The Witch Of Blackbird Pond (Yearling Newbery)

Kit Tyler must leave behind shimmering Caribbean islands to join the stern Puritan community of her relatives. She soon feels caged, until she meets the old woman known as the Witch of Blackbird Pond. But when their friendship is discovered, Kit herself is accused of witchcraft!

La Calle Es Libre

This urban story of caring and self-reliance takes place in a barrio in Caracas where wilderness, open space, and wild animals are threatened by the unstoppable advancement of urban expansion. This is a true story of a community that united to build a park for their children to play.

Pillars of Gold and Silver

After her father is killed in the Korean War, young Blanca Estela and her mother leave California to spend the summer in Revilla, an old town in Northern Mexico with Blanca’s grandmother. At first, Blanca is unhappy in their holiday retreat, but gradually makes friends and becomes part of the community.

In the Heart of the Village: The World of the Indian Banyan Tree

In the center of a small village in India, a banyan tree rises from the earth like a great green mountain. This remarkable tree has so many trunks it is a virtual forest, covering many acres. A place for laughing and bartering, conversing and resting, romping and chasing, meeting and imagining, the banyan is not only in the heart of the village, it is the heart of the village.

Grandma And Me At The Flea / Los Meros Meros Remateros

Every Sunday Juanito helps his grandmother sell old clothes at the flea market. Romping from booth to booth among the rainbow-colored tents under the sun, Juanito and his friends fulfill Grandma’s vision of the flea market as a sharing community of friendly give and take. With every trade and barter, Juanito learns firsthand what it means to be a true rematero — a flea marketeer — and discovers that the value of community can never be measured in dollars.

Featured in Volume I, Issue 3 of WOW Review.

La Mariposa

In his first year of school, Francisco understands little of what his teacher says. But he is drawn to the silent, slow-moving caterpillar in the jar next to his desk. He knows caterpillars turn into butterflies, but just how do they do it? To find out, he studies the words in a butterfly book so many times that he can close his eyes and see the black letters, but he still can’t understand their meaning. Illustrated with paintings as deep and rich as the wings of a butterfly, this honest, unsentimental account of a schoolchild’s struggle to learn language reveals that our imaginations powerfully sustain us. La Mariposa makes a subtle plea for tolerance in our homes, our communities, and in our schools.

This book has been included in WOW’s Language and Learning: Children’s and Young Adult Fiction Booklist. For our current list, visit our Booklist page under Resources in the green navigation bar.

Through Time: Beijing (Through Time)

Through Time: Beijing traces the rise and fall of great dynasties and the everyday lives of the citizens who prospered or suffered under their rule. Beginning in prehistoric times, an agricultural community slowly evolves. Farming villages then come under the control of a local lord, and by the medieval period an imperial palace is taking shape. This new capital is then overthrown by invading Mongols, who destroy it and build their own city. Later, the Mongols are replaced by the Ming, who create the legendary Forbidden City and rule China for the next five hundred years. The book’s fluent narrative text and beautiful illustrations tell the enthralling story of BeijingÑits triumphs, conflicts, and people–right up to the present day. 

Cinco de Mayo: Celebrating the Traditions of Mexico

Every Cinco de Mayo, Rosa and her family cheer at a parade and enjoy delicious Mexican food. But what exactly is Cinco de Mayo? Although many people think May fifth marks Mexico’s independence, the holiday is actually the anniversary of a decisive battle against foreign occupiers. Today, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated by many. Follow Rosa, a vivacious Mexican-American girl from California, as she learns about he heritage and celebrates the holiday with her family, friends, and community.