In a sweeping fantasy that award-winning author Franny Billingsley calls "fascinating and unique," debut author Kathy MacMillan weaves palace intrigue and epic world-building to craft a tale for fans of Rae Carson and Megan Whalen Turner.

Raisa was just a child when she was sold into slavery in the kingdom of Qilara. Before she was taken away, her father had been adamant that she learn to read and write. But where she now lives, literacy is a capital offense for all but the nobility. The written language is closely protected, and only the King, Prince, Tutor, and Tutor-in-training are allowed to learn its very highest form.

So when she is plucked from her menial labor and selected to replace the last Tutor-in-training who was executed, Raisa knows that betraying any hint of her past could mean death.

Keeping her secret guarded is hard enough, but the romance that's been blossoming between her and Prince Mati isn't helping matters. Then Raisa is approached by the Resistance—an underground rebel army—to help liberate the city's slaves. She wants to free her people, but that would mean aiding a war against Mati.

As Raisa struggles with what to do, she discovers a secret that the Qilarites have been hiding for centuries—one that, if uncovered, could bring the kingdom to its knees.

American Sign Language is more than just an assortment of gestures. It is a full-fledged unique language, with all the characteristics of such. This helpful and user-friendly guide for librarians and other library personnel involved in library programming demonstrates everything from how to set up programming involving sign language for all ages to dealing with and paying interpreters. The book also discusses how to publicize programs to the public and within the deaf community and how to evaluate and improve the library's sign language collection. Kathy MacMillan's impressive understanding and knowledge of the deaf community and the importance of sign language_as well as her exceptional handling of the numerous erroneous myths about deafness and sign language that are, unfortunately, still often current_make this handbook an indispensable tool for all library personnel looking to reach out to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

This time-saving program planner for librarians and classroom teachers alike includes everything you need to get started- reading lists, flannelboard patterns, poems, songs, easy crafts, even take-home activities to extend the learning process. The many creative ideas packed inside include - Activities keyed to popular classroom themes, with one chapter for each week of the school year - Lessons that reinforce skills in key learning areas such as reading, writing, and math - American Sign Language and Spanish language activities that make diversity awareness a part of children's learning - Teachable concepts that can be mixed and rearranged for maximum flexibility, complementing classroom schedules Both veterans and novices will find plenty to help make kindergarten days richer, more rewarding, and more fun.

MacMillian and Kirker's knack for creating storytimes that engage and delight young ones have made their previous books bestsellers. Now they're back with an all new assortment of original fingerplays, transitional rhymes, movement songs, flannelboards, sign language rhymes and other activities to spice up storytimes for ages two and up. This ready-to-go sourcebook for children's librarians, early literacy specialists, and other adults who work with young children offers everything needed to plan and host quality storytimes, including more than a dozen thematic groupings of activities, featuring such fun topics such as "All About Me," "Bugs and Insects," "Fairy Tales and Castles," and "People in my Neighborhood"; recommended storytime books for each theme, along with material lists, patterns for flannelboards and stick puppets, and illustrations of American Sign Language signs; and coding for each entry indicating which Common Core State Standards for Kindergarten skills it supports. Using the guidance and activities contained in this book, storytimes will be more magical than ever!

Storytime audiences grow ever more diverse, and it's important that the materials used in programs reflect that richness of experience. Multiculturalism need not be an occasional initiative attached to particular holidays. In this book best-selling authors MacMillan and Kirker offer a new paradigm for multicultural programs, one in which diversity is woven into any and every storytime, no matter what the topic. Arranged thematically around dozens of popular storytime themes, the authors Present original and traditional resources from all over the world that will enrich storytimes for ages 2 through 5 Offer concrete book recommendations, fingerplays, and other activities that can be integrated into existing storytimes Include download links for flannelboard and stick puppet patterns, and illustrations of American Sign Language signs With numerous activities and programming suggestions, this book will seamlessly integrate and enhance cultural awareness for children all year round.

Whether you've been presenting baby story times for fifteen years or fifteen minutes, you probably already know that the first five years of life are key for brain development and early literacy. Many public libraries have instituted baby and toddler programs, but finding exciting materials for baby story time that go beyond nursery rhymes can be a challenge. Baby Storytime Magic is a treasure trove of new and exciting ideas for programs, all of which revolve around themes from a baby's world. Inside this resource you'll find Finger plays, bounces, flannel boards, activities with props, songs, American Sign Language activities, and more, with items arranged by type of material Tips for planning story times, with advice on logistical issues such as age grouping, scheduling, formats, and physical setup Guidance on involving caregivers in baby story times, including suggested scripts for explaining the benefits of each activity and how to use it at home Age-appropriate book recommendations Information on the stages of early childhood development, plus an appendix of recommended additional resources A thematic index to find the right story time quickly Links to full-sized, downloadable flannel board patterns, craft patterns, and worksheets Packed with ready-to-use activities, reducing prep time substantially, this book is a valuable early literacy tool for every children's librarian.