Beetle gives Stick Insect an attention-grabbing coat for his birthday - but is that what Stick Insect really wants? A delightful story about friends learning to understand each other. It's almost Stick Insect's birthday, and his fashionable friend Beetle can't wait to give him his present - a purple puffy coat! The coat draws a lot of attention and makes Stick Insect really stick out in the crowd. Beetle thinks that's terrific! He takes Stick Insect all over town, happily boasting and bragging (while Stick Insect waits behind a tree, in a pile of leaves, or under a bench). Oh, dear - maybe Stick Insect isn't as happy about the purple puffy coat as Beetle is! What can Beetle do to make Stick Insect feel more comfortable? Charming illustrations bring to life both characters' endearing struggles in this warm and humorous story about friendship and understanding each other.

"In this witty, wise picture book, Boelts presents a kid's-eye view of a
consumer fad that rages through school at gale force." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
All Jeremy wants is a pair of those shoes, the ones everyone at school seems to be wearing. Though Jeremy's grandma says they don't have room for "want," just "need," when his old shoes fall apart at school, he is more determined than ever to have those shoes, even a thrift-shop pair that are much too small. But sore feet aren't much fun, and Jeremy soon sees that the things he has -- warm boots, a loving grandma, and the chance to help a friend -- are worth more than the things he wants.

A story of a girl who is afraid of bees - but ready to meet the hive! Kaia is the brave type. Like hottest-hot-pepper brave. But there is one thing that scares her - BEES! And right now, thousands of bees live on her roof because Kaia's dad is a beekeeper. Her dad says that the world needs bees and that's why they are beekeepers. But only he goes on the roof, not Kaia - unless she can find a way to be the brave girl she always says she is... Against a sunny city setting, author Maribeth Boelts and illustrator Angela Dominguez depict Kaia's small courageous steps - and her tiny insect neighbours - with huge empathy and charm. Buzzing to be read at story time, Kaia and the Bees is an honest and relatable tale about bravery and compassion, as well as the importance of bees to our world.

A warmhearted story about a young girl who finds a way to bring together the two things that make her most happy- soccer and her family.
Nothing makes Sierra happy like soccer. Her shoes have flames as she spins the ball down the spread-out sea of grass. But nothing makes her sad like soccer, too, because the restaurant where her auntie works is busy on game days and she can't take time off to watch Sierra play. On game days, her auntie helps Sierra get ready and tells her, "Play hard and have fun." And Sierra does, but she can't help wishing she had someone there to root for her by name, and not just by the number on her uniform. With honesty and rare subtlety, author Maribeth Boelts and illustrator Lauren Castillo portray an endearing character in a moving, uplifting story that touches on the divides children navigate every day- and remind us that everyone needs someone to cheer them on from the sidelines.

A story of a girl who is afraid of bees - but ready to meet the hive! Kaia is the brave type. Like hottest-hot-pepper brave. But there is one thing that scares her - BEES! And right now, thousands of bees live on her roof because Kaia's dad is a beekeeper. Her dad says that the world needs bees and that's why they are beekeepers. But only he goes on the roof, not Kaia - unless she can find a way to be the brave girl she always says she is... Against a sunny city setting, author Maribeth Boelts and illustrator Angela Dominguez depict Kaia's small courageous steps - and her tiny insect neighbours - with huge empathy and charm. Buzzing to be read at story time, Kaia and the Bees is an honest and relatable tale about bravery and compassion, as well as the importance of bees to our world.

Explains school safety, including tips on how to stay safe on the school bus, what to do about peer pressure and violence, and what to do about weapons at school.