Synopsis: ‘First published in 1979, Croll’s funny, popular too-many-cooks story …is newly illustrated here, with the babas (grandmothers) in a Russian winter setting. The simple, bright pictures in folk-art style show the bustling peasant women in the kitchen, each one tasting and adding and making a bigger mess of the soup.’ –– BL.

Synopsis: Which Texas leader cried, "Remember the Alamo"?Where in Kentucky can you find eyeless fish and blind beetles?What Minnesotan was so big that he used a pine tree to brush his beard?Every state boasts a special claim to fame -- whether for its rich history, natural splendor, advancement of the arts, or other unique contribution to American life. Check out what's said about the place you call home -- and learn surprising facts about the rest of the…

Synopsis: When her family moves to New York from Hong Kong, Mei Mei finds it difficult to learn the alien sounds of English.

Synopsis: "A small child imagines a future when he will be old with his Granddaddy and will sit beside him in a rocking chair and talk about everything...The poignant reality that time will never allow these two to coexist at the same age is softened by the fact that they do not have to be the same age in order to share happy times...The African American child and grandfather are...recognizable to anyone who has ever shared the bond of family love across…

Synopsis: Cherished by millions of readers, this #1 New York Times bestselling novel is a powerful tale of perseverance and hope. Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park interweaves the stories of two Sudanese children who overcome mortal dangers to improve their lives and the lives of others.A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching…

Synopsis: Discover what lives and grows in the Congo Basin in Central Africa, one of the planet's most remarkable regions.Running through six countries in the middle of Africa, the Congo Basin contains some of the largest tropical rainforests in the world. Dealing with present-day issues of climate change, it is home to bonobo apes, mountain gorillas, forest elephants, and more.With details about the exploration (and exploitation) by the European…