Synopsis: Children are able to communicate by signing before they develop the skills necessary for speech. By teaching simple sign language to children from as young as eight months, we can help them to convey their emotions and their needs. When children begin to talk, having sign language to fall back on provides a comforting safety net. Add to the fun of signing by singing well-known nursery rhymes and songs. Even proficient speakers will long enjoy…

Synopsis: A heartwarming story of friendship and celebrating our differences--and the teachers who help us shine--from master storyteller Patricia Polacco, author of Thank You, Mr. Falker.In this story based on the author-illustrator's own childhood, Patricia Polacco once again celebrates the power teachers have to help us discover the potential we each hold.Young Trisha is devastated when she finds out that her class at her new school is known as the…

Synopsis: In the first book of this bestselling easy-to-read series, Hank goes on a zoo adventure and befriends an elephant! When Hank's class takes a field trip to the zoo, he quickly gets lost after his partner (and nemesis) ditches him. Unable to read the map, Hank wanders and finds himself locked in a habitat with Elsie, an elephant recently rescued and kept isolated. He begins a game of soccer with her, and they become fast friends. But when Hank…

Synopsis: In Knots on a Counting Rope, Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault tell a poignant story about a boy’s emerging confidence in facing his blindness in this beautiful children’s picture book illustrated by Ted Rand.By the warmth of a campfire beneath a starry night sky, a Navajo youth named Boy-Strength-of-Blue-Horses listens to the tale of his birth from his grandfather. Although blind, the boy learns that he has the strength to cope with his…

Synopsis: Her bravery, brilliance, and spirit brought hope to millions of disabled people.Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama on June 27, 1880. When she was just a year and a half old, she was left blind and deaf from an illness. In a very simple text, the author covers the important facts of Helen Keller's life. Besides her extraordinary work with teacher Anne Mansfield Sullivan, she published several books and was awarded the Presidential Medal…

Synopsis: To save his school library, Jamie Grimm teaches other kids how to tell jokes in a comedy class -- but it's tougher than he expects in this funny book for kids of all ages.Teaching other kids how to be funny is the toughest gig that Jamie Grimm has ever had, and with the highest stakes. If he fails, his school library will be shut down for good!Even though he has a national contest trophy and a TV show under his belt, Jamie Grimm isn't one to sit…