National Network for Equitable Library Service

Mark is a city kid who has come to a small town to live with his grandmother after his mom goes into rehab. He has to take a school bus home for the first time. The long, noisy ride home is nothing like riding city transit. There's some kind of secret code of knowing where you're allowed to sit, the kids scream non-stop, and there's pudding and cheese flying through the air. Someone even tries to set Mark's seat on fire. Mark quickly decides that all these kids are nuts and does his best to avoid interacting with any of them.

Willow the Armadillo loves picture books. More than anything, she wants to be the hero in a picture book of her very own. She knows that achieving her dream will take a lot of work, so she studies hard at Picture Book Academy and signs up for many auditions. But she just can't seem to land a leading role! After one last heartbreaking rejection, she heads to the library for some peace and quiet, and instead finds...chaos! And that's when Willow discovers something even better than being a hero in a book.

When Ethan and Ella learn that their mother has accepted the position of travel writer for The Brookeston Times, they are not happy. Move away from Brookeston? Say good-bye to all their friends? What could be worse? Their mom and dad promise them that this will be a great experience, but that doesn't make the kids feel any better. The day before they are set to leave, their beloved Grandpa Harry stops by. As a gift, he gives Ella a pretty journal since he knows she loves to write and Ethan a gold coin that Ethan decides he will always keep in his pocket.

Yolanda Rodríguez-O'Connell has a secret. All the members of her family have a magical gift-all, that is, except for Yolanda. Still, it's something she can never talk about...because, if she does, the townsfolk will call her family brujas-witches. When her grandmother, Wela, falls into an unexplained sleep, Yolanda is scared. Her father is off fighting in a faraway war, her mother died long ago, and Yolanda has isolated herself from her best friend and twin sister. If she loses her grandmother, who will she have left?

Emma doesn't really like hurricanes. After a busy day of school and activities, Emma likes to sit still and rest. Her little brother, Henry, does everything but. She calls him The Lemonade Hurricane. Henry is a lot of fun when he's not storming through the house, so Emma decides to teach him how to be still. By showing him how to sit, bow, and breathe, Emma is able to calm the hurricane within Henry.In Planting Seeds, Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teaches that by sitting still and meditating, the mind can become clear.

The evil Rumplestiltskin is planning to cast a curse that will erase Enchantasia as the world knows it, and a fairy prophecy declares that Gilly Cobbler will play a key role. Never likely to shy away from adventure, Gilly and her friends embark on an epic swashbuckling journey to stop Stiltskin from getting the ingredients he needs before it's too late.Gilly can't help but wonder if it's already too late for her beloved sister, Anna, who is still a member of the villainous Stiltskin Squad and will seemingly stop at nothing to thwart Gilly and her crew.

It is World War II, and Franny and her parents, Sina and Old Tom, enjoy a quiet life on a farm on Vancouver Island. Franny writes, Sina sculpts, and Old Tom tends to their many gardens - including the ancient, mysterious night garden. Their peaceful life is interrupted when their neighbor, Crying Alice, begs Sina to watch her children while she goes to visit her husband at the military base because she suspects he's up to no good.

Flicker...Flicker...Flicker...Glow. Tiny ember. Burning low.Inspired by the global movement to empower girls through education, this lyrical story tells of one small girl who reads a book that lights a spark. She shares what she learns with her class, and the spark grows. The girl is then moved to write her own story, which she shares with girls around the globe, and it ignites a spark in them, lighting up the whole world. This heartwarming and moving narrative shows how books and education can inspire change and how one child can make a huge difference.

11 complete stories! Featuring: The Cat in the Hat read by Kelsey Grammer Horton Hears a Who read by Dustin Hoffman How the Grinch Stole Christmas read by Walter Matthau Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? read by John Cleese The Lorax read by Ted Danson Yertle the Turtle , Gertrude McFuzz, and The Big Brag read by John Lithgow Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose read by Mercedes McCambridge Horton Hatches the Egg read by Billy Crystal The Cat in the Hat Comes Back read by Kelsey Grammer.

Based on real events, this is a miraculous story of a boy who befriends a famous elephant during a race against time and villains! When young pickpocket Danny accidentally buys an elephant at an auction, he finds himself swept up on an unforgettable adventure. Offered a job by a zookeeper, all he has to do is ride Maharajah from Edinburgh to Manchester in one week. Everyone in the country is watching, even the Queen, but the journey soon proves to be filled with drama and danger.