Picture Book

Ciao, Sandro!

Meet Sandro!
As the loyal first mate to gondolier Nicola, Sandro knows everything about his home, the beautiful city of Venice. Sandro and Nicola go everywhere together. But today, Sandro is venturing out on his own for the first time. He is on a very important secret mission!
What is Sandro up to? And what friends will he meet along the way?
This charming story from Steven Varni and Luciano Lozano follows a dog-about-town (based on a real canine!) on a journey to a heartwarming surprise—teaching young readers all about Venice as he goes!

El Cucuy Is Scared, Too!

Ramón is a little boy who can’t sleep. He is nervous for his first day at a new school. El Cucuy is the monster who lives in Ramón’s cactus pot. He can’t sleep, either. It turns out that El Cucuy is scared, too! This gentle, perceptive story explores the worries that can accompany moving to a new place and beginning a new journey—and reveals how comfort, bravery, and strength can be found through even the most unexpected of friendships.

The Great Stink: how Joseph Bazalgette solved London’s poop pollution problem

It’s the summer of 1858, and London’s River Thames STINKS. What is creating this revolting smell? The answer is gross: the river is full of poop.
But the smell isn’t the worst problem. Every few years, cholera breaks out, and thousands of people die. Could there be a connection between the foul water and the deadly disease?
One engineer dreams of making London a cleaner, healthier place. His name is Joseph Bazalgette. His grand plan to create a new sewer system to clean the river is an engineering marvel. And his sewers will save lives. Nothing stinky about that.
With tips for how to prevent pollution today, this fascinating look at science, history, and what one person can do to create change will impress and astound readers who want to help make their planet a cleaner, happier place to live.

The Little One

One day, a young girl sees a mysterious little figure sitting on a wall. It seems to be following her through town on her way back home, so, curious, she goes to say hello: “Hello, little one, what are you doing here?” It’s now her turn to follow the little one as it leads her to a garden and a cup of tea. And then, the pair enter a pitch-black closet and close their eyes, opening them to reveal… a magical attic that contains roots to hop over, trunks to hide in, vines to climb, branches to slide down. There’s even an enormous, cuddly creature, so soft and warm and perfect for napping and dreaming! Though silent and unnoticed by anyone else, the little one forms a beautiful friendship with the young girl in the space of an afternoon, showing her affection and care and sharing with her the fun and healing that comes out of imagination and play.

Un Tren Llamado Esperanza/ A Train Called Hope

Years later, after his parents have gone far away in search of work and a better future, the boy rides in a real train to join his family. This one is loaded with hundreds of children traveling alone, just like him. There are frightening strangers, others along the way who want to jump on and, scariest of all, a boy who almost falls off the roof because he can’t stay awake any longer.

In The Meadow Of Fantasies

A young girl with a physical handicap gazes up at a mobile of spinning horses from her little pink bed in her room filled with leafy plants. As she watches them prance about, the tufted snout of a real live horse peeks through her bedroom door. Soon enough, our bright protagonist is off and cantering on an adventure with seven majestic horses. The first six are easily understood: their colors, dreams, families, and origins are described and accompanied with exquisite drawings. The seventh horse, however, is an enigmatic creature with no clear hue or history, a lack that is soon filled in by the loving offerings of the other ponies. A story about dreaming and about caring for others, In the Meadow of Fantasies will remind young readers of their own reveries and conjure new fantasies of friendly creatures in far off lands.

What A Wonderful Phrase

Have you ever wondered why we talk about “buttering someone up” or where the phrase “raining cats and dogs” comes from? Explore these and 27 more idioms from around the world in this voyage of cultural discovery, loaded with fascinating facts and beautiful illustrations. Series: What a Wonderful… Take a linguistic journey around the world in these collections of colorful words and phrases that defy translation.

How To Wear A Sari

Being a little kid isn’t always fun and games. Sometimes, it’s downright annoying. When a little girl tires of being treated like she’s TOO little, she sets out to prove to her family that she can do ANYTHING she puts her mind to, including putting on a colorful, twinkly, silky sari. Sure, they’re long and unwieldy—but that only means her family will be even more impressed when she puts it on all by herself. Naturally, there are some hiccups along the way, but she discovers that she’s not the only one in her family who has set out with something to prove, with hilariously chaotic results. That’s what photo albums are for!