New Releases by Patricia Polacco

When a leak ruins the sacristy wall in his father’s church, Jonathan Jefferson Weeks thinks Christmas Eve service will be ruined. Luckily he and his father find a beautiful tapestry, perfect for covering the damaged wall and giving the church a festive look! But then, an old Jewish woman recognizes the beautiful cloth. Her discovery leads to a real miracle on Christmas Eve.

Everyone loves Miss Wichelman?s fifth-grade class—especially best friends Traci and Marilyn. That''s where they learn that when life hands you lemons, make lemonade! They are having a great year until Traci begins to notice some changes in Marilyn. She''s losing weight, and seems tired all the time. She has leukemia—and a tough road of chemotherapy ahead. It is not only Traci and Miss Wichelman who stand up for her, but in a surprising and unexpected turn, the whole fifth-grade class, who figures out a way to say we''re with you. In true Polacco fashion, this book turns lemons into lemonade and celebrates amazing life itself.

Virginia Vincent Folsum, better known as Ginger, is a very elegant lady. An accomplished pianist, socially active—and what style! “You are what you wear” is her motto. But Ginger’s greatest passion is her pet pig, Petunia, whom she pampers endlessly. When Ginger is called out of town for a performance, Petunia is left on her own. Donning Ginger’s stunning gowns, Petunia poses as Ginger and conducts business as usual, with no one the wiser. Hilarity ensues as Petunia becomes the toast of the town, proving Ginger’s motto that you really are what you wear.

There''s something about Hensley''s! No matter what you need, that general store is sure to have it. It''s almost magical the way the manager, Old John, seems to know what the townsfolk need before they do! But then a new family moves to town. The youngest child, Molly, has asthma—but her mother doesn''t have money to treat her, or for anything else. But leave it to Old John to find a way to use Hensley''s to give the family exactly what it needs, even if it can''t be boxed or bagged. A true—and truly moving—story about an unforgettable general store and about the extraordinary power one person''s acts of kindness can have on another.

Seems like Richie’s entire goal in life is to make Trisha’s impossible. Especially when he takes to teasing her about her beloved ballet class. Trisha knows how much work it takes to be good at ballet—much more than the stupid hockey Richie plays! So she challenges Richie to perform in her ballet recital, and Richie agrees, under one condition: Trisha has to join his hockey team for the big game!

Letter by letter, meet cart-pulling goats; clothes-munching goats; head-butting, hill-climbing, tail-wagging goats! Cats, chicks, dogs, and bunnies play along with these friendly goats, joining in the fun. From A is for Apple to Z is for Zoe, these rascally animals just won’t stop until they’ve romped through the whole alphabet. Patricia Polacco, beloved author and proud owner and friend of many goats, has created another wonderful book to be treasured by all.

When the Graves family goes on their annual camping trip to Lake Bleakmire, they make a frightening discovery in the forest.

Patricia Polacco''s most poignant Christmas tale! The Stowell family is abuzz with holiday excitement, and Frankie, the youngest boy, is the most excited of all. But there''s a cloud over the joyous season: Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and Pa hasn''t returned yet from his trip to Lansing. He promised to bring back the oranges for the mantelpiece. Every year there are nine of them nestled among the evergreens, one for each of the children. But this year, heavy snows might mean no oranges . . . and, worse, no Pa! This is a holiday story close to Patricia Polacco''s heart. Frankie was her grandmother''s youngest brother, and every year she and her family remember this tale of a little boy who learned--and taught--an important lesson about giving, one Christmas long ago

During the Depression, a young Memphis boy trains his pet duck to do tricks in the fountain of a grand hotel and ends up becoming the Duck Master of the Peabody Hotel.

The famous Polacco goats are back! In this playful interactive chant, three mischievous little goats find their way out of the gate (squeak, squeak, squeak!), over a bridge (click, click, click!) through some mud (squish, squish, squish!), onto a carousel (um pah pah pah, um pah pah!)...and right into the path of an angry ogre! Of course, they are happy to turn right around and run straight back over the path they traveled, until at last they are back home gain, safe and sound. Patricia Polacco''s color palette is bright and springlike in her second goat adventure for very young readers.

When the spooky Graves family moves to town and tries to fit in with the "normal" residents of Union City, everyone is in for a few surprises.

It''s not easy being Welcome Comfort--a foster child always moving form home to home and getting picked on by the kids at school. But a new friend--Mr. Hamp, the school custodian--takes him on an adventure that may change his life. Full-color illustrations.

A young girl describes the family reunion at her grandmother''s house, from the food and baseball and photos to the flickering fireflies on the lawn.

In this variation on the story of "The Fisherman and His Wife," a young Ukrainian girl must repeatedly return to the wren she has rescued to relay her parents'' increasingly greedy demands.

Patricia is thrilled when her father decides that she''s finally old enough to learn to ride. But her dreams of having a beautiful horse of her own are dashed when he takes her to a stable in Dogpatch, the rundown section of town. Patricia is sure that she''ll never learn anything in a place like that. But it''s in Dogpatch that Patricia meets two individuals--kind, patient Mrs. Mack and a glorious chestnut mare named Penny--who help her overcome her fears, and change her life forever. Powerfully written, beautifully told, and brought to life with rich watercolor illustrations, this is a story that will touch the heart of everyone who reads it.

A Tricia le gustaban que le leyeran libros, pero le resultó difícil aprender lectura en la escuela. Cuando leía parecía que todos entendían menos ella. En primero comenzó a sentirse diferente y a pensar que era tonta. Al entrar a la clase del Sr. Falker, Tricia odiaba la escuela, especialmente tener que leer en voz alta, porque se reían de ella. Un día, después que el Sr. Falker le pidiera escribir rápidamente unas letras, éste dijo que había descubierto qué andaba mal: era que ella veía las letras diferente a otros estudiantes. Falker la hizo trabajar con un especialista en lectura; después de unos meses de trabajo duro, ya podía entender lo que estaba leyendo. Al final, la autora revela un secreto sobre Tricia y por qué conoce tan bien su historia.

The story of the doll who ties the author to her mother''s love, even after she is gone.

From the beloved New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of Thank You, Mr. Falker and Pink and Say. Baba Yaga is a witch famous throughout Russia for eating children, but this Babushka Baba Yaga is a lonely old woman who just wants a grandchild--to love. "Kids will respond to the joyful story of the outsider who gets to join in, and Polacco''s richly patterned paintings of Russian peasant life on the edge of the woods are full of light and color." -- Booklist "A warm, lively tale, neatly mixing new and old and illustrated with Polacco''s usual energetic action, bright folk patterns, and affectionate characterizations." --Kirkus Reviews

To teach his daughter the value of books, a father leads a growing crowd in search of the tree where the bees keep all their honey.

A loud clap of thunder booms, and rattles the windows of Grandma''s old farmhouse. "This is Thunder Cake baking weather," calls Grandma, as she and her granddaughter hurry to gather the ingredients around the farm. A real Thunder Cake must reach the oven before the storm arrives. But the list of ingredients is long and not easy to find . . . and the storm is coming closer all the time! Reaching once again into her rich childhood experience, Patricia Polacco tells the memorable story of how her grandma--her Babushka--helped her overcome her fear of thunder when she was a little girl. Ms. Polacco''s vivid memories of her grandmother''s endearing answer to a child''s fear, accompanied by her bright folk-art illustrations, turn a frightening thunderstorm into an adventure and ultimately . . . a celebration! Whether the first clap of thunder finds you buried under the bedcovers or happily anticipating the coming storm, Thunder Cake is a story that will bring new meaning and possibility to the excitement of a thunderstorm.

Say Curtis describes his meeting with Pinkus Aylee, a black soldier, during the Civil War, and their capture by Southern troops. Based on a true story about the author''s great-great-grandfather.

Having failed to win the pumpkin-carving, pie-eating, and seed-spitting contests, William hopes to impress Hester by winning the Dress-Up Competition.

The meteor that crash lands in the middle of Grandma and Grandpa Gaw''s yard sets off a chain of events that brings magic to the residents of Mudsock Meadow. A remarkable true-life event comes alive in this reissue of Patricia Polacco''s very first picture book.''Based on a true event, this enchanting book overwhelmingly expresses the magic that suddenly pervades a small town, from the funny, folksy way the story is told to the imaginative, full-color illustrations.'' ?Publishers Weekly''Polacco''s full-color pictures are completely in tandem with the tellingE'' ?Booklist (starred review)

Old Babushka, known throughout all of Moskva for her beautifully painted eggs, is preparing her eggs for the Easter Festival when she takes in an injured goose. She names the goose Rechenka, and they live happily together until one day when Rechenka accidentally overturns a basket, breaking all of Babushka''s lovingly crafted eggs. But the next morning Babushka has a surprise awaiting her in the basket. She cries: "A miracle!" It is one of many in this charmingly told tale of friendship and caring. With vibrant illustrations, Patricia Polacco has joyously re-created the flavor of Old Moscow and its festivals. The eggs, stunningly colored and intricately designed, are authentic reproductions of eggs painted in the Ukrainian style. Rechenka''s Eggs is a timeless story of classic beauty.

In this rollicking, book-loving adventure, the children of Triple Creek take charge to keep hope alive and give their town the greatest future of all. From master storyteller Patricia Polacco, author of Thank You, Mr. Falker, comes a tribute to the power of books and the children who love them. Everyone in Triple Creek loves TV. Everyone, that is, except for Eli''s Aunt Chip, who doesn''t even own one. In fact, the townspeople love their TVs so much that Aunt Chip has taken to bed in protest for the past fifty years! It''s only when Aunt Chip learns that everyone in town has forgotten how to read that she decides she can rest no longer. She teaches Eli to read, and the other children are so amazed at this magic that they want to learn too. But when they go to the old dam to get more books, they and the other townspeople get a surprise they never expected. A charming yet powerful story, for any family, kid, teacher, or librarian who truly believes in the power of books.

Stephanie Michelle, who cares for animals and listens to the sun, believes the homeless child, Fondo, when he tells her that the geese have invited him to fly away with them.

In this facinating biography, Anne Sebba looks fairly at the whole of Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity.

Presents a collection of traditional rhymes, rewritten to feature Russian characters and scenes.

A powerful and heartwarming look at a moment in American history--from master storyteller Patricia Polacco, author of Thank You, Mr. Falker. This Kindness Edition features discussion questions at the back of the book to help guide readers through conversations about its story and message! Perfect for classrooms and more! When Sheldon Russell Curtis told this story to his daughter, Rosa, she kept every word in her heart and was to retell it many times. I will tell it in Sheldon''s own words as nearly as I can. He was wounded in a fierce battle and left for dead in a pasture somewhere in Georgia when Pinkus found him. Pinkus'' skin was the color of polished mahogany, and he was flying Union colors like the wounded boy, and he picked him up out of the field and brought him to where the black soldier''s mother, Moe Moe Bay, lived. She had soft, gentle hands and cared for him and her Pink. But the two boys were putting her in danger, two Union soldiers in Confederate territory! They had to get back to their outfits. Scared and uncertain, the boys were faced with a hard decision, and then marauding Confederate troops rode in. In this Civil War story passed from great-grandfather to grandmother, to son, and finally to the author-artist herself, Patricia Polacco once again celebrates the shared humanity of the peoples of this world. Now with questions at the back of the book to help guide readers through discussions about the ideas featured in the story, this kindness edition of Pink and Say brings celebrated author-illustrator Patricia Polacco''s work to a new audience of young readers who can be inspired by its message.