New Releases by Patricia C. McKissack

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year! A Chicago Tribune Best Children''s Book of the Year! Weak, sick, and hungry, a tabby cat seeks shelter in an old barn, where the mice take pity on her and make her a warm, cozy bed in the straw. . . But as soon as she feels better, Marmalade the cat begins doing what cats do: chasing the mice! When Smart Mouse stumbles across an old bell, the mice hatch a plan to make sure Marmalade can never sneak up on them again... but who will be able to get the collar onto the cat? Retold by a master storyteller, this well-known fable is brought to life by bold, luminous illustrations of gentle mice, cozy barn corners, and of course, the magnificent feline rage of Marmalade on the hunt. A perfect read-aloud for winter days.

My Story: A Picture of Freedomis a tale based on the real-life memoirs of Clotee Henley, a young slave who helped over 150 slaves escape to freedom via the Underground Railroad. It''s 1859 and Clotee is a slave in a Virginia plantation. It''s illegal for slaves to read and write, but Clotee is teaching herself in secret. ''Freedom'' is just another word she''s learned to write. Then she finds out about the Underground Railroad, a network of people who help runaway slaves, and discovers that freedom is more than just a word... Experience history first-hand with My Story in this all-newlook!

CORETTA SCOTT KING – JOHN STEPTOE ILLUSTRATOR AWARD FOR NEW TALENT WINNER This final, magnificent picture book from three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner and Newbery Honor author Patricia McKissack is a poignant and uplifting celebration of the joy of giving. "Misery loves company,"" Mama says to James Otis. It''s been a rough couple of months for them, but Mama says as long as they have their health and strength, they''re blessed. One Sunday before Valentine''s Day, Reverend Dennis makes an announcement during the service-- the Temples have lost everything in a fire, and the church is collecting anything that might be useful to them. James thinks hard about what he can add to the Temple''s ""love box,"" but what does he have worth giving? With her extraordinary gift for storytelling, McKissack--with stunning illustrations by Harrison--delivers a touching, powerful tale of compassion and reminds us all that what is given from the heart, reaches the heart.

Clotee is a slave in a Virginia plantation. To her, freedom is the greatest word in the world. In the slave quarters, people pray for freedom, or as they call it ''heaven''. But when will it come?

A stirring tribute to the human drama, legendary heroes, infamous owners, low pay, and long bus rides that were the Negro Leagues. A 1995 Coretta Scott King Honor Book.

"Come join me as I take you back to Charleston, South Carolina, to my father''s forge in the early 1800''s. Sit with me on the woodpile as he tells a tale of faith, hope, or love." In this extraordinary collection, Charlotte Jefferies and her father Price, a former slave, introduce us to twelve best loved Bible tales, from Genesis to Daniel, and reveal their significance in the lives of African Americans--and indeed of all oppressed peoples. When Charlotte wants to understand the cruel injustices of her time, she turns to her father. Does the powerful slaveholder, Mr. Sam Riley, who seems to own all that surrounds them, also own the sun and moon? she wonders. Price''s answer is to tell the story of Creation. How can God allow an evil like slavery to exist? she asks. Price responds by telling the story of the Hebrews'' Exodus -- and shows Charlotte that someday their people, too, will be free. With exquisite clarity, Patricia and Fredrick McKissack and James Ransome -- a Newbery Honor winner and all Coretta Scott King Award winners -- brilliantly illuminate the parallels between the stories of the Jews and African-American history. Let My People Go is a triumphant celebration of both the human spirit and the enduring power of story as a source of strength. Our hope is that this book will be like a lighthouse that can guide young readers through good times and bad....The ideas that these ancient stories hold are not for one people, at one time, in one place. They are for all of us, for all times, everywhere. --from the Authors'' Note to Let My People Go

Mounting his horse, cold-hearted John Leep smiles as he anticipates evicting the widow Mayes for nonpayment of rent. When she comes up with the rent after all, Leep, unwilling to be disappointed, knocks her coins to the floor and hides one of them in his boot. The widow will be evicted in the morning; but as he departs, Leep is pursued by an unseen stalker. As Leep rides faster, so does his pursuer--clippity-cloppity, clippity-cloppity--until Leep reaches his home. Is John Leep safe at last or is Ol'' Clip-Clop gonna SWALLOW HIM WHOLE?!!!!

Newbery Honor–winning author McKissack and Caldecott Medal–winning illustrator Pinkney have outdone themselves in this heart-warming picture book infused with humor and the true spirit of Christmas. Christmas always comes to Nella’s house, but Santa Claus brings gifts only once in a while. That’s because it’s the Depression and Nella’s family is poor. Even so, Nella’s hoping that this year she and her two sisters will get a beautiful Baby Betty doll. On Christmas morning, the girls are beside themselves with excitement! There is Baby Betty, in all her eyelash-fluttering magnificence. “Mine!” Nella shouts, and claims the doll for herself. But soon she discovers that Baby Betty isn’t nearly as much fun as her sisters. Would it be more fun to share this very best gift with them after all?

Gee recalls for her grandchildren what happened in 1960 in Nashville, Tennessee, when she, aged ten, passed out flyers while her cousin and other adults held sit-ins at restaurants and lunch counters to protest segregation.

Bessey finally cleans up her messy room.

In 1879, 13-year-old Everett Turner leaves a life of struggle on his family''s farm and runs away to St. Louis, where he works in a livery stable before heading to the all-Black town of Nicodemus, Kansas

Messy Bessey discovers that with proper care her garden will flourish.

Simple text and illustrations describe the life and accomplishments of the revered civil rights pioneer.

With only five more days of school remaining before summer vacation, nine-year-old Miami still faces several hurdles, such as how to get along with Destinee Tate, his nemesis.

After having fun at their family reunion, Messy Bessey''s family cleans up and leaves the park as beautiful as when they arrived.

Rookie Readers RM have provided entertaining, high-quality introductions to reading for more than a generation. Each title features full-color, often hilarious illustrations and engaging stories that always involve a young child figuring out concepts or solving problems on his or her own. Every new title contains a Word List and a color-coded reading-level key on the back cover.

Nettie Jo desperately needs a needle to sew a new wedding dress for her beloved doll, but the three animals she helps during her search do not seem inclined to give her their assistance in return.

Dr. Rabbit joins the children''s dental play.

Traces the life and achievements of the black educator who fought bigotry and sought equality for blacks in the areas of education and political rights.

A wily fox, notorious for stealing eggs, meets his match when he encounters a bold little girl in the woods who insists upon proof that he is a fox before she will be frightened.

A boy learns that the truth is often stretched on the Bayou Clapateaux, and gets the chance to tell his own version of a bayou tale when he goes fishing.