New Releases by Heidi E. Y. Stemple

“This beautifully crafted novel sings and soars.”—Nikki Grimes, author of Ordinary Hazards Dylan seeks solace through birdwatching and poetry in the woods behind his grandfather’s auto shop—but when he rescues an injured hawk, he must learn to confront the broken parts in himself in this powerful middle-grade novel-in-verse. 15-year-old Dylan has always felt like an outsider in his small town. Isolated when he was younger as the result of his unpredictable, now absent mother and feeling like a disappointment to his grandfather who has stepped in to raise him, Dylan finds relief in the woods behind his grandfather''s auto shop. Amidst the cool quiet of the trees, Dylan thrives on bird watching and writing poetry. But one afternoon after spotting an injured hawk, Dylan finds himself pushing out of his comfort zone to track down help for the bird—and ends up rescuing a part of himself in the process. In this luminous middle-grade novel-in-verse on navigating the lonely tumult of self-discovery amid complicated family history, Dylan relays his story with bracing emotional clarity.

Based on a true story to the beginning of the storied career of children’s book author Jane Yolen, written by her very own daughter. Janie Yolen loves to read, write, dance, and sing. So when her teacher announces Janie''s elementary class will perform a play, Janie is thrilled. There''s just one problem . . . the play is boring. With the support of her teacher and classmates, Janie rewrites the play, resulting in a hit class musical. An inspiring and funny look at how a writer became a writer, told by another prolific author--Heidi E. Y. Stemple, Jane''s own daughter!

A celebration of seven different winter holidays observed in the US and the traditions that unite them all. Diwali, Solstice, Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Bodhi Day, and Lunar New Year are visually depicted in turn, accompanying a stunning, read-aloud text that speaks of the traditions that link them all together. The warm yet accurate imagery is explained in simple secondary text on each spread, and further in the backmatter. Beloved author Jane Yolen and daughter, author Heidi Stemple, have crafted a loving and poignant story with true reverence for our shared traditions of celebrating light, love, food, and family. An empowering, informative, and inclusive holiday book for families of all traditions.

Penguins compete for the best parade float in this laugh-out-loud Level 1 Ready-to-Read from the author of Chicken Karaoke and Flamingo Bingo! Hip, hip, hooray—it’s a penguin parade! Who will win the Best Float vote? And does one of the penguins have a surprise trick up his sleeve?

Once forced to the sidelines of science, Mary Anning is now recognized as the world''s first paleontologist. A rousing, empowering nonfiction biography for STEM-minded kids. At first, Mary Anning collected shells and other curiosities to sell in her family’s shop. Then she began discovering fossils that were monumental to changing the course of how we understand life on Earth. But educated male scientists at the time—men who bought and studied Mary’s fossils—did not recognize her skills, nor did they include her in their discussions as the field of paleontology emerged. Self-taught and passionate, Mary was too busy making new discoveries to worry about those rich educated men. Today she is recognized as the first paleontologist. Back matter expands on Mary''s remarkable life, including where she lived, relationships, and the tricky dynamic of being a woman of her time.

While the ducks and dodos play dodgeball, Chick sits nearby reading her book.

Birds fill the stands to watch a thrilling flag football match between the Eagles and Turkeys--and one chicken.

A very prepared boy might have to break out his emergency kazoo in this zany Level 2 Ready-to-Read Graphics novel from the author of Flamingo Bingo and Toucan with Two Cans! Gregory likes to be equipped for any situation and carries several essential items in his backpack like a feather duster, a colander, and even a kazoo! “There might be a kazoo emergency,” Gregory explains to his new friend, Lola, on their way to school. Not long after, their school bus gets into trouble! As the bus gets tangled in a rope hanging from a hot air balloon and crashes into a dinosaur, Gregory wonders if this is just the kazoo emergency he’s been waiting for! Ready-to-Read Graphics books give readers the perfect introduction to the graphic novel format with easy-to-follow panels, speech bubbles with accessible vocabulary, and sequential storytelling that is spot-on for beginning readers. There’s even a how-to guide for reading graphic novels at the beginning of each book.

"On Chicken Karaoke Night, Duck wants to shine in the spotlight, but she must overcome her stage fright."--

Warning: this book sucks! It bites, slurps, and sticks too. Dare to open these pages and you''ll find ticks, mosquitos, stingrays, elephants, jellyfish, and the particularly sucky lamprey. Sixteen slurpy poems from Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple introduce a suction-filled selection of animals, and spectacularly sticky illustrations from Eugenia Nobati spotlight these stupendous suckers. Ready to find out more? Prepare to get sucked in and read on . . .

Birdwatching has never been easier in this delightful novelty board book with lift-the-flaps that reveal which bird belongs in each unique nest. A cup-shaped nest made of twigs, grass, and mud, holds a light blue surprise. Can you guess who’s inside? From robins to owls to orioles and more, birdwatchers of all ages can learn about egg colors, nest building, and the joyful quirks of the avian world that takes flight right outside our windows.

Bingo is for the birds in this hilarious new Level 1 Ready-to-Read from the same team who created Toucan with Two Cans! Come one, come all to Flamingo Bingo! Balls spin and feathers fly. Who will be the lucky duck who shouts out “BINGO!” first?

"Can Toucan juggle two cans? He can! What about three cans? Or four? Can you root for Toucan and his can juggling act?"--

Little ones will learn about first shapes and the first people in their lives in this heartfelt and poetic board book that’s truly out of the box. Every page of this adorable board book is a different shape that represents different family members in a child’s life. From star-shaped moms to heart-shaped dads, each shape helps define the loving characteristics of family members. The sturdy, square approach of grandpa and the soft and rocking approach of grandma will show little ones they are loved from a fresh perspective.

In this spine-tingling book from the nonfiction An Unsolved Mystery from History picture book series, journey to colonial America and discover the enduring mystery of the missing Roanoke Colony. In 1587 John White was chosen by Sir Walter Raleigh to lead a new colony at Roanoke off the Atlantic coast. After bringing many men, women, and children to the new land, White went back to England to gather supplies for the long winter. But when he finally returned to the fort almost three years later, he found that all of the colonists had vanished. The only signs of life left were the letters CRO carved into a tree and the word CROATOAN carved into one of the fort’s posts. Did the Spanish army capture the colonists? Did the colonists get in a battle with the native people—or join them? Did they try to follow John White to England and get lost at sea? Become a detective, study the clues, and see if you can help solve this chilling mystery from history!

Celebrate girl power in this exuberant, mischievously illustrated picture book that shows little princesses that they can be whoever they want to be! Not all princesses dress in pink. Some play in bright red socks that stink, blue team jerseys that don’t quite fit, accessorized with a baseball mitt, and a sparkly crown! Princesses come in all kinds. Some jump in mud puddles and climb trees, play sports and make messes—all while wearing their tiaras! Not every girl has a passion for pink, but all young ladies will love this empowering affirmation of their importance and unlimited potential.

In this spooky book from the nonfiction An Unsolved Mystery from History picture book series, tragedy strikes Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692 as the community is torn apart by accusations of witchcraft. When a group of girls came down with a horrible, mysterious bout of illness, they pointed the finger at people in their community they claimed were witches. Soon, the whole town was convinced they were in danger from supernatural forces. Today, we have details about the accusations, trials, and those who lost their lives, but the question remains: What caused the mass hysteria? Become a detective, study the clues, and see if you can help solve this chilling mystery from history!

In this spooky book from the nonfiction An Unsolved Mystery from History picture book series, set off on the high seas to a ghost ship left completely abandoned and adrift on the waves. The Mary Celeste was discovered adrift on the open sea by another ship in 1872—with no sign of captain or crew. What happened? Did the crew mutiny? Were they attacked by pirates? Caught in a storm? No one ever found out. Inside this book are the clues that were left behind and the theories of what people think happened aboard that ship. Become a detective, study the clues, and see if you can help solve this chilling mystery from history!

In this eerie book from the nonfiction An Unsolved Mystery from History picture book series, travel to an Indian orphanage where two new arrivals are so wild that some claim they were raised by wolves. In 1920 a missionary brought two young girls to an orphanage in India. The girls didn’t know how to talk, walk, or eat from a plate. Some people thought the girls had been abandoned by their parents. Some people said the girls were brought up by wolves in the wild. Still others thought that the missionary who ran the orphanage made up the story about the girls. No one knows for sure. Become a detective, study the clues, and see if you can help solve this chilling mystery from history!

A tornado, a blizzard, a forest fire, and a hurricane are met, in turn, with resilience and awe in this depiction of nature''s power and our own. In the face of our shifting climate, young children everywhere are finding themselves subject to unfamiliar and often frightening extreme weather. Beloved author Jane Yolen and her daughter Heidi Stemple address four distinct weather emergencies (a tornado, a blizzard, a forest fire, and a hurricane) with warm family stories of finding the joy in preparedness and resilience. Their honest reassurance leaves readers with the message: nature is powerful, but you are powerful, too. Illustrated in rich environmental tones and featuring additional information about storms in the back, this book educates, comforts, and empowers young readers in stormy or sunny weather, and all the weather in between.

Eek, you reek, You make a funk. Where you have been Things stink, stank, stunk. You''ve left a path, A swath of smell, And—yuck! You did it very well. Readers will be delighted by the malodorous melodies of poems calling out the different pungent attributes of a full cast of foul-smelling creatures.

Where do monsters go to school? Monster Academy! And anything can happen when your teacher is Miss Mummy. It''s not like any other school, but if you''re a little monster, you''ll fit right in! Come along with Principal Frank N. Stein into a bright, energetic classroom where the class pet is a big purple boa constrictor, recess is in a swamp, and class bats help build a Creepy Castle in the Monster Maker''s Lab. When Tornado Jo, a new student, roars into class, a storm is brewing. Who could ever guess that her new best friend will be a vampire, and she''ll help him find his missing fang? Award-winning writer Jane Yolen teams up with her daughter, Heidi, to present colorful monster children who have familiar human issues such as making friends and learning to help others. In a final twist, Tornado Jo -- the worst behaved student -- is revealed to be an out-of-control human, not a monster after all. Oh, no! Monsters are more afraid of humans than we are of them! Everybody runs! Laugh-aloud humor is enhanced by John McKinley''s highly imaginative illustrations loaded with fun and hidden jokes tucked into the art. An irresistible romp from start to finish!

From Delilah to Cleopatra, from Anne Boleyn and (bloody) Queen Mary, to Calamity Jane, Typhoid Mary and more, the 26 notorious women analyzed here all have rotten reputations. But were these vixen really as wicked as they seemed?

With rhyming text, this soothing bedtime book is an ode to baby birds everywhere and sleepy children home safe in their own beds. As a mother describes to her child how many species of birds nest, from pigeons on concrete ledges to owls in oak tree boles to swallows above barn doors. The soothing refrain of "you nest here with me" eases her little one and readers alike to slumber. Combining their poetic writing and their love of birding, mother and daughter Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple have written what is sure to become a bedtime classic.

Follow Pretty Princess Pig as she gets ready to throw a party by painting the dining room, baking, and digging up flowers.

Short fairy tales mentioning or involving food are followed by recipes for the foods mentioned in the story.

Fairy Tale Feasts is more than collection of stories and recipes. In it, Caldecott-winning author Jane Yolen and her daughter, Heidi Stemple, imagine their readers as co-conspirators. About the creation of the stories and the history of the foods they share fun facts and anecdotes designed to encourage future cooks and storytellers to make up their own versions of the classics. From the earliest days of stories, when hunters told of their exploits around the campfire while gnawing on a leg of beast, to the era of kings in castles listening to the storyteller at the royal dinner feast, to the time of TV dinners when whole families sit for dinner in front of a screen to watch a movie, stories and eating have been close companions. So it is not unusual that folk stories are often about food. Jack''s milk cow traded for beans, Snow White given a poisoned apple, a pancake running away from those who would eat it, Hansel and Gretel lured by the gingerbread house and its candy windows and doors. But there is something more- stories and recipes are both changeable. A storyteller never tells the same story twice, because every audience needs a slightly different story, depending upon the season or the time of day, the restlessness of the youngest listener, or how appropriate a tale is to what has just happened in the storyteller''s world. And every cook knows that a recipe changes according to the time of day, the weather, the altitude, the number of grains in the level teaspoonful, the ingredients found (or not found) in the cupboard or refrigerator, even the cook''s own feelings about the look of the batter.

Retellings of seven of the world''s greatest ballet stories.