New Releases by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen

A joyful picture book about a young alpaca’s first day back at school, from powerhouse team Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and Leeza Hernandez The first day back to school is always a little scary, but Alpaca is ready to face the new year! With shoes tied and snack-a all packed-a, Alpaca’s first day back-a is filled with classroom fun. Working together. / Learning each rule. You’re getting the KNACK-a / of being at school. You’ll dream of tomorrow / when you hit the SACK-a Your school will be waiting . . . / get ready, Alpaca! From singing new songs to making new friends (and a paint spill here and there—no worries, Alpaca! Ms. Yak-a has more!), Alpaca will help young readers feel prepared for their first day, easing their anxieties and getting them excited for school. Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen’s inventive rhyme, paired with Leeza Hernandez’s bright, graphic art, is perfect for read-aloud fun, as well as school and family libraries.

Colorful cats in construction hats are on the job to build a house in this adorable, bouncy, rhyming picture book! Kids will delight in learning about colors while giggling at the hilarious antics of these forklift driving kitties. Yellow cat. Green hat. Dig this. Clear that. Green cat. Orange hat. Mix this. Pour that. Six colorful cats work together to build a house...with just a little help (and mischief) from some tiny rat friends. Little readers will delight in following along with the simple rhyming text, big construction vehicles, and the failures and triumphs that come with a big project! Bulldozers, cement trucks, excavators, and even a giant crane feature in this story, but each read through also offers smaller details to discover!

An original illustrated chapter book adventure by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen about girl power, self-expression, and friendship—based on the Netflix series Princess Power and inspired by the #1 New York Times bestselling picture book Princesses Wear Pants (from TODAY show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie and educator Alli Oppenheim). The adventurous Princess Bea of the Blueberry Kingdom usually loves being in the middle of the action. Hang gliding? No problem! Zip-lining? Easy-peasy! But when Bea has to lead the annual Harvest Hullabaloo on horseback, she’s embarrassed to admit that she’s actually pretty scared of horses. Can she open up to her friends and still find a way to save the parade? Sharing your fears and asking for help—that’s the princess way! This original tale, illustrated in full-color, features beloved characters and explores the world of Princess Power, a new children’s Netflix series inspired by the instant #1 bestselling picture books Princesses Wear Pants and Princesses Save the World. These curious, kindhearted, can-do princesses learn that as long as they stay true to themselves and work together, there’s no challenge they can’t face—and there’s nothing sweeter than friendship! Princess Power series Princess Kira’s Kiwi Jubliee (#1)

Chapter book readers'' favorite kitten mermaids are shell-ebrating the Olympics with a school field day. The Purrmaids series is known for having readers paw-sitively hooked from page one! It''s time for the summer Olympics and Kittentail Cove is ready to celebrate! A hometown Olympic hero will be hosting a field day at Sea School and best friends Coral, Shelly, and Angel are excited to try all kinds of fun sports. But when Coral makes the swim-nastics team and Shelly and Angel don''t, she''ll have to overcome her fears and learn to work with her new team if they want to win.

An empowering, all-new chapter book adventure about girl power, self-expression, and friendship, based on the Netflix series Princess Power and inspired by the #1 New York Times bestselling picture book Princesses Wear Pants (from Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie and educator Alli Oppenheim) When Princess Kira of the Kiwi Kingdom brings another stray pet to the palace, Queen Katia has to put her foot down. Caring for an animal is a big responsibility, and Kira already had too many teenykins! Mom is right, but kindhearted Kira can’t stand to see a creature in distress. Can she and her friends Penny, Rita, and Bea find homes for everyone at the Royal Animal Shelter? Helping others and working together—that’s the princess way! This original illustrated tale features beloved characters and explores the world of Princess Power, a new children’s Netflix series inspired by the instant #1 bestselling picture books Princesses Wear Pants and Princesses Save the World. These curious, kindhearted, can-do princesses learn that as long as they stay true to themselves and work together, there’s no challenge they can’t face—and there’s nothing sweeter than friendship!

Chapter book readers'' favorite kitten mermaids learn all about voting during a contest in this 14th book in the series that will have readers paw-sitively hooked from page one! There''s a contest happening at Kittentail Cove Library! Only one lucky purrmaid will have their poster displayed in the brand new reading room, and Angel is excited to help count the votes! All the art is amazing...but Angel really wants her friend Coral to win. When she finds some ballots that weren’t counted, Angel isn’t sure what to do. Is the contest ruined? Or is there a surprise in store? Don’t miss any of the purrmaids’ adventures, including The Scaredy Cat, Search for the Mermicorn, Party Animals, and more!

From the author of the Purrmaids series comes the picture book Roxie Loves Adventure, a rollicking read all about a spoiled pug and her unexpected run-in with the great outdoors. Roxie the pug lives a life of luxury. She loves fizzy drinks and fluffy pillows. She keeps her treats and chew toys close and never has to lift a paw. One night, Roxie’s humans are fast asleep when she has to GO! She scurries out of her doggy door to do her business, only to find . . . the door has locked behind her. Will Roxie be stuck outside forever? Without toys, treats, and tummy rubs?! Soon enough, Roxie finds her grit and her way back inside. A changed pup, she dreams sweet dreams of the adventures tomorrow might hold. A perfect read-aloud tale, this fresh and funny picture book from writer Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and illustrator Leeza Hernandez encourages readers to venture out of their comfort zone to nurture the adventurer inside us all.

Let the magical adventures begin with three popular chapter books--Unicorn Academy, Mermicorns, and Puppy Pirates--all in one collection! What if your best friend was a unicorn? Do you long to set sail on a pirate ship where puppies are the crew? Do you believe in mermaids . . . and unicorns? Then the magic really does start here! This special collection contains the first book in three fantastic series, including New York Times bestselling Unicorn Academy, that are proven to hook kids on reading. Find out which one is your favorite! In Unicorn Academy #1: Sophia and Rainbow, a girl and her unicorn friend must save the unicorns'' magic. In Mermicorns #1: Sparkle Magic, Serena--part unicorn and part mermaid--starts Magic School! In Puppy Pirates #1, adventurous pup Wally finds out whether he has what it takes to sail the seas with the puppy pirates!

Part unicorn, part mermaid, and totally magical! Don''t miss this exciting chapter book series from the author of the popular Purrmaids series! Oh no! Lily is sick. That means she’s stuck in bed all day. She’s going to miss an exciting lesson at the Magic Academy. Even worse, she can’t go to the clubhouse after school with her best friend, Sirena. Is her whole day ruined? Or do Sirena and their kitten friends have a surprise for her? Read all the Mermicorn adventures: #1: Sparkle Magic #2: A Friendship Problem #3: The Invisible Mix-Up

Chapter book readers'' favorite kitten mermaids meet a grr-maid (a puppy mermaid) in this 10th book in the series that''s perfect for fans of Magic Kitten, Unicorn Academy, and more! A new student is coming to visit Sea School! The purrmaids are excited to make a new friend. But they''re even more excited when they find out the student is a grrr-maid--half puppy, half mermaid. It''s paw-some to make new friends from other parts of the ocean. But will jealousy between the purrmaids ruin all the fun? The adorable mermaid-kittens in this chapter book series will have readers paw-sitively hooked from page one!

A spooky and kooky tale about a lonely duck and his unexpected new friend—now in an 8 x 8 trim size and paperback Told in rollicking rhyme, this picture book introduces Quackenstein, a lonely duck in his “lair” at the zoo. One day, Quack is inspired to adopt an egg from the nursery and—much like his inspiration, Dr. Frankenstein—he’s shocked by what emerges from the egg. The “monster” chases him throughout the zoo in a fast-paced and funny parody of monster movies. In the twist ending, the monster (actually an adorable platypus) and Quack resolve their differences and settle down as a not-so-spooky family.

Part unicorn, part mermaid, and totally magical! Don''t miss this exciting new chapter book series from the author of the popular Purrmaids series! Mermicorns Sirena and Lily are best friends at Magic School. They love to find special places to pratice their magic so when Sirena finds a spot on the coral reef that''s perfect for a club house, she can''t wait to take Lily there. But she also wants to invite her kitten mermaid friends to the club...and that makes Lily jealous. Does Sirena have room for old friends AND new friends in her clubhouse? The Mermicorns chapter book series is perfect for readers who love magic and adventure in series like Magic Pony, Unicorn Academy, Purrmaids, and more.

Part unicorn, part mermaid, and totally magical! Don''t miss this exciting new chapter book series from the author of the popular Purrmaids series! When a mermicorn''s horn starts to sparkle, that means she''s ready for Magic School! Sirena can''t wait to learn how to do ALL kinds of magic around the ocean! But magic isn''t as easy to learn as she''d hoped. And to make matters worse, her school partner, Lily is way better at magic than she is! It''s not fair! Turns out, it''s hard to do magic when you''re jealous or angry. Can Sirena learn to be a good friend and master her first magic lesson? The Mermicorns chapter book series is perfect for readers who love magic and adventure in series like Magic Pony, Unicorn Academy, Purrmaids, and more.

All in step with wing in wing . . . Chicks can conquer anything! Nerdy Chick has been waiting all day for the Rocket Club meeting. But when she gets there, she finds a disturbing sign tacked to the door: “NO CHICKS ALLOWED!!!” Puzzled, then baffled, then just plain mad, Nerdy Chick sets out to change the rules. Along the way, she meets other chicks who are just like her: passionate and determined. From Soccer Chick to Science Chick and Wordy Chick to Yoga Chick, these chicks aren’t willing to take “NO” for an answer. They rally together, march to the barn at the center of town, and—when they hear “NO” once again—chart their own path forward (or, rather, up, up, and away!). A celebration of girl power and community action, Chicks Rule! is the playful, diverse, victorious anthem chicks everywhere will love.

Chapter book readers'' favorite kitten mermaids are going on their very first school sleepover in this series that''s perfect for fans of Magic Kitten, Unicorn Academy, and the Fairy Animals series! Coral, Shelly, and Angel are SO excited to go on an overnight field trip! They''re going to camp near an island where they can have a campfire and even sleep under the stars! But the problem with a group of three best friends, is sometimes someone gets left out. Shelly and Coral get to be partners on this field trip, but Angel has to be partners with one of the girls in the Catfish Club. Can she learn to make new friends and still enjoy the fun? The adorable mermaid-kittens in this chapter book series will have readers paw-sitively hooked from page one!

Celebrate the paw-lidays with the purrfect stocking stuffer! The first holiday title in this chapter book series that is purr-fect for fans of magic animals! It''s almost Fish-mas in Kittentail Cove and the purrmaids can''t wait for Santa Paws to arrive! When Coral''s younger brother, Shrimp asks her to mail his letter to Santa Paws, Coral is happy to help! But then the day gets busy and the post office closes early and...will Santa Paws still bring presents if he doesn''t get Shrimp''s letter? With some help from her friends, Coral will do whatever it takes to give Shrimp the Merriest Fish-mas ever!

Can the purrmaids win a cooking competition? Find out in this seventh book in the popular chapter book series perfect for fans of Magic Kitten and Mermaid Tales! It''s time for another field trip! The purrmaids are off to one of Kittentail Cove''s farms to learn about new kinds of food. As the daughter of two chefs, Shelly can''t wait to make up new recipes with food from the field trip! It''s time for a cooking challenge! But when the girls forget to set a timer, all their food is overcooked. Can the kittens fix their recipes before it''s time to serve their teacher, Ms. Harbor? Kids who love cooking shows like Chopped Junior, Kids Baking Championship, and more will love seeing our favorite purrmaids experimenting in the kitchen!

Give the gift of mermaid kittens with this boxed set of books 1-4 in the Purrmaids series! Purr-fect for fans of chapter book series like Magic Kitten, Mermaid Tales, and Rainbow Magic! Angel, Coral, and Shelly are best friends . . . and mermaid kittens. They love swimming around their home of Kittentail Cove and doing projects together at sea school. This book boxed set introduces the friends in four fin-tastic adventures! In #1: The Scaredy Cat, the purrmaids explore a sunken ship and conquer their fears! In #2: The Catfish Club, the girls must deal with friendship problems at school while working on art projects. In #3: Seasick Sea Horse, Shelly loses the class pet, and her friends have to help her fix the purr-oblem! In #4: Search for the Mermicorn, the purrmaids visit a nature preserve and discover an amazing new creature . . . a unicorn mermaid! This four-book collection is the purr-fect way to swim into this chapter book series!

Help the purrmaids clean up the ocean--and save a mermicorn friend--in this sixth book in the popular chapter book series perfect for fans of Magic Kitten and Mermaid Tales! Ms. Harbor has a fun new project for the purrmaids: a scavenger hunt! The purrmaids must search Kittentail Cove to find items around the ocean. Some are rare, like a special piece of coral. And some are too plentiful--like plastic human garbage. When Coral, Shelly, and Angel visit their mermicorn friend, Sirena, they discover that Sirena''s younger brother is caught in plastic soda rings. It''s up to the purrmaids to help their friend and clean up the ocean! Ocean conservation, recycling, and the environment are important topics that kids feel passionate about. This new Purrmaids adventure purr-fectly pairs the fun of a scavenger hunt with these important educational themes!

All in step with wing in wing . . . Chicks can conquer anything! Nerdy Chick has been waiting all day for the Rocket Club meeting. But when she gets there, she finds a disturbing sign tacked to the door: “NO CHICKS ALLOWED!!!” Puzzled, then baffled, then just plain mad, Nerdy Chick sets out to change the rules. Along the way, she meets other chicks who are just like her: passionate and determined. From Soccer Chick to Science Chick and Wordy Chick to Yoga Chick, these chicks aren’t willing to take “NO” for an answer. They rally together, march to the barn at the center of town, and—when they hear “NO” once again—chart their own path forward (or, rather, up, up, and away!). A celebration of girl power and community action, Chicks Rule! is the playful, diverse, victorious anthem chicks everywhere will love.

The adorable mermaid-kittens in this chapter book series are ready to sing on stage--fans of the Magic Kitten and the Fairy Animals series will be paw-sitively hooked from page one! It''s a special day in Kittentail Cove! Purrmaids have a chance to sing in front of the whole town. Shelly can''t wait to try out. Especially once she hears this year''s surprise guest. The winning purrmaids get to sing with famous pop star Kelpy Sharkson! There''s just one problem. Shelly thinks practice makes purr-fect, but her friends get tired of singing all day. Can the purrmaids find a way to work hard and have fun?

It''s a special day in Kittentail Cove! Purrmaids have a chance to sing in front of the whole town. Shelly can''t wait to try out. Especially once she hears this year''s surprise guest. The winning purrmaids get to sing with famous pop star Kelpy Sharks

Part kitten, part mermaid and TOTALLY purrfect! Meet the purrmaids, the CUTEST kitten-mermaids you''ve EVERseen! The purrmaids have a new class pet and it''s a sea horse! Shelly is the first purrmaid to take the sea horse home, but - disaster! - she LOSES him. What on earth will Shelly and her friends do?

Let the adventure begin with four popular series--Magic Tree House, Junie B. Jones, A to Z Mysteries, and Purrmaids--all in one collection! Has a book ever made you laugh so hard milk came out of your nose? Do adventure and mystery keep you turning pages? Do you love a good story about friendship? Then the fun really does start here! This special "starter set" contains the first book in four fantastic series, including New York Times bestselling Magic Tree House and Junie B. Jones, that have hooked millions of kids on reading. Find out which one is your favorite! --In Magic Tree House #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark, a mysterious tree house whisks Jack and Annie to the time of the dinosaurs! --In Junie B. Jones and the Stupid, Smelly Bus, the world''s funniest kid is so afraid of the school bus that when it''s time to go home . . . she doesn''t. --In A to Z Mysteries: The Absent Author, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose''s favorite author is missing. Can they crack the case? --In Purmaids #1: The Scaredy Cat, Coral, Shelly, and Angel are Purrmaids--part kitten, part mermaid. Will Coral ever be as brave as her best friends?

The adorable mermaid-kittens (and unicorn-mermaid!) in this chapter book series will have fans of Magic Kitten and the Fairy Animal series paw-sitively hooked from page one! What''s better than a purrmaid? A mermicorn! Coral, Angel, and Shelly can''t wait to work on their school project about creatures in the ocean. There are so many animals to choose from! How do you pick just one? Then Angel remembers something she read about in a book--a mermicorn! It''s perfect...but are mermicorns real? Angel thinks so! And a student at the Science Center just might help her prove it!

Part kitten, part mermaid, the Purrmaids series is purrfect for chapter book readers and for fans of the Magic Kitten and Fairy Animals of Misty Wood series! And the purrfect class pet for the Purrmaids? A sea horse! But what happens when he goes missing? Ms. Harbor''s classroom has a new pet. A sea horse! The students are excited to take care of the little guy during the week. And on weekends, someone gets to bring the sea horse home for a visit! Shelly is the first purrmaid to bring him home . . . and he gets lost! Shelly asks her friends to help her find him before they have to be back at school. Can the purrmaids find the little seahorse in time? The adorable mermaid-kittens in this chapter book series will have readers paw-sitively hooked from page one!

A moving and inspiring nonfiction picture book about Jackie Robinson’s court martial trial—an important lesser-known moment in his lifetime of fighting prejudice with strength and grace—from author Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and award-winning illustrator R. Gregory Christie. Perfect for fans of Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, The Story of Ruby Bridges, and Martin’s Big Words. Jackie Robinson broke boundaries as the first African American player in Major League Baseball. But long before Jackie changed the world in a Dodger uniform, he did it in an army uniform. As a soldier during World War II, Jackie experienced segregation every day—separate places for black soldiers to sit, to eat, and to live. When the army outlawed segregation on military posts and buses, things were supposed to change. So when Jackie was ordered by a white bus driver to move to the back of a military bus, he refused. Instead of defending Jackie’s rights, the military police took him to trial. But Jackie would stand up for what was right, even when it was difficult to do.

Read & Bloom offers high interest, character driven stories for newly independent readers that feature full-color illustrations throughout and will transition kids from leveled readers to a lifetime of reading. Caveboy is just like any other boy. One of his absolute favorite things to do is playing baseskull, so one day, Caveboy decides to join a baseskull team! But when his best friend Mags wants to try out as well, he learns that she isn''t very good. Caveboy is faced with a tricky problem--should he stay with his friend and be stuck on a losing team, or leave her to be on the better team?

Get totally smitten with mermaid kittens in the first book in this new chapter book series! It’s purrfect for fans of Magic Kitten and the Fairy Animals of Misty Wood series. Coral, Shelly, and Angel are best friends. They love exploring their home in Kittentail Cove. On the first day of sea school, their teacher asks everyone to bring in something special to share with the class. Shelly and Angel can’t wait to visit Tortoiseshell Reef to find an extra-special treasure. But the reef is all the way on the edge of the cove and Coral is scared to swim that far away from home. Can this scaredy-cat learn to be brave? These adorable purrmaids will have young readers paws-itively hooked from page one!