Young Readers Fiction

The inspiring stories of six people who changed history. Contents: Henry J Heinz, the man who invented tomato ketchup; William Lever, who made millions from soap; Michael Marks, founder of the Marks and Spencer stores; Henry Ford, who mass produced cars and made them affordable; Coco Chanel, the businesswoman who changed fashion for women; Ray Kroc, the man who created the McDonald's chain of restaurants.

Shif has a happy life, unfamiliar with the horrors of his country's regime. He is one of the smartest boys in school, and feels safe and loved in the home he shares with his mother and little sister, right next door to his best friend. But the day that soldiers arrive at his door, Shif knows that he will never be safe again - his only choice is to run. Facing both unthinkable cruelty and boundless kindness, Shif bravely makes his way towards a future he can barely imagine. Refugee 87 is a story of friendship, kindness, hardship, survival, and - above all - hope.

When Rory the Dinosaur starts to get excited for Christmas, he notices that his island home doesn't exactly have the best trees for a traditionally festive holiday. So he and his dad set out to decorate their home the best way they can - but without the perfect tree Rory is worried that Christmas won't be the same! Can Rory and his friends save the spirit of the season? Liz Climo looks at the true meaning of the holidays - spending time with friends and having the love and support of your family - in a place without any snow or evergreens.

Twelve-year-old Ana-Marie Jin, the reigning US Juvenile figure skating champion, is not a frilly dress kind of kid. So, when Ana learns that next season's program will be princess themed, doubt forms fast. Still, Ana tries to focus on training and putting together a stellar routine worthy of national success. Once Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy new to the rink, thoughts about the princess program and gender identity begin to take center stage.

In the small town of Alcolu, South Carolina, in 1944, 12-year-old Ella spends her days fishing and running around with her best friend Henry and cousin Myrna. But life is not always so sunny for Ella, who gets bullied for her light skin tone, and whose mother is away pursuing a jazz singer dream in Boston. So Ella is ecstatic when her mother invites her to visit for Christmas. Little does she expect the truths she will discover about her mother, the father she never knew, and her family's most unlikely history.

Thirteen-year-old Ellen Katz feels most comfortable when her life is well planned out and people fit neatly into her predefined categories. She attends temple with Abba and Mom every Friday and Saturday. Ellen only gets crushes on girls, never boys, and she knows she can always rely on her best-and-only friend, Laurel, to help navigate social situations at their private Georgia middle school. Laurel has always made Ellen feel like being autistic is no big deal. But lately, Laurel has started making more friends and cancelling more weekend plans with Ellen than she keeps.

Pinkalicious is absolutely positive that a flower fairy will visit her garden. After all, flower fairies love pink, and so does Pinkalicious! When Pinkalicious transforms her garden into a pink wonderland, will it entice the flower fairy to visit?

Teens are busy exploring the world and their place within it. Many of them wonder about their purpose in life. They’re concerned about the environment and all the world’s problems, but they feel powerless to change anything because they’re just regular teenagers - right? Wrong. Some of the greatest changemakers in history were ordinary people who took small steps that led them to extraordinary things. Young people can start their journey now to becoming a hero in their own lives and change the world for the better.

There’s danger lurking in the depths of the lake. Ace learns this early when his twin brother cruelly devours his tail and leaves him for dead. Separated from his family, he is cast off into the depths of a perilous waterway. Ace is wary to trust others, but his survival will depend on it as he navigates treacherous algae blooms and hunts for food, all while he waits for his tail to regenerate. And when he stumbles upon a glowing green axolotl named Ariel, he learns that with training axolotls can develop an incredible power: immortality.

As she grows up in a generation that is busier and more distracted than ever, your tween girl will love the fun vibe and practical ideas in Grace, Not Perfection for Young Readers by best-selling author, creator of the Simplified Planner, and organizational expert Emily Ley.

Born into slavery, young Booker T. Washington could only dream of learning to read and write. After emancipation, Booker began a 500-mile journey, mostly on foot, to Hampton Institute, taking his first of many steps toward a college degree. When he arrived, he had just 50 cents in his pocket and a dream about to come true. The young slave who once waited outside of the schoolhouse would one day become a legendary educator of freedmen.

Pinkalicious and Peter have a magni-fish-cent time down at the dock in this new Pinkalicious I Can Read adventure brought to young listeners by number-one New York Times best-selling author Victoria Kann. Pinkalicious wants to catch the pinkest fish in the sea when she goes fishing with Peter. What they catch isn’t pinkapretty...it’s even better!

Rising star Abel Miller has just landed a role in one of the hottest reboots on the Omni Channel, Sunset High. It looks like he’ll be yet another budding celebrity plucked from obscurity, but he has a secret: his brother, Adam, a mere production associate, died during the filming of the last attempt at Sunset High, and no one knows how... or why. Abel is going to find out. But when he meets the other stars of the show—Lucky, Ryan, and Ella, along with creator Lake Carte—he realizes there’s even more darkness beneath the shimmer of fame.

As two sisters watch their friends’ families grow, they wish on a star for a sibling of their own…and a younger brother and a baby cousin arrive! The new family members aren’t exactly what the sisters expected, but with time and patience, the group soon becomes fabulously four—and lets their imaginations soar! Together they can be anything, and no matter what, they will always remember that love comes first.

From New York Times best-selling authors Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski comes the young listeners' edition of an unbelievable memoir about an unlikely friendship that forever changed the lives of a busy sales executive and a hungry 11-year-old boy. On one rainy afternoon, on a crowded New York City street corner, eleven-year-old Maurice met Laura. Maurice asked Laura for spare change because he was hungry, and something made Laura stop and ask Maurice if she could take him to lunch.

Mr. and Mrs. Puddleduck have found the perfect place to nest: a cozy planter by a theater in a sunny seaside village. While Mrs. P is warming the eggs, Mr. P is drawn to the spellbinding songs, fabulous feathered costumes, and dazzling dances he’s secretly watching during rehearsals. He’s even showing off some fancy new footwork to Mrs. P! But it turns out he’s been learning much more than how to put on a show.

Molly Ayer has been in foster care since she was eight years old. Most of the time, Molly knows it's her attitude that's the problem, but after being shipped from one family to another, she's had her fair share of adults treating her like an inconvenience. So when Molly's forced to help an elderly woman clean out her attic for community service, Molly is wary. Just another adult to treat her like a troublemaker.

Abby Wambach has always pushed the limits of what is possible. Named by Time magazine as one of the most influential people of 2015, the iconic soccer player captured the nation's heart when she led her team to its recent World Cup championship. Admired for her fearlessness and passion, Abby is a vocal advocate for women's rights and equal opportunity, pushing to translate the success of her team to the real world.

Before she traveled the country speaking out against discrimination, Bessie was a little girl with a big imagination that took her to the sky, through the clouds, and past the birds. Knocking down barriers one by one, Bessie endured racism and grueling training to become the first Black female pilot and an inspiration to Mae Jemison, Josephine Baker, and many more influential people of color for years to come.

One guards a secret that governs your life, Painful and sharp like the cut of a knife. Two of your number are not who they seem. Two steal away as the dawn robs a dream. One will abandon the cause near the end. One has judged right between villain and friend. Five will be gone ere the struggle is done, ’Til one friend remains, to stand with The One.