Board the train for a story of art, diversity, and community in a near-wordless tale told through masterful, sumptuously detailed black-and-white illustrations. Train riders are used to stressful delays on the Zero Local line. But when a new passenger shows gratitude to the driver on their daily commute, tensions begin to ease. Eventually the artistic traveler stops riding the Zero Local line, and discord begins to creep back into the train car. Will the regular passengers find a way to restore the sense of camaraderie they once felt? Inspired by a true story, Ethan and Vita Murrow share with us a tender ode to the power of art and its ability to foster friendship and community in the most unlikely of places.
Charmingly detailed illustrations help tell a touching tale of the bond between grandparent and grandchild in a quiet yet powerful debut. “Thursdays are my favorite days.” “Mine, too.” Every morning Papa follows his normal routine. He drinks his tea, waters his plants, tidies up, and takes the bus into town. Papa enjoys his daily tasks, but there’s one day each week that is extra special. That’s the day he might visit the craft store, get two orders of dumplings to go, and possibly pick some flowers he sees along the path. With its spare text and wonderfully warm watercolor and cut-paper illustrations just begging to be pored over, Joowon Oh’s tale of the singular love between a grandfather and granddaughter will nestle within the heart of every reader.
A New York Times Bestseller For Lady Gaga, kindness is the driving force behind everything she says and does. The quiet power of kindness can change the way we view one another, our communities, and even ourselves. She embodies this mission, and through her work, brings more kindness into our world every single day. Lady Gaga has always believed in the importance of being yourself, being kind to yourself, and being kind to others, no matter who they are or where they come from. With that sentiment in mind, she and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, founded Born This Way Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making the world a kinder and braver place. Through the years, they've collected stories of kindness, bravery and resilience from young people all over the world, proving that kindness truly is the universal language. And now, we invite you to read these stories and follow along as each and every young author finds their voice just as Lady Gaga has found hers. Within these pages, you’ll meet young changemakers who found their inner strength, who prevailed in the face of bullies, who started their own social movements, who decided to break through the mental health stigma and share how they felt, who created safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, and who have embraced kindness with every fiber of their being by helping others without the expectation of anything in return. In one story, you’ll read about a young person with an autoimmune disease, who after being bullied at school, learned how to practice self-love and started an organization with the mission of educating others about the importance of self-love, too; and in another story, you’ll meet a young person who decided to start a movement to help eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and encouraged others to talk about their feelings openly and honestly, a reminder that kindness and mental wellness go hand in hand. Not only were we moved by these individual acts of kindness, but we were also touched by the many stories of organizations, neighborhoods, and entire communities that fully dedicated themselves to helping those in need and found new, innovative ways to make our world a kinder and braver place. Individually and collectively, these stories prove that kindness not only saves lives but builds community. Kindness is inclusion, it is pride, it is empathy, it is compassion, it is self-respect and it is the guiding light to love. Kindness is always transformational, and its never-ending ripples result in even more kind acts that can change our lives, our communities, and our world.
A boy and his older brother hatch a plan to return to the moon for the fourth time in their homemade rocket. This time, they're going to build something extra-special. Using a bunch of "junk" their mom left in a heap by the back door, brothers Fox and Dodge Wilder blast off by night for their fifth trip to the moon. They strap into their old car-seats and put on their protective bike helmets and winter coats. Ready for lift off! When they land, they set to work on a magnificent fort. It's hard work, and sometimes they face setbacks, but Dodge knows he can always turn to his older brother for inspiration. When they're done, they return to the comfort of home and breakfast Did the trip really take place, or was it only in the kids' imagination? A Fort on the Moon will resonate with any child with a passion for fantasy, adventure, and invention, and parents are sure to love the heartwarming bond of two brothers in a world of their own.
The legend of the Great Spotted Whale has never been proven until two whale watchers set out on a journey fifty years later to find the mythical animal. When they finally see it, they discover another surprise even bigger than they imagined.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A stunning “portrait of the enduring grace of friendship” (NPR) about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. A masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century. NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZE A Little Life follows four college classmates—broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition—as they move to New York in search of fame and fortune. While their relationships, which are tinged by addiction, success, and pride, deepen over the decades, the men are held together by their devotion to the brilliant, enigmatic Jude, a man scarred by an unspeakable childhood trauma. A hymn to brotherly bonds and a masterful depiction of love in the twenty-first century, Hanya Yanagihara’s stunning novel is about the families we are born into, and those that we make for ourselves. Look for Hanya Yanagihara’s latest bestselling novel, To Paradise.
Daren was always ahead of the curve, a prodigal son without focus or direction. That's why the drifters, the shamans of chaos, and the castaways of broken humanity were drawn to him. As his supercharged empathy begins to manifest, revealing brief glimpses into higher dimensions most humans are not equipped to endure, he falls in love with Lee, an enigmatic, dystopian gypsy who might be an ancient Native American demigoddess. Ever challenging conventional taboos held by his conservative suburbia, Daren straddles the thin line between excess and addiction with his two closest friends, Alex, a prince of hedonism peering perpetual into the abyss, and Keith, a Zen surfcat aficionado of sweet riffs and a-frame waves. Daren soon discovers balancing different worlds, the ethereal and the material, is no simple task even for a supposed whiz kid. Set against the decadent backdrop of 1980's California, his journeys will take him from the idyllic ranch country of the gold coast to the sweat-soaked concert arenas of the Angel City, from the white sands of Malibu to the underground sex clubs of San Francisco. Owing allegiance to Generation X predecessors like Bright Lights, Big City and Less Than Zero, as well as the stream of consciousness styles of Kerouac and Castaneda, 'The Kindness Of Ravens' is a postmodern tale of magical realism that will take readers on a heartbreaking exploration of the human condition, wherein a young man's struggles with substance abuse and the perils of spiritual revelation may result in nightmare, death, or worst of all, madness itself.
Unlock the transformative potential of read-aloud to joyfully strengthen essential literacy skills. In this eagerly anticipated follow-up to Maria Walther’s The Ramped-Up Read Aloud, discover 50 MORE read-aloud experiences designed to bolster students’ literacy development, ignite imagination, and enhance motivation. Backed by the latest research, this indispensable guide equips educators with the knowledge and tools to make read alouds a cornerstone of their teaching practice. More Ramped-Up Read Alouds includes lessons focused on foundational reading concepts like phonological awareness and decoding along with a new chapter on integrating literacy with STEAM. This must-have resource for K-5 teachers, librarians, schools, and districts goes beyond the basics. It empowers educators to elevate their read alouds, offering strategies to broaden students’ content knowledge, expand vocabulary, and boost listening comprehension. Each read-aloud experience features: Standards-based learning targets Key vocabulary words with kid-friendly definitions Effective questioning techniques Innovative reading response ideas Targeted extension activities to enhance the experience for upper elementary learners Looking to create joyful, enriching reading experiences that will lead to endless possibilities? Search no further! It’s time to make interactive read-aloud a non-negotiable part of the day—and watch learners soar!
The joyful path from rich read-aloud experiences toward supporting young readers’ independence. When young readers join their voices together in shared reading, their literacy skills and confidence soar. Shared reading surrounds students with the language of stories and the delight of learning in community. In Shake Up Shared Reading, veteran teacher Maria Walther offers teachers a simple but robust scaffolding for moving from teacher-led demonstration of read aloud to student-led discovery of literacy skills—across the bridge of shared reading. This easily adaptable structure features short, targeted bursts of shared reading that are connected to and planned as a follow-up to a read-aloud experience. The resource includes: Read-aloud experiences drawn from 50 recently published works of children’s literature from varied voices, that provide the foundation for the short, intensive shared reading interactions that follow. 100 short, laser-focused bursts of shared reading, two for each title, that invite students to dig deeper, with a precise aim in mind—perfect for a variety of learning contexts including virtual settings. Key vocabulary, kid-friendly definitions, along with a Nudge Toward Independence section for each shared reading interaction help teachers connect shared reading to guided reading lessons and students’ independent literacy learning. A companion website offering reproducibles and a Learning Target Chart that gives an at-a-glance view of every read aloud learning target and shared reading focus, along related titles and additional links. Let the power of a read aloud and shared reading lead your students to read, talk, ponder, and react on the way to becoming joyful, independent readers.
When writing workshops first blossomed in classrooms, its hallmarks were genuine curiosity, individual choice, quality conversations, and engaging children's literature. A joyous hum of intention, creativity, and craft enlivened the school day. Today's teachers are often faced with a range of obstacles, as new initiatives are embraced, mandates handed down, and scripted programs are purchased. Sometimes teachers must sacrifice the original principles of the writing workshop and lose the creative venue they provide. Above and Beyond the Writing Workshop is filled with original writing challenges designed to bring back the spirit of the original writing workshop model and encourage teachers to enhance it with invention, innovation, and inspiration. Teaching creative writing is not only possible, but an important process in their instruction. Author Shelley Harwayne invites teachers to keep the workshop spirit alive by: Encouraging professional conversations on classroom ideas and methods between colleagues; Developing writing cues that allow young writers to be inquisitive, outspoken, and independent; Showing how high quality writing can make a difference; Offering an inspired and stimulating outlet for students to express their passions. Harwayne's book will help teachers encourage students to write the world around them, which can generate more critical thinking and make for a more well-rounded child.
