NCW Libraries

A bendy drinking straw loves to speed through life, but he learns to appreciate taking it slow with the help of a friend.

It looks like trouble when Fragility, a hippopotamus whose feelings are easily hurt, meets Rudy, a rude elephant, on the soccer field.

"When a boy finds a canteen in his garage, he finds his superpower--helping everyone, from the postman to the local birds"--

Every day, no matter how hot, Lala carries a pot of water around the corner to a patch of dirt and concrete, waters the tiny weeds sprouting there, and whispers words of encouragement to her plant friends; then, on the hottest day of all, her mother insists she stay home, but Lala worries about her friends, and whispers words of love--with a magical result.

Accidentally activated in a future world where only the savage survive, a life-size toy named Fred is programmed to be a friend and spread kindness and good will wherever he goes, but in this world that is going to be difficult--so Fred decides that his first task is to get Lord Bonkers and Papa Mayhem, two warlords, to make peace and become friends.

When Jack finds himself on the naughty list, he worries that Santa will bring him coal. But Jack wants presents--lots of them. Will Jack be able to prove to Santa that he's not so bad after all?

As a little boy grows into a bigger boy, he first must have the difficult conversation Black families have with their sons, warning them about the challenges they face due to racism.

It's the first day of school! Abby is excited to meet her new teacher, Mr. Bauer, and learn all about her new classroom. The first day is a big day to learn the rules of the classroom. Readers and young listeners will follow along as Abby and her friends learn how to behave in class, while having fun. The gorgeous illustrations are paired with manageable text to make this narrative both an enjoyable read as well as a memorable learning experience....

Retells fifteen fairy tales that celebrate heroes for the power of their hearts instead of their swords, including King Arthur, who rules by listening to others, and Prince Charming, who wishes people would stop typecasting him.