United States

Materials from United States of America

Grandfather Tales

A collection of folk tales from North Carolina and Virginia for a slightly older audience than that for Chase’s Jack Tales. “The collector of the Jack Tales has brought new joy to children and storytellers in these twenty-four tales and a mummer’s play . . . richly humorous. Colorful mountain speech comes to life.” — School Library Journal, starred review

In the Small, Small Night

Kofi can’t sleep in his new home in the United States, so his older sister Abena soothes his fears about life in a different country by telling him two folktales from their native Ghana about the nature of wisdom and perseverance.

The Crossing

This young, lyrical picture book reveals the adventure and natural wonders that Lewis and Clark encountered on their Western expedition in the early 1800s. Told from the point of view of Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, the baby on Sacagawea’s back, this story offers a fresh perspective of a young country and gives voice to a character readers will already be familiar with–at least visually (the baby is shown on the golden Sacagawea dollar).

Daisy’s Perfect World

Curly-haired Daisy likes picking lemons on sunny days, playing kickball and making long dandelion chains. But more than any of these things, she loves words and even compiles lists of her favorites in a bright green notebook covered with purple polka dots. When Daisy’s beloved teacher, Miss Goldner, becomes engaged and must move to another town, Daisy decides to give her the ultimate gift: the perfect word. But with so many good words to choose from, finding just the right one isn’t easy.

Beneath A Meth Moon

Laurel Daneau has moved on to a new life, in a new town, but inside she’s still reeling from the loss of her beloved mother and grandmother after Hurricane Katrina washed away their home. Laurel’s new life is going well, with a new best friend, a place on the cheerleading squad and T-Boom, co-captain of the basketball team, for a boyfriend. Yet Laurel is haunted by voices and memories from her past.

When T-Boom introduces Laurel to meth, she immediately falls under its spell, loving the way it erases, even if only briefly, her past. But as she becomes alienated from her friends and family, she becomes a shell of her former self, and longs to be whole again. With help from an artist named Moses and her friend Kaylee, she’s able to begin to rewrite her story and start to move on from her addiction.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume 4, Issue 3

Faith: Five Religions And What They Share

This kid-friendly exploration of faith provides a superb overview of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. Young readers will learn about different aspects of each religion, including historical origins and beliefs, holy texts, religious clothing and places of worship. They will also find out about the values, customs and symbols all five religions share, such as the golden rule, charity, prayer and candles. Straightforward, simple text makes the content interesting and accessible, as do the vivid photos of children around the world. Parents and teachers will find Faith an invaluable tool for teaching youngsters tolerance and respect for people of different beliefs.

Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure

A young Tibetan American girl helps her grandfather recover from an illness through the use of a traditional cure that focuses on spiritual as well as physical recovery and brings together a caring community.

Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match / Marisol McDreonald No Combina

Marisol McDonald, a biracial, nonconformist, soccer-playing pirate-princess with brown skin and red hair, celebrates her uniqueness.