Special Collections

The Cat in the Hat

by Dr. Seuss

Have a ball with Dr. Seuss and the Cat in the Hat in this classic picture book...but don't forget to clean up your mess! A dreary day turns into a wild romp when this beloved story introduces readers to the Cat in the Hat and his troublemaking friends, Thing 1 and Thing 2. A favorite among kids, parents and teachers, this story uses simple words and basic ryhme to encourage and delight beginning readers. Then he said "That is that." And then he was gone With a tip of his hat. Originally created by Dr. Seuss himself, Beginner Books are fun, funny, and easy to read. These unjacketed hardcover early readers encourage children to read all on their own, using simple words and illustrations. Smaller than the classic large format Seuss picture books like The Lorax and Oh, The Places You&’ll Go!, these portable packages are perfect for practicing readers ages 3-7, and lucky parents too!

Date Added: 08/30/2023

The Breadwinner

by Deborah Ellis

Young Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan. Because Parvana's father has a foreign education, he is arrested by the Taliban. The family becomes increasingly desperate until Parvana conceives a plan.

Date Added: 01/19/2023

Poems In The Attic

by Nikki Grimes Elizabeth Zunon

During a visit to her grandma's house, a young girl discovers a box of poems in the attic, poems written by her mother when she was growing up. Her mother's family often moved around the United States and the world because her father was in the Air Force. Over the years, her mother used poetry to record her experiences in the many places the family lived. Reading the poems and sharing those experiences through her mother's eyes, the young girl feels closer to her mother than ever before. To let her mother know this, she creates a gift: a book with her own poems and copies of her mother's. And when she returns her mother's poems to the box in the attic, she leaves her own poems too, for someone else to find, someday. Using free verse for the young girl's poems and tanka for her mother's, master poet Nikki Grimes creates a tender intergenerational story that speaks to every child's need to hold onto special memories of home, no matter where that place might be.

Date Added: 08/30/2023

The Bad Beginning

by Lemony Snicket Brett Helquist

Imagine tales so terrible that as many as fifty million innocents have been ruined by them - tales so indelibly horrid that the New York Times bestseller list has been unable to rid itself of them for seven years.

Now imagine if this scourge suddenly became available in a shameful new edition so sensational, so irresistible, so riddled with lurid new pictures that even a common urchin would wish for it. Who among us would be safe?

Begin at the beginning - even if it is a bad one - with the first in A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Date Added: 01/19/2023

The One and Only Ivan: New Friends

by Colin Hosten

Meet Ivan the gorilla, Stella the elderly elephant, Bob the stray dog, Ruby the baby elephant, and more, discovering just what makes them so special.Featuring simple text that tells a key moment from the major motion picture now streaming on Disney+, this leveled reader features all-new original art done in a beautiful watercolor palette that's perfect for young readers. The One and Only Ivan: New Friends is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for children learning to sound out words and read full sentences. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the short sentences, familiar words, and simple concepts of Level One books support success for children eager to start reading on their own.

Date Added: 08/30/2023

Stamped

by Jason Reynolds Ibram X. Kendi

The crucial, empowering, #1 New York Times bestselling exploration of racism—and antiracism—in America.This is NOT a history book.This is a book about the here and now. A book to help us better understand why we are where we are.A book about race. The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. This remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning reveals the history of racist ideas in America and inspires hope for an antiracist future. It takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel, and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited. Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas--and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives. Download the free educator guide here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Stamped-Educator-Guide.pdfNow available for younger readers: Stamped (for Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You

Date Added: 01/19/2023

I Want My Hat Back

by Jon Klassen

A New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2011! A picture-book delight by a rising talent tells a cumulative tale with a mischievous twist. The bear's hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently and politely, he asks the animals he comes across, one by one, whether they have seen it. Each animal says no, some more elaborately than others. But just as the bear begins to despond, a deer comes by and asks a simple question that sparks the bear's memory and renews his search with a vengeance. Told completely in dialogue, this delicious take on the classic repetitive tale plays out in sly illustrations laced with visual humor-- and winks at the reader with a wry irreverence that will have kids of all ages thrilled to be in on the joke.

Images and image descriptions available.

Winner of the Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor

Date Added: 01/19/2023

Harvesting Hope

by Kathleen Krull

In this Pura Belpre award–winning picture book, illustrated by Caldecott Honree Yuyi Morales, acclaimed author Kathleen Krull celebrates Latinx civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. An inspirational book about resistance and hope.When Cesar Chavez led a 340-mile peaceful protest march through California, he ignited a cause and improved the lives of thousands of migrant farmworkers.But Cesar wasn't always a leader. As a boy, he was shy and teased at school. His family slaved in the fields for barely enough money to survive. Cesar knew things had to change, and he thought that—maybe—he could help change them. So he took charge. He spoke up. And an entire country listened.

Date Added: 01/19/2023

The Cat Man of Aleppo

by Karim Shamsi-Basha Irene Latham

The Caldecott Honor-winning true story of Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, who in the midst of the Syrian Civil War courageously offered safe haven to Aleppo's abandoned cats. Aleppo's city center no longer echoes with the rich, exciting sounds of copper-pot pounding and traditional sword sharpening. His neighborhood is empty--except for the many cats left behind.Alaa loves Aleppo, but when war comes his neighbors flee to safety, leaving their many pets behind. Alaa decides to stay--he can make a difference by driving an ambulance, carrying the sick and wounded to safety. One day he hears hungry cats calling out to him on his way home. They are lonely and scared, just like him. He feeds and pets them to let them know they are loved. The next day more cats come, and then even more! There are too many for Alaa to take care of on his own. Alaa has a big heart, but he will need help from others if he wants to keep all of his new friends safe.

Date Added: 01/19/2023

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

by Grace Lin

In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.

Grace Lin, author of the beloved Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat, returns with a wondrous story of adventure, faith, and friendship. A fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a timeless story reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz. Her beautiful illustrations, printed in full-color, accompany the text throughout. Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young readers.

Newbery Honor book

Date Added: 08/30/2023

The Year of the Dog

by Grace Lin

It's the Chinese Year of the Dog, and as Pacy celebrates with her family, she finds out that this is the year she is supposed to "find herself." Universal themes of friendship, family, and finding one's passion in life make this novel appealing to readers of all backgrounds. This funny and profound book is a wonderful debut novel by a prolific picture book author and illustrator and has all the makings of a classic.

Date Added: 08/30/2023

Judy Moody Gets Famous!

by Megan Mcdonald

Good moods, bad moods, can't-stand-Jessica-Finch moods. Judy Moody is back with her many hilarious moods. Fans of Judy Moody already know that Judy has a mood for every occasion--and this time Judy is in a jealous mood. Jealous of classmate Jessica Finch, that is, who gets her picture on the front page of the newspaper. When Judy sets off in pursuit of her own fame and happiness, watch out! She's so determined, she just might find it, or she might merely become more INFAMOUS than ever. Her latest adventures are sure to put readers in a very Judy Moody mood!

Date Added: 08/30/2023

Judy Moody, Girl Detective

by Megan Mcdonald

It's an honest-to-jeepers mystery! Agent Judy Drewdy sets out to solve the case of the missing puppy when a canine-cop-in-training vanishes into thin air. Judy Moody is in a mood. A sleuthing, Nancy Drew kind of mood. So what's a WBMS (world's best mystery solver) to do? Go find a mystery, that's what! And she doesn't have to snoop for long: when Mr. Chips, a beloved crime-dog-in-training, goes missing, Judy Drewdy and her chums, agents Dills Pickle (Frank), Spuds Houdini (Rocky), and James Madagascar (Stink) find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a reallife, scare-your-pants-off whodunit. Was Mr. Chips stolen by dirty dognappers? And why are chocolate-chip cookies disappearing all over town? Watch out for red herrings--along with clever references to classic Nancy Drew mysteries--as Eagle Eye Moody and company are hot on the case!

Date Added: 01/19/2023

Judy Moody goes to college

by Megan McDonald Peter H. Reynolds Megan Mcdonald

Judy is in a bad mood about having a math tutor until she meets Chloe, her college-student tutor. Suddenly the third grade seems "old skool" and everything to do with college is "wicked good," especially when Chloe invites Judy to spend a day with her. For grades 2-4. 2008

Date Added: 08/30/2023

Judy Moody Predicts the Future

by Megan Mcdonald

"This is a great choice for first-chapter-book readers, especially those already acquainted with Judy. "--Booklist. Judy Moody ate one, two, three bowls of cereal. No prize. She poured four, five, six bowls of cereal. Nothing. Seven. Out fell the Mystery Prize. Judy definitely has a mood for every occasion. And now she has a mood ring to prove it! The mood ring's Extra Special Powers have put Judy in a predicting mood, and her outrageous predictions have everyone wondering if Judy really is psychic. According to "Madame M" (for Moody), the Toad Pee Club's long-lost mascot will reappear, Judy will earn the coveted Thomas Jefferson tricorn-hat sticker for "Great Job, Good Thinking"--and love may be the real reason behind her teacher's new eyeglasses. Will Judy's fortune-telling adventures put kids in a very Judy Moody mood? (Signs point to yes!)

Date Added: 01/19/2023

Judy Moody saves the world

by Megan McDonald Peter H. Reynolds

When Judy Moody gets serious about protecting the environment, her younger brother Stink thinks she is overdoing it. But she inspires her third-grade classmates to undertake an award-winning, environment-saving project. For grades 2-4. 2002

Date Added: 08/30/2023