The unbelievable true story about one garbage truck driver who saved tens of thousands of objects from the trash to fix up and display in his museum! Discover the life of Nelson Molina, an employee of the New York City sanitation department who found over 45,000 objects in the trash to save, fix, and then display in his museum for others to enjoy. With themes of anti-consumerism, upcycling, and love for your community, Gifts from the Garbage Truck will inspire young readers to think more creatively and curiously about what we do (and don’t) throw away.

Prepare to be scared silly in this creepy middle-grade novel! Twins seek medical help in a remote village after their father is in a canoeing accident…only to discover the scarecrow that stands watch in town may have a stronger hold over the residents than expected. Perfect for fans of R.L. Stine, Dan Poblocki, and Mary Downing Hahn. Twins Oliver and Trisha love going on adventures with their dad. Canoeing and camping on the Champion River will be their best trip yet! But when they capsize in rapids, their father is knocked unconscious. Alone and without cell phone reception, their only choice is to continue down river for help. Hours of paddling brings them to an old dock, and a narrow path leads them to a small village. The townspeople are kind and helpful, but strangely focused on the giant scarecrow in the village square. “He watches over us,” the twins are told in whispers. “He keeps us safe.” An old woman warns the twins not to spend the night in the village. Not if they ever want to leave. But with the sun soon to set and their father not well enough to be moved, how can they escape? More importantly, can they survive?

**From the TikTok sensation author of the Magnolia Parks Universe comes a reimagining of Peter Pan brimming with whimsy, magic, and romance. Daphne, descendant of Wendy Darling, navigates Neverland and her complicated relationships with Peter Pan and the son of Captain Hook. Never…is an awfully long time.** Growing up, Daphne always knew Peter Pan would come for her. The way he’d come for her mother, and her grandmother Wendy before that. The Darling girls. Their stories are all the same: the forever-young boy at their window after their thirteenth birthday, and the shimmering, magical land behind a star. When Peter doesn’t show for Daphne until she’s seventeen, inexplicably full-grown and with no excuse for his tardiness, Daphne doesn’t know what to think. Still, she has always been told that Peter Pan is her destiny. It’s beyond choice to take his hand and leap into the stars, no matter what comes next. But in Neverland, Peter’s true colors begin to show. One moment, he’s making Daphne’s heart flutter, and the next, he’s forgotten her entirely. So when Daphne stumbles into the path of Jamison Hook, the pirate son of Peter’s nemesis, she lets herself get swept up in his vulgar charm, despite the warning signs. Both boys are trouble, and both have dangerous secrets about this strange fantasy land they call home—and if she loses her heart to either one, Daphne might just lose herself, too.

A sweet story about how to face our fears no matter how silly they may seem Have you ever been so scared that your tummy tumbled and your heart hiccupped and your fingers fiddled? You’re not alone! Elephant, Cheetah, and Gator feel the same way. Join these three friends as they find their brave self by first imagining themselves as brave and growing into being brave!

Join the class of reindeer as they try to divide into groups without leaving anyone out, a problem they must work together to solve! A class of a dozen reindeer is preparing for the big showcase night event when a new student arrives. This isn’t a big deal until it’s time to divide in groups, and there’s a leftover reindeer every single time. How will the class make sure everyone feels included? And what will they learn in the process? A perfect picture book for back-to-school or any time of year, The Reindeer Remainders shows how working together and including others are important parts of friendship. Back matter included.

In this fantasy of Jazz Age Harlem, where warring factions of oligarchs, gangsters, and vampires vie for power and control, a young vampire and the girl who once betrayed her are drawn to one another. It’s 1926 and reapers, the once-human vampires with a terrifying affliction, are on the rise in New York. But the Saint family’s thriving reaper-hunting enterprise holds reign over the city, more powerful than even the organized criminals who run the nightclubs. Eighteen year-old Elise Saint, home after five years in Paris, is the reluctant heir to the empire. Only one thing weighs heavier on Elise’s mind than her family obligations: the knowledge that the Harlem reapers want her dead. Layla Quinn is a young reaper haunted by her past. Though reapers have existed in America for three centuries, created by New World atrocities and cruel experiments, Layla became one just five years ago. The night she was turned, she lost her parents, the protection of the Saints, and her humanity, and she’ll never forget how Elise Saint betrayed her. But some reapers are inexplicably turning part human again, leaving a wake of mysterious and brutal killings. When Layla is framed for one of these attacks, the Saint patriarch offers her a deal she can’t refuse: to work with Elise to investigate how these murders might be linked to shocking rumors of a reaper cure. Once close friends, now bitter enemies, Elise and Layla explore the city’s underworld, confronting their intense feelings for one another, and uncovering the sinister truths about a growing threat to reapers and humans alike.

A delightful rhyming picture book that combines the science of squirrel hoarding with the fun and friendliness of hide and seek. Follow along as one squirrel hides seeds, nuts, and berries that her neighbors will seek later! Scientific back matter about squirrel hoarding and different squirrels from around the world included. *Brrrrr! It’s getting colder now. My coat begins to grow. Time to start my winter stash Before the freezing snow! All my friends like stealing food, Which isn’t very kind. I’ll be smart and hide a ton For us to seek and find. Sniff! I find some acorns. Yum! I stash them in the ground. Next, come spinning maple seeds. I pounce. I leap. I bound!*

At each grade level, the lessons align with the Common Core State Standards Initiative for Speaking and Listening. The text exposes children to diverse cultures and fosters attitudes of curiosity and respect. Children learn how they are similar to their peers across the world, but also learn to explore and appreciate how they differ as well. What Does It Mean To Be Global? is a perfect starting point for relevant classroom activities. Classroom activities in this instructional unit tap into children’s various perspectives including: their senses, their talents and interests, their shared languages, and their values.

Based on a true story, the tale of one girl’s perilous journey to cross the U.S. border and lead her family to safety during the Mexican Revolution It is 1913, and twelve-year-old Petra Luna’s mama has died while the Revolution rages in Mexico. Before her papa is dragged away by soldiers, Petra vows to him that she will care for the family she has left—her abuelita, little sister Amelia, and baby brother Luisito—until they can be reunited. They flee north through the unforgiving desert as their town burns, searching for safe harbor in a world that offers none. Each night when Petra closes her eyes, she holds her dreams close, especially her long-held desire to learn to read. Abuelita calls these barefoot dreams: “They’re like us barefoot peasants and indios—they’re not meant to go far.” But Petra refuses to listen. Through battlefields and deserts, hunger and fear, Petra will stop at nothing to keep her family safe and lead them to a better life across the U.S. border—a life where her barefoot dreams could finally become reality.

Dinosaur Lady is a beautiful and brilliant picture book that will enlighten children about the discovery of the dinosaurs and the importance of female scientists. It also includes a timeline of Mary Anning’s life and lots of fantastic fossil facts! A Common Core State Standards Aligned Activity Guide for Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4.

You Are Awesome sets out to inspire and empower kids to change their mindset, find their confidence, and achieve their potential. From motivating students to try a new hobby or sport, to building confidence and resilience before the transition to middle-school, You Are Awesome provides lots of opportunities for activities and discussion.

**“This book should be required reading. Not only is this message great for kids, but it’s also a powerful reminder of how caring adults can help children feel safer.” --Loanna Davis, director of children’s programs, Futures Without Violence You have the power to protect yourself and others!** What does it mean to be safe? Does it mean beating a throw to home plate? Does it mean never taking risks? No! Being safe is about feeling secure, feeling protected and being responsive—no matter the environment or situation. You can be safe in so many simple ways. From being aware of your limits to creating healthy boundaries. By not giving in to peer pressure and by standing up to bullies. And by being safe on the Internet, or knowing the right time to get a caring adult’s help. This addition to the award-winning What Does It Mean to Be…? series is the perfect book to spark meaningful dialogue and ensure every child knows what it means to be safe.

An activity kit filled with crafts, games, and even recipes to accompany The Halloween Tree, a charming and warm-hearted picture book that will help to start a new tradition

From the best-selling creators of Unicorn Day comes a mer-tastic celebration as all sorts of sea creatures celebrate Mermaid Day! *Hooray Hooray! It’s Mermaid Day! Shake your tailfin! Splash and play! Bubbles popping, One, two, three, Mermaid magic Fills the sea!* On Mermaid Day, the mer-queen throws a big bash. She decorates with seashell garlands and seaweed bows. Creatures of all kinds arrive. Dolphins dance, narwhals play ring toss. But who’s that lurking in the dark—is that a shark? But mermaids know this shark won’t bite. He’s just shy. As night falls the guests say goodbye to a mer-mazing day. **New in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling How to Catch series—can YOU catch a mermaid? ** *Last week I saw a mermaid. It’s not something I’d pretend! I’d really like to catch her so she could be my friend. But how to catch a mermaid? You don’t learn this in school. We’ll need to build a gentle trap and start near the tide pool.* Many claim to have caught a mermaid, but can YOU? Perfect for summer, the newest title in the New York Times bestselling How to Catch series will have children and parents excited to see if these characters can actually pull off catching a mermaid!

**Using a cheeky guessing game format, Butt or Face? is a hilarious nonfiction picture book that teaches fascinating facts about animals! Are YOU ready to play? ** Move over, Jeopardy, Family Feud, and The Price Is Right—this book will be your new favorite laugh-until-your-stomach-hurts family game! In Butt or Face, weird animals are introduced with a close-up photo. Kids must guess: are they seeing seeing…um…err… the bottom or the top? Readers will learn about animals like Cuban Dwarf Frogs, whose backsides look like a pair of eyes, and the Mary River Turtle, which not only has a unique face, but even breathes through its butt! On every reveal page, kids can enjoy the animals’ complete photos and fascinating scientific facts, which explain how the critters’ camouflage and trickery help them to engage with their habitats. Can YOU tell a butt from a face?

Filled with games, coloring, and crafts to accompany There Was a Black Hole that Swallowed the Universe, an out of this world picture book that sparks creative conversations about celestial beings from the #1 science author for kids, Chris Ferrie!

**From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Nature of Witches and Wild is the Witch comes a lush, romantic, and unforgettable new fantasy full of sea magic, arranged marriages, and the choice between love and duty ** Tana Fairchild’s fate has been planned out for her since the day she was born: marry the governor’s son and secure an unprecedented alliance between the witches and the mainlanders. But when Tana meets Wolfe, a member of the only remaining coven left practicing dark magic, she’s stunned to learn of his existence. She’s always thought the final coven disbanded ten years ago, completely eradicating the use of dark magic. When unknown magic builds in Tana’s body and she’s unable to expel the magic on her own, she begs Wolfe for help. And as she practices Wolfe’s dark magic, she’s horrified to discover how naturally it comes to her. It makes her feel powerful. Alive. Tana tries to rid herself of the memories of Wolfe and his magic, throwing herself into her courtship with Landon, the key to the alliance the witches have worked so hard for. With Tana’s covenant ball approaching, their engagement will be officially announced. But when Tana’s family discovers her use of dark magic and her mother confides in her that the witches are losing control of the currents, and it’s only a matter of time before the sea swallows a mainlander. When that happens, Tana’s relationship with Landon could be the only thing that keeps the mainlanders from turning on the witches. But Tana can’t stop thinking about Wolfe. And as the tide grows fiercer, and the witches’ relationship with the mainlanders more tenuous, Tana has to decide what’s most important to her: love, or duty?

Can you catch the magical Loveosaurus? From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling How to Catch series comes an exciting Valentine’s Day treat about a rare new creature! The Catch Club Kids are on the chase again, this time to trap an escaped dinosaur that wants to spread love and kindness. Blending exciting traps and STEAM concepts with hilarity and chaos to encourage reading, learning, and imagination, this charming adventure will delight young readers, families, and educators alike—and maybe inspire spreading some kindness too!

In the following STEM challenges, students will design a nature-inspired solution to a problem. They involve making observations of a plant or animal, describing its most unique or interesting structures and functions, identifying a human problem that mimicking the plant or animal could solve, and designing and advertising an invention using biomimicry. About the Nature Did It First: Nature does it best … and did it first! Explore the ways we have looked to nature for brilliant new designs and innovations to solve our own conundrums. Each example in nature is paired with a fun, rhyming description, an example of how it has been used by us, and a question to the reader – “what other problems can be solved?” Learn fascinating examples of biomimicry, like: • How burrs inspired Velcro • How grooved gecko feet inspired adhesive • How bumpy whale flippers inspired windmill blades and surfboards • And more! Back matter includes: • A glossary for words like echolocation and adhesive • A STEM Challenge activity perfect for your home or classroom

From the best-selling creators of Unicorn Day comes a mer-tastic celebration as all sorts of sea creatures celebrate Mermaid Day! *Hooray Hooray! It’s Mermaid Day! Shake your tailfin! Splash and play! Bubbles popping, One, two, three, Mermaid magic Fills the sea!* On Mermaid Day, the mer-queen throws a big bash. She decorates with seashell garlands and seaweed bows. Creatures of all kinds arrive. Dolphins dance, narwhals play ring toss. But who’s that lurking in the dark—is that a shark? But mermaids know this shark won’t bite. He’s just shy. As night falls the guests say goodbye to a mer-mazing day.