New Releases by Allen Say

The bundle contains Caldecott Award winners.

Inspire Young Minds Through Literature with This Engaging Curriculum Bring stories to life with this 300+ page curriculum featuring 18 hands-on, literature-based units designed to spark creativity, critical thinking, and cross-curricular connections. Each unit centers on a beloved picture book and includes activities that extend learning into: *Social Studies *Science *Art *Geography Perfect for classrooms, homeschool environments, or small group instruction, the lessons are low-prep, easy to implement, and thoughtfully organized. Each unit includes: *18 week-long, kid-loved units *Hands-on, book-inspired activities *Discussion prompts and extension ideas *QR codes linking to optional online supplemental materials Quick, Flexible Learning *Each lesson takes about 30 minutes, though timing may vary depending on the activity and the pace of the adult guiding the child. *Recommended supplemental materials use everyday supplies you likely already have at home. Explore the World Through Stories Daily geography tie-ins encourage students to locate and explore the countries or regions connected to each story using the included world maps and printed flags. These geography activities help children see where the story is set in relation to their own location while building cultural awareness and global understanding. Learn About U.S. National Symbols Students also explore eight key U.S. symbols, including: *The American Flag *The Pledge of Allegiance *The National Anthem *Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial *Bald Eagle *Liberty Bell *White House *Statue of Liberty Beloved Books, Meaningful Learning Featured titles include The Story About Ping, The Rag Coat, How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World, Cranberry Thanksgiving, Grandfather's Journey, and Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Each lesson deepens comprehension while encouraging curiosity and a personal connection to the material. Whether teaching one child or a full classroom, this flexible, low-prep curriculum brings literature to life, integrates multiple subjects, and inspires a lasting love of reading and learning.

Almond is a breathtaking and evocative story about finding your talent from Caldecott Medalist Allen Say. Everything changes for Almond Biggs when a new girl comes to school. The New Girl can play "The Flight of the Bumblebee" fast fast fast on her violin. And every day Almond sits and listens. Lost in the music, Almond wonders if she has her own unique gift. One special day, as Almond is watching the crows, circling and twirling in the wind, she realizes that she too can spread her wings and discovers the magic to being happy inside and out. Allen Say's luminous artwork and emotionally powerful story help children discover the wondrous gift of being who they are.

In this Caldecott Medal–winning picture book, master storyteller Allen Say chronicles his family’s history between Japan and California. A lyrical, breathtaking tale of one man’s love for two countries, Grandfather’s Journey is perfect for fans of Last Stop on Market Street and Thank You, Omu! Through pensive portraits and delicately faded art, Allen Say pays tribute to his grandfather’s persistent longing for home that continues within Allen. This restlessness and constant desire to be in two places speaks to a universal experience as well as the deeply personal ties of family to place, and what it means to be at home in more than one country. Both a celebration of heritage and a poignant exploration of the struggles we inherit, Grandfather’s Journey is a modern classic perfect for every household.

Yuriko, teased at school for her unusual name and Japanese ancestry, yearns to be more ordinary until her father reminds her of how special she is.

Caldecott medalist Allen Say chronicles his experiences as an artist during World War II, and describes his relationship with his mentor Noro Shinpei, Japan's leading cartoonist.

A Japanese American man recounts his grandfather's journey to America which he later also undertakes, and the feelings of being torn by a love for two different countries.

There was a story that Mama read to Jiro: Once, in old Japan, a young woodcutter lived alone in a little cottage. One winter day he found a crane struggling in a snare and set it free. When Jiro looks out the window into Mr. Ozu’s garden, he sees a crane and remembers that story. Much like the crane, the legend comes to life—and, suddenly, Jiro finds himself in a world woven between dream and reality. Which is which? Allen Say creates a tale about many things at once: the power of story, the allure of the imagined, and the gossamer line between truth and fantasy. For who among us hasn’t imagined ourselves in our own favorite fairy tale?

Caldecott Medalist Allen Say creates a beautiful story about an American girl who seeks adventure in Japan and discovers more than she could have imagined. In her grandmother’s house there is one Japanese print of a small house with lighted windows. Even as a small girl, Erika loved that picture. It will pull her through childhood, across vast oceans and modern cities, then into towns—older, quieter places—she has only ever dreamed about. But Erika cannot truly know what she will find there, among the rocky seacoasts, the rice paddies, the circle of mountains, and the class of children. For Erika-san, can Japan be all that she has imagined?

Thirteen-year-old Kiyoi, an apprentice to the famous cartoonist, Noro Shinpei, tries to develop his talent and become self-reliant, in this novel based upon the author's own boyhood in Japan.

A biography of Bill Wong, a Chinese American who became a famous bullfighter in Spain.

A young boy and his father become closer friends during a camping trip in the mountains.

The Kamishibai man used to ride his bicycle into town where he would tell stories to the children and sell them candy, but gradually, fewer and fewer children came running at the sound of his clappers. They were all watching their new televisions instead. Finally, only one boy remained, and he had no money for candy. Years later, the Kamishibai man and his wife made another batch of candy, and he pedaled into town to tell one more story—his own. When he comes out of the reverie of his memories, he looks around to see he is surrounded by familiar faces—the children he used to entertain have returned, all grown up and more eager than ever to listen to his delightful tales. Using two very different yet remarkable styles of art, Allen Say tells a tale within a tale, transporting readers seamlessly to the Japan of his memories.

There were eggs in every bird’s nest, the air buzzed with honeybees, and cherry trees blossomed all at once. The poor villagers forgot their cares and gathered in the meadow to sing and dance their time away. But their miserly landlord refused to be happy. Mumbling and grumbling, he sat all alone eating a bowl of cherries and glaring at the merry villagers. Then, quite by accident, he swallowed a cherry pit. The pit began to sprout, and soon the landlord was the wonder of the village—a cherry tree was growing out of the top of his head! What happened to the cherry tree and to the wicked landlord is a favorite joke in Japan. Allen Say tells the story with wit and vitality, and his beautiful drawings complement this classic Japanese tale.

When Allison tries on the red kimono her grandmother has sent her, she is suddenly aware that she resembles her favorite doll more than she does her mother and father. When her parents try to explain that she is adopted, her world becomes an uncomfortable place. She becomes angry and withdrawn. She wonders why she was given up, what her real name is, and whether other children have parents in faraway countries. Allison's doll becomes her only solace until she finds a stray cat in the garden and learns the true meaning of adoption and parental love.

As a girl, Alice loved to dance, but the rhythms of her life offered little opportunity for a foxtrot, let alone a waltz. World War II erupted soon after she was married. Alice and her husband, along with many other Japanese Americans, were forced to leave their homes and report to assembly centers around the country. Undaunted, Alice and her husband learned to make the most of every circumstance, from their stall in the old stockyard in Portland to the decrepit farm in the Oregon desert, with its field of stones. Like a pair of skilled dancers, they sidestepped adversity to land gracefully amid golden opportunity. Together they turned a barren wasteland into a field of endless flowers. Such achievements did not come without effort and sacrifice, though, and Alice often thought her dancing days were long behind her. But as her story testifies, life is full of changes . . . In this striking book, Allen Say introduces readers to the remarkable story of the life of a woman whose perseverance and resilience serve as an inspirational reminder that dreams can be fulfilled, even when least expected.

Korean edition of the 1967 Newbery Honor book The Black Pearl by Scott O'Dell. It's a story of Ramon whose family deals with the black pearls off the coast of Baja California-Mexico. Being a partner with his father at the age of 16 is just out of this world. But little did Ramon know, this partnership also taught him about what makes a man. In Korean. Annotation copyright Tsai Fong Books, Inc. Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.

In a story of warmth and surprise, Allen Say explores the origins of artistic inspiration. Elegant illustrations portray the journey of a child who discovers that creativity ultimately comes from within.

In dreamlike sequences, a man symbolically confronts the trauma of his family’s incarceration in the Japanese internment camps during World War II. This infamous event is made emotionally clear through his meeting a group of children all with strange name tags pinned to their coats. The man feels the helplessness of the children. Finally, desperately he releases the name tags like birds into the air to find their way home with the hope for a time when Americans will be seen as one people—not judged, mistrusted, or segregated because of their individual heritage. Sixty years after thousands of Japanese Americans were unjustly imprisoned, the cogent prose and haunting paintings of renowned author and illustrator Allen Say remind readers of a dark chapter in America’s history.

Cuando terminó la secundaria a May le hubiera gustado ir a la universidad y vivir en San Francisco, pero sus padres extrañaban su país y decidieron volver a Japón, su tierra natal. May se puso triste. No quería dejar el único hogar que había conocido. En Japón todos la llaman por su nombre japonés, Masako, y tiene que ponerse kimonos y sentarse en el suelo. May cree que allí siempre se sentirá una extranjera. Es un placer contemplar las magníficas ilustraciones de Allen Say, y el relato acerca de su madre es entrañable. Té con leche es un retrato vivo de la gentil formalidad de Japón, que refleja la confrontación entre dos culturas cuando May intenta independizarse.

In his Caldecott acceptance speech for GRANDFATHER'S JOURNEY, Allen Say told of his difficulty in separating his dreams from reality. For him this separation was not as important as finding a meaning behind the contradictions and choices we all must make in life and their consequences. Early one morning a boy comes into town, hungry, and looking for work. He meets a sign painter who takes him on as a helper. The boy yearns to be a painter. The man offers him security. The two are commissioned to paint a series of billboards in the desert. Each billboard has one word, Arrowstar. They do not know its meaning. As they are about to paint the last sign, the boy looks up and sees in the distance a magnificent structure. Is it real? They go to find out. Through a simple text and extraordinary paintings, the reader learns of the temptation of safe choices and the uncertainties of following a personal dream. Here Allen Say tells a haunting and provocative story of dreams and choices for readers of all ages.

A true story of Billy Wong, the first Chinese bullfighter.

When a young Asian-American boy who spends all of his time skateboarding wakes up one morning with the face of an old man, he has trouble convincing people that he is still himself.

Through compelling reminiscences of his grandfather's life in America and Japan, Allen Say gives us a poignant acount of a family's unique cross-cultural experience. He warmly conveys his own love for his two countries, and the strong and constant desire to be in both places at once.