New Releases by Leslea Newman

From award-winning author Lesléa Newman comes a shiva story about grief and remembrance, Jewish culture and connection, and learning how to support a friend. Something Sweet is a beautiful and touching picture book for 5-8 year-olds that handles the difficult theme of death with grace, humor, and honesty. Lizzie’s never experienced shiva before. When she and her mom arrive at Joshua’s house, Lizzie is determined to cheer up her friend who is mourning the loss of his grandfather. But Joshua isn’t in the mood for their usual puzzles or magic tricks. He misses his favorite baking partner. As Lizzie participates in the Jewish customs of shiva, she begins to learn a new meaning of friendship. Maybe all Joshua needs right now is someone to listen. Something Sweet balances themes of processing grief, experiencing another culture, and learning how to be a good friend—and does so with tender care.

This collection of stories and poems by sixteen Jewish writers portrays the magic of Hanukkah for each person who celebrates it, as well as what it means to be Jewish. Celebrate Hanukkah with a diverse collection of poems and stories filled with history, humor, and hope. Cheer on a young baker as he tries to make sufganiyot from a family recipe. Learn about code breakers in England during World War II. Imagine hosting a refugee cousin or finding long-lost relatives. In this anthology, characters make discoveries, connect with family and friends, and mourn loved ones. Encompassing a range of genres and experiences, there’s something for readers of all faiths in the illuminating pages of The Festival of Lights.

A beguiling array of felines from A to Z makes learning the alphabet the cat’s pajamas. Adorable cat with eyes of gold. Baby cat just two weeks old. From curious to elegant, grouchy to inquisitive, rowdy to tangled to . . . well, unusual (who says cats don’t swim in the tub?), these twenty-six charming felines interact with oversize alphabet letters on rhyming spreads. Author Lesléa Newman and illustrator Isabella Kung offer a cat’s-eye concept book that makes the ABCs go down easy—and is sure to inspire many a repeat viewing.

Winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award and the National Jewish Book Award, Welcoming Elijah by celebrated author Lesléa Newman, unites a young boy and a stray kitten in a warm, lyrical story about Passover, family, and friendship. Inside, a boy and his family sit around the dinner table to embrace the many traditions of their Passover Seder around the dinner table. Outside, a cat wonders, hungry and alone. When it''s time for the symbolic Passover custom of opening the family''s front door for the prophet Elijah, both the boy and the cat are in for a remarkable surprise.

Composer Moshe Cotel adopts a six-toed, black-and-white kitten whom he calls Ketzel, and when he needs a piece to enter in a contest for music less than a minute long, it is Ketzel who provides the solution.

Candlewick relaunches a modern classic for this generation with a beautifully illustrated edition. Heather’s favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, and two pets. And she also has two mommies. When Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy, but Heather doesn’t have a daddy. Then something interesting happens. When Heather and her classmates all draw pictures of their families, not one drawing is the same. It doesn’t matter who makes up a family, the teacher says, because “the most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love one another.” This delightful edition for a new generation of young readers features fresh illustrations by Laura Cornell and an updated story by Lesléa Newman.

Donovan''s two moms are getting married, and he can''t wait for the celebration to begin. After all, as ringbearer, he has a very important job to do. Any boy or girl with same-sex parents—or who knows a same-sex couple—will appreciate this picture book about love, family, and marriage. The story captures the joy and excitement of a wedding day while the illustrations show the happy occasion from a child''s point of view.

A heartwarming board books about gay parents! A great purchase for new parents and new babies alike, and the perfect gift to show your love for mommy, mama and more! Rhythmic text and illustrations with universal appeal show a toddler spending the day with its mommies. From hide-and-seek to dress-up, then bath time and a kiss goodnight, there''s no limit to what a loving family can do together. Share the loving bond between same-sex parents and their children in this hearttwearming story of family.

A heartwarming board books about gay parents! A great purchase for new parents and new babies alike, and the perfect gift to show your love for daddy, pappa and more! Rhythmic text and illustrations with universal appeal show a toddler spending the day with its daddies. From hide-and-seek to dress-up, then bath time and a kiss goodnight, there''s no limit to what a loving family can do together. Share the loving bond between same-sex parents and their children in this hearttwearming story of family.

Andrea Robin Kaplan is a clique unto herself. In other words, she has no friends. Her only goal is get through high school with the least amount of humiliation possible, which should be easy— nothing ever happens in the suburbs, right? Wrong. One day, as Andi walks home from school, a little brown VW drives up and she meets Frank. Frank makes her feel beautiful and special. With Frank, Andi forgets how alone she is. From boundary breaking author Lesléa Newman comes a haunting story about a girl who is all alone, and a man old enough to know better. From the Hardcover edition.

Professor Ueno''s loyal Akita, Hachiko, waits for him at the train station every afternoon, and even after the professor has a fatal heart attack while at work, Hachiko faithfully continues to await his return until the day the dog dies. Based on a true story; includes an author''s note and glossary of Japanese words.

A young boy''s fascination with everything he sees around him causes him to be late and upsets his parents, until they come to realize his special gift. Reprint.

Eleanor''s grandmother, Bubbe, makes chicken soup with matzo balls every Passover, and this year is no exception. With Eleanor''s help, Bubbe makes some of the lumpiest, bumpiest, yummiest-looking matzo balls Eleanor has ever seen. These matzo balls are so delicious that no one in Eleanor''s family can resist sneaking a taste, each thinking one or two matzo balls will never be missed. But when it comes time to serve the soup at the Passover meal, there aren''t enough matzo balls for everyone-until Eleanor find one last matzo ball in a very unexpected place! Expressive, cheerful illustrations complement this warm story of a family''s celebration of the Passover holiday and their rediscovery of its true meaning.

A young boy deals with the loss of his beloved cat, Charlie, eventually accepting the arrival of another, very different cat.