New Releases by Toni Buzzeo

Cora Mae Tipton is determined to light up her Appalachian community in this historical fiction novel from an award-winning author and former librarian. It’s 1937 and the government is pushing to bring electricity to the mountains of southeastern Kentucky. It’s all Cora can think of; radios with news from around the world, machines that keep food cold, lightbulbs by which to read at night! Cora figures she can help spread the word by starting a school newspaper and convincing her neighbors to support the Rural Electrification Act. But resistance to change isn’t easy to overcome, especially when it starts at home. Cora’s mother is a fierce opponent of electrification. She argues that protecting the landscape of the holler—the trees, the streams, the land that provides for their way of life—is their responsibility. But Cora just can’t let go of wanting more. Lyrical, literary, and deeply heartfelt, this debut novel from an award-winning author-librarian speaks to family, friendship, and loss through the spirited perspective of a girl eager for an electrified existence, but most of all, the light of her mother’s love and acceptance. Back matter includes an Author’s Note; further information on the Rural Electrification Act, the herbs and plants of Appalachia, the Pack Horse Library Project, and more; and a “Quick Questions” historical trivia section for readers. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

A kind and generous grandparent-grandchild duo nourishes their neighborhood in this full-color picture book from New York Times bestselling author Toni Buzzeo and illustrator Zara González Hoang. Pa and his grandchild, Jelly Bean, have a sidewalk library filled with stories. Anyone can bring donations or take something to read. Jelly Bean loves the sidewalk library! But what about when their neighbors might need something more than books? Together, Pa and Jelly Bean build a sidewalk pantry right next to the sidewalk library. They get donations from neighbors who have a lot to give, and leave the doors open for those who may not have enough. This charming multigenerational story celebrates community, generosity, and creative problem-solving.

Twenty-five different foods, grouped by color, are nutritionally decoded in this reference book for the preschool set. From grapes to beets and oatmeal to cashews, this reference book highlights and explains the benefits of 25 fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, each grouped into color categories and presented with the mind and body benefits they offer. Carefully crafted one-sentence explanations from author Toni Buzzeo provide the perfect amount of information for the preschool audience, and illustrator Serge Bloch’s charming and humorous art make this an entertaining and uniquely appetizing reference book of food facts.

Empower backseat passengers to become informed backseat drivers with this road sign decoder featuring 35 shaped road signs! From road signs around the neighborhood, like "School Crossing" and "Playground," to signs you zoom past on the highway, this hefty reference board book highlights and explains 35 road and highway signs for the youngest readers on the go. The shaped pages make each sign tactilely memorable, and the carefully crafted one-sentence explanations will easily guide young readers as they contextualize the world that zips past their backseat windows.

From a very young age, Sue Hendrickson was meant to find things: lost coins, perfume bottles, even hidden treasure. Her endless curiosity eventually led to her career in diving and paleontology, where she would continue to find things big and small. In 1990, at a dig in South Dakota, Sue made her biggest discovery to date: Sue the T. rex, the largest and most complete T. rex skeleton ever unearthed. Named in Sue’s honor, Sue the T. rex would be placed on permanent exhibition at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. When Sue Found Sue inspires readers to take a closer look at the world around them and to never lose their brave, adventurous spirits.

Smoke billows up. Cool water flows. Whose boat is that? Do you know? This nonfiction ode to boats features six kinds of workers and their boats—a patrol boat, a tugboat, a car ferry, a lobster boat, a lifeboat, and a fireboat—with important parts properly labeled. The answer to each inquiring refrain lies under a gatefold, engaging the reader in an informative guessing game. With lyrical (and factual!) text by New York Times–bestselling author Toni Buzzeo, and the stylized art of Tom Froese, this sturdy board book is perfect for curious and playful young readers.

In the wide, shining world there is so much to see, and Twiga is curious. But Twiga''s tall, tall Mama wants her baby to stay close, stay safe from the dangers that lurk near each irresistible sweet smell and sparkling sight that Twiga finds. With lyrical text and enchanting illustrations, this story of a mother''s love will soothe and delight readers of all ages.

From the author of the 2013 Caldecott Honor Book, ONE COOL FRIEND! Annie Grace wears her "Adventure Annie" cape to her first day of kindergarten, and proceeds to barrel through the day, searching for adventure in every moment. Her interpretation of the class''s Gold Star Rules isn''t exactly what her teacher, Mr. Todd, had in mind. But somehow Annie does manage to save the day when two of her classmates get lost on their way to retrieve the afternoon snack. Spirited and funny, this is an introduction to kindergarten that will please kids and teachers alike.

2013 Caldecott Honor Book. From New York Times bestselling author Toni Buzzeo and Caldecott Medal winning illustrator David Small, comes a cool tale about an unlikely friendship. On a spontaneous visit to the aquarium, straight-laced and proper Elliot discovers his dream pet: a penguin. When he asks his father if he may have one (please and thank you), his father says yes. Elliot should have realized that Dad was probably thinking of a toy penguin, not a real one… Clever illustrations and a wild surprise ending make this sly, silly tale a kid-pleaser from start to finish.

It’s a quiet morning in the library—until a little girl roars out of control! Tess resigns herself to a time-out, but finds that she is the one who has to maintain order when a T. rex leaps from the pages of a book into real life. Books scatter, knights clatter, and a pirate brandishes a sword as T. rex leads the charge to the stars. Will Tess be able to get this dino under control? And will the library ever be the same? Catchy text and energetic illustrations will make young readers eager to discover what happens next.

When she goes to work with her mother on a Saturday, Adventure Girl uses her own special methods to help find a missing report.

Patty Lee and Carmen Rosa Peña compete to be the top reader in the fourth grade and earn the right to wear the dragon costume in the Read Across America Day parade.

Playing on the phrase, The author and you, a commonly taught reading comprehension strategy that teaches the learner how to look at the words of an author and make inferences about what is being said, this series assists teachers and teacher-librarians in understanding the underlying purposes of the author as they prepare learning activities for their students. Through family photos, reminiscences, anecdotes and stories, Toni Buzzeo relates her lifelong preparation to become a writer. The book features wonderful insights into the creation of her picture books for children and interesting creative lesson activities to use with students. The series focuses primarily on books for the elementary age child (K-6), featuring insights into the author''s background, purposes and goals in writing books. By furnishing an overview of the author''s works, the books in the series give teachers the big picture. Each book features personal information about the author, including insights into why this author has chosen to write in a specific genre plus lesson plans and/or activities for each of the author''s books featured. These lessons will stress the particular interest of the author and the author and you (the teacher) will build a collaborative instructional relationship using the material provided. Each book is written by the featured author or in close collaboration with the author. Using family photographs, reminiscences, anecdotes and stories, Toni Buzzeo relates her lifelong preparation to become a writer. The book features wonderful insights into the creation of her picture books for children and interesting creative lesson activities to use with students. Grades K-6.

After a few tries and with some help from friends, Dawdle Duckling finds the best way to hide while playing hide-and-seek with his mother and siblings.

Mama Duck tries to keep Dawdle Duckling together with his siblings, but he wants to dawdle and dream, preen and play, splash and spin.

A young girl listens as her great-aunt, a lighthouse keeper''s daughter, tells of her childhood living on a Maine island, and of the infant that washed ashore after a storm.

Take your students on a learning-packed trip across the U.S. with books they ll love! This resource includes background information, activity ideas, reproducibles, and Internet connections to help you use 35 great novels as springboards to social studies learning. A great way to get your kids to read more deeplyand learn about the seven U.S. regions. For use with Grades 4-8."

Collaboration is much more than just the latest buzzword. It is a worthwhile concept that can greatly benefit library media specialists, teachers, students and administrators alike. And if it is done correctly, collaborating planning and teaching can help with meeting education standards. This straightforward resource presents methodology and models to assist secondary library media specialists in their efforts to work collaboratively with teachers. Each of the 17 units included are standards-based, and provide opportunities for students to master information literacy skills as outlined in Information Power. Chapters on the history and benefits of collaboration are included. Factors for success; roadblocks to collaboration and how to overcome them; and personal testimonials from administrators, teachers and library media specialists will provide a wealth of information about working in a collaborative environment. Demystify the collaborative process with this hands-on guide for secondary school library media specialists and teachers Practical suggestions for implementing collaborative planning and teaching with classroom teachers through a variety of units Useful ideas for overcoming common roadblocks to collaboration A simple, easy-to-adapt template enhances any unit planning"

Exciting, productive connections with authors, illustrators, and storytellers are at your fingertips with this resource. Unlike other author visit guides, this book goes beyond nuts-and-bolts planning to how to create the best possible encounters between students and authors. Successful visits in real space and in cyberspace are described, giving you specific ideas of the many ways to connect with and create meaningful links between bookpeople and children. Choosing the right guest, guidelines for successful visits, making curriculum connections, using e-mail to connect with bookpeople, live chats in virtual space, taking advantage of ITB and satellite technology, and using such props as realia and curriculum guides are some of the topics covered. Lists of author/illustrator web pages and managed Internet sites for author interaction are included.