Perfect for kids aged 4-8 comes a stunning picture book about persistence, being creative in the garden, and adapting to a new place.

When Amina moves from the Caribbean to a new snowy home, she misses growing her favorite foods. There are no coconut trees to climb, no gardens full of sweet potatoes and callaloo—only ice and snow. As Amina looks out her frosted window, she sings a traditional children’s song from back home, adding her own twist: “There’s a brown girl in the snow, tra la la la la, where none of her plants will grow.”

Determined to find a way to make her favorite plants grow in a new climate, she comes across a possible solution after discovering a library book about gardening and greenhouses. Perhaps there is a way to grow sweet potatoes, after all!

This stunning picture book written by a Guyanese-born author features:

* An introduction to gardening and greenhouses
* A note from the author about the inspiration behind the story

With gorgeous images by Marianne Ferrer, and moving text by Yolanda T. Marshall, Brown Girl in the Snow is inspired by a traditional Caribbean children’s song and captures a child’s unwavering persistence and passion, as she grows into her new home.

This powerful and hopeful picture book—inspired by the historic election of Vice President Kamala Harris—celebrates brown and Black girls and is magnificently illustrated by a Caldecott Honor-winning artist.

Brown girl, brown girl, what did you see? 
A world that sees my skin before it sees me. 

Based on a viral poem by Blaxican poet and activist Leslé Honoré, and illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Cozbi A. Cabrera, this moving journey through the past, present, and future of brown and Black girls is a celebration of community, creativity, and joy—and offers a reminder of the history that inspires hope, and the hope that inspires activism.

Praise for Brown Girl, Brown Girl:

✭ "Warmly, brilliantly welcoming—and not to be missed." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

This stunning children’s book from the photographer behind the Instagram sensation Brown Girls Do Ballet, combines irresistible photos of young ballerinas of color with inspirational text that empowers all children to express their true selves through movement and music.

When TaKiyah Wallace-McMillian went to enroll her three-year-old daughter into her first ballet class, she immediately noticed the lack of diversity of backgrounds and abilities among the students pictured on the school's website. In response, TaKiyah, a photographer, began taking pictures of young dancers of color and launched an Instagram called Brown Girls Do Ballet. The Instagram was an instant sensation, drawing a community of dancers of all ages. A nonprofit organization, that provides resources, mentoring, and inspiration worldwide followed soon after.

Takiyah’s first children’s book is full of gorgeous photographs of irresistible young BIPOC ballerinas of all levels -- from beginners to more experienced dancers. Writer JaNay Brown-Wood's poetic text, inspired by the dancer's graceful poses and powerful leaps, encourages young readers be proud of who they are and empowers them to take center stage. Brown Girls Do Ballet will inspire all readers to pursue their dreams no matter what barriers are put in front of them.

Brown Skin, Curly Girl Becomes a Marine Biologist is a captivating tale that follows a young Nigerian-American girl who discovers her love for the ocean and its inhabitants while visiting the beach with her father. The book intertwines vivid imagery of sea animals with an inspirational message of self-worth, girl power, and encouragement.

With the encouragement of her father, Brown Skin, Curly Girl develops the unwavering belief that she can do anything if she sets out to make her dream a reality.

Through her journey, young readers will learn about the wonders of marine life and the important role that marine biologists play in protecting our oceans. They will also be inspired by her curiosity, imagination and enthusiasm for exploring the ocean.

Written by author Paula Swearingen, Brown Skin, Curly Girl Becomes a Marine Biologist is a must-read for young brown girls and all children who need a reminder that anything is possible if they set their minds to it. With beautiful illustrations and a powerful message, this book is sure to become a favorite for generations to come.

It is Brown Sugar Baby's first Christmas! When the three Aunties swirl in, full of love and sweetness, Baby is the center of family joy and new traditions. Award-winning Kevin Lewis does it again, writing another lyrical and relatable celebration of unconditional love. This African American family is full of warmth and celebration, and reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas. Perfect keepsake gift for baby's first Christmas. Grandparents will make memories with their grandchildren, too!

• Relatable, lyrical story for parents and their little girls and boys to read together on Christmas. 
• Beautiful illustrations, featuring an African American family, will keep kids engaged throughout the story.
• Sturdy board book pages are easy to grasp, great for children practicing fine motor skills.
• Poetic rhythm and rhymes encourage language patterns and development amongst toddlers.
• Glitter cover and every page throughout provide tactile learning for kids of young ages as they touch the bumpy pages. The more senses you use as you read together, the better children can concentrate on their learning experience.

The year is 1954. A white woman’s body, stuffed in a coconut bag, has washed ashore in Otatiti, Trinidad, and the British colony is rife with rumors. In two homes, one in a distant shantytown, the other on the outskirts of a former sugar cane estate, two women hear the news and their blood runs cold. Rosa, the white daughter of a landowner, and Zuela, the adopted “daughter” of a Chinese shop owner used to play together as girls—and witnessed something terrible behind a hibiscus bush many years ago.

Learn more about Brujería, the set of practices and rituals found in traditional Latin American mysticism with this mini guide.

Developed over centuries and influenced by Indigenous, Caribbean, African, Latin, and European culture, Brujería has a unique history. This beautifully illustrated introduction will outline the primary methods, practices, rituals, tools, and terms used in Brujería. Learn about limpias, mal de ojo, crystals, cleanses, astrology, and so much more in this enchanting guide.

EVENT DEETS

When: Saturday, August 3, 2024 

Where: Kindred Stories (2304 Stuart Street, HTX, 77004)

How: RSVP for free with your school email

WHAT TO EXPECT:

With the beginning of the school year on the horizon, we wanted to take a moment to show our love and appreciation for the work of educators. We'll be serving light bites and drink (including mimosas). There will be a short meditation and intention setting workshop. We'll also be sharing the services that we offer to schools and school districts.

We hope you join us!

The Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winning classic about a boy who decides to hit the road to find his father—from Christopher Paul Curtis, recipient of the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.
 
It’s 1936, in Flint, Michigan. Times may be hard, and ten-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy on the run, but Bud’s got a few things going for him:

1. He has his own suitcase full of special things.
2. He’s the author of Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.
3. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: flyers advertising Herman E. Calloway and his famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!!!
 
Bud’s got an idea that those flyers will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road to find this mystery man, nothing can stop him—not hunger, not fear, not vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself.
 
BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR:
The New York Times
School Library Journal
Publishers Weekly
 
“[A] powerfully felt novel.” —The New York Times
 
“Will keep readers engrossed from first page to last.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred
 
“Curtis writes with a razor-sharp intelligence that grabs the reader by the heart and never lets go. . . . This highly recommended title [is] at the top of the list of books to be read again and again.” —Voice of Youth Advocates, Starred

*ships in 7 - 10 business days*

A beautifully illustrated nonfiction story about insects, following bees, ants, dragonflies, and more over the course of one day.

Set over a 24-hour period, meet busy honey bees, transforming caterpillars, and an army of leafcutter ants in this kids’ nonfiction book about the coolest insects on Earth.

Follow bugs as they fly, hunt, hide, and scuttle their way through their day. Bug expert Dr. Jessica L. Ware introduces insects in the style of a nature documentary, with simple science explanations perfect for future zoologists. Witness incredible moments including:

• A dragonfly escaping a hungry frog
• A shield bug looking after her newly-hatched babies
• A gigantic comet moth with superpowered wings

Packed with animal facts, Bugs (A Day in the Life) is part of an exciting new series of animal books from Neon Squid.

Also available: Big Cats (A Day in the Life)

A teen deep-dives into her dating history to uncover her mistakes, become the perfect girlfriend, and get revenge on the wrong guy so she can ride into the sunset with the right one in this debut rom-com.

To the surprise of no one, Amelia Hernandez is once again single. It’s her family curse at work; whether it’s by heartbreak, scandal, or even accidental death, every romantic relationship that a Hernandez woman has will meet its demise eventually. And that may be fine with Amelia’s sisters, mom, and aunts, but definitely not with Amelia.

So, convinced that she is the problem, Amelia decides to embark on an “Ex Retrospective:” tracking down her exes, finding out where she went wrong, and using that information to finally become un-break-up-able for whenever her next relationship comes along. Because Amelia is determined to be free of the family curse…and her family.

However, when Amelia is unwillingly reunited with Leon, the ex to end all exes, she can’t resist having a little revenge on the side, too. After all, what better way to test out her new persona of perfect girlfriend traits than on the boy who broke her heart?

But old loves die hard, and as Amelia’s feelings grow more complicated, she suspects that she may be in for more than she bargained for.

Ready, set, go! Layla and the Bots are heading to the races!

Pick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!Blossom Valley is hosting a go-kart race! The go-karts are provided for all the kids in town. Layla and the Bots can't wait for race day! But one racer, Tina, needs their help. She needs a new cart that uses hand-controls and other cool features. Layla and the Bots know just what to do... they will build her a brand-new cart that's even faster than her wheelchair! But will Tina's go-kart have enough speed to win the race? With full-color artwork on every page and speech bubbles throughout, this early chapter book series brings kid-friendly STEAM topics to young readers!

Rapper Bun B lends his street cred and occasionally his face to the creative, hilarious, and just flat-out fun imaginings of Shea Serrano in Bun B’s Rap Coloring and Activity Book. Described by the Washington Post as “what every hip-hop head wishes they had as a child,” this imaginative work started as a series of printable rap-related coloring and activity images. The 48-page, fully interactive book of coloring pages, unbelievably clever activities, and smart plays on rap culture brings these stars and their music right into your living room.Featured rappers include:

Bun B
Queen Latifah
Drake
Talib Kweli
Ice-T
Common
Wiz Khalifa
Ludacris
LL COOL J
Big Boi
Childish Gambino
Questlove
B.o.B
Mac Miller

And many, many more!

The Instant NYT Bestselling Bunheads by Misty Copeland gets a second act.

Misty and her bunhead crew are back! And this time, they’re excited to learn the ballet Don Quixote—a wondrous tale about a brave knight search-ing for his Dulcinea, his one true love.

Misty’s best friend, Cat, loves this ballet most of all. She thinks Don Quixote’s quest to find love is romantic, but she also knows the story’s real hero is Kitri, the daughter of an innkeeper, who boldly defies her father to marry for love instead of money.

The class is spellbound as Cat tells them the story, and their teacher agrees Don Quixote is the perfect next ballet for their class to perform.

The bunheads get right to work learn-ing the ballet. Misty hopes to land the role of Cupid, and she knows the role of the strong-willed Kitri could only be played by Cat. But when Cat is injured and unable to perform, she weathers her disappointment with courage and a dose of girl power that would make Kitri proud.

Bunheads, Act 2: The Dance of Courage is an inspiring tale for anyone who’s ever suffered a setback or had a dream deferred.

Setor Fiadzigbey returns to bring Misty Copeland’s bunhead crew to vibrant life with illustrations that will enthrall.

She fights for justice; he bends the rules. Together, they break all of them in this scandalously sexy legal drama.

Soon after passing the bar exam, Talia Tate is tasked to assist her father, the head of Tate & Associates, with the controversial State v. Duncan trial. Talia is determined to prove to her father, the firm, and herself that she is a brilliant lawyer worthy of respect. Her stress hits a fever pitch when she realizes she’ll have an unexpected face-off on her first case.

Detective Maddox Reed doesn’t mind cutting corners when closing a case. Since his days in patrol, the locals knew to steer clear of “Speedy Reed-y.” When Donovan Duncan was brought into his squad room, he was ready to send him to prison without an interrogation. He thought the case was cut-and-dried . . . until Talia comes to his office with fingers pointed, ready to get Donovan the justice he deserves.

Representing opposite sides of the law, Talia and Maddox find themselves fighting two battles: justice and lust. How could they fall in love under circumstances so polarizing that the whole world can feel the tension? While both of them are in a race to come out on top, surprising feelings make it difficult to separate business from pleasure. Will these two souls find solace with each other? Or will the burden of love be too hard to bear?

"Lorde's words — on race, cancer, intersectionality, parenthood, injustice — burn with relevance 25 years after her death." — O, The Oprah Magazine

Winner of the 1988 Before Columbus Foundation National Book Award, this path-breaking collection of essays is a clarion call to build communities that nurture our spirit. Lorde announces the need for a radical politics of intersectionality while struggling to maintain her own faith as she wages a battle against liver cancer. From reflections on her struggle with the disease to thoughts on lesbian sexuality and African-American identity in a straight white man's world, Lorde's voice remains enduringly relevant in today's political landscape.

Those who practice and encourage social justice activism frequently quote her exhortation, "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare." In addition to the journal entries of "A Burst of Light: Living with Cancer," this edition includes an interview, "Sadomasochism: Not About Condemnation," and three essays, "I Am Your Sister: Black Women Organizing Across Sexualities," "Apartheid U.S.A.," and "Turning the Beat Around: Lesbian Parenting 1986," as well as a new Foreword by Sonia Sanchez.

"You don't read Audre Lorde, you feel her." — Essence

*ships/available for pickup in 7-10 business days

A woman learns the hard way about mixing business with pleasure in this hilarious new romantic comedy by USA Today bestselling author Sharon C. Cooper.

I am beautiful. I am confident. I am lovable. I am a lottery winner.

This is the mantra that will get Dreamy Daniels through each day until she makes it big. So what if she lives in a seedy part of Los Angeles in a house that’s one earthquake away from crumbling, or works an unfulfilling secretarial job while struggling to finish her bachelor’s degree? All Dreamy needs to do is win the lottery, which she’s been entering in as a weekly tradition with her grandfather. When she catches the attention of her boss’s potential investor, Dreamy has to remind herself to focus on her career goals so she can be her own boss. Who cares if he has the social grace of the Duke of Sussex and the suaveness of Idris Elba? No distractions allowed.

Growing up with a father who is an A-list actor and a socialite mother, venture capitalist Karter Redford lives in the world of the rich and famous. Instead of attending movie premieres, however, he prefers spending his time helping the less fortunate, backing start-up companies and investing in cutting-edge ideas. Karter is used to his life revolving around work, but when he decides he wants someone to share it with, he falls for someone his mother would never approve of: hilarious, quirky Dreamy, who has goals of her own…but also isn’t a wealthy, upper-crust socialite. Though it’s clear they’re from different worlds, their relationship might just be his greatest investment yet.

This splashy shaped novelty book from bestselling creator Salina Yoon will delight young readers with its silly googly eye and shiny fabric fin!

Follow the adventures of a busy little fishy who plays hide-and-seek with other ocean friends! This interactive, shaped board book features a googly eye on the cover, a soft and shimmery fin, and even handles for little ones to grab onto!

This bright and graphic shaped novelty book from bestselling creator Salina Yoon will delight young readers with its silly googly eye and shiny fabric ladybug wing!

Follow the adventures of a busy little ladybug flying about its day! This interactive, ladybug-shaped board book features a googly eye on the cover, a soft, shimmery ladybug wing, and even handles for little ones to grab onto!

Published in 1982, But Some of Us Are Brave was the first-ever Black women's studies reader and a foundational text of contemporary feminism. 

Featuring writing from eminent scholars, activists, teachers, and writers, such as the Combahee River Collective and Alice Walker, All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men, But Some of Us Are Bravechallenges the absence of Black feminist thought in women’s studies, confronts racism, and investigates the mythology surrounding Black women in the social sciences. 

As the first comprehensive collection of Black feminist scholarship, But Some of Us Are Brave was recognized by Audre Lorde as “the beginning of a new era, where the ‘women’ in women’s studies will no longer mean ‘white.’” 

Coeditors Akasha (Gloria T.) Hull, Patricia Bell-Scott, and Barbara Smith are authors and former women's studies professors. Brittney C. Cooper is a professor of Women's and Gender Studies and Africana Studies at Rutgers University. She is the author of several books, including Eloquent Rage, named by Emma Watson as an Our Shared Shelf read for November/December 2018.

“Having been Jane Eyre, Anna Karenina and Esther Greenwood all my life, my writing was an opportunity for the reader to have to be me…” 

Shortly after flight MAS370 goes missing, scholarship student Girl boards her own mysterious flight from Australia to London to work on a dissertation on Sylvia Plath. Though she is ambivalent toward academia and harbors ideas about writing a post-colonial novel, if only she could work out just what that means, Girl relishes the freedom that has come with distance from the expectations and judgements of her very tight-knit Malaysian-Australian family. At last Girl has an opportunity to live on her own terms. 

Unfolding across Girl’s time at an artist residency in Scotland as she makes friends and enemies alike in a world far removed from any she’s ever known, But the Girl is a wry and playfully philosophical coming of age novel that reveals the joys, embarrassments, pleasures, and agonies of trying to discover and understand who you are. Girl grapples with the long shadow of colonialism, the pressure of expectations in immigrant families, and the sometimes difficult fact that those closest to us remain the most unknowable.

A deeply personal, paradigm-shifting book rethinking traditional therapy and self-care, creating much-needed space for those left out of the narrative

Writer and therapist Sahaj Kaur Kohli grew up knowing exactly what it means to straddle multiple cultures at once. Like many children of immigrants, she has often found herself plagued by questions: Can I establish my own values and embrace where I come from? Is prioritizing my mental health really rejecting my culture? How do I set boundaries and care for myself when family and community mean everything? Even after becoming a therapist herself, she saw those same gaps in the mental health world, leading her to wonder, like so many children of immigrants: what about us?

While conversations around mental health are becoming increasingly open, our models remain largely Eurocentric and focused on individuality. Sahaj has sought to challenge these long-held models, using deep personal reflection, therapy, community building, and a whole lot of trial and error, eventually navigating her own way to understanding and acceptance. Here, she shows us how to get there, all the while reminding us that personal healing is inextricably connected to collective healing.

But What Will People Say? elegantly weaves together personal narrative, anecdotal analysis, and comprehensive research. Sahaj offers advice and tools for everything from navigating generational trauma, guilt, and boundaries, to breaking down stigmas around therapy and celebrating cultural duality. Democratizing and decolonizing the way we think about mental health and self-help, Sahaj’s incredible work is nothing short of a revolution.

*Ships in 7-10 Business Days*

A wide-ranging collection, including two novellas and ten stories exploring complex identities, from the acclaimed author of Corregidora, The Healing, and Palmares.

“Gayl Jones’s work represents a watershed in American literature. From a literary standpoint, her form is impeccable . . . and as a Black woman writer, her truth-telling, filled with beauty, tragedy, humor, and incisiveness, is unmatched.”
—Imani Perry, author of Looking for Lorraine and Breathe

Gayl Jones, who was first edited by Toni Morrison, has been described as one of the great literary writers of the 20th century and was recently a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in fiction. This new collection of short fiction is only the second in her rich career and one that displays her strengths in the genre in many facets. Opening with two novella-length works, “Butter” and “Sophia,” this collection features Jones’s legendary talents in a range of settings and styles, from the hyperrealist to the mystical, in intricate multipart stories, in more traditional forms, and even in short fragments.

Her narrators are women and men, Black, Brown, Indigenous; her settings are historical and contemporary, in South America, Mexico, and the US; her themes center on complex identities, unorthodox longings and aspirations. She writes about spies, photographers, playground designers, cartoonists, and baristas; about workers and revolutionaries, about environmentalism, feminism, poetry, film, and love, but above all about our multicultural, multiethnic, and multiracial society.

*Ships in 7-10 Business Days*

"Run away from the boy that gives you butterflies, he's going to break your heart." Morgan Atkins has been faithfully living by that creed ever since her heart was broken by her first love. She's terrified of feeling that rush and those butterflies again. She's settled down with a respectable man, and lives comfortably and in luxury. She has everything and wants for nothing...but her life is missing that spark.

When someone from her past erupts into her perfect life, Morgan starts to feel that rush again. Those butterflies. And while her mind tells her she shouldn't be going down this road, her heart tells her something else. The more involved she becomes in the illicit affair that follows, the more she can't tell the difference between right and wrong. Someone will end up hurt. Someone may end up dead. Will Morgan survive this storm? Or will she be ruined again by the ultimate heartbreak?