Moto and Me tells the remarkable firsthand story of wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas's care for an orphaned baby serval--a small, spotted wildcat--in Kenya. When a grass fire separates the serval from his family, a ranger asks Suzi, who is living in a bush camp and is skilled with animals, to be the serval's foster mom. The book chronicles Suzi's tender care of Moto, including how she feeds, bathes, and plays with him, and helps him develop hunting skills. Her goal is to help him learn how to survive on his own in the wild. After 6 months, he is ready to leave--a difficult good-bye, but exactly what Suzi had worked for. Stunning photography illustrates this touching and rare wildlife rescue story. LEVELING Grade Range: 2-6 Fountas & Pinnell: P Lexile: 860L COMMON CORE W.3.1,2,2a,2b,4,7,8,10 L.3.3,4,4a,4b,4c,4d,5,5b,5c,6 SL.3.1,1a,1c,1d,2,3,4,6 RF.3.3,3a,3b,3c,3d,4,4a,4c RI.3.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

In a true tale of a young girl in Iran and her grandmother, this beautiful ode to family celebrates small moments of love that become lifelong memories.

A powerful introduction to forced disappearances for readers 10 and up. By a closed door, a child waits for his uncle, who is coming to stay. As he waits, he imagines all the fun things they'll do when he arrives: his uncle can teach him how to block a penalty shot and the boy can show him how well he is doing in school. But his uncle never arrives. Page by page, the boy grows older sitting in the same position, waiting to show his uncle his degree, his son, and eventually, his granddaughter. And still, his uncle does not come.

Zura is worried about how her classmates will react to her Ghanaian Nana's tattoos on Grandparents Day, but Nana finds a way to show how special and meaningful they are.

In this stunning collaboration of two exceptional talents, the striking charcoal illustrations and nimble text reveal what happens at night when the gargoyles come to life.

This luminous picture book by an award-winning author and acclaimed illustrator is the perfect tool to discuss the importance of the natural world with young children, as well as introduce them to environmental activist Rachel Carson. "I'm not afraid!" shouts Roger when he hears thunder outside...but he is afraid. When the storm quiets, his aunt Rachel decides to take him on a walk to see the beauty of the natural world at night. Over his Godzilla pj's goes his rain slicker; onto his feet go his monster boots, and together he and Rachel head down the rocky path to the sea. On the way they discover many marvels--a screech owl calling to its mate, ghost crabs tunneling in the sand, and most incredibly, the luminous life that lights up the water. When they find a tiny firefly who has lost its way, they bring it home and release it back into the woods. At last, Rachel tucks Roger into bed, telling him he is "nature's brave protector." An afterword introducing young readers to Rachel Carson, and explaining bioluminiscence, adds to the appeal of the book.

At night, Jacuzzi cares for his baby brother, makes a blender cyclone, ponders life, and waits for mama's arrival home. The first children's book from multi-genre artist Brontez Purnell, a 2018 winner of the Whiting Award, sweetly portrays a common but rarely narrated childhood experience - having a single parent and taking care of a younger sibling. With illustrations by Brooklyn artist Elise R. Peterson, The Nightlife of Jacuzzi Gaskett recounts 11-year-old Jacuzzi's evening activities while he cares for his baby brother and waits for mama's arrival home. He ponders his dad, school, and his future - and when his brother wakes up, Jacuzzi knows just how to get him back to sleep.

A young girl takes action against ocean pollution in a timely story with unique plastic-waste diorama art from award-winning author-illustrator Alma Fullerton.

A young girl takes action against ocean pollution in a timely story with unique plastic-waste diorama art from award-winning author-illustrator Alma Fullerton. Isley loves the ocean and everything in it. Well, almost everything. Her heart sinks at the sight of her Alantic Ocean shoreline covered in trash. One day, upon discovering a beached right whale that has starved to death after swallowing plastic, Isley decides enough is enough. She steers her family into adopting a zero-waste lifestyle, inspiring others to do the same. But when the adults around her give way to apathy and routine, how can Isley make sure her whale's memory inspires lasting change? With diorama art made from plastic waste by award-winning author-illustrator Alma Fullerton, No More Plastic is a moving, eye-catching, and ultimately hopeful reminder that the health of our oceans--and our planet--is in our hands.

Noodin, a nonbinary Anishnaabe kid, plans to spend their day reading and eating pancakes - until they unexpectedly get saddled with babysitting duties. A hunt for amusements and snacks ensues, taking them across the city to meet many friends - human and animal.

Famous for her pasta parties, Noodlephant is shocked when the law-loving kangaroos decide noodles are only for them! Noodlephant won't let this stand - Noodlephants can't survive on sticks and branches, after all. Determined to do something to push back against an unjust law, she and her friends invent a machine that transforms pens into penne, pillows into ravioli, and radiators into radiatori. With that, the pasta parties are back! But that very night, the kangaroos come bounding through the door ready to enforce their unjust laws. A zany tale full of pasta puns, friendship, and one Phantastic Noodler, Noodlephant, written by Jacob Kramer and illustrated by K-Fai Steele, explores a community's response to injustice.

On his first train ride, Michael meets a new friend from the "whites only" car--but finds they can hang together for only part of the trip--in the last story in a trilogy about the author's life growing up in the segregated South. Michael and his granddaddy always stop working to watch the trains as they rush by their Alabama farm on the way to distant places. One day Michael gets what he's always dreamed of: his first train journey, to visit cousins in Ohio! Boarding the train in the bustling station, Michael and his grandma follow the conductor to the car with the "colored only" sign. But when the train pulls out of Atlanta, the signs come down, and a boy from the next car runs up to Michael, inviting him to explore. The two new friends happily scour the train together and play in Bobby Ray's car--until the conductor calls out "Chattanooga!" and abruptly ushers Michael back to his grandma for the rest of the ride. How could the rules be so changeable from state to state--and so unfair? Based on author Michael Bandy's own recollections of taking the train as a boy during the segregation era, this story of a child's magical first experience is intercut with a sense of baffling injustice, offering both a hopeful tale of friendship and a window into a dark period of history that still resonates today.

When her little sister, Akeer, becomes sick when they are returning home from the water hole, Nya must carry her and the water back to their village, one step at a time.

A breathtaking mountain adventure, in which a boy finds his inner strength, from the author of the critically-acclaimed, award-winning novel The Heart Paul is ten years old and lives with his aunt and uncle. Bruce, an old family friend, suddenly reappears after three years of silence, eager to keep a promise he made to Paul to take him on a three-day mountain trek. Paul longs for Bruce's friendship and wants badly to prove himself. But he is also timid and unsure, and Bruce--who is better at doing than explaining--doesn't make it any easier. A dramatic event gives Paul the chance to find his inner strength, and to show himself and everyone else what he is capable of. This uniquely illustrated coming-of-age story for teens can help create thought-provoking discussion about: Finding independence, resiliency, and self-confidence The importance of guidance and mentorship from trusted adults An Aldana Libros Book