New Releases by Heidi E. Y. Stemple

Sidelined from his soccer team by a broken collarbone, Michael, his friend Jet, and the "Avian Adventurers" set out to stop construction in the forest and save the warbler nests and the eggs about to hatch.

A warm and witty read-aloud about a moose named Norm and her misadventures in search of a friend. Ernestine Norman Moose (Norm for short) sets out to find a friend, but being enormous makes that surprisingly difficult. Norm's size causes chaos everywhere she goes. People shout, wave their arms, and declare, "That thing is ENORMOUS!" Norm is thrilled they know her name... but disappointed they don't want to be her friend. Just when she's ready to give up, Norm meets Bo, a calm and quiet cow who doesn't mind Norm's size--or her clumsiness. Together they discover that the best friendships often come in the most unexpected forms. A playful, heartwarming picture book about belonging, differences, and finding your herd.

Birdwatching! Borrrring, right? Not to these avian adventurers from Maynard Elementary as they fight a snowstorm in order to save a rare snowy owl. An adventurous read for 7 to 10 year olds about forging long-lasting friendships in this new chapter book series about a junior birdwatching club. Michael, the star of the soccer team, is about to kick his first practice shot when he hears a noise from behind him. Jet, a bird nerd and member of the Junior Birdwatching Club, appears and shows Michael what he would have missed by being so singularly focused on the ball—a rare snowy owl on the goal post. While they watch, the owl captures a rat and devours it. The next day, a hoard of birders arrive and Michael thinks he may never get his soccer field back. But Jet has discovered that the owl is not well and the Junior Bird Club enlists Michael to help get the bird help during a snowstorm. Michael promised his parents he'd be home before the snow started, but with a hurt owl, will he? Join Michael and his new friends as they use all their talents and knowledge to rescue the snowy owl.

Eek, you reek, You make a funk. Where you have been Things stink, stank, stunk. You've left a path, A swath of smell, And—yuck! You did it very well. Warning: this book reeks! It's rotten, rancid, foul, and funky. Within these pages, you'll find stinkbugs, weasels, Tasmanian devils, and a particularly pungent musk ox. Fourteen foul poems from Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple introduce this repugnant selection of animals, and magnificently malodorous illustrations from Eugenia Nobati showcase them in all their noxious glory. Ready to find out more? Plug your nose and read on . . .

A Schneider Family Book Award YA Honor Book A School Library Journal Best Book NCTE Notable Children's Verse Novel 2026 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers “This beautifully crafted novel sings and soars.” —Nikki Grimes, author of Ordinary Hazards Dylan seeks solace through birdwatching and poetry in the woods behind his grandfather’s auto shop—but when he rescues an injured hawk, he must learn to confront the broken parts in himself in this powerful middle-grade novel-in-verse. 15-year-old Dylan has always felt like an outsider in his small town. Isolated when he was younger as the result of his unpredictable, now absent mother and feeling like a disappointment to his grandfather who has stepped in to raise him, Dylan finds relief in the woods behind his grandfather's auto shop. Amidst the cool quiet of the trees, Dylan thrives on bird watching and writing poetry. But one afternoon after spotting an injured hawk, Dylan finds himself pushing out of his comfort zone to track down help for the bird—and ends up rescuing a part of himself in the process. In this luminous middle-grade novel-in-verse on navigating the lonely tumult of self-discovery amid complicated family history, Dylan relays his story with bracing emotional clarity.

Based on a true story to the beginning of the storied career of children’s book author Jane Yolen, written by her very own daughter. Janie Yolen loves to read, write, dance, and sing. So when her teacher announces Janie's elementary class will perform a play, Janie is thrilled. There's just one problem . . . the play is boring. With the support of her teacher and classmates, Janie rewrites the play, resulting in a hit class musical. An inspiring and funny look at how a writer became a writer, told by another prolific author--Heidi E. Y. Stemple, Jane's own daughter!

A celebration of seven different winter holidays observed in the US and the traditions that unite them all. Diwali, Solstice, Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, and Lunar New Year are visually depicted in turn, accompanying a stunning, read-aloud text that speaks of the traditions that link them all together. The warm yet accurate imagery is explained in simple secondary text on each spread, and further in the backmatter. Beloved author Jane Yolen and daughter, author Heidi Stemple, have crafted a loving and poignant story with true reverence for our shared traditions of celebrating light, love, food, and family. An empowering, informative, and inclusive holiday book for families of all traditions.

Penguins compete for the best parade float in this laugh-out-loud Level 1 Ready-to-Read from the author of Chicken Karaoke and Flamingo Bingo! Hip, hip, hooray—it’s a penguin parade! Who will win the Best Float vote? And does one of the penguins have a surprise trick up his sleeve?

Sing with birds of a feather in this laugh-out-loud Level 1 Ready-to-Read from the same team who created Toucan with Two Cans and Flamingo Bingo! The big night is finally here! Tonight, the birds gather for the Chicken Karaoke Show! Duck wants to shine in the spotlight, but can she overcome her stage fright and soar to new heights? Find out in this sweet and silly rhyming story.

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and sentence highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! Warning: this book sucks! It bites, slurps, and sticks too. Dare to open these pages and you'll find ticks, mosquitos, stingrays, elephants, jellyfish, and the particularly sucky lamprey. Sixteen slurpy poems from Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple introduce a suction-filled selection of animals, and spectacularly sticky illustrations from Eugenia Nobati spotlight these stupendous suckers. Ready to find out more? Prepare to get sucked in and read on . . .

A very talented Toucan juggles cans in this laugh-out-loud Level 1 Ready-to-Read! Can Toucan juggle two cans? He can! What about three cans? Or four? Young readers will root for Toucan and his can juggling act in this silly story that ends with a colorful surprise!

Children see that people come in many different shapes, and then are asked to pick which shape they are.

A tornado, a blizzard, a forest fire, and a hurricane are met, in turn, with resilience and awe in this depiction of nature's power and our own. In the face of our shifting climate, young children everywhere are finding themselves subject to unfamiliar and often frightening extreme weather. Beloved author Jane Yolen and her daughter Heidi Stemple address four distinct weather emergencies (a tornado, a blizzard, a forest fire, and a hurricane) with warm family stories of finding the joy in preparedness and resilience. Their honest reassurance leaves readers with the message: nature is powerful, but you are powerful, too. Illustrated in rich environmental tones and featuring additional information about storms in the back, this book educates, comforts, and empowers young readers in stormy or sunny weather, and all the weather in between.

Leap into this captivating collection of dance stories from around the world

From Cleopatra to Lizzie Borden, meet 26 of history's most notorious women. Each bad girl has a rotten reputation, but there are two sides to every tale. Each chapter ends with comic panels featuring caricatures of the authors discussing the women. Illustrations.

Master storyteller Jane Yolen and her daughter Heidi Stemple have teamed up to bring the magic of their acclaimed Fairy Tale Feasts to the time-honored and delicious traditions of Jewish storytelling and cuisine. Here you'll find Yolen's dynamic, enchanting retellings of Jewish tales from around the world paired with Stemple's recipes--for everything from challah to matzo brei to pomegranate couscous, tzimmes chicken, and rugelah, in creative versions of classic dishes that any family will delight in cooking together. And Jewish Fairy Tale Feasts is filled with fun facts and anecdotes, about the creation of the stories and the history of the dishes, designed to encourage future cooks and storytellers to make up their own versions. Readers of all ages will learn about Jewish folktales, culture, and cooking, all the while captivated by the humor and wisdom of these enduring stories (and ready to eat!).

Rhyming text affirms that girls can pursue their many interests, from playing sports to planting flowers in the dirt, without giving up their tiaras.

Short fairy tales mentioning or involving food are followed by recipes for the foods mentioned in the story.

"Massachusetts state history, famous people, landmarks, and industry are introduced through poetry and numbers. Detailed expository text on each topic is also included"--Provided by publisher.

In 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, witnessed one of the saddest and most inexplicable chapters in American history. When a group of girls came down with a horrible, mysterious bout of illness, the town doctor looked in his medical books but failed to find a reasonable diagnosis. Pretty soon everyone in town was saying the same thing: The girls were ill because they were under a spell, the spell of witchcraft! And still, the question remains: Why did the hysteria occur? The townspeople had many things to worry about back then: smallpox, strife with the local Indians, a preacher demanding higher wages, and the division of land in the community. But did all of those problems justify a witch hunt? Become a detective as you read this true story, study the clues, and try to understand the hysteria! The Unsolved Mystery from History series is written by acclaimed author Jane Yolen and former private investigator Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple. This is an innovative history lesson that's sure to keep kids thinking throughout.

A mother and daughter converse through poetry.