In the early 20th century, Clara Lemlick and her family immigrated to the United in search of a better life. The tough garment work in New York City didn’t deter Clara who persevered and helped better life for both women and men workers. A simple text combines with mixed media illustrations for a glimpse into early activism and unions.
Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike of 1909
Taylor loves her tutu so much she wears it every day and everywhere — that is until she trades it in for pink bunny slippers. Sprightly illustrations and text present a familiar family occurrence.
Not that Tutu!
An imaginative child shares her pleasure in old clothing, repurposing them and finding joy in imagining the history, mystery surrounding them. Soft, expressive illustrations accompany the lively rhythmic, rhyming text.
I Like Old Clothes
Readers learn about what dancers wear as Bea and her friend, Sam, prepare for their ballet class. In the class of chubby preschoolers, they share the joys and humor along with other young dancers through simple language and crisply lined illustrations that capture the experience.
Bea at Ballet
Product Description: The yellow dress Erandi wants for her birthday will look beautiful with her long, thick braids. But Mama’s fishing net is full of holes, and there isn’t enough money to buy both a new net and a birthday dress. The only solution lies with the hair buyers from the city. But Mama’s hair isn’t nearly as beautiful as Erandi’s. Will Erandi have to choose between her birthday present and her braids? This touching tale of love and sacrifice is sprinkled throughout with Spanish words and expressions.
Erandi’s Braids
Meet Marisol McDonald, a spunky young girl with fiery red hair and brown skin who wears green polka dots with purple stripes, mixes English and Spanish, and eats peanut butter and jelly burritos. Everyone tells her she doesn’t match, until one day she tries matching — and discovers that it makes her miserable. At the end of the day, however, her teacher shares a special secret with her and lets her know she likes Marisol for who she is: a creative, bilingual Peruvian-Scottish-American! This poignant story, based on Monica Brown’s childhood, celebrates each individual’s uniqueness and reminds children that it’s ok not to fit into boxes that other people may put you into. Bilingual text.
Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina
Long ago, Lady Hahn sewed with the help of her seven friends — needle, thimble, etc. — until each thought that their special job was most important. Swirling, detailed illustrations evoke the story’s origin and early Korean setting and provide personalities to typical sewing tools.
Lady Hahn and Her Seven Friends
Clothes on lines and a rhyming description ask readers to figure out what job the wearer might do. The first is a mail carrier who delivers to community workers until all come together for a rocket launch in a presentation with crisp illustrations on white pages and simple clues.
Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do
An absurd but satisfying fantasy based on Eudora Welty’s only children’s work, is presented in lively music and narration.
The Shoe Bird: A Musical Fable
Gossie, a small yellow gosling thinks she has lost her favorite red books until she sees them on her friend’s feet. This small board book is presented in Spanish and English.
Gossie / Gansi
Traditional wooden Kokeshi dolls inspired this introduction to Japanese words and culture while presenting a participatory book with flaps to lift, fold-outs and more.
Kimonos
When they visit their favorite relative, Aunt Flossie, Sara and Susan enjoy her collection of hats and their many stories as they share tea, cookies, and crab cakes.
Aunt Flossie’s Hats (and Crab Cakes Later)
Freddy is back with his super shoes, his purple zapatos, to help solve a mystery and save a squirrel loose in school. Likeable characters in fast-paced, recognizable activities make these novels appealing and accessible to newly independent readers. Look for the 3rd installment of Freddy’s adventures in Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Zooms to the Rescue
Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Springs into Action
Tillie Anderson emigrated to the U.S. from Sweden with a sewing needle and a strong sense of what might be. During the 1890s, Tillie trained and became a winning bicycle racer — using her tailoring skills to make more suitable racing outfits! Lighthearted illustrations and informal text tell Tillie’s memorable tale.
Tillie the Terrible Swede
The animals in his care overhear what zookeeper Mr. Peek mutters to himself, setting off a series of misunderstandings. Expressive illustrations and lively language add to the humor of this satisfying saga — just right for a laugh and to generate discussion.
Mr. Peek and the Misunderstanding at the Zoo
When his mother gives away his too-small shoes, Alfie decides to runs away from home. His mother helps Alfie pack for a sojourn to his own back yard, and welcomes him home with open arms. Gentle illustrations convey Alfie’s recognizable range of emotions.
Alfie Runs Away
The bright, lively, and one-of-a-kind girl is back, this time to find out the difference between wanting something and actually needing it. Dyamonde is caught by her own cleverness, sure to gain readers’ empathy.
Almost Zero: A Dyamonde Daniel Book
No matter if Sherman is hiking, skating, taking a walk on a rainy day, or visiting grandma, he has just the right footwear. Readers are invited to choose along with the boy as his faithful dog watches. Simple illustrations use bright color and a clear layout help younger readers focus on the activity and the appropriate choice.
Which Shoes Would You Choose?
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.
Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off (Book 1)
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.
The Very Fairy Princess
A little girl asks about her mother’s activities, from feeding and sheering the sheep to knitting a warm sweater. Patterned, rhythmic language with gentle rhymes and winning illustrations provide a satisfying glimpse of farm life and a warm mother/daughter relationship.
Feeding the Sheep
The little mouse struggles to get dressed to go out to the barn with efforts that children will readily recognize just as they will appreciate the humor in mother mouse’s reminder that mice don’t wear clothing! Simple illustrations in graphic novel-like format for the very young make a pleasing package.
Little Mouse Gets Ready
Wilbur is a different kind of mole rat. Instead of always being naked, he dons sporty clothing much to the chagrin of others. That is until his Grand-pah also asks “Why not?” Willems’ understated humor in both text and illustration will delight readers of all ages.
Mole Rat Gets Dressed
One of Carl Sandburg’s original, quintessentially American tales for children (from Rootabaga Stories) explains why it’s just not a good idea to kick a slipper at the moon. This illustrated telling will hold young listeners as they hear rich language best read aloud.