Primary (ages 6-9)

Material appropriate for primary age groups

The Woman Who Turned Children Into Birds

“Go on. Be happy. Off you fly!” A charming tale from a beloved storyteller and award-winning illustrator urges readers of all ages to take chances and find joy. Nanty Solo is new in town and claims she can turn children into birds. Terrified parents forbid the idea, but the children want to fly-they want it very much-and they do. One by one, they approach Nanty Solo. One by one, they are transformed until the sky over town teems with rooks and goldfinches, parakeets and sparrows. The adults take one look and cry, “Get out of that sky this very minute!” But the sight of their offspring-set free to soar, hope, and explore-soon has the grown-ups wondering what it might be like to have wings to fly and a beak to sing.

The lilting, dreamy tale, told in David Almond’s inimitable voice and playfully illustrated, assures us it’s never too late to say yes to life.

The Musician

In ancient China, a young musician named Yu Boya gained fame for his talents. On the night of the Moon Festival, he encounters a mysterious woodcutter who is also a musician and admires Boya’s most famous song: Lofty Mountains and Flowing Water. Their friendship deepens and Boya vows to play the song for his new friend every year on the festival night. But the next year, upon hearing of his friend’s death, Boya smashes his instrument and never plays again. To this day, the word for “close friendship” means “understanding the music.”

Noor And Bobby

In a besieged city, Noor watches as his neighbors pack their bags and flee their homes-but a dog named Bobby is left behind. As Noor sets out across the ravaged city to save him, he discovers pockets of life and hope in this moving story of friendship in the face of adversity.

Grandad’s Pink Trousers

The grandfather of our story isn’t like other grandparents. He wears pink trousers! And that’s not all that’s strange about him. People say that he’s a strange old codger altogether. Some even think that he’s grumpy. But as his grandson grows up, he comes to understand why Grandad does strange things like refusing to give up his silly trousers. The child reader of this thought-provoking story will learn that quiet heroism can be more effective than a thousand grand gestures.

Bailey And Blanket

A heartwarming read-aloud about the special relationship between a child and their best friend in all the world . . . a soft, cozy blanket.

Everywhere Bailey goes, Blanket goes too. They love to adventure together. Until an uninvited guest joins the family picnic, and . . .disaster strikes.

What will life be like without Blanket? Determined to keep the duo on their path of adventure, Dad crafts a plan.

Lilting, lyrical text and comically detailed illustrations tell an uplifting tale about resilience, ingenuity and love.

Arthur Who Wrote Sherlock (Who Wrote Classics)

What if you wrote a story about a detective, and he became the most famous detective ever? Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Or . . . would it? Arthur has always loved stories. Even as he grew up poor, endured hardships at school and experienced danger on the high seas, Arthur was always thrilled and inspired by stories. Eventually, he writes his own, and after many years of struggle as a writer, he finally finds success with a series of mystery stories starring his genius detective, Sherlock Holmes. But is it possible for a character to become too successful? Too popular? And if that happens to Arthur, will he really throw his greatest literary creation . . . over a cliff?!

My Life At The Bottom

From award-winning Nordic author and illustrator Linda Bondestam comes a new kind of climate change story, narrated by an adorable axolotl who is-possibly-the last of its kind. In a forest of seaweed there was ME, a rare and beautiful little axolotl, going for my first-ever swim. So graceful, and yet so lonesome-out of 987 eggs, mine was the only one that hatched. Who knows, maybe I was the last axolotl in these waters?

At the bottom of a lake in a busy city, our axolotl narrator goes to underwater school, collects treasures tossed away by the big lugs on land, and has dance parties with tiger salamander friends. Life is good! But as the world gets hotter and hotter, the water gets murkier. Friends become harder to find, and the lonesome axolotl grows even lonelier. Until one day when, out of the blue, a colossal wave carries the axolotl into a surprising new future…. Bittersweet, funny, existential, and hopeful, My Life at the Bottom is a tale of the climate crisis unlike any other. Combining her irresistible visual wit with exquisite aquatic art and rare empathy, Linda Bondestam brings us a story of catastrophe that bursts with life,