A character that appears intermittently. Background characters are less often named and have little to no influence on the story or course of events.
Bursting with imagination, this ode to positive thought demonstrates a young girl’s ability to use the power of her mind to transform her world. Follow along as a young girl discovers the relationship between her thoughts, actions, and her place in the world. This empowering story is all about dreaming, doing, and becoming, and how the power of positive thinking can transform our lives—and the lives of those around us—forever. " -- publisher
"Miguel searches for sunflowers in his community garden in this vibrant exploration of growing food and healthy eating, from the Where in the Garden? series. Miguel is throwing a party at his community garden for all of his friends, and he needs help searching for sunflowers to complete the celebration. What do we know about sunflowers? They're tall with petals and leaves—and, hold on, is that a sunflower? No, that's an artichoke. Where, oh, where could those sunflowers be? Can you help Miguel find them in time for his party? The second title in the Where in the Garden? picture book series stars a young Latino boy who visits his community garden with his two dads to explore the fruits and vegetables growing there. Playful text guides young readers to hunt for visual clues and compare and contrast the unique characteristics of sunflowers against apricots, spinach, mushrooms, and other produce that grows in Miguel's community garden. Artist Samara Hardy brings this multi-layered story to life with vivid, cheerful illustrations created from layers of hand painted ink and watercolor texture. Back matter includes a refreshing sunflower seed salad recipe for little chefs and their adult helpers to try together." -- publisher
"Timmy is struggling with their inner cowardly lion in this picture book about friendship and overcoming anxiety. Timmy loves nothing more than performing, that is, until they have an audience. They live in the shadow of their inner cowardly lion who loves to come out and ROAR all their confidence away. As Timmy dreads the upcoming school play, they form a powerful friendship with their classmate Nia. Together, they work to overcome their shyness and tame the lion. But when it's time to take the stage, Timmy feels the familiar swoosh of the lion's tail. Will Timmy be able to calm their anxiety and put on a show-stopping performance?" -- publisher
"A funny and charming picture book about a girl who realizes that there are even better things than getting attention, from the author of A Normal Pig. Ozzy loves attention. And the person she wants it from most of all is her music teacher, Ms. Bomba. So when it’s time to choose an instrument for the school recital, Ozzy picks the biggest, loudest, most attention-grabbing one of all: the DRUMS! It’s hard to stay on beat, though, when all you want to do is stand out. But getting in tune with her classmates—with a little help from her favorite teacher—just might turn out to be even better than a solo in the spotlight." -- publisher
"An empowering picture book about creativity, making mistakes, and changing your perspective When Arlo decides to draw an octopus, he can’t help but think that maybe he’s just not an octopus drawer. His drawing has a head that looks like a hill and eight squiggly arms that look like roads. It’s an octopus disaster-piece! But just as Arlo vows to never draw an octopus again, he makes a discovery that changes his perspective about his drawing . . . and much more. This endearing and relatable story gives readers of all ages a gentle reminder that we’re better than we may think. Sometimes all it takes is a second look." -- publisher
"Bea lives by the beach, but she doesn’t like sand one little bit! One day, her mother persuades her to visit the beach, where she meets a sand sculpture of a lion who is afraid of water. A funny and tender book about the mutual support of friendship, the acceptance of loss, and the resilience needed to accept change." -- publisher
"A little girl and her dog enter a very unusual dog show in this irresistible picture book full of compassion and surprises. When Julia heard about the dog show, she was thrilled. Huxley may have seemed like an ordinary dog, but Julia knew he was a winner. Huxley can run. He can jump. He can even do a triple back flip! But the competition is fierce, and soon other kids are stealing the spotlight with their fire-breathing, levitating extraterrestrial pets. What will it take to win Best in Show? This heartfelt, hilarious picture book celebrates the value of losing gracefully as well as the bond between children and their loving pets—from robot cats to glittery dragons, glowing aliens, handsome unicorns, and precious dogs. For fans of Elise Parsley’s Neck & Neck and Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings." -- publisher
"When worrying takes over, a boy uses mindfulness to calm down, just like Grandpa taught him. Every fall a boy hikes up the mountain with his grandpa and parents. Except this year he and his parents moved to a new place, and Grandpa's back home. As the boy sets out on a new mountain trail with his parents, he begins to worry about everything that's different. But he remembers that when Grandpa needs to calm his worries, he uses mindfulness. So the boy does too." -- publisher
"In this picture book about stories and reading, contemporary children are whisked through an imaginary world while interacting with characters from classic fairy tales. Join two young children as they begin an adventure through a world of books in this story-within-a-bedtime-story. This metered read-aloud pays homage to classic children's literature: readers of all ages will love searching for characters they recognize from fairy tales and beloved picture books amongst the pages. Spiders weave words and mythical dragons soar as the children travel through magical lands guided by the rhythm and rhyme of acclaimed author Margriet Ruurs. Little ones will want to cuddle closer and settle in for a delightful journey before heading off to sleep themselves." -- publisher
"This stunning and empowering picture book from a New York Times bestselling author and an acclaimed illustrator celebrates a Black mother’s hopes and dreams for her daughter. This love letter from mother to daughter inspires young girls to follow their dreams, no matter what challenges life may bring. Young readers will be reminded that love and support from home will follow them as they venture out into the world." -- publisher