Life Skills For Kids

Kids can be brave, just like adults, especially as they embrace the plan God has for their lives. New York Times bestselling author Annie F. Downs presents honest wisdom and humor, giving kids the courage and confidence to deal with everything from community engagement and friendships to anxiety and difficult changes in life.

From number one New York Times best seller Mike Lupica! Nick Crandall feels like he doesn't belong anywhere. He doesn't fit in with his new foster parents. They don't know the first thing about sports - and he's not exactly the model student they want him to be. It's only a matter of time until they realize he's not the right kid for them. And Nick certainly doesn't belong playing varsity baseball. He's only twelve years old! His teammates want a catcher their own age. But Nick needs to prove that he belongs - to his parents, to his team, and to himself.

The award-winning Kids Korps founders present parents with a fresh framework and the tools necessary to shape children into productive, well-adjusted, compassionate individuals. By focusing on the five Touchstones, they offer ways to surround their children with actions and messages designed to strengthen character, build self-esteem, and develop inner contentment.

Number-one New York Times best-selling author Max Lucado will delight you and your family with the silly new audiobook I’m Not a Scaredy Cat. Laugh-out-loud funny, yet filled with an important message that God is near so there’s no need to fear, kids will learn to put into perspective those things that frighten or worry them.

Cody Parker may be overweight (he prefers the word "burly"), but he plays third base like a dream. Too bad no one knows it yet, because he’s new to Baltimore, where he’s a target - okay, a big target - for brutal teasing. Even worse, he’s competing for the starting job on the Orioles of the Dulaney Babe Ruth League against budding hoodlum Dante Rizzo, who vows to squeeze Cody’s head like a grape if Cody beats him out. Life gets even more complicated when York Middle School is beset by a rash of mysterious thefts, a crime wave that threatens to sideline Cody....

Sophie Valentine would rather be at home, doing school virtually. Instead, she’s waiting in a crowded middle school building for her best friend, Eve, who’s finally back after an extended absence, which only Sophie knows the truth about. But when Eve returns, things aren’t the same. First, Eve stops walking to school with her in the morning. Then, she’s ditching Sophie to hang out with the Crash Crew, a group of popular kids notorious for their social media dares. Eve seems to fit right in, but Sophie is devastated: Did she just lose her best friend?

When fifth grader Penny Lowry and her classmates get invited to go to New York City for a weekend hosted by Billy J. Plumberry, the famous author her school is named for, Penny finds a lot to worry about. After all, isn't the city full of aggressive bike messengers ready to run kids over? And what if she gets stuck in an elevator for life? Not to mention all the pianos falling out of windows everywhere! On the other hand, what if it might actually be fun to explore an exciting new place with some of her best friends?

The White Tiger Temple is under threat. To help the Shaolin monks, Sensei Ki-Yaga and the whole gang of samurai kids embark on a perilous journey across the Sea of Japan to China. But they soon discover that getting there is only half the battle. An enemy awaits them: a former student of Sensei’s named Qing-Shen, China’s Warrior, who is now the most skilled soldier in the Middle Kingdom and who holds a grudge against his onetime teacher.

Q: Who wants their five star funny story included in Oakfield School's story book? A: Everyone! But what will Tom write about? Inspiration strikes when he looks at his excellent collection of odd objects and remembers the funny stories behind each one. Starting with Great Great Aunt Aggie's fake bird hat, the weird stone with a hole and his very special doodle pen. Marcus wants to write about Tom (which is annoying), Amy's got a funny poem and Norman's story is all about...cheese. But Mr Fullerman can only choose the five star stories – will Tom get his work in on time?

I have a unicorn for a pet. She’s my best friend. We do many cool things together - eating breakfast, racing across the meadow, then sliding down the rainbow, and a lot more.... But most importantly, my unicorn is very wise and smart and often sits with me for hours to talk about important things. Recently she taught me that I’m not only growing up with a bigger body, but I also need to grow my heart and soul.... She explained and encouraged me to develop a growth mindset, and how challenges makes me stronger.

Mary Fern's bedtime series of audiobooks have helped countless children to find restful, gentle sleep and provided frazzled parents with a much-needed break. Her new series is designed to help children stop sucking their thumbs. These bedtime stories are best listened to on Audible.

When the 13th Classroom is struck by purple lightning, something strange happens - all of the students get superpowers! You might think this was superb, but it was not. (It was sorta silly.) With great gifts comes wild weather, giant roaches, atomic farts, and other tricky troubles. As the students of Classroom 13 are about to learn, getting superpowers is not always super.

From saving for a new bike to investing their allowance online, kids get the "cents" they need with this. Kids will also learn: How coins and bills are made. What money can buy - from school supplies to fun and games. How credit cards work. Ways to watch money grow - from savings to stocks. Cool financial technology. And more!

With Listen Like an Elephant, kids learn to slow down, listen to the world around them, and focus their minds - no matter how messy life becomes. Best of all, the exercise can be done anywhere: in the backseat of a car, at home, or even at their desk at school. Written by Kira Willey, winner of a Parents' Choice Gold Award, this series (also including Breathe Like a Bear and Bunny Breaths) is the first of its kind and is the perfect tool to help children and parents develop a fun and consistent mindfulness practice.

Kids can use these three mindfulness activities to manage their bodies, breath, and emotions. With Breathe Like a Bear, kids will learn to breathe deeply and soothe themselves slowly to sleep, just like a bear in hibernation. With Bunny Breaths, kids learn how to replenish their energy with quick, focused breaths - no matter how blah they feel. With Listen Like an Elephant, kids learn to slow down, listen to the world around them, and focus their minds - no matter how messy life becomes.

Niya Moto is the only one-legged samurai kid in Japan, famous for falling flat on his face in the dirt. None of the samurai schools will teach crippled Niya, until an offer arrives from the legendary samurai warrior Ki-Yaga, sensei of the Cockroach Ryu. Niya and the other Cockroaches must defeat the fierce samurai students from the Dragon Ryu at the Samurai Trainee Games. Though they seem to be at a terrible disadvantage, it’s not long before they learn that if they stick together, there is no journey that they cannot complete, no fear that they cannot face....

Across the valley, a drumbeat echoes. For ten days, the drum will call the mountain ryus to war, including the samurai kids from the Cockroach Ryu. Only Japan’s feudal emperor can stop the war, so Niya and Sensei Ki-Yaga set off on a grueling journey with all the Cockroaches, whose firm friendship and unusual skills must be put to the test in order to beg the Emperor to maintain peace. Sensei Ki-Yaga is respected and wise, but unfortunately, the last time he encountered the Emperor, the Emperor threatened to cut off his head.

It's opening night of the school play and there are plenty of nerves to go around! There are lines to be memorized, costumes to sew, and sets to paint. It's a good thing Hattie Harmony is ready to help her friends soothe their worries with everything in her trusted tool belt. Will Hattie be able to settle the pre-show jitters before the curtain call?

Melvin Robinson wants a strong, smooth He-Man voice that lets him say what he wants, when he wants - especially to his crush Millie Takazawa, and Gary Ratliff, who constantly puts him down. But the thought of starting high school is only making his stutter worse. And Melvin's growing awareness that racism is everywhere - not just in the South where a boy his age has been brutally killed by two White men, but also in his own hometown of Spokane - is making him realize that he can't mutely stand by.

Mia likes many of the things other people like--going to the beach, the color blue, drawing. But she doesn't like when strangers stare at her because she looks different from them. Down syndrome allows Mia to see and understand the world in a way that may not make sense to others. She considers it her superpower--and instead of it making her strange, she considers herself a masterpiece. As we all are.