Celebrate Thanksgiving with these children's books

Celebrate Thanksgiving by Deborah Heiligman

Thanksgiving began as an occasion to give thanks for 

bountiful harvests, but it developed into the ultimate American

holiday.  On this day, people all around the country are unified despite 

their diversity.  Family and friends come together to take stock

of the triumphs and challenges of the preceding year.  They also

share traditions that cut across cultures with parades, football games,

and lots of wonderful food.

In this visual odyssey, author Deborah Heiligman takes readers

back in time to the earliest harvest feasts in colonial America and

around the globe.  She chronicles the contributions of Sarah

Josepha Hale, the magazine editor who spent 40 years campaigning

to make Thanksgiving a national holiday.  And she looks at how today's customs

got their start and became ingrained in our national consciousness.

N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims by Robert San Souci

The adventurous saga of the settling of the Plymouth Colony is

strikingly portrayed in this magnificent book.  Spectacular paintings

by renowned artist N.C. Wyeth gloriously bring to life the

carefully researched text by well-known children's book author

Robert San Souci.

The story of the Pilgrims, including the first Thanksgiving, is a 

central part of America's history and, over the course of time,

it has taken on an almost mythical quality.  Drawing on a variety

of resources, including the author's visit to the Plymouth Plantation,

the text dispels some popular misconceptions about the settling of our

nation as it broadens our understanding of the bravery and

determination of our forebears.

Mayflower 1620 by Plimoth Plantation with Peter Arenstam

The story of the ship called Mayflower is deeply woven

into the fabric of American history.  This is how it goes: Intrepid passengers

called Pilgrims sailed a stormy sea to find religious freedom in a new

world.  Against harsh odds, they carved a little cradle of civilization that

gave birth to a great democracy.  Well, that's how it happened, wasn't it?

Or was it? Actually, that's the myth.  The real history of Mayflower is a lot

more complicated.

Taking a new look at Mayflower means learning that these seafarers were

not a unified group, that not all of them came to America for religious

reasons, and that their new land was not an empty paradise for the taking.

They did not call themselves Pilgrims.  That name, which traditionally refers

to wayfarers in foreign lands, was given them later by historians.

Plimoth Plantation brings this critical and compelling period of history

to life by using careful research of primary sources as the basis of a richly 

informative text and scenes recreated by costumed interpreters.  Fascinating details

reveal what Mayflower passengers ate, how they passed their

time on the long voyage, and what they hoped and dreamed.

Tapenum's Day by Kate Waters

What is the greatest honor a young Wampanoag Indian boy can

hope for?  To e chosen to become a pniese, a warrior counselor.

That is Tapenum's dream.  But his dream is dashed when other

boys are chosen and he is not.

As Tapenum goes about his day, he can't stop thinking about his

disappointment.  But soon, with great determination, he makes a

plan.  today he will begin training himself to become stronger.  He

will improve his hunting skills and run long distances every day.  If

he can become very strong in body and spirit, perhaps he will be chosen next year.

The third book in the trilogy that includes Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life 

of a Pilgrim Girl and Samuel Eaton's Day: A Day in the Life of A Pilgrim Boy,

this book explores the life of a Wampanoag Indian boy in the 1620s.  Photographed

in full color at Hobbamock's Homesite at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth,

Massachusetts, here is an intimate and accurate portrayal of native life at the time

of colonization by Europeans.

New Fiction for Kids

Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck

Helena is big-sister mouse to three younger siblings,

living a snug and well-fed life within the ancient walls of the Cranston

family home.  When the Cranston humans decide to sail away to 

England to find a husband for one of their daughters, the

Cranston mice stow away in the name of family solidarity.

And so begins the scamper of their lives as Helena, her

siblings, and their humans set sail on a life-changing voyage into the

great world of titled humans..and titled mice, and surprise endings for all.

Titanic: Book one, Unsinkable by Gordon Korman 

The Titanic is meant to be unsinkable, but as it begins its

maiden voyage, there's plenty of danger waiting for four of 

its young passengers.  Paddy is a stowaway, escaping a deadly past.

Sophie's mother is delivered to the ship by police - after she and 

Sophie have been arrested.  Juliana's father is an eccentric whose riches

can barely hide his madness.  And Alfie is hiding a secret that could

get him kicked off the ship immediately.

The lives of these four passengers will be forever linked

with the fate of Titanic.  And the farther they get from shore,

the more the danger looms.....

The Cheshire Cheese Cat by Carmen Ara Deedy & Randall Wright

Tired of dodging fishwives' brooms and carriage

wheels, alley cat Skilley yearns for the comfort of

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, a popular London inn.

When he hears that the innkeeper is in need of a mouser, he 

hatches a scheme so audacious it will surely set him up

for the rest of his nine lives.

Once installed at the Cheese, Skilley looks forward to

a life of ease.  But a resident mouse named Pip uncovers Skilley's

scandalous secret, and the desperate cat is forced to make a pact 

with him.  The two become allies, and harmony reigns until they

are drawn into an intrigue involving a tyrannical cook, a strange

visitor hidden in the attic, and an evil tomcat called Pinch.

The ensuing mayhem threatens the peace of Ye Olde

Cheshire Cheese - and the entire British Empire!

With the Might of Angels by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Twelve-year-old Dawnie Rae Johnson's life turns upside

down after the Supreme Court rules in favor of desegregation in

the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education.  Her parents

decide that Dawnie will attend Prettyman Coburn, a previously

all-white-school - but she'll be the only one of her friends to enroll 

in this new school.

Not everyone in Hadley supports integration, though, and much of the 

town is outraged at the decision.  As she starts school, Dawnie endures the 

harsh realities of racism.  but the backlash against her attendance of

Prettyman Coburn is more than she's prepared for, and she begins

to wonder if the hardship is worth it.  Will Dawnie be able to hold on to the 

true meaning of justice and remain faithful to her own integrity?

Great new picture books!

Hello Kitty Hello USA illustrated by Higashi Glaser

After a standing ovation performance at a White House gala, 

Hello Kitty meets a number of nice people from all across the nation.  Charmed 

by their warm hospitality, she decides to visit them in each of their home states.

So, along with her friends, Hello Kitty sets out across the country.  They

visit each state and learn a little about it along the way - including

its capital, motto, and official flower and bird.

Join Hello Kitty as she travels from sea to shining sea and learn what

makes each of the United States unique and special.

Amelia Bedelia's First Field Trip by Herman Parish

Amelia Bedelia is sure she will love everything about the

field trip to the farm.  Collecting eggs, milking a cow, riding

a tractor, planting seeds and the picnic lunch.  Amelia Bedelia

can't wait.  What could be better? A class field trip!  Hooray for

school! Hooray for the farm!

Press Here by Herve Tullet

Press here.  That's right. Just press the yellow dot. And

turn the page.  The single touch of a finger sparks a whimsical

dance of color and motion in this joyful celebration of the

power of the imagination.

Subway Story by Julia Sarcone-Roach

Meet Jessie! Jessie loves being a subway car.  She loves soaring

over bridges and racing through tunnels.  She especially loves helping people

get from place to place. 

But when sleek silver cars start taking over the tracks, Jessie must leave behind

everything she has ever known to embark on an off-track adventure, one

that will lead to new friends and a new home under the sea...

Based on the true story of 1960's era subway cars that are now

being used to create artificial reefs in the Atlantic, this train tale

will delight parents and kids alike!

Have some fun with these great poetry books for kids!

Button Up! by Alice Schertle

Do the clothes in your closet have a life all their

own?  From undies to jammies to a much-loved hand-me-down 

sweatshirt, the duds on display in this perfectly stitched

poetry collection are a unique as the critters who wear them.

Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors by Joyce Sidman

Ubiquitous: Something that is (or seems to be)

everywhere at the same time.  Enjoy this wonderful collection of unusual

poetry mixed with intriguing scientific information.

Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman

Welcome to the night, when mice stir

and furry moths flutter.  When snails spiral into

shells a orb spiders circle in silk.  When the roots of

oak trees recover and repair from their time in the

light.  When the porcupette eats delicacies - raspberry leaves! - 

and coos to its mother.

Come out to the cool night woods, and buzz and hoot and howl -

but beware, for it's wild and it's windy way out in the woods!

I Heard if from Alice Zucchini by Juanita Havill

From the still chill of a winter night to the

ra-ta-ta, ra-ta-ta, ra-ta-too of a lively

vegetable stew, these twenty whimsical poems celebrate the joys of 

a garden from start to finish.  a tour de force of imagination,

I Heard if from Alice Zucchini invites you to join in the

Pea Pod Chant, wander through the Rhubarb Forest,

dance with the Dainty Doily Dill Weed, gossip with Alice Zucchini, 

and hold your breath on the pumpkin's enchanted evening.

Notable Kid's Non-Fiction

Is the Guitar For You? by Elaine Landau

The guitar is one of the coolest, most popular instruments around

rocers Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen are legendary for their 

guitar-playing skills.  The guitar is also a main instrument in country,

blues, jazz, and classical music.  But is the guitar the right instrument

for you?  Or would a different choice be better?  Hear what professional

guitarists like about their instrument, and learn what skills a good guitarist

needs.  Discover whether the guitar is your best choice for making music.

Climbing Lincoln's Steps by Suzanne Slade

The marble steps of our capital's Lincoln Memorial have

witnessed key moments in African American history.  Denied a place in 

Constitution Hall because she was black, Marian Anderson sang instead at

the Memorial in 1939.  On Lincoln's steps in 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 

gave his stirring "I Have a Dream" speech that so inspired a nation.  and

in 2009, the first African American president and his family made a

pilgrimage to this spot.

Suzanne Slade's powerful text and Colin Bootman's stunning paintings

interweave these important events with the story of black Americans' journey toward equality.

Energy Island by Allan Drummond

The island of Samso in Denmark was once a very ordinary

place, and the people who lived there were ordinary, too. In fact,

the only thing that made Samso unusual at all was that it was very, very, windy.

then the ordinary citizens of the ordinary island decided to do something

extraordinary: they drastically reduced their carbon emissions and became 

almost completely energy-independent.  And they did it all with the help of the wind!

This inspiring true story proves that, with a big idea and a lot of hard work,

anyone can make a huge step toward energy conservation.

The Taxing Case of the Cows by Iris Van Rynbach and  Pegi Deitz Shea

The Revolutionary War was over, but one of the

battles raged on.  Women hadn't won the right to vote,

even on matters that affected them directly.  In 1869,

Abby and Julia Smith of Glastonbury, Connecticut, were

unfairly taxed on their property.  They surprised the town

government by refusing to pay, since they hadn't had a voice

in the decision.  in response, the tax collector took away their

beloved Alderney cows - but not for long.

The little-known true story of the Smith sisters and their cows

is a fresh and funny chapter in the history of women's suffrage.

Check out these Kid's Biographies!

The Bravest Woman in America by Marissa Moss

Ida Lewis loved everything about the sea, so when

her father became the official keeper of Lime Rock Lighthouse

in Newport, Rhode Island, it was like a dream come true.

Throughout the years, Ida shadowed her father as he tended the

lighthouse, listening raptly to his stories about treacherous storms,

drowning sailors, and daring rescues.  under her father's watchful

eye, she learned to polish the lighthouse lens so the light would

shine bright.  She learned to watch the sea for any sign of trouble.

And, most importantly, she learned to row.

Ida felt ready for anything - and she was.

Dave the Potter by Laban Carrick Hill

To us it is just dirt, the ground we walk on...but to Dave it was

clay, the plain and basic stuff upon which he formed a life

as a slave nearly 200 years ago.

Dave was an extraordinary artist, poet, and potter who lived in 

South Carolina in the 1800s.  He combined his superb artistry with

deeply observant poetry, carved onto his pots, transcending the limitations

he faced as a slave.  In this inspiring and lyrical portrayal, National Book

Award Finalist Laban Carrick Hill and award winning artist Bryan

Colleir tell Dave's remarkable story, one rich in history, hope, and long-lasting beauty.

Nurse, Soldier, Spy by Marissa Moss

When Frank Thompson sees a poster requesting

recruits for the new Union army, he is ready and willing to enlist.

Except Frank isn't his real name.  In fact, Frank isn't a man - he

is really Sarah Emma Edmonds.

At only nineteen years old, Sarah had already been dressing

as a man for three years and living on the run in order to escape an

arranged marriage.  She had tasted freedom, and there was no going back.

Eager to fight for the North during the Civil War, Sarah joins a 

Michigan infantry regiment.  She excels as a soldier, and she even takes on the

grueling task of nursing the wounded.  Because of her heroism, she is asked

to becom a spy, cross enemy lines, and infiltrate a Confederate camp.  For her

first mission, Sarah must once again disguise herself and rely on the kindness

of slaves to help her do her job.

For the Love of Music by Elizabeth Rusch

By the time she was twelve, she was considered

one of the finest pianists in Europe, but today few people

know her name.

Maria Anna Mozart, like her famous brother, Wolfgang,

was a musical prodigy.  The talented siblings toured Europe,

playing before kings and empresses, were showered with gifts and

favors, and lived in a whirlwind of music and travel.  They were

best friends, collaborators, and confidants.  So why has Maria been forgotten?

Celebrate October holidays with these kids books!

Columbus Day: Celebrating a famous explorer by Elaine Landau

Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy.  When he 

grew up, he realized that traders from Italy and other places

in Europe needed a safe, shorter route to Asia.  That was where

India, Japan, China, and the East Indies were.  These countries

had gold, silk, and spices.  At that time, spices were not just

for food.  They were also used as medicines, and people paid a lot

of money for them.

Christopher Columbus set sail in 1492 with three ships - the Nina,

the Pinta, and the Santa Maria - and a total of ninety men.  He never reached

Asia.  But, today he is famous for crossing the Atlantic Ocean to reach the

Americas.  We remember Christopher Columbus each year on Columbus

Day - the second Monday in October.

The Best Halloween Ever by Barbara Robinson

The Herdmans plus Halloween have always spelled disaster.

Every year theses six kids - the worst in the history of Woodrow

Wilson School, and possibly even the world - wreak havoc on the whole

town.  They steal candy, spray-paint kids, and take anything that's not

nailed down.

Now the mayor has had it.  He's decided to cancel Halloween.  There

won't be any Herdmans to contend with this year, but there

won't be any candy, either.  And what's Halloween without candy?

And without trick-or-treating? The Herdmans manage to turn the 

worst Halloween ever into the best Halloween ever in this

uproarious sequel to The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Celebrate Halloween by Deborah Heiligman

A night for costumes. A night for candy.  Visiting

pumpkin patches, carving jack-o'-lanterns, and telling

scary stories. Dressing up in masks and costumes, going to

parties, and trick-or-treating for candy.  These are just

some of the traditions that make Halloween one of the most

anticipated holidays of the year for many children - and for lots

of grown-ups too!

In these colorful pages, author Deborah Heiligman explores this

fun holiday, which began as a festival in ancient Ireland and Britain

and is now celebrated in a number of countries around the world.

Readers will learn why ghosts and skeletons and other creepy

creatures are associated with Halloween, and also about the origins

of such Halloween customs as wearing masks and trick-or-treating.

Who Said Boo? by Nancy White Carlstrom

Trick or treat! What could be better than a

smiling jack-o-lantern to light the way on the spookiest

night of all - Halloween!

Follow a family's Halloween capers in this collection of

twelve poems by renowned children's book author

Nancy White Carlstrom.  The children don their costumes in

"Who Said Boo?" dare to visit the eerie "Haunted House" ; and

bob for apples at the "Halloween Carnival." R. W. Alley's sprightly 

drawings of the little goblins make this collection an especially sweet treat.