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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.

Tags

america, christmas, correspondence, dreams, family, farm, food, goal setting, grandparents, hard work, holidays, hope, language, market, math, mexican, Mexico, money, multicultural, nonverbal communication, numbers, parents, plants, poverty, pretend, routine, school, secrets, singing, sleep, song, spanish, sun, telephone, transportation, travel, truck, verbal communication, writing

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.

Tags

african american, bedtime, careers, church, conflict resolution, dancing, deception, exercise, family, generations, hard work, magic, multicultural, music, mystery, parents, relationship, secrets, siblings, stress management

In the time of the drums

Siegelson, Kim L.

Mentu and Twi tell the story of an African family newly arrived in the Americas. Twi never gives up on returning to her native Africa. Twi tells stories of cooking, planting, music and dancing from her native land.

Tags

african, african american, bodies of water, community, creek, culture, escape, farm, feelings, five senses, folktale, freedom, generations, grandparents, history, home, instruments, island, language, magic, music, mythical, relationship, repetition, rhythm, sadness, secrets, ship, slavery, song, sounds, storytelling, transportation

Tutankhamun

Demi

Learn about King Tutankhamun's life and his challenges when ruling his kingdom in Egypt.

Tags

archeology, biography, decision making, education, egypt, egyptian, god, history, hunting, language, marriage, multicultural, religion, royalty, sand, secrets, shapes, spiritual, sun

The secret Olivia told me

Joy, N.

Olivia develops interpersonal skills by realizing how her words affect her friends. Olivia and her best friend realize the importance of honesty and trust in their friendship.

Tags

african american, balloon, basketball, body parts, books, buildings, colors, excitement, feelings, friendship, italian, jumping, multicultural, playing, relationship, secrets, siblings, soccer, sports, telephone, truth, worry

The magician and McTree

Coombs, Patricia

An old magician accidentally creates a potion that makes his cat, McTree, talk. Although he is supposed to keep his new talent a secret, McTree ends up a famous attraction at the palace. But when McTree loses his appeal, the King and Queen order the old magician to be kidnapped so he can make all of the castle pets to talk. McTree must use his sense to outwit the royal party and save his old companion.

Tags

animals, birds, cat, dog, fame, fish, forest, friendship, greed, guilt, heroism, insects, kidnapped, magic, medicine, moth, pig, royalty, secrets, song, speech, storytelling, trick

John Philip Duck

Polacco, Patricia

Edward and his father work at a hotel and return home on the weekends. One weekend, Edward finds a motherless duckling near the pond. Edward is permitted by his father to take the duck to work, only if he keeps it out of the hotel managerﾒs sight. When the manager discovers the duck, Edward saves the day by showing the manager how he has trained the duck to march to music by John Philip Sousa. Edward trains many more ducks to live in the hotel fountain.

The monster behind the wall

Herbert, Barbara N.

Danny moves to a new house and discovers a monster on the other side of their garden wall. The monster throws Dannyﾒs soccer ball back to him, talks, plays, and eats candy with Danny. At school the next day, Danny plays soccer and gets tripped. Both boys yell nasty names at each other. Then, Danny goes home to talk to the monster, Fred, but he wasnﾒt there. Later, a huge thunderstorm tears down the wall, and Danny sees that ﾓFredﾔ is the child that tripped him during soccer. They become fast friends, tear the wall down, and play soccer together

Ice cream Larry

Pinkwater, Daniel

Larry loves to eat ice cream. It keeps him cool and he doesn't get hungry. After eating a ton of ice cream, Larry is asked to be the spokesbear for Iceberg Ice Cream's new product. Larry is so excited! His picture is shown on posters, billboards, and fliers which advertise the new Larry Bars. Thanks to his new job, Larry has his own walk-in freezer to sleep in and 50 ice cream bars a day.

Tags

animals, business, careers, cold, conflict resolution, food, friendship, nutrition, polar bear, secrets, travel, weather, work

First pooch: The Obamas pick a pet

Boston Weatherford, Carole

Throughout their father's twenty-two month campaign for president, Malia and Sasha Obama beg their parents for a dog. Finally, when their father becomes the forty-fourth president of the United States, he rewards their patience and good behavior in his victory speech: Malia and Sasha will get their new puppy. What type of dog will they choose? Finally, on April 14th, 2009, a new puppy moves into the White House. It is a Portuguese water dog, and the girls name him Bo.

Tags

allergies, american, animals, author's note, comparisons, decision making, dog, family, health, history, numbers, pets, president, secrets, sequence, siblings, success, united states

Freedom river

Rappaort, Doreen

John Ripley shows courage and perseverence in Southern Ohio through his actions. John crosses the Ohio River into the slave state of Kentucky to help other African Americans escape to freedom. John listens to nature as he rows a slave family across the Ohio River to freedom along the Underground Railroad.

Tags

african american, author's note, baby, boat, bodies of water, cabin, community, courage, escape, family, fear, feelings, fight, freedom, happiness, history, illustrator's note, listening, maps, money, multicultural, night, parents, prayer, quiet, relationship, rhythm, river, running, sadness, safety, secrets, slavery, transportation, underground railroad, woods, work, worry

Hush harbor: Praying in secret

Evans, Freddi Williams

Simmy is both excited and nervous for his job as Scout during the community meeting. Simmy is excited because this means the elders trust him, but he is nervous because slaves are not supposed to gather and sing together. Simmy must be very careful and listen for the master during the meeting.

Tags

african american, anger, anticipation, author's note, bravery, cabin, closeness, communication, cooking, creativity, creek, critical thinking, culture, dancing, death, faith, family, folktale, forest, friendship, hard work, hearing, hope, horse, listening, missing, multicultural, music, nonverbal communication, prayer, relief, religion, rhythm, river, running away, safety, secrets, slavery, song, spiritual, storytelling, woods, worry

All those secrets of the world

Yolen, Jane

Janine's father goes off to World War II. She wonders why her mother is so upset. Janine spends the day playing with her cousin in Chesapeake Bay where she learns the secrets of near and far. Two years later her father returns and she shares her secrets with him.

Tags

conflict resolution, family, feelings, history, parents, play, sadness, secrets, war

Amanda pig and her best friend lollipop

Van Leeuwen, Jean

Amanda and Lollipop are best friends. Lollipop is very shy and will only speak to Amanda. The two friends share secrets, dolls, and their childhood. Amanda and Lollipop have very different personalities that compliment each other. Amanda is very vocal and excited, whereas Lollipop is very shy and quiet.

Tags

activities, animals, baby, bedtime, caring, companion, cooperation, differences, dolls, friendship, opposites, pig, secrets, self esteem, shyness, support, verbal communication

Mr. snow bunting's secret

Quackenbush, Robert

Mr. Snow Bunting opens a bow shop that is only open from March to November. The whole town is so curious about the way he wraps presents that they set out to find what the secret is -- especially Mr. Dog.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, community, conflict resolution, critical thinking, curiosity, decision making, dog, goal setting, nonverbal communication, presents, recreation, secrets

When I was five

Howard, Arthur

Six year-old Jeremy points out many interesting changes he has undergone since he was five years old, including playing with his favorite car and thinking about his career. However, his best friend, Mark, is still his favorite.

Tags

baseball, birthday, car, careers, celebration, change, cowboys, dinosaur, exercise, friendship, growing up, hobby, play, secrets, self esteem, sports, swimming, verbal communication

Angel's kite

Blanco, Alberto

Young Angel is sad because the town bell is missing. One night, Young Angel builds a giant kite that mysteriously turns into the town bell. (Also in Spanish).

Tags

animals, assertiveness, conflict resolution, critical thinking, dog, feelings, goal setting, mystery, sadness, secrets, spanish

Ralph's secret weapon

Kellogg, Steven

During his summer vacation with his eccentric aunt, Ralph is forced to take bassoon lessons. When he succeeds at charming snakes, Aunt Georgiana sends Ralph to charm a sea serpent for the navy!The music only makes the monster angry, but Ralph saves the day with his secret weapon.

Tags

critical thinking, learning, monsters, music, seasons, secrets, stress management, summer, vacation

Strega nona: Her story as told to Tomie dePaola

dePaola, Tomie

A little girl name Nona is born, and her Grandma Concetta says that she will teach her the ways of a strega who gives cures and advice on many things. Nona grows up and attends the convent school and the Academy of Stregas in the city. Nona eventually returns to the country to take her Grandma's place after she retires.

Tags

birth, decision making, grandparents, health, illness, italian, language, magic, multicultural, school, secrets, storytelling

Solomon the rusty nail

Steig, William

A rabbit turns into a nail whenever he scratches his nose and wiggles his toes. He plays practical jokes and gets into trouble when a hungry cat figures out his secret.

Tags

animals, cat, deception, decision making, hunger, rabbit, secrets

Barefoot: Escape on the underground railroad

Edwards, Pamela Duncan

A boy runs along the pathway of the Underground Railroad until he needs to take a rest. While he is resting, his pursuers are getting closer. They get too close and the boy can not run from his hiding place. Is he bound to be captured or can someone or something help him?

Tags

amphibians, animals, critical thinking, deer, escape, fear, freedom, frog, hiding, history, running away, secrets, slavery, transportation, underground railroad

Your own best secret place

Baylor, Byrd//Parnall, Peter

A young girl finds a secret hiding place that a boy found before her. She respects that it is his special place. Her friends are willing to share their hiding places with her as long as the boy finds them too.

Tags

assertiveness, decision making, friendship, hiding, nonverbal communication, privacy, respect, secrets, sharing

My best friend moved away

Carlson, Nancy

Two best friends do everything together from the time they are babies. When one friend moves away, the other person is sad and lonely, wondering if she will ever be happy again. All is well when a new family moves in next door.

Tags

animals, boredom, change, chicken pox, diseases, dog, feelings, fight, friendship, games, happiness, loneliness, memory, moving, neighbors, photograph, play, sadness, school, secrets, sharing, soccer, sports, stress management

Aunt ceecee, aunt belle, and mama's surprise

Quattlebaum, Mary

Mama's birthday is coming soon and even though she says she doesn't want a big fuss, her daughter knows better. With her aunts' help, she plans a birthday surprise. Planning was the easy part though, actually getting the party ready on time will be difficult, especially if no one does their part. In the end, only a take-charge kind of person will be able to surprise Mama.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, birthday, cat, celebration, cooperation, family, food, goal setting, nutrition, parents, party, preparation, presents, procrastination, secrets, sharing, siblings, storytelling, surprises, teamwork, telephone, verbal communication

A hanukkah treasury

Kimmel, Eric

Hanukkah is to me the time for lighting the menorah, spinning the dreidel, and remembering heros from the past. Poetry, music, and recipes help keep the Hanukkah tradition alive!

Tags

acceptance, accomplishment, adventures, ambition, american, animals, anticipation, appreciation, assertiveness, beliefs, bias, bravery, celebration, ceremony, challenges, change, charity, closeness, communication, conflict, conflict resolution, cooking, courage, critical thinking, culture, customs, decision making, destruction, determination, discrimination, elephant, family, feelings, folktale, food, freedom, games, goal setting, god, grandparents, grief, hanukkah, happiness, hebrew, heroism, history, holidays, hope, immigrants, independence, individuality, israelian, Jewish, kindness, language, love, loyalty, memories, miracle, moose, moving, multicultural, music, parents, peace, pilgrims, poetry, polish, politics, poverty, prayer, prejudice, presents, racism, religion, russian, sadness, secrets, siblings, snow, song, spiritual, storytelling, toys, traditions, war, weather

Amelia's road

Altman, Linda Jacobs

Amelia, the daughter of migrant farm workers, is tired of moving around and dreams of a permanent home. She finds a special place for herself so she doesn't feel so bad about leaving. The family continues to harvest peaches, apples, carrots, and tomatoes.

Tags

author's note, family, farm, food, garden, mexican american, moving, multicultural, nutrition, parents, plants, school, secrets

Don't forget

Lakin, Patricia

Sarah shares secrets with her neighbors, the Singers, who are Holocaust survivors. She talks with them while out shopping for ingredients for her mother's birthday cake. An orange, cake flour, baking powder, sugar, and eggs are part of the birthday surprise.

Tags

birthday, celebration, community, family, food, helping, history, holidays, Jewish, multicultural, neighbors, nutrition, secrets

Good night, gorilla

Rathmann, Peggy

A zookeeper's keys are taken by a gorilla, who sets all of the animals free. The animals follow the zookeeper home, and his wife returns them to the zoo.

Tags

animals, bedtime, conflict resolution, elephant, escape, family, giraffe, gorilla, night, nonverbal communication, secrets, stress management, zoo

The dream stair

James, Betsy

A young girl lives with her grandmother. When she goes to sleep at night, she dreams about going up and down the stairs of life.

Tags

decision making, dreams, family, grandparents, images, multicultural, native american, nonverbal communication, perspective, secrets, sleep, verbal communication

Sara's secret

Wanous, Suzanne

Sara looks at the problem of people not understanding differences in an honest and straight forward way.

Tags

acceptance, assertiveness, conflict resolution, decision making, differences, disability, diversity, family, homosexuality, honesty, nonverbal communication, peer resistance, relationship, secrets, sexuality, siblings, stress management, understanding, verbal communication

Apt. 3

Keats, Ezra Jack

Sam searches for the blind harmonica player in his apartment complex. They eventually get acquainted and take a walk together through the neighborhood.

Tags

blindness, community, curiosity, disability, exercise, friendship, kindness, music, neighbors, nonverbal communication, secrets, verbal communication, walking

Anatole

Titus, Eve

Anatole finds a way to leave something in return for getting food. He becomes the greatest cheese taster by his secret identity, working late at night in the factory.

Tags

animals, careers, food, giving, mouse, nutrition, secrets

Ouch!

Babbit, Natalie

A baby born with the destiny of marrying a princess is brought by the King and thrown into the river to prevent a possible marriage with his newborn daughter. Rescued by a loving couple, the boy grows up and meets the King once again. The Kings plan to kill the young man backfires again and the young man marries the princess. As a test, the King sends the new prince to steal the golden hairs off the devil's head. In a surprise ending, the prince prevails, but the King is not so lucky.

Tags

anger, architecture, baby, boat, bodies of water, bridge, confidence, correspondence, dancing, death, devils, dreams, fable, family, feelings, food, forest, happiness, lost, magic, marriage, nonverbal communication, river, royalty, secrets, sleep, transportation, trick, wedding

Secret knowledge of grown-ups

Wisniewski, David

All those rules that grown-ups tell us aren't really true. Like why do you have to comb your hair or why can't you play with your food?Find out about several secret tricks that grown-ups use to get kids to do stuff. Do so quickly before any grown-ups find out that their secrets are being revealed.

Tags

awareness, body parts, curiosity, discovery, food, health, humor, hygiene, mystery, nutrition, parents, play, responsibilities, secrets

Picasso and the girl with the ponytail

Anholt, Laurence

Sylvette is a shy young girl, until she meets Picasso. He has moved to France for the summer to work on his art. Seeing Sylvette through his window, he decides to use her as his new model. All summer they work together and become good friends. Picasso helps Sylvette unlock her secrets and artistic talent.

Tags

anger, animals, art, author's note, beauty, biography, careers, dog, encouragement, feelings, french, friendship, fun, goat, happiness, history, monkey, multicultural, nonverbal communication, owl, photograph, sadness, seasons, secrets, shyness, summer, verbal communication

The collector of moments

Buchholz, Quint

A violin player becomes quick friends with an artist, Max, who moves into the apartment above her family's. She is curious about the secrets that were held in his imaginative paintings. When Max does share his paintings with her, she is amazed at what she sees.

Tags

anticipation, appreciation, art, beach, bodies of water, collection, companion, creativity, critical thinking, curiosity, ferry, friendship, imagination, instruments, music, nonverbal communication, ocean, sea, secrets, self esteem, sharing, snow

The secret friend

Dunbar, Joyce

Gander is writing a letter to his secret friend. As Gander adds special touches to the letter, Panda becomes jealous. He does not know this secret friend and he is worried it might be Gander's new best friend. Little does Panda know, he is Gander's only best friend.

Tags

animals, birds, caring, correspondence, feelings, friendship, goose, happiness, jealousy, nonverbal communication, panda, secrets, self esteem, sharing, writing

The trouble with horses

Seligmon, Dorothy Halle

The park where Alfred lives has horses for riding. One day, he goes to ride the horses and finds out he is afraid. He keeps this secret from his friends and makes up excuses for why he cannot go riding.

Tags

animals, deception, fear, feelings, friendship, horse, park, peer resistance, play, recreation, secrets

The secret hiding place

Bennett, Rainey

Little Hippo loves his family-they would do anything for him and watch closely over him every day. Sometimes though, Little Hippo wants to be alone...and he has a tough time escaping them!It is only when he runs away to a secret hiding place, though, that he discovers how much he really loves them!!

Tags

animals, assertiveness, exploration, family, hiding, hippopotamus, nature, secrets

Secret birthday message

Carle, Eric

The night before Tim's birthday, he finds a message on his pillow. The message gives directions for Tim to go look for his birthday gift. On Tim's birthday, he follows the directions and finds his gift. The gift is a puppy.

Tags

animals, birthday, critical thinking, dog, excitement, goal setting, letters, nonverbal communication, presents, secrets, surprises

Miss Flora Mcflimsey's valentine

Mariana.

Miss Flora McFlimsey sends anonymous valentines to all her friends. Her cat, Pookoo, is supposed to deliver them but does not. Even though Pookoo made a mistake, things work out in the end.

Tags

animals, assertiveness, birds, cat, conflict resolution, decision making, dolls, forgiveness, holidays, rabbit, secrets, selfishness, valentine's day, verbal communication

Beardream

Hobbs, Will

It is spring, and all the bears are out except one. Short Tail decides to go find the one they call the Great Bear. He quickly tries climbing the mountains and goes to sleep, where he often finds the Great One in his dream. The Great One is so impressed by Short Tail's respect, that he shares an important secret.

Tags

animals, bear, ceremony, dancing, dreams, fish, mountains, multicultural, native american, nature, respect, seasons, secrets, sleep, spring

The frog band and the mystery of lion castle

Smith, Jim

A frog band and a detective discover the secret of Lion Castle through a combination of incidents.

Tags

adventures, amphibians, animals, critical thinking, decision making, discovery, frog, lion, mystery, royalty, secrets

Remember the secret

Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth

Because she has already discovered the wonders of God, Suzy understands the true meaning of her friend's death.

Tags

acceptance, coping, courage, death, feelings, god, loss, nonverbal communication, preparation, secrets, self esteem, spiritual, understanding, verbal communication

Sophie and the new baby

Anholt, Laurence

A new baby is coming, and Sophie's going to be a big sister!She helps her mother and father prepare for the arrival of the baby, but when her little brother is born, she wishes that her family could give him back!Sophie slowly begins to realize that having a new brother might not be so bad after all.

Tags

acceptance, affection, anticipation, appreciation, attention, autumn, baby, birth, carriage, change, cold, conflict resolution, confusion, decision making, disappointment, dolls, family, feelings, giving, jealousy, loneliness, moon, morning, night, nonverbal communication, parents, patience, pregnancy, preparation, resentment, seasons, secrets, snow, spring, sun, verbal communication, walking, winter, woods

The feathered ogre

Lorenz, Lee

A terrible ogre comes to live at the edge of a peaceful kingdom. When he kidnaps the princess, a small piper volunteers to rescue her. In his efforts to do so, many secrets of the town are revealed and several spells are broken, allowing the people to live happily ever after.

Tags

community, fantasy, goblins, monsters, rescue, royalty, secrets, sharing

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