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A young girl in a penguin costume sets off to pick out some birthday hats and gets a little carried away. Harriet lives in the big city with her two dads. On the day of her birthday party, Harriet puts on her special errand-running Penguin costume, and she and her dads head to the store to pick up party supplies. But when she encounters a group of real penguins Harriet gets a little carried away, and before she realizes her mistake she’s on a hot air balloon heading to Antarctica.

A positive and realistic story about familiy, community, and dealing with a disability, that features an elderly, interracial gay male couple. Lou spends every Saturday with Grandad and Pops. They walk to the library hand in hand, like a chain of paper dolls. But everything changes one Saturday when Pops has a fall and learns that he will need to use a wheelchair, not just for now, but for always. Lou comes up with a loving plan to help Pops cope with his new life. 

Indian American middle schooler Reha navigates growth and loss in this 1980s coming-of-age novel in verse. Thirteen-year-old Reha deals with ordinary concerns; she tries to stay true to her Indian culture while growing up with in the United States, and she grapples with a crush on a classmate. When her mother suddenly gets sick with leukemia, Reha’s ordinary everyday concerns fade away and are replaced with the belief that if she is as virtuous as possible, she will save her mother’s life. 

Iris loves to push the elevator buttons in her apartment building, except when it’s time to share the fun with her baby brother. That is, until the sudden appearance of a mysterious new button that opens up imaginary places where she can escape and explore on her own. 

Caleb Franklin and his big brother Bobby Gene are excited to have adventures in the woods behind their house. But Caleb dreams of venturing beyond their ordinary small town. Then Caleb and Bobby Gene meet new neighbor Styx Malone. Styx is sixteen and oozes cool — and he leads the brothers on a one-thing-leads-to-another adventure in which friendships are forged and loyalties are tested.

Hudi’s dad is athletic, but Hudi is not. Hudi is funny and well, chunky. In this fictionalized memoir, Hudi confronts his family’s expectation, school bullies, and how to be true to his real interests. The graphic format captures the tone, tensions, and wit of the story.

The smallest lemur in the troop is reassured by parents, siblings, grandparents, and all the lemurs that he is loved in this gently rhyming tale. Expressive illustrations combine with a surprisingly informative text to reassure family bonds as well as lemur habits.

The simple question is addressed as flaps twice unfold to reveal different animals with their parents. Sturdy pages support lush illustrations which conclude when baby elephant is found — with mommy, of course!

A house has windows, doors, etc. through day and night and seasons. However, it only becomes a home when a family arrives. A series of simple, straightforward questions combine with sunny, simple, elegant illustrations sure to engage even the youngest.

Baby Izzie’s middle-of-the-night awakening starts a chain reaction that wakes up everyone in the red brick apartment building. This cozy cumulative tale is filled with alliteration and onomatopoeia and illustrated in richly hued, textured collage illustrations.

It’s almost time for Christmas, and Maria is traveling with her mother and younger brother, Juan, to visit their grandmother on the border of California and Mexico. For the few minutes they can share together along the fence, Maria and her brother plan to exchange stories and Christmas gifts with the grandmother they haven’t seen in years. 

Regina Petit’s family has always been Umpqua, and living on the Grand Ronde Tribe’s reservation is all ten-year-old Regina has ever known. But when the federal government enacts a law that says Regina’s tribe no longer exists, Regina becomes “Indian no more” overnight. Now that they’ve been forced from their homeland, Regina’s father signs the family up for the federal Indian Relocation Program and moves them to Los Angeles. Regina finds a whole new world in her neighborhood on 58th Place. She’s never met kids of other races, and they’ve never met a real Indian, and Regina comes face to face with the viciousness of racism, personally and toward her new friends. In this moving middle-grade novel drawing upon Umpqua author Charlene Willing McManis’s own tribal history, Regina must find out: Who is Regina Petit? Is she Indian, American, or both? And will she and her family ever be okay?

In this uplifting, contemporary Native American story, River is recovering from illness and can’t dance at the powwow this year. Will she ever dance again? Follow River’s journey from feeling isolated after an illness to learning the healing power of community. Additional information explains the history and functions of powwows, which are commonplace across the United States and Canada and are open to both Native Americans and non-Native visitors. 

What do Indian shoes look like, anyway? Like beautiful beaded moccasins… or hightops with bright orange shoelaces? Ray Halfmoon, a young Cherokee-Seminole boy living in Chicago with his grandpa, prefers hightops, but he gladly trades them for a nice pair of moccasins for his grandpa. After all, it’s Grampa Halfmoon who’s always there to help Ray get in and out of scrapes and share a laugh. 

Short stories by well and lesser-known Indigenous writers present a range of tales about contemporary young people from different tribes and regions at a Michigan powwow. They range from humorous to serious, but each provides a glimpse at the power of community support. Created in partnership with We Need Diverse Books (opens in a new window).

Lily and Wendy have been best friends since they became stepsisters. But with their feuding parents planning to spend the summer apart, what will become of their family — and their friendship? Little do they know that a mysterious boy has been watching them from the oak tree outside their window. A boy who intends to take them away from home for good, to an island of wild animals, Merfolk, Fairies, and kidnapped children, to a sea of merfolk, pirates, and a giant crocodile. A boy who calls himself Peter Pan.

In this chapter book for beginning readers, Lily and her parents move from their suburban neighborhood to New York City. Lily is used to living in a house on a quiet street; she feels like a small ant on such a busy block and worries that she’ll never feel at home. As she and her parents explore their new, multicultural neighborhood, Lily discovers that sometimes change can be a good thing. Featuring a diverse cast of characters, this is the first in the Confetti Kids series (see also The Perfect Gift (opens in a new window) and Want to Play? (opens in a new window))

Fifth grader, Wes, is the son of activist parents who is content to defend his “best dressed” reputation — that is until he sees how his own gentrifying neighborhood is changing. And not for the better. He decides he must stand out and stand up for what he believes in. Wes is not only plausible but likeable as are other characters who are placed in an increasingly familiar situation. 

When 12-year-old Aidan returns home after missing for 6 days, how will he explain that he’s been in a Narnia-like place called Avenieu? Confronted with relief followed by anger, Aidan’s journey is told by Lucas, Aidan’s 11-year-old brother. This fascinating exploration of what happens when one person’s reality conflicts with another is taut and convincingly told. 

Can winning a cooking contest allow 12-year-old Cici to bring her Taiwanese grandmother to the U.S. for her 70th birthday? Will it interfere with her parents’ inviolable motto of “good grades, good college, good job”? Readers are sure to see themselves and their families in this engaging graphic portrait of an immigrant family and an aspiring chef who is bridging two cultures.

As Billy blew out the candles on his birthday cake, an ambulance rushes down the street. Could his wish for some excitement have caused a dear neighbor friend to become ill? Billy and his family, first introduced in The Year of Billy Miller (opens in a new window) return in this quiet, touching, and relatable standalone volume. 

What does summer smell like? How does it taste? When Lola arrives from the Philippines, so does summer and with it, the joy of a family reunited with their grandmother. Loose lines and rich color combine with a text to evoke the sights and sounds of a warm summer with a warm family.

A grandmother and child celebrate all the things the youngster can grow into, all the while recognizing individuality.Light-filled illustrations complement the evocative narration. Also in Spanish: ¿Qué Serás?.

Ollie has a vivid imagination and just may need eyeglasses. His poor vision (or is it his imagination?) allows him to see water buffalo instead of cows, interesting creatures rather than letters and numbers. When Ollie, a pink pig in a blue beret, dons his new spectacles, the world becomes more realistic, but glasses are not needed all the time! Comic illustration and understated text tell a humorous tale.