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Tells the story of a young man's struggle to accept the father who has walked out on his family.
A picture book of poems that celebrate fathers from a two-time Coretta Scott King Honor--winning poet. Who is your hero? Who’s your best friend? Who says he loves you again and again? Daddy! Told through the voice of a child, Anita Hope Smith's My Daddy Rules the World collection of poems celebrates everyday displays of fatherly love, from guitar lessons and wrestling matches to bedtime stories, haircuts in the kitchen, and cuddling in bed. These heartwarming poems, together with bold folk-art-inspired images, capture the strength and beauty of the relationship between father and child. A Christy Ottaviano Book
A collection of poems in which a daughter reflects on the death of her beloved mother.
A powerful middle grade novel-in-verse about one boy’s experience surviving the Holocaust. Moishe Moskowitz was thirteen when the Nazis invaded Poland and his family learned the language of fear. The wolves loomed at every corner, yet Moishe still held on to the blessings of his mother’s blueberry pierogis, of celebrating the Sabbath as a family, of a loyal friend. But each day the darkness weighed more heavily on Moishe as his family was broken, uprooted, and scattered across labor and concentration camps. Just as his last hopes began to dim, a simple act of kindness redeemed his faith that goodness could survive the trials of war: That was the day it rained warm bread. Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet relates her father’s triumphant Holocaust story through the words of award-winning poet Hope Anita Smith. Deftly articulated and beautifully illustrated by Lea Lyon, this is an essential addition to the ever-important collection of Holocaust testimonies. Christy Ottaviano Books
So many unanswered questions weigh down thirteen-year-old C.J. as he struggles to understand why his father walked out. His father is back now, though C.J. is not as quick to forgive as the other members of his family. He still feels the weight of responsibility that fell on his shoulders when Daddy was gone, and he's not prepared to give that up. But C.J.'s anger is making him a stranger in his own home, and instead of life seeming better now that Daddy has returned, it feels worse. Through powerful poems, Hope Anita Smith chronicles the nuanced emotions of a family that is slowly learning to heal and put the pieces back together. Keeping the Night Watch is a 2009 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book and a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
My best friend, Preacher, is being just that. His sermon today is on fathers and I am his congregation. "Dads are light. They have no roots. One strong wind, and they're gone. Out of here. History." With a click, a bang, a whisper--or no noise at all. There are so many ways that a door can close, but it's not just the closing; it's the knowing. And thirteen-year-old CJ knows too much--about losing his father, about his family's pain, and especially about what it means to hold things together when times are the toughest. In this beautifully written and powerfully moving novel in poems, Hope Anita Smith tells the story of a young man's struggle to accept a father who has walked out on his family. Here, in CJ's words, is a portrait of hurt and healing, and finding the strength to open the door again. The Way a Door Closes is the winner of the 2004 Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe New Talent Award and the 2004 Bank Street - Claudia Lewis Award and is a 2004 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Starred Review from The School Library Journal Parents & Teachers can use this book as conversation starter about race and the police.
Half of me was thinking, Georgina, don't do this. Stealing a dog is just plain wrong. The other half of me was thinking, Georgina, you're in a bad fix and you got to do whatever it takes to get yourself out of it. Georgina Hayes is desperate. Ever since her father left and they were evicted from their apartment, her family has been living in their car. With her mama juggling two jobs and trying to make enough money to find a place to live, Georgina is stuck looking after her younger brother, Toby. And she has her heart set on improving their situation. When Georgina spots a missing-dog poster with a reward of five hundred dollars, the solution to all her problems suddenly seems within reach. All she has to do is "borrow" the right dog and its owners are sure to offer a reward. What happens next is the last thing she expected. With unmistakable sympathy, Barbara O'Connor tells the story of a young girl struggling to see what's right when everything else seems wrong. How to Steal a Dog is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year. This title has Common Core connections.
More than 50 poems and an accompanying CD introduce poetry with a beat.
Empowering and energetic, 'The Right Sort of Girl' is a coming-of-age story of identity. Trying to navigate her Indian world at home and the British world outside her front door, Anita Rani was a girl who didn't fit in anywhere. She shares with us the lessons she wishes her 16-year-old self could have known then: you do not need to bleach your skin; be your own superhero; you are Indian enough; you don't need to compromise on your own happiness; and that there is no such thing as the right sort of girl.