Social skills

Wishing For Tomorrow

The sequel to A Little Princess, Sara Crewe has gone away with the Indian gentleman, and now nothing is the same at Miss Minchin’s. Spoiled Lottie, awful Lavinia, and shy Ermengarde are all left behind at the Select Seminary for Young Ladies, and the new maid, Alice from Epping, is a bright girl from the country whose practicality and confidence are a refreshing change from the stodgy Miss Minchin. Lottie learns to notice things and has adventures, Lavinia dreams of earning a place at Oxford, and Ermengarde realizes that friendship sometimes means keeping secrets.

The Milestones Project

A best friend. A lost tooth. A first day of school. In engaging photos and text, this book highlights the milestones shared by every child on the planet. In addition to original writings from some of today’s best-known children’s authors and illustrators, this paperback edition comes packaged with a growth chart uniquely designed to track a child’s physical growth as well as their development into an ethical human being. Stickers included with the book can be placed on the chart to encourage children toward their goals.”I told the truth.” “I kept a promise.” “I shared my toys.” Includes growth chart to track ethical milestones. Includes essays by J.K. Rowling, Cynthia Rylant, Eric Carle, and more. 2005 CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People.

Gary And Ray

Gary the gorilla is the only animal in the jungle who is lonely — all the other animals seem to have companions — and even the people of the village are frightened of him so they stay well away. But Gary has nightmares that hunters catch him, and he wishes that everyone could see how lonely and afraid he is. Then one day a tiny sunbird hamed Ray thinks he looks so sad that he ventures to talk to him. Soon this unlikely pair are best of friends, but Ray has a family and Gary can’t help wishing for one too. Then one day Ray doesn’t show up as usual, only to return days later with a wonderful surprise for Gary. In this delightful story of friendship, Ray’s resourcefulness in support of his fearsome friend has a touching and satisfying ending.

Have I Got A Book For You!

Mr. Al Foxword is a salesman. Al can sell anything. You can’t help but be impressed by his lineup of satisfied customers: he’s sold an icebox to a penguin, an umbrella to a fish and a dirt vacuum to a mole. Al knows you’re looking for a great book, and this is your lucky day. Say goodbye to books that leave you bored and uninspired. Research shows that 100 percent of Al’s customers notice a dramatic increase in happiness after buying his book. Not totally convinced yet? Just when you think you’re ready to close the book on this relentless salesman, he comes up with a clever tactic that you simply can’t refuse. The retro design and the sheer absurdity of Foxword’s powers of persuasion make for an off-the-wall picture book with major crossover appeal that pokes fun at our hard-sell society.

Holes

As further evidence of his family’s bad fortune which they attribute to a curse on a distant relative, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a hellish correctional camp in the Texas desert where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself.

Ruiz Street Kids / Los Muchachos De La Calle Ruiz

On a hot summer day, a new kid named David rides into the neighborhood. Gossip about the mysterious boy stretches longer than a wad of gum. The kids wonder why he rides a different bike everyday. Is he stealing them? He gets rough at the swimming pool, he scares the younger kids, and he spies over the fence. Why is he always so mean? Is it true that he eats a bee’s nest for breakfast and sleeps on a bed of nails? What does he want from the kids who live on Ruiz Street and why in the world would they ever want to be friends with somebody like David? The young narrator, Joe Silva, introduces intermediate readers to both his friends and their common enemy on Ruiz Street. David doesn’t have good people skills and doesn’t know quite how to improve them.

Free Baseball

Felix knows his dad was a famous baseball player in Cuba—and that his father risked everything to send Felix to America. But his mom won’t reveal anything else. When a baseball team with Cuban players comes to town, Felix wonders if they knew his dad and sneaks into their locker room to ask. That’s when the players mistake him for their new batboy. Determined to uncover the truth about his mysterious father, Felix plays along, going as far as running away from home to become the team’s batboy. His bittersweet adventure glows with the friendship of a miraculous dog, the warmth of a mother’s love, and the magic of baseball.

Charlie And Lola: I Will Be Especially Very Careful

charlieLola and Lotta’s friendship is put to the test! LolaÂ’s bestest best friend Lotta has a new coat, which was an extra-special gift from her granny. It is the fluffiest, softest, most loveliest coat Lola has EVER seen and she absolutely must borrow it. Lotta says okay, but only as long as Lola promises to not wear it in the rain or spill food on it or get it dirty. Will Lola be able to keep her promise? With Lauren Child’s signature wit and verve, this new Charlie and Lola adventure shows how important honesty is in bestest-best friendships.

Dwarf Nose, The

A tale rich in unforgettable characters and fantastic settings and events, Dwarf Nose tells the story of a little boy whose complaining so angers a wicked fairy that she casts a spell on him. Zwerger’s illustrations evoke all the magic, mystery, and drama of this German classic. Full color.