The text provides an entry point for teachers to introduce children to the habits of mind and action that support healthy brain growth. Your Fantastic Elastic Brain promotes several essential messages, namely: what children do on a daily basis affects the growth of their brains; brains require exercise and struggling to develop new skills contributes to brain growth; making mistakes is a positive experience that contributes to healthy brain growth.

A Common Core State Standards–Aligned Activity Guide for Grades Kindergarten, 1, and 2 The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes introduces readers to the idea of having a growth mind-set and that taking risks and sometimes making mistakes is part of how everyone learns and grows.

At each grade level, the lessons align with the Common Core State Standards Initiative for Speaking and Listening. The text exposes children to diverse cultures and fosters attitudes of curiosity and respect. Children learn how they are similar to their peers across the world, but also learn to explore and appreciate how they differ as well. What Does It Mean To Be Global? is a perfect starting point for relevant classroom activities. Classroom activities in this instructional unit tap into children’s various perspectives including: their senses, their talents and interests, their shared languages, and their values.

Based on a true story, the tale of one girl’s perilous journey to cross the U.S. border and lead her family to safety during the Mexican Revolution It is 1913, and twelve-year-old Petra Luna’s mama has died while the Revolution rages in Mexico. Before her papa is dragged away by soldiers, Petra vows to him that she will care for the family she has left—her abuelita, little sister Amelia, and baby brother Luisito—until they can be reunited. They flee north through the unforgiving desert as their town burns, searching for safe harbor in a world that offers none. Each night when Petra closes her eyes, she holds her dreams close, especially her long-held desire to learn to read. Abuelita calls these barefoot dreams: “They’re like us barefoot peasants and indios—they’re not meant to go far.” But Petra refuses to listen. Through battlefields and deserts, hunger and fear, Petra will stop at nothing to keep her family safe and lead them to a better life across the U.S. border—a life where her barefoot dreams could finally become reality.

**Using a cheeky guessing game format, Butt or Face? is a hilarious nonfiction picture book that teaches fascinating facts about animals! Are YOU ready to play? ** Move over, Jeopardy, Family Feud, and The Price Is Right—this book will be your new favorite laugh-until-your-stomach-hurts family game! In Butt or Face, weird animals are introduced with a close-up photo. Kids must guess: are they seeing seeing…um…err… the bottom or the top? Readers will learn about animals like Cuban Dwarf Frogs, whose backsides look like a pair of eyes, and the Mary River Turtle, which not only has a unique face, but even breathes through its butt! On every reveal page, kids can enjoy the animals’ complete photos and fascinating scientific facts, which explain how the critters’ camouflage and trickery help them to engage with their habitats. Can YOU tell a butt from a face?

Can you catch the magical Loveosaurus? From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling How to Catch series comes an exciting Valentine’s Day treat about a rare new creature! The Catch Club Kids are on the chase again, this time to trap an escaped dinosaur that wants to spread love and kindness. Blending exciting traps and STEAM concepts with hilarity and chaos to encourage reading, learning, and imagination, this charming adventure will delight young readers, families, and educators alike—and maybe inspire spreading some kindness too!

**From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Nature of Witches and Wild is the Witch comes a lush, romantic, and unforgettable new fantasy full of sea magic, arranged marriages, and the choice between love and duty ** Tana Fairchild’s fate has been planned out for her since the day she was born: marry the governor’s son and secure an unprecedented alliance between the witches and the mainlanders. But when Tana meets Wolfe, a member of the only remaining coven left practicing dark magic, she’s stunned to learn of his existence. She’s always thought the final coven disbanded ten years ago, completely eradicating the use of dark magic. When unknown magic builds in Tana’s body and she’s unable to expel the magic on her own, she begs Wolfe for help. And as she practices Wolfe’s dark magic, she’s horrified to discover how naturally it comes to her. It makes her feel powerful. Alive. Tana tries to rid herself of the memories of Wolfe and his magic, throwing herself into her courtship with Landon, the key to the alliance the witches have worked so hard for. With Tana’s covenant ball approaching, their engagement will be officially announced. But when Tana’s family discovers her use of dark magic and her mother confides in her that the witches are losing control of the currents, and it’s only a matter of time before the sea swallows a mainlander. When that happens, Tana’s relationship with Landon could be the only thing that keeps the mainlanders from turning on the witches. But Tana can’t stop thinking about Wolfe. And as the tide grows fiercer, and the witches’ relationship with the mainlanders more tenuous, Tana has to decide what’s most important to her: love, or duty?

From the best-selling creators of Unicorn Day comes a mer-tastic celebration as all sorts of sea creatures celebrate Mermaid Day! *Hooray Hooray! It’s Mermaid Day! Shake your tailfin! Splash and play! Bubbles popping, One, two, three, Mermaid magic Fills the sea!* On Mermaid Day, the mer-queen throws a big bash. She decorates with seashell garlands and seaweed bows. Creatures of all kinds arrive. Dolphins dance, narwhals play ring toss. But who’s that lurking in the dark—is that a shark? But mermaids know this shark won’t bite. He’s just shy. As night falls the guests say goodbye to a mer-mazing day. **New in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling How to Catch series—can YOU catch a mermaid? ** *Last week I saw a mermaid. It’s not something I’d pretend! I’d really like to catch her so she could be my friend. But how to catch a mermaid? You don’t learn this in school. We’ll need to build a gentle trap and start near the tide pool.* Many claim to have caught a mermaid, but can YOU? Perfect for summer, the newest title in the New York Times bestselling How to Catch series will have children and parents excited to see if these characters can actually pull off catching a mermaid!

The newest addition in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling How to Catch series—do YOU have the rad skills needed to catch the mystical Daddysaurus? “Have you ever heard of the Daddysaurus? Known for his kindness and bravery too? We’re on a mission to catch him today But we may need some help from YOU!” The Catch Club Kids are at it again! This time, they’re out to trap the Daddysaurus—a mystical creature capable of such amazing acts of kindness, bravery, brilliance and humor. The kids try to trap the creature with all his favorite activities, but will they succeed? Maybe all they need is a little sweetness to make this awesome Daddysaurus appear! Perfect for Father’s Day, this fun dinosaur picture book is filled with silly rhymes and illustrations sure to delight young readers and educators alike with STEAM concepts and classic hilarity and chaos.

From the best-selling creators of Unicorn Day comes a mer-tastic celebration as all sorts of sea creatures celebrate Mermaid Day! *Hooray Hooray! It’s Mermaid Day! Shake your tailfin! Splash and play! Bubbles popping, One, two, three, Mermaid magic Fills the sea!* On Mermaid Day, the mer-queen throws a big bash. She decorates with seashell garlands and seaweed bows. Creatures of all kinds arrive. Dolphins dance, narwhals play ring toss. But who’s that lurking in the dark—is that a shark? But mermaids know this shark won’t bite. He’s just shy. As night falls the guests say goodbye to a mer-mazing day.

Dinosaur Lady is a beautiful and brilliant picture book that will enlighten children about the discovery of the dinosaurs and the importance of female scientists. It also includes a timeline of Mary Anning’s life and lots of fantastic fossil facts! A Common Core State Standards Aligned Activity Guide for Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4.

**A delightful, endearing debut picture book by bestselling author and activist Juno Dawson in which a sister answers everyone’s questions about where’s her brother Bill. ** When Bill can’t be found at school one day, the imaginations of the other children run wild. Is he on vacation? Is he lost in the park? Has he been eaten by a shark?! It’s up to Bill’s sister to explain…”You need to chill! My brother Bill is now my sister Lily.” Juno Dawson’ debut picture book is a witty and fun-filled story about family, identity, and acceptance. Bold, joyful and warm-hearted, its message of love and inclusivity shines through on every page. Laura Hughes’ illustrations perfectly capture the positive theme of the story.

When one young woman recycled 24 tons of ocean trash to create the very first school of music on Easter Island, she proved that anyone can make a difference! Fans of Shark Lady will appreciate this incredible feminist story that empowers kids to use their passions to change the world Mahani Teave grew up on Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, one of the most remote islands in the world. When she began taking lessons on the island’s only piano, her incredible talent led her to leave Rapa Nui when she was just nine years old to continue her music education. Although she wished she didn’t have to leave such a beautiful place to pursue her dreams, she became an internationally acclaimed classical pianist, playing around the world for all kinds of audiences. But her island home kept calling her back. Years later, she returned to Rapa Nui to stay, and with a new dream: to save its environment and culture. Mahani saw the island’s struggles with pollution from tourism and ocean plastics, and found a unique solution. She created the island’s first music and arts school so that children there could learn music in ways that kept the island’s unique traditions alive—and did so through recycling! The school was built using of thousands of tires, bottles, and cans in its walls, incorporating rain barrels, solar panels, and a food garden. Because Mahani pursued her dreams, she changed the fate of the island, creating an inspiring place that celebrates the land of Rapa Nui and its people—and showing children everywhere that they can stand up for their passions too.

An inspiring picture book that encourages readers to not only dream up big ideas, but to be persistent, resilient, and to think outside the box—or the lemonade glass! Eva’s always full of ideas—her latest one is to start a lemonade stand. She can brainstorm fun flavors and find the freshest ingredients, but when competition from Jake’s stand across the street creates one tough challenge after another, Eva runs out of ideas. But just when she’s about to close down her stand for good, she makes her little brother their favorite Indian dessert, kulfi, and she realizes the coolest idea yet was where she hadn’t expected to find it, and that giving up is the only obstacle to her success.

You Are Awesome sets out to inspire and empower kids to change their mindset, find their confidence, and achieve their potential. From motivating students to try a new hobby or sport, to building confidence and resilience before the transition to middle-school, You Are Awesome provides lots of opportunities for activities and discussion.

An activity kit filled with crafts, games, and even recipes to accompany The Halloween Tree, a charming and warm-hearted picture book that will help to start a new tradition

**“This book should be required reading. Not only is this message great for kids, but it’s also a powerful reminder of how caring adults can help children feel safer.” --Loanna Davis, director of children’s programs, Futures Without Violence You have the power to protect yourself and others!** What does it mean to be safe? Does it mean beating a throw to home plate? Does it mean never taking risks? No! Being safe is about feeling secure, feeling protected and being responsive—no matter the environment or situation. You can be safe in so many simple ways. From being aware of your limits to creating healthy boundaries. By not giving in to peer pressure and by standing up to bullies. And by being safe on the Internet, or knowing the right time to get a caring adult’s help. This addition to the award-winning What Does It Mean to Be…? series is the perfect book to spark meaningful dialogue and ensure every child knows what it means to be safe.

Filled with games, coloring, and crafts to accompany There Was a Black Hole that Swallowed the Universe, an out of this world picture book that sparks creative conversations about celestial beings from the #1 science author for kids, Chris Ferrie!

The unicorns are celebrating their favorite day of the year, complete with rainbows, cupcakes, butterflies, and all sorts of joyful things. But when it’s revealed there’s an impostor in their midst, the party comes to a screeching halt…Will the unicorns welcome all and continue their fun in all its glittery glory? A clever, colorful, and over-the-top picture book about unicorns, celebrations, and most importantly, friendship. Now your students can throw their very own unicorn day party as you embrace the uniqueness of each special unicorn in your class. Make your own unicorn horns, have a coloring contest, play pin the horn on the unicorn, and more. This activity kit has everything you need to throw the best unicorn day party ever! You can purchase a copy of Unicorn Day here: Amazon: http://ow.ly/l0VE50qs8H0 Barnes and Noble: http://ow.ly/mKH550qs8MY Books-A-Million: http://ow.ly/XOFE50qs8Po Indiebound: http://ow.ly/ZQg950qs908

*Survivors of the Holocaust *tells the true stories of six children who survived the Holocaust in a graphic non-fiction novel form. This educator guide provides questions and activities to help children read and understand the text.