Fiction

Mateo is a cobbler's apprentice who loves to spend time listening to the sailors of 13th- Century Venice talk about the amazing places they have visited. One day, while playing with his friend Patrizia, they end up locked in a trunk. When they finally...

This delightful story about unrequited love offers an original theory into the origin of sweet and sour Chinese cuisine. It also shows the power of friendship, music, and perseverance.

Ten-year-old Willy must win the big dogsled race to pay the back taxes on his grandfather's farm, but that means beating the huge Indian mountain man, Stone Fox. The fast-paced narrative will keep young readers interested.

Caldecott Medal winner and Pura Belpré honoree, David Diaz shines though his illustrated depiction of the Spanish folk song, De colores, that tells a story of unity and strength. Sung all over the Spanish-speaking world, and also the anthem of the United...

Big Nate will beat everyone, but it won't be easy. He just cannot seem to rid himself of Gina, his all-time enemy. Will she ruin everything? Will Nate pass, fail or get detention again? Children will be laughing throughout the entire book as they...

In this Venezuelan folk tale, a man who hates the darkness of night finds an ingenious way to locate the light, creating what we now know as the moon and the stars.

Wilfrid lives next door to a home for the elderly. He's friendly with all the tenants, especially Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper, who has four names just like he does. Wilfrid's parents tell him that Miss Nancy has lost her memory. Once Wilfrid...

A little yellow bird is determined to teach Rocket, the dog how to read. Although reluctant at first, he soon becomes enthralled with the bird's stories and lessons.

Beloved author/illustrator Eric Carle invites all children to find their inner artist and paint the world as they see it. This picture book is filled with red crocodiles, orange elephants, and other color combinations that will inspire all readers to...

This stunning large-format picture book is filled with delightful plays on words as it shows children the reading preferences of different species.

Llama Llama puts on his red pajama but is scared to be away from his mama. In this rhyming story, the little llama gets scared at night when his mother leaves his room, but she soon reassures him she is always close by.

Divided into three sections, this exquisitely written book pays homage everyday items, books, and to things in which few find poetry, including bad memories and trains. Interviews with the author and the illustrator appear at the end.

Pets come in different sizes and shapes. Some of them have fur and some have feathers. The favorite pet of the little boy in this book has two legs--sometimes four--and wears a tie.

In this award-winning chapter book, an elderly man reflects upon his childhood and his friendship with a girl named Selva, who comes to Spain from a far-away desert country. The only thing she brought with her was an old, rusty bicycle. Although the...

The bus driver has to leave for a while, and he makes one request to readers: 'Don't let the pigeon drive the bus.' The pigeon is an unflinching and hilarious representation of a child's potential for mischief, and begs, wheedles, and demands a chance...

Fred's kindhearted father allows the mice in the basement to live in peace instead of chasing them away. When Fred's mother becomes ill, however, his Aunt Jen comes to stay and help take care of their home. No friend of mice, Aunt Jen wages a personal...

This tale follows Ralph the mouse as he finds more danger, fun, and adventure. One day, a couple arrives at the hotel on their way to bring their son to summer camp. Ralph, who has never been to a summer camp, decides to join the boy. There, he spends a...

This endearing picture book about a cat that adopts a baby chick shows children that families come in all shapes and sizes and that we should celebrate what makes us unique.

In this excellent novel of survival set during World War II, Philip, a young white boy, is blinded when the Germans torpedo his ship. Stranded on a tiny Caribbean island with Timothy, an old black sailor, Philip must learn to overcome his prejudice and...

Why did unicorns become extinct? Why are anacondas so long? Find witty and beautifully written answers for questions that challenge the imagination. Along with cheerful illustrations, this book shows nature and animals in an innovative light.

The residents of a small town are terrified when a giant named Poliboros comes to town. Thank goodness the children, who have taken refuge inside their school, comes up with an ingenious way to deal with the giant. With its fun style, this novel, told...

Louis the swan was born mute. His beloved Serena ignores him because of his disability. When Louis's father steals a trumpet to help him find his voice, he learns to play it, and finally wins Serena's heart.

Malena hates going to swim class because the other kids make fun of her weight. Once the instructor tells her to think positively about herself, her whole outlook changes.

Who is who? Having a twin sister can be so much fun! Twins can play tricks on others by pretending to be the other, but what happens when the game backfires?

Lice invade the kingdom of Hairville. The princess will stop at nothing to rid the land of the nuisance.

Nana María receives a diary from her parents, but she doesn't write the usual stuff. Instead she spins ten fantastic stories filled with the magic of everyday objects, fabulous characters, and word games.

A drop of water, lonely and sad, decides one day to go and explore the world. Written in the first 'person,' the drop tells its own adventures in catchy, easy-to-remember rhymes.

Mama Alma explains the importance of remembering people who have passed away to her granddaughter Bella and tells her what she should do to celebrate her life after she has died. Pat Mora uses this story to imagine how the Day of the Dead traditions...

A royal edict is issued -- the prince will not sleep, and experts from across the land are called to help. This amusing tale, told in rhyming couplets, is a great nap-time story for every young prince (or princess).

The little boy in this picture book loves animals big and small. He knows his beloved friends need a clean environment and lots of plants and trees, so he sets out to do something about it.

Big Nate is in a class by himself! But things don't always go your way just because you're awesome. Nate keeps his cool. He knows he's destined for greatness because a fortune cookie told him so.

In this disarming and humorous parable, Lafcadio the lion picks up a rifle and shoots a hunter, then vows to practice until he becomes the best shot in the world. Yet this makes Lafcadio sad, because by becoming a hunter, he ceases to be a lion.

In this story, set in Chile in the early 1900s, Rosina's grandfather returns from a long journey, and brings with him something extraordinary: a gramophone and some operatic records. The family is even more astonished when he decides to build his own...

A sock searches high and low for its 'sister.' While looking for her, it encounters different objects that resemble the missing sock. This is a great tool for teaching children about differences and similarities.

It's a pirate-themed holiday for Judy and Stink as the Moody family makes their way to historic Ocracoke Island, home of Blackbeard. As soon as they drop anchor on 'Artichoke' Island, they are greeted by Cap'n Weevil, a one-eyed buccaneer with a scraggly...

In a story many children will relate to, Chiquiro is in a hurry to be big, but his grandparents know just the things to say and do.

In adventure 24 of the Magic Tree House Series, Jack and Annie arrive in San Francisco just as the famous earthquake devastates the city in 1906. Will they be able to find the writing they need to help Morgan save Camelot?

Jack and Annie travel to the Midwest in the 1870s. At the one-room schoolhouse they meet a great teacher, some wonderful kids, and a big bully. Little do they know something even scarier is coming!

When Jack and Annie are sent back in time to the Revolutionary War, George Washington is preparing for a sneak attack. Bad weather is approaching and the kids discover it is up to them to make sure the course of history does not get changed.

In the 21st installment of the Magic Tree House Series, Jack and Annie not only get transported back in time to the American Civil War; they also get to meet the famous nurse Clara Barton!