communicates an important message through carefully chosen words for readers of all ages. Beautifully illustrated by artist Nicole Neidhardt, this book encourages children to be kind to others and to themselves.