New Releases by Virginia Kroll

Every sunny afternoon, Emilio wheels his grandfather outside to watch the butterflies. Emilio's grandfather can no longer speak, but Emilio can see happiness in the older man's eyes as he watches butterflies dance through the air. But one day the butterflies fly away. Can Emilio bring them back and make his grandfather smile with more than just his eyes? Virginia Kroll's beautiful story is written with love and is magically illustrated by Gerardo Suzán.

Moon ́s Messenger reminds us of the importance of conserving and respecting the environment, and that we can all help to protect nature and biodiversity. Guided Reading Level: P, Lexile Level: 880L

Un mensaje para Luna nos recuerda la importancia de preservar y respetar el medio ambiente y que todos podemos ayudar a proteger la naturaleza y la diversidad biológica. Moon ́s Messenger reminds us of the importance of conserving and respecting the environment, and that we can all help to protect nature and biodiversity. Lexile Level: 900L

Winner at the 2015 International Latino Book Awards. Countless secrets lie in the snow, waiting to be discovered by those who are inquisitive enough to seek them out! Discover this wonderful tale set in the country of Bhutan, full of mystery and adventure. Sometimes life calls on us to embark on an adventure before we’re really ready for it; it requires us to surpass ourselves and to learn the value of trust and loyalty. This is what happens to Pem, who’s itching to head off through the snow with her father, brother and the yaks towards the grazing lands. But when the big day comes, she still can’t imagine the adventure that awaits her. The youngest member of the family will have her first experience all on her own: does the Yeti really exist? Snowbound Secrets is a wonderful tale set in the country of Bhutan, full of mystery and adventure; it is a hymn to nature and the highest mountains of our blue planet. Through the innocent eyes of a little girl, we will learn what it means to respect traditions and legends and to cast off our fears, discovering how bravery can often help to unveil mysteries that captivate our hearts.

Find special mealtime prayers and Thanksgiving activities inside! Grace’s mind was racing. What was that spelling word that meant ‘great generosity in giving’? She squeezed her eyes shut, and it came to her. Bounty. That was the word! Journey back in time with Grace and relive both the hardships and blessings along with her pioneer family. Saying Grace tells the story of one girl and her discovery of the value of mealtime prayer at her family’s first Thanksgiving.

This Traditions of Faith book features a unique Ukrainian Celebration of New Life in Christ—the coloring and exchange of pysanky eggs at Eastertime. Children love coloring Easter eggs. Easter Eggs for Anya is a story to explain one of the origins of this tradition. In early nineteenth-century Ukraine, Christians celebrated Easter by exchanging colorful, hand-decorated pysanky eggs—but with Papa away at the war and Mama struggling to make ends meet, Anya’s family was too poor to buy eggs to decorate. That is, until Anya discovered an abandoned nest of goose eggs and began planning an Easter surprise. But God had an even better surprise in store, and when the eggs unexpectedly began to hatch, Anya learned what the Easter story teaches: spring brings gifts of myriad new beginnings, just as the risen Christ gave the gift of new life to us all. This book features a note about the origin and history of the tradition and offers family ideas and activities. Easter Eggs for Anya: Part of the Traditions of Faith Around the World series Offers family-friendly activities for the holiday Full-color illustrations Factual information about the Ukranian Easter tradition

Makayla loves to fix all kinds of things, and thanks to the toolbox Grandpa gave her, she's ready to mend anything she can. When Aunt Karen’s turtle figurine broke or when Mr. Bell’s bird-feeder fell off the tree, Makayla was there to help. On her way to Grandpa’s one day, Makayla sees her neighbor planting a memory garden in honor of her cat who passed away. Makayla cares about Mrs. MacFee and knows that she should help with the garden, but there are bugs in the garden, and Makayla is terrified of bugs! When Makayla leaves Mrs. MacFee alone in her garden, she feels sad that she can’t help her neighbor. Then, she begins to think about how her grandpa still takes her to their favorite ice-cream shop, even though he can’t eat sweets anymore. Makayla realizes that caring is about doing nice things for other people, even when you don’t have to and when it’s hard to do. Makayla returns to Mrs. MacFee’s garden, determined to overcome her fear of bugs in order to help plant the garden.

Nicholas can't stand his next-door neighbor, Mr. Robinson. Mr. Robinson gets mad about everything. Dad explains that Mr. Robinson is probably grumpy because of some personal troubles. But Nicholas doesn't care, at least until he has a bad day of his own.

When Ashley procrastinates writing her school essay, she's caught up short: it's due tomorrow and she hasn't even started. Her friend Kelly says she's having her sister write hers. Ashley knows that's cheating, but what is she to do?

Jason has an important job to do. He has to take the invitations for Grandma's birthday party to the mailbox right away. But then he sees Carson flying a new eagle kite in the park. It won't matter if he stops to fly the kite for a minute, will it?

In World War II Poland, a young girl receives straw at the Christmas Eve service to bring to her impoverished family. But on her way home, Marta meets others who are much poorer than she, and she shares her piece until there is nothing left. In spite of the lack of straw--though perhaps because of her generous heart---Marta finds riches she never expected in this tender tale of Christmas giving. The Traditions of Faith series features stories of how significant Christian traditions emerged from around the world. These traditions continue to be practiced today and encompass many different holidays. Each Traditions of Faith book includes an author's note about the history of the tradition, and ideas and activities to adopt into one's own family celebrations.

Seth's best friend, Jacob, broke Seth's truck. Seth knows it was an accident, but still, it was his favorite toy! He tells Jacob to go home and not come back. But when Seth goes to visit his neighbor, Grandma Grace, he accidentally breaks a lamp.

After talking about heroes and martyrs at school, a young girl gets a first-hand look at heroism when her father and several others protect their neighbor from a group of racists.

For use as a 6-week thematic unit, or as individual activities, featuring: multiple intelligence activities, small group projects, character education. Teacher's guide to With love, to Earth's endangered peoples which is an introduction to the endangered cultures of the Quecha, Ainu, Bushmen, Toda, Inuit, Mbuti and Aborigine. $

I wanted to know all about God, So I went looking for him in signs of His creation . . .In simple, poetic language this engaging book explores the kinds of questions children ask about God: What does God do in the morning? Where is God at night? What colors does God like? What does God's love feel like? The warm, colorful illustrations depict children of diverse cultural backgrounds wondering about God and experiencing God in their daily lives.

A young black girl living in the city compares her life with that of the East African people called the Masai in this whimsical and energetic picture book. In school one day, a little girl named Linda learns about East Africa and a tall, proud people called the Masai. She feels a kinship with them and imagines how her life would be if she lived there. She would live in a circle of huts in a tiny village instead of her apartment building. Instead of having a hamster as a pet, she would live among the giraffes and zebras on the African plain. Linda’s observations celebrate things that are different and things that are the same, as her imagination opens the door to a place where Masai might become Masai and I.

A CARP FOR KIMIKO is the story of a young girl's struggle against the strong current of tradition. Every year on Children's Day in Japan a kite in the shape of a carp is flown for each boy in the family. Kimiko is a little girl who desperately wants an orange, black, and white calico carp kite of her own to fly on this holiday. Kimiko's parents remind her that there is a holiday just for girls?Doll's Festival Day, but this does not stop Kimiko from dreaming about and wishing for her very own carp. The magical ending achieves the impossible?Kimiko gets what she longs for without breaking tradition. Katherine Roundtree's beautiful illustrations evoke the wonder and excitement of childhood, which will charm readers of all cultures.

Denise visits her grandmother, a wildlife rehabilitator in the Louisiana bayou, and helps heal and free an injured painted bunting chick.

Paintings of real kids from many cultures show us the beauty, the splendor, and the wonder of our hair.