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Product Description: One day Freddie Ramos comes home from school and finds a strange box just for him. What’s inside? ZAPATO POWER-shoes that change Freddie’s life by giving him super speed! But what will Freddie do with his fast new skills? Weird things are happening at the Starwood Park Apartments where he lives, and his friends at school need his help. Is Freddie Ramos ready to be a hero? This is the first book in the Zapato Power series.

Did you know that slugs have “3,000 teeth and 4 noses” or that in “elephants sometimes make purr-like sounds when content”? These and other factoids are presented in a highly designed format just right to amaze and to pique curiosity. An index allows easy access to the brief information.

Lively language and energetic illustrations create a memorable portrait of a woman who was to become known as Sojourner Truth. She was “Big. Black. Beautiful. True.” Just like her name. Further information and photographs of Sojourner Truth completes this dynamic, fictionalized biography.

This lighthearted look at the many sources of energy provides an introduction to physical and environmental science, informing while entertaining. Illustrations combine factual graphics and cartoon-like characters. Additional information about energy concludes this playful look at a serious topic.

A child with great potential was born in Florida in 1923 to the “Tiger Family in the powerful Snake Clan,” part of the Seminole Tribe. She listened to the history of her people and made it herself as the first female tribal leader. Evocative illustrations and additional information complete this unusual biography.

Animals and people wise and foolish are presented in these tales retold. Their origins, from a range of Spanish-speaking countries including Argentina, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Spain, are retold and handsomely illustrated — just right for reading aloud.

Meet a sea anemone, sea urchin, a sculpin and other inhabitants of a tide pool through poems (in each creature’s voice) and an informative paragraph (in a different typeface). Cartoon-like illustrations complete the engaging animal introductions while additional information is provided.

Flat, cartoon-like, slyly humorous and slightly irreverent illustrations provide literal meanings for old sayings from A to Z. The fun comes in figuring out where these truisms may be used and what others may fill an alphabet. This is an engaging way to play with language and its meaning.

Everyone knows that there are two sides to every story. Read a cleverly illustrated poem one way for one side; read the same poem in reverse and learn the other. Well known fairy tales are presented through reversible poems sure to intrigue sophisticated readers of all ages. Each book comes with a CD, so pop it in and follow along!

Best friends, Ivy & Bean, both desperately want to dance ballet with the drama of “Giselle.” Instead, they must learn the basics and finally are cast as squid in the recital. How these recognizable 2nd graders manage to keep their promise not to quit makes the latest installment a worthy one.

Five children finally escape the confines of London to the white house in the country. There they meet the magical but grumpy Psammead. When their wishes become reality, the children find out that what you want is not always what you wish for. Originally published in 1902, Nesbit’s fantasy will read aloud to delight a new generation.

Two different environments, two different authors, one goal achieved: to bring alive the process of studying and documenting a fascinating mammal and insect. Both books use the same basic format and text features, stunning photographs, and an informal voice to great effect. This is a series not to be missed. See also: Face to Face with Butterflies (opens in a new window)

Enjoy short, lively, and varied poems for different occasions and from Monday (“…Washday,/sloshday…”) to Friday which is “…fishday in out town/Fat-fish, flat-fish/Cod- and cat-fish…” Line drawings on richly hued pages make an attractive and engaging collection to be read cover-to-cover or to dipped into for a special treat.

What do you do on long summer days? Marcus and Leo decide to start a club and do so with Miranda and Phoebe. Once they have everything a needed like a clubhouse and a mascot, they must decide on a purpose for the club. Club members share another summer adventure filled with babysitting, business, and more in the sequel.
See also: Cool Crazy Crickets to the Rescue (opens in a new window)

Chester, the chubby but charming feline, wants to create his own masterpiece. But a writer/illustrator named Melanie Watts continues to thwart his creative efforts by hiding the tools of his trade. The competition between Watts and Chester results in a humorous book that appears to have been written and reworked with sticky notes and red marker.

Calvin Coconut wants a dog — and ultimately finds the perfect pet at Dog Heaven. Now how can he and his mom’s friend, Ledward, convince mom that Calvin really is responsible enough to have a dog? This latest story about the likeable 4th grader, his friends and their problems is set in Hawaii.

Arthur John Johnson became known as Black Jack, the world’s first black heavyweight champion and one of the best known boxers of the 20th century. Readers meet him through a rhythmic text and bold illustrations that present a clever, hardworking, and confident man. The book is published just in time to commemorate the anniversary of historic fight, July 4, 1910.

Amos, a mouse, presents scientist, inventor, and early American Benjamin Franklin from his viewpoint. First published in 1939, Ben and Me uses humor and lively language ideal for sharing aloud to bring Ben and Amos to life.

In this latest installment of the ever-pink and imaginative rodent, Babymouse, she discovers she needs help from a pal to make her soap box car. However, at the derby, it is Wilson who needs help. It’s Babymouse to the rescue! Pink is used successfully to define the fantasy in the otherwise black and white cartoons in this ever-fresh graphic novel series.

What if two seals play with a beached ball but a third seal isn’t invited to join them? What happens if the other two seals play in the water but the third one doesn’t? But in the third “what if” scenario, things turn out well for all! This seemingly simple saga is sure to require multiple readings — and generate lots of discussion.

Geraldine is a princess, a fairy princess with a crown and lots of sparkle. Her life as a fairy princess is filled with ballet (where she sparkles a lot), school, and with friends. Muted illustrations and an innocent narration combine to present a loving family whose child is indeed a very fairy princess.