American Library

Laila knows how clever, kind, and funny her Mama and Baba are—but sometimes they need her help translating things from English. With English classes being too expensive, Laila decides to become her parents’ teacher, even though she’s just learning the language too. There’s lots that Laila knows (like you don’t pronounce the t in ballet) but there’s so much she doesn’t know too. Together, they embrace the joy and struggles of learning a new language.

Spring has sprung in the garden, but the five friends discover it's a mess! The flower beds are weedy, the pond is mucky, and the swing is broken. Will their fairy powers be enough to clean up the garden in time for a party? Unexpectedly, the girls discover a new power—and a new friend!

The WellieWishers couldn’t be more excited—they’re making a carnival in the garden! There will be games and cotton candy, balloons and baby chicks. Best of all, there will be a real horse to ride! There’s only one problem: Ashlyn refuses to come. She’s afraid of horses. But the carnival just won't be as much fun without Ashlyn! Can her friends convince her to give it a try?

In this WellieWishers™ early chapter book, when Camille loses two teeth in one day, Ashlyn decides to cheer up her friend by throwing a party. The party is meant to be a secret so the other WellieWishers will be surprised too, but a rainstorm and other woes are on the horizon! Will Ashlyn accept help from her friends in order to get everything done? This story tells how Ashlyn learns to rely on others, and that good friends can be the best surprise of all!

In this WellieWishers™ early chapter book, a robin has moved into the garden, and the WellieWishers couldn’t be more excited! As they care for the robin, they learn new things about what birds like to do and eat. But one day, the robin disappears. Will the girls be able to find the robin and his secret? Animal-lover Willa is on the case! This story tells how Willa learns to take lead, and that things are not always what they seem. Includes ideas for fun activities that girls and parents can do together.

The WellieWishers are raising chickens! The girls are thrilled when their hen, Queen Ruby, begins laying eggs. But when the first egg hatches, Queen Ruby doesn’t seem to know what to do—so Emerson takes charge. Soon the tiny chick, Princess Peep, is following her everywhere. Caring for a chick is a bigger job than Emerson expected!

Camille loves the ocean—the warm sand, the pretty shells, and the sparkling waves that tickle her toes. Sometimes she even imagines that she’s a mermaid with whales and dolphins for friends! When the other WellieWishers see how much Camille misses her summers by the sea, they want to help...but how can four girls turn a garden into an ocean?

It’s Aunt Miranda’s birthday! The WellieWishers want to give her something special, but they can’t agree on what it should be. Then Kendall discovers the Tomorrow Pile. What looks like a bunch of old, dirty, broken things to the other girls looks like cool fun stuff with lots of potential to Kendall! Can the girls work together to create something wonderful for Aunt Miranda?

"Let’s play mermaids,” Camille says on a hot day. The WellieWishers imagine an underwater world full of colorful coral reefs and friendly sea creatures. When Camille and Willa discover a sunken ship, they have a great idea for surprising their friends. Camille comes up with an even bigger surprise! Will the others help her pull it off?

Ben and his friends are playing in their favorite part of the classroom - the dress-up corner! They are talking about what they want to be when they grow up. Rachel wants to be a tae kwon do master, Dixie wants to be a doctor like her auntie, and John wants to be a teacher just like their teacher, Mr. Underwood. But when Ben says he wants to fly just like his daddy, his friends are sure his daddy must be a pilot.

When a Sikh family moves from their village in India to a faraway city on the other side of the world, a girl yearns for her grandmother's hugs, her goat Ramu, and the lush fields filled with yellow flowers and wheat. How will they celebrate Vaisakhi in her new and unfamiliar surroundings? But the girl soon discovers soothing touchstones—a special outfit, a trip to gurdwara, delicious food, and new friends—that make gathering for Vaisakhi still the best day of all.

When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa routinely captured American sailors and held them as captives demanding ransom and tribute far beyond what the new country could afford.

For Anjali, playing the tabla is something that comes naturally—she loves feeling the drum beneath her fingers and getting lost in the music. She doesn't care that some people say it's an instrument for boys. But she does care when her skills make others treat her differently. Anjali starts downplaying her talent, and even messes up on purpose. When her teacher announces a music contest, Anjali can’t deny her dreams of playing the tabla.

Kwanzaa is Kayla's favorite time of year. But this year, it looks as if a heavy snowstorm will keep her big brother, Khari, from getting home in time for the festivities! Will Khari miss the celebration completely? Or will Kayla and her brother somehow find a way to be together for Kwanzaa? A perfect introduction to Kwanzaa, this book will teach children all about the traditions and practices that make it special.

Opal Lee grew up as a Black girl in Texas at a time when Black and white people were kept separate and Black people had fewer opportunities than white people did. She knew that this wasn’t right, and she grew up to be a teacher and a community leader, determined to help create a better future for all people. A big part of her work and life was making Juneteenth a national holiday to mark the end of enslavement for Black Americans. She loved this day as both a celebration and as a way of teaching about the past.

From the time their daughter was born, Ketanji Brown’s parents taught her that if she worked hard and believed in herself, she could do anything. As a child, Ketanji focused on her studies and excelled, eventually graduating from Harvard Law School. Years later, in 2016, when she was a federal judge, a seat opened on the United States Supreme Court. Although the timing didn’t work out then, it did in 2022, when President Joe Biden nominated her. At her confirmation, Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first Black female Supreme Court justice in the United States.

Petrus first published and performed this poem after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014. With every subsequent police shooting, it has taken on new urgency, culminating in the 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, blocks from Junauda's home.

US Poet Laureate Joy Harjo’s iconic poem "Remember," invites young listeners to pause and reflect on the wonder of the world around them, and to remember the importance of their place in it. In simple and direct language, Harjo, a member of the Mvskoke Nation, urges listeners to pay close attention to who they are, the world they were born into, and how all inhabitants on earth are connected. This timeless poem makes for a true celebration of life and our human role within it.

In 2008, John McCain ran for president against Barack Obama, becoming a well-known national figure. But his presidential campaign was only one of the many inspirational things John accomplished in his lifetime! John was a decorated member of the US Navy who survived being a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He served as an Arizona senator for thirty years, right up until his passing in 2018. Learn all about John McCain and his life as politician who always tried to work across the aisle and to treat people fairly in this book about the maverick patriot.

MaVynee loved going to the beach. But in the days of Jim Crow, she couldn't just go to any beach - most of the beaches in Jacksonville were for Whites only. Knowing something must be done, her grandfather bought a beach that African American families could enjoy without being reminded they were second-class citizens; he called it American Beach. Artists like Zora Neale Hurston and Ray Charles vacationed on its sunny shores. It's here that MaVynee was first inspired to sing, propelling her to later become a widely acclaimed opera singer who routinely performed on an international stage.