Most Popular Books by Marion Dane Bauer

A Newbery Honor Book. “A gripping, compassionate portrayal of a boy’s struggle with conscience” by the bestselling author of My Mother Is Mine (Kirkus Reviews). While on a bike trip, Joel’s best friend Tony drowns while they are swimming in the forbidden, treacherous Vermilion River. Joel is terrified at having to tell of his disobedience and overwhelmed by his feelings of guilt, even though the daring act was Tony’s idea, and Joel didn’t know that Tony couldn’t swim. But Joel’s loving and protective father will help him deal with the tragic aftermath—and understand that we all must live with the choices we make. “A powerful, soul-stirring novel told simply and well.”—Booklist (starred review) “This is a devastating but beautifully written story of a boy’s all-consuming guilt over the role he plays in the death of his best friend . . . Bauer’s honest and gripping novel joins the ranks of such as Katherine Paterson’s Bridge to Terabithia in its handling of these issues.”—Publishers Weekly “Descriptions are vivid, characterization and dialogue natural, and the style taut but unforced. A powerful, moving book.”—School Library Journal

Set in the northern Minnesota wilderness, a timeless novel about a boy and his imaginary dog explores the legacy of guilt and blame—and what really constitutes a family. Newbery Honoree Marion Dane Bauer evokes the “summer that changed everything” in the life of a boy growing up without a mother. Since as far back as Ben can remember, it’s been him, his devoted dad, and Sunshine—Ben’s little dog, who rarely leaves Ben’s side. It was Mom who did the leaving, and Ben’s about to spend a whole week with his suddenly present mother in the wilds of northern Minnesota. On the remote island she calls home, Ben will learn to canoe, weather the elements, and weigh a burning question: when will she come back to where she belongs? A must-read for dog lovers, children of divorce, and the imaginative and outdoorsy, Sunshine is a poignant, ultimately hopeful story about self-discovery, facing big realities, and finally, forgiving the things—and people—you can’t forget.

In an astonishing unfurling of our universe, Newbery Honor winner Marion Dane Bauer and Caldecott Honor winner Ekua Holmes celebrate the birth of every child. Before the universe was formed, before time and space existed, there was . . . nothing. But then . . . BANG! Stars caught fire and burned so long that they exploded, flinging stardust everywhere. And the ash of those stars turned into planets. Into our Earth. And into us. In a poetic text, Marion Dane Bauer takes readers from the trillionth of a second when our universe was born to the singularities that became each one of us, while vivid illustrations by Ekua Holmes capture the void before the Big Bang and the ensuing life that burst across galaxies. A seamless blend of science and art, this picture book reveals the composition of our world and beyond — and how we are all the stuff of stars.

A “wholly satisfying” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) novel in verse starring a boy, a lost dog, and a lonely old man, from Newbery Honoree Marion Dane Bauer Mark is a boy who needs a dog. But he can’t get his mom on board with his plan. Buddy is a dog who needs a boy. Buddy has an owner already, but not one who understands what a dog really needs. Mr. LaRue is a neighbor who needs a community. He’s alone all the time in his huge old house—and everyone needs more than that. Over the course of a summer thunderstorm and one chaotic town council meeting, these three characters cross paths and come together in a timeless tale ripe with emotions. They’ll realize they all need the same things: love, understanding, and a sense of belonging—plus a place to play a game of fetch!

Visit the mighty Mississippi River as Newbery Honor recipient and New York Times bestselling author Marion Dane Bauer takes you on a tour of one of our country’s greatest natural treasures in this Level 1 Ready-to-Read. Discover the impact this mighty river has had on our country in this nonfiction Ready-to-Read! The Mississippi River starts in northern Minnesota at Lake Itasca and travels all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Along its route, people use it to ship goods and simply enjoy its splendor and beauty.

Pictures and rhyming text show how some fathers, animal, bird, and human, take care of their children by bringing them food, playing with them, and keeping them safe.

Though you can’t see the wind, you can certainly feel it when the wind blows! But where does wind come from? There are so many wonders of wind to explore—and the answers are at your fingertips in this eBook with audio!

Owen the baby hippo and his mama were best friends. They loved to play hide-and-seek on the banks of the Sabaki River in Africa. That was all before the tsunami came and washed Owen''s world away. But after the rain stops, Owen befriends Mzee, a grayish brown tortoise. He plays with him, snuggles with him, and decides he just might turn out to be his best friend and a brand-new mama. Inspired by the tsunami of 2004, acclaimed storyteller Marion Dane Bauer and celebrated illustrator John Butler depict this heartwarming true tale of healing, adoption, and rebirth -- with splendid illustrations and oodles of love.

"Since the beginning, humans have created stories about the universe. From early mythology to modern-day science is a long journey, yet so much of our galaxy still remains a mystery. What will we believe tomorrow? We the curious ones is a lyrical discussion [...] about the complex and ever-evolving relationship between science and story."--

A little girl goes through a normal day tripping, dropping things, spilling milk, and waking the baby--uh-oh! A bestselling author showcases childhood clumsiness with compassion and humor in this lift-the-flap book. Petrone''s quirky illustrations perfectly capture a toddler who knows that her mommy and daddy love her--no matter how many uh-oh''s she has. Full-color illustrations. 9 gatefolds.

Clouds come in many different shapes and sizes. They can be white and fluffy or dark and scary. But where do clouds come from? The answer is at your fingertips. Just open this book and read about the wonders of clouds....

When Emily finds a locked playhouse in the woods, she can''t resist peeking through the windows. Inside, the walls are painted to look just like the surrounding woods, right down to an identical white playhouse with blue shutters. But the playhouse is not as deserted as Emily first thought. A girl Emily''s age lives on the painted walls—and she''s dying for Emily to join her! Newbery Honor-winning author Marion Dane Bauer crafts an eerie story for young mystery lovers guaranteed to send shivers down their spines. Marion Dane Bauer is the author of more than 40 books for children, including the Newbery Honor?winning book On My Honor and Rain of Fire, which won a Jane Adams Peace Association Award. She has also won the Kerlan Award for the body of her work. The Blue Ghost is her most recent book for this age group. She lives in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

Jennifer is disappointed on her birthday when her father gives her a little china horse and the promise of riding lessons instead of the real horse she''s been expecting.

From Newbery Honoree Marion Dane Bauer comes an “endearing tale…told with warmth and humor” (School Library Journal) that’s a companion to the “wholly satisfying” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) Little Dog, Lost. When an indoor calico cat named Patches spots a golden autumn leaf fluttering past her window, she can’t help but venture outside to chase it. But soon, Patches feels something tugging at her, telling her to find a special place—one she won’t know until she sees it. Why must she go on this search? She doesn’t know yet. Along the way, Patches finds herself in dire circumstances, but with the help of the other neighborhood animals, she faces off against the scariest dog in town and continues on her journey to her special place. Beautifully told in verse and accompanied by adorable illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell, this heartwarming novel from Newberry Honoru00ad–winner, Marion Dane Bauer, is a timeless, touching, and fulfilling story about finding your way home.

A fox wonders how he should prepare for the coming winter, but what other animals advise will not work for him until another fox comes to his aid.

During the catastrophic tsunami of 2004, a family of hippos was swept out to sea from their home on Sabaki River, in Eastern Kenya. The sole survivor of the disastor was a baby hippo who was rescued and given the name Owen. Motherless and alone, Owen is befriended by Mzee, a giant male tortoise at a local nature reserve. This moving and charming tale is the story of their friendship.

A 13-year-old girl runs away from home across the Oklahoma panhandle

In a sweeping poetic achievement—and a clarion call to action—Newbery Honoree Marion Dane Bauer reckons with humankind''s responsibility for the climate crisis, tracing a storyline from ice age to industrial age. Born without fangs, claws, or wings, naked of fur or feathers, humans are the most vulnerable of Earth’s creatures. Our strength rests in our knowing. Early on, we put our big brains to work to tame fire, and over eons, our discovery helped us grow. Just two centuries ago, we began using coal, oil, and gas—remnants of long-ago life hidden deep within a generous Earth—to fuel fire, light up our nights, and run machines. Fertilizers let us reuse the soil. Pesticides killed the competition. We even dreamed up a synthetic “wonder” material called plastic. But our big brains tuned out the devastating effects of these actions. Can our knowing unravel the greatest crisis we’ll ever face? Stunning artwork evokes the climate emergency to scale in a third epic fusion of poetry and science from the author of We, the Curious Ones and The Stuff of Stars. Packed with hopeful action points, this portrait of a planet in peril is a plea to reconnect with our home, the source of all life, and a rallying cry for a generation coming of age just in time to turn things around.

A popular collection of some of the best short fiction and short stories ever written.