Dojo Daycare

One morning, six young ninjas are dropped off at Dojo Daycare. As soon as their ninja moms and ninja dads have left: KABOOM! KAPOW! The ninja boys and girls kick, push, punch, and quickly turn the place upside down in a full-blown ninja riot. Try as he might, the hapless master can’t control the children, and the disaster plays out through lunchtime and story time.

M Is for Maple Leafs

For nearly a century, the Toronto Maple Leafs have stood as one of the most popular hockey franchises in the NHL. With M Is for Maple Leafs, children across North America will discover the alphabet while being introduced to interesting Leaf history.

Who’s Next Door?

Chicken is thrilled when he finds out someone new has moved in next door. His quiet house deep in the woods can be lonely sometimes, and it would be so much fun to have a friend! But Chicken never catches so much as a glimpse of his neighbor, despite many days spent waiting, pacing, and knocking. As it turns out, his neighbor, Owl, has been doing the same thing, yearning to meet Chicken — only he’s been doing it at night. It’s not until after the two exchange notes and mix up plans for a visit, each using his own definition of “tomorrow,” that they meet fortuitously and find a creative way to enjoy each other’s friendship despite their different schedules.

Hope Springs

A drought has settled in the area around the orphanage where Boniface lives. There are long line-ups at the tiny spring where all the local people get their water, and suddenly the orphans are pushed to the back of the line, unwelcome. Boniface’s houseparent, Henry, tells him that the people were mean out of fear–they feared there would not be enough water for their families. When the building of the orphanage’s well is completed, Boniface has an idea to help the villagers.

This book has been included in WOW’s Kids Taking Action Booklist. For our current list, visit our Boolist page under Resources in the green navigation bar.

Night Sky Dragons

Yazul loves making kites with his grandfather, but all he truly desires is the approval of his father. Yazul’s father, lord of a han along the Silk Road, is a man made stern by loneliness, and Yazul’s love of kite-making only seems to elicit disappointment. “Travel and trade are what matters,” his father says. But when the han is attacked by bandits, Yazul has an idea.

Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin

In this beautifully written picture book, Hana Hashimoto has signed up to play her violin at her school’s talent show. The trouble is, she’s only a beginner, and she’s had only three lessons. Her brothers insist she isn’t good enough. “It’s a talent show, Hana,” they tell her. “You’ll be a disaster!” Hana remembers how wonderfully her talented grandfather, or Ojiichan, played his violin when she was visiting him in Japan. So, just like Ojiichan, Hana practices every day. She is determined to play her best. When Hana’s confidence wavers on the night of the show, however, she begins to wonder if her brothers were right.

Join the discussion of Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin as well as other books sharing “What/who empowers young children in their lives?” on our My Take/Your Take page.

Loula and the Sister Recipe

Loula’s three brothers, the Rotten Pirate Triplets, don’t want to play with her. “Brothers,” mutters Loula, “the worst invention in the world.” She decides what she really needs is a sister, one just like her. So naturally, she asks her parents to make one for her. Only, it’s not that easy. Her father explains, “Making a sister is . . . well, it’s like making a cake. You need the right ingredients.” To make a sister, they say, you need a papa and a mama, butterflies in the stomach, a full moon, a candlelit supper, kisses and hugs and chocolate.