Learner Profile: Inquirer

This funny picture book from Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech, author of Walk Two Moons, and New Yorker cartoonist Harry Bliss is book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It's a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children. Tillie goes to a fine, fine school where kids learn about dinosaurs, build pyramids, and paint portraits. When her principal decides to call all the students and teachers together for an announcement, no one could have predicted he would say that there will be school on Saturdays! Soon everyone goes to school on Sundays, holidays, and even the summer. He loves school so much that he forgets to give anyone time off! A Fine, Fine School is a delight for kids, with its colorful illustrations and gentle comeuppance for a well-meaning principal who learns that learning outside of school can be just as important as being in school.

Inspired by real-life makers Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, this beloved #1 bestseller champions STEM, girl power and women scientists in a rollicking celebration of curiosity, the power perseverance, and the importance of asking "Why?" Don't miss Ada's further adventures-with her friends Iggy Peck and Rosie Revere-in the instant New York Times bestseller Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters, the first all-new chapter book starring The Questioneers!Ada Twist's head is full of questions. Like her classmates Iggy and Rosie-stars of their own New York Times bestselling picture books Iggy Peck, Architect and Rosie Revere, Engineer-Ada has always been endlessly curious. Even when her fact-finding missions and elaborate scientific experiments don't go as planned, Ada learns the value of thinking her way through problems and continuing to stay curious.

When fourteen-year-old William Kamkwamba's Malawi village was hit by a drought, everyone's crops began to fail. Without enough money for food, let alone school, William spent his days in the library . . . and figured out how to bring electricity to his village. Persevering against the odds, William built a functioning windmill out of junkyard scraps, and thus became the local hero who harnessed the wind. Lyrically told and gloriously illustrated, this story will inspire many as it shows how - even in the worst of times - a great idea and a lot of hard work can still rock the world.

In this Parents' Choice Gold Award-winning book, Selig collects words, ones that stir his heart (Mama!) and ones that make him laugh (giggle). But what to do with so many luscious words? After helping a poet find the perfect words for his poem (lozenge, lemon, and licorice), he figures it out: His purpose is to spread the word to others. And so he begins to sprinkle, disburse, and broadcast them to people in need.

A go-cart contest inspires imagination to take flight in this picture book for creators of all ages, with art from New York Times bestselling illustrator Peter H. Reynolds. It's time for this year's Going Places contest! Finally. Time to build a go-cart, race it--and win. Each kid grabs an identical kit, and scrambles to build. Everyone but Maya. She sure doesn't seem to be in a hurry...and that sure doesn't look like anybody else's go-cart! But who said it had to be a go-cart? And who said there's only one way to cross the finish line? This sublime celebration of creative spirit and thinking outside the box--both figuratively and literally--is ideal for early learners, recent grads, and everyone in between.

A stunning new picture book from Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander and Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet! This New York Times bestselling duo has teamed up for the first time to bring you How to Read a Book, a poetic and beautiful journey about the experience of reading. Find a tree--a black tupelo or dawn redwood will do--and plant yourself. (It's okay if you prefer a stoop, like Langston Hughes.) With these words, an adventure begins. Kwame Alexander's evocative poetry and Melissa Sweet's lush artwork come together to take readers on a sensory journey between the pages of a book. How to Read a Book has received three starred reviews!

If you can imagine a place, you can go there. Imagine a place that makes you feel as free as a bird. Imagine a place where getting there is worth whatever it takes. Imagine a place that makes you feel like it's always been your destination. Imagine a place made out of pure imagination. Imagine a Place is a gorgeous companion to the critically acclaimed Imagine a Night and Imagine a Day, and reminds us that imagination is powerful enough to take us anywhere we want to go. And Rob Gonsalves's exquisitely conceived paintings leave you in awe...of his imagination.

A feisty girl engineer endeavors to help an injured crow fly in this vibrant, STEAM-infused tale of determination, ingenuity, and friendship. ?This story of a girl engineer is sorely needed and has potential to develop and nourish readers? interest in STEAM subjects.? ?Kirkus Reviews Izzy Gizmo?s inventions are marvelous, magnificent?and often malfunction. Despite the fact that she loves to invent, it never seems to work out in her favor. But when she finds a crow with a broken wing, she has to help! Izzy tries again and again to build the crow a new pair of wings, but nothing is working. Can Izzy overcome her failures? Or is her friend destined to live as a crow who can?t fly? Author Pip Jones tells an inspiring story of creativity and perseverance in the face of failure while spotlighting friendship and intergenerational relationships. Bright, zany art from the acclaimed Sara Ogilvie adds to the zeal. Awards: Parents? Choice Fun Stuff Award ?Parents? Choice Foundation Building STEAM with DIA Booklist (K-Grade 2) ?ALSC Children?s Book Award (2nd Place) ?Florida Literacy Association Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Reading List (Primary) ?Kansas National Education Association Alabama Camellia Award (Nominee, Grades 2-3) ?Alabama Department of Education Children?s Book Award (Nominee) ?Florida Literacy Association Delaware Diamonds Awards (Nominee, K-2) ?Diamond State Reading Association Mockingbird Award (Nominee) ?Abilene Independent School District Treasure State Award (Nominee) ?Montana State Reading Council Storytelling World Resource Awards (Honor, Stories for Young Listeners) ?Storytelling World Also available: Izzy Gizmo and the Invention Convention

Max is a fearless kitten. Max is a brave kitten. Max is a kitten who chases mice. There's only one problem: Max doesn't know what a mouse looks like! With a little bit of bad advice, Max finds himself facing a much bigger challenge. Maybe Max doesn't have to be Max the Brave all the time... Join this adventurous black cat as he very politely asks a variety of animals for help in finding a mouse. Young readers will delight in Max's mistakes, while adults will love the subtle, tongue-in-cheek humor of this new children's classic. Readers of all ages will enjoy learning how to be brave with Max in this brave book for kids. Praise for Max the Brave: "A cat-and-mouse game to be laughed at and reread."--Kirkus "Full of playful humor...enhanced by the humorous text, character expressions, and a not-scary monster to boot. VERDICT Highly recommended."--School Library Journal "Both the punchy text and illustrations command attention, and plenty of readers will get a kick out of feeling superior to Max"--Publishers Weekly

Award-winning author and illustrator Ashley Spires has created a charming picture book about an unnamed girl and her very best friend, who happens to be a dog. The girl has a wonderful idea. She is going to make the most MAGNIFICENT thing! She knows just how it will look. She knows just how it will work. All she has to do is make it, and she makes things all the time. But making her magnificent thing is anything but easy, and the girl tries and fails, repeatedly. Eventually, the girl gets really, really mad. She is so mad, in fact, that she quits. But after her dog convinces her to take a walk, she comes back to her project with renewed enthusiasm and manages to get it just right.

A boy rides a bicycle down a dusty road. But in his mind, he envisions himself traveling at a speed beyond imagining, on a beam of light. This brilliant mind will one day offer up some of the most revolutionary ideas ever conceived. From a boy endlessly fascinated by the wonders around him, Albert Einstein ultimately grows into a man of genius recognized the world over for profoundly illuminating our understanding of the universe. Jennifer Berne and Vladimir Radunsky invite the reader to travel along with Einstein on a journey full of curiosity, laughter, and scientific discovery. Parents and children alike will appreciate this moving story of the powerful difference imagination can make in any life.

An interactive picture book from Hervé Tullet the creator of the New York Times bestsellers Press Here and Mix It Up! Join the magical hunt for one little idea: From one of the true creative geniuses of this generation comes a unique meditation on and celebration of the magic of the birth of a simple idea. Sparkling with visual wit and bubbling with imagination, I Have an Idea! is a richly emotional exploration of the creative process: from an initial tentative inkling, to the frustration of chasing the wrong notion, to finally the exhilaration of capturing--and nurturing--just the right idea. I Have an Idea! is a scrumptious cloth-spined package of color and inspiration equally at home on a child's bookshelf, in a new graduate's backpack, or atop a creative's desk. The perfect book of color and inspiration for children and those young at heart. Answers the questions "how do you find an idea?", "what does it feel like?", "what can you do with an idea?" in a simple and inspiring way. Known as the "Prince of Preschool," the versatile Hervé Tullet has been an art director at various ad agencies, a magazine illustrator, and for the past 15 years, a creator of children's books. Fans of Beautiful Oops!, The Day the Crayons Quit, and Iggy Peck, Architect will love I Have an Idea!'s introduction to creative thought. The perfect gift to inspire creativity in young readers, new graduates, and budding artists. Kids of all ages will turn the pages with anticipation trying to catch that elusive idea Books for kids ages 5-8 Children's picture book for K-3

"If they had seen what we see, they would have judged as we judge." -- Galileo Galilei In every age there are courageous people who break with tradition to explore new ideas and challenge accepted truths. Galileo Galilei was just such a man--a genius--and the first to turn the telescope to the skies to map the heavens. In doing so, he offered objective evidence that the earth was not the fixed center of the universe but that it and all the other planets revolved around the sun. Galileo kept careful notes and made beautiful drawings of all that he observed. Through his telescopehe brought the starts down to earth for everyone to see. By changing the way people saw the galaxy, Galileo was also changing the way they saw themselves and their place in the universe. This was very exciting, but to some to some it was deeply disturbing. Galileo has upset the harmonious view of heaven and earth that had been accepted since ancient times. He had turned the world upside down. In this amazing new book, Peter Sís employs the artist's lens to give us an extraordinary view of the life of Galileo Galilei. Sís tells his story in language as simple as a fairy tale, in pictures as rich and tightly woven as a tapestry, and in Galileo's own words, written more than 350 years ago and still resonant with truth. This title has Common Core connections. Starry Messenger is a 1997 Caldecott Honor Book.

The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears and paws . . . and the child saw A CAT, and the dog saw A CAT, and the fox saw A CAT. Yes, they all saw the cat.' In simple, rhythmic prose and ingeniously stylized pictures, Brendan Wenzel takes young readers on a walk alongside a cat. But is it really a story about the cat, or is it about the creatures who see it? This is a glorious celebration of observation, curiosity, and imagination from a bright new talent on the picture book scene, Brendan Wenzel, who promises to be the next Jon Klassen and heir apparent to Eric Carle.

Wabi Sabi, a little cat in Kyoto, Japan, had never thought much about her name until friends visiting from another land asked her owner what it meant. At last, the master says, "That's hard to explain." And that is all she says. This unsatisfying answer sets Wabi Sabi on a journey to uncover the meaning of her name, and on the way discovers what wabi sabi is: a Japanese philosophy of seeing beauty in simplicity, the ordinary, and imperfection. Using spare text and haiku, Mark Reibstein weaves an extraordinary story about finding real beauty in unexpected places. Caldecott Medal-winning artist Ed Young complements the lyrical text with breathtaking collages. Together, they illustrate the unique world view that is wabi sabi. Wabi Sabi is a unique picture book that clearly explains a new way of seeing the world to readers.

What do you do with an idea? Especially an idea that's different, or daring, or a little wild? This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. It's a story for anyone, at any age, who's ever had an idea that seemed too big, too odd, too difficult. It's a story to inspire you to welcome that idea, to give it space to grow, and to see what happens next.

What Do You Do With an Idea? has won several awards, including the Independent Publisher's Book Gold Award, the Washington State Book Award, and the Moonbeam Children's Book Award.

It has also hit multiple best-seller lists, such as Publisher's Weekly, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.

In this very special story, Wilfrid Gordon helps his 96-year-old friend, Miss Nancy, regain some of her memories.Author Mem Fox wrote Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge in the hope of bringing children and the elderly together and it remains a modern-day classic, used in homes, classrooms and even training sessions for volunteers who work with the elderly.

WOLVES What do wolves really like to eat? It isn't little girls in red hoods. Rabbits shouldn't believe what they read in fairy tales, but this book has the facts. (This book follows the National Carroticulum.)