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Being Frog

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Book Cover of "Being Frog" by April Pulley SayreBeing Frog by April Pulley Sayre
Publication/Release Date:
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Frogs are fascinating, and Being Frog by April Pulley Sayre is a beautiful look at these amphibians for young naturalists. Stunning photos and simple rhyming text show a tiny frog egg growing into a tadpole, then a tiny froglet able to leave the water. Readers then follow one day in the life of a green frog in a North American woodland pond: we see the frog swimming, climbing, hunting, missing its prey, and trying again. The author Sayre uses simple language to show that frogs are living creatures with their own needs, habitats, and behaviors- not playthings, but wild animals. An author’s note gives more information about how she observed and photographed the frogs over many months to create this lovely book, which is perfect for the youngest nature-lovers.

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Bedtime for Sweet Creatures

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Bedtime for Sweet Creatures by Nikki Grimes, Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon
Format: Book
Who it’s for:  Kids

This new, fun book for kids is written by Nikki Grimes, an award-winning author and the illustrations are by Elizabeth Zunon who grew up in the Ivory Coast.  Ms. Grimes hasn’t written a book in a while so this was a good one to read.  Ms. Zunon has a background in art as she works in paint, collage, sewing, silkscreens, jewelry and more.  The illustrations reflect her interest and are a combination of realism and fantasy.

Mommy and Daddy are trying to get their cantankerous toddler son to go to bed but the boy definitely isn’t interested in settling down.  Mommy tries to coax him into bed and then reads a story to him.  It looks like it’s going to work.  Until…  See for yourself how she finally solves the problem.

This is a good bedtime book to read to little ones for Black History month.  Read this delightful book to see how mother finds a way to calm her son.

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Anya and the Dragon

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Cover of the book "Anya and the Dragon"Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

Publication Date: September, 2019

Format: Book

Who it’s for: Kids

Set in a fantasy world based on 10th-century Russia, this is the story of Anya, the only Jewish girl in a small village. Things are already hard for her family- other villagers discriminate against them for their faith, and her father was drafted into the Tsar’s army. Now the family is about to be evicted from their home if they can’t pay the tax, and they don’t have the money. But the Tsar is offering a reward for anyone who can find a dangerous river dragon that’s said to live nearby, and Anya is determined to do whatever it takes to get the prize and save her family. She teams up with a boy named Ivan (who has seven older brothers also named Ivan), and they set out to hunt for the monster. There are others on the same quest, including a cold-hearted Viking named Sigurd who wants to kill the dragon before it can be captured. Anya and Ivan discover that the lands around their village are full of hidden magical creatures, and that nothing is what it seems- not even the dragon. They’ll have to make choices about right and wrong, duty and loyalty, and fight to save what they hold dear.

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Around the Table that Grandad Built

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Around the Table that Grandad Built by Melanie Heuiser Hill, illustrated by Jaime Kim
Publication/Release Date: 2019
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Around the Table that Grandad Built is a lovely celebration of family, tradition, memory, and gratitude. In cumulative text along the lines of “The House that Jack Built,” a joyful multicultural family prepares to share a special meal. They begin by moving “the table that grandad” built in to the center of the room, then gather “the sunflowers picked by my cousins” and “the napkins sewn by mom.” Each item used to set the table is special and treasured. Then comes the food- produce from the family’s garden and favorite recipes made with love. When all is ready, the extended family gathers to hold hands and give thanks around the table that Grandad built. This picture book is perfect for Thanksgiving, or any special family celebration!
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Attack of the Furball: A Christina Starspeeder Story

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Attack of the Furball: A Christina Starspeeder Story by Jarrett Krosoczka
Release date: September 3, 2019
Format: Book
Who’s it for: Kids

Young padawan Christina Starspeeder is having a tough year at the Jedi Academy! She left her younger brother at the lower Jedi Academy back on Coruscant to come to the advanced school on Jedha, where everything is harder. Her classes are harder, the droids are sarcastic, and her mentor, Jedi Master Skia Ro, is demanding. The only good thing is Christina’s secret new pet, an adorably fluffy baby nexu she sneaked back from a field trip to planet Cholganna. But cute little Fluffernut is starting to grow… and grow… and GROW! Christina didn’t know that nexu grow to be 14 feet long, or that they will chew up almost anything! To make matters worse, a mysterious bounty hunter is trying to steal Fluffernut. Can Christina protect her pet, outwit the bounty hunter, and make things right before she’s kicked out of Jedi Academy for good?
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Find all the Jedi Academy books in the catalog!

1-2-3 A Calmer Me: Helping Children Cope When Emotions Get Out of Control

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1-2-3-A Calmer Me: Helping Children Cope When Emotions Get Out of Control by Colleen A. Patterson and Brenda S. Miles
Format: Children’s Picture Book
Who It’s for: Children and Caregivers

In this story, a little girl explains how she can get angry and frustrated sometimes. Like when she loses her balloon in the park. It is OK to get mad, but when you do, you can recite this rhyme.
1-2-3 a calmer me, 1-2-3 I hug me, 1-2-3 relax and b-r-e-a-t-h-e, 1-2-3 a calmer me.
The story introduces children to a simple rhyme they can use to slow down their bodies and stop mad feelings from spinning out of control.
The mantra or rhyme appears several times throughout this picture book whenever the little girl finds herself becoming upset from conflicts with friends, family and even while playing sports.

By memorizing the simple mantra, a child can use it to slow down their immediate reactions and replace them with words that are more comforting. The idea is based on the psychological principles of relaxation and mindfulness.

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