Books

Sweet, simple blessings that encourage thoughtful gratitude during Christmastime.

 

Christmas Blessings are everywhere . . .in the twinkle of sparkling lights, in dreams of glistening snow, with family around the table. Let's be thankful for the peace and love this time of year brings! Parents and children will enjoy these simple blessings and creating new holiday memories with this sweet padded-cover board book.

Santa's not planned his vacation this year. Mrs. Claus says, "How 'bout Illinois, my dear? You always say it's your favorite place, but remember, the children should not see your face."

Santa and Mrs. Claus want to go on a vacation--but can someone as famous as Santa stay out of sight? Snuggle up and read what happens when things don't quite go as planned.

This Christmas regional series combines a fun and festive story with search-and-find artwork that will have children looking for Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Reindeer amongst Illinois's most iconic sights!

Slavery still exists--here. Tens of millions of humans live in bondage worldwide, tens of thousands in the US. As seen recently on Fox News, Dillon Burroughs and Charles Powell bring awareness about what's happening in our nation and world. The book and DVD teach about: - Human trafficking - Sexual exploitation - Forced labor - Agricultural slavery Not in My Town answers questions and promotes discussion about the slavery system that crisscrosses Atlanta, Orlando, Las Vegas, New York, California, Texas, North Carolina, Haiti, Amsterdam, India, Cambodia, and beyond. The authors' gripping journey shocks but also motivates and provides resources to equip new generations of abolitionists from all corners of society and diverse worldviews who share the common call to stop injustice.

Once in a great while a book comes along that changes the way we see the world and helps to fuel a nationwide social movement. The New Jim Crowis such a book. Praised by Harvard Law professor Lani Guinier as "brave and bold," this book directly challenges the notion that the election of Barack Obama signals a new era of colorblindness. With dazzling candor, legal scholar Michelle Alexander argues that "we have not ended racial caste in America; we have merely redesigned it." By targeting black men through the War on Drugs and decimating communities of color, the U.S. criminal justice system functions as a contemporary system of racial control--relegating millions to a permanent second-class status--even as it formally adheres to the principle of colorblindness. In the words of Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP, this book is a "call to action."

 

Called "stunning" by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Levering Lewis, "invaluable" by the Daily Kos, "explosive" by Kirkus, and "profoundly necessary" by the Miami Herald, this updated and revised paperback edition of The New Jim Crow, now with a foreword by Cornel West, is a must-read for all people of conscience.

Learn how to cook while making fantastic snacks, desserts, and meals.

With 35 recipes that you'll love to make and a helpful techniques section, this book will teach you all about cooking, from how to make sandwiches and party snacks, to making simple dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a range of lip-smacking desserts. Start out with Snacks and Light Meals, where you can make delicious pizza toasts or home-made buttermilk pancakes, as well as nutritious soups and salads. Then try one of the Proper Meals, such as the oven-baked herby burgers, a comforting pea and parmesan risotto, and even roast chicken, which will impress all your friends. Get your fruit fix with the peach and mascarpone dessert, or try the raspberry affogato in the Desserts chapter. There are even fun and quick ideas for Party Food, such as chocolate-dipped strawberries and giant cheese straws. Try new foods and make up your own exciting variations on the recipes--with such simple ideas, you can really get creative in the kitchen! Every recipe has step-by-step artworks to guide you, plus a skill level so you can start with quick and easy dishes and move on to more challenging things as you become more confident.

Charles Dickens' story A Christmas Carol is a traditional favorite for Christmastime. Retold in verse and accompanied by Caroline Pedler's evocative illustrations, this is a story to provoke thought about the meaning of Christmas and leave the reader with a warm Christmas glow.

Papa has already left Poland, and Krysia longs to see him again. "First we must cross the ocean to get to Ellis Island in America," says Mama. "That's where Papa is waiting for us." Saying goodbye to her home is hard, and the ocean voyage is long and stormy, but finally, on Christmas Eve, Krysia sees the Statue of Liberty! Dennis Nolan's richly rendered illustrations powerfully evoke the uncertainty, wonder, and hope of this young immigrant's experience. An Ellis Island Christmas is a holiday story to treasure, year after year.

Christmas comes but once a year -
Time for magic, love and cheer.
Featuring sturdy lift-the-flaps, a puffy fabric Christmas tree on the cover, and a glittery finale, this newest addition to the Snuggle-Me Stories line follows in the best-selling tradition of Peek-a-Boo, I Love You! Sandra Magsamen celebrates Christmas in her signature style, with heartfelt rhymes and engaging illustrations. Babies and loved ones will merrily read and play along. A perfect way for little ones to celebrate the holiday season.

With touches of gold foil throughout, this stunning tabbed board book is a real Christmas treat for children.

The traditional, hugely popular song is fun to learn and sing, and children will love to count each of the gifts--from one partridge in a pear tree to twelve drummers drumming. The tabbed pages make page-turning easy, and each tab has a number for more counting practice.

The 12 Days of Christmas a joyful book to share at Christmastime.

Candlewick relaunches a modern classic for this generation with an all-new, 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.