Growing Life

Speed and self-confidence, that’s Astrid’s motto. Nicknamed “the little thunderbolt,” she loves to spend her days racing down the hillside on her sled, singing loudly as she goes, and visiting Gunnvald, her grumpy, septuagenarian best friend and godfather, who makes hot chocolate from real chocolate bars. She just wishes there were other children to share her hair-raising adventures with. But Astrid’s world is about to be turned upside down by two startling arrivals to the village of Glimmerdal: first a new family, then a mysterious, towering woman who everyone seems to know.

Karen's best friend, Hannie, just got a new kitten. Now all her friends have cats. And Karen has a great idea. She can start a club like her big sister, Kristy. It will be a Kittycat Club! What will the club do? Karen can't babysit like Kristy...but she can cat-sit! Will anyone want Karen as a cat-sitter? They'd better - running a club is hard work!

The Joy Thief is a story that helps children and adults to discover more about a subject that is often difficult to understand. Demonstrating the subjectivity of trauma, The Joy Thief highlights how a seemingly ordinary occurrence can have a significant impact upon the well-being of a child, particularly if left unaddressed. Challenging the idea that trauma occurs only during more "serious" incidents, The Joy Thief leads us to conclude that such occurrences, or rather our responses to them, may be more significant for children's mental health.

Karen feels like an ugly duckling. Her baby teeth are all falling out, and she has to wear new glasses, too! Karen needs a new haircut to make her look glamorous. But the beauty parlor lady cuts Karen's hair all wrong. Now she's uglier than ever! What will all the kids at school say?

In a peaceful Carthya, Jaron leads as the Ascendant King with Imogen beside him - but the peace he fought so long for is not destined to last. On a routine sea voyage, Jaron's ship is brutally attacked, and he is taken hostage. The mysterious captors and their leader, Jane Strick, accuse Jaron of unthinkable acts. They are also in possession of some shocking items - including the crown and sword that belonged to Jaron's older brother, Darius. The items unearth a past Jaron thought he had put behind him.

Having a child sit still and “concentrate on their breath” for 30 minutes just doesn't work. Ask anyone who has a kid. The meditations in this collection were professionally written and recorded to teach fundamental mindfulness meditation skills to children in an easy, approachable way.

Dora the Explorer and her best friend Boots go to the boardwalk for a carnival!

Fun sound effects and sweet music will have little ones laughing as they listen to the sound of an elephant, bee, kangaroo, chimpanzee, lion, sheep, and hippopotamus. “Mommy Loves Me!” is a perfect introduction for babies and toddlers to learn animal sounds and the simple truth that mommies love their babies!

From Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner Katherine Rundell comes an exciting new novel about a group of kids who must survive in the Amazon after their plane crashes. Fred, Con, Lila, and Max are on their way back to England from Manaus when the plane they're on crashes and the pilot dies upon landing. For days they survive alone, until Fred finds a map that leads them to a ruined city, and to a secret.

Henry is a good helper! He can even help with his new baby sister.

A trip to the doctor’s office can be scary. Luckily, Marshall and the rest of Nickelodeon’s PAW Patrol are here to explain what happens during a checkup and why there’s nothing to worry about.

A palace of nightmares rises from the ground just outside the small town of Zion Falls. Four young heroes must prevent the dark tower from reaching the surface, or an army of pure evil will be unleashed upon the world.

When we last saw George and Harold, they were headed to jail for the rest of their lives. What could be worse? How about being pulled from prison by a time-traveling tyrant named Tippy Tinkletrousers?!!? Now the boys are taking a trip back in time to the carefree days of kindergarten, when the scariest thing they had to face was not evil mad scientists or alien cafeteria ladies but a sixth-grade bully named Kipper Krupp, the nephew of their clueless school principal.

Amy and Dan must steal a Clue guarded by thousands of the world’s best-trained soldiers. With their enemies closing in, the brother and sister are separated. Now how will they stand a chance?

My friend Zack has a disability called autism. But that doesn’t matter to us. We talk about airplanes, build models, and enjoy hanging out at each other’s house. I’m glad Zack is my friend!

Julia just changed schools. Luckily, her best friend, Ava, goes to her new school. Ava’s been on the cheerleading squad for two years, and she promised to help Julia make the team. But if Julia is a better cheerleader than Ava, will they still be able to be best friends?

Anna, Brittany, and Jasmine have a problem: their school cancelled the girls' soccer team. They have to join the team at their arch rival school! They're not happy about it, but they're glad they get to play. The girls on their new team, though, aren't exactly welcoming. Will Anna, Brittany, and Jasmine ever feel at home?

When Tess moved away from Winterfall, she left her two best friends, Ana and Sofie, behind. She's traveling back to surprise them and to take part in the yearly snowboarding competition. Ana is glad to see her, but Sofie acts strange as soon as Tess returns.

Every summer, Eva and Becca play softball. But this year, something strange is going on. One day at practice, the bag of equipment is missing. The next day, it's been returned. When the bag goes missing again, Eva and Becca decide to try to catch the crook. But the person they find is not at all what they expect!

Ramona loves sand volleyball but has a hard time being a team player. When she learns that the court will be destroyed by a plastic company, she must learn the importance of being part of a team.