Difficult Kids

Something cool happening in Ferrous City? Not a chance. Until one day . . . when self-proclaimed genius inventor Ethan Fairmont runs into an abandoned car factory to avoid a local bully and accidentally stumbles across his ex–best friend Kareem, new kid Juan Carlos, and an extraterrestrial visitor. Cheese (the alien) is stuck on Earth and in need of some serious repairs, spicy snacks—and absolute total secrecy. That’s easier said than done when mysterious agents descend on Ferrous City to search for Cheese.

Jack Cannon and his team of detectives have an incredible adventure ahead of them in the wondrous land of Pierrany. When a magical girl named Jade arrives at the Cannon household in the middle of the night, she comes with urgency and whisks Jack, Teddy, Stacey, Veronica, and Grandpa Telly away to a whole other world. As they arrive in Pierrany, the young detectives must work through some social issues they are dealing with, realize their own powers, and come together to conquer evil and stave off the dark powers in this fascinating world that threatens their very existence.

In 1937, the Depression is in full force, Joe Louis is the new heavyweight champion of the world, and Champion Always Luther arrives in Snow Hill, Alabama, changing Brother Sayre's life forever. Brother lives with his mother and sister in their well-run if run-down boardinghouse. Champion has been sent to live with his aunt, who works for Brother's family. With Champion, Brother learns all sorts of things―that he enjoys fishing, that he needs glasses, and that there are subtle and powerful rules of race and power that he's never noticed.

Brave Kids is a story that tackles important topics which many youngsters and adults can identify with. Domestic violence, oppression of women, patriarchal stereotypes, a mother’s struggle to save her son, racism, willpower and positive thinking, the love between two young people who belong to different castes, the victory of benevolence.

Growing up, there is so much out of our control and to feel frustrated about. But in this inspiring and practical handbook, bestselling children's author and Human Rights campaigner, Onjali Raúf, shares her top ten ways for finding hope, creating change and making a difference. With the help of her favourite fictional characters and some of the most inspiring people she has ever met, Onjali invites listeners to dive in and discover everything there is to know about kindness, empathy, friendship and fighting for the things that matter.

A perfect tool for young listeners as they grow into the leaders of tomorrow, Veronica Chambers’s inspiring collection of profiles—along with Senator Cory Booker’s stirring foreword—will inspire listeners of all ages to stand up for what’s right.

Mma lives and works in Johannesburg, far from the village 13-year-old Naledi and her younger brother, Tiro, call home. When their baby sister suddenly becomes very sick, Naledi and Tiro know that they need to bring their mother back in order to save their sister’s life. Bravely, secretly, they set off on the long journey to the big city to find Mma. It isn’t until they finally reach Jo’burg that they see up close what life is like for black citizens across South Africa — and begin to really question the unfair and dangerous laws of apartheid.

101 Funny Riddles is full of hilarious and challenging brain teasers and difficult math riddles for smart kids, teens, and adults. Great for family night and road and plane trips. Try not to laugh! Good for ages six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, and 12.

Isamu Noguchi is one of the most important sculptors of all time. His Akari lamps changed the way modern buildings light their space. But before he was important, he was a kid. This is his story. Noguchi was a Japanese American artist who gave the world light. The world, however, was not always so giving in return. Growing up mixed-race, born in the United States but raised in Japan, Noguchi found himself perceived as an outsider who did not belong in either country

It’s bedtime for baby. But before baby goes to sleep, he tells Mom about all the things he wants to dream about. From soaring across clouds of vanilla ice cream to driving a train across the ocean, baby can do anything! Including seeing his beloved Dada again.

All kids are unique as they come; some are, however, more special than others in different ways and for different reasons. This story talks about a condition known as autism from a child's point of view. It covers the different ways autism could manifest to affect the child's daily activities, and how it could be managed successfully to ensure that these special children are able to go through life as easily as possible just like their friends.

America meant "freedom" to the immigrants of the early 1900s - but a freedom very different from what they expected. Cities were crowded and jobs were scare. Children had to work selling newspapers, delivering goods, and laboring sweatshops. In this touching book, Newberry Medalist Russell Freedman offers a rare glimpse of what it meant to be a young newcomer to America.

Many people came to America in the early 1900s looking for jobs, opportunity, and freedom, and a lot of them were kids. But what happened to all these immigrant children after they passed inspection at New York’s Ellis Island - that is, if they passed inspection? Life was not easy for immigrants. Large families lived in small, one-room tenement apartments with failing plumbing and few windows. Children had to go to school with kids from different countries and learn to read and write a new language.

The shootings keep coming, and so do Jeremiah's questions. Dad doesn't have easy answers, but that doesn’t mean he won’t talk about it - or that he won’t act. But what if Jeremiah doesn’t want to talk anymore? None of it makes sense, and he’s just a kid. Even if he wants to believe in a better world, is there anything he can do about it? Inspired by real-life events, this honest, intimate look at one family’s response to racism and gun violence includes a discussion guide.

Arthur is having the WORST DAY EVER. So he runs away - nearly to the end of the garden. But when it's time to go home, Arthur's journey back is full of surprises, and he learns how to turn a stomp into a skip, a huff into a hoot and a roar into a song! Maybe Arthur's day isn't so bad after all.

Why are the buildings burning? Why are people marching? Why are they crying? Taye Diggs has written a beautiful, powerful, and poignant story that peers through the eyes of a child as they struggle to understand why these events are happening. Why? distills the conversations many children and adults are having about race, injustice, and anger in communities throughout our country, and gives them context that young listeners can connect with. Heartfelt and deeply moving, this audiobook will leave a lasting impact on listeners of any age.

When Areli was just a baby, her mama and papa moved from Mexico to New York with her brother, Alex, to make a better life for the family - and when she was in kindergarten, they sent for her, too. Everything in New York was different. Gone were the Saturdays at Abuela's house, filled with cousins and sunshine. Instead, things were busy and fast and noisy. Areli's limited English came out wrong, and schoolmates accused her of being illegal. But with time, America became her home.

Milo is on a long subway ride with his older sister. To pass the time, he studies the faces around him and makes pictures of their lives. There's the boy in the suit with the bright white sneakers; Milo imagines him arriving home to a castle with a drawbridge and a butler. But when the boy in the suit gets off on the same stop as Milo - walking the same path, going to the exact same place - Milo realizes you can't really know anyone just by looking at them.

This deeply felt children's book from Congresswoman Madeleine Dean and her son Harry - authors of the memoir Under Our Roof - reassures children that, even when the grown-ups in their life are absent, they are loved and enough as they are.

The third book in the early chapter book series The Nguyen Kids features the youngest sibling, Jacob, and continues the series’ exploration of social justice themes, specifically gender expression and identity, with a supernatural twist.