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Nana Akua Goes to School

2020

by Tricia Elam Walker and April Harrison

"In this moving story that celebrates cultural diversity, a shy girl brings her West African grandmother—whose face bears traditional tribal markings—to meet her classmates. This is a perfect read for back to school—no matter what that looks like! It is Grandparents Day at Zura’s elementary school, and the students are excited to introduce their grandparents and share what makes them special. Aleja’s grandfather is a fisherman. Bisou’s grandmother is a dentist. But Zura’s Nana, who is her favorite person in the world, looks a little different from other grandmas. Nana Akua was raised in Ghana, and, following an old West African tradition, has tribal markings on her face. Worried that her classmates will be scared of Nana—or worse, make fun of her—Zura is hesitant to bring her to school. Nana Akua knows what to do, though. With a quilt of traditional African symbols and a bit of face paint, Nana Akua is able to explain what makes her special, and to make all of Zura’s classmates feel special, too." -- publisher

Beautiful Life Cross Group

Naughty Ninja Takes a Bath

2020

by Todd Tarpley and Vin Vogel

"After crossing raging rivers and tromping through the jungle, Naughty Ninja returns to his secret ninja training camp for lunch. But when he gets inside, his parents tell him he needs a bath. Before Naughty Ninja gets in the tub, he notices poisonous flies and an angry alligator circling his dad, who doesn’t even seem to know he’s in trouble. Good thing Naughty Ninja is around to save the day! Amid sudsy fun, a boy’s imaginary ninja life and his everyday world collide in the ultimate bath time adventure." -- publisher

Any Child

Nine

2020

by Irene Latham and Amy Huntington

"Fans of clever poetry and numbers rejoice! Nine is a book of nine-line poems called nonets, all about the number nine! Hey! Hi there! Love nonets? I’m sure you do. What are they, you ask? You don’t know a nonet? Not even one little one? Actually, they’re all the same size! They’re poems, of course—and here’s your first! Each poem in this clever collection is a nonet: a nine-line poem that starts with nine syllables in the first line and ends with one syllable in the ninth line (or the reverse). But these nonets go even further! Every one is also written with the number nine at its heart. There’s plenty to love and learn: topics include the nine months it takes a baby to be born, cats’ nine lives, baseball’s nine players, and the nine-banded armadillo. Some feature history, such as the Little Rock Nine, the spacecraft Apollo 9, the ninth president; others explain idioms, like “dressed to the nines,” “cloud nine,” and “the whole nine yards.” Explore these and more with nonets galore!" -- publisher

Any Child

Nola’s Scribbles Save the Day

2020

by Cristina Lalli

"In this ode to originality and creativity, a little girl loves to draw, but struggles when no one understands her unique doodles. Nola loves her scribbles. They go with her wherever she goes. But she can’t seem to share her scribbles with others—no one seems to understand the imaginative world she’s created for herself. Frustrated and uninspired, Nola draws a blank. A big, boring blank. But when Nola falls deep into a creative slump, she discovers she’s not alone. If she can find the courage to share her scribbled ideas again, she may just inspire others to think outside the box and give their ideas a try too. With playful illustrations, this imaginative tale shows readers of all ages the power in persevering to create and embrace unique expression." -- publisher

Any Child

Norman

2020

by Kelly Bennett and Noah Z. Jones

"Can Norman the amazing goldfish overcome his stage fright? A much-awaited new adventure from the creators of Not Norman. Norman is one amazing goldfish! His owner knows Norman is sure to dazzle the crowd at Pet-O-Rama with his circles, bubbles, and flips—even though some kids don’t think a goldfish is a good pet. But when Norman is finally on stage, he freezes up and hides behind his plant. Poor Norman! Luckily, his owner plays a familiar song on the tuba, helping Norman to relax and show the crowd how amazing he really is. The popular stars of Not Norman return in a warm and wryly funny new story about being there for your fishy friend when he needs you most." -- publisher

Any Child Cross Group

Oh, the Things We’re For!

2020

by Innosanto Nagara

"A new book by the author of A is for Activist is a rhyming, boldly illustrated vision of a better world. Oh, The Things We’re For! is a celebration of the better world that is not only possible, but is here today if we choose it. Today’s kids are well aware of the many challenges that they face in a world they are inheriting, from climate change to police violence, crowded classrooms to healthcare. Poetically written and beautifully illustrated in Innosanto Nagara’s (A is for Activist) signature style, this book offers a vision of where we could go—and a future worth fighting for. Oh, the Things We’re For! is a book for kids, and for the young at heart of all ages." -- publisher

Incidental

Once Upon An Hour

2020

by Ann Yu-Kyung Choi and Soyeon Kim

"A child is told a bedtime tale about how the 12 animals of the Korean zodiac came together to save a young character on their quest for a plant known to have healing properties in this gorgeously illustrated picture book. Yu-Rhee, a young Korean girl, wants to know how to tell time using a clock. Her mother tells her a tale from her childhood based on the traditional Korean practice of timekeeping, where the 12 animals of the zodiac are assigned to 2-hour sections of the 24-hour clock. Told from the point of view of a mountain, the story follows a child as they climb the mountainside in search of a plant to heal their ailing mother. The climb is steep, the path wild and the way difficult. The mountain watches the child struggle and calls on the animals that live on the mountainside to help the child, but as sunlight turns to moonlight, each animal claims to be too busy. Ultimately, Once Upon an Hour is a story about determination and teamwork that shows young readers the importance of helping others." -- publisher

Folklore

One Girl

2020

by Andrea Beaty and Dow Phumiruk

"A meditative picture book about the power of reading and how one child can change the world, from #1 bestselling author Andrea Beaty. One girl. One spark. Faint and fading in the dark. Flicker . . . Flicker . . . Flicker . . . Glow. Tiny ember. Burning low. Inspired by the global movement to empower girls through education, this lyrical story tells of one small girl who reads a book that lights a spark. She shares what she learns with her class, and the spark grows. The girl is then moved to write her own story, which she shares with girls around the globe, and it ignites a spark in them, lighting up the whole world. This heartwarming and moving narrative shows how books and education can inspire change and how one child can make a huge difference." -- publisher

Any Child

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