From the award-winning author of Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna, Alda P. Dobbs, comes a compelling new novel about building a new life in America. Strong and determined, Petra Luna returns in a story about the immigrant experience that continues to be relevant today.** Petra Luna is in America, having escaped the Mexican Revolution and the terror of the Federales. Now that they are safe, Petra and her family can begin again, in this country that promises so much. Still, twelve-year-old Petra knows that her abuelita, little sister, and baby brother depend on her to survive. She leads her family from a smallpox-stricken refugee camp on the Texas border to the buzzing city of San Antonio, where they work hard to build a new life. And for the first time ever, Petra has a chance to learn to read and write. Yet Petra also sees in America attitudes she thought she’d left behind on the other side of the Río Grande—people who look down on her mestizo skin and bare feet, who think someone like her doesn’t deserve more from life. Petra wants more. Isn’t that what the revolution is about? Her strength and courage will be tested like never before as she fights for herself, her family, and her dreams. Petra’s first story, Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna, was a New York Public Library Book of the Year and a Texas Bluebonnet Master List Selection.

Written by two brain experts, this STEM picture book is packed with fascinating science and fun facts about the importance of sleep that will have kids excited to get a good night’s rest! Go to sleep and grow your brain! During the day, your brain helps you do things like eat, walk, play with friends, and learn new things—and using your brain helps it stretch and get stronger. But did you know that you have the power to grow and train your brain just by going to sleep? In fact, while you’re resting, your brain is doing some of its most important work! Learn about the important jobs your brain does at night like: Locking in what you learned during the day Resetting itself so that it’s ready when you wake up Even taking a bath to make sure it’s clean and healthy! Perfect for parents and educators, Good Night to Your Fantastic Elastic Brain is an excellent tool to teach kids about brain development, growth mindset, and the power of making healthy choices like getting enough sleep!

How do we give young people the tools they need to actively dismantle racism and create a better world for everyone? From the author of the groundbreaking NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, Me and White Supremacy, Layla Saad’s young readers’ edition is a timely, crucial, and empowering guide for today’s youth on how to be antiracist change makers. Layla Saad meticulously updated the content for young readers to include: definitions and history of various topics covered sections to help readers process complex topics no time limit—unlike the adult edition, this is not a 28-day challenge so readers can use this content for however long it takes to do the work content that is approachable and applicable for those with and without white privilege Me and White Supremacy has reached so many adults in their journeys to become better ancestors. This edition aims to teach readers how to explore and understand racism and white supremacy and how young readers can do their part to help change the world. Covering topics such as white privilege, white fragility, racist stereotypes, cultural appropriation, and more, Layla Saad has developed a brilliant introduction and deep dive that is sure to become a standard in antiracist education. “This young readers’ edition empowers young people to have courageous conversations about race, power, and privilege with themselves first and then with others.” -Elisabet Velasquez, author of When We Make It

**The Hate U Give meets Internment in this pulse-pounding thriller about an impenetrable dome around Baltimore that is keeping the residents in and information from going out during a city-wide protest. ** Jamal Lawson just wanted to be a part of something. As an aspiring journalist, he packs up his camera and heads to Baltimore to document a rally protesting police brutality after another Black man is murdered. But before it even really begins, the city implements a new safety protocol…the Dome. The Dome surrounds the city, forcing those within to subscribe to a total militarized shutdown. No one can get in, and no one can get out. Alone in a strange place, Jamal doesn’t know where to turn…until he meets hacker Marco, who knows more than he lets on, and Catherine, an AWOL basic-training-graduate, whose parents helped build the initial plans for the Dome. As unrest inside of Baltimore grows throughout the days-long lockdown, Marco, Catherine, and Jamal take the fight directly to the chief of police. But the city is corrupt from the inside out, and it’s going to take everything they have to survive.

Mysterious disappearances. An urban legend rumored to be responsible. And one group of friends determined to save their city at any cost. Stranger Things meets Jordan Peele in this utterly original debut from an incredible new voice. For over a year, the Bronx has been plagued by sudden disappearances that no one can explain. Sixteen-year-old Raquel does her best to ignore it. After all, the police only look for the white kids. But when her crush Charlize’s cousin goes missing, Raquel starts to pay attention—especially when her own mom comes down with a mysterious illness that seems linked to the disappearances. Raquel and Charlize team up to investigate, but they soon discover that everything is tied to a terrifying urban legend called the Echo Game. The game is rumored to trap people in a sinister world underneath the city, and the rules are based on a particularly dark chapter in New York’s past. And if the friends want to save their home and everyone they love, they will have to play the game and destroy the evil at its heart—or die trying.

About Too Many Bubbles: Help children master the skill of mindfulness in this new series focused on social-emotional growth! Izzy the Mouse wakes up one day with a grumpy thought bubble hanging over her head. But instead of going away on its own, it multiplies. Soon, the thought bubbles are getting in the way of every part of Izzy’s life. Something has to be done, though Izzy doesn’t know what. When she sees a bear blowing bubbles and realizes that a deep breath helps them float away, she tries a deep breathing exercise—and it helps her get rid of her grumpy thoughts for good. About Brave Like Me: Teach children to embrace their inner roar and become their bravest selves with the new Books of Great Character series that focuses on social-emotional growth! Wyatt is a lion, which everyone knows means one things: he’s incredibly brave, like all lions. He performs daring acts of bravery all the time! But none of the other animals realize that Wyatt actually does have a fear; he’s scared of the stage. When his friend’s hat is blown away by a gust of wind, Wyatt bravely offers to go save it. And when the hat blows onto a stage mid-performance, Wyatt must decide if he is capable of facing his fears for a good cause.

This book engagingly leads readers around the world following a drop of water-whether as steam or snow, inside a plant or animal, or underground-teaching the wonders and importance of the water cycle. Geography topics and four pages of science about the qualities of water are included.

A dandelion can teach much about seeds and seasons and cycles-and the big world that a wind-blown seed can travel-but it also can make us appreciate the challenges it must overcome. This gorgeous book is at once simple and profound. You may be surprised and pleased by the questions and observations of your children after reading this together.

**In this illustrated, modern take on *The Phantom Tollbooth meets Harold and the Purple Crayon, author Stephanie Watson beautifully explores grief and creativity through an unforgettable fantasy world. * Ever since she first learned to hold a crayon, Zora Webb has been unstoppable. Zora draws hamsters wearing pajamas and balloons and Lake Superior and pancakes and hundreds of horses. Her drawings fill sketchbooks and cover the walls of the happy home she shares with Frankie and their mother. But when Zora’s mom is diagnosed with leukemia, everything changes. After months of illness, she dies, and with her goes Zora’s love of creation. Desperate to escape the pain, Zora scribbles out her artwork. Her dark, furious scribbles lift off the page and yank Zora and Frankie into Pencilvania, a magical world that’s home to everything Zora has ever drawn. And one drawing—a scribbled-out horse named Viscardi—is determined to finish the destruction Zora started. Viscardi kidnaps Frankie, promising to scribble her and all of Pencilvania out at sunrise. Zora sets out to rescue her sister, venturing deep into Pencilvania—a place crawling with memories, dangers, and new friends. If she is to save Frankie, Zora will have to face the darkness that both surrounds her and is inside of her.

**A lovely educational tale about how animals live in harmony and benefit their ecosystem through commensalism ** A family of beavers love their pond, which they’ve worked hard to turn from a bedraggled landscape into a thriving wetland. But when a family of otters move in and start reaping the rewards of the beavers’ efforts, the only thing the beavers can do is tolerate their new neighbors as best they can. Despite the fact that the otters can be rather annoying, the two species eventually strike a balance, and in the process benefit the rich new ecosystem around them.

Hooray! Hooray! It’s Unicorn Night! Thelma the Unicorn meets Uni the Unicorn in this rainbow-packed book guaranteed for bedtime fun! This clever, colorful, and over-the-top picture book about unicorns and unique-corns is a MUST for all unicorn lovers! Unicorns love to prance and dance the day away. But it’s exhausting! Now it’s time for unicorns to brush their manes, fluff their pillows, and sing the unicorn lullaby in this companion to the best-selling Unicorn Day. “Fuzzy jammies, flower beds, Sweet dreams swirling in our heads, Neigh, neigh, neigh, Played all day, Time to sleep the night away!”

**A new chapter book series from bestselling author Raj Haldar that explores etymology and world cultures using an exciting, action-packed mystery story! ** Eddie and Molly-Jean are next door neighbors and best friends. One Saturday, Eddie’s mom sends him up to the attic to get his great-grandpa’s most prized possession (a book, of course). Eddie and Molly-Jean are suddenly transported to India where they must use their word knowledge to solve a mystery and help a new friend save his school. This new series will follow the two best friends as they discover the hidden stories behind common words. Using their Awesome Enchanted Book and a healthy dose of imagination, the daring duo transport themselves to exotic locales, always encountering new adventures and learning how different cultures have contributed to the English language along the way.

**A delightful, endearing debut picture book by bestselling author and activist Juno Dawson in which a sister answers everyone’s questions about where’s her brother Bill. ** When Bill can’t be found at school one day, the imaginations of the other children run wild. Is he on vacation? Is he lost in the park? Has he been eaten by a shark?! It’s up to Bill’s sister to explain…”You need to chill! My brother Bill is now my sister Lily.” Juno Dawson’ debut picture book is a witty and fun-filled story about family, identity, and acceptance. Bold, joyful and warm-hearted, its message of love and inclusivity shines through on every page. Laura Hughes’ illustrations perfectly capture the positive theme of the story.

When one young woman recycled 24 tons of ocean trash to create the very first school of music on Easter Island, she proved that anyone can make a difference! Fans of Shark Lady will appreciate this incredible feminist story that empowers kids to use their passions to change the world Mahani Teave grew up on Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, one of the most remote islands in the world. When she began taking lessons on the island’s only piano, her incredible talent led her to leave Rapa Nui when she was just nine years old to continue her music education. Although she wished she didn’t have to leave such a beautiful place to pursue her dreams, she became an internationally acclaimed classical pianist, playing around the world for all kinds of audiences. But her island home kept calling her back. Years later, she returned to Rapa Nui to stay, and with a new dream: to save its environment and culture. Mahani saw the island’s struggles with pollution from tourism and ocean plastics, and found a unique solution. She created the island’s first music and arts school so that children there could learn music in ways that kept the island’s unique traditions alive—and did so through recycling! The school was built using of thousands of tires, bottles, and cans in its walls, incorporating rain barrels, solar panels, and a food garden. Because Mahani pursued her dreams, she changed the fate of the island, creating an inspiring place that celebrates the land of Rapa Nui and its people—and showing children everywhere that they can stand up for their passions too.

An inspiring picture book that encourages readers to not only dream up big ideas, but to be persistent, resilient, and to think outside the box—or the lemonade glass! Eva’s always full of ideas—her latest one is to start a lemonade stand. She can brainstorm fun flavors and find the freshest ingredients, but when competition from Jake’s stand across the street creates one tough challenge after another, Eva runs out of ideas. But just when she’s about to close down her stand for good, she makes her little brother their favorite Indian dessert, kulfi, and she realizes the coolest idea yet was where she hadn’t expected to find it, and that giving up is the only obstacle to her success.

Nikki Grimes, Coretta Scott King Award winning author, and acclaimed illustrator Elizabeth Zunon’s latest children’s masterpiece is a whimsical adventure and rollicking celebration of playtime fun. *“Time to get to work, little one,” I tell you. “What work?” you ask. Like always, you pretend not to understand. “Your job is called Play,” I say.* Mom needs to wake up her child whose job is to play. From dancing in puddles to jumping in leaves, and swinging high enough to almost reach the sun, there’s so much to do in a fun-filled day. For those seeking children’s books about diversity, this loving depiction of everyday shenanigans is sure to become a story time favorite. Playtime for Restless Rascals is an African American children’s book that celebrates imagination, playful moments, and the love between parents and child.

The end is coming. What would you do? The first in a fast-paced and gripping YA dystopian series for anyone who’s ever felt like their life—their world—is on the brink of destruction. Like most high school seniors, Alexandra Lucas is caught between living in the moment and an unknown future. Her anxiety disorder doesn’t make that any easier. But she’s coping—until her train stops on the way home from a concert with her boyfriend. At first, she’s worried about breaking curfew. Then terror echoes through their train car. A mysterious doorway has appeared beside the tracks, and a hologram claiming to be a human from the future shares a sinister warning. A comet is on a collision course with earth. All life there will end in six months’ time. To survive, people must step through one of the many portals that have opened around the world. The holograms claim to offer safety. But how can anyone be sure? Stay or go—everyone must make their own choice. Alex’s family, her friends, her boyfriend all have different ideas. Alex is only sure of one thing: she wants to decide for herself. But every decision comes at a price. **Finalist for the Philip K. Dick Science Fiction Award Winner of the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children’s Book Discovery Award**

A Common Core State Standards–Aligned Activity Guide for Grades Kindergarten, 1, and 2 The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes introduces readers to the idea of having a growth mind-set and that taking risks and sometimes making mistakes is part of how everyone learns and grows.

An Educator Guide to Moon’s First Friends - A Common Core State Standards Aligned Educator’s Guide for Grades 1, 2, 3 From high up in the sky, the Moon has spent her whole life watching Earth and hoping for someone to visit. Dinosaurs roam, pyramids are built, and boats are made, but still no one comes. Will friends ever come visit her? Commemorate the extraordinary Apollo 11 spaceflight mission with this heartwarming story of the Moon who just wants a friend.

Ring in the holidays with an Elf-Catching party! The holidays are just around the corner, and there’s no better way to start them off than by catching your very own holiday elf! Invite your patrons for some fun, food, and crafts as they make their very own elf traps!