Children & Parent Services

An Amazon Best Book of the Year

DING DING DING!! Is that the school bell, or is it three million readers ringing in the return of V.E.S.T.-wearing case-busting secret agents Mango and Brash for another hilarious adventure? (It’s the latter, we’ll solve that mystery for free.)

The InvestiGators are back...to school?! Mango and Brash have always been a class act but can these alligator detectives convincingly go undercover as average middle-school students? Why has the super-spy organization S.U.I.T. been assigned protection detail for a small-town team mascot? Is it a coincidence that the school happens to be the same one that Agent Mango (just barely) graduated from? Is Mango’s family in danger? Will Brash pass home economics? Is Friday still pizza day? Find out in Class Action, the A+ return of the New York Times bestselling series by John Patrick Green! Read up, because there just might be a pop quiz later!

In Book Three of the popular "My Life . . ." series by Janet Tashjian, Derek Fallon's plan to help out a new classmate backfires miserably 

There's a new kid in Derek Fallon's class. His name is Umberto and he uses a wheelchair. Derek's family is still fostering Frank the monkey, and Derek thinks it would be great to train Frank to assist Umberto. But Derek quickly realizes that Umberto is definitely not looking for any help. Derek soon becomes the butt of Umberto's jokes. On top of that, Umberto starts stealing Derek's cartoon ideas and claiming them as his own. How did Derek get himself into this mess, and how can he find a way out before he is the laughingstock of school? The answer may very well be his cartoon strip—SUPER FRANK! 

My Life as a Cartoonist features illustrations by Janet Tashjian's son, Jake Tashjian.

From Newbery Medalist and bestselling author Linda Sue Park comes a joyous and inclusive celebration of eyes--showcasing the variety of Asian eye shapes and hues--in lively rhyming text ideal for sharing with any child.

For an enthusiastic little boy, an ordinary day is filled with the joys and surprises of seeing and being seen. All around him, people are using their eyes: big eyes, small eyes, eyes that are open wide, or shut tight, or even winking! With irresistible rhymes and warm, inviting art, this ode to eyes by Linda Sue Park and Lenny Wen will delight the youngest of readers.

From a Newbery Medal-winning author and a bestselling illustrator, the powerhouse duo behind the #1 New York Times bestseller Love, comes a deeply moving ode to the places we feel safe, loved, and true to ourselves—wherever they might be.

*”Beckons readers from the first page . . . Simply divine.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Home is a tired lullaby
and a late-night traffic that mumbles in
through a crack in your curtains.

Home is the faint trumpet of a distant barge
as your grandfather casts his line
from the edge of his houseboat.

So begins this stirring celebration of home in its many forms. For home is an idea more profound than the walls we build up around ourselves. It’s the family that shows its love through small gestures every day. It’s the community that sees one another through hard times. And it’s the wonder of the natural world, a refuge we share with every living thing on Earth.

With lyrical text and expressive artwork, Matt de la Peña and Loren Long’s meditation on the universal pull of home, whatever its form, is destined to become a new classic that will be cherished by readers of every age.

Don't miss the Spanish-language edition of this book, Hogar.

In this stunning and uplifting true story of community, a neighborhood comes together in the wake of a library fire to save the stories within, offering a timely reminder of the essential role libraries and books play in our communities.

A library is a keeper of stories. A keeper of memories. A keeper of hope. But what happens when that keeper is threatened?

When a fire broke out at New York’s Jewish Theological Seminary library in 1966, firefighters raced to the rescue. But by the end of the day, thousands of books had been turned to ashes and the ones that remained were on the brink of ruin. The community was devastated. Would the priceless stories in those waterlogged pages be lost forever? Or could helping hands from every background and corner of the neighborhood come together to become keepers of stories, too?

This powerfully told and lushly illustrated true story is a welcome example of how we all can come together to keep libraries and the books within safe for generations to come.

From New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award-winning author Hope Larson comes a middle grade graphic novel full of hijinks, unexpected friendships, and pizza, perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Kayla Miller.

Verity "Very" Nelson can do it all.

She's student body president, debate club whiz, and first chair clarinetist. You could say she's pretty much the best at everything...Well, almost everything. Everything except math.

And it's not like she doesn't try. Math just doesn't make sense in her brain. But it better start soon, or else she can kiss her presidency--and her campaign promises--goodbye. Soon Verity finds herself enrolled in a remedial math class where, despite her best efforts, failure persists. All seems lost until a teacher helps her discover the truth: Verity has dyscalculia, a learning disability that causes her to mix up numbers.

Armed with a new diagnosis and improved grades, Verity is confident her math struggles will remain secret. But when a gossipy podcaster dismantles her perfect image, Verity must choose: remain part of a broken system or fight to fix it.

A Children's Book Council Hot Off the Press Feature!

The wonders of the forest come alive to young readers with Animal Adventures: Day in the Forest, a charming board book perfect for young explorers!

From the first light of dawn to the calm of evening, children will follow along with playful woodland critters—foxes, squirrels, rabbits, bears, and more—on their daily adventures. With vibrant, full-color images and sweet, rhythmic rhymes, this beautifully crafted book captures the magic of the forest and its lively inhabitants, making it a perfect addition to your child's bedtime routine.

• A board book for ages 0-3, great for early learners and nature lovers.
• A wonderful gift for baby showers, birthdays, or bedtime snuggles.
• Stunning photographs and gentle rhymes bring the forest to life.

Step into the enchanting world of Animal Adventures: Day in the Forest and fuel your child’s love for nature, exploration, and the great outdoors!

A sweetly humorous picture book about composting, told from the point of view of a worm.

Meet Worm. He might be little. He might have no hands. But Worm would love to make a sandwich, just for you! 

To get started he'll need just one thing: garbage! Delicious, delectable garbage like apple cores and mushy grapes, broccoli bottoms and carrot tops, sad celery, and drippy cucumbers. Worm and his friends eat the garbage. And then they do what everyone does after they eat garbage. They poop! The poop goes in the compost and the compost goes in your garden, which is where the vegetables for your sandwich come from!

Simple, right? Worm thought you'd agree. He might just need a bit of assistance along the way . . .

This hilarious, engaging picture book is the perfect introduction to the process of composting from start to finish, told from the perspective of one little worm who is very eager to help.

A Children's Book Council Summer 2024 Showcase: Imagination Celebration! Pick

Meet Troll -- an underground bully who learns the power of words and empathy - in this gently powerful picture book just right for sharing and storytimes.

Once, there was a scary troll with a scary voice and the scariest love for trolling the forest creatures that dared to come anywhere near him. Each day, he shouted nasty warnings to passersby, telling them to hurry along. But he never faced his victims, choosing instead to shout the obscenities from inside his cave. Then one day Troll comes face to face with one of those victims: a sweet little rabbit, who can't hear and, therefore, can't understand Troll's bullyish behavior. Suddenly, trolling isn't as fun for Troll when the recipient is real.and defenseless.

Join Troll as he learns the power of words to both empower and to harm and relish in his transformation from thug to friend as he embraces a new voice for love.

A master of the wordless form imagines a futuristic Noah's Ark in a luminous sci-fi parable for our changing world.

The Earth has flooded. The only signs of humankind are the waterlogged structures they left behind. Peeking out from the deluge are the remnants of a zoo, home to rare and endangered animals, survivors of long neglect. Tender-hearted NOA is a construction robot who's found new purpose as the caretaker of the zoo's beleaguered inhabitants. Bracing for the next storm, NOA builds an ark from the wreckage in search of new land and a new home, only to discover something even more profound. With boundless compassion and sweeping scenes of sea and sky punctuated by detailed wordless panels to pore over, Caldecott Honor-winning creator Aaron Becker delivers a timely and concrete message about the rewards of caring in even the most difficult of times that is sure to inspire the dreamers among us.

Follow along as Maya spreads joy through random acts of kindness in this vibrant and heartwarming book celebrating empathy and community. 



It's finally cold enough for Maya to wear her favorite sweater! But when her cat pulls a thread loose, her beloved sweater quickly begins to unravel. Maya is heartbroken, but she doesn't have time to fix it before school. She starts to realize that maybe her sweater can help other people--and that's when the magic begins! Maya uses her sweater to help folks in her community throughout the day. But of course, what goes around, comes around and when Maya needs help, someone comes to her rescue. The Helping Sweater is an accessible, uplifting picture book with an engaging heroine and an empathetic message. 

 

A joyful picture book from a New York Times bestselling duo that celebrates inclusion and reassures children that in good times and bad they always matter--they always belong.

You matter . . .

in the way you help.

The way you hug.

The way you laugh.

The way you love.

The way you shout.

The way you speak.

The way you give.

The way you . . . express yourself!

In this warm, uplifting story, a new kid in town finds the courage to carve their own path, one that leads to a celebration of friendship and being yourself.

In this latest adventure, Really Bird finds a beautiful red box and spends the day deciding what to use it for. 
Meet Really Bird, a small bird who lives in a large city park with his friends Cat, Rabbit, and Pup. In each story, Really Bird finds himself really wanting something--to be bigger, to have his fair share, or to be a leader--to be really silly, funny, strong, cool, happy or brave. And when he feels something, he really feels it. Each story is an entertaining, character-driven caper based on relatable social/emotional themes, delivered with surprise twists, high drama, and expert comic timing. Along the way, lessons are learned about qualities such as teamwork and compassion. The emphasis is on character growth and development through creative problem solving. Friendship and emotional engagement are at the heart of every story. In Really Bird, Really Lucky, Really Bird finds a bright red box, his lucky box. He shows it off to all his friends, who are mostly not impressed. Really Bird tries to think of a use for the box and tries out several ideas. Eventually all his friends come together and gather fruit in the box. The whole episode ends when the friends enjoy each other's company and eat the fruit together . . . and then someone takes a nap in it! Children always love playing with boxes, and this entertaining story will inspire them to find their own lucky box for imaginative play.

Follow along as Maya spreads joy through random acts of kindness in this vibrant and heartwarming book celebrating empathy and community. 



It's finally cold enough for Maya to wear her favorite sweater! But when her cat pulls a thread loose, her beloved sweater quickly begins to unravel. Maya is heartbroken, but she doesn't have time to fix it before school. She starts to realize that maybe her sweater can help other people--and that's when the magic begins! Maya uses her sweater to help folks in her community throughout the day. But of course, what goes around, comes around and when Maya needs help, someone comes to her rescue. The Helping Sweater is an accessible, uplifting picture book with an engaging heroine and an empathetic message. 

 

Cultivate connection and kindness in author Susan Verde's and Peter H. Reynolds's I Am We, a companion to the New York Times bestsellers I Am Human and I Am Love

Connected is what we are: 
part of a world-wide community, 
diverse and magnificent, kind and accepting, supportive and present. 
All of us important, none of us alone.

Sometimes we may wonder, how does caring for ourselves help anyone else? But then we realize that the better we feel inside, the more we can be there for others--our friends, families, and communities. We are part of something bigger than ourselves, and when we each turn our goodness and compassion outward, we can create, learn, and love.

From the New York Times bestselling team behind the I Am series comes a celebration of caring for ourselves AND others with open hearts and minds. Whether it's listening to a friend, welcoming newcomers with open arms, or standing up against injustice, I Am We shows us what true community looks like--and the amazing things that can happen when we come together.

Inside you'll also find exercises for building community.

I Am series: 
I Am Me 
I Am We 
Who I Am 
I Am Courage 
I Am One 
I Am Love 
I Am Human 
I Am Peace 
I Am Yoga

Meet Moon! Follow along as she guides us through her origin and her purpose in this charming and humorous nonfiction picture book.

Following the success of When Cloud Became a Cloud comes Rob Hodgson’s next long-form picture book about the moon’s origin and phases. This delightfully fun exploration into the moon both informs and entertains, and helps young readers make sense of the world around them. The charming protagonist, Moon, sparsely narrates her story in eleven short chapters with text bubbles and vignettes sprinkled in to provide wit, style, and humor. Young audiences will immediately connect to the colorful, whimsical art and welcome a sense of accomplishment in devouring this unexpected, yet wholly accessible scientific book.

Return to the land of Never After for the last time in the riveting conclusion to New York Times–bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz's hit middle-grade series perfect for fans of The Land of Stories books.

The Never After crew is back for a final epic adventure . . . With Queen Olga drawing ever nearer, Filomena and her friends race to find the last surviving fairy, Sabine, and protect her at all costs. For if Sabine dies, so does
all of Never After. Without a moment to lose, Filomena, Jack, Alistair, Gretel, and the rest of the gang—along with some new pals like Captain Hook—set off for Pan’s Neverland to find Sabine.

But even in Neverland, there’s mischief afoot. Pan is no ordinary boy, and the group discovers Sabine goes by another name in this mysterious realm: Tinker Bell! But trickster gods and undercover fairies are just the beginning for Filomena and her adventurous friends.

As Olga’s evil forces close in, will Filomena find a way to protect the magic of Never After once and for all, and ensure a happily-ever-after for the End of the Story?

He’s a master of the paper trail! Keep your eyes peeled for Waldo’s amazing seventh adventure -- his most interactive journey ever.

Take a page from Waldo’s sketchbook —but first you’ll have to find it! In this classic title, fans follow the wily guy through more astounding scenes, each containing a maddeningly hard-to-find piece of paper torn from his sketchpad. Add in an exciting parade, a confounding maze, the trickiest spot-the-difference challenge in history, and Martin Handford’s incomparable artwork, and you’ve got one extraordinary hands-on expedition. 

Waldo lovers will have tons of fun with:
— A fold-out Muddy Swampy Jungle Game with press-out counters — and tongue-twisting forfeit cards
— A press-out circus for fans to put on their very own show

Norman, a narwhal, goes on a deep dive to see his friends. Join him in this cute story with carefully leveled text and colorful illustrations. Pairs with the nonfiction title The Life of a Narwhal.

Beloved character Flat Stanley is back with a whole new set of friends in this brand-new STEM-focused chapter book series. In this first book, Stanley's class gets an adorable class pet, plus a crash course on animal life and engineering!

Ever since Stanley Lambchop was flattened by a bulletin board, each day brings new adventures!

Stanley's second grade teacher, Ms. Root, loves science, and she has an exciting surprise in store for the class: they're getting a pet! Stanley and his classmates can't wait to play with their adorable hamster, Cottonball, and learn all about animal life.

But then Cottonball escapes! Stanley and his best friend, Marco, have some ideas on what to do to find her, but they'll need to work through their disagreements and overcome engineering roadblocks to construct the best solutions for Cottonball. Will classroom 2E be able to catch her? And how will they keep her from escaping again?

Featuring adorable black & white illustrations, an accessible approach to STEM topics, and fun facts about wild hamsters in the backmatter. Don't miss any of Flat Stanley's classroom adventures!

With a gentle social emotional message about executive function, Curious George makes his I Can Read Comics debut in this highly visual and adventuresome romp through the neighborhood.

Curious George is looking for something fun to do, so the man with the yellow hat has an idea--a scavenger hunt! George sets off at once. Find out what exciting surprise awaits George when he finds everything on his list!

As George ventures from place to place he doesn't always find the items on his list on his first try. But with patience, persistence, and the help of friends and neighbors along the way, George continues on his fun search through the neighborhood.

Curious George: Scavenger Hunt is a Level Two I Can Read Comic, geared for kids who are comfortable with comics and can read on their own but still need a little help.

"A search-and-find book about zoos reinforces new vocabulary to build reading success while close-up images of places and buildings captivate young audiences. A great early social studies book to inspire learning about communities on field trips for kindergartners and first graders"--

"Fire trucks will introduce budding book learners to a noisy, colorful world with this new Starting Out title. Colorful photos, labeled diagrams, 'Make a Noise' section, glossary, and more ignite a passion for learning"--

Grab the best seat in the house with this funny, touching picture book about a giraffe who keeps being mistaken for a chair!

From the acclaimed author-illustrator of There’s a Giraffe in My Soup comes a curious tale about finding one’s courage and standing up for oneself. Full of vibrant and playful illustrations and hilariously absurd logic, kids will want to read it again and again.

Meet Pug! He’s energetic, excitable, and eager for his next adventure in this Guided Reading Level C story, perfect for beginning readers to read on their own.

Yap! Yap! Yap! Welcome to Pug’s world—where simple text meets adorable artwork, and young readers meet their new best friend. 

For readers who have mastered basic sight words, Level C books feature slightly longer sentences and a wider range of high-frequency words than Level B books. Level C books are suitable for mid-to-late kindergarten readers. When Level C is mastered, follow up with Level D.

The award-winning I Like to Read® series focuses on guided reading levels A through G, based uponFountas and Pinnell standards. Acclaimed author-illustrators—including winners of Caldecott, TheodorSeuss Geisel, and Coretta Scott King honors—create original, high quality illustrations that support comprehension of simple text and are fun for kids to read with parents, teachers, or on their own!