Our Fort

Our Fort

Our Fort by Marie Dorléans 

It’s spring! Warm and green, the great outdoors beckons, especially when you’ve built a fort to play in with your friends. Our Fort is the story of three friends who set out one day to visit their secret fort at the edge of the woods. The weather looks fine, but no sooner have they left home and walked into the hills than the sun disappears behind the clouds. Crows fly by, calling, and the wind begins to blow. Suddenly the day turns into night. It’s a storm! Will the friends make it to shelter? Will their fort survive the storm? Marie Dorléans’s illustrations capture the sensory pleasures of nature, as well as its capriciousness, while her story reminds us of the simple joy of being with friends and sharing a great adventure.

Buffalo Fluffalo

Buffalo Fluffalo

Buffalo Fluffalo by Bess Kalb

Introducing a sweet and silly buffalo who tries to bluff and fluff his way into being bigger than he really is. This laugh-out-loud story by an Emmy-nominated comedy writer shows it’s okay to be yourself.

I’m the Buffalo Fluffalo
I heave and I huffalo
Leave me alone because
I’ve had enuffalo.

Buffalo Fluffalo arrives on the scene puffed up with self-importance. Stomping around and raising billows of dust, Buffalo Fluffalo proclaims his superiority to the other creatures—the ram, the prairie dog, and the crow—who just want to be his friend. So Buffalo Fluffalo, who has had enuffalo , heads off to grumble to himself. Suddenly, a rain shower pours down from the clouds and—what’s this? All of his fluffalo is a soggy mess! There Fluffalo stands, a drenched pip-squeak without his disguise. The other animals, who could see through Fluffalo’s bravado from the start, circle around to comfort him. As prairie dog says with a smile in his eyes, You’re great how you are, no matter your size .

Readers will find Buffalo Fluffalo’s insecurity endearing and will be moved to reassure him. This humorous and delightful book encourages self-acceptance with a lighthearted touch.

Some Fairies Wear Hearing Aids

Some Fairies Wear Hearing Aids by Penny Gill

A magical story for children with hearing aids or cochlear implants, their friends, classmates, and families. Piper and Paige are best friends - you might even say they are two peas in a pod! These clever girls are both deaf, use listening technology, and are always ready for adventure. When they decide to build a fairy house, they are in for a big surprise!

This charming yet simple story explores friendships between people with hearing loss, the journey from birth to listening through sensory devices, and the fun of creative play in nature. There is even an adorable hearing dog!

Some Fairies Wear Hearing Aids is a delightful story that provides "mirrors and windows" for children with hearing loss and their typically hearing friends, classmates, and families. The book includes "participation pages" at the end, with suggested activities.

The Buddy Bench

 

The Buddy Bench

The Buddy Bench by Patty Brozo

A group of empathetic students recognizes that the playground sometimes feels lonely. Their solution? A ‘Buddy Bench' to ensure everyone has a friend.

The Buddy Bench inspires discussions on kindness, building relationships and social skills, empathy, coping with loneliness, and easing into the new school year.

The Best Bed for Me

The Best Bed for Me

by Gaia Cornwall

"Bedtime delays abound in this book centering a young animal lover. While a child envisions snoozing as different creatures do, a parent patiently attempts to wind things down as another adult tends to an infant. “Maybe I could sleep upside down like... a bat! They hold on with their feet and hang down from branches,” says the brown-skinned, rosy-cheeked child, portrayed in red footie pj’s among a colony of bats. “My little bat, it’s time to calm our bodies down,” replies tan-skinned, short-haired Mama. Cycling through koalas, sea otters, piglets, puffins, whales, and emperor penguins, the story integrates notable facts about the featured critters’ nocturnal habits, while pencil and watercolor illustrations finished digitally show the child cozying up with friendly wildlife pals who seem similarly disinclined to settle. After a smooth segue by Mama that emphasizes a loving parent-child relationship, the book reaches a snuggly conclusion that sets the stage for sweet animal dreams.

Ivy Lost and Found

 

Ivy Lost and Found

by Cynthia Lord

Ivy was Anne the librarian's doll when she was a young girl. But now she has moved to Anne's library to be its newest Book Buddy--a toy that can be checked out just like a book. Ivy isn't sure she wants to be borrowed, though. She'd rather go back to just being Anne's favorite toy. Fern, a child who visits the library with her stepfamily, also wishes things could go back to the way they were, when Fern had her dad all to herself. When Fern takes Ivy home, an unexpected outdoor adventure helps both of them find confidence and belonging in their changing worlds. This heartwarming story by Cynthia Lord, with a classic feel and gentle illustrations by Stephanie Graegin, is the first in a chapter-book series that pairs friendly toys with child characters who need them.

When You Can Swim

 

When You Can Swim

by Jack Wong

A celebration of learning to swim among a diverse cast of children and families who each experience the mysterious joys of water in nature. In this exploration of what it truly means to swim, sandpipers, tannin-soaked lakes, and the feeling of a small waterfall on sun-soaked shoulders are all introduced. But what about those who are afraid of the water’s mysterious ways and resist learning to swim? Painting a compelling picture of the many joys and surprises that the water holds, artist and author Jack Wong has delivered an empowering, poetic journey that invites children to discover their confidence within to receive the warmth and wonder of the natural world.

Just in time for summer.