Best Selling Books by Jean E. Pendziwol

Elizabeth's eyes have failed. She can no longer read the books she loves or see the paintings that move her, but her mind remains sharp and music fills the vacancy left by her blindness. When her father's journals are discovered on a shipwrecked boat, she enlists the help of a delinquent teen, Morgan, to read to her. As an unlikely friendship grows between them, Elizabeth is carried back to her childhood home - the isolated lighthouse on Porphyry Island, Lake Superior - and to the memory of her enigmatic twin sister Emily. But for Elizabeth, the faded pages of her father's journals reveal more secrets than she anticipates and provide the key to a moment she has never understood. The day when she found a grave, marked with her own name ...

Jean E. Pendziwol’s newest picture book is a lyrical meditation on nature and hope. The child in this story observes the sun by playing with her shadow, though sometimes it disappears. She listens to the wind tell stories, even when it howls like wolves. She tastes snowflakes — sometimes sweet and delicate; other times sharp on her cheeks. And finally, she finds hope in the buds on a cherry tree that survive through the winter to blossom in spring. Jean E. Pendziwol has written a layered, lyrical exploration of the hardships and beauties of nature. Her poem, beautifully illustrated by Nathalie Dion, is a study in contrasts and a message of the hope that carries us through the year and through our lives. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2 Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4 Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.

Another useful addition to the Dragon Safety Series is this winning combination of rhyme, adventure and information that provides the perfect starting point for discussions about bullying.

Once Upon a Northern Night has received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal. In this exquisite lullaby, the beauty and wonder of a northern winter night unfold, with images of a soft snowfall, the wild animals that appear in the garden, the twinkling stars, the gentle rhythm of the northern lights and the etchings of frost on the window pane. As the young child sleeps, wrapped in a downy blanket, a snowflake falls, and then another and another. The poem describes the forest of snow-covered pines, where a deer and fawn nibble a frozen apple, and a great gray owl swoops down with its feathers trailing through the snow. Two snowshoe hares scamper and play under the watchful eyes of a little fox, and a tiny mouse scurries in search of a midnight feast. When the snow clouds disappear, stars light up the sky, followed by the mystical shimmering of northern lights - all framed by the frost on the window. Jean E. Pendziwol's lyrical poem reflects a deep appreciation of the magic of a northern winter night where, even as a child slumbers, the world outside does not rest but continues its own natural rhythms. Isabelle Arsenault's spare, beautifully rendered illustrations, with their subtle but striking use of color, make us feel that we too are experiencing the enchantment of that northern night. They simultaneously evoke winter's nighttime life and the cozy warmth and security of a beloved child's sleep.

Let’s go! Experience the magic of skating on wild ice. Two children wake up to hear the lake singing, then the wind begins wailing ... or is it a wolf? They bundle up and venture out into the cold, carrying their skates. On the snow-covered shore, they spot tracks made by fox, deer, hare, mink, otter ... and the wolf! In the bay, the ice is thick and smooth. They lace up their skates, step onto the ice, stroking and gliding, and the great lake sings again. In her signature poetic style, Jean E. Pendziwol describes the exhilarating experience of skating on the wild ice of Lake Superior, including the haunting singing that occurs as the ice expands and contracts. Accompanied by Todd Stewart’s breathtaking illustrations, this book will make us all long to skate wild! Key Text Features illustrations Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

A little girl must keep her dragon friend out of danger from strangers.

In the forests and fields, beside rivers and creeks, under the earth and hidden in trees, food is waiting to be found ... if you know where to look! Follow the footsteps of our ancestors as they head out on the quiet hunt, looking for roots and leaves, mushrooms and berries, fruits, flowers, nuts and seeds. But foraging is about more than just food – our ancestors also helped spread seeds and spores, took only what they needed, and gave thanks to the plants and animals that sustained them. Today, in our cities and towns, the quiet hunt looks a little different. But we can still gather our tools and follow the paths our ancestors took to find what grows in our own backyards. This lyrical story-poem from award-winning author Jean E. Pendziwol is a celebration of foraging that inspires an appreciation of found food, encourages our connection with nature and sparks our awareness of responsible environmental stewardship. Key Text Features illustrations Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.4 Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4 Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

When a child is asked to “Please, be quiet!” they sit silent ... and their imagination sweeps them away on a breathtaking journey. Through the window, the child can hear the trees breathe and watches them sway back and forth as they begin to dance. Then bears join in, accompanied by the child on their drum, making so much noise they wake up a dragon! The dragon’s smoky breath fills the sky, and the wind forms a knight on a steed that gallops through the stars. The child’s adventure continues, as one wonderful flight of fancy leads to the next, from pirates to mermaids to whales, until they find themselves sitting silent once again among the trees. Jean E. Pendziwol has written a charming story-poem that looks at silence and stillness as an opportunity for the imagination and creativity to flourish. Carmen Mok’s magical illustrations flow from one spread to the next like animation, in a palette inspired by vintage printmaking. Key Text Features dialogue illustrations Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

“A true gem that invites contemplation and reflection in children, who are often too busy to notice the beauty of everyday life.” — School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW In the stillness of a summer dawn, two siblings leave their campsite with fishing rods, tackle and bait, and push a red canoe into the lake. A perfect morning on the water unfolds, with thrilling glimpses of wildlife along the way. The narrator describes the experience vividly. Trailing a lure through the blue-green depths, the siblings paddle around a point, spotting a moose in the shallows, a beaver swimming towards its home and an eagle returning to its nest. Suddenly there is a sharp tug and the rod bends to meet the water. A few heart-stopping moments later, the pair pull a silvery trout from the water, then paddle back to the campsite to fry up a delicious breakfast. The poetic text is accompanied by stunningly beautiful paintings rendered on wood panels that give a nostalgic feeling to the story. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5 Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.

Eine kraftvolle Familiensaga vor der spektakulären Kulisse des Lake Superior Elizabeth und ihre Zwillingsschwester Emily wachsen in der rauen Einsamkeit des Lake Superior auf. Ihr Vater ist Leuchtturmwärter auf Porphyry Island, einer kleinen, sturmumtosten Insel. Die beiden Mädchen sind unzertrennlich, obwohl Emily nicht spricht – doch sie hat ein bemerkenswertes Gespür für Tiere, und sie malt wunderschöne Pflanzenbilder. Ihr Bruder Charles fühlt sich für die Schwestern verantwortlich. Doch dann setzt ein schreckliches Ereignis der Idylle für immer ein Ende ... Siebzig Jahre hat Elizabeth nicht mit ihrem Bruder gesprochen, als am Ufer des Sees Charles' Boot angespült wird. Von ihm fehlt jede Spur, doch sie weiß, dass es nur einen Ort gibt, zu dem er unterwegs gewesen sein kann. Nur was hat ihn nach all den Jahren dazu gebracht, nach Porphyry zurückzukehren?

Aunque la cabeza aún no le falla, los ojos de Elizabeth ya no son lo que eran. Como ya no es capaz de enfrascarse en sus adorados libros ni de contemplar los cuadros que la conmueven, llena ese vacío con música y los recuerdos de su familia, en especial de su amada hermana gemela, Emily. Cuando por azar se descubren los diarios de su padre después de un accidente, el pasado se vuelve omnipresente. Con la ayuda de Morgan, una adolescente problemática que realiza servicios comunitarios en su residencia de ancianos, Elizabeth estudia los diarios, un viaje a través del tiempo que acerca a ambas mujeres. Entrada tras entrada, esta improbable pareja de amigas se va sumergiendo en un mundo que dista mucho del que habitan: la isla Porphyry en el lago Superior, en Canadá, un lugar de naturaleza bellísima pero salvaje e incluso peligrosa, donde el padre de Elizabeth se encargó del faro setenta años atrás y creó su familia. A medida que las palabras de esas páginas mohosas cobran vida, Elizabeth y Morgan comienzan a darse cuenta de que sus destinos están conectados a la isla remota de una manera que nunca habrían imaginado. Mientras que el descubrimiento de la conexión de Morgan arroja luz a sus propios misterios de familia, las páginas gastadas de los diarios harán tambalearse los cimientos de todo lo que Elizabeth creía saber y sacarán a la luz los secretos del pasado. Más que una evocación vívida de un tiempo y un lugar únicos, El secreto del faro es una exploración sensible y conmovedora de la naturaleza de la identidad, la importancia de la familia y las posibilidades de las segundas oportunidades. Heather Young, autora de la novela The Lost Girls, nominada al premio Edgar. El secreto del faro es un relato espléndidamente contado que me mantuvo felizmente hechizada desde la primera página hasta la última frase. Nancy Richler, autora de The Imposter Bride, finalista del Giller Prize. El secreto del faro es una historia de amor novedosa, una celebración de las conexiones improbables que se dan entre personas y también con la tierra y con la historia compartida. Angie Abdou, autora de The Bone Cage y Canterbury Trail.

Emma wants to be the best ever. The question is, at what? Emma's dog Ruff is the best dog ever. Emma wants to be the best ever too. So she explores some new activities. She tries the violin but discovers she's not the best musician ever. She tries soccer, but she's not the best soccer player ever. Could she be the best student ever? Nope, not that either. With help from Ruff, Emma soon realizes that while she may not be the best in the world at any of these things yet, she sure has fun doing them AND she keeps getting better at them. This in turn makes her want to keep trying new things with openness and curiosity. A joyful story that encourages young readers to try and try again.

Introduces information on water safety through the story of a little girl who invites a teddy bear-toting, fire-breathing dragon to spend the day at the beach.

Vivid and lively account of life at a fur trading post.

See below for English description. Emma souhaite etre la meilleure qui soit. Mais en quoi pourrait-elle etre la meilleure? Voila une excellente question! Elle explore donc de nouvelles activites. Elle essaie le violon, mais decouvre qu'elle n'est pas la meilleure musicienne qui soit. Elle essaie le soccer, mais elle n'est pas la meilleure joueuse de tous les temps. Se pourrait-il qu'elle soit la meilleure eleve de tous les temps? Non, ce n'est pas le cas non plus. Avec l'aide de son chien Rufus, Emma se rend vite compte que meme si elle n'est pas encore la meilleure qui soit dans tous ces domaines, elle s'amuse ET s'ameliore sans cesse. Et cela lui donne envie de continuer a essayer de nouvelles choses avec ouverture d'esprit et curiosite. Une histoire rejouissante qui encourage les jeunes lecteur-rices a essayer encore et encore. Emma wants to be the best ever. The question is, at what? Emma's dog Ruff is the best dog ever. Emma wants to be the best ever too. So she explores some new activities. She tries the violin but discovers she's not the best musician ever. She tries soccer, but she's not the best soccer player ever. Could she be the best student ever? Nope, not that either. With help from Ruff, Emma soon realizes that while she may not be the best in the world at any of these things yet, she sure has fun doing them AND she keeps getting better at them. This in turn makes her want to keep trying new things with openness and curiosity. A joyful story that encourages young readers to try and try again. Original Title: The Best Emma Ever

Een vuurtoren staat voor geborgenheid, verlichting en veiligheid, maar het leven is er ook geïsoleerd en onderhevig aan de grillen van het water. Dé plek om een familiegeheim jarenlang verborgen te houden. Elizabeth is blind en zit al jaren alleen in een verzorgingstehuis. Het enige wat ze nog heeft zijn muziek en herinneringen, vooral aan haar geliefde tweelingzus Emily. Totdat per toeval de dagboeken van haar vader, de vuurtorenwachter van Porphyry Island (Lake Superior), worden ontdekt. Morgan, een opstandige tiener - zwartgeverfde haren, veel kohlpotlood - moet een taakstraf uitvoeren. In het bejaardentehuis, de saaiste plek die er is. Tegen alle verwachtingen in worden Elizabeth en zij vrienden. Pagina na pagina worden de vrouwen dieper het dagboek - en de geschiedenis - in gezogen en komen ze dichter tot elkaar. Hun beider lot blijkt verbonden aan het mystieke vuurtoreneiland.