Books

**Description from Amazon: This sweeping, emotionally-resonant fantasy from beloved author Jessica Day George is perfect for fans of Princess Academy and Black Beauty.

**Description from Amazon: When a great white bear promises untold riches to her family, the Lass (as she's known) agrees to go away with him. But the bear is not what he seems, nor is his castle.

FROM SARAH:

All of the books in this seasonal series by Kenard Pak are delightful, and this is no exception!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Join a boy and his dog as they explore nature and take a stroll through the countryside, greeting all the signs of the coming season. In a series of conversations with everything from the melting brook to chirping birds, they say goodbye to winter and welcome the lushness of spring.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
In this book, we hear all the different bird calls in counterpoint to the pervasive quiet of a mama bird waiting for her eggs to hatch. Fun and informative back matter takes the shape of an interview so that readers learn more right from the bird's bill. Ken Pak's lively illustrations, paired with Rita Gray's words, render a visual and sonorous picture book to be enjoyed by young naturalists.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Flowers are calling to all the animals of the forest, "Drink me!"—but it’s the pollinators who feast on their nectar. In rhyming poetic form and with luminous artwork, this book shows us the marvel of natural cooperation between plants, animals, and insects as they each play their part in the forest's cycle of life.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Warble is a small yellow warbler who lives on the beautiful island of Icyland, where he pursues his hobby of human watching. But on a warm day, a deep fog rolls in and obscures his view. The rest of the birds don't seem to notice the fog or the other changes Warble observes on the island. The more the fog is ignored, the more it spreads. When a Red-hooded Spectacled Female (Juvenile) appears, Warble discovers that he's not the only one who notices the fog. Will they be able to find others who can see it too? And is the fog here to stay?

FROM SARAH:

I love this book so much, I selected it for its own Family Book Club at RAR Premium.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Newbery Medal-winning author Patricia MacLachlan’s poignant text and award-winning artist Kenard Pak’s gentle and rustic illustrations paint the picture of a beautiful red barn and the people who call it home.

FROM SARAH:

You'll be eager for a snow day after reading this book, just so you can hear the many different sounds of snow. I loved everything about this book, and it's illustrated by one of my very favorite illustrators—Kenard Pak. Highly recommended for your winter reading basket. This is an RAR Premium Family Book Club pick for winter 2024.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

A snowy day, a trip to Grandma's, time spent cooking with one another, and space to pause and discover the world around you come together in this perfect book for reading and sharing on a cozy winter day.

**Description from Amazon: From two-time Newbery medalist and living legend Lois Lowry comes a moving account of the lives lost in two of WWII’s most infamous events: Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima. With evocative black-and-white illustrations by SCBWI Golden Kite Award winner Kenard Pak.

NOTE FROM SARAH:

A quiet, gentle story that reads like a love letter to grandmothers everywhere. Kenard Pak is one of my favorite illustrators these days!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

This sweet story captures the singular experience of a visit with Grandma, especially when you share a name.

**Description from Amazon: Fourteen black-and-white drawings, each accompanied by a title and a caption, entice readers to make up his or her own story.

** Description from Amazon: The publication of The Sibley Guide to Birds, First Edition quickly established David Allen Sibley as the author and illustrator of the nation’s supreme and most comprehensive guide to birds.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Even the roughest, toughest readers will want to turn off their engines, rest their wheels, and drift to sleep with this sweet and soothing story.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
Billy can be very difficult to please. Show him something very tall or very small, and he'll say, "whatever." Let him play inside the bounciest castle, and he'll shrug and say, "whatever." Take him for a ride in the smokiest train or the speediest spaceship — it doesn't matter. Billy's reaction is always the same. What might the surly boy say if a hungry tiger came by and his nonchalant dad gave Billy a taste of his own medicine? William Bee's quirky illustrations give an amusing new spin to a familiar scenario that will have both children and adults laughing in recognition.

**Description from Amazon: Wombats are cuddly-looking, slow-moving Australian animals. Their favorite activities are eating, sleeping, and digging holes. Here, in the words of one unusually articulate wombat, is the tongue-in-cheek account of a busy week; eating, sleeping, digging holes . . . and training its new neighbors, a family of humans, to produce treats on demand.

**Description from Amazon: A book for one. A book for two. A book for different points of view.

**Description from Amazon: Twelve-year-old Dawnie Rae Johnson's life turns upside down after the Supreme Court rules in favor of desegregation in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education. Her parents decide that Dawnie will attend Prettyman Coburn, a previously all-white school -- but she'll be the only one of her friends to enroll in this new school.

**Description from Amazon: From a bestselling and award-winning husband and wife team comes an innovative, beautifully illustrated novel that delivers a front-row seat to the groundbreaking moments in history that led to African Americans earning the right to vote.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Today we are battling too much information in a society changing at lightning speed, with algorithms aimed at shaping our every thought—plus a sense that history offers no resources, only impediments to overcome or ignore. The modern solution to our problems is to surround ourselves only with what we know and what brings us instant comfort. Jacobs's answer is the opposite: to be in conversation with, and challenged by, those from the past who can tell us what we never thought we needed to know.

What can Homer teach us about force? How does Frederick Douglass deal with the massive blind spots of America's Founding Fathers? And what can we learn from modern authors who engage passionately and profoundly with the past? How can Ursula K. Le Guin show us truths about Virgil's female characters that Virgil himself could never have seen? In Breaking Bread with the Dead, a gifted scholar draws us into close and sympathetic engagement with texts from across the ages, including the work of Anita Desai, Henrik Ibsen, Jean Rhys, Simone Weil, Edith Wharton, Amitav Ghosh, Claude Lévi-Strauss, Italo Calvino, and many more.

By hearing the voices of the past, we can expand our consciousness, our sympathies, and our wisdom far beyond what our present moment can offer.

**Description from Amazon: Paradise Lost is about Adam and Eve--how they came to be created and how they came to lose their place in the Garden of Eden, also called Paradise. It's the same story you find in the first pages of Genesis, expanded by Milton into a very long, detailed, narrative poem. It also includes the story of the origin of Satan. Originally, he was called Lucifer, an angel in heaven who led his followers in a war against God, and was ultimately sent with them to hell. Thirst for revenge led him to cause man's downfall by turning into a serpent and tempting Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

It's Halloween and Louie is determined to be with Amy, Roberto and Archie from his old neighborhood--if only in his imagination.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Pairing a rhythmic read-aloud text with expressive retro illustrations, author Patricia Toht and illustrator Jarvis capture all the excitement and familial feeling of a favorite tradition.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When she was young, the writer Flannery O'Connor was captivated by the chickens in her yard. She'd watch their wings flap, their beaks peck, and their eyes glint. But while she loved birds of all varieties and kept several species around the house, it was the peacocks that came to dominate her life. Written by Amy Alznauer with devotional attention to all things odd and illustrated in radiant paint by Ping Zhu, The Strange Birds of Flannery O'Connorexplores the beginnings of one author's lifelong obsession.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A young mathematical genius from India searches for the secrets hidden inside numbers — and for someone who understands him — in this gorgeous picture-book biography.

FROM SARAH:

A luscious addition to our collection of picture book biographies. This one reads especially well with older kids.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The inspirational story of George Washington Carver and his childhood secret garden is brought to life in this picture book biography by the author-illustrator team behind Muhammad Ali: A Champion Is Born.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A celebration of August Wilson’s journey from a child in Pittsburgh to one of America’s greatest playwrights.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The story of Elgin Baylor, basketball icon and civil rights advocate, from an all-star team.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Teedie was not exactly the stuff of greatness: he was small for his size. Delicate. Nervous. Timid. By the time he was ten years old, he had a frail body and weak eyes. He was deviled by asthma, tormented by bullies. His favorite place to be was at home. Some might think that because of these things, Teedie was destined for a ho-hum life. But they would be wrong. For Teedie had a strong mind, as well as endless curiosity and determination. Is that all? No. Teedie also had ideas of his own--lots of them. It wasn't long before the world knew him as Theodore Roosevelt, the youngest president of the United States.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Growing up on a Wisconsin farm, Georgia O'Keeffe began gathering all sorts of objects ― sticks and stones, flowers and bones. Although she was teased for her interest in unique shapes and sizes, young Georgia declared: “Someday, I’m going to be an artist” ― and that is exactly what she became.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When he wrote poems, he felt as free as the Passaic River as it rushed to the falls. Willie’s notebooks filled up, one after another. Willie’s words gave him freedom and peace, but he also knew he needed to earn a living. So he went off to medical school and became a doctor -- one of the busiest men in town! Yet he never stopped writing poetry. In this picture book biography of William Carlos Williams, Jen Bryant’s engaging prose and Melissa Sweet’s stunning mixed-media illustrations celebrate the amazing man who found a way to earn a living and to honor his calling to be a poet.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

This inspiring story tells how Joseph, the only child of a black slave and her white master, becomes "the most accomplished man in Europe." After traveling from his native West Indies to study music in Paris, young Joseph is taunted about his skin color. Despite his classmates' cruel words, he continues to devote himself to his violin, eventually becoming conductor of a whole orchestra. Joseph begins composing his own operas, which everyone acknowledges to be magnifique. But will he ever reach his dream of performing for the king and queen of France? This lushly illustrated book by Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome introduces us to a talented musician and an overlooked figure in black history.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Ethel Payne always had an ear for stories. Seeking truth, justice, and equality, Ethel followed stories from her school newspaper in Chicago to Japan during World War II. It even led her to the White House briefing room, where she broke barriers as the only black female journalist. Ethel wasn't afraid to ask the tough questions of presidents, elected officials, or anyone else in charge, earning her the title, "First Lady of the Black Press." Fearless and determined, Ethel Payne shined a light on the darkest moments in history, and her ear for stories sought answers to the questions that mattered most in the fight for Civil Rights.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

How did a poor boy named Edson—who kicked rocks down roads and dribbled balls made from rags—go on to become the greatest soccer player of all time? Here is the story of the boy who with great determination, lightning speed, and amazing skill overcame tremendous odds to become the world champion soccer star Pelé. Talented author/illustrator team Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome bring his inspirational story vibrantly to life.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Sometimes in London it drizzles. Sometimes it mizzles. Other times it pelts and showers and spits. And Jonas Hanway hates getting wet. How can he go about his day as a proper London gentleman when his shoes are soggy, his coat is always collecting puddles, and his wig looks like a wet cat? Fed up with damp and dreary London, Jonas sails far away, to places where the sun always shines. But what he sees when he gets there is.... scandalous! Shocking! Sensational! Perhaps also...quite genius? Now all Jonas has to do is convince the rest of London that they need an umbrella, too.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

An inspiring picture book biography of storyteller, puppeteer, and New York City’s first Puerto Rican librarian, who championed bilingual literature.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

On a stormy night two hundred years ago, a young woman sat in a dark house and dreamed of her life as a writer. She longed to follow the path her own mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, had started down, but young Mary Shelley had yet to be inspired.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Elizabeth Bessie Coleman was always being told what she could & couldn't do. In an era when Jim Crow laws and segregation were a way of life, it was not easy to survive. Bessie didn't let that stop her. Although she was only 11 when the Wright brothers took their historic flight, she vowed to become the first African -American female pilot. Her sturdy faith and determination helped her overcome obstacles of poverty, racism, and gender discrimination.

FROM SARAH:

This inspiring true story of Mary Walker, who learned to read at age 116, is inspiring, hope-filled, and illustrated with Oge Mora's lovely collage style. Highly recommended. This one is an RAR Premium Family Book Club pick.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In 1848, Mary Walker was born into slavery. At age 15, she was freed, and by age 20, she was married and had her first child. By age 68, she had worked numerous jobs, including cooking, cleaning, babysitting, and selling sandwiches to raise money for her church. At 114, she was the last remaining member of her family. And at 116, she learned to read.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Eugenie Clark fell in love with sharks from the first moment she saw them at the aquarium. She couldn't imagine anything more exciting than studying these graceful creatures. But Eugenie quickly discovered that many people believed sharks to be ugly and scary--and they didn't think women should be scientists.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In the fall of 1775, General George Washington was struggling to find a way to fight the British so that the colonies could be free from England. Phillis Wheatley, and African American poet who herself had struggled to gain freedom, decided to write Washington a poem of encouragement. Ann Malaspina's inspiring story shows the life and times of these two brave people who did so much to lay the foundation of our country.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Ever since she was a little girl, Leonora Carrington loved to draw on walls, in books, on paper--and she loved the fantastic tales her grandmother told that took her to worlds that shimmered beyond this one, where legends became real. Leonora's parents wanted her to become a proper English lady, but there was only one thing she wanted, even if it was unsuitable: to be an artist. In London, she discovered a group of artists called surrealists, who were stunning the world with their mysterious creations. This was the kind of art she had to make. This was the kind of person she had to be.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When Alice Ramsey was little, she loved to ride horses. As she grew up, more people were driving cars. From the moment Alice slid behind the wheel, she was crazy about cars. So when the Maxwell-Briscoe Company challenged her to drive one of their new cars across the country as a promotional ploy to prove that even a lady could do it, Alice daringly accepted. With several women by her side, these brazen drivers sustained many hardships over the course of a remarkable two-month journey and far surpassed all expectations. With a clever blend of women's history, technological history, and American roading geography, this is a celebration of unstoppable women making strides in twentieth-century America.

FROM SARAH:

A lovely cumulative story, illustrated by RAR favorite, Kenard Pak!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Acclaimed illustrator and animator Kenard Pak's light-filled, dramatic illustrations pair exquisitely with Ilima Loomis' text to celebrate Hawaiian land and culture.

**Description from Amazon: Kids who love the intrigue of titles such as What Do You Do with an Idea? will be inspired to ask their own questions about the world around them.

**Description from Amazon: Long, long ago, in a small town in ancient China, there lived an honest and respectful man called Tuan. Tuan was lonely and looked hard for a wife, but even the matchmaker couldn't help him. One night, however, Tuan's luck changed. And so begins the story of Tuan, White Wave, and the Dinner that Cooked Itself. This beautiful and enchanting Chinese fairytale will captivate the imagination with the perfect blend of magic and realism!

FROM THE RAR TEAM:

A beautifully told picture book biography that introduces us to C. S. “Jack” Lewis as a child. We see glimpses of some of his dearest memories and most really difficult moments throughout life. A wonderful addition to your home library for any Narnia fan!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A lyrical nonfiction picture book about the inspired life of C. S. Lewis, the beloved author of the Chronicles of Narnia—from Free as a Bird author-illustrator Lina Maslo. Perfect for fans of The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown and Some Writer!: The Story of E.B. White.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When Louisa May Alcott's Little Women was published in 1868 it was an instant success. Louisa drew on her experiences in writing the novel, but there's a lot more to her rags-to-riches story. Louisa came from a family that was poor but freethinking, and she started teaching when she was only seventeen years old. But writing was her passion. This informative biography captures the life of a compassionate woman who left an indelible mark on literature for all ages.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When Venetia Burney's grandfather reads aloud from the newspaper about a new discovery--a ninth major planet that has yet to be named--her eleven-year-old mind starts whirring. She is studying the planets in school and loves Roman mythology. It might be called Pluto, she says, thinking of the dark underworld. Grandfather loves the idea and contacts his friend at London's Royal Astronomical Society, who writes to scientists at the Lowell Observatory in Massachusetts, where Pluto was discovered. After a vote, the scientists agree unanimously: Pluto is the perfect name for the dark, cold planet.

FROM SARAH:

A rather delightful picture book about an Italian nobleman living in a medieval castle. My kids loved this book.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Conrad of Piacenza was a nobleman, living in a medieval castle in Italy. One day, he went out hunting with his servants, and a fire broke out in the forest. What happened next would change his life forever.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In this important and moving true story of reconciliation after war, beautifully illustrated in watercolor, a Japanese pilot bombs the continental U.S. during WWII—the only enemy ever to do so—and comes back 20 years later to apologize.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt were birds of a feather. Not only were they two of the most admired and respected women of all time, they were also good friends. Illuminated here for the first time in picture book form is the true story of a thrilling night when they made history together!

FROM SARAH:

This moving picture book biography tells of Harriet Tubman's distinct courage and zeal. Worth owning, and probably best for slightly older kids.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

his poetic book is a resounding tribute to Tubman's strength, humility, and devotion. With proper reverence, Weatherford and Nelson do justice to the woman who, long ago, earned over and over the name Moses.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Amid the scholars, poets, authors, and artists of the Harlem Renaissance stood an Afro-Puerto Rican named Arturo Schomburg. This law clerk's life's passion was to collect books, letters, music, and art from Africa and the African diaspora and bring to light the achievements of people of African descent through the ages.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

One stormy night at sea, a wayward man named John Newton feared for his life. In his darkest hour he fell to his knees and prayed--and somehow the battered ship survived the storm.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Follow Jane from her childhood in London watching a robin on her windowsill, to her years in the African forests of Gombe, Tanzania, invited by brilliant scientist Louis Leakey to observe chimps, to her worldwide crusade to save these primates who are now in danger of extinction, and their habitat. Young animal lovers and Winter's many fans will welcome this fascinating and moving portrait of an extraordinary person and the animals to whom she has dedicated her life.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Thurgood Marshall--the first black justice on the Supreme Court and a giant of the civil rights movement--jumps to life in this inspiring picture-book biography from an award-winning author and six-time Coretta Scott King, four-time Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
In this heartfelt and universal story, a mother and daughter look forward to their special Saturday routine together every single week. But this Saturday, one thing after another goes wrong--ruining storytime, salon time, picnic time, and the puppet show they'd been looking forward to going to all week. Mom is nearing a meltdown...until her loving daughter reminds her that being together is the most important thing of all.

**Description from Amazon: The parables and teachings of Jesus are brought to life in John Hendrix’s award-winning illustrations.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

As a boy, Jadav Payeng was distressed by the destruction deforestation and erosion was causing on his island home in India's Brahmaputra River. So he began planting trees. What began as a small thicket of bamboo, grew over the years into 1,300 acre forest filled with native plants and animals. The Boy Who Grew a Forest tells the inspiring true story of Payeng--and reminds us all of the difference a single person with a big idea can make.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: