Imagine serving as a park ranger for our U.S. National Parks!

If you were a national park ranger, you'd spend every day in one of the most treasured places in America. You'd wear a special uniform, a hat, and a badge--but sometimes you might also need snowshoes or a life jacket. Maybe you'd track the movements of wild animals. You could help scientists make discoveries. You might even be part of a search and rescue team! You'd have an amazing job protecting animals, the environment, and our country's natural and historical heritage, from the wilds of Denali to the Statue of Liberty.

Library Media Connection Editor's Choice Award

Imagine starring in commercials and traveling in your own campaign bus! Or seeing your face on bumper stickers and T-shirts! If you ran for president, you would get to do these and other fun things, but you would also have to do a lot of hard work. You would study the nation's problems, tell the American people about your platform, select a running mate, and debate your opponents on live television. Finally, in November, Election Day would arrive. You would keep your fingers crossed and wait for the results--will you be the next president of the United States?

A multicultural cast of children imagines what it would be like to run for president. The entertaining yet informative text is a good conversation starter for discussions on the election process. A note about this process accompanies the story.

Ben has cancer, but he also has a loving family and friends, a community fighting for him--and hope.

When Ben finds out he has cancer, he learns a lot right away. He learns that cancer is something you fight, and that cancer isn't anyone's fault--especially not his. He discovers that many things change with cancer, but some of the most important things stay the same, and everyone around him wants to help him fight.

STARRED REVIEW! This book helps children make the leap from abstract concept to concrete understanding of the importance of these decisions and why voting matters...an inspiring read.--School Library Journal starred review

Discover why a vote--even just a single vote--is so important.

Callie knows there's a presidential election coming up. Her class is having an election, too, about an issue that affects them all--the class field trip! She's about to witness first-hand what a difference a vote can make--even a single vote--and along the way will find out about the election process and why people have fought for the right to vote throughout history. A great kids'-eye look at the power of the vote.

2000 SSLI Honor Book-Social Studies (Grades K-6)
IRA Los Angeles' 100 Best Books

A multicultural cast of children imagines what it would be like to be president.

Imagine living in the White House, a mansion where you wouldn't have to leave home to go bowling or see a movie! Imagine a chef to cook anything you like. Two desserts, Madam President? No problem!

If you were president, there would be a lot of work to do too. You would be in charge of the armed forces, give important speeches, and work with Congress to create laws for the whole country!

A curious kid discovers how magnification and density make her favorite collectible possible.

After starting to collect snow globes with the help of her grandmother, Lily has questions. She wants to know who invented them, what the snow is made of, and how the tiny scenes look so magical when she peers inside. As she researches and experiments, Lily learns about light waves, magnification, and density--all while gathering ingredients to make her own snow globe.

A trip to the farmers market turns into a lesson on growing plants.

On a trip to the farmers market, Daniel discovers that there's a lot he doesn't know about plants. He sets off to learn everything he can, from how photosynthesis works to what role bees play in helping plants grow. Armed with this new knowledge, he decides to join in the fun and put his plant-growing skills to the test at a local community garden.

STARRED REVIEW! This book helps children make the leap from abstract concept to concrete understanding of the importance of these decisions and why voting matters...an inspiring read.--School Library Journal starred review

Discover why a vote--even just a single vote--is so important.

Callie knows there's a presidential election coming up. Her class is having an election, too, about an issue that affects them all--the class field trip! She's about to witness first-hand what a difference a vote can make--even a single vote--and along the way will find out about the election process and why people have fought for the right to vote throughout history. A great kids'-eye look at the power of the vote.

A budding musician conducts experiments to discover how guitars create sound.

After hearing her cousin Keeley perform an amazing concert, Mia is determined to become a guitar hero and learn everything she can about this amazing instrument. So she sets out to gather the knowledge she needs to build her own instrument and put on a show for her family.

Ben has cancer, but he also has a loving family and friends, a community fighting for him--and hope.

When Ben finds out he has cancer, he learns a lot right away. He learns that cancer is something you fight, and that cancer isn't anyone's fault--especially not his. He discovers that many things change with cancer, but some of the most important things stay the same, and everyone around him wants to help him fight.

A painting contest inspires one artist to learn about light waves, prisms, and the color wheel.

When Ms. Vega announces a mural painting contest at school, James can't wait to draw a picture to fill the library wall. But as he explores color, he has a lot of questions about where color comes from and how our eyes see it. As he experiments and reads, James learns about prisms, the color wheel, and light waves--all while working on his colorful contest entry.

The exciting adventures of four working dogs, each told from the dog's perspective, are now together in one shrink-wrapped set. Contains the first four books in the series: I Am Jax, Protector of the Ranch; I Am Ava, Seeker in the Snow; I Am Sammy, Trusted Guide; and I Am Bella, Star of the Show.

A young scientist and her friends experiment to develop the ideal design for a paper airplane.

Gracie and her friend Victor want to make the perfect paper plane: one that will fly far without quickly crashing or veering off course. But just as they are starting to make big breakthroughs in their experiments, Victor gets injured and has to stay at home while he recovers. It's up to Gracie to carry on the research and find a way to lift her friend's spirits.

Best Children's Books of the Year 2009, Bank Street College

When Alex spills milk on his football jersey and Morgan's braid unravels, they both say, These things happen. But Ellie LaFleur, who is practically perfect, sniffs, Not to me. And it's true. Ellie's nails are always filed, her clothes are snazzy, and her long locks are lovely. So when Ellie's head begins to itch, she's sure it's an allergy.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE BUGS IN MY HAIR?! blurts Ellie when her mother and the school nurse give her the bad news: Ellie has head lice. These things happen, says Ellie's mother. At home, Ellie and her mother talk to the doctor and read the papers from the school nurse. Then they shampoo, comb, and do laundry. Ellie even writes a note for kids who get head lice--These things happen, it says.