New Releases by Jane Yolen

From award-winning and beloved author Jane Yolen, this delightful picture book is a funny and endearing field guide to the unique world of mermaids. Would you like to spot a mermaid? If so, you will need a few supplies and a great deal of patience. As we learn in these informative illustrated pages, mermaids are very shy and do not make friends easily. But if you find a place near the water, sit very still, and are willing to share your Goldfish crackers, you just might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one. And who knows . . . there may even be a mermaid, somewhere, hoping to catch a glimpse of you, too! Mermaid fans and science-minded young readers alike will love the step-by-step guidance in How to Spot a Mermaid, a clever how-to book that celebrates the magic in the world around us and helps us to let our imaginations run wild and swim the line between reality and fiction. FOR IMAGINATIVE EXPLORERS: Binoculars, map, pad, and pen—check. The main character who leads the way on this mermaid search is an engaged young scientist doing exciting fieldwork. She is at the ready for real-world observational science with all the tools she needs—including a sense of curiosity! ENVIRONMENTAL BOOK FOR KIDS: Preservation of our wilderness—and our waterways in particular—is essential, and this book makes a great, upbeat starting point for discussions of the importance and wonder of our world''s natural habitats and ecosystems. GORGEOUS UNDERWATER WORLD: This captivating marine life book illuminates the amazing biodiversity and wonder of our world''s waterways by telling the story of one curious kid''s search for an ever-elusive mermaid. Perfect for: Young readers who love mermaid tales and nature books Parents and grandparents looking for books that spark imagination and curiosity Educators looking for books that model fieldwork, observational science, and STEM themes in a fun way Fans of Jane Yolen books, including the How Do Dinosaurs series, Owl Moon, and What To Do With a Box Fans of books illustrated by Sally Deng, including Warrior Princess: The Story of Khutulun and Jella Lepman and Her Library of Dreams Readers who love How to Catch a Mermaid, The World of Emily Windsnap, and The Little Mermaid Stories

From Jane Yolen, the author of the Caldecott Award–winning book Owl Moon, comes a friendship story about a bird-loving boy who meets a bird-loving girl in the picture book Love Birds, featuring illustrations by Anna Wilson. Jon loved to listen to birdsong. Bright cardinals, cawing crows, chatty chickadees, wrens, and jays; barn swallows and doves’ lullabies. He especially loved to listen to owls. One night when an owl hoots, throaty and lovely, the boy hoots back in a duet. And when another owl responds from the nearest pines, the bird-loving boy discovers it’s not a bird at all. Sometimes the best song is the sound of a new friend. “Feathers and friendship make for a good pairing in this gentle ode to appreciating both.”—Kirkus Reviews

A powerful celebration of libraries from master storyteller Jane Yolen. Benjamin Franklin introduces his son Billy to the Leather Apron Club, where it''s love at first page. When Billy''s father Benjamin Franklin announces that Billy and his lazy cousin James will soon have a tutor, Billy is initially dismayed. But his tutor awakens him to the power of story and books, and when Billy accompanies his father to the Leather Apron Club (which Franklin started in 1727), he decides to do more with his education and life. Best-selling author Jane Yolen introduces readers to the Leather Apron Club. Not only was the Club the first successful lending library in the United States--it also exists to this day as the Library Company of Philadelphia! Careful readers will notice that the story cleverly incorporates famous sayings from Ben Franklin''s Poor Richard''s Almanack, underscoring the lasting impact of words.

In this spooky book from the nonfiction An Unsolved Mystery from History picture book series, tragedy strikes Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692 as the community is torn apart by accusations of witchcraft. When a group of girls came down with a horrible, mysterious bout of illness, they pointed the finger at people in their community they claimed were witches. Soon, the whole town was convinced they were in danger from supernatural forces. Today, we have details about the accusations, trials, and those who lost their lives, but the question remains: What caused the mass hysteria? Become a detective, study the clues, and see if you can help solve this chilling mystery from history!

This delightful counting book of poetry and pictures on the Texas 2x2 Reading List captures animals by the numbers. Vivid, playful poems tell the stories of one elk, two birds, three fish—from one through ten and then many—as they go about their day either solo or within a special circle of friends. The marvelous photographs allows readers to peek at some common creatures that enjoy the company of others.

From acclaimed, prolific author Jane Yolen comes a colorful Level 1 Ready-to-Read story all about a school music concert! The fish are performing a music concert at school. But then they start to worry: “What if a current grabs my strings? What if our soloist never sings?” School performances can be full of jitters but can also be very rewarding. Beginning readers can follow along as the fish overcome their stage fright and take to the stage!

The blazing conclusion to the Stone Man Mysteries trilogy. In the climactic final volume of the Stone Man Mysteries series, the demon-turned-gargoyle Silex and his human helper Craig make the ultimate uneasy alliance: a partnership with the Devil himself. The prince of darkness is stuck on Earth, trapped in the body of Silex''s previous assistant. When one of the Devil''s lieutenants attempts to conquer both the underworld and living world, Silex and Craig will have to bust the Devil out of confinement in order to save humanity.

From acclaimed, prolific author Jane Yolen comes a Level 1 Ready-to-Read story bursting with all the excitement and a little bit of the nervousness that color a fish’s first day at a new school. I look around. What do I see? Another fish who’s just like me! A little scared. A little new. All alone and feeling blue. Starting at a new school is never easy, but it can also be really exciting. Beginning readers can follow along as one intrepid little fish goes through the many emotions associated with a new school experience!

Finding Baba Yaga is a mythic yet timely novel-in-verse by the beloved and prolific New York Times bestselling author and poet Jane Yolen, "the Hans Christian Andersen of America" ( Newsweek). A young woman discovers the power to speak up and take control of her fate—a theme that has never been more timely than it is now... You think you know this story. You do not. A harsh, controlling father. A quiescent mother. A house that feels like anything but a home. Natasha gathers the strength to leave, and comes upon a little house in the wood: A house that walks about on chicken feet and is inhabited by a fairy tale witch. In finding Baba Yaga, Natasha finds her voice, her power, herself.... "Jane Yolen is a phenomenon: a poet and a mythmaker, who understands how old stories can tell us new things. We are lucky to have her." —Neil Gaiman

A warrior and her dark sister join forces to dismantle and remake their embattled world in this epic fantasy saga from a Nebula Award–winning author. One of fantasy fiction''s preeminent practitioners, Jane Yolen creates a world and mythology that are richly enthralling and vibrantly alive in this acclaimed trilogy. Sister Light, Sister Dark: Three-times orphaned and raised secretly by the acolytes of the goddess Alta, the child Jenna studies the ways of the warrior in preparation for the day that has been prophesied. For she may well be the goddess reborn who, with the aid of Skada—her mirror twin who can reveal herself only in darkness—is fated to bring devastation to the world. White Jenna: Grown to young womanhood, the warrior Jenna offers her allegiance to the rightful king of the Dales—and her heart to his brother, Carum—joining the fight against the malevolent usurper Kalas. But the powerful despot appears unstoppable, dedicated to the destruction of the worshippers of Alta, the society of women in which the orphaned Jenna was lovingly raised. The One-Armed Queen: Having fulfilled an ancient prophecy, the Queen of the Dales must now keep her faltering kingdom safe from a looming terror, and prepare her chosen successor—a one-armed orphan girl she discovered on the battlefield—for the grim responsibilities of rule. A sweeping adventure of destiny, peril, magic, and romance, The Great Alta Saga is a magnificent feat of storytelling that ingeniously blends world-building, myth, poetry, and song.

The exciting conclusion to the Seelie Wars trilogy. Full of magic, battles, and page-turning excitement, this series is a perfect introduction to classic fantasy. The war that Prince Aspen and midwife''s apprentice Snail started—purely by accident—is at hand. The Unseelie Army, the evil side of Faerie, will soon invade and destroy the Seelie kingdom. Aspen is terrified, not simply because his homeland is on the verge of ruin, but because he is now, after the death of his father and brothers, the Seelie King. He is a young, untried king; a king without a battle plan. But he has Snail, his first and only friend, and the only one who can raise the army Aspen needs—an army of changelings, like her. First, however, she has to convince the mysterious, dangerous Professor Odds, the changelings’ leader, who has a destructive plan of his own.

Master storyteller Jane Yolen and celebrated fantasy artist Rebecca Guay (Swamp Thing; Magic: The Gathering) weave a textured and lyrical tale of adventure, homelands, and heroism the hard way. Two hundred years ago, humans drove the dragons from the islands of May. Now, the last of the dragons rises to wreak havoc anew - with only a healer''s daughter and a kite-flying would-be hero standing in its way.

A rock ''n'' roll band to die for? Callie is about to find out.... Not much happens in fourteen-year-old Callie McCallan''s sleepy Massachusetts town. So when the famous rock ''n'' roll band, Brass Rat, schedules a concert in the Valley, it''s big news. As a reporter for her school paper, Callie scores the scoop of a lifetime--a backstage pass to interview the lead singer of Brass Rat! Her friends are so jealous. But Callie isn''t sure what the fuss is all about...until she meets the band. Lead singer Peter Gringras and his band mates are so cool. Especially Peter. When he plays his flute, it''s as if he has some kind of hypnotic power. But there is something strange about the band, something Callie can''t quite put her finger on. Maybe she''s just being weird, but it''s as if they''re from here--but not from here--at the same time. It''s when, on Halloween night, Callie''s little brother Nicky disappears--along with all the other children of Northampton--that she begins to wonder if her suspicions are so weird after all. It''s crazy, but Callie thinks she knows why the children have disappeared--and who took them. To prove it--and to rescue Nicky and the other children--Callie will be forced down a road that will lead to her to a mythical world filled with fantastical creatures. A world from which there may be no return.... At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

In this unusual collection, poems and photographs focus on shapes in nature. Some shapes are found in familiar places: A circle is the sun and a crescent is the moon. But there are imaginative surprises too: an alligator's tooth is a triangle and a frond's shadow forms a square. Related shape words—round, halo, sphere, etc.—are scattered throughout the spreads. This collaboration captures the beauty of shapes in nature in a playful way.

DIVDIVDIVInspired by true events, the story of two girls raised by wolves/divDIV Mohandas lives in the Home, a Christian orphanage in Godamuri, India, close to the jungle. The people of Godamuri beg the orphanage’s director, the Reverend Mr. Welles, to get rid of the ghosts, called manush-bagha, haunting their village. When the Reverend investigates, he discovers that the “ghosts” are really two human girls living with a pack of wolves. Mohandas’s life is altered forever when the Reverend brings the two girls to live at the orphanage. Reverend Welles is sure that with time and attention, the girls will learn to speak and become civilized. But the other children do not like these strange creatures who walk on all fours, refuse to wear clothes, eat raw chicken, and howl at the moon. Only Mohandas is willing to show the wolf-sisters a little kindness. But is kindness enough to make them human?/divDIV /divDIVThis ebook features a personal history by Jane Yolen including rare images from the author’s personal collection, as well as a note from the author about the making of the book./div/div/div

In these twenty-eight magnificent tales, which include two Nebula Award winners, Jane Yolen puts a provocative spin on familiar storybook worlds and beloved fairy tale characters One of the most acclaimed and honored authors in science fiction and fantasy, Jane Yolen has been called "the Hans Christian Andersen of America" for her brilliant reimagining of classic fairy tales. In her first collection of short stories written for an adult audience (after Tales of Wonder and Dragonfield), Yolen explores themes of freedom and justice, truth and consequence, and brings new life to our most cherished fables and myths. Here are storybook realms rendered more contemporary, and cautionary tales made grimmer than Grimm: Snow White is transported to Appalachia to match wits with a snake-handling evil stepmother and Beauty's meeting with the Beast takes a twisty, O. Henry–esque turn; in Yolen's Nebula Award–winning "Lost Girls," a feminist revolt rocks Peter Pan's Neverland and in the collection's glorious title story—also a Nebula winner—the poet Emily Dickinson receives some unexpected and otherworldly inspiration. Sometimes dark, sometimes funny, and always enthralling, Sister Emily's Lightship is proof positive that Yolen is truly a folklorist of our times. This ebook features a personal history by Jane Yolen including rare images from the author's personal collection, as well as a note from the author about the making of the book.

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults. "[A] spellbinding twist on the Round Table legend . . . a standout in this enormous canon."— Publishers Weekly (starred review) The newly crowned King Arthur is unsure of himself; worse, the people are unsure of him. Too many people want the throne, and treachery is everywhere. Merlin must do something before the king is betrayed, or murdered, or—worst of all—gets married. So Merlin magically places a sword into a slab of rock, lets it be known that whosoever removes the blade will rule all of England, and invites any man who would dare to try to pull out the sword. After a bit of showmanship, Arthur will draw the blade (with a little magical help, of course), and the people will rally around the young king. Except someone else pulls the sword out first . . . A Booklist Editors'' Choice ABA''s Pick of the Lists A Parent''s Guide Children''s Media Award Winner "Yolen takes elements of Arthurian legend and makes them her own in this involving novel."— Booklist (starred review) "[A] page-turning tale of magic and adventure, betrayal, loyalty, and love."— School Library Journal (starred review) "A subtle, many-layered tale . . . It is, as the book''s ending tells readers, ''an old story but a good one,'' and Yolen does it honor."— VOYA (5Q—highest rating)

The legendary wizard''s early years are explored in this magical adventure by the acclaimed author of the Pit Dragon Chronicles. A boy is abandoned in the woods of medieval England. A year passes—a year of terror and hunger, of sleeping in trees and foraging for food, of outrunning packs of wild dogs—until one day a falconer captures and tames the boy as he would any passager, a young bird caught in the wild and trained. The falconer adopts the boy and teaches him all of the things he''s forgotten, including the boy''s true name—and the legacy of magic that will be his when he comes of age. Praise for Passager "This first book of the Young Merlin Trilogy will have readers awaiting the sequels." — The Horn Book "Steeped in hawks, mews, and wood life, the trilogy evokes a romantic, dreamy time. But its unadorned language lets the story emerge in a guileless way that will captivate young readers. This is a fine read-aloud." — San Diego Union Tribune

From Caldecott-winning author Jane Yolen comes a delightful picture book for horse lovers big and small! Hush, little horsie, Asleep on the moor. Your mama is close— That’s what mamas are for. Mama horses around the world promise to watch over their little ones as the foals frolic and play and eventually fall asleep in this soothing bedtime story. Young horse lovers will drift off with Ruth Sanderson’s stunning horses in their minds and the promise of their own parents’ enduring love in their hearts. Award-winning author Jane Yolen has written the New York Times bestselling How Do Dinosaurs . . . series and Owl Moon, winner of the Caldecott Medal. In Hush, Little Horsie, she has dreamed up a lovely rhyming read-aloud for a mother and child to snuggle up with. This gorgeous picture book is perfect for horse lovers big and small—and for mothers in need of a good bedtime story.

Elsie is a city girl. She loves the noise of the cobbled streets of Boston. But when her mother dies and her father moves them to the faraway prairies of Nebraska, Elsie hears only the silence, and she feels alone in the wide sea of grass. Her only comfort is her canary, Timmy Tune. But when Timmy flies out the window, Elsie is forced to run after him, into the tall grass of the prairie, where she''s finally able to hear the voice of the prairie-beautiful and noisy- and she begins to feel at home. Jane Yolen and David Small create a remarkable, poetic, vividly rendered book about finding one''s place in the world.

These princesses dig in the dirt, kick soccer balls, and splash in muddy puddles -- all in their sparkly crowns!

Aliera Carstairs just doesn't fit in. She's always front and center at the fencing studio, but at school she's invisible. And she's fine with that . . . until Avery Castle walks into her first period biology class.

Explains how little dinosaurs should behave during a typical school day.

All but ignored by her family, Princess Djeow Seow spends most of the day playing with her kite. When her father, the Emperor, is imprisoned in a high tower, Princess saves the day by flying her kite up the tower to save him.

Are you a writer longing to rediscover the joy that you once had in the craft (or even find it for the first time)? In this inspiring guide, Jane Yolen, an author who has been called America''s Hans Christian Andersen, shows writers how to focus on aspects of the craft that bring them joy. &break;&break;She remarks in the first chapter, "Save the blood and pain for real life, where tourniquets and ibuprofen can have some chance of helping. Do not be afraid to grab hold of the experience with both hands and take joy." &break;&break;Addressing topics all writers struggle with, Yolen discusses the writer''s voice, beginnings and endings, dealing with rejection, the technical aspects of writing, and the process of coming up with an idea–and deals with each of them in a way that focuses on the positive and eliminates the negative. &break;&break;As Yolen says, "Be prepared as you write to be surprised by your own writing, surprised by what you find out about yourself and about your world. Be ready for the happy accident." &break;&break;Get ready to take joy in your writing once again.

Illustrations and rhyming text show dinosaurs learning the names of all the colors of the rainbow.

Jane Yolen's wintry, shivery poems are inspired by the stunning photographs of Jason Stemple, who has captured the imagesof snow in all its breathtaking beauty. After children enjoy these poems and pictures, they will look at snow in a different way --with their imaginations as well as your eyes.

A family saga in a fantasy kingdom run by women. It is centered on the queen''s adopted daughter, the one-armed warrior, Scillia, whose succession to the throne is threatened by her brother, manipulated by evil men.

Second in the thrilling young adult fantasy series from the award-winning author of Dragon''s Blood. "Readers . . . will welcome this one with delight." — Booklist An ALA Best Book for Young Adults Jakkin now has everything he''s ever wanted—the rank of freeman, a string of victories in the dragon pits, and the companionship of his dragon, Heart''s Blood. Everything, that is, except for his beloved Akki, who vanished a year ago. To find her, Jakkin must become a rebel spy. He will risk everything he holds dear—Heart''s Blood, her hatchlings, even his hard-won freedom—and join in a game fiercer than any dragon pit match, a game he''ll lose no matter how well he plays. "Eloquent . . . rich in symbolism." — The Horn Book

Dragons are trained to fight to the death, and two determined teens help free them in this spellbinding saga. Training a dragon to be a fighting champion is the only way to freedom for fifteen-year-old Jakkin.