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“Born with a cleft lip, Zulaikha struggles to feel worth in a society that values women by their marriage prospects…Then, by chance, Zulaikha meets Meena, a former professor, who begins to teach her to read and write just as American soldiers arrive, bringing the chance for both more education and surgery to correct Zulaikha’s birth defect. Reedy based his debut on real people and places he encountered while serving with the National Guard in Afghanistan, and the extensive detail about Afghani customs gives the story the feel of a docu-novel while also creating a vivid sense of place and memorable characters.” — Booklist

“A forced pen-pal exchange turns into an opportunity for real communication between Illinois sixth-grader Abby Carson and Sadeed Bayat, the best English-language student in his Afghan village. When Abby’s first letter arrives in Bahar-Lan, 11-year-old Sadeed is asked by the elders to compose his sister Amira’s reply; it isn’t proper for a boy and girl to correspond with one another. But soon Sadeed can’t resist telling Abby that it is he who has been writing to her. The third-person narrative alternates points of view, allowing for inclusion of intriguing details of both lives.” — School Library Journal

Young Nasreen has not spoken a word to anyone since her parents disappeared. In despair, her grandmother risks everything to enroll Nasreen in a secret school for girls. Will a devoted teacher, a new friend, and the worlds she discovers in books be enough to draw Nasreen out of her shell of sadness? Based on a true story from Afghanistan, this inspiring book will touch readers deeply as it affirms both the life-changing power of education and the healing power of love.

Maria looks to her grandmother to explain the rituals and traditions she observes at her first wedding. Their conversation, sprinkled with Spanish words, is carried by the evocative illustrations that depict this Zapotec Indian wedding celebration in Oaxaca, Mexico. A helpful Spanish glossary and an introduction to Zapotec culture and religion are included.

This remarkable story is based on the life of Billy Wong, a Chinese-American who travels to Europe, becomes fascinated with bullfighting, and decides to become a matador. Eventually, Billy’s determination and recognition of what makes him unique helps him realize his dream. Luminous watercolors illustrate this sensitive picture book biography.

The story of Louis Braille, the Frenchman who invented the raised-dot alphabet/code now used around the world by blind and visually impaired readers. The text traces Braille’s life from the childhood accident that caused him to lose his sight through his career at the National Institute for Blind Children in Paris. Readers can feel the alphabet and numbers from 1-10 at the back of the book.

With a light touch, readers meet Thomas Alva Edison in his world of research and development. It was Edison’s lab that led to things we take for granted today. For example, today we have all kinds of batteries but it all started with Edison’s nickel-iron storage battery. Cartoon illustrations add humor to this lighthearted but informative look at this inventor and his work.

Born in 1923 in Strasbourg, France, Marcel Mangel grew up watching silent movies. When he was 16 years old, World War II started. Marcel joined the resistance movement, heroically helped people, and changed his name to Marceau. Understated narration combines with expressive illustrations to evoke the changes in Marcel’s life while capturing his voiceless acting.

Molly was a cook at a firehouse but a snowstorm and influenza in 19th century New York turned Molly into a firefighter. Her quick thinking and moxie made her volunteer service as good as any man’s. Animated language and lively illustrations bring the person and her time into focus. Endnotes separate fact and fiction and provide additional resources and information.

Martin and his sister grew up in a Lima, Peru, barrio, children of an African slave and a Spanish nobleman. Martin was apprenticed to a cirujano, would join a Dominican monastery, and later become sought after as a healer. Jewel-like illustrations complement the accessible telling to reveal a man of faith and courage, despite the prejudices he confronted.

A former slave and sharecropper Bill Traylor moved to the city after his wife’s death. Though he stored up memories of farm life and family, Traylor only began creating art in his 80s when he was homeless. Another artist, Charles Shannon, championed Traylor’s work. Traylor is now considered among the most significant of self-taught folk artists.

Who is Henry David Thoreau? What would it be like to spend a day with him? A contemporary boy depicted in blue jeans and a t-shirt knocks at his door and meets the 19th century Thoreau, as the imaginative text fills in what it might have been like. Expressive illustrations, quotes, and gentle interpretations bring Thoreau and his world to light for younger readers.

The voice of an old, blind Galileo Galilei is used to look back on a life that started in Pisa where early on he challenged tradition. Though confined, the elderly Galileo asserts that, “The truth has a way of escaping into the light.” Bold lines border illustrations to evoke time and place, enhanced by spot illustrations of Galileo’s work and observations.

Bold, bright illustrations and a cheerful text that includes song lyrics introduce the life of an early 20th century African American performer. Though part of the Harlem Renaissance, Mills is a relative unknown who both on and off stage worked to help other African Americans and those who were less fortunate than she. An author’s note concludes this charming life sketch.

The world changed when rags and bone, sticky stuff, and other things came together in the hands of a man who lived in the German city of Mainz. Johannes Gutenberg had printed a book in a new way. Readers will be drawn in as the elements Gutenberg used unfold, illustrated in handsome, realistic illustrations. An epilogue completes this intriguing book.

Product Description: Alma Flor Ada’s groundbreaking bilingual collection of rhymes from Spain and Latin America repackaged with a compact disc containing recordings of the included pieces.