Nobody Hugs a Cactus

Nobody Hugs a Cactus
Author: Carter Goodrich
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 48
Release: 2019-04-16
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1534400915

Celebrated artist and lead character designer of Brave, Ratatouille, and Despicable Me, Carter Goodrich, shows that sometimes, even the prickliest people—or the crankiest cacti—need a little love. Hank is the prickliest cactus in the entire world. He sits in a pot in a window that faces the empty desert, which is just how he likes it. So, when all manner of creatures—from tumbleweed to lizard to owl—come to disturb his peace, Hank is annoyed. He doesn’t like noise, he doesn’t like rowdiness, and definitely does not like hugs. But the thing is, no one is offering one. Who would want to hug a plant so mean? Hank is beginning to discover that being alone can be, well, lonely. So he comes up with a plan to get the one thing he thought he would never need: a hug from a friend.

Animals Nobody Loves

Animals Nobody Loves
Author: Seymour Simon
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Total Pages: 52
Release: 2012-08-17
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1452109028

In 26 giant photographs—of a roaring grizzly, a piranhas razor-sharp teeth, a rattlesnakes poisonous fangs—Seymour Simon reveals the truth about natures most misunderstood animals and lets the reader decide what to really think about natures grossest, fiercest, and most fascinating survivors.

I Just Ate My Friend

I Just Ate My Friend
Author: Heidi McKinnon
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 38
Release: 2018-06-26
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1534410333

John Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back meets Lucy Ruth Cummins’s A Hungry Lion in this hilarious, deadpan story about a creature looking for a new friend after eating his last one. A little creature is looking for a new friend, but he’s not having any luck. Why is he looking for a new friend? Because he ate his old one. Heidi McKinnon delivers a hilariously macabre story with colorful illustrations and a satisfying, dry wit.

Desert Giant (pb)

Desert Giant (pb)
Author: Barbara Bash
Publisher: Gibbs Smith
Total Pages: 40
Release: 2002-09-06
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 9781578050857

A venerable saguaro cactus stands like a statue in the hot desert landscape, its armlike branches reaching fifty feet into the air. From a distance it appears to be completely still and solitary--but appearances can be deceptive. In fact, this giant tree of the desert is alive with activity. Its spiny trunk and branches are home to a surprising number of animals, and its flowers and fruit feed many desert dwellers. Gila woodpeckers and miniature elf owls make their homes inside the saguaro's trunk. Long-nosed bats and fluttering white doves drink the nectar from its showy white flowers. People also play a role in the saguaro's story: each year the Tohono O'odham Indians gather its sweet fruit in a centuries-old harvest ritual. In this first volume of Sierra Club Books' Tree Tales series, a simple, easy-to-read text and appealing drawings document the life cycle of this amazing cactus tree and the creatures it helps to support. Readers will come away with a better understanding of and a lasting respect for this accomodating giant of the desert.

You Are Enough: A Book About Inclusion

You Are Enough: A Book About Inclusion
Author: Margaret O'Hair
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 40
Release: 2021-03-02
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338701673

A beautiful and inclusive picture book all about celebrating being yourself from Down syndrome advocate and viral sensation Sofia Sanchez! It can be hard to be different -- whether because of how you look, where you live, or what you can or can't do. But wouldn't it be boring if we were all the same? Being different is great! Being different is what makes you YOU. This inclusive and empowering picture book from Sofia Sanchez -- an 11-year-old model and actress with Down syndrome -- reminds readers how important it is to embrace your differences, be confident, and be proud of who you are. Imagine all of the wonderful things you can do if you don't let anyone stop you! You are enough just how you are. Sofia is unique, but her message is universal: We all belong. So each spread will feature beautiful, full-color illustrations of a full cast of kid characters with all kinds of backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. This book will also include back matter with a brief bio of Sofia and her journey so far, as well as additional information about Down syndrome and how we can all be more accepting, more inclusive, and more kind.

The Bug Girl

The Bug Girl
Author: Sophia Spencer
Publisher: Random House Studio
Total Pages: 23
Release: 2020-02-11
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 0525645950

Real-life 7-year-old Sophia Spencer was bullied for loving bugs until hundreds of women scientists rallied around her. Now Sophie tells her inspiring story in this picture book that celebrates women in science, bugs of all kinds, and the importance of staying true to yourself. Makes a perfect gift for nature lovers on Earth Day and every day! Sophia Spencer has loved bugs ever since a butterfly landed on her shoulder--and wouldn't leave!--at a butterfly conservancy when she was only two-and-a-half years old. In preschool and kindergarten, Sophia was thrilled to share what she knew about grasshoppers (her very favorite insects), as well as ants and fireflies... but by first grade, not everyone shared her enthusiasm. Some students bullied her, and Sophia stopped talking about bugs altogether. When Sophia's mother wrote to an entomological society looking for a bug scientist to be a pen pal for her daughter, she and Sophie were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response--letters, photos, and videos came flooding in. Using the hashtag BugsR4Girls, scientists tweeted hundreds of times to tell Sophia to keep up her interest in bugs--and it worked! Sophia has since appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and NPR, and she continues to share her love of bugs with others.

How to Hug a Cactus

How to Hug a Cactus
Author: Emily S Smith
Publisher: Windmill Books
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2022-12-30
Genre:
ISBN: 9781508199946

Will hugging a cactus help it grow? This story follows a little girl who only wants to find a way to hug her beloved cactus without getting hurt. She searches for a solution, but the ideas of her family members don't work. Then, she creates special cactus-hugging gear that solves her prickly problem--and creates a new one! This rhyming story brings humor and heart to the important concept of problem-solving.

Do You Know which Ones Will Grow?

Do You Know which Ones Will Grow?
Author: Susan A. Shea
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2011
Genre: Children's stories
ISBN: 9781609050627

Poses rhyming questions about what grows and what does not. Features die-cut and gatefold pages.

Bringing Heart and Mind into Storytime

Bringing Heart and Mind into Storytime
Author: Heather McNeil
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 231
Release: 2022-04-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1440877181

Learn how to use children's books during storytime to approach sensitive topics and increase children's social-emotional wellness-and how to create storytimes that are engaging, participative, and FUN! The emotional challenges many children experience consume the time of teachers, exhaust parents, and sometimes lead children toward behaviors that prohibit social and academic success. Storytime to the rescue! Library storytimes prepare children for kindergarten; storytimes at home and in preschools allow teachers, parents, and children to think and talk about empathy and the importance of honoring your own and others' feelings. In Bringing Heart and Mind into Storytime, Heather McNeil teaches librarians and teachers how to use books to open conversations with children to teach such concepts as patience, tenacity, kindness, and teamwork. McNeil shares research on brain development, social-emotional learning, and the importance of play, but she also emphasizes maintaining the fun of storytime. She recommends songs, action rhymes, games, and crafts that contribute to fun and healthy storytimes. Extensive lists of recommended books will help readers find the right ones for their audience.