Shattered

As bullets ring and bombs are dropped, children watch—mostly from the sidelines, but occasionally in the direct line of fire. Unaware of the political issues or power struggles behind the battle, all they know are the human, emotional consequences of this thing called war. This collection examines all of war’s implications for young people—from those caught in the line of fire to the children of the veterans of wars long past.Critically acclaimed author Jennifer Armstrong brings together 12 powerful voices in young people’s literature to explore the realities of war from a child’s perspective. The settings vary widely—the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, an attempted coup in Venezuela, the American Civil War, crisis in the Middle East—but the effects are largely the same. In war, no life is ever left untouched. In war, lives are shattered.

Granpa

Adorable Granpa gamely nurses his granddaughter’s dolls, eats her pretend strawberry-flavored ice cream, takes her tobogganing in the snow, and falls in step with her imaginary plans to captain a ship to Africa—like all good grandfathers should. Winner of the Kate Maschler Award, this poignant tale of friendship and loss is one children will long remember.

Mouse Mansion

Best friends Julia and Sam are mice who live in the Mouse Mansion. When they’re together they find all sorts of adventures—and all kinds of trouble. Come with them as they discover a secret hiding place, greet the ragman, and learn to make pancakes. There is a shop that sells everything and a box full of treasure. And there might even be a rat! The Mouse Mansion is always full of surprises.

Bones Never Lie: How Forensics Helps Solve History’s Mysteries

The mystery of the young pharaoh’s death is only one of the puzzles that modern science has helped solve. Thanks to forensics — the scientific way of examining physical evidence — we now know what killed Napoleon and whether Anastasia survived the massacre of the Russian royal family.

Market!

Lewin takes readers on a whirlwind trip around the globe to marvel at the range of goods available for sale in the world’s markets. Woolen sweaters and ponchos in Ecuador; wood carvings, flutes, garlic and ginger in Nepal; Irish horses; Ugandan cows, bananas, and limes; fish in New York City; and dates, pottery and donkeys in Morocco are just a few of the products depicted in the watercolor paintings.

Hello in There!: A Big Sister’s Book of Waiting

A little girl eagerly awaits her new sibling. She talks to the baby in mama’s belly about cupcakes, strawberries, sailing and swimming; sings songs extra-loud to be sure baby can hear and wonders what her new sibling will look like. The enthusiastic big sister is rendered mostly in black and white, with a large smiling face, upturned nose and a sprinkling of freckles. Each left-hand page depicts a pregnant belly in profile, gradually growing from a small bump until it finally crosses the center line and begins to crowd in on the right-hand page. Each rendering of the belly features a hidden flap under which can be found an adorable baby with closed eyes, a sweet smile and rosy, red cheeks. The flap and the baby it conceals grow bigger as the belly does, until finally, the big day arrives. Big sister waits patiently at home, getting dressed up for the occasion, until mother and father return home and place the little one, eyes wide open now, in big sister’s arms.

Hansel & Gretel

Two abandoned children come upon a gingerbread cottage inhabited by a cruel witch who wants to eat them. Gaiman and fine artist Lorenzo Mattotti join forces to create Hansel and Gretel, a stunning book that’s at once as familiar as a dream and as evocative as a nightmare. Mattotti’s sweeping ink illustrations capture the terror and longing found in the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Neil Gaiman crafts an original text filled with his signature wit and pathos that is sure to become a favorite of readers everywhere, young and old.force

Superfab Saves the Day

Meet Superfab, the best-dressed superhero around. He’s got a walk-in closet, an extensive collection of outfits, and fabulous style to boot. The only problem is, he can’t leave his house to go fight crime until he has the perfect outfit on — and sometimes that takes awhile. Sometimes it takes so long that by the time he arrives at the scene of a crime, another superhero has already gotten the job done. Superfab finds himself less and less in demand, until one day he gets called to the scene and discovers that his exquisite sense of style is just the weapon he needs to beat (and befriend) this particular monster.