You've likely heard of the performer Dolly Parton. But do you know where this dazzling songwriter and musician draws her roots? As one of twelve children growing up in rural Tennessee, Dolly was determined to be seen and heard. From her front porch to her church choir, every stage was an opportunity to perform and share her many talents. While balancing farm chores with schoolwork, Dolly never lost sight of her dreams, composing her first song at age five and performing at the Grand Ole Opry at age thirteen. With lilting language and vibrant artwork, this childhood story captures the unique gifts of Dolly Parton, while also honoring the measures of her success: resilience, confidence, family, and kindness.

Drink deep from the first three volumes of the #1 "New York Times "bestselling Thirst series in this boxed set from Christopher Pike.
Alisa has been a vampire for five thousand years, and she's always lived on the fringe of society in order to maintain her secret.
But everything changes when she falls in love.
Suddenly there is more at stake than her own existence. Her humanity is returning, and secrets from her past are coming back to haunt her. Alisa must quickly reconcile her new and changing identity, and figure out who to trust, before everything she's worked for in the past five millennia turns to ash....
In this boxed set containing "Thirst No. 1," " Thirst No. 2," and" Thirst No. 3," " "follow Alisa's path from vampire to human to target of a covert organization, as she learns what it means to be truly alive.

A unique masterpiece about loss, love, and the world's best bad dog, from award winner Leslie Connor, author of the National Book Award finalist The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle, now available in paperback. This novel sings about loss and love and finding joy in new friendships and a loving family, along with the world's best bad dog. An uplifting middle grade novel about recovery featuring strong female characters, an adorable dog, and the girl who comes to love him. It's a life-altering New Year for thirteen-year-old Lydia when she uproots to a Connecticut farm to live with her aunt following her mother's death. Aunt Brat and her jovial wife, Eileen, and their ancient live-in landlord, Elloroy, are welcoming-and a little quirky. Lydia's struggle for a sense of belonging in her new family is highlighted when the women adopt a big yellow dog just days after the girl's arrival. Wasn't one rescue enough? Lydia is not a dog person-and this one is trouble! He is mistrustful and slinky. He pees in the house, escapes into the woods, and barks at things unseen. His new owners begin to guess about his unknown past. Meanwhile, Lydia doesn't want to be difficult-and she does not mean to keep secrets-but there are things she's not telling... Like why the box of "paper stuff" she keeps under her bed is so important... And why that hole in the wall behind a poster in her room is getting bigger... And why something she took from the big yellow dog just might be the key to unraveling his mysterious past-but at what cost? * Junior Library Guild Selection *

Why is seawater so salty? How are waterfalls created? Welcome to the world of water where you'll learn about the animals and living things that thrive in water, find out how the water cycle works and what we can do to protect the seas and rivers in our neighbourhoods. Nature's Classroom looks at the nature we can find all around us, and what we can learn from it. The bite-size chunks of information, bright illustrations and fun outdoor activities, including an experiment with water evaporation, will leave readers feeling inspired by nature. Perfect for children aged 7+

  A powerful graphic novel exploring the struggle for survival of displaced people. With true stories from Ukraine, Somalia, Bosnia, Syria and Afghanistan, this moving book collects important tales about the real journeys of people forced from their homes by conflict. Somalia: 'It was a normal, boring day. I was playing videogames after homework when the first bomb fell.' Bosnia: 'One day, Mum took me to the local playground. A sniper shot at us. We couldn't stay in Bosnia any more.' Ukraine: 'On the 24th of February, Mum woke me up by saying: 'The war has begun.' With stories from Ada Jusic (Bosnia), Marie Bamyani (Afghanistan), Sonya Zhurenko (Ukraine), Ramzee (Somalia) and Nadine Kaadan (Syria).  Full-colour graphic novel art by Bosnian refugee, Ada Jusic. Each story has an informative introduction about the country, written by Bali Rai. Real stories to help children aged 9+ understand the plight of refugees and displaced people.

One little dot marks the beginning of Vashti's journey of surprise and self-discovery in Peter H. Reynolds' multiple award-winning modern classic. In this inspiring, award-winning story of self-expression and creativity from Peter H. Reynolds, illustrator of Ish and the Judy Moody series, Vashti thinks she can't draw. But her teacher is sure that she can. She knows that there's creative spirit in everyone, and encourages Vashti to sign the angry dot she makes in frustration on a piece of paper. This act makes Vashti look at herself a little differently, and helps her discover that where there's a dot there's a way... With wit, charm and free-spirited illustrations, Peter H. Reynolds encourages even the stubbornly uncreative among us to make a mark - and follow where it takes us.

When a hungry little monster goes looking for food, everyone in her path gets a little nervous. Luckily, she finds her favorite lunch just in time! This book is perfect for beginner preschool and kindergarten readers. It features large type and easy words, paired with fun picture clues that will help new readers decode the story. Board book, Little Monster series, Story elements: setting, plot and character development: Little Monster, main character, strong illustration support, ask and answer questions, speech bubbles, rhythm and rhyme, sight word vocabulary. Comprehension strategies: re-tell story, predict outcomes, identify sequence of events, cause and effect relationships and problem and solution. Themes: Monsters, feeling hungry.

The mercurial Judy Moody will delight any kid who's known a bad mood or a bad day--and managed to laugh anyway.

"Judy Moody was in a mood. Not a good mood. A bad mood. A mad-faced mood."

To start, Judy Moody doesn't have high hopes for third grade. Her new desk won't have an armadillo sticker with her name on it. Her new classroom will not have a porcupine named Roger. And with her luck, she'll get stuck sitting in the first row, where Mr. Todd will notice every time she tries to pass a note to her best friend, Rocky. An aspiring doctor, Judy does have a little brother who comes in handy for practicing medicine, a cool new pet, and a huge Band-Aid collection.

Judy also has an abundance of individuality and attitude, and when Mr. Todd assigns a very special class project, she really gets a chance to express herself! Megan McDonald's spirited text and Peter Reynolds's wry illustrations combine in a feisty, funny first chapter book for every kid who has ever felt a little out of sorts.

In these four interlinked stories about Nikhil and Jay and their family, there's always fun and mischief. Jay wants to do things by himself on his birthday, but sharing with Nikhil turns out to be more fun. They all go to visit Grandad and Nana, but where is the story dragon? Then it's Pancake Day, the day when Amma makes yummy dosa, Indian pancakes. And last but not least, Nikhil and Jay help to lead a campaign to save their local library from closing.  The Nikhil and Jay stories are perfect for children moving on from picture books to longer stories, helped by Soofiya's lively and characterful illustrations.

Meet Jabber, a Steller’s jay born in the spring in a nest of pine twigs and mud. When summer comes, she grows feathers and learns to fly, just in time for the cold season ahead. With beautiful illustrations by Diane Iverson, Jabber the Steller’s Jay takes the reader through the first year of Jabber’s life as she learns to survive along with the other animals who live in the ponderosa pine forest of the US Southwest with her. Includes a pictorial glossary of many of the forest animals that Jabber meets, including a red-tailed hawk, a tassel-eared squirrel, a porcupine, and a mountain lion.

Giraffe Goes to the Doctor offers a gentle introduction to the experience of visiting the doctor for young children. This funny, charming story is the perfect way to introduce young children to the experience of visiting the doctor. Also included are suggestions for activities and ideas to talk through together to help children reflect on their own experiences. Giraffe is not feeling well. She has a hot head and a sore throat. Mum says Giraffe will need to visit the doctor. Giraffe feels nervous, but the doctor is very gentle and she is soon feeling better. The Experiences Matter series of picture books provide a gentle means of discussing experiences, boosting self-esteem and reinforcing good behaviour. Supports the Personal, Social and Emotional Development Area of Learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage, and is also suitable for use with children in KS1 and can be used to discuss values. Suitable for children under 5.

A moving middle grade graphic novel about friendship, belonging, and learning to love yourself despite the voices in your head. Isaac Itkin can't get away from his thoughts. As a lonely twelve-year-old kid with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), everything from studying to looking in the mirror becomes a battle between him and a swarm of unhelpful thoughts. The strict therapy his mother insists on doesn't seem to be working, but when a group of friends invites him to join their after-school role-playing game, the thoughts feel a little less loud, and the world feels a little brighter. But Isaac's therapist says that exposure to games can have negative effects on kids with OCD, and when his grades slip, his helicopter mother won't let him play anymore. Now Isaac needs to find a way to prove to himself, to his mother, and to the world that the way to quiet the noise in his head may have been inside him all along.

A timely, sharply-curated book on modern pandemics. Fully illustrated, bite-sized stories to engage young readers to face new challenges head-on. COVID-19 seized the world in 2020. From the likes of the plague, the Spanish Flu and SARS, invisible enemies have changed our lives, bringing death and widespread fear. Yet, knowledge and the scientific quest for answers -- along with a dogged sense of resilience -- are our best weapons in the epic battle against pandemics. - Who is Patient Zero and what are super spreaders? - When did the Theory of Germs begin? - Why did scientists risk their own lives? - How did history prevail against pesky pandemics? Former TV journalist Hwee Goh and historian/artist David Liew collaborate on a well-researched, fun book on key milestones of the pandemics that have shaped our world.

“A swift-paced survival tale that’s a cool blend of Lord of the Flies and Journey to the Center of the Earth.” —School Library Journal
“A sharp meditation on the seemingly universal difficulties of being young, smart, and uncertain.” —BCCB
“A multifaceted journey from darkness to light.” —Kirkus Reviews

Winner of the Red Maple Fiction Award

A class field trips turns into an underground quest for survival in the latest middle grade novel from the author of Edgar Award winner OCDaniel.

Mr. Baker’s eighth grade class thought they were in for a normal field trip to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. But when an earthquake hits, their field trip takes a terrifying turn. The students are plunged into an underground lake…and their teacher goes missing.

They have no choice but to try and make their way back above ground, even though no one can agree on the best course of action. The darkness brings out everyone’s true self. Supplies dwindle and tensions mount. Pretty and popular Silvia does everything she can to hide her panic attacks, even as she tries to step up and be a leader. But the longer she’s underground, the more frequent and debilitating they become. Meanwhile, Eric has always been a social no one, preferring to sit at the back of the class and spend evenings alone. Now, he finds himself separated from his class, totally by himself underground. That is, until he meets an unexpected stranger.

Told from three different points of view, this fast-paced adventure novel explores how group dynamics change under dire circumstances. Do the students of Mr. Baker’s class really know each other at all? Or do they just think they do? It turns out, it’s hard to hide in the dark.

This amazing series contains the stories of 12 women who deserve to be celebrated; women that will inspire anyone.

From well-known women like Thuli Madonsela, Caster Semenya and Vanessa Govender, to more unsung heros such as Grizelda Grootboom and Suna Venter.

With unique, colourful illustrations by Linki Brand, this series is a must have for every young reader. This box set features four books, with three stories per book.

Book 1: Thuli Madonsela, Ingrid Jonker, Grizelda Grootboom

Book 2: Caster Semenya, Zulaikha Patel, Saray Khumalo

Book 3: Zolani Mahola, Maggie Jooste, Suna Venter

Book 4: Esther Mahlangu, Vanessa Govender, Elsje Neethling