Dancing to Freedom: The True Story of Mao’s Last Dancer

In a poor village in northern China, a small boy named Li Cunxin was given the chance of a lifetime. Selected by Chairman Mao’s officials from among millions of children to become a dancer, Li’s new life began as he left his family behind.

At the Beijing Dance Academy, days were long and difficult. Li’s hard work was rewarded when he was chosen yet again, this time to travel to America.

From there his career took flight, and he danced in cities around the world—never forgetting his family, who urged him to follow his dreams.

Marwe: Into the Land of the Dead

Marwe lives in a village where food is scarce. She tries to be obedient, but it’s hard to spend every day working in the field. When her carelessness ruins the village’s crops, she’s too scared to face her angry family and runs away to the strange Land of the Dead. Marawe knows she doesn’t belong there. But can she find the right sort of courage to return to the land of the living.

On a Road in Africa

Baskets empty on the seat. Must be filled with things to eat…On a road in Africa, On a road in Africa. Where you gonna go, Mama O, Mama O? Follow real-life animal rescuer Chryssee Perry Martin (a.k.a. “Mama `O’rphanage”) as she makes her daily trek down a dusty road in Africa. Along the way she fills her sisal baskets to the brim with mangoes, bananas, peanuts, and even poop–all to feed and entertain the rescued animals staying in the Nairobi Animal Orphanage. Kim Doner’s detailed oil wash and pencil paintings transport readers to Nairobi, Kenya, where children prepare snacks for hungry baboons and buffalo feast on sugar cane.

Midsummer Knight

Gregory Rogers is back with a new wordless adventure every bit as funny and inspired as The Boy, The Bear, The Baron, The Bard. Here the Bear returns as a soldier whose daydreams are interrupted by Shakespeare’s fairy, Puck–the Boy in the previous book. Soon Bear finds himself hurtled into an enchanted world replete with treacherous doings, sinister plots and, of course, palace dungeons. Is Bear truly a swashbuckler? Will he ever escape?

The Story of Growl

Growl is a little purple monster who lives alone in a big castle at the end of Eucalyptus Drive. Growl likes to hop and skip, and jump, and sing. But best of all, Growl loves to growl! She loves to growl inside and out. She loves to growl all morning, and even at night. One afternoon Growl sneaks across her garden and growls over the neighbor’s fence! When they telephone the police, a special rule is made and Growl is banned from doing what she loves best. But what will Growl do? How will Growl get her growl back?

I Lost My Kisses

“Where do you find kisses?” “What do kisses look like?” Matilda Rose loves to kiss. But one day, something goes terribly, horribly wrong. She loses her kisses, just before her daddy is going to come home. Matilda goes on the hysterical and thoughtful search to find her kisses. Matilda Rose learns that you can never really lose your kisses — they will always be there when you need them.

Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck!

Every time Auntie Elsie comes to visit she gives Andy two big sloppy kisses. Kiss! Kiss! on the left cheek. Kiss! Kiss! on the right cheek. Yuck! Yuck! Andy says to himself.

Andy is a fast runner. But not fast enough to outrun Auntie Elsie. Andy is good at hiding. But Auntie Elsie always finds him. When he ducks down in a pig pen, she climbs right over the fence. When he climbs a tree, she follows right after him.

But then Auntie Elsie breaks her leg and stops coming to visit. Andy realizes he misses Aunt Elsie and her sloppy kisses. One day, a taxi pulls by the gate and out come two crutches. Now it s Andy s turn to get Aunt Elsie. Kiss! Kiss! Hug! Hug!

Kyle Mewburn s funny story of an overly affectionate aunt and her long-suffering nephew will resonate with readers, who will instantly recognize the bond of love that unites the two characters. Ali Teo and John O Reilly s colorful and quirky multimedia illustrations, which combine freehand drawing and photographic collage, exaggerate the humor of the story.

Silly Lilly and the Four Seasons

Lilly is a spunky little girl who delights in the unexpected pleasures of each season, peering inside shells in the summer and tasting different kinds of apples in the fall. In this book, Lilly learns more about the outdoors, and introduces the youngest readers to the colors, words, and shapes that arise in nature.

The Little Word Catcher

Elise wonders why her grandmother’s words keep escaping her — do they fly off to play tricks on her? Elise’s grandmother used to know many marvelous words, but now she seems to be losing them all the time. Can Elise help her by catching them, like butterflies in a net? This award-winning picture book offers a gentle exploration of the effects of Alzheimer’s on the relationships in a family, and the special bond it creates between a grandmother and her granddaughter. Eventually, Elise comes to believe that her grandmother has used up all her words and has passed them on to her, as a gift. Winner of the 2007 Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature Illustration (French language).

Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach

Scaredy Squirrel doesn’t like crowds so he doesn’t go to the beach, he builds his own. However, something is missing so he needs to go to the real beach and retrieve it.