Books

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
One hundred years after its author’s death, this classic remains remarkably modern and poignantly relevant. In this brand new edition, Elijah Wood reads Huck in a youthful voice that may be the closest interpretation to Twain’s original intent.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A lyrical, luminous picture book about missing a loved one. Little Cottontail misses his grandfather and the hugs, smiles, and jokes they shared. As he plays in the meadow, he thinks of ways that the wind, stars, stream, and trees can help him send hugs, kisses, and other messages to his grandfather. The text is careful to leave open the question of whether grandfather is deceased or just living far away, making the book meaningful to any small child who misses a loved one.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Change and transitions are hard, but Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! demonstrates how, when one experience ends, it opens the door for another to begin. It follows two best friends as they say goodbye to snowmen, and hello to stomping in puddles. They say goodbye to long walks, butterflies, and the sun...and hello to long evening talks, fireflies, and the stars. But the hardest goodbye of all comes when one of the friends has to move away. Feeling alone isn't easy, and sometimes new beginnings take time.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When something sad happens, Taylor doesn't know where to turn. All the animals are sure they have the answer. The chicken wants to talk it out, but Taylor doesn't feel like chatting. The bear thinks Taylor should get angry, but that's not quite right either. One by one, the animals try to tell Taylor how to act, and one by one they fail to offer comfort. Then the rabbit arrives. All the rabbit does is listen . . . which is just what Taylor needs.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Five-year-old Abel is so excited to have a new baby! But soon Mommy tells him the sad news that she has had a miscarriage. The baby is now in Heaven with Jesus. Wait . . . Heaven?

He has never known anyone in Heaven before, and he begins to dream about what their baby must be experiencing: dancing with Jesus, lots of children, and what about dinosaurs?

Even young children want answers to the hard questions about God and suffering. In The Moon Is Always Round, seminary professor and author Jonathan Gibson uses the vivid imagery of the moon to explain to children how God’s goodness is always present, even when it might appear to be obscured by upsetting or difficult circumstances.

In this beautiful, full-color illustrated book, he allows readers to eavesdrop on the conversations he had with his young son in response to his sister’s death.

**Description from Amazon: One eye was bigger than the other.  That was a mistake.
The weird  frog-cat-cow thing? It made an excellent bush.
And the inky smudges… they look as if they were always meant to be leaves floating gently across the sky.

FROM SARAH:

This is a gorgeous and moving picture book telling the true story of Harriet Tubman. We featured this beautiful book as an RAR Premium Family Book Club pick.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

An evocative poem and stunning watercolors come together to honor an American heroine in a Coretta Scott King Honor and Christopher Award-winning picture book.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

This inventive and fresh Nativity story is told from a bird's-eye view. On the morning of the first Christmas, the birds of Bethlehem gather in the fields--not only to eat but to share the exciting news. People from all over have descended on Bethlehem and an angel has appeared in the night sky. Something extraordinary is coming! The birds agree that they must find this wondrous thing, and off they fly to the stable where a child has been born.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

It’s Christmas at the cottage by the lake and the bears are busy preparing to celebrate. The human owners of the cottage, however, are in the city feeling glum. Until the idea comes to them to spend the holidays at their cottage.

What follows is a set of misadventures as the family arrives without presents—they were left on the train—and without the usual holiday accouterments—the Christmas trees and turkeys are all sold out. But they are in for a treat as the cottage has been decorated by their unseen friends. So the bears unwittingly save Christmas for their human hosts, yet are still able to enjoy their own fine celebration. And, as with the other books, the bears do so all while cleverly avoiding confrontation with their human friends.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

It's Christmas Eve, and the rabbits have moved to a new burrow. Fletcher is excited about celebrating the holiday with them, until he realizes...Santa Claus won't know where to deliver their presents!

But after a cozy night of caroling and blackberry pie, Fletcher wakes to a snowy Christmas morning full of wonderful surprises.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The Jolly Postman rides again with more real letters, and presents, too, in his Christmas postbag.

This gorgeously illustrated, full-color classic celebrates a time before email with an interactive picture book full of real letters to read aloud. The Jolly Postman brings a batch of wonderful letters for Christmas, including notes from the Big Bad Wolf and all the King's men.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Mistletoe loves everything about Christmas--the twinkling lights, the cookies for Santa, and, most of all, the gently falling snow. Her best friend, Norwell, is an elephant who likes sitting by the fire and watching the snow from the comfort of his cozy house. On one particularly snowy walk, Mistletoe stops to appreciate the beauty and peace of a snow-covered world. She knows Norwell would love it too... if he weren't so afraid of the cold. Then she has an idea! Mistletoe knits from morning to night--when she's reading, when she's baking, and even in the bath (which isn't easy). By the time Christmas morning arrives, she puts down her knitting needles. Her gift for Norwell is ready--and it is perfect.

Excitement! Intrigue! Suspense! Horror!
Will Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson discover the truth behind the fearsome legend of the beast with blazing eyes and dripping jaws? We're reading this together for Mama Book Club in RAR Premium (Jan & Feb 2021).

FROM SARAH:
From one of Sarah Mackenzie's all-time favorite authors: a tender father-son story about the passage of time, the change of the seasons, and the excitement of making maple syrup.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Eager for maple syrup, Ethan can’t wait till sugaring time rolls around. And he can’t wait till his loose tooth falls out. But his father keeps telling him it’s not time yet, and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t make time pass more quickly. The closeness of father and son is evident throughout as they wait and then celebrate the end of waiting. The brief, lyrical text is illuminated by G. Brian Karas’s beautifully composed, evocative illustrations.

FROM SARAH:

A beautiful, nearly wordless book that follows a family of bears through the coldest season of the year. Highly recommended.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

This charming and highly original story reveals what happens at a vacation cottage once the summer visitors have left for the winter. With fewer than two dozen words, the story is told primarily in pictures. Children and adults will revel in the activities of a family of bears that takes up residence in the empty camp.

FROM SARAH:

Will Hillenbrand's illustrations would have been my favorite, if I had seen them as a child. This snowy story is a cozy read aloud.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

One wintry day, a hat lands on the head of a newly made snowman and brings him to life. Hiding inside the hat is a rabbit, who listens to the snowman read a story to some animal friends. When the snowman falls asleep, the rabbit hops away with the book. But the snowman isn't about to let his story—or the mischievous rabbit—get away. The chase is on!

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

From the author-illustrator of The Book of Mistakes comes a gorgeous picture book about caring for your own heart and living with kindness and empathy.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

A classic in the making, this heartwarming story about empathy and imagination is one that families will treasure for years to come.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

A stunning and sensitive portrait of the strength within each of us and the nourishment we receive from the natural world, by the creator of the acclaimed My Heart and The Book of Mistakes.

**Description from Amazon: In a charming sequel to Adventures with Waffles, Trille and Lena navigate the rough waters of friendship when a new soccer coach and a new girl in school disrupt their seaside escapades.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Alfie and his twin sister Alfreeda are excited to welcome Herbie, a cute little Yorkshire Terrier. But Herbie is not excited about being at Hound Hotel. The furry boy is so homesick that all he does is lay around and cry. Alfie's convinced that Herbie just needs some guy time, but Alfreeda insists on babying the dog instead. Alfie's many funny attempts at cheering up Herbie make this a charming early chapter book, sure to please boys and girls alike.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Despite her name, Clover has always felt decidedly unlucky. So when she stumbles upon a mysterious cottage in the Woods, she can hardly believe her good fortune. It's the Magical Animal Adoption Agency, and it houses creatures of all kinds. Fairy horses, unicorns, and a fiery young dragon are just the beginning!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The seven Rainbow Fairies are missing! Rachel and Kirsty search for one in each RAINBOW MAGIC book. Read all seven books to help rescue the fairies and bring the sparkle back to Fairyland!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Ten-year-old George Calder can't believe his luck -- he and his little sister, Phoebe, are on the famous Titanic, crossing the ocean with their Aunt Daisy. The ship is full of exciting places to explore, but when George ventures into the first class storage cabin, a terrible boom shakes the entire boat. Suddenly, water is everywhere, and George's life changes forever.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A terrible darkness is spreading across Perodia. Thorn, a powerful vulture, is using dark magic (and his dark army of spies!) to destroy the magical land. A young owl named Tag may be the only one who can save it! Tag dreams of one day becoming a brave warrior, but he is small . . . In this first book, Tag and his best friend -- a squirrel named Skyla -- meet the last firehawk.

FROM SARAH:

Darling! Check your library to see if they have this one. You'll be as charmed as your kids.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Hedgehog, Bunny, and Squirrel are best friends. One day, they each find a letter. But not just any letter . . . a love letter. Someone loves them. But who? The answer may surprise you!

FROM SARAH:

A book for dog-lovers about friendship, even through hard times. Sweet.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In this heartwarming, wordless picture book that's perfect for dog lovers, a woman visits a park and discovers a pup hiding under a bench--scruffy, scared, and alone. With gentle coaxing, the woman tries to befriend the animal, but the dog is too scared to let her near. Day after day, the woman tries--and day after day, the dog runs away. With perseverance and patience--and help from an enticing tennis ball--a tentative friendship begins. But it's not until a raging storm forces the two together that a joyous and satisfying friendship takes hold.

FROM SARAH:

I loved this wordless so much, we featured it as the pick for Family Book Club in RAR Premium! Highly recommended.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In a three-generation family, one little bag is transporter of objects and keeper of memories. And when Grandfather comes to the end of his life, the family finds a meaningful new way for the battered, but much-loved little bag to continue its journey in the circle of life.

FROM SARAH:

A delightful (and funny) book. You may just enjoy this one as much as your kids do!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

It’s a big day up in the tree that Mama bird shares with her baby. Mama bird thinks Baby bird is finally ready to leave the nest and learn to fly so he can migrate south with the rest of their flock. But Baby bird isn’t so sure. Can’t his mother keep bringing him worms in their nest? Can’t he migrate in a hot air balloon instead? Or perhaps a car?

FROM SARAH:

A sweet, inspiring wordless story. See if your library has it!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The story of a girl who chooses to walk with Vanessa after she is bullied.. and that makes all the difference. Sweet and inspiring.

FROM SARAH:

A wonderful addition to your collection. Notice how the shape of the book adds to the charm of the story, as well.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In the cool and quiet early light of morning, a father and child wake up. Today they’re going on a hike. Follow the duo into the mountains as they witness the magic of the wilderness, overcome challenges, and play a small role in the survival of the forest.

FROM SARAH:

Stunning art in a sweet, wordless tale.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A fisherman takes his son for a trip out on the water. When they encounter a whale entangled at sea, they realize a connection that transcends the animal kingdom.

FROM SARAH:

An unusual story set in a lovely wordless picture book. Older kids may also enjoy this one.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Jenn’s beloved dog was lost sometime ago. Long enough that she has given up the search. But she still misses her friend. One day she finds a lost dog. She takes him in and despite a rocky start, she grows to love him. Until she spots his picture on a missing poster.

**Description from the publisher: First published posthumously in 1817, “Northanger Abbey” was actually the first finished novel that Jane Austen wrote. It is the story of seventeen-year-old Catherine Morland, one of ten children of a country clergyman, who imagines life as living in one of the Gothic novels with which she is excessively fond of reading. When she is invited by her wealthy neighbors, the Fullertons, to accompany them to the spa town of Bath she experiences her first taste of the fashionable upper class society of England. While there she meets the clever young gentleman, Henry Tilney, his sister Eleanor, and their father, the imposing General Tilney. The Tilneys invite Catherine to come stay with them at their estate, the titular Northanger Abbey. Catherine’s naïve over-active imagination quickly leads to embarrassment when she infers some sinister circumstances regarding the lack of emotion that General Tilney shows for the loss of his deceased wife. Eventually she realizes that real life is not at all like that of a Gothic novel. Noted for the insight it gives to Austen’s one opinions of the literature of her day, “Northanger Abbey” is both a satirical parody of the gothic romance novel and the story of a young girl’s maturation into womanhood. This edition is illustrated by Hugh Thomson.

From the publisher: A landmark achievement as expansive, erudite, and passionate as its renowned author, this book is the culmination of a lifetime of reading, writing about, and teaching Shakespeare.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare stages the workings of love. Theseus and Hippolyta, about to marry, are figures from mythology. In the woods outside Theseus’s Athens, two young men and two young women sort themselves out into couples—but not before they form first one love triangle, and then another.

Also in the woods, the king and queen of fairyland, Oberon and Titania, battle over custody of an orphan boy; Oberon uses magic to make Titania fall in love with a weaver named Bottom, whose head is temporarily transformed into that of a donkey by a hobgoblin or “puck,” Robin Goodfellow. Finally, Bottom and his companions ineptly stage the tragedy of “Pyramus and Thisbe.”

FROM THE PUBLISHER

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

They called her "Minty." When she grew up, she became Harriet Tubman, the courageous and heroic woman who helped hundreds of slaves escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad.

FROM SARAH:

What could be worse than a creature who comes in the night and steals away. . . .your books? Sweet, funny, and perfect for book-lovers.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A brilliantly written, laugh-out-loud rhyming text about books and the joy of reading in the vein of New York Times bestsellers It's a Book, How Rocket Learned to Read, and Dog Loves Books.

FROM SARAH:

I stumbled across this book in a bookstore and read it to myself, laughing aloud (and garnering the attention of the bookseller while I was at it). :) A delight!

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

It's the first day of school for Penelope Rex, and she can't wait to meet her classmates. But it's hard to make human friends when they're so darn delicious! That is, until Penelope gets a taste of her own medicine and finds she may not be at the top of the food chain after all. . . .

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Auggie and his magical companions are tending to the Fabled Stables when the building shakes and shudders to make room for a new arrival: the Tattle-Tail. Auggie assumes that the Tattle-Tail is in danger, but he learns that it's actually the town that needs rescuing . . . from an infestation of Tattle-Tails!

From the publisher: Teach a child letter sounds with Bob Books Set 1! With four letters in the first story, children can read a whole book. Consistent new sounds are added gradually, until young readers have read books with all letters of the alphabet (except Q). Short vowels and three-letter words in simple sentences make Bob Books Set 1 a fun confidence builder. With little books, come big success. (TM)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

When Lizzie's parents are granted their freedom from slavery, Mama says its time for Lizzie and her brother Paul to go to a real school—a new one, built just for them. Lizzie can't wait. The scraps of learning she has picked up here and there have just made her hungry for more.

The walk to school is long. Some days it's rainy, or windy, or freezing cold. Sometimes there are dangers lurking along the way, like angry white folks with rocks, or mysterious men on horseback. The schoolhouse is still unpainted, and its very plain, but Lizzie has never seen a prettier sight. Except for maybe the teacher, Mizz Howard, who has brown skin, just like her. They've finally made it to Freedom's School. But will it be strong enough to stand forever?

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A window into a child's experience of the Great Migration from the award-winning creators of Before She Was Harriet and Finding Langston.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

The National Football League is the most popular sports league in the United States. Its championship game, the Super Bowl, is watched by millions of people every year. But it wasn’t always like this. In the last one hundred years, football has changed from a poorly organized, often overlooked sport to America’s favorite pastime. Here are the stories of that remarkable transformation. The stories of the greatest players, the most successful coaches, the most memorable games—and the amazing plays that made us gasp as we watched them in stadiums and on televisions all over America.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Every single morning, the overseer of the plantation rings the bell. Daddy gathers wood. Mama cooks. Ben and the other slaves go out to work. Each day is the same. Full of grueling work and sweltering heat. Every day, except one, when the bell rings and Ben is nowhere to be found. Because Ben ran. Yet, despite their fear and sadness, his family remains hopeful that maybe, just maybe, he made it North. That he is free.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

No one pitched like Leroy "Satchel" Paige. Fans packed the stands to see how many batters he could strike out in one game. He dazzled them with his unique pitching style, and he even gave nicknames to some of his trademark pitches -- there was the "hesitation," his magic slow ball, and the "bee ball," named because it would always "be" where he wanted it to be.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

"This simply told story highlights such everyday events as eating oatmeal and walking to the store, aptly capturing a small child's sense of pleasure in imitating an older sibling...A universal story that features a warm and loving black family." - School Library Journal

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

This treasure trove of lavishly illustrated stories comes from different regions in Africa. In "Anansi," an uproarious story from Ghana, the tables are turned on lazy Anansi. "The Boy Who Wanted the Moon," set in the Congo, explains why there are monkeys in the world. "Shansa Mutongo Shima," a thrilling story of the Tabura people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, reveals the dangers of judging by appearances. In "The Roof of Leaves," from the Congo, a married couple learns a lesson about anger and forgiveness. "The Wedding Basket," set in Nigeria, is a cautionary tale about taboos. In "The Talking Skull," from Cameroon, a foolish man learns too late the wisdom of keeping his mouth shut.

FROM SARAH:

This book is balm for the homeschooling soul. It tells the story of a girl named Fred who attends a one-room schoolhouse in remote Alaska, 1948. We meet the new teacher, Miss Agnes, whose first order of business is to throw out the textbooks and lesson plans, and read aloud Robin Hood instead. ⁣It only gets better from there. 😉⁣

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Ten-year-old Frederika (Fred for short) doesn't have much faith that the new teacher in town will last very long. After all, they never do. Most teachers who come to their one-room schoolhouse in remote, Alaska leave at the first smell of fish, claiming that life there is just too hard.

But Miss Agnes is different -- she doesn't get frustrated with her students, and she throws away old textbooks and reads Robin Hood instead! For the first time, Fred and her classmates begin to enjoy their lessons and learn to read and write -- but will Miss Agnes be like all the rest and leave as quickly as she came?

From the publisher: The art and writing of Gwen Frostic are well known in her home state of Michigan and around the world, but this picture book biography tells the story behind Gwen's famous work.

From the publisher: In this book from the best-selling Almost Everything series, kids will find hours of fun, independent drawing practice with tracing and easy steps to learn how to draw almost everything under the sun.

From the publisher: Not sure how to start your drawing of a flamingo or a flying squirrel? Businessman? Bat? Baobab tree? How to Draw Almost Everything is here to help!

From the publisher: The perfect book for budding artists, How to Draw Almost Every Day challenges and inspires you to draw one simple illustration each day of the year.

From the publisher: Pat-a-Cake,” “Simple Simon,” “Rock-a-bye, Baby:” these and the many other rhymes that make up Mother Goose have become almost as much a staple of child-rearing as the rattle and the bottle. Little ones love its mix of lullabies and limericks, humor and sing-song verse, and they learn from it too. Gyo Fujikawa brought her inimitable style to this version, which features a mix of enchanting line drawings and warm color pictures. Adorable mice, led by a duck in uniform, man the boat in “I Saw a Ship a-Sailing.” A multicultural group of children circle round “The Mulberry Bush.” And “The Three Kittens” have never been cuter. Fujikawa has succeeded in creating a truly magical world for kids to enter.

From the publisher: A charming first look at the soft and sweet world of babies.

From the publisher: I’m up! I’m up! It’s going to be a busy day . . .What a special treat! Gyo Fujikawa has concocted a big, beautiful book that goes from morning till night, completely capturing a child’s world along the way.

Filled with silly jingles and fun rhymes; imaginative ideas for games; things for a daydreaming child to think about, and gentle little lessons on kindness and friendship, it will hold kids’ attention for hours. And, as always, Fujikawa’s sweet and appealing art features a diverse group of youngsters and a menagerie of delightful animals.

From the publisher: A is for absolutely adorable! Beloved artist Gyo Fujikawa teaches toddlers their alphabet in a picture-packed A to Z. Each letter is illustrated by a multitude of marvelous things to help build a childs vocabulary, including chicks, chocolate cake, and cuckoo clock for C
and moon, mouse, and monkey for M.
As always, Fujikawa has created a charming collection of cute children and huggable animals of all kinds.

FROM SARAH:

We love Gyo Fujikawa around here (check out the picture book biography about her, It Began With a Page, which we featured as our Family Book Club choice in RAR Premium.)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Gyo Fujikawa creates magic with this enchanting collection of fairy tales and fables. These are the stories that all children should experience, that will nourish their young minds and imaginations: Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, The Hare and the Tortoise, The Little Red Hen, The Three Little Pigs, and many more. Some are well known and beloved; others are unfamiliar, but they’re all beautifully written and illustrated.