New Releases by Mary Packard

In Our Rightful Share, Aline Helg examines the issue of race in Cuban society, politics, and ideology during the island''s transition from a Spanish colony to an independent state. She challenges Cuba''s well-established myth of racial equality and shows that racism is deeply rooted in Cuban creole society. Helg argues that despite Cuba''s abolition of slavery in 1886 and its winning of independence in 1902, Afro-Cubans remained marginalized in all aspects of society. After the wars for independence, in which they fought en masse, Afro-Cubans demanded change politically by forming the first national black party in the Western Hemisphere. This challenge met with strong opposition from the white Cuban elite, culminating in the massacre of thousands of Afro-Cubans in 1912. The event effectively ended Afro-Cubans'' political organization along racial lines, and Helg stresses that although some cultural elements of African origin were integrated into official Cuban culture, true racial equality has remained elusive.

Rollie, a penguin that longs to fly, learns the value of his own special abilities when Santa Claus invites him for a Christmas Eve ride.

The caveman Dron, makes a huge scary Protoceratops mask for his friend Spike, a Stegosaurus, so that he can fool the other dinosaurs and keep them from teasing him about his small face.

Vroom! Vroom! While reading about each vehicle and the workers who use them, kids will have fun playing along and acting out the story with these three-dimensional die-cut board books.

Time capsule book with fill-in pages for recording information about yourself and your world.

A boy enjoys imitating his big brother and dreams of the day when he will be big as well.

Colorfully decorated like Easter eggs, and nestled in a backer, the 12 miniature books found in this story book set--that''s cleverly fashioned like a basket--are meant to be hidden on Easter morning and then, when they''re all found, to be read in sequence.

Only one of a group of trick or treaters is unaware of the surprise planned by the others who disappear one by one as they encounter scary sights.

A little boy imagines he is a king in a castle, commanding his army.

Winnie is unable to fly with the other witches on Halloween, but her grandmother assures her that when she really wants to fly, she will be able to.

Tiger the kitten is frightened out of his fur when his nice, friendly neighborhood is overrun by scary, ghoulish creatures!

When an alligator and an egret are hatched from eggs tossed together by a storm, they listen to other animals in Cypress Glade before deciding where to live.

Spike the alligator and Mike the snowy egret are so eager to show two visiting jays what a great place Cypress Swamp is that they do things that they know they shouldn''t.

Young children will love learning to read with the "My First Reader" storybooks. Once a child can recognize and identify the words used to tell each story, he or she will be able to successfully read on their own. Familiar words are repeated throughout the story, so that after you and your young readers have read the story several times, he or she will be able to easily recognize the words and understand their meaning. A word list is included. Big, bright illustrations complement each delightful story -- the kind of stories young children can quickly relate to -- and enjoy.

Donated.

Six stories in a two-minute format, suitable for bedtime reading.