In the New World

The story of Robert and Margarete and their children Johannes and Dorothea, who emigrate from Germany to the United States in 1850. After landing in New Orleans and joining a wagon train headed west to Nebraska, the family establishes a farm outside Omaha. The book ends with a switch to modern day with descendants of Robert and Margarete living on the same farm. They make the decision to investigate their roots and visit Germany, reversing the trip their ancestors made.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume 8, Issue 2

The Red Bicycle : The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle

In this unique nonfiction picture book, the main character is a bicycle that starts its life like so many bicycles in North America, being owned and ridden by a young boy. The boy, Leo, treasures his bicycle so much he gives it a name — Big Red. But eventually Leo outgrows Big Red, and this is where the bicycle’s story takes a turn from the everyday, because Leo decides to donate it to an organization that ships bicycles to Africa.

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.

Call Me Tree

A bilingual poetic tale that follows one child/tree from the depths of Mami/Earth to the heights of the sky, telling a story about being free to grow and be who we are meant to be and honoring our relationship with the natural world.

The Cobbler’s Holiday: Or Why Ants Don’t Wear Shoes

Long ago ants only cared about two things—fashion and dancing—and stylish shoes, the link between the two, became their biggest obsession. When the ants’ only cobbler leaves town, the ants find themselves in trouble. How are stylish ants supposed to keep in vogue without new shoes? When one ant finally does the shocking thing: shows up to a dance BAREFOOT, she creates a scandal…and eventually a new fashion trend. A witty tale of change, gracefully matched with chic art depicting high-fashion in ant-sized form.  

Sand Swimmers: The Secret Life of Australia’s Desert Wilderness

In the center of Australia lies a strange desert wilderness called the Dead Heart. It is difficult to imagine anything can exist in such a forbidding place. But the Dead Heart contains amazing stories of adaptation and survival. Follow in the footsteps of early explorers like Charles Sturt and learn what the indigenous people of Australia have long known: not all is quite as it seems.

Decorated Horses

This nonfiction picture book about horses has a fresh focus: how people over the ages have decorated horses in special ways. Organized into three categories—warfare and hunting, performance and competition, performance, and ceremony—the book introduces horses such as the chariot-pulling war horse of the Persians to the rose-decorated winner of the Kentucky Derby.

The Bus is for Us

Small children take great delight in rides—whether by bicycle, car, boat, or plane. But best of all is taking the bus, because the bus is for everyone!

The Nightingale

Though the Emperor of China banishes the nightingale in preference of a jeweled mechanical imitation, the little bird remains faithful and returns years later when the emperor is near death and no one else can help him.