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The legend of freedom hill
Altman, Linda Jacobs
A Jewish girl and an African American girl become friends during the Gold Rush in California when slavery was against the law. The two girls work together to save Miz Violet, a runaway slave, by searching for gold to buy her freedom from a slave catcher.

Happy feet: The savory ballroom lindy hoppers and me
Michelson, Richard
A father loves to dance. He also loves to retell the story about the opening of the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. He works hard and saves money so he can put up a shoe shine sign for his own business. When his son is born that day, the new club opens to a sharp-dressing, happy-dancing people from all backgrounds with black people and white people dancing together. The son is named Happy Feet, and he too dreams of dancing at the legendary ballroom someday.

A different pond
Phi, Bao
A young boy accompanies his dad to catch fish for food before the sunrises and before other family members awake. The dad tells the bait man at the all-night store that he is starting a second job. The boy meets a Hmong man and a black man who are also fishing -- but this time, it is just the boy and his dad under the starlit sky. The boy learns to make a fire and to bait his hook and to honor the stories of his Dad as he explains how life was in Vietnam when he was a boy. When they return home, the dad and mom head to work while the boy looks after his brothers and sisters.

Still dreaming = Seguimos sonando
Martinez, Claudia Guadalupe
Many workers from Mexico leave their homeland with their families to a land of opportunity where they dream to live a life without borders. A young boy and his parents drive their car far away until there are no city lights. Papa sings a sweet sad song on the side of the road where there are other people at a campfire. The boy eventually learns that the laborers worked in Alaska, Los Angeles, Michigan, Minnesota, Kansas, and Chicago, and they cross the border together to find answers to their dreams.

Strong
Kearney, Rob & Rosewood, Eric
Rob dreams of becoming a champion strongman because his favorite sport was weightlifting. But there are lots of ways to be strong because he had to learn to overcome unkind words and criticisms for how he liked to dress in rainbow clothing with strong, bold colors. He trained hard and lifted huge tires, boulders, sandbags, and cars, so he could become the strongest man in the world. And one day we did just that by lifting a log over this head and was named the strongest person in North America!

Someone builds the dream
Wheeler, Lisa
Many skilled workers, craftsmen, and tradesmen help to build each dream of a community in order for it to become a house, a park, or a bridge. After many many examples of how dreams are made and constructed, you learn how an author and illustrator are also a dream team that makes a book for you.

Ain't nobody a stranger to me
Grifalconi, Ann
As a girl and her grandfather walk to the family’s apple orchard, grandfather shares his experiences as a slave to explain how the apple orchard came to be. Her grandfather traveled north in pursuit of freedom and encountered members of the Underground Railroad who helped their family by providing food, shelter, and transportation. This allowed her grandfather, grandmother, and mother to cross the Ohio River and gain freedom, working until they had enough money to buy land and start their own apple orchard.

My dentist, my friend
Hallinan, P.K.
Take a tour through the sights, sounds, and care of the friendly dentist's office! After spending time in the waiting room and visiting with the oral hygienist, the children are seen by the dentist. Some of their teeth may need to get some x-ray scans during the dental checkup. After a successful appointment, the children are given the knowledge and tools to practice oral health behaviors at home.

My doctor, my friend
Hallinan, P.K.
Explore the sights, sounds, and care that kids experience at the doctor's office. After explaining why they go to the doctor for a medical check-up, the children describe the different tests that are performed at every appointment to diagnose their illness. Afterwards, the children are much less afraid about going to the doctor. Kids want to feel better so they like going to their check-ups to see their doctor.

A day in the life of a dentist
Adamson, Heather
Dr. Fong provides readers with an outline of what she does in her job as a dentist. Starting at the beginning of her day, Dr. Fong describes the various articles of clothing that she and the other office staff wears. This includes office managers and hygienists, who help the dentist when she cares for her patients. After eating her lunch, Dr. Fong demonstrates various techniques, including x-ray imaging and models, that she uses to visualize a patient's mouth. Finally, Dr. Fong shows the tools she uses when examining a patient and describes the importance of visiting dentists, like her, regularly!

The hard-times jar
Smothers, Ethel Footman
Emma is a book-loving girl whose parents are poor migrant workers. She decides to pick apples to add money to the hard-times jar. But this year, she attends school which happens to have a whole library of books. Emma's mom reminds her of something important when she eventually follows the rules.

Harvest
Waldherr, Kris
A young girl anxiously awaits the harvest. She prepares for the harvest by painting and gardening. She stores the food in a variety of ways. She and her mom cook, bake, and preserve the food. A harvest moon completes the day.

Sunday week
Johnson, Dinah
A community describes each day of their weekly routine. The community is constantly looking forward to their Sunday traditions. Sunday is rich with family time, the Lord, and storytelling.

Home for Navidad
Cohen, Santiago
Rosa has not seen her mother in three years. Rosa's mother works to save money in America until she is finally able to come home for Navidad. The whole family can now celebrate the Christmas holiday in the small town in Mexico.

Summer Jackson: Grown up
Harris, Teresa, E.
Summer Jackson is seven years old, but she wants to be a grown-up. Her parents leave her with all the chores and duties of an adult. Summer realizes being an adult is hard work. She decides she can do some grown up things but she also wants to be a kid and play.

Beatrice's goat
McBrier, Page
Beatrice lives in Uganda and helps her mother care for her younger siblings. Money is scarce until Mugisa, a goat arrives. Mugisa provides milk, and the family is nourished by it. Mugisa's milk and babies provide enough money so Beatrice and her family can live a better life. Beatrice can afford her dream of attending school. This story has an afterwords by Hillary Rodhman Clinton.

When I grow up, I will win the Nobel Peace Prize
Pin, Isabel
A young boy dreams and wishes to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He outlines the many things that he "will do" when he is older in order to win the prize and make the world a better place. He then realizes that he " better get started". Many recipients and dates of the Nobel Peace Prize and are listed in the Author's Note.

Brothers of the knight
Allen, Debbie
Twelve brothers magically disappear every night even though their door is locked. Their father hires a housekeeper to figure out the mystery of his boys. She learns to listen, which turns out to be more powerful than simply solving a mystery.


The patchwork quilt
Flournoy, Valerie
Tanya loves spending time with her Grandma. Grandma teaches Tanya the importance of using old scraps of material to make unique and warm quilts. One day Grandma gets sick before the quilt is complete. Tanya must help Grandma finish the quilt.

Armadilly chili
Ketteman, Helen
Billie decides to make armadilly chili. She asks her friends to help her but they are all busy and do not want to help. After Billie makes the chili, all of her friends knock on her door. Billie will not let them eat because they wouldn't help. She soon realizes her chili is missing something: her friends!

Degas and the little dancer: A story about Edgar Degas
Anholt, Laurence
Marie dreams of being a famous dancer until one day her chance of being in the Christmas show diminishes when her father becomes ill. Marie begins to model for a painter to earn money for her family's lost income. One day, Maria's sculpture shows up in the art museum and becomes the famed sculpture of Edgar Degas.

God bless the child
Holiday, Billie & Herzog, Arthur Jr.
Each day is a work day for which to be thankful and grateful. There's a lot of work to be done on this land. It's time to go and experience the city life up north where things are different. Dream on, my child!

The blue ribbon day
Couric, Katie
Ellie and Carrie are best friends in the second grade. They do everything together and this year they are trying out for the soccer team. Carrie does not make the team and feels left out. She finds a new hobby, the science fair.

The goat lady
Bregoli, Jane
Two young children new to Lucy Little Road, help us reveal the simple yet important life of the goat lady; a life that many people in the town despise. Through the children's time spent helping the goat lady, they learn of her vast life experiences. It isn't until after the children's mother takes portraits of the goat lady, that the rest of the town see waht a truly wonderful person the goat lady is.

The milkman
Cordsen, Carol Foskett
A milkman delivers eggs, milk and ice cream to various people in a small community. While on his route, he discovers a sign that says lost dog. He begins to look for the dog along the way.

Five trucks
Floca, Brian
A little boy observes how five different trucks assist in the preparation and take-off of his airplane. Description of the trucks and their duties are very clear. It takes many people working together to complete the goal of take-off!

Alec's primer
Pitts-Walter, Mildred
Alec was a slave who wanted to be free. Ms. Josephine, one of his masters and three years older than him, told Alic if he wanted to be free he needed to learn to read. Ms. Josephine taught him to read and when Alec was old enough he couragously fights in the Civil War and obtained his freedom.

A song for ba
Yee, Paul
A young, ambitious boy spends a lot of time with his grandfather learning how to sing and follow in the footsteps of his father who travels with a Chinese opera troupe. Wei, the little boy, loves to go to the opera and watch his father perform hoping one day, he too, will be a star. Through difficult times and financial loss, a young boy comes to the rescue of both his father and his cultural background.

Moon over the mountain/ Luna sobre la montana
Polette, Keith
A retelling of a traditional Asian tale in which a discontented stone-cutter is never satisfied with each wish that is granted him. Set in the desert Southwest.

Earth day - hooray!
Murphy, Stuart J.
Ryan, Carly, and Luke set out to clean up Gilroy Park for an Earth Day celebration. They decide to plant flowers to beautify the park while collecting cans to raise money through recycling. The children use math and find school resources to help them with their project.

Amelia to zora
Chin-Lee, Cynthia
Explore in an alphabet formula, biographies that examine different successes and triumphs of famous women in history from Amelia Earhart to Zora Neale.

Messenger, messenger
Burleigh, Robert
Being a bicycle messenger in a big city is a rigorous job, but someone has to do it. The messenger wakes early and works late to deliver the proper messages to their appropriate places. Nothing can stop him, not rain, snow, or distractions of others.

Old home day
Hall, Donald
From the time when only plants and animals lived there, to the modern bicentennial celebration, the people who called the fictional village of Blackwater home remember its history.

A day's work
Bunting, Eve
Fransico takes his grandfather out to look for work. His grandfather does not speak English, so Fransico must translate. Fransico accepts a gardening job for his grandfather by telling the man he is a great gardener. When the man comes at the end of the day, he finds the job done incorrectly. Fransico's lie teaches him an invaluable lesson.

Trashy town
Zimmerman, Andrea//Clemesha, David
Mr. Gilly gets up every morning to go to work. He drives the trash truck which cleans up the garbage all around town. When he is finished he has to clean up one more thing...himself!

Iron horses
Kay, Verla
Building a railroad takes a lot of work. Many people must be involved from the planners and politicians in the capital, to the Irishmen and Chinese men building the track out west. When it is finally finished, the track is a wonderful form of transportation.

The hallelujah flight
Bildner, Phil
James Banning fixes up an old plane to fly across the country from California to New York. James's courage and perseverance allows him to overcome many challenges during his 1932 trek across the United States (e.g., California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York).

Allie's basketball dream
Barber, Barbara
Allie loves basketball, but she is often the only girl on the court. Buddy and other boys tease Allie about playing basketball. Allie believes in her ability and keeps practicing so that one day she can be better at basketball than the boys!

Freedom school, yes!
Littlesugar, Amy
Jolie shows courage in her community by protecting the school that will educate her and others. Jolie is afraid others will burn down the school. Jolie never gives up hope, and learns about famous African Americans who were brave and made a difference in their community, just like Jolie.

The busy body book
Rockwell, Lizzy
An introduction to the human body, how it functions, and its need for exercise. Kids have a variety of phyical activities and sports to enjoy while keeping their different body systems fit, healthy, and happy.

Kevin and his dad
Smalls, Irene
Kevin loves spending time with his dad. Kevin learns that after he works hard, he can play hard with is dad. Kevin and his dad spend the day cleaning the house, then they play sports and go to the movies. Oh what fun!

The bat boy and his violin
Curtis, Gavin
Reginald loves playing the violin. Every free moment Reginald practices his violin, but his dad wants him to play baseball instead. Reginald does not give up. Soon his dad realizes the value and talent that Reginald has for the violin.

Papa's mark
Battle-Lavert, Gwendolyn
Simms teaches his father how to write. For many years, Simm's father struggled when writing his own name. However, Papa learns just in time so he can vote in the first election which gave Blacks the right to vote.

Mr. George Baker
Hest, Amy
Harry enjoys spending time with his older next door neighbor, Mr. Baker. Harry likes to wait for the bus with Mr. George Baker. Harry learns about Mr. Baker's life as a musician and learns that a person is never too old to learn to read.

The night eater
Juan, Ana
A night eater eats up the darkness in the sky, then continues to eat stars and clouds until they are gone. This makes it possible for the sun to be seen. The moon offends the night eater, which causes him to stop eating the night. It continues to stay dark until the children cry for him. The night eater eats up the dark sky to make way for the daylight again.

Duck for president
Cronin, Doreen
Duck gets tired of doing chores on the farm, so he holds an election to change the way things are run. Duck wins the election, but gets bored and runs for Governor. He wins again and does not like the stress, so he runs for President and wins. Being President is even harder work than being on the farm so he returns to the farm to write his autobiography.

The balloon sailors
Swanson, Diana
When bickering princes take the throne, the kingdom is split in two by a wall so that each brother rules half. The kingdom is divided and it is illegal for people to cross the wall. Since Tamala and Abalon are forbidden to see their grandmother and cousin on the other side of the wall, they decide to float over it in a hot air balloon. They work with their parents to collect materials, build the balloon, and wait for the perfect weather conditions. The family departs during the night, escapes military fire from soldiers, and surprises their relatives in the morning. This adventure is loosely based on the true story of two East German families sailing over the Berlin Wall in their own hot air balloon in 1979.

Days with frog and toad
Lobel, Arnold
Frog and his friend, Toad, go through many adventures. On these adventures, Toad learns many valuable lessons from Frog.

My great-grandmother's gourd
Kessler, Cristina
Residents of a Sudanese village rejoice when a traditional water storage method is replaced by modern technology, but Fatima's grandmother knows there is no substitute for the reliability of the baobab tree.