New Releases by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard

Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard’s charming writing is paired with Robert Casilla’s nostalgic watercolor illustrations in this sweet tale of two young sisters traveling to visit their aunt. All aboard the train to Aunt Lulu’s in this endearing story of two sisters traveling alone to their great aunt’s house. The train from Boston to Baltimore can be long and lonely, but luckily these sisters have each other to lean on. Filled with reflective heritage and nostalgic illustrations, Howard reflects on the history of her own ancestors in this sweet tale about the importance of family connections, filled with African American history and subtle geography lessons.

Virgie was always begging to go to school with us boys. "Papa, Mama, can I go too?" My brothers had doubts. School was seven miles away -- a long way from Mama. Virgie was scarcely big as a field mouse. How could she make the trip? And girls didn''t really need school. But I got to thinking: Virgie was free like we were. Free to learn. And didn''t girls need to know how to write and add too? Mama and Papa thought so. And one summer, they decided to do something about it. That was the year Virgie came to school with us boys. And she sure showed us!

Sarah is a flower girl in her aunt''s wedding. She''s excited, nervous, and happy all at once--feelings her mother says are only butterflies. But will they go away before the wedding day? Full color.

Susan and Sarah have always wondered what''s in the locked room, the one that used to be Aunt Mary''s, at Great-Great-Aunt Flossie''s house. Now, after helping Aunt Flossie locate the missing key, they find out at last. Among the "things to save, things to keep" is a big Bible, and Aunt Flossie lets Susan add her name and Sarah''s to the family record in its pages. Full color.

JonAugust and Lizzie plan a birthday surprise for Lulu. Includes a recipe for "One-Two-Three-Four Cake."

Bang-Whirr-Whirr-Crunch. Clip-Clip-Trrrr-Crcrick. Flip-Flap-Plop. What wonderful noises the garbage truck & the tree trimmers & the mail carrier make! But what Jonathan really wants to hear is the telltale Vrrom-Chug-Chug of the big yellow bus that will bring his best playmate, big sister Sarah, home from school. Energized collaborators Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard & Nina Crews get right to the heart of a young child''s concerns in this sunny, photographic ode to anticipation, patience, & yes-noise!

A fierce alligator, a sneaky snake, a gigantic eagle, and a majestic horse all play dramatic roles in Papa''s story about a brave soldier who must deliver a secret message. Chita joins in the telling, making this cherished time for father and daughter hard to resist. Full color.

Mac and his sister wait for a surprise that their uncle plans to throw from the train where he works in the dining car.

A book to read along with the audio cassette.

Christmas is coming! And all Chita can dream about is choosing her very own Christmas tree. "Mama!" Chita calls. "Mama! Is today the day?" "Yes," says Mama. "Papa is almost ready." And so Chita and her father set out into the deep, snowy woods to find Chita''s very own Christmas tree. And when Christmas morning comes, Chita has many surprises, but none as beautiful as her tree -- with its full and graceful branches and her name carved in its trunk.

Here''s the antidote to laments about history being boring: a guide to historical fiction that animates the data of textbooks.