List

A dazzling story full of heart about how one twelve-year-old channels her rage into synchronized swimming dreams, from the author of The Education of Margot Sanchez and Never Look Back, Lilliam Rivera.

Natalia de la Cruz Rivera y Santiago, also known as Nat, was swimming neighborhood kids out of their money at the local Boyle Heights pool when her life changed. The L.A. Mermaids performed, emerging out of the water with matching sequined swimsuits, and it was then that synchronized swimming stole her heart.

The problem? Her activist mom and professor dad think it's a sport with too much emphasis on looks—on being thin and white. Nat grew up the youngest in a house full of boys, so she knows how to fight for what she wants, using her anger to fuel her. People often underestimate her swimming skills when they see her stomach rolls, but she knows better than to worry about what people think. Sometimes, she feels more like a submarine than a mermaid, but she wonders if she could be both.

Barely Floating explores what it means to sparkle in your skin, build community with those who lift you up, and keep floating when waters get rough.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Esperanza Rising comes a riveting story that blends myth, fantasy, and reality into an entrancing adventure, perfect for fans of Meg Medina, Kate DiCamillo, and Rick Riordan.

"An inventive, absorbing novel." --New York Times Book Review

★ "Glistens like sunlight on waves." --School Library Journal, starred review

★ "Ryan's skill as a writer shines." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

★ "Lingers like the echo of thunder--powerful, haunting, and deeply core-shaking." --Shelf Awareness, starred review

Sometimes the only way to hold onto what we love is to let go.

Kai Sosa is so passionate about swimming he is practically a fish. This summer, he's determined to become the athlete he once was on an elite swim team.

But something invisible holds him back. His race times are off. Dreams of his sister Cali haunt him. And he hasn't found her missing gold cuff, her last request. Mom is still talking about grief, even though it's been two years since she disappeared. He's fine now, isn't he?

When Kai discovers a library book Cali had checked out multiple times--about an underwater realm and a mysterious place called the Library of Despair and Sorrow--details from the story begin to appear in his own life: dolphin pods, imposing rock towers, unusual sea creatures, and even Cali's beloved bracelet. As myth and reality collide, El Niño unleashes its fury, and Kai is swept up in a storm of events that will change his understanding of love, death, grief, and how best to honor those we've lost.

Exquisitely packaged with breathtaking illustrations by award-winning artist Joe Cepeda and printed in blue ink.

A 2018 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book

Save the restaurant. Save the town. Get the girl. Make Abuela proud. Can thirteen-year-old Arturo Zamora do it all or is he in for a BIG, EPIC FAIL? 

For Arturo, summertime in Miami means playing basketball until dark, sipping mango smoothies, and keeping cool under banyan trees. And maybe a few shifts as junior lunchtime dishwasher at Abuela’s restaurant. Maybe. But this summer also includes Carmen, a poetry enthusiast who moves into Arturo’s apartment complex and turns his stomach into a deep fryer. He almost doesn’t notice the smarmy land developer who rolls into town and threatens to change it. Arturo refuses to let his family and community go down without a fight, and as he schemes with Carmen, Arturo discovers the power of poetry and protest through untold family stories and the work of José Martí.

Funny and poignant, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora is the vibrant story of a family, a striking portrait of a town, and one boy's quest to save both, perfect for fans of Rita Williams-Garcia.

A contemporary adventure based on Maya mythology from Rick Riordan Presents!
Zane has always enjoyed exploring the dormant volcano near his home in New Mexico, even though hiking it is challenging. He'd much rather hang out there with his dog, Rosie, than go to middle school, where kids call him Sir Limps a Lot, McGimpster, or Uno--for his one good leg. What Zane doesn't know is that the volcano is a gateway to another world and he is at the center of a powerful prophecy. A new girl at school, Brooks, informs him that he's destined to release an evil god from the ancient Maya relic he is imprisoned in--unless she can find and remove it first. Together they return to the volcano, where all kinds of crazy happens. Brooks turns into a hawk, a demon attacks them in a cave, and Rosie gives her all while trying to protect Zane. When Zane decides to save his dog no matter the cost, he is thrust into an adventure full of surprising discoveries, dangerous secrets, and an all-out war between the gods, one of whom happens to be his father. To survive, Zane will have to become the Storm Runner. But how can he run when he can't even walk well without a cane?

The Pura Belpré Honor winning novel in verse, in which a lost dog helps a lonely girl find a way home to her family . . . only for them to find family in each other along the way. From the Newbery Honor winning author of Iveliz Explains It All.

“Trust me: this book will touch your heart." —Barbara O’Connor, New York Times bestselling author of Wish

Titi Silvia leaves me by myself to unpack,
but it’s not like I brought a bunch of stuff.
How do you prepare for the unpreparable?
How do you fit your whole life in one bag?
And how am I supposed to trust social services
when they won’t trust me back?

Laura Rodríguez Colón has a plan: no matter what the grown-ups say, she will live with her parents again. Can you blame her? It’s tough to make friends as the new kid at school. And while staying at her aunt’s house is okay, it just isn’t the same as being in her own space.

So when Laura finds a puppy, it seems like fate. If she can train the puppy to become a therapy dog, then maybe she’ll be allowed to visit her parents. Maybe the dog will help them get better and things will finally go back to the way they should be.

After all, how do you explain to others that you’re technically a foster kid, even though you live with your aunt? And most importantly . . . how do you explain that you’re not where you belong, and you just want to go home?

New York Times-bestselling author Claribel A. Ortega and star debut artist Rose Bousamra's Frizzy is about Marlene, a young Dominican girl whose greatest enemy is the hair salon! Through her struggles and triumphs, this heartwarming graphic novel shows the radical power of accepting yourself as you are, frizzy curls and all.

Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and "growing up." That means straightening her hair every weekend so she could have "presentable", "good hair".

But Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn't understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment, and the much-needed help of Camila and Tia Ruby—she slowly starts a journey to learn to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair.

Also available in Spanish under the title Rizos.

Esme always has a plan. A funny and sweet early illustrated chapter book about a problem-solving girl who has to manage her own birthday bash. For fans of Dory Fantasmagory.

Esme lives with her grandparents on the uppermost floor of the topmost best building. It's her birthday. Mimi and Pipo gave her a beautiful guitar. But they didn't plan a birthday party.

Esme thinks this is the way with grandparents. They don't know about parties or piñatas or birthday cake. No problem! Esme is great at problem solving.

With the help of her cat, El Toro, and a LOT of help from her neighbors in the topmost best building, the irrepressible Esme gets the birthday party of her dreams.

A boy and his father go on a camping trip where everything goes wrong! Or does it? From Joe Cepeda, a Theodor Seuss Geisel and Pura Belpré Honor Winner, this early reader comic is perfect for first graders to read on their own!

A boy and his father go on a camping trip! Despite one disaster after another, in the end, father and son agree it was their best weekend ever! 

Simple text and comic-book style illustrations support comprehension in this delightful book, ideal for first graders. 

Like the father in the book, Joe Cepeda is of Hispanic heritage and he loves going camping with his son.

I Like to Read® Comics are perfect for kids who are challenged by or unengaged in reading, kids who love art, and the growing number of young comics fans. Filled with eye-catching art, humor, and terrific stories, these comics provide unique reading experiences for growing minds.

We hope that all new readers will say, “I like to read comics!”

One of Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids
Named to the Little Maverick Graphic Novel Reading List

Rising star Kat Fajardo's debut middle-grade graphic novel about a girl who would rather do anything other than celebrate her quinceañera!

Sue solo quiere pasar el verano leyendo y haciendo cómics en el campamento con sus amigos, pero en lugar de eso se embarca con sus padres y sus dos hermanas en un viaje a Honduras a visitar a la familia, que vive en medio del campo, ¡así que no podrá mandar mensajes y no tendrá cable ni internet! Las cosas empeoran cuando la mamá de Sue anuncia que le harán una quinceañera sorpresa a la chica, aunque esto es lo último que ella desearía. ¡No se imagina vistiendo un vestido enorme, abultado y colorido! ¿Qué podrá hacer? ¿Cómo sobrevivirá todo este tiempo con sus revoltosos familiares?

Sue just wants to spend the summer reading and making comics at sleepaway camp with her friends, but instead she gets stuck going to Honduras to visit relatives with her parents and two sisters. They live way out in the country, which means no texting, no cable, and no Internet! The trip takes a turn for the worse when Sue's mother announces that they'll be having a surprise quinceañera for Sue, which is the last thing she wants. She can't imagine wearing a big, floofy, colorful dress! What is Sue going to do? And how will she survive all this "quality" time with her rambunctious family?

NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNER • An unforgettable graphic memoir about a Mexican American boy’s family and their adventure-filled road trip to bring their abuelito back from Mexico

“One of those books that kids will pass to their friends as soon as they have finished it.”—Victoria Jamieson, creator of the National Book Award finalist When Stars Are Scattered 

WINNER OF THE PURA BELPRÉ AUTHOR AWARD AND ILLUSTRATOR AWARD • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library

Pedro Martín has grown up hearing stories about his abuelito—his legendary crime-fighting, grandfather who was once a part of the Mexican Revolution! But that doesn't mean Pedro is excited at the news that Abuelito is coming to live with their family. After all, Pedro has 8 brothers and sisters and the house is crowded enough! Still, Pedro piles into the Winnebago with his family for a road trip to Mexico to bring Abuelito home, and what follows is the trip of a lifetime, one filled with laughs and heartache. Along the way, Pedro finally connects with his abuelito and learns what it means to grow up and find his grito.

Winner of the Newbery Medal
A New York Times Bestseller

Thoughtful, strong-willed sixth-grader Merci Suarez navigates difficult changes with friends, family, and everyone in between in a resonant new novel from Meg Medina.

Merci Suarez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different. For starters, Merci has never been like the other kids at her private school in Florida, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don’t have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. So when bossy Edna Santos sets her sights on the new boy who happens to be Merci’s school-assigned Sunshine Buddy, Merci becomes the target of Edna’s jealousy. Things aren't going well at home, either: Merci’s grandfather and most trusted ally, Lolo, has been acting strangely lately — forgetting important things, falling from his bike, and getting angry over nothing. No one in her family will tell Merci what's going on, so she’s left to her own worries, while also feeling all on her own at school. In a coming-of-age tale full of humor and wisdom, award-winning author Meg Medina gets to the heart of the confusion and constant change that defines middle school — and the steadfast connection that defines family.

A 2018 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book

The First Rule of Punk is a wry and heartfelt exploration of friendship, finding your place, and learning to rock out like no one’s watching. 

There are no shortcuts to surviving your first day at a new school—you can’t fix it with duct tape like you would your Chuck Taylors. On Day One, twelve-year-old Malú (María Luisa, if you want to annoy her) inadvertently upsets Posada Middle School’s queen bee, violates the school’s dress code with her punk rock look, and disappoints her college-professor mom in the process. Her dad, who now lives a thousand miles away, says things will get better as long as she remembers the first rule of punk: be yourself.
 
The real Malú loves rock music, skateboarding, zines, and Soyrizo (hold the cilantro, please). And when she assembles a group of like-minded misfits at school and starts a band, Malú finally begins to feel at home. She'll do anything to preserve this, which includes standing up to an anti-punk school administration to fight for her right to express herself! 

Black and white illustrations and collage art by award-winning author Celia C. Pérez are featured throughout.

"Malú rocks!"
—Victoria Jamieson, author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor-winning Roller Girl

Winner of the Newbery Medal--a brilliant journey through the stars, to the very heart of what makes us human.

"Gripping in its twists and turns, and moving in its themes -- truly a beautiful cuento."--New York Times

Había una vez . . . 

There lived a girl named Petra Peña, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita. 

But Petra's world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children -- among them Petra and her family -- have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race. 

Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet -- and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity's past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard -- or purged them altogether.

Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again?

P R A I S E

"Clever and compelling ... wonderfully subversive."
--The Wall Street Journal

★ "This tale packs a wallop. Exquisite."
--Kirkus Reviews (starred) 

★ "Gripping, euphonious, and full of storytelling magic."
--Publishers Weekly (starred) 

★ "A strong, heroic character, fighting incredible odds to survive and protect others."
--School Library Journal (starred)

A W A R D S

Winner of the John Newbery Medal 
Winner of the Pura Belpré Award 

BEST OF THE YEAR

TIME - Wall Street Journal - Minneapolis Star Tribune's - Boston Globe - BookPage - Publishers Weekly - School Library Journal - Kirkus - Bank Street - Chicago Public Library - New York Public Library

"With its extremely short text, this book is perfect for the earliest readers while still delivering a full, engaging story. . . . A delightful and relatable read, this book is a must-have for libraries and a sure hit with young readers." --School Library Journal (starred review)

Elena is eager to put up her tent--but is there something she's missing in her hurry? Juana Medina brings back the plucky elephant and her little sidekick with a comedic flair sure to delight beginning readers.

The big box has arrived, and Elena is so excited! Tent parts fly everywhere as she empties the contents and dives right in. This job will be done in no time! GA-BUNK! Oops! Elena forgot the poles! Now it's under control . . . GA-BAM! A little tug here might help . . . GA-BOING! Now Elena is stomping mad! What's that her bird buddy's saying? Something about that folded paper that came with the tent? In a charmingly comic follow-up to Elena Rides, also available in a dual English-Spanish edition, the determined elephant shows young fans that some things are hard--and some tents cow the best of campers--but with patience you can conquer them, if you slow down and try, try again.

A sharp and heartfelt picture book about a young soccer-loving girl who’s an interpreter for her Spanish-speaking parents.

Some kids have one job: to be a kid! Cecilia has two. When she isn't on the soccer field scoring goals, she's accompanying her parents to all kinds of grown-up places, like the DMV, the accountant's office, and the auto shop. She helps them translate from Spanish to English and from English to Spanish. It’s an important job, and it can even be fun. It’s also hard work. 

Sometimes Cecilia's second job is so much responsibility, it feels like she'll split in two! Is it time for Cecilia to blow her whistle and call for a time-out?

Olivia Abtahi’s clever text and Monica Arnaldo’s charming illustrations capture a common aspect of life for immigrant and bilingual families while offering a model for teamwork that helps everyone feel understood.

Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor - American Library Association (ALA)

A fascinating bilingual picture book biography of Peruvian archaeologist and national icon Julio C. Tello, who unearthed Peru's ancient cultures and fostered pride in the country's Indigenous history.

Growing up in the late 1800s, Julio Tello, an Indigenous boy, spent time exploring the caves and burial grounds in the foothills of the Peruvian Andes. Nothing scared Julio, not even the ancient human skulls he found. His bravery earned him the boyhood nickname Sharuko, which means "brave" in Quechua, the language of the Native people of Peru.

At the age of twelve, Julio moved to Lima to continue his education. While in medical school, he discovered an article about the skulls he had found. The skulls had long ago been sent to Lima to be studied by scientists. The article renewed Julio's interest in his ancestry, and he decided to devote his medical skills to the study of Peru's Indigenous history.

Over his lifetime, Julio Tello made many revolutionary discoveries at archaeological sites around Peru, and he worked to preserve the historical treasures he excavated. He showed that Peru's Indigenous cultures had been established thousands of years ago, disproving the popular belief that Peruvian culture had been introduced more recently from other countries. He fostered pride in his country's Indigenous ancestry, making him a hero to all Peruvians. Because of the brave man once known as Sharuko, people around the world today know of Peru's long history and its living cultural legacy.

Author-illustrator C. G. Esperanza delivers a celebratory ode to graffiti and the Boogie Down Bronx through an infectious read-aloud beat and colorful illustrations that leap right off the page! Perfect for fans of Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut and Keith Haring.

An NPR Best Book of the Year, ALSC Notable Children's Book of the Year, Odyssey Award winner, Pura Belpré Honor Award winner, New York City Book Award winner, and Audie Award finalist!

The city is alive with vibrant art in every corner of the parks, the shops, the trains. But most people are too busy to see it--or worse, choose to ignore it! When three children stop to marvel at the art around their community, they realize it's up to them to show everyone else how truly special it is when art and reality dance together so seamlessly.

Boogie boogie, y'all.

The city boogied all day.

Busy, busy, busy,

Till one kid stopped to say,

Woah, woah, woah!

Look at the art on the wall!

Girls cannot be drummers. Long ago on an island filled with music, no one questioned that rule--until the drum dream girl.

In her city of drumbeats, she dreamed of pounding tall congas and tapping small bongós. She had to keep quiet. She had to practice in secret. But when at last her dream-bright music was heard, everyone sang and danced and decided that both girls and boys should be free to drum and dream.

Inspired by the childhood of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba's traditional taboo against female drummers, Drum Dream Girl tells an inspiring true story for dreamers everywhere.

This beautiful picture book was recognized with a Pura Belpré Honor. A strong option for those interested in women's history and Hispanic History topics.

A bilingual picture book that’s sweet enough to eat about a chatty bluebird and an indecisive T. Rex who can’t decide what his next meal should be, introducing readers to basic Spanish and English food vocabulary. 

When a bluebird comes upon a dinosaur who’s down in the dumps, he asks what’s wrong.

“¡Tengo hambre!” says the dinosaur. I’m hungry!

Does the dinosaur want a banana? 
“¿Plátano? No.”

Fish? 
“¿Pescado? No, gracias.”

Nothing seems to do the trick! What does dinosaur want to eat? This delightful bilingual picture book is about finding just the right food—and just the right friend. Perfect for fans of We Don't Eat Our Classmates and Stegothesaurus.

American Indian Youth Literature Award Honor - American Indian Library Association
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor - American Library Association (ALA)

This gorgeous picture book--winner of the Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor and American Indian Youth Literature Award Picture Book Honor--celebrates the circles that surround us, in the sky, the earth, our neighborhoods, ourselves . . . if we just dare to look for them.

Grandpa says circles are all around us. He points to the rainbow that rises high in the sky after a thundercloud has come. "Can you see" That's only half the circle. The rest of it is down below, in the earth." He and his granddaughter meditate on gardens and seeds, on circles seen and unseen, inside and outside us, on where our bodies come from and where they return to. They share and create family traditions in this stunning exploration of the cycles of life and nature.

This award-winning, mind-bending, heart-opening book marked the impressive debut of Xelena González and Adriana M. Garcia as picture book creators.

A celebration of the love between a father and daughter, and of a vibrant immigrant neighborhood, by an award-winning author and illustrator duo.

A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Century

When Daisy Ramona zooms around her neighborhood with her papi on his motorcycle, she sees the people and places she's always known. She also sees a community that is rapidly changing around her. 

But as the sun sets purple-blue-gold behind Daisy Ramona and her papi, she knows that the love she feels will always be there.

With vivid illustrations and text bursting with heart, My Papi Has a Motorcycle is a young girl's love letter to her hardworking dad and to memories of home that we hold close in the midst of change.

Count up to ten in this bilingual picture book celebrating Día de Muertos / Day of the Dead from award-winning author-illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh

From award-winning and beloved author-illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh comes this celebratory bilingual picture book centering on a Día de Muertos ofrenda (Day of the Dead altar), constructed annually to honor the memory and welcome the spirit of a loved one. The book uses a counting structure, from one to ten, to focus on family members and their offerings, with a double-gatefold finale that opens to reveal the family gathered around the fully decorated ofrenda with all of their offerings. Included at the back of the book is a brief author's note that lends additional context on the holiday.

Cuenta hasta diez y celebra el Día de Muertos / Day of the Dead con este libro ilustrado bilingüe del galardonado autor-ilustrador Duncan Tonatiuh 

Este festivo libro ilustrado bilingüe del galardonado y querido autor-ilustrador Duncan Tonatiuh se centra en un altar del Día de Muertos, construido anualmente para honrar la memoria y recibir al espíritu de un ser amado. El libro, con una estructura que cuenta del uno al diez, se enfoca en los miembros de una familia y sus ofrendas. El gran final incluye paginas dobles despegables que revelan a la familia alrededor del altar decorado con todas las ofrendas. Al termino de la historia hay una breve nota del autor que ofrece mas información acerca de la festividad.

An intergenerational story of family ties, cultural pride, and spelling bee victory following a young boy who bonds with his beloved abuela over a love of Spanish.

As a boy prepares for his school’s Spanish spelling bee, he asks his grandmother for help with some of the words he doesn’t know how to spell yet. When she studies with him, she tells him how different things were back when she was a girl, when she was only allowed to speak English in school. This only inspires him to study even harder and make his family proud.

Based on stories author Michael Genhart heard from his mother as a child, Spanish is the Language of My Family is about the joy of sharing cultural heritage with our families, inspired by the generations of Latino people were punished for speaking Spanish and the many ways new generations are rejuvenating the language.

Simultaneously published in Spanish as El español es la lengua de mi familia, Michael Genhart’s text is as touching as it is poignant, and it’s paired with the striking artwork of multiple Pura Belpre Award-Winning Illustrator John Parra. Extensive material at the back of the book includes essays from the author about the history of Spanish suppression in U.S. schools and information about the Spanish alphabet.

A Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Award-Winning Book
A Chicago Public Library 'Best of the Best' Book
Nominated for the Louisiana Reader's Choice Award
A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
A Horn Book Fanfare Book
A Common Sense Media Best Book of the Year
A CSMCL Best Multicultural Children’s Book of the Year
A Booklist Editors’ Choice

Julieta is eager to honor her Abuelita's spirit on Día de Muertos, but struggles to find the perfect gift. A touching story that celebrates ancestors and teaches that the most meaningful tributes come from the heart illustrated by award-winning Sara Palacios.

Julieta is excited for Abuelita's spirit to visit on Día de los Muertos. She is determined to find the perfect gift to honor Abuelita and to show how much she misses her. However, her ideas fail one by one and Julieta grows worried.
It is only when Julieta embraces the memories she once shared with her abuelita, that she realizes the perfect gift comes from the heart. An uplifting story about both life and death, family, and the threads that connect us, long after we are gone.

Let's play in the forest while the wolf is not around, sing the animals in the forest. Wolf, are you there? I am putting on my underpants, Wolf answers. As Duck, Bunny, Moose, Beaver, and others play between the trees, Wolf continues getting dressed: undershirt, pants, T-shirt, socks, and shoes. By the time he has combed his hair and put on his backpack, Wolf is VERY hungry, and the animals are suddenly VERY afraid. Luckily for the animals, Wolf is hungry for PANCAKES -- his favorite!

* “[W]ith magnificently scrawled artwork, Kinkz offers a story that blends deep empathy, raucous candor, and a useful ritual for dealing with shame.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review 

A chaotically funny debut picture book about a girl who's had a terrible day full of mistakes and finds that making mistacos could be a delicious solution.

After an awful day at school (including a tragic but plausibly deniable mishap with a pudding cup), Izzy wants to be left alone. But it's Friday, and that means making tortillas with Lito.

As the mistakes pile up, they come tumbling out of Izzy—and Lito surprises her by saying everyone makes mistakes, and if she makes a tortilla out of her mistakes, he will EAT it. 

"Mmmm. . .spicy! And boogery! With a hint of courage. My favorite taco EVER!" 

Suddenly, the whole family is confessing and getting mistakes off their chests with a feast of mistacos! A delightfully silly picture book for fans of Dragons Love Tacos and The Book of Mistakes. Includes instructions on how to make and enjoy your own mistacos!

A sweet twist on the age-old "yo mama" joke, celebrating fierce moms everywhere with playful lyricism and gorgeous illustrations, Your Mama is an essential Mother's Day read.

Yo' mama so sweet, she could be a bakery. She dresses so fine, she could have a clothing line. And, even when you mess up, she's so forgiving, she lets you keep on living.

Heartwarming and richly imagined, Your Mama twists an old joke into a point of pride that honors the love, hard work, and dedication of mamas everywhere.

A Kirkus Prize Finalist

Kirkus Most Joyous Picture Book of 2021

School Library Journal Best Picture Books of 2021

2022 NCTE Notable Books in Poetry

2021 Nerdy Book Club Award

Virginia Center for the Book Great Read 2021

We are resilience. We are hope. We are dreamers.

Yuyi Morales brought her hopes, her passion, her strength, and her stories with her, when she came to the United States in 1994 with her infant son. She left behind nearly everything she owned, but she didn't come empty-handed. 

From the author-illustrator of Bright Star, Dreamers is a celebration of making your home with the things you always carry: your resilience, your dreams, your hopes and history. It's the story of finding your way in a new place, of navigating an unfamiliar world and finding the best parts of it. In dark times, it's a promise that you can make better tomorrows.   

This lovingly-illustrated picture book memoir looks at the myriad gifts migrantes bring with them when they leave their homes. It's a story about family. And it's a story to remind us that we are all dreamers, bringing our own strengths wherever we roam. Beautiful and powerful at any time but given particular urgency as the status of our own Dreamers becomes uncertain, this is a story that is both topical and timeless. 

The lyrical text is complemented by sumptuously detailed illustrations, rich in symbolism. Also included are a brief autobiographical essay about Yuyi's own experience, a list of books that inspired her (and still do), and a description of the beautiful images, textures, and mementos she used to create this book. 
A parallel Spanish-language edition, Soñadores, is also available. 

Winner of the Pura Belpré Illustrator Award!
A New York Times / New York Public Library Best Illustrated Book
A New York Times Bestseller
Recipient of the Flora Stieglitz Strauss Award
A 2019 Boston Globe - Horn Book Honor Recipient
An Anna Dewdney Read Together Honor Book
Named a Best Book of 2018 by Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Shelf Awareness, NPR, the Boston Globe, the Chicago Tribune, Salon.com-- and many more!
A Junior Library Guild selection
A Eureka! Nonfiction Honoree
A Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon title
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year
A CLA Notable Children's Book in Language Arts
Selected for the CBC Champions of Change Showcase

A Junior Library Guild Selection

A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

A Bologna Ragazzi Awards Amazing Bookshelf Selection

A Bank Street Best Children's Book

From New York Times bestselling, Pura Belpré Award-winning author-illustrator Raúl the Third, ¡Vamos! Let's Go Read follows Little Lobo and friends as they explore their library's Libro Love Book Festival in this paper-over-board picture book from the World of ¡Vamos!

Little Lobo and his friends are excited for the out-of-this-world book festival the Guadalupian Library hosts every year!

Everyone has a special book they're looking for, but there's so much to see and do first. From cookbook demonstrations and comics workshops to mask making and language classes, this library has something for everyone. Can Little Lobo, Bernabé, Kooky Dooky, Coco Rocho, and La Chida each find the book of their dreams?

Full of easy-to-remember Spanish vocabulary and packed with fun details, this colorful celebration of books, libraries, and all forms of reading will bring joy to young bookworms everywhere!

A rhyming, heartfelt celebration of neighborhood communities and the vital role they play in young children’s lives.

This formative board book is an appreciation of neighborhood communities and the many ways in which they help develop empathy, compassion, and collective responsibility. Through a handful of specific yet universal scenarios, set in four different kinds of communities (suburban, urban, rural, and manufactured home), young readers will understand what it means to be a part of a neighborhood community and celebrate how to share with and care for one another.

A Kirkus and Shelf Awareness Best Book of 2022!

From beloved African American folklorist Zora Neale Hurston comes a moving adaptation by National Book Award winner and #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist and Antiracist Baby, Ibram X. Kendi. Magnolia Flower follows a young Afro Indigenous girl who longs for freedom and is gorgeously illustrated by Loveis Wise (The People Remember, Ablaze with Color).

Born to parents who fled slavery and the Trail of Tears, Magnolia Flower is a girl with a vibrant spirit. Not to be deterred by rigid ways of the world, she longs to connect with others, who too long for freedom. She finds this in a young man of letters who her father disapproves of. In her quest to be free, Magnolia must make a choice and set off on a journey that will prove just how brave one can be when leading with one's heart.

The acclaimed writer of several American classics, Zora Neale Hurston wrote this stirring folktale brimming with poetic prose, culture, and history. It was first published as a short story in The Spokesman in 1925 and later in her collection Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick (2020).

Tenderly retold by #1 New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-winning author Ibram X. Kendi, Magnolia Flower is a story of a transformative and radical devotion between generations of Indigenous and Black people in America. With breathtaking illustrations by Loveis Wise, this picture book reminds us that there is no force strong enough to stop love.

Two children search for a unique endangered bird in this vibrant, hopeful story which joyfully celebrates difference.

Unless Jo and Alex can find the last Rainbow Bird, its species will become extinct. Journeying by riverboat through a spectacular forest, the children find many extraordinary birds - elegant Underwater Birds, glowing Lamp Birds and excitable Big-to-Little Birds - but will they find the last Rainbow Bird?

The singularly fabulous world of the Rainbow Bird, created by award-winning author-illustrator Nora Brech, is a riot of color, imagination, and wonder. Children will love the heartfelt and humorous story that gently conveys an important conservation message.

Black Panther meets X-Men in this “fast-paced, action-packed, and empowering” (A. F. Steadman, New York Times bestselling author of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief) middle grade adventure about a British Nigerian girl who learns that her Afro hair has psychokinetic powers—perfect for fans of Amari and the Night Brothers, The Marvellers, and Rick Riordan!

Onyeka has a lot of hair­—the kind that makes strangers stop in the street and her peers whisper behind her back. At least she has Cheyenne, her best friend, who couldn’t care less what other people think. Still, Onyeka has always felt insecure about her vibrant curls…until the day Cheyenne almost drowns and Onyeka’s hair takes on a life of its own, inexplicably pulling Cheyenne from the water.

At home, Onyeka’s mother tells her the shocking truth: Onyeka’s psychokinetic powers make her a Solari, one of a secret group of people with superpowers unique to Nigeria. Her mother quickly whisks her off to the Academy of the Sun, a school in Nigeria where Solari are trained. But Onyeka and her new friends at the academy soon have to put their powers to the test as they find themselves embroiled in a momentous battle between truth and lies…

The virtues of taking a break—and of being thankful—are extolled in the gentle story of a stubborn ox, an impatient farmer, and a day of rest.

Long ago, in the hills near Jerusalem, lived a young ox. For six days each week, she and her owner would toil in the fields, and on the seventh day both would rest. Then it came to be that this young ox was sold. For six days, she toiled in her new owner’s fields, and on the seventh day the farmer brought out the yoke and plow, expecting to spend another day hard at work. But Shoshi the ox had a different idea. In a warm, friendly narrative and vivid, humorous art, author Caryn Yacowitz and illustrator Kevin Hawkes bring to life a tale drawn from the ancient Jewish stories known as the Midrash, a story as relevant today as it was long ago. It’s a tale of encountering other cultures and learning from them, of paying attention to the world around you—sun, breeze, animals, people—and above all, of learning to slow down and take a break.

The award-winning team who brought us MY BROTHER CHARLIE present a companion book that celebrates the power of water for those who have autism.

Like many kids on the autism spectrum, Charlie finds solace and empowerment in pools, ponds, sprinklers, visiting the aquarium, and swimming in the ocean. Through his adventures and discoveries, he shows the world that even though he has autism, autism doesn't have him.

In this beautiful ode to the love between siblings Callie and Charlie, we return to the characters from our award-winning book MY BROTHER CHARLIE, who bring whimsy to everyday fun for all children, while showing readers that kids who may experience the world in different ways can help us see the wonders of swimming to your own rhythm.

From the bestselling author of The Quiet Book comes an honest and touching new picture book about the ups and downs of friendship.

Walter and Xavier are best friends. They do everything together! But then…quietly…slowly…Xavier becomes best friends with someone else. Walter goes from feeling hurt and left out to feeling confused and angry to feeling just plain lonely. Until one morning he wakes up feeling a tiny bit hopeful. That day, while out for a hike by himself, he meets Ollie. Could this be the beginning of a new friendship?

Sometimes best friends aren’t forever, and that’s okay. Because there might be a new pal waiting just around the corner.

A family honors their living and dead relatives as they celebrate this holiday with shared food and stories.

The Day of the Dead is a happy day when Mar’s family gathers together. There are favorite dishes to enjoy, games to be played, and most importantly, stories to tell. No one in the family is forgotten because this is the day of the year when the dead come to visit the living—and for this holiday it is almost as if they’re alive again, as the family takes great joy in celebrating the things that made them special. Mar realizes she is just like her Grandpa Ramón, who kept a journal. And her sister, Paz, plays accordian, just like their great-grandfather. There are so many things that connect them all—and at dinner, Abuelita spins even more stories that make them feel close to the ones they will love forever. Ana Aranda’s tender text and vibrant art make the joy felt on this sweet day totally palpable.

A School Library Journal Best Book of 2022

From critically acclaimed author Barbara Dee comes a middle grade novel about a young girl who channels her anxiety about the climate crisis into rallying her community to save a local river.

Twelve-year-old Haven Jacobs can’t stop thinking about the climate crisis. In fact, her anxiety about the state of the planet is starting to interfere with her schoolwork, her friendships, even her sleep. She can’t stop wondering why grownups aren’t even trying to solve the earth’s problem—and if there’s anything meaningful that she, as a seventh grader, can contribute.

When Haven’s social studies teacher urges her to find a specific, manageable way to make a difference to the planet, Haven focuses on the annual science class project at the local Belmont River, where her class will take samples of the water to analyze. Students have been doing the project for years, and her older brother tells her that his favorite part was studying and catching frogs.

But when Haven and her classmates get to the river, there’s no sign of frogs or other wildlife—but there is ample evidence of pollution. The only thing that’s changed by the river is the opening of Gemba, the new factory where Haven’s dad works. It doesn’t take much investigation before Haven is convinced Gemba is behind the slow pollution of the river.

She’s determined to expose Gemba and force them to clean up their act. But when it becomes clear taking action might put her dad’s job—and some friendships—in jeopardy, Haven must decide how far she’s willing to go.

When I was born, I kept my eyes squeezed shut so tightly that my mom called me Mr. Magoo from a cartoon she loved.

My dad said I was going to be bilingual, like him, so he called me El Señor Magoo.

Little Antonio has a LOT of names. Different relatives call him different names, but the real culture shock happens when he goes to school for the first time. A celebration of biracial heritage and cultural identity from award-winning Cuban American storyteller Antonio Sacre, My Name Is Cool teaches children to be proud of their heritage and the things that make them different. Different is COOL.

From the creator of Wild Honey from the Moon comes a fanciful lullaby as cozy and unique as a mushroom home.

Here is your mushroom at the end of the day.
The sun stretches out and sets far away.

In gentle rhyme, this spare and whimsical picture book from the one-of-a-kind imagination of Kenneth Kraegel introduces little readers to all sorts of wonderful mushrooms: ones that grow up high and ones that never stay dry, ones that grow in a park and ones that glow in the dark, and even one made just for them! Who can resist climbing up the soft mushroom stair, curling up in a plush mushroom chair, and preparing to dream sweet mushroom dreams? The lulling narration and warm illustrations of this charmingly quirky book will have drowsy young ones settling into their own comfy beds, ready to drift off to sleep.

Critically acclaimed creator Thao Lam, author of The Paper Boat and THAO, is back with a wordless story about conflict resolution

A monster meanders down a beach, dragging a stick behind them and leaving a line in the sand. Meanwhile, a group of friends is at play--flying kites, building sandcastles, tossing a ball--until two of them become curious about the line that now seemingly divides them.

What does the line mean? Tensions mount as the two ponder the situation. Should the line be crossed? Can it be crossed? Eyes narrow, feathers get ruffled, and a scuffle starts, stemming from a series of misunderstandings and aggravated by the innocent, and very untimely, arrival of a bee. It's only when their stomping and kicking has completely erased the line in the sand that the friends realize their scrabble was senseless. They rejoin the others at play, where the line becomes part of their games, while in the background, the line's creator continues to meander across the page, oblivious to the impact of their actions.

This powerful wordless story, told in panels and illustrated in striking collage art, is at once simple, relatable, and profound and will encourage readers to think about conflict, communication, and the meaning of the lines we all draw, whether intentional or not.

Count along in celebration of Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, in this luminous picture book from bestselling mother-son duo Surishtha and Kabir Sehgal.

Count up to ten and back down again to the tune of “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe” while learning about the traditions that make Diwali a fun-filled festival! Celebrated during autumn harvest, Diwali symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. From sweet treats to intricate henna designs to exciting firework displays, kids will delight in this vibrant glimpse into the Festival of Lights.