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  • Tags: nonverbal communication
The old Africa
Lester, Julius
An elderly slave uses the power of his mind to ease the suffering of his fellow slaves and eventually lead them back to Africa

Supersister
Cadena, Beth
Supersister is always thinking of ways she can help her pregnant mother. In the morning on the way to school, she forgets two things: to tie her mother's shoes and to give her mother a kiss. Throughout the day, she does all her chores and thinks of new ways to help her mother. At the end of the day she forgets the same two things, but when she remembers her mother says, Like I always say, you're going to be a super sister.



First come the zebra
Barasch, Lynne
In the Kenyan grassland, Abaani, a Maasai boy takes his cattle out to graze. While he is out he sees a vegetable stand with a young boy from the Kikuyu farms, who are rivals of his tribe because they destroy their land. While arguing, a group of Kamba women and children approach to trade for fruits and vegetables, and one baby wanders toward three warthogs. Abaani sees this and knows he can save the baby himself so he calls to Haki to help. Together they save the boy, which is the beginning of a growing friendship. They learn how to appreciate one another and hope to teach their families to be friends.

African beginnings
Haskins, James//Benson, Kathleen
Come explore and celebrate the powerful impact people of African descent have made on world history and on the American experience.

Hattie the bad
Devlin, Jane
Hattie had a reputation for being bad. All her school classmates love her because she does exciting bad things, but her parents don't agree. When her friends aren't allowed to play with her anymore, she decides to be good. But just when she is about to get an award for the Best-Behaved Child ever, she does something that shocks everyone.

Can you hear the sea?
Cumberbatch, Judy
Sarah's grandpa gives her a special shell and says if she listens carefully she can hear the sea, but all she hears are every day village noises.

Earth mother
Jackson, Ellen
The day begins by Mother Earth tending to her plants and animals. As the day progresses, Mother Earth comes upon a man, a frog, and a mosquito. Each tell Mother Earth what can be changed in their life.

Arijole
Mashiri, Pascal
Arijole's stepsisters are envious of her beauty. They do not want Arijole to be chosen as a wife in a nearby village, so the stepsisters turn her into a dog. When only Arijole (the dog) is left, a mother takes her home for her son to hunt. Soon they realize that Arijole is not a dog but a beautiful woman. She and Obondo are then married.

A is for africa
Onyefulu, Ifeoma
The author, a member of the Igbo tribe in Nigeria, presents text and her own photographs of twenty-six things, from A-Z, representative of all African peoples.

The talking cloth
Mitchell, Rhonda
Aunt Phoebe has a collection of many wonderful things, each having an interesting story. The little girl's favorite thing is an adinkra cloth from Ghana. It has many colors and symbols to represent feelings, faith, power, and love.

To be a drum
Coleman, Evelyn
Daddy Wes whispers to his two young children about the history of Africans forced into slavery and how the pulse of the drum has moved through them over time. Daddy Wes promises his children that as long as they can hear the heartbeat of the earth, they will be free.

Too far away to touch, close enough to see
Newman, Leslea
There is a special loving relationship between Zoe and her uncle. Although he is sick with HIV, her uncle makes an extra effort to take her on special outings. Zoe must come to terms with her uncle's illness throughout the story.

African dancing
Thomas, Mark
Children explore African dance with music and movement.

Where's Jamela?
Daly, Niki
A young girl named Jamela is upset when hearing the news from her mother that they will be moving to a new house. When itï¾’s time to leave, everyone wonders where Jamela is and begin to search for her everywhere. Suddenly, she jumps out of a box from the back of the truck and agrees to go with her mother. On reaching her new house, she starts to like it and settles down in her room.

My painted house, my friendly chicken, and me
Angelou, Maya
Thandi, an eight-year-old Ndebele girl who lives in a village in South Africa with her mother, aunts, sisters, and mischievous younger brother, shares her secrets with her best friend, a chicken.

Can you find it, too?
Cressy, Judith
Come enjoy history through a collection of famous paintings. Each has its own personality and story. Search through each painting for objects and colors. Get imaginative and create your own stories or interpretations about the paintings.

Dinosaur discoveries
Gibbons, Gail
Go on an adventure back to the time of dinosaurs. Learn about the history of dinosaurs and the job of paleontologists. A description of specific dinosaurs is included along with an index.

Amy unbounded: Belondweg blossoming
Hartman, Rachel
Through comic book style illustrations, Amy of Eddybrook Lodge encounters many exciting adventures with her best friend. During the summer between her ninth and tenth birthday, Amy and her friend learn many lessons about life. The most important ones are that love does not solve everything and even heroines sometimes need help.

Bugs! bugs! bugs!
Barner, Bob
A child uses rhyme to describe the insects she sees. The actual sizes of the bugs are included, as well as a bug-o-meter, which tells where the bug lives, how many legs the bug has, if it can fly, and if it stings.

Bertie the ghost
Neale, Richard
Bertie the ghost wants a new place to live and new friends. He crosses through each page of the story then arrives at an old farmhouse and finds friends and a home.

Maxie
Kantrowitz, Mildred
Maxie wakes up each day and goes through the same routine. One day Maxie feels unloved and lonely, so she decides to stay in bed. Maxie doesn't realize how much others depend on her until her living room is full of worried neighbors. Maxie realizes how many people need and rely on her daily routine.

Gregory's shadow
Freeman, Don
Gregory needs his shadow in order for spring to come. He ends up losing his shadow for awhile; his shadow gets scared and hides in a barn. Gregory later adventured out and finds his shadow, causing spring to come.

Our community garden
Pollak, Barbara
Neighborhood children plant a garden together and each contribute by helping to take care of the garden. They set goals, work hard, and build healthy friendship. After harvesting their crops, everyone from the community comes together for a special meal made from vegetables grown in the garden. What a nutritious, heart-warming treat!

Candy shop
Wahl, Jan
A young boy, Daniel, and his aunt Thelma take a trip to the market with money that he has earned. The boy is looking forward to visiting the candy shop but when they arrive they see a crowd and are faced with prejudice acts toward the owner of the store. Daniel and his aunt help comfort the owner and show true friendship.

Wee and the wright brothers
Gaffney, Timothy
An educational story told from Wee the mouse's point of view, of how the Wright brothers succeeded in flight. Wee, an ambitious mouse, tells the story in a humorous yet detailed way of the historical Wright brothers and their flying machine.

Lady monster helps out
Blance, Ellen & Cook, Ann
Monster gets a bike for his birthday. Monster doesn't know how to ride a bike. He is discouraged. The little boy and his friends try to help him, but he is too big. Lady monster comes to help and encourages him. Monster learns how to ride his bike just like all the others in the park.

Manana, Iguana
Paul, Ann Whitford
Following the story line of Little Red Hen, Iguana decides to throw a fiesta and invite all of her friends. Set in the desert, the lazy cat, dog, and mouse are replaced by Conejo (rabbit), Culebra (Snake), and Tortuga (tortoise). As Iguana sets the stage for invitations, decorations, and of course, food preparation, her three lazy friends have an excuse for every task presented to them. Either they are too fast, too slow, or have no arms. As the evening of the fiesta approaches, Iguana decides that her three friends should not be included, as they did nothing. Feeling bad about not only being left out, but disappointing Iguana, the three friends decide to right the situation, and prove themselves worthy of her friendship.

The yellow balloon
Dematons, Charlotte
A balloon travels through the air and around the world. While sailing through the air, the balloon fly's over many different people and places (a wordless book).

Hot air
Priceman, Marjorie
On September 19, 1783, the first flight of a hot air balloon was recorded. People gathered in Versailles to watch the first passengers: a duck, a sheep and a rooster take off. The balloon almost crashes into a steeple; duck fills the basket with water; and a bird pops a hole in the balloon before they land in the woods.

If nathan were here
Bahr, Mary
Nathan was a brother, a wonderful best friend, and a great classmate. Then one day, Nathan was gone. If Nathan Were Here tells a story of what it is like for a community and family to lose a loved one. This book shows us the true need and meaning for friendship.

First snow
McCully, Emily Arnold
Little mice children enjoy the first snow with Grandma and Grandpa. They skate, make a snowman, and sled down the hill.

A boy and his bunny
Bryan, Sean
One morning a boy wakes up to discover that he has found himself a new friend. Fred the bunny is on his head. The boy's mother is unsure about his new friend, but he assures her that he can accomplish many things with Fred on his head.

Wet dog!
Broach, Elise
An old dog, hot from the noon day sun, wanders down the road in search of a way to cool off. He discovers different sources of cool water, but is always chased away until he meets a too-hot baby. When the baby's family sees her and the wet dog enjoying the cool water, they join in the splashing having a wonderful time.

Heaven's all star jazz band
Carter, Don
A young boy's grandpa dies and he goes to heaven. In heaven, his Grandpa Jack is in a jazz band with all the great musicians.

Honey...honey...lion!
Brett, Jan
A badger and a honeyguide work together to find bee hives for honey. One day, the badger betrays the honeyguide and uses his help to eat all the honey himself. The honeyguide decides to get even and provides a twist in the end.

Little fur family
Brown, Margaret Wise
A father bear goes to work, and the younger bear goes exploring. He comes across many animals different from him. He comes home for dinner and bed.

Little flower
Rand, Gloria
Miss Pearl loves her pet pig Little Flower. The pig can play dead and loves the attention this trick gets her. One day Miss Pearl has an accident and can't go get help. Little Flower finds a unique way to communicate Miss Pearl's need for help.

Big bad wolf
Marurel, Claire
Things aren't always what they seem. The villagers keep talking about a big, bad wolf and describe him. Their details are accurate, but skewed a little. The wolf has a family just like them and kisses his children good night after a run in the forest.

The storm
Harshman, Marc
A young boy confined to a wheel chair because of an accident, doesn't like the way people see and talk about him. He wants people to see past the wheelchair and see him. A tornado comes through Indiana and he shows how strong and able he truly is.

Nutik, the wolf pup
Gearge, Jean
As Eskimo girl brings a sickly wolf pup home to her brother who cares for it until it's old enough to rejoin the pack. The two grow close, so when it is time for the pup to leave, they can't say good-bye.

Gerald Mcboing boing
Dr. Suess
A little boy makes unique noises instead of talking. He doesn't seem to fit in anywhere and is lonely. He is found by a man who has a radio station. He appreciates the boy's abilities.

Ella Sarah gets dressed
Chodos-Irvine, Margaret
A young girl named Ella knows what she wants to wear and no one in her family can convince her otherwise. She refuses each person's suggestions for alternative clothing choices. Ella shows confidence and determination as she chooses her own style and presentation.

The jungle grapevine
Beard, Alex
In Africa, the bird and the turtle are taking a walk and the turtle says that the humor at the watering hole is drying up. The bird misunderstands him and flies off to tell the elephant that the watering hole is drying up. The snake hears and goes to the watering hole but finds that it's full. Snake tells the crocodile that the watering hole might actually flood. This scares the crocodile, and one misunderstanding leads to another spreading chaos throughout the jungle.

The red piano
Leblanc-Barroux, Andre
A young pianist is sent to a re-education camp in China. She lives for her secretive two hours of music after a long day's work. Her parents managed to send a piano to Mother Han's house and she manages to smuggle music in notebooks. One night the pianist is caught at the piano, forcing her to live through an extended-re-education while her love and talent for music are challenged.

The golden rule
Cooper, Ilene
A boy and his grandfather are standing on a city sidewalk when they see a billboard starting Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The boy asks his grandpa what it says and the grandpa reads it and explains the Golden Rule. The boy is intrigued by the rule and starts asking questions. The grandpa explains that each religion has their own version of the Golden Rule. They discuss what the world would be like if everyone followed the Golden Rule. The boy starts to understand the Golden Rule and the grandpa reminds him that the Golden Rule starts with one person: You. It beings with you.

Karate hour
Nevius, Carol
A group of children practice karate. They kick, punch, chant and roll as they learn the value of self discipline, respect, and self esteem in both self and others.

Namaste!
Cohn, Diana
Nima Sherpa lives next to Mount Everest, and her father guides people to the top of the mountains once a year. Before he leaves, he tells Nima that he will have a story for her when he returns and asks Nima if she will have a story for him. As Nima walks around the village thinking of what her story could be, she greets everyone with Namaste, just as her mom taught her. She struggles with her story until she realizes that she spreads sweetness everytime she says Namaste.

Buffalo
Brodsky, Beverly
The buffalo was very important for the survival of Native Americans. Learn about the history and importance of the buffalo. Excerpts from Native American songs and many original paintings add an artistic dimension.