Most Popular Books by Mary Ann Rodman

Today’s my first ice skating class. I’ll fly through the air, land on one foot, and spin so fast you can’t see me! Claire can’t wait to get out on the ice and skate, skate, skate! She’s going to jump, leap, and twirl! Just you wait—pretty soon she’ll be on TV and dazzling audiences everywhere. But when Claire and her mom arrive at the Ice Center for Claire’s very first skate lesson, it’s not everything Claire was dreaming it would be. Beginners wear ugly brown skates, and who wants to practice marching in place when you can get right to it? But not so fast, Claire! One overeager foot on the ice, and… Wibble. Wobble— BOOM! In this humorous tale of expectation meets reality, Claire discovers beautiful performances require lots of skill, and it’s going to take many small failures and perseverance if she wants to skate like a pro.

A grandfather and grandson share a special love Zach and his grandpa love all of the same things . . . except the roller coaster. His grandpa once rode it one hundred times! But Zach doesn''t like the roller coaster. So when Grandpa goes on it every summer, Zach goes on the Big wheel with Grandma. She understands. But one summer, Grandma is gone and Grandpa is not the same. He misses her terribly. So does Zach. But he also wants his grandpa to be happy again. What will it take? Maybe a ride on the roller coaster? Heart-warming and uplifting, here is a story for every family that loves and cares for one another.

It’s 1964 and Alice has moved to Mississippi from Chicago with her family. Nicknamed ‘Yankee Girl’ and taunted by the in-crowd at school, Alice soon discovers the other new girl Valerie – one of the school’s first black students – has it much worse. Alice can’t stand the way Valerie is treated, and yet she knows she will remain an outsider if she speaks up. It takes a horrible tragedy to finally give Alice the courage to stand up for what she believes. Set in the Deep South in the 1960s, Yankee Girl is a powerful, resonant and relevant story about racism and doing the right thing.

Ellie counted the days on the kitchen calendar. October 2nd was a Saturday. Twenty-one days until Jimmy had to go. That was a long time. Maybe the war would be over by then. But the days slipped by as fast as the trees shed their leaves. And the war didn''t end. Ellie hates the stars proudly displayed in her neighbours'' windows: a blue one for every man gone to serve in the war, a gold one for every man who will never return. She doesn''t want a star – all she wants is for her big brother Jimmy to stay safely at home. But then Jimmy is called up, and Ellie can only desperately hope that his star never turns gold. "You won''t find a better novel to paint a picture of family life and woes during World War Two" - Lovereading4kids

When Kevie''s mother has a baby, Kevie, his older brother, and their father make soup for when the new baby comes home.

See below for English description. Aujourd''hui, c''est ma première leçon de patin. Je vais voler dans les airs, atterrir sur un pied et tourner si vite que tu ne pourras même pas me voir! Claire est impatiente d''aller sur la glace et de patiner encore et encore! Elle va sauter, bondir et virevolter! Il suffit d''attendre: bientôt, elle passera à la télévision et éblouira le public partout dans le monde. Mais lorsque Claire arrive à la patinoire pour sa toute première leçon, les choses ne se déroulent pas comme elle les avait imaginées. Les débutants portent d''horribles patins bruns. Et qui a envie de s''entraîner à marcher sur place quand on devrait apprendre à sauter et à bondir? BOUM! Wouch-crac. Patience, Claire! Pour apprendre à patiner, il faut apprendre à tomber... et à se relever! Dans ce récit humoristique où les attentes se heurtent à la réalité, Claire découvre que les belles performances requièrent beaucoup d''habileté, et qu''elle devra vivre plusieurs petits échecs et faire preuve de persévérance si elle veut patiner comme une professionnelle. Today''s my first ice skating class. I''ll fly through the air, land on one foot, and spin so fast you can''t see me! Claire can''t wait to get out on the ice and skate, skate, skate! She''s going to jump, leap, and twirl! Just you wait -- pretty soon she''ll be on TV and dazzling audiences everywhere. But when Claire and her mom arrive at the ice centre for Claire''s very first skating lesson, it''s not everything Claire was dreaming it would be. Beginners wear ugly brown skates, and who wants to practice marching in place when you can get right to it? But not so fast, Claire! One overeager foot on the ice, and... Wibble. Wobble -- BOOM! In this humorous tale of expectation meets reality, Claire discovers beautiful performances require lots of skill, and it''s going to take many small failures and perseverance if she wants to skate like a pro. Original title: Wibble Wobble BOOM!

This reassuring picture book about standing up for yourself and finding security in new experiences is a great read for any first-time camp goers or overnight stays. Roxie is excited to be going away to Camp K-9 for a fun-filled summer, but she''s scared that the other dogs will find out she''s brought her blankie along in her Pooch Pouch. What if the other campers find out and call her a scaredy-cat? Even worse, a mean bully named Lucy seems determined to cause trouble. But as it turns out, maybe some of the other campers have secrets too... Mary Ann Rodman''s lighthearted but meaningful story of summer, secrets, and friendship is complemented by Nancy Hayashi''s warm, humorous illustrations that are sure to comfort anyone who has ever dealt with a bully.

“Stubborn and strong and a little bit wild.” Emmy wants a birthday gift that is just like her Emmy loves trees, especially the mimosa tree that grows in her grandmother’s pasture. So when Emmy decides she wants a mimosa tree of her own for her birthday, she is dismayed to find that many garden stores don’t sell them. Emmy is crushed—until she discovers that the answer to her problem is growing right before her eyes! Mary Ann Rodman’s joyful story will appeal to all who cherish a special dream, and help readers appreciate the natural world around them. Illustrator Tatjana Mai-Wyss’s whimsical watercolor and collage illustrations capture Emmy’s exuberant personality and the story’s hopeful ending.

A spirited young girl struggles to get a much-loved mimosa tree for her birthday in this delightful, multigenerational story, ideal for Arbor Day and Earth Day! Emmy loves trees. She loves oak trees with acorns. She loves pine trees with cones, and willow trees with swishy branches. But best of all, Emmy loves the mimosa tree that grows in her grandmother''s pasture. So when Emmy decides she wants a mimosa tree of her own for her birthday, she is saddened to learn many garden stores only sell ornamental trees like plum or pear or tulip trees. Emmy is crushed―until she discovers that the answer to her problem is growing right before her eyes! Mary Ann Rodman''s joyful story—packed with environmental, independence, and problem-solving themes—will appeal to nature- and tree-lovers as well as those seeking great spring read alouds. Illustrator Tatjana Mai-Wyss''s whimsical watercolor and collage artwork captures Emmy''s exuberant personality and the story''s hopeful ending.

Théo attend avec impatience le retour de sa maman de la maternité. Pour fêter l''arrivée du nouveau bébé, la famille décide de préparer une soupe surprise ! Tout le monde s''affaire dans la cuisine, mais bientôt, la simple recette va devenir un vrai casse-tête !