New Releases by Karen Hesse

With lyrical narration and elegant, evocative artwork, Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse and illustrator G. Brian Karas share the nighttime experience of a father and child. When the sun sets, Dad’s job as a school custodian is just beginning. What is it like to work on a Friday night while the rest of the city is asleep? There’s the smell of lilacs in the night air, the dusky highway in the moonlight, and glimpses of shy nighttime animals to make the dark magical. Shooting baskets in the half-lit gym, sweeping the stage with the game on the radio, and reading out loud to his father in the library all help the boy’s time pass quickly. But what makes the night really special is being with Dad. Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse’s quietly powerful story of a boy and his father is tenderly brought to life by G. Brian Karas in this luminous tribute to an enduring, everyday sort of love.

Gray skies, foamy waves, and brisk wind await Granny and Bean when they head out for their day by the sea. But they are full of only wonder and delight at all the shore has to offer. They listen for the shrieks of the seabirds as they discover treasures hidden in the sand, greet dogs as they pass, leap over logs, and settle out of the wind for a cozy treat before tramping homeward again.

“This powerful exploration of how we become human and how the soul endures is a song of beauty and sorrow, haunting and unforgettable.” —School Library Journal (starred review) A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year An ALA Best Book for Young Adults A Book Links Best Book of the Year A New York Public Library Children’s Title for Reading and Sharing Mila becomes famous around the world when she is rescued from an unpopulated island off the coast of Florida. Years ago, Mila went missing from a boat crash, and she has been raised by dolphins from the age of four. Researchers teach Mila language and music. But she also learns about rules and expectations, about locked doors and broken promises, disappointment and betrayal. The more Mila finds out about what it means to be human, the more she longs for her home in the ocean . . . “As moving as a sonnet, as eloquently structured as a bell curve, this book poignantly explores the most profound of themes—what it means to be human . . . All together, a frequently dazzling novel.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Her mind and spirit shaped by the dolphins who raised her, a feral child views herself and her human captors from a decidedly unusual angle in this poignant story . . . A probing look at what makes us human, with an unforgettable protagonist.” —Kirkus Reviews “Mila’s rich inner voice makes her a lovely, lyrical character.” —VOYA Magazine

I love my thumb, I truly do, it tastes of pears and carrot stew. It''s like a hug, an "I love you." My mom hoped in a year or two there''d be some things that I outgrew, and some I have, but never you. Kids who suck their thumbs know there''s nothing better. NOTHING! Here is a fun picture book ode to the thumb by Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse, with art by Feiwel and Friends Creative Director Rich Deas.

Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse recreates the body and soul-renewing experience of a summer downpour after a sweltering city heat wave. "Come on, rain!" Tess pleads to the sky as listless vines and parched plants droop in the endless heat. Up and down the block, cats pant while heat wavers off tar patches in the broiling alleyway. More than anything, Tess hopes for rain. And when it comes, she and her friends are ready for a surprising and joyous celebration....Through exquisite language and acute observation, Newberry medalist Karen Hesse recreates the glorious experience of a quenching rainstorm on a sweltering summer day. Jon J Muth''s masterful and lyrical watercolors perfectly reflect the spirit of the text.

Codie loves to spend time with her favorite aunt, Alix. Her aunt is a talented seamstress, and Codie knows that the perfect gift for Alix''s new baby is a handmade blanket. Codie wants to have the blanket done before the baby is born. Suddenly, the baby is coming early. Will Codie be able to finish the blanket in time?

Now I didn''t believe a broken-down old unicorn could make wishes come true . . . not for a minute. But what if it could? Mags has a lot to wish for—a nice house with a mama who isn''t tired out from work; a normal little sister; a brother who doesn''t mooch for food; and, once in a while, she''d like some new clothes for school. When her sister Hannie finds a stuffed unicorn, Mags''s wishes start to come true. She knows the unicorn can''t really be magic, but she won''t let anything ruin her newfound luck—even if it means telling her own sister to believe something that can''t possibly be true.

These critically acclaimed, bestselling Newbery Winner and Honor books that highlight inner strength and perseverance are now available in this convenient eBook collection! The young protagonists in each of these stories are confronted by varying conflicts, which can only be overcome by their inner will and tenacity. These are stories of family, friendship, and hope.In RULES, all Catherine wants is a "normal" life, and having a brother with autism makes that seem nearly impossible.Summer is sad when her aunt May dies in MISSING MAY. But when a boy from school tells Summer that it''s possible to reconnect with her aunt, they go on an adventure.OUT OF THE DUST is written in verse and tells the story of Billie Jo''s struggle to survive in the Oklahoma dust bowl years during the Great Depression.Hattie''s world is turned upside down in A CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE when her uncle returns after being institutionalized for schizopphrenia and autism.

Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse emerses readers in a small Vermont town in 1924 with this haunting and harrowing tale. Leanora Sutter. Esther Hirsh. Merlin Van Tornhout. Johnny Reeves . . .These characters are among the unforgettable cast inhabiting a small Vermont town in 1924. A town that turns against its own when the Ku Klux Klan moves in. No one is safe, especially the two youngest, twelve-year-old Leanora, an African-American girl, and six-year-old Esther, who is Jewish.In this story of a community on the brink of disaster, told through the haunting and impassioned voices of its inhabitants, Newbery Award winner Karen Hesse takes readers into the hearts and minds of those who bear witness.

Radley''s parents had warned her that all hell would break loose if the American People''s Party took power. And now, with the president assassinated and the government cracking down on citizens, the news is filled with images of vigilante groups, frenzied looting, and police raids. It seems as if all hell has broken loose. Coming back from volunteering abroad, Radley just wants to get home to Vermont, and the comfort and safety of her parents. Travel restrictions and delays are worse than ever, and by the time Radley''s plane lands in New Hampshire, she''s been traveling for over twenty-four hours. Exhausted, she heads outside to find her parents—who always come, day or night, no matter when or where she lands—aren''t there. Her cell phone is dead, her credit cards are worthless, and she doesn''t have the proper travel papers to cross state lines. Out of money and options, Radley starts walking. . . . Illustrated with 50 of her own haunting and beautiful photographs, this is a vision of a future America that only Karen Hesse could write: real, gripping, and deeply personal.

Acclaimed author Karen Hesse''s Newbery Medal-winning novel-in-verse explores the life of fourteen-year-old Billie Jo growing up in the dust bowls of Oklahoma. Out of the Dust joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!"Dust piles up like snow across the prairie. . . ."A terrible accident has transformed Billie Jo''s life, scarring her inside and out. Her mother is gone. Her father can''t talk about it. And the one thing that might make her feel better -- playing the piano -- is impossible with her wounded hands.To make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, Billie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma -- and in the surprising landscape of her own heart.

In 1861, Amelia Martin''s father is stripped of his post as a ship''s captain when he is caught harboring the leader of a slave rebellion. Now he is an assistant lighthouse keeper on Fenwick Island, off the coast of Delaware-a state wedged between the North and the South, just as Amelia is wedged between her constantly arguing parents. Amelia''s mother blames her abolitionist husband for their living conditions, which she claims are taking a toll on her health. As the Civil War rages on, Amelia slowly learns that she cannot stop the fighting, but by keeping watch in the lighthouse each day, lighting the lamps, cleaning the glass, and rescuing victims of Atlantic storms, she can make a difference.

In June 1942, seven months after attacking Pearl Harbor, the Japanese navy invaded Alaska''s Aleutian Islands. For nine thousand years the Aleut people had lived and thrived on these treeless, windswept lands. Within days of the first attack, the entire native population living west of Unimak Island was gathered up and evacuated to relocation centers in the dense forests of Alaska''s Southeast. With resilience, compassion, and humor, the Aleuts responded to the sorrows of upheaval and dislocation. This is the story of Vera, a young Aleut caught up in the turmoil of war. It chronicles her struggles to survive and to keep community and heritage intact despite harsh conditions in an alien environment.

An accident at a nuclear power plant ignites a story of loss, love, and courage.

Karen Hesse has achieved many honors for her more than twenty books over the course of her award-winning career: the Newbery Medal, the Scott O''Dell Historical Fiction Award, the MacArthur Fellowship "Genius" Award, and the Christopher Medal. Her novels burn with intensity, and keenly felt, deeply researched, and are memorable for their imagination and intelligence. So it is with great pride and excitement that we present Karen Hesse''s first novel in over five years: Brooklyn Bridge. It''s the summer of 1903 in Brooklyn and all fourteen-year-old Joseph Michtom wants is to experience the thrill, the grandeur, and the electricity of the new amusement park at Coney Island. But that doesn''t seem likely. Ever since his parents—Russian immigrants—invented the stuffed Teddy Bear five months ago, Joseph''s life has turned upside down. No longer do the Michtom''s gather family and friends around the kitchen table to talk. No longer is Joseph at leisure to play stickball with the guys. Now, Joseph works. And complains. And falls in love. And argues with Mama and Papa. And falls out of love. And hopes. Joseph hopes he''ll see Coney Island soon. He hopes that everything will turn right-side up again. He hopes his luck hasn''t run out—because you never know. Through all the warmth, the sadness, the frustration, and the laughter of one big, colorful family, Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse builds a stunning story of the lucky, the unlucky, and those in between, and reminds us that our lives—all our lives—are fragile, precious, and connected. Brooklyn Bridge is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children''s Book of the Year.

With the thought of Ma working so hard for so little, Maybelle and her brothers brew up an idea to surprise her. They will rescue the stray potatoes from a farmer''s field that were just left to rot in the ground. As the children gather "spuds" in the frosty dirt under the blanket of night, they hide from passing cars in a joyful autumn-night dance. They can almost taste Ma''s mouthwatering spuds--sliced thin as fingernails and fried up crusty brown, hot, and sparkling with salt. Won''t Ma be surprised? But Ma''s reaction to their good-hearted gift is not what the children anticipated. How will they set things right? Only Karen Hesse could construct such a delicate and delicious narrative, filled with stunning images and overflowing with love. Wendy Watson''s glowing, moonlight-drenched art perfectly compliments the story.

The story of Hanukkah is the story of triumph of light over darkness, of the small miracles that give hope to an entire people. In a series of eight powerful and evocative free-verse poems, award-winning author Karen Hesse captures the resilient spirit of the Jewish people through the voices of eight children at Hanukkah. The children-from Tamara in 12th-century England and Jeremie in 13th-century France to Havva in 17th-century Turkey and Ori in 20th-century Israel-have all experienced loss and hardship. But they are united by love, family, and their cherished stone lamp. The stone lamp provides each with comfort and hope, for every time its wicks are lit, the endurance of the Jewish people is re-illumined.

The year is 1768 and Nicholas Young''s mind is made up. He''s had enough! Enough of the cruel butcher to whom he is apprenticed and enough of his indifferent father lurking somewhere in the background of his existence. He''s had enough of the squalor of his life in London. He is going to run away. But when he''s stowed away on board a small ship he has no idea how famous this journey will be, one of the most famous journeys of discovery in maritime history. Three years it will take before he''ll come back to London, three long years of adventure and hardship: an 11-year-old boy among 80 tough-minded seafaring men and under constant scrutiny from the gentlemen on board. There''s midshipman Bootie who makes every day a living hell for Nick and John Ravenhill, the drunken sail maker. But Dr. Monkhouse, the surgeon, and Mr. Banks, the botanist, stand up for their keen and gifted assistant and one by one Nick befriends the crew. So the journey progresses and the ship''s company see places, people, sights, sounds and customs that no man has set eyes on ever before. There''s fever, famine and drought; exotic plants, stunning wildlife, blistering heat and tremendous cold. The crew in turn marvel and shudder at what comes their way and not everyone makes the return journey home.

In a series of eight powerful and evocative free-verse poems, Newbery Award winner Karen Hesse captures this resilient spirit of the Jewish people over hardship and horror, through the voices of eight children at Hanukkah. Full color.

A fictionalized journal relates the experiences of a young stowaway from 1768 to 1771 aboard the Endeavor which sailed around the world under Captain James Cook.

Realizing that her father''s lack of work has endangered her family, nine-year-old Juice decides that she must return to school and learn to read in order to help their chances of surviving and keeping their house.

Now that her grandfather is dead, Leah worries about her summer visit with her grandmother, but a conversation with Gramm helps Leah remember all the good times that she and Poppy shared.

Illus. in full color. "A sensitive story about a boy who, with the help of a deaf freind, conquers his fear of a neighbor''s dog that bit him years earlier. In the process, he saves a kitten and befriends an elderly, recently widowed man. Carpenter''s pictures give vivid life to Hesse''s gripping story, set in a 1940s neighborhood. Children will beg to tell their own stories after hearing this one."--(starred) "School Library Journal."

In letters to her cousin, a young Jewish girl chronicles her family''s flight from Russia in 1919 and her own experiences when she must be left in Belgium for a while when the others emigrate to America.