Best Selling Books by Kathy Stinson

The modern classic that proves no color is finer, now available as a board book. Full color.

Even Joshua Bell makes mistakes, but there is always a second chance. As a young student of the violin, Joshua Bell learns about an international competition to be held in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He chooses a piece of music, which his teacher suggests may be too difficult, but Joshua is determined. It’s a piece of music he loves. At the competition, Joshua experiences the usual jitters. Once his name is called, he strides to the stage and begins to play, but almost immediately, he makes a mistake. As he is about to walk off the stage, he asks the judges if could try again. They agree, and this time, the playing is impeccable. Dušan Petricic’s brilliant illustrations full of movement and color, capture the sounds made by Joshua’s violin, from the missed notes to the swirling, uplifting strains of the perfectly executed piece. Children will readily empathize with Joshua’s misstep, but they will also learn that there is always a second chance.

"With a postscript by Joshua Bell."--Cover.

Bodies, bodies! Big and small, short and tall, young and old—Every BODY is different! The Bare Naked Book has been a beloved fixture in libraries, classrooms, and at-home story times since its original publication in 1986. Now, this revised edition is ready to meet a new generation of readers. The text has been updated to reflect current understandings of gender and inclusion, which are also showcased in the brand-new, vibrant illustrations by Melissa Cho. Featuring a note from the author explaining the history of the book and the importance of this updated edition, readers will delight in this celebration of all kinds of bodies.

A fictionalized retelling of how books from around the world helped children in Germany recuperate after WWII. Anneliese and Peter will never be the same after the war that took their father’s life. One day, while wandering the ruined streets of Munich, the children follow a line of people entering a building, thinking there may be free food inside. Instead, they are delighted to discover a great hall filled with children’s books — more books than Anneliese can count. Here, they meet the lady with the books, who will have a larger impact on the children’s lives than they could have ever imagined. The place between despair and hope can often be found between the covers of a book.

The rock was always there...until, one day, it wasn''t. The rock and the butterfly are a perfect fit. The butterfly takes shelter on the steady rock after hours of flittering and fluttering, and the rock loves to hear of the butterfly''s adventures after a long day of sitting in one spot. Then one day the rock isn''t where it has always been—and the butterfly is alone. It can''t find a comfortable place to rest, and it eventually collapses on the ground. When it wakes, the butterfly realizes that it is lying in the exact spot where the rock used to be, and it takes comfort in all that its beloved friend left behind.

Mr. Elliot is the custodian in a primary school and he has a secret. He can''t read. When he sees a child being called stupid and falling into the same traps, Mr. Elliot decides to learn how to read.

On the trip to the Teddy Bears'' Picnic on Center Island, Andrew loses Rabbit.

David''s younger sister Ivy, born with multiple disabilities, needs constant attention. She may be eleven years old, but in many ways she''s still a baby. She embarrasses him in public. She takes all of their parents'' focus, to the point where David wonders if they see him as anything more than a helper for Ivy. But despite it all, he loves her. The summer days are following their usual pattern of taking care of his sister, doing chores, and trips to the cottage. The one exception is Hannah, the new girl across the street. Hannah makes David feel anything but routine. He wants to be around her all the time. And, amazingly, she seems to be into him as well. Everything changes when Ivy has an accident while being looked after by her dad. As David wrestles with what happened to Ivy, he is forced to confront his own feelings of guilt, the meaning of mercy, and what can be forgiven.

A quirky collection of stories about teens in lust and in love. From the first stirrings of same-sex desire to paternity questions around a teen pregnancy, 101 Ways to Dance reflects the spectrum of teen sexuality from the sweet to the scary.

Best Friends Forever. Harry may be four and three-quarters and Walter may be ninety-two and a half, but that doesn’t stop them from being best friends. Harry loves to go next door to play games with Walter and draw pictures together. And when the snow falls, Walter clears a path to Harry’s house so that they can visit every day. But one day, a For Sale sign appears on Harry’s lawn. Harry is devastated that he and Walter will no longer be neighbors. Harry’s new house is bigger and better than his old one, but without Walter to share things with, nothing seems to be much fun...until one day, Harry hears a familiar voice. Walter, too, has moved--to a nearby seniors’ residence. Now, Harry and Walter can still be best friends. Acclaimed author Kathy Stinson has created a poignant, cross-generational story that will warm the hearts of children and adults alike. With charming illustrations by Qin Leng, Harry and Walter is a perfect book for children to share with grandparents.

In this fabulous follow-up to Kathy Stinson''s classic children''s novels, Seven Clues and The Great Bike Race, Matt Randall uncovers two mysterious objects in his neighbour''s attic: a magician''s costume and a brand new clue. Or is it an old clue? Matt sets out to discover the history of this dusty mystery with the help and hindrance of a familiar cast of characters from Pebble Creek. [Fry Reading Level - 3.0

Who says dogs can’t fly? Meet Zora: a dog with a big dream and an even bigger personality. All Zora wants to do is learn how to fly so she can catch that pesky squirrel in her yard. But try as she might to prove to her friend Tully—a skeptical cat—that dogs truly can fly, nothing seems to work. Until Zora finds the right motivation, that is. Kathy Stinson’s charming story of perseverance is beautifully brought to life by Brandon James Scott’s exuberant and wonderfully expressive illustration. Touching on themes of optimism and determination in the face of failure, The Dog Who Wanted to Fly is a book anyone—even a cat—will love.

Can Matt win first prize in the town''s bike race? He thinks so. But his own bike is falling apart! Plus, his friends Mike, David, and Amanda all think they can win, too.

For kids ages 3-7, this lyrical picture book explores the complex emotions around missing a loved one, with stunning illustrations by Ojibwe artist Maya McKibbin. I wish I could show you… this great big meadow, like a sea of lacy clouds…. In this beautiful ode to nature and mindfulness, a child sets out to explore the environment around their home, using all their senses. Yet, someone important is missing, someone the child wishes could be there on the journey. Expressive text by Kathy Stinson leaves room for readers’ own interpretations about who the child in the story might be missing, while Indigenous illustrator Maya McKibbin’s gorgeous images capture the lush beauty of the natural world and the tenderness of a child’s emotions. The perfect book for helping a child navigate loss, or missing someone that can’t be there with them.

Two boats at sea, struck by a storm, are impacted very differently — a tale about economic inequality and climate change, patterned on a classic poem. Four characters go to sea in two very different boats for two very different reasons — Boogy and Tee set off in a luxury yacht for a vacation, while Twinkle and Hew set out in a tiny fishing dory in search of their next meal. When a storm blows up, the fishing dory soon breaks apart, casting Twinkle and Hew into the sea. The yacht hits a large rock, and as water pours into the hold, Boogy can do nothing but wail about losing his precious possessions. Then Tee spots Twinkle and Hew clinging to the remains of their boat and insists they go to the rescue — a decision that saves them all. Inspired by Edward Lear’s “The Owl and the Pussy-Cat,” Kathy Stinson’s story-poem with its rollicking, sea-faring rhythm and sprinkling of invented vocabulary combines with Mark Hoffmann’s quirky, playful art to create a funny tale that speaks to urgent issues. Includes as afterword a brief quotation adopted and retweeted by Greta Thunberg: “Stop saying that we’re all in the same boat. We’re all in the same storm. But we’re not all in the same boat.” Key Text Features afterword dialogue illustrations literary references poems vignettes 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.

First published in 1983 by Annick Press.

What are all those green things?

Matt receives a postcard that says there is a treasure to be found in Pebble Creek so he begins the search.