Skip to main content
  • Tags: beliefs
On the day his daddy left
Adams, Eric J.//Adams, Kathleen
On the day his daddy leaves town, Danny wakes up early to write down a secret question, then he slips it into his pocket. He shows and talks about the secret question to his teacher, his mom, his friend, and even his dad. Each person tries to reassure Danny that his parent's divorce is not his fault. Danny's secret question flies away in the wind, but he still keeps asking other questions -- and he always will.

Chanukah in chelm
Adler, David A.
Mendal, the caretaker of the Chelm synagogue must find a table to set the menorah on. He searches the synagogue and cannot find one. Rabbi Nachman sends him to a carpenter to get one. Preparation for Hanukkah in this town of Chelm is remarkably eventful and fun.


The king's flower
Anno, Mitsumasa
The king believes he must have everything bigger and better than anyone else until he tries to grow the biggest flower. The little flower is so beautiful that the king realizes that bigger does not mean better.

I met a penguin
Asch, Frank
A lion who lives on an island is told he is a bad fisherman by his friends. He goes out in a rowboat to think and is caught in a storm. When the storm is over, he is shipwrecked on a different island. He meets and falls in love with a penguin, but ends up in another storm and is shipwrecked back on the first island by himself.

Bah!Humbug?
Balian, Lorna
A young girl and her slightly older brother have a little feud. Is Santa Claus real or not?They make a bet and wait for Santa on Christmas Eve.

A moose is not a mouse
Berson, Harold
A mouse lives in fear of the cat. It is not until he sees a picture of a moose that he thinks that when he grows up he will be bigger than the cat. As it happens, the mouse's mother tells him that a mouse is not a moose.

Monster has a party
Blance, Ellen & Cook, Ann
Monster and his friend plan and prepare for Monster's birthday party. Monster becomes sad when no one shows up because of the parents' fears of Monster. His sadness disappears after Monster saves people from a burning buildin, the parents' fears fade and the children come to his party.

Arrowville
Boedoe, Geefwee
In the town of Arrowville disagreement and frenzy is a way of life, but a young girl named Barb wants to agree and get along. She gets in trouble for this and runs away. At the same time the Targets make a wrong turn and end up in Arrowville. The Arrows think they are invaders. It is Barb who helps the Arrows and Targets come together and understand each other.

Sleds on boston common: A story from the american revolution
Borden, Louise
It's 1774 and British troops are occupying Boston. King George closes Boston Harbor to punish people who speak out against his laws. Henry, a young boy from Boston, hopes to try out his new sled on his birthday. But when he and his brothers and sister get to the hill they find that the troops have set up camp there. After building up enough courage, Henry asks General Gage to move his troops because Boston Common is for everyone. Being a kind man of his word, General Gage agrees and the children can once again sled.

Ruby's wish
Bridges, Shirin Yim
Ruby is known for wearing red and being an exceptionally bright student. Even during a time in China when ...most girls were never taught to read and write. However, Ruby's grandfather hires a teacher to come to the house, making it possible for any grandchild living in the house to learn. This initiates a desire in Ruby to attend university, a place that women in China were not encouraged to go.\r\n*Based on a true story of the author's grandmother.

The santa clauses
Broger, Achim
The newspaper publishes an article that states that there is no Santa Claus.

I like me!
Carlson, Nancy
A very fine pig lists all the good qualities she sees in herself, along with what helps her cope when she's feeling low. She points out that nothing is better than being yourself. She paints, rides her bike, reads good books, and takes care of herself.

The boy who dreamed of an acorn
Casler, Leigh
Three boys climb a mountain hoping to dream of power. The boy who dreams of an acorn does not understand his gift. He is unhappy with his gift until he realizes that he grows as the acorn grows and his heart stretches out like the branches of a tree.

What planet are you from, Clarice Bean?
Child, Lauren
Clarice Bean is having a hard time coming up with an idea for her project on the environment. To make matters worse, she is paired up with her tag-along neighbor, Robert Granger. Her situation looks hopeless until her brother becomes an ecowarrior in an effort to free the tree from being cut down in their neighborhood. Robert and Clarice become ecowarriors themselves, saving the tree and their project.

Halmoni and the picnic
Choi, Sook Nyul
Yunmi wants her grandmother, Halmoni to feel at home in New York City. However, Halmoni is having trouble adjusting to the American customs that differ so much from the customs of her native Korea. Yunmi's friends suggest that Halmoni chaperone the annual class picnic to Central Park. It may be an opportunity to open-up and feel comfortable in her new home.

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.

Metropolitan cow
Egan, Tim
Bennett Gibbons, the only calf in his neighborhood, often feels very bored and alone. When the Andersons, a family of pigs, move in next-door, Bennett instantly becomes friends with Webster, the youngest Anderson. Come join Bennett and Webster in the joy and pains of friendship.

Anthony's father
Elmer, Irene
Anthony's father is a magician. Anthony tells his teacher and class that he wants to be a magician too. The class does not believe in magic, so Anthony is determined to prove to them that he can do it. He makes dragons grow right in front of their eyes, but they are unable to see the dragons because they do not believe.

March on! The day my brother Martin changed the world
Farris, Christine
Christine King Farris, the sister of Martin Luther King Jr., watched her brother during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. She describes her brother’s journey from writing his “I Have a Dream” speech to joining the crowds in their demand for freedom. She was moved by her brother’s persistence and success in persuading millions to believe in and fight for a better tomorrow in which all men are created equal.

Tyson the Terrible
Fox, Diane//Fox, Christyan
Tyson is rumored to be the most terrible dinosaur in all of Stone Valley. So, when three friends hear him coming they head for cover...until they see a tiny tyrannosaurus emerge. But is their new friend really Tyson the Terrible?

The mountains of tibet
Gerstein, Mordicai
A boy has dreams of visiting the world. He grows up and dies in the same city. Once he dies, he has a chance to live again as any animal, in any planet, in any country, and with any parents. He chooses the same life, except he decides to be a girl.

Lights for gita
Gilmore, Rachna
Gita is very excited about celebrating her favorite Hindu holiday, Divali, a festival of lights. But this year things are different and she must celebrate this special holiday in her new home. This transition is hard for Gita and made even more difficult by the seasonal rain. With the help from her parents, Gita must learn how to carry her beliefs and memories into her new home and make this year's Divali, a holiday to remember.

Lights for Gita
Gilmore, Rachna
Today is a new day. What a glow! Gita is excited about Divali. The festival of lights and time to celebrate with family. There are things to prepare for the fathering of friends. And time passes just like day and night. Gita wonders no more with laughter.

Iktomi and the ducks
Goble, Paul
An arrogant Indian loses his horse. While he is looking for his horse, he goes duck hunting and fools the ducks long enough to kill them. Because he does not like noises, he tries to stop two trees from creaking. While he does this, he becomes stuck and a wolf eats the Indian's ducks.

No one else like you
Goeminne, Siska
There are seven billion people living in this world. Each person is different and uniquely original. See all the ways that people can move, act, do and be. People come in different colors, shapes, and sizes, and they wear a variety of clothing and feel a variety of emotions. People believe in different things. Not one of them is just like you.

Sportsercise: A school story about exercise-induced asthma
Gosselin, Kim
This book looks at exercise and how it can induce asthma. It explains that some children may have this problem, but encourages them to participate in physical activities.

The witch who lives down the hall
Guthrie, Donna
A young boy lives in a special apartment building. It is so special because a witch lives down the hall...or so he thinks.

I look like a girl
Hamanaka, Sheila
A girl uses her imagination to become a tiger, dolphin, horse, jaguar, and wolf. She needs nature to become independent so she can follow her dream.

A pebble for your pocket
Hanh, Thich Nhat
Enjoy the stories of Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen Buddhist. Learn how to transform negative feelings into positive feelings so you can live more at peace with yourself and in harmony with your environment.

Sky boys: How they built the empire state building
Hopkinson, Deborah
A boy watches in amazement as the Empire State Building is built. When the building is completed he goes to the top with his father to see all of the New York City.

Vegetable dreams
Jeffers, Dawn
Erin dreams about having a garden. Her parents allow her to share a garden with her neighbor, Mr. Martinez. Erin cares for her garden everyday and enjoys eating and canning the fresh food with her family. She learns that she loves learning and the friendship developed with Mr. Martinez more than the vegetables themselves.

Grandfather's dream
Keller, Holly
Grandfather dreams that the cranes will come back to bring good luck now that the war is over. Nam agrees. If the cranes don't come back, the fields will be used for planting rice. The entire community rejoices when the birds fly overhead.

Grandpa's hammer
Kidd, Ronald
Grandpa always say that it take two things to make dreams come true: faith and a hammer. After Grandma passes away, Grandpa sets aside his hammer and nearly loses his faith. His granddaughter tries everything she can think of to bring back his faith but nothing seems to work. One day, Grandpa visits a Habitat for Humanity worksite with a neighbor and realizes that he can made dreams come true for others.


Hershel and the hanukkah goblins
Kimmel, Eric A.
Hershel spends his Hanakkah holiday in the old town synagoue. his purpose is to ward off the terrible coblins that keep the villagers from celebrating Hanukkah. Hershel restores the holiday to the village by out-smarting the goblins.

Mary Mclean and the St. Patrick's Day parade
Kroll, Steven
In order to march with Mr. Finnegan in the St. Patrick's Day Parade, Mary must find a perfect shamrock in Manhattan in the middle of winter. Will she find one?

Caribbean alphabet
Lessac, Frane
Come and take a trip through the Caribbean with the letters of the alphabet. Experience the different animals, foods, music, games, and landmarks of the Caribbean. The cultures and lifestyles of the people in the Caribbean are explained and pictured through this alphabetical adventure.

Buzzy bear and the rainbow
Marino, Dorothy
Buzzy Bear is determined to find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, despite what everyone has told him. In his mind, he finds the treasure - it is a tree full of honey.

Journey home
McKay, Lawrence
Mai is going along with her mom to Vietnam, where mom hopes to find her mother and father, who were separated during the Vietnam War. There Mia learns about where her mom came from and gains a new sense of identity and feeling of home.

Sophie's squash
Miller, Pat, Zietlow
Sophie buys a squash at the farmer's market. The squash's name is Bernice, and she is Sophie's best friend. Bernice starts look unhealthy, so Sophie plants her in the ground. The next year, Bernice makes two new squash for Sophie to befriend.

A promise is a promise
Munsch, Robert//Kusugak, Michael
A little girl wants to go fishing in the icy cracks of the ocean but her parents tell her it is too dangerous. She promises that she will not go, but what happens when she breaks her promise?

The hermit and the well
Nhat Hanh, Thich
A young boy and his friends take a trip with their teacher to the top of a mountain in Vietnam. The boys are excited because at the top lives a hermit. When they reach the top, the hermit is nowhere to be found. Wondering where he could be, the young boy wanders off, stumbles upon a well, and eventually finds his inner peace.

A long way to go
Oneal, Zibby
During World War I in Europe, a girl named Lisa struggles because she feels that girls also deserve the right to vote. She is determined to prove this to others.

The red comb
Pico, Fernando
Vitita discovers a runaway slave under her porch. Vitita is determined to save the slave woman from the slave catcher. Vitita and sina Rosa furnish the woman with supplies through a mango tree. Vitita and sina Rosa come up with a plan to get the slave catcher out of town. After the slave catcher leaves, Vitita and sina Rosa introduce their new friend to the neighbors.

Boycott blues: How Rosa Parks inspired a nation
Pinkney, Andrea Davis
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus because of her race, sparking a social movement to end segregation enforced by the Jim Crow laws.Following the arrest of Rosa Park, her supporters refused to ride the community bus system during the Montgomery bus boycott. Despite the struggles of this protest, the Jim Crow laws were eventually overturned due to the spark that Rosa Parks ignited to motivate a generation to stay resolute in their pursuit of justice.

The mission bell
Politi, Leo
Diego is taught by Father Serra that there is always a mission in life. Diego learns that you must learn to accept and love people for who they are and in turn, they will teach you.

Scarecrow
Rylant, Cynthia
A scarecrow is more than just borrowed parts to make up a man. This scarecrow gets to see everything from vegetables growing to all the different animals that surround him. He sees how many of the simple things in life are the greatest.

The peddler's gift
Schur, Maxine Rose
Shnook the peddler arrives in the town of Korovenko with his assortment of beautiful, hand-carved dreidels. Leibush notices on that is left behind and makes excuses for keeping it. He soon realizes that the peddlers ways may be a cover for wisdom and forgiveness. As Hanukkah approaches, Shnook leaves Leibush a gift that will last a lifetime.

White wash
Shange, Ntozake
Helene-Angel is the only person in her class to have to wait for her brother, Mauricio to walk her home. On their walk home, a group of boys decide to pick on her. Her brother is out-numbered so the boys paint her white. She is devastated and refuses to leave her room. Find out how her grandma helps her overcome her fears.