When a fire starts near their home, all of the animals from the largest elephant to the smallest ant are too scared to do anything but watch. All, that is, except for one tiny hummingbird. She knows she must do something to save her nest. She must do what she can.

According to a UN tally, more than 1 million people fled violence and persecution in 2015. Of these, more than half were children. Thousands died along the way. The Syrian civil war as well as armed conflicts in Nigeria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, and the Central African Republic contributed to the continuing exodus of people into Europe and North America. Learn more about these modern mass exoduses, what is fueling them in the 21st century, how nations are addressing the crises, how refugees contribute to and strain communities, and what kinds of solutions could help. Along the way, you’ll meet actual refugees and the people who are trying to help.

An Introduction In English And Spanish To The Different Instruments And Musicians That Are Common To Mexican Ensembles.

How can you speak up if you don’t have the words? Santi is excited to spend the summer in Hillside Valley, meeting the local kids, eating his Abuela’s delicious food, exploring! There’s just one problem, Santi doesn’t speak Spanish that well and it feels like everyone he meets in Hillside does. There’s Sol (she’s a soccer player who really loves books), Willie, (the artist), Alejandro (Santi’s unofficial tour guide!), and Nico (Alejandro’s brother and blue belt in karate). In between all of their adventures in Hillside, Santi can’t help but worry about his Spanish, what if he can’t keep up?! Does that mean he’s not Colombian enough? Will Santi find his confidence and his voice? Or will his worries cost him his new friendships and the chance to play in HIlliside’s summer soccer tournament?

On a beach at the Ría Lagartos nature reserve in Mexico, a sea turtle is born. Newly hatched into a big world, she breaks out of an egg buried in the sand. Now, her journey begins. To reach the ocean she must avoid predatory opossums, crabs, and raccoons. Many of her siblings will not make it. But our sea turtle does, and when she finally dives beneath the blue sea, she’ll travel for thousands of miles on a beautiful and pulse pounding adventure.

Ruth Chan loves her hometown in Toronto, hanging out with her best friends for life, and snacking on ketchup flavored potato chips, which are the best. What Ruth doesn’t love is having to move to Hong Kong after her dad gets a new job there.Her mom is excited to reunite with her family, but it’s not the same for Ruth. In Hong Kong, her classes are harder, her Cantonese isn’t good enough, and her parents are never around. Ruth feels lonely and completely uprooted.But as Ruth’s dad tells stories about her family, about how they relied on their strength, courage, and each other to survive the most difficult times, Ruth realizes that she too can be strong. Gradually, she puts down roots, knowing that home will always be where her heart is.

A little girl watches as her mama fills up a big box, but this is no ordinary package. It has a special name: the balikbayan box. Together, they pack all sorts of gifts and treats for their family in the Philippines, but the girl has a secret wish to send along inside. A wish to fly with the box to meet her cousins and Lola and their family and to see and experience all the places where Mama grew up. A wish she hopes will one day come true.

The year is 1915 and the world is at war. Marta and her father are passengers on the Lusitania, desperately trying to get back home to Germany. While aboard, they must keep their identities hidden or risk being mistaken for enemy spies. Then the Lusitania is attacked by a German submarine. They just make it off the sinking ship, but her father is discovered and detained. Marta suddenly finds herself alone in enemy land.To survive, Marta must draw upon a deep well of bravery she never knew she had. Fortunately, she meets Clare, a young Irish girl who can talk a mile a minute, and her kind family. Believing that Marta is a Dutch refugee, they welcome her into their home. She can’t risk letting her new friends know she’s actually from Germany, the very nation that the Irish and English are fighting against. But could these people who have shown her nothing but kindness truly be her enemy? Sweeping from the Irish Sea to a cathedral city in England, this story shows us that friendship, especially in times of war, may be the greatest gift of all.

The heartwarming story of a boy, all the things he holds dear, and the song that inspires him when he needs it most.

Shoshana takes fierce joy in the wild beauty of the plains and the thrill of forging a new, American identity. But it’s not as simple for her older sister, Libke, who misses their Ukrainian village and doesn’t pick up English as quickly or make new friends as easily. Desperate to fit in, Shoshana finds herself hiding her Jewish identity in the face of prejudice, just as Libke insists they preserve it.For the first time, Shoshana is at odds with her beloved sister, and has to look deep inside herself to realize that her family’s difference is their greatest strength. By listening to the music that’s lived in her heart all along, Shoshana finds new meaning in the Jewish expression all beginnings are difficult, as well as in the resilience and traditions her people have brought all the way to the North Dakota prairie.