The remarkable story of America's first black poet.

This is the remarkable story of Phillis Wheatley, who is born into an African family of griots, or storytellers, but captured by slave raiders and forced aboard a slave ship, where appalling conditions spell death for many of her companions. Numerous sharks follow the ship, feeding on the corpses of slaves thrown overboard.

Weakened by the voyage and near death in a Boston slave market, Wheatley is bought by a kind family who nurses her back to health and teaches her to read and write. Soon her mistress recognizes that the girl is a quick learner and talented. At the age of 12, a torrent of poetry begins to flow out of Wheatley. Proud of her achievements, her mistress organizes readings in Boston's finest parlors and drawing rooms, and Wheatley's fame spreads. But even when many in Boston are calling her a prodigy and a genius, some remain unsure that a slave should be able to write, much less write poetry. When Phillis travels to London she is a media sensation, feted by the cream of English society. A book of her poems is published, and she finally gains her freedom.

This amazing story, wide in scope, is based on fact and told convincingly from young Wheatley's point of view.

From New York Times best-selling author and Newbury Medal–winner Kwame Alexander, comes this motivational playbook filled with poetry and uplifting life lessons that inspired a generation of young readers and the rules featured in the Disney+ The Crossover TV show.

What can we imagine for our lives? What if we were the star players, moving and grooving through the game of life? What if we had our own rules of the game to help us get what we want, what we aspire to, what will enrich our lives?

Illustrated with photographs by Thai Neave, The Playbook is intended to provide inspiration on the court of life. Each rule contains wisdom from inspiring athletes and role models such as Nelson Mandela, Serena Williams, LeBron James, Carli Lloyd, Steph Curry, and Michelle Obama. Kwame Alexander also shares his own stories of overcoming obstacles and winning games in this motivational and inspirational book for readers of any age and for anyone needing a little bit of encouragement.

You gotta know the rules to play the game. Ball is life. Take it to the hoop. Soar.

In this charming, lyrical novel from Nicole D. Collier, twelve-year-old Maya turns to her trusty “Wheel of Fortunes” for guidance on the toughest questions—like why her best friend suddenly feels far away, or when her daddy will move back home. But can Maya find the courage to write her own fortune? Perfect for fans of Meg Medina and Renée Watson.

Maya J. Jenkins is bursting with questions:

• Will she get the MVP award at this year’s soccer banquet?
• Who will win the big Grill-Off between Daddy and Uncle J?
• When will she pass the swim test and get a green bracelet?

For answers and a dose of good luck, twelve-year-old Maya turns to her Wheel of Fortunes, a cardboard circle covered with the small slips of wisdom she’s collected from fortune cookies.

But can the fortunes answer her deep-down questions? The ones she’s too scared to ask out loud? Like, where did Mama’s smile go, the real one that lit up everything around her? When will Daddy move back home? And most of all, does she have enough courage to truly listen to the voice in her heart?

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Vivi loves science! In this STEM-themed Level 3 I Can Read! title, Vivi helps her community clean up the beach after a storm, and learns about how wind and water shape the landscape. A great choice for aspiring scientists, emergent readers, and fans of Andrea Beaty’s Ada Twist, Scientist. 

Vivi loves science—and experimenting! In this Level 3 I Can Read! title, Vivi volunteers to help with the clean-up efforts at the beach after a storm hits her town. But where did the sand dunes and tide pools go? Vivi and her friends will have to ask a lot of questions, learn about erosion, and conduct experiments tofind out!

The Loves Science books introduce readers to girls who love science, as well as basic concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math. This Level 3 I Can Read! explores how wind and water impact different landscapes, and includes an experiment about erosion to try at home or school, as well as a glossary. A great pick for newly independent readers and an ideal companion to Cece Loves Science: Push and Pull; Libby Loves Science: Mix and Measure; and Vivi Loves Science: Sink or Float.

Includes activities, a glossary, and a fun experiment to do at home. 

Tigers have roared and pounced their ways into kids' hearts. With this book, readers can become tiger experts and learn how to save the animals they love. Featuring an introduction from Chelsea Clinton!

Did you know that a tiger roar can be heard from two miles away? Or that tiger saliva prevents infection? Or how about that a tiger's urine smells like buttered popcorn? 

Perfect for all animal lovers--and tiger fans in particular--this book is filled with information that young readers will love to learn. From where tiger habitats are found to what it's like to be a tiger to why tigers are endangered and who has been working hard to save them, this gives readers all the facts they know to become tiger experts.

Complete with black-and-white photographs, a list of fun tiger facts, and things that kids can do right this very moment to help save tigers from extinction, this book, with an introduction by animal advocate Chelsea Clinton, is a must for every family, school, and community library.

In this highly anticipated sequel, Maya and the godlings must return to the sinister world of the Dark to retrieve the one thing keeping the veil between the worlds from crumbling: her father’s soul. Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky and Willa of the Wood. 

The threat from the Dark is far from over. Twelve-year-old Maya knows this. Now that she’s crossed the veil between the two worlds, saving her father and narrowly escaping the sinister clutches of the Lord of Shadows, tensions between the human world and the Dark are higher than ever. And even worse, Maya’s orisha powers as a godling are out of control.

Now a guardian in training, Maya spends her days patching up tears in the veil with her father and cleaning up near disasters like baby wormholes that her erratic powers create. But when Maya and her friends discover that something went terribly wrong during their journey to bring her father back to the human world, they are forced to return to the Dark and restore what they left behind, the one thing keeping the veil from falling: her father’s soul.

The Lord of Shadows is mobilizing his forces for an all-out war against the human world. And this time, Maya and her friends will need all the help they can get. Even if that means teaming up with their greatest enemies, the darkbringers.

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A joyful picture book about a disabled girl with cerebral palsy who goes back-to-school shopping with her best friends, from #DisabledandCute creator and The Pretty One author Keah Brown.

Sam loves herself, learning, and making her family and friends laugh. She also loves comfortable seats, including a graceful couch named after Misty Copeland and Laney, the sassy backseat of Mom’s car.

After a busy morning of rest, Sam and her friends try on cute outfits at the mall and imagine what the new school year might bring. It’s not until Sam feels tired, and the new seat she meets isn’t so super, that she discovers what might be her best idea all day.

With hilarious, charming text by Keah Brown and exuberant illustrations by Sharee Miller, Sam’s Super Seats celebrates the beauty of self-love, the power of rest, and the necessity of accessible seating in public spaces. Includes narrative description of art for those with low/limited vision. 

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For fans of Jason Reynolds and Jacqueline Woodson, here is a middle-grade story in verse about a white autistic boy and an Afro-Latinx kid as they become friends for a season in 1980s Brooklyn.

Punk rock–loving JJ Pankowski can't seem to fit in at his new school in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, as one of the only white kids. Pie Velez, a math and history geek by day and graffiti artist by night is eager to follow in his idol Jean-Michel Basquiat's footsteps. The boys stumble into an unlikely friendship, swapping notes on their love of music and art, which sees them through a difficult semester at school and at home. But a run-in with the cops threatens to unravel it all.

Moonwalking is a stunning exploration of class, cross-racial friendships, and two boys' search for belonging in a city as tumultuous and beautiful as their hearts.

When the students in Nikki and Deja’s class find out that their school is going to hold its first-ever election for student body president, some kids are more excited than others. But none is as excited as Deja, who figures she’s a shoo-in for the third grade nomination. Deja decides that Nikki will be her campaign manager, of course, and puts her to work right away. But will Deja’s tendency to rush into things and boss people around alienate her best friend when she needs her most, and spoil her chances of becoming president of Carver Elementary?

This is a charming new entry in a chapter book series praised for its humor and authentic characters.

PRE-ORDER: Item will ship on 11/15/2022

From Muhammad Ali and Billie Jean King to Colin Kaepernick and Lebron James, superstar athletes have leveraged their fame and platforms to make the world a better place.

This compulsively readable book explores dozens of incredible men and women whose astonishing athleticism is matched by their bravery and selflessness. Icons like Roberto Clemente, Bruce Lee and Jackie Robinson, as well as contemporary trailblazers including Venus Williams, Maya Moore, and Patrick Mahomes represent every sport and a broad range of causes. A section on Fearless Firsts provides a parallel history of civil and women's rights. And special sections explore organized group efforts—such as the NBA bubble protest in support of Black Lives Matter. Packed with graphic novel-style illustrations and thoroughly researched and reported, this is a must-read for young sports fans, activists—and anyone who appreciates a powerful story.

Stephanie Ready hosts The Warmup on NBA TV and The Bounce on the Yahoo sports app and has served as a sideline reporter for TNT and ESPN. She was the first woman to serve as a full-time NBA game analyst and the first female coach of a men's professional league team.

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Addy is haunted by the tragic fire that killed her parents, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother. Now, years later, Addy’s grandmother has enrolled her in a summer wilderness program. There, Addy joins five other Black city kids—each with their own troubles—to spend a summer out west.

Deep in the forest the kids learn new (and to them) strange skills: camping, hiking, rock climbing, and how to start and safely put out campfires. Most important, they learn to depend upon each other for companionship and survival.
But then comes a devastating forest fire…