Praise for Touch the Sky by Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic, illustrated by Chris Park:
Booklist Editor's Choice
A Kirkus Best Picture Book
NPR Best Books of the Year
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books
Evanston Public Library 101 Great Books for Kids

Vern longs to be one of the kids who swoop until their toes touch the sky. He heads to the swings and desperately tries to pump his legs, but he just can't get it. A chance encounter with precocious (and hilarious) Gretchen gives him just what he needs to know, and he finally learns to soar.

A story for every child on the cusp of learning something new who just needs an extra push to get there.

Stunningly illustrated by #1 New York Times bestselling artist Vashti Harrison, Hello, Star (written by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic) is an inspiring story about a love of science and the importance of empathy. When a young girl learns that a bright light in the sky is coming from a dying star, she promises to keep it company until the light goes out. Every night the girl reassures her friend that she is still there.

As the years pass, the girl learns everything she can about planets, space, and the universe, inspired by her dimming friend--until she realizes she needs to do something more.

This touching tribute to stars, space, and science celebrates how a small act of compassion can flourish into a life full of meaning and wonder.

A poignant and necessary story about finding hope during difficult times, set in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Archie's life--and the whole world--is turned upside down by Covid-19. Suddenly there are no more Friday night dinners out, no more going to school, no more hanging out with friends . . . no leaving the house at all.

Even though he's inside with his family all day every day, Archie can't help but feel more alone than ever before. While everyone else seems to be adapting to their new normal just fine, it's like Archie is permanently on mute, unable to find the words to describe how he feels--and sometimes, unable to find someone who will listen. The bright spot of Archie's days at home is watching and learning about the hummingbirds that feed outside his windows. But just when it seems like this could be what brings his family together again, California experiences its worst wildfire in history, and Archie's favorite hummingbird disappears. In a time when hope is hard to hold on to, Archie must find his voice and find hope once again.

Hummingbird Season is an honest and healing novel in verse documenting the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic and the things that bring us together when circumstances keep us apart.

For Henry, lockdown drills can be scary. Staying quiet and still is tough, but with the support of his teacher, he's able to stay calm. This reassuring story explores the complex emotions surrounding school lockdown drills and includes helpful resources from a school psychologist and safety expert.

I wish today was like every other day.
But it isn't.
Today my stomach is twisted in the middle
like a bunch of tissue paper butterflies.

During his school's lockdown drill, Henry tries to make himself as small, and still, and quiet as possible, but even though he knows it's just a drill and it's not real, he still doesn't like it. And even when the drill is over, it doesn't feel over for him.

Luckily, Henry's teacher is there to offer guidance and reassurance. Together, they practice breathing exercises and focus on what Henry can smell right now to help anchor him in the present. And, most importantly, they talk about his feelings until he feels safe--until the tissue paper butterflies in his stomach untwist and fly away.

With poetic prose and gentle artwork, this accessible picture book serves as an ideal starting point for discussions about lockdown drills and includes helpful resources for parents and teachers, such as discussion questions, a mindfulness exercise guide, and best practices for reducing the potential for trauma when conducting lockdown drills.

Celebrate how hope can be found in so many surprising moments and places as it fills our lives with beauty and wonder.

A beautiful rhyming text and cozy illustrations remind readers that hope can be found daily in so many aspects of life. From a poppy turning its face to the sun to a firefly lighting up the night. From putting all your effort into learning how to ride a bike, to asking for help to play ball. Hope can be found in so many places--in that shelf full of books waiting to be read, in a dog wagging its tail, and especially when you're waiting at the window for a loved one's visit. Readers will be uplifted as they see all the ways hope can connect us and help us to live our best lives, and they may even be inspired to write a few verses of their own about where they find hope. Whatever hope is to you, wherever you find it in your life, this book shows how Hope can glow bright or be just a spark. / Hope is the warmth at home in your heart.

As a child Stephanie Lucianovic lived for years on grilled cheese and created an elaborate system for disposing of revolting food involving bookshelves, holiday centerpieces, and, later, boyfriends. She agonized not over meeting her future in-laws, but over the peaches they served her. As an adult, this picky eater found herself in the most unlikely of circumstances: a graduate of culinary school who became a cheesemonger and then a food writer. Along the way, she realized just how common her plight was. It wasn't surprising to discover that picky eating is an issue for millions of kids, but who knew there are even support groups for adults who can't overcome it? Yet remarkably little is known about the science of picky eating, and cultural and historical questions abound. Are picky eaters destined to ascend to a higher plane of existence, and what happens when picky eaters fall in love or go to restaurants? How can you tell if you're a supertaster? How does the gag reflex affect pickiness (and what secrets do sword swallowers impart to help overcome it)?

Suffering Succotash is a wide-angle look into the world of picky eating, told by a writer who's been in the culinary trenches. With wit and charm, through visits to laboratories specializing in genetic analysis, attempts to infiltrate the inner workings of a feeding clinic, and interviews with fellow picky eaters and adventurous foodies young and old, Stephanie explores her own food phobias and gets to the bottom of what repulses us about certain foods, what it really means to be a picky eater, and what we can do about it.

For Henry, lockdown drills can be scary. Staying quiet and still is tough, but with the support of his teacher, he's able to stay calm. This reassuring story explores the complex emotions surrounding school lockdown drills and includes helpful resources from a school psychologist and safety expert.

I wish today was like every other day.
But it isn't.
Today my stomach is twisted in the middle
like a bunch of tissue paper butterflies.

During his school's lockdown drill, Henry tries to make himself as small, and still, and quiet as possible, but even though he knows it's just a drill and it's not real, he still doesn't like it. And even when the drill is over, it doesn't feel over for him.

Luckily, Henry's teacher is there to offer guidance and reassurance. Together, they practice breathing exercises and focus on what Henry can smell right now to help anchor him in the present. And, most importantly, they talk about his feelings until he feels safe--until the tissue paper butterflies in his stomach untwist and fly away.

With poetic prose and gentle artwork, this accessible picture book serves as an ideal starting point for discussions about lockdown drills and includes helpful resources for parents and teachers, such as discussion questions, a mindfulness exercise guide, and best practices for reducing the potential for trauma when conducting lockdown drills.

Zombie in Love meets Gustavo, the Shy Ghost in this story about a young zombie who must decide: Are brains friends...or food?

Zeb comes from a family of farmers-zombie farmers. Each week they pickle, bake, fry, and sell their grain-fed, free-range brains to be enjoyed by the masses. Zeb understands that brains are food, not pets...until one day he comes across the tiniest, pinkest, squishiest brain he ever did see! Can he convince his parents that his brainy bestie is better off as a member of the family than family dinner?

See below for English description.

Une nuit, alors qu'elle regarde le ciel, une petite fille remarque une lumière brillante et étincelante. Il s'agit d'une supernova, une très grosse étoile qui est en train de mourir, lui explique sa maman. La petite fille est triste à l'idée que l'étoile soit seule, tout là-haut... et s'il y avait un moyen de l'atteindre?

Illustrée par la célèbre auteure-illustratrice Vashti Harrison, cette magnifique histoire raconte le parcours d'une jeune fille qui ose suivre son coeur. C'est l'album illustré idéal pour les amateurs de sciences, les passionnés de l'espace et les enfants curieux!

One night, a young girl looks up into the sky and sees a strong, bright light. Her mother explains that it's a shining supernova that will one day fade away. The little girl doesn't like the idea of the star being out there all on its own... What if there was a way to reach it?

Accompanied by illustrations from bestselling author-illustrator Vashti

Harrison, this beautiful story follows the years-long journey of a girl who

dares to follow her heart. This is the perfect picture book for science-lovers,

space fans, and curious kids!

Original title: Hello, Star

A hilarious and heartwarming debut about picky eating, finding your people, and standing proud.

In Muffuletta, being good at eating is the key to success. French fries and grilled cheese? Beginner food! Haggis and truffles? Delicacies!

After failing a school eating test, picky eater Minerva is placed in the lowest eating track of all: Remedial Eating to Change Habits. RETCH class is full of kids with weird personalities and even weirder food preferences. And to make matters worse, Minerva's best friends, in the Gifted and Gourmet class, no longer speak to her.

But soon Minerva finds she is not alone in her pickiness, and forms friendships with her new classmates. And together, they find a way to stand up for themselves--picky and proud!