Award Winning and Notable Children's Books PreK - 8

Jason Reynolds's bestselling novel Long Way Down is now a gripping, galvanizing graphic novel, with haunting artwork by Danica Novgorodoff.

It can be a little scary to be small in a big city, but this child has some good advice for a very special friend in need.

Originally performed for ESPN's The Undefeated, this poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world's greatest heroes. The text is also peppered with references to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and others, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present.

A young boy wakes up to the sound of the sea, visits his grandfather's grave after lunch and comes home to a simple family dinner, but all the while his mind strays to his father digging for coal deep down under the sea.

When a young boy embarks on a journey alone . . . he trails a colony of penguins, undulates in a smack of jellyfish, clasps hands with a constellation of stars, naps for a night in a bed of clams, and follows a trail of shells, home to his tribe of friends.

In a beautiful collaboration, New York Times bestselling and Newbery and Carnegie Medal-winning author Neil Gaiman and Kate Greenaway-winning illustrator Chris Riddell have created a thrillingly reimagined fairy tale, "told in a way only Gaiman can" and featuring "stunning metallic artwork" (GeekInsider.com). The result is a beautiful and coveted edition of The Sleeper and the Spindle that the Guardian calls "a refreshing, much-needed twist on a classic story." In this captivating and darkly funny tale, Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell have twisted together the familiar and the new as well as the beautiful and the wicked to tell a brilliant version of Snow White's (sort of) and Sleeping Beauty's (almost) stories. This story was originally published (without illustrations) in Rags & Bones (Little, Brown, 2013). This is the first time it is being published as an illustrated, stand-alone edition, and the book is a beautiful work of art.

Young up and coming illustrator William Grill brings us a detailed visual narrative of Shackleton's journey to Antarctica.Grill's beautiful use of coloured pencils and vibrant hues places him somewhere on the artistic spectrum between Raymond Briggs and David Hockney and his fastidious cataloguing of every single detail of the expedition is nothing short of a Blackstock collection. He manages to evoke the atmosphere and intrepid excitement that would have surrounded the expedition with his impeccably researched, detailed and atmospheric drawings.

When a tiny fish shoots into view wearing a round blue topper (which happens to fit him perfectly), trouble could be following close behind. So it's a good thing that enormous fish won't wake up. And even if he does, it's not like he'll ever know what happened. . . .

An enormous black dog and a very tiny little girl star in this offbeat tale about confronting one's fears. When a huge black dog appears outside the Hope family home, each member of the household sees it and hides. Only Small, the youngest Hope, has the courage to face the black dog, who might not be as frightening as everyone else thinks.

An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor. At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting - he's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It's ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth.

When a father who dreams of flying goes off to war and does not return, his son decides to make the dream come true.

When Harry's beloved dog Hopper dies, he has a hard time letting go, as Harry sees Hopper still in his life. Are Hopper's visits to Harry the boy's imagination, or is the dog truly leaving Harry gradually, once he makes sure his boy will be all right?

Spiders: Little Mouse is afraid of them (arachnophobia). Shadows: Little Mouse is afraid of those (sciaphobia). In fact, Little Mouse is afraid of everything. Join her as she faces her fears and records them in her journal - and discovers that even the biggest people are afraid of some things.

Mini Grey's spin on the nursery rhyme classic, Hey diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle is a love story of sorts that starts when the dish ran away with the spoon. In the midst of the Great Depression, Dish and Spoon become rich and famous vaudeville stars until their taste for the high life puts them in debt to a gang of sharp and shady characters (depicted as evil knives).

WOLVES What do wolves really like to eat? It isn't little girls in red hoods. Rabbits shouldn't believe what they read in fairy tales, but this book has the facts.

A tour de force of illustration and design, JONATHAN SWIFT'S GULLIVER is a magnificent introduction to one of the most popular stories in the English language. First published in 1726, Jonathan Swift's classic adventure story has long been a favorite with adults and children alike.

Ella Cinders loves helping her father in his dress shop and laughing with her friend Buttons, the store's delivery boy. Then comes the terrible day when her father remarries and everything changes. Her stepmother makes her sew in the dreary basement. Her stepsisters mock her shabby dress. And to top it off, the new Mrs. Cinders forbids Ella to attend the duke's grand ball. Heartbroken, Ella is sure that her life will never be what she dreamed. But with the help of a fairy godmother and some sparkling courage of her own, this Cinderella discovers that dreams can come true in the most unexpected of ways. Join Ella amidst the dazzle and fashion of the roaring twenties as she takes happily ever after into her own hands

Bob Graham brings us a whimsical reminder that a family of fairies can be found in the unlikeliest of places, if you have the time to look Annabelle's dad has little time for fairies, which he assures her she won't find in the cement and the weeds of their urban backyard. But Annabelle has lots of time, so she keeps looking - even under her baby brother, Sam. And one day she finds what she's looking for: a thumb-sized fairy child named Jethro Byrd, whose family has made an awkward landing in a tiny ice cream truck among some discarded bottles and cans. What a wonderful chance to invite all the Byrds for tea with Mommy and Daddy! But why, Annabelle wonders - as the fairies fiddle and sing and dance and whistle away among the cake crumbs - are she and Sam the only ones who can see them?

Learn what life was really like on a pirate ship in 1716 as you read PIRATE DIARY, nine-year-old Jake Carpenter's journal of adventure on the high seas. Discover through Jake's own words the thrills and perils of a seafaring life as he explores the good ship Greyhound, meets fearsome Captain Nick, and becomes a carpenter's apprentice. But the real excitement begins when pirates capture the ship, and Jake finds himself embarking on a new life on the wrong side of the law. From "mermaids" to monster-like whales, terrible storms to dead calms, maroonings to pirate raids,

Lola is a fussy eater. A very fussy eater. She won't eat her carrots (until big brother Charlie reveals that they are really orange twiglets from Jupiter). She won't eat her mashed potatoes (until Charlie explains they are cloud fluff from the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji). There are many, many things Lola absolutely will not eat, including -- and especially -- tomatoes. Or will she?

Deep in the woods in an old white cabin, three friends make their pumpkin soup the same way every day. The Cat slices up the pumpkin, the Squirrel stirs in the water, and the Duck tips in just enough salt. But one day the Duck wants to stir instead, and then there is a horrible squabble, and he leaves the cabin in a huff. It isn't long before the Cat and the Squirrel start to worry about him and begin a search for their friend.

A 13-year-old Jewish orphan reluctantly leaves her grandmother and immigrates to New York City, where she works for three years sewing lace and earning money to bring her grandmother to the United States, too.

Determined to stay up all night, a young boy rides his little car around the house and begs a tiger, a marching band, and other toys to join him, but one by one they all drift off to sleep

Jonathan, the best woodcarver in the valley, keeps to himself and never smiles or laughs. Then one day he has visitors, and the quiet request of one of them, a small boy, changes everything.

Shane finds a no-name stray cat and takes it through the dangers of the city to his home, a corner of an alley.

The Story of the Iliad Homer's epic poem, The Illiad, is one of the greatest adventure stories of all time. In it, the abduction of the legendary beauty, Helen of Troy, leads to a conflict in which even the gods and goddesses take sides and intervene. It is in the Trojan War that the most valiant heroes of the ancient world are pitted against one another. Here Hectore, Ajax, Achilles, and Odysseus meet their most formidable challenges and in some casas their tragic ends. Rosemary Sutcliff makes such extraordinary stories as those of those Trojan horse, of Aphrodite and the golden apple, and of the fearsome warrior women Amazons, accessible to contemporary young people.

A boy endures a tedious visit to the zoo with his family

The Jolly Postman brings a batch of wonderful letters for Christmas, including notes from the Big Bad Wolf and all the King's men.

Lilly's grandmother tells her of a time when the oceans were filled with whales and how they now face extinction because of the shortsightedness and greed of humans.

"I don't like the dark," said Little Bear. "What dark?" said Big Bear. "The dark all around us," said Little Bear. In this tender account of a sleepless night in the bear cave, Big Bear sets out with all his patience and understanding to show Little Bear that the dark is nothing to be afraid of. When all the lanterns in the cave aren't enough to quell Little Bear's troubled emotions, Big Bear offers in a final loving gesture nothing less than the bright yellow moon and the twinkling stars! More comforting than even the best of lullabies, this bedtime story is destined to become a classic.

Tormented every morning by leopard and bullied by crocodile, the clever little chameleon decides to play a trick on them. He manages to get the better of his two oppressors without them even knowing how he did it! This is the story of why Crafty Chameleon changes colour and hides when he hears you coming.

The story may be familiar, but the cast of characters will surprise you. Set in New York City in the 1920s, this Snow White is a beautiful flapper, protected by seven jazzmen. Her wicked stepmother is the Queen of the Underworld, and Prince Charming, a reporter for the New York Mirror. Breezy text complements splashy art deco illustrations.

Since the late nineteenth century, theatre has played a significant role in shaping social and political awareness in India. It has served to raise concerns in post-Independence India as well. Modern Indian Theatre: A Reader brings together writings that speak to the historical contexts from which theatrical practices emerged-colonization, socio-cultural suppression and appropriation, intercultural transformations brought about by the impact of the colonial forces, and acute critical engagement with socio-political issues brought about by the hopes and failures of Independence.

Describes in verse the boyhood of the legendary Iroquois Indian, Hiawatha.

Hannah loves gorillas and longs to see a real one. Unfortunately, her father is always too busy -- or too tired -- to take her to the zoo. But on the night before her birthday, something extraordinary happens and Hannah's wish finally comes true.

Long Neck the dinosaur lives alone in the forest. Apart from the birds and other small animals, Long Neck seems to have the whole world to himself. But then his peace is shattered by the arrival of a huge new dinosaur called Thunder Foot. Can they overcome their fear and suspicion of each other and become friends?

This collection of twelve illustrated fairy tales includes "Cinderella," "Puss in Boots," "Beauty and the Beast," and nine others.

The second book in the Visions in Poetry series explores a haunted ballad of doomed love with dramatic new illustrations.

Mr Magnolia has only one boot. He has an old trumpet that goes rooty-toot -And two lovely sisters who play on the flute -But Mr Magnolia has only one boot. In this wittily rhyming picture book, Mr Magnolia has a full and happy life except for one serious omission - a boot. But one day, he receives a mysterious parcel, and at last Mr Magnolia can splash in the puddles with everyone else!

Rhymed text and illustrations invite the reader to play "I Spy" with a variety of Mother Goose and other folklore characters.

When Dave loses his favourite toy, Dogger, he is desolate. But then Dogger turns up at the school summer fair, and everything seems all right - until someone else buys him before Dave can get the money!

Searching for a home, Clarence the cat arrives at the local post office at an opportune time.

From early times to the First World War, horses shared the triumphs and the dangers of the battlefield with man. Ambrus' history of war horses through many cultures includes the Plains Indians of North American, Normans, 15th century British, Tartars, Huns and Romans.

Seeking fame with his violin, eight-year-old Mishka joins a circus.

A rhymed tale describing the antics of a capricious wind. The wind blew, and blew, and blew! It blew so hard, it took everything with it: Mr. White's umbrella, Priscilla's balloon, the twins' scarves, even the wig on the judge's head. But just when the wind was about to carry everything out to sea, it changed its mind!

Meet Father Christmas: a very human gift-giver with a tough job to do. You'll find out that he sometimes gets a little grumpy living at the icy North Pole and squeezing down chimneys, but he more than makes up for it in heart and humor.

Kindness to a frog brings a Polish woodcutter an unusual power and a change of fortune.

A collection of eleven fairy tales from eastern Europe and the Soviet Union retold by a noted English author.

In England, illustrator John Burningham, with Mr. Gumpy's Outing, became the first artist ever to win England's Kate Greenaway Medal twice. Mr. Gumpy lives by a river. One sunny day he decides to take a ride in his small boat. It is such a perfect idea, for such a perfect summer day, that he soon has company: first the children, then the rabbit, the cat, the dog, the pig, the sheep, the chickens, and still others until-- Mr. Gumpy's outing comes to an inevitable but not unhappy, conclusion. "Come for a ride another day," says Mr. Gumpy at the book's end.

Alphabetical tour of the medieval knight and his world, from "Abatements of honour" to "Zutphen, Battle of". Good illustrations in period style.

This heartwarming story of two children and their little bird, painted in glowing and vibrant colours, was first published in 1967. It has been out of print for many years, and we are now very happy to reissue it as a classic edition for a new generation of children to enjoy andappreciate.

Bold, humorous drawings bring fresh vitality to this collection of 408 rhymes.

This Hungarian folk tale is about three tailors who decide to visit the nearby town where the people lived who they made coats for. They all rode there on their nanny-goat. The three poor tailors had an enjoyable time but when it was time to pay their bill, they had no money to pay. The solution to their problem was interesting in the end.

Examines how the pagan festivals and religious dramas performed throughout England evolved into the professional theaters, such as the Globe, in London.

Mr. and Mrs. Plumpster are delighted when their six eggs hatch into adorable baby goslings. But one has them worried: Borka, who was born without feathers. The doctor encourages Mrs. Plumpster to knit Borka a fuzzy sweater, but while it helps keep out the cold, it doesn't keep all the other young geese from teasing Borka -- until, come migration day, her siblings fly off without her. What is the tearful goose to do?

Big, bold artwork & simple words introduce children to the letters of the alphabet in this stunning picture book, winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal.

The three things that Mrs Cockle's cat, Peter, loves best are sitting in the sun, Mrs Cockle and fresh fish. One rainy day, Peter is cross because there are no fish. Finally, he can stand it no longer and goes to do something about it.

Old Winkle is a fisherman. He likes to toss fish and bread to the gulls, but has no luck catching fish. The other fishermen laugh at him and his old-fashioned boat. Then, a fish shortage means their once busy boats lie idle in the harbour. Only Old winkle still goes out fishing, beyond the sandbank near the Great Buoy. And because he had listened so often to the gulls' cries, he was the one to hear when their screams spoke of fish.

A pair of storks leave their home in Denmark and have a series of adventures before settling down on a chimney at the Royal Palace.

In this Kate Greenaway winning title, Tim arrives home after a long holiday to find his parents have vanished. He is determined to search the whole wide world, if necessary, to find them, and sets out on a journey filled with sea-faring adventure.