Children's and Young Adult Literature

The Bear and the Moon by Matthew Burgess; Catia Chien (Illustrator) *Children's Award Winners Collection. The Bear and the Moon is a picture book that follows what happens when the gift of a balloon floats into Bear's life. The two companions embark on a journey--a magical tale that encompasses the joys of friendship and discovery. This is a gentle book filled with humor, while tackling complex topics like the transcendence of loss and forgiveness. * Filled with emotive text and radiant illustrations * Simply told and profoundly felt * Award winning author-illustrator team The Bear and the Moon is a compassionate tale that honors the small but profound world of the very young. This sweet book teaches social and emotional skills to kids, and offers a clever way to soothe some of our most difficult feelings: loss and guilt. * Just as ideal for gently soothing young readers to sleep as it is for encouraging a contemplative break from an energetic day * Great for parents, grandparents, and caregivers looking for a beautiful friendship or bedtime story * Perfect for children ages 3 to 5 years old * You'll love this book if you love books like Waiting by Kevin Henkes, Emily's Balloon by Komako Sakai, and Stellaluna by Janell Cannon.

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies by Joyce Sidman *Children's Award Winners Collection Robert F. Sibert Medal winner Bugs, of all kinds, were considered to be "born of mud" and to be "beasts of the devil." Why would anyone, let alone a girl, want to study and observe them? One of the first naturalists to observe live insects directly, Maria Sibylla Merian was also one of the first to document the metamorphosis of the butterfly. In this visual nonfiction biography,richly illustrated throughout with a full-color original PIN paintings by Merian herself, the Newbery Honor-winning author Joyce Sidman paints her own picture of one of the first female entomologists and a woman who flouted convention in the pursuit of knowledge and her passion for insects. Booklist Editor's Choice Chicago Public Library Best of 2018 Kirkus Best book of 2018 2018 Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book Junior Library Guild Selection New York Public Library Top 10 Best Books of 2018

The Path to Citizenship by Sara Howell Many Americans are citizens because they were born here. But not everyone who lives here is a citizen. Ease into the process of applying for citizenship with help from this informative volume. Accompanying photos and captions familiarize readers with the

Mango Moon by Diane De Anda Ten-year-old Maricela, her brother Manuel, and mother face many challenges when her father is taken away to face deportation, but love binds them close.

My Rights by Mitchell Allen In today's world, civic engagement is paramount in laying the foundation for the next generation of U.S. citizens. This book gives readers the tools they need to understand the civics concept of understanding citizenship. A relatable story and characters are paired with vibrant illustrations to teach readers the foundations of citizenship and civics. In this book, the narrator discovers what it means to have rights as a citizen. This fiction book is paired with the nonfiction book What Are Rights?  (ISBN: 9781538363768). The instructional guide on the inside front and back covers provides: Vocabulary, Background knowledge, Text-dependent questions, Whole class activities, and Independent activities.

W Is for Welcome by Brad Herzog; Victor Juhasz (Illustrator); Laura Knorr (Illustrator); Michael Glenn Monroe (Illustrator); Helle Urban (Illustrator); Ross B. Young (Illustrator); Doug Bowles (Illustrator); Maureen K. Brookfield (Illustrator); Pam Carroll (Illustrator); Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen (Illustrator); David C. Gardner (Illustrator); Barbara Leonard Gibson (Illustrator); Renée Graef (Illustrator); Susan Guy (Illustrator) 2018 Eureka! California Reading Association Honor Book Award Following the alphabet this book uses poetry and expository text to celebrate America's diverse population and showcase the remarkable achievements and contributions that have come from the many people who have chosen to make our country their home. Topics include well-known landmarks and institutions (the Statue of Liberty and the White House, our national parks system) and famous citizens whose talents helped make the United States a world leader (Albert Einstein and Madeleine Albright). In addition to celebrating America's history and development, key concepts such as naturalization and steps to citizenship are explained in easy-to-understand terms for the young reader.

What Can a Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers; Shawn Harris (Illustrator) A citizen can pick up litter A citizen can pull a weed A citizen can help that critter A citizen can plant a seed A citizen can aid a neighbor A citizen can join a cause A citizen can write a letter A citizen can help change laws . . . Empowering and timeless, What Can a Citizen Do? is the latest collaboration from the acclaimed duo behind the bestselling Her Right Foot: Dave Eggers and Shawn Harris. This is a book for today's youth about what it means to be a citizen. Across the course of several seemingly unrelated but ultimately connected actions by different children, we watch how kids turn a lonely island into a community--and watch a journey from what the world should be to what the world could be. This is a book about what citizenship--good citizenship--means to you, and to us all.

Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram *Award Winners Collection Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He's about to take his first-ever trip to Iran, and it's pretty overwhelming-especially when he's also dealing with clinical depression, a disapproving dad, and a chronically anemic social life. In Iran, he gets to know his ailing but still formidable grandfather, his loving grandmother, and the rest of his mom's family for the first time. And he meets Sohrab, the boy next door who changes everything. Sohrab makes sure people speak English so Darius can understand what's going on. He gets Darius an Iranian National Football Team jersey that makes him feel like a True Persian for the first time. And he understand that sometimes, best friends don't have to talk. Darius has never had a true friend before, but now he's spending his days with Sohrab playing soccer, eating rosewater ice cream, and sitting together for hours in their special place, a rooftop overlooking the Yazdi skyline. Sohrab calls him Darioush-the original Persian version of his name-and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he's Darioush to Sohrab. When it's time to go home to America, he'll have to find a way to be Darioush on his own.

A Few Red Drops by Claire Hartfield *Award Winners Collection On a hot day in July 1919, five black youths went swimming in Lake Michigan, unintentionally floating close to the "white" beach. An angry white man began throwing stones at the boys, striking and killing one. Racial conflict on the beach erupted into days of urban violence that shook the city of Chicago to its foundations. This mesmerizing narrative draws on contemporary accounts as it traces the roots of the explosion that had been building for decades in race relations, politics, business, and clashes of culture. Archival photos and prints, source notes, bibliography, index.

Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams *Award Winners Collection A Newbery Honor Book Winner of the Correta Scott King - John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award A Morris Award Finalist An NPR Favorite Book of 2019 A School Library Journal Best Middle Grade Book of 2019 A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of 2019 This deeply sensitive and powerful debut novel tells the story of a thirteen-year-old who must overcome internalized racism and a verbally abusive family to finally learn to love herself. There are ninety-six things Genesis hates about herself. She knows the exact number because she keeps a list. Like #95: Because her skin is so dark, people call her charcoal and eggplant--even her own family. And #61: Because her family is always being put out of their house, belongings laid out on the sidewalk for the world to see. When your dad is a gambling addict and loses the rent money every month, eviction is a regular occurrence. What's not so regular is that this time they all don't have a place to crash, so Genesis and her mom have to stay with her grandma. It's not that Genesis doesn't like her grandma, but she and Mom always fight--Grandma haranguing Mom to leave Dad, that she should have gone back to school, that if she'd married a lighter skinned man none of this would be happening, and on and on and on. But things aren't all bad. Genesis actually likes her new school; she's made a couple friends, her choir teacher says she has real talent, and she even encourages Genesis to join the talent show. But how can Genesis believe anything her teacher says when her dad tells her the exact opposite? How can she stand up in front of all those people with her dark, dark skin knowing even her own family thinks lesser of her because of it? Why, why, why won't the lemon or yogurt or fancy creams lighten her skin like they're supposed to? And when Genesis reaches #100 on the list of things she hates about herself, will she continue on, or can she find the strength to begin again?

Ghost Boys by Rhodes, Jewell Parker *Award Winners Collection An instant New York Times bestseller An instant IndieBoud bestseller The #1 Kids' Indie Next Pick A heartbreaking and powerful story about a black boy killed by a police officer, drawing connections through history, from award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes. Only the living can make the world better. Live and make it better. Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that's been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of what they see as an unjust and brutal killing. Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life. Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer, who grapples with her father's actions. Once again Jewell Parker Rhodes deftly weaves historical and socio-political layers into a gripping and poignant story about how children and families face the complexities of today's world, and how one boy grows to understand American blackness in the aftermath of his own death.

When the Ground Is Hard by Nunn, Malla *Award Winners Collection Edgar Award nominee stuns in this heartrending tale set in a Swaziland boarding school where two girls of different castes bond over a shared copy of Jane Eyre . Adele Joubert loves being one of the popular girls at Keziah Christian Academy. She knows the upcoming semester at school is going to be great with her best friend Delia at her side. Then Delia dumps her for a new girl with more money, and Adele is forced to share a room with Lottie, the school pariah, who doesn't pray and defies teachers' orders. But as they share a copy of Jane Eyre , Lottie's gruff exterior and honesty grow on Adele, and Lottie learns to be a little sweeter. Together, they take on bullies and protect each other from the vindictive and prejudiced teachers. Then a boy goes missing on campus and Adele and Lottie must rely on each other to solve the mystery and maybe learn the true meaning of friendship.