Books published by publisher Aladdin/Beyond Words

Even the most well-known people have struggled to succeed! Find out what they learned and how they turned their failures into triumphs with this engaging and youthful guide on how to succeed long term.There is a lot of pressure in today’s society to succeed, but failing is a part of learning how to be a successful person. In his teaching career, Luke Reynolds saw the stress and anxiety his students suffered over grades, fitting in, and getting things right the first time. Fantastic Failures helps students learn that their mistakes and failures do not define their whole lives, but help them grow into their potential. Kids will love learning about some of the well-known people who failed before succeeding and will come to understand that failure is a large component of success. With stories from people like J. K. Rowling, Albert Einstein, Rosa Parks, Sonia Sotomayor, Vincent Van Gogh, Julia Child, Steven Spielberg, and Betsy Johnson, each profile proves that the greatest mistakes and flops can turn into something amazing. Intermixed throughout the fun profiles, Reynolds spotlights great inventors and scientists who discovered and created some of the most important medicines, devices, and concepts of all time, including lifesaving vaccines and medicines that were stumbled upon by mistake.

In this hilarious guide full of honest, real-life experiences, veteran teacher Luke Reynolds skillfully and humorously shows kids how to not only survive, but thrive and even enjoy the wild adventure that is middle school.Middle grade series like The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries bring an authentic voice and vision to fiction about middle schoolers. Now, for the first time a nonfiction guide to middle school offers that same funny and relatable voice, while skillfully teaching life lessons to not just help kids find their footing during the tough years between elementary and high school, but to find the joy in their new adventures and challenges. Author and teacher Luke Reynolds uses irreverent humor, genuine affection for middle schoolers, and authenticity that bubbles over as he ties real-life experiences from his own time in middle school to the experiences he has from his many years as a teacher. Covering topics like bullying, peer pressure, grades, dealing with difficult parents, and love and romance, this rare book reaches kids at a deeper level during an age when they are often considered too young to appreciate it. Readers will learn to find their own voice, begin to explore their genuine identity, and definitely laugh out loud along the way.

Did you know that no one knows where flowers came from? No scientist, no botanist. No one knows for sure. All that anyone knows is that there was a time where there were no flowers in the entire world. There were plants like palm trees dotting the Earth, but there weren't any flowers at all. Poppy Bear knows where flowers come from, though! He helps spread them all over the world! Poppy Bear: The Garden That Overslept is the story of two children, Ida and David, who wake up Poppy Bear--who's overslept meaning that, oh no!, spring is late--and they help bring a garden to life. From Today’s Librarian: "Beautiful illustrations and rhyming prose bring this bedtime story to life for little ones ages 3 to 7. When Springtime arrives late, Ida and her brother, David, set out to find out why. The first few pages of illustrations are black-and-white drawings of the youngsters searching for budding flowers and trees. They stumble upon Poppy Bear snoring soundly in the barren garden, and the pages become a kaleidoscope of colors. With the children’s help, Poppy sets out to bring the garden to life. Poppy and the children plant seeds, call upon the rain clouds and entice the local critters to prance and dance in the blooming garden. The story’s rhyming cadence will keep children entertained and is an easy read-aloud for parents. The detailed illustrations of spring—among them fat raindrops and a bright butterfly emerging from a cocoon—are nothing short of fabulous. Children will be inspired to find springtime in their own backyard."

Become a full-time foodie with this step-by-step guide to entering the professional world of cooking, baking, and running a culinary business.Designed to inspire creative expression and help aspiring chefs achieve their dreams, So, You Want to Be a Chef? defines the pathways fine dining and cuisine professions, from being a sous chef, pastry chef, or chef de cuisine, to becoming a caterer or restaurateur and more. In addition to tips from professionals in the industry, So, You Want to Be a Chef? includes inspiring stories from successful young cooks and a full list of resources to help you on your way to chefdom.

In this hilarious guide full of honest, real-life experiences, veteran teacher Luke Reynolds skillfully and humorously shows kids how to not only survive, but thrive and even enjoy the wild adventure that is middle school.Middle grade series like The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries bring an authentic voice and vision to fiction about middle schoolers. Now, for the first time a nonfiction guide to middle school offers that same funny and relatable voice, while skillfully teaching life lessons to not just help kids find their footing during the tough years between elementary and high school, but to find the joy in their new adventures and challenges. Author and teacher Luke Reynolds uses irreverent humor, genuine affection for middle schoolers, and authenticity that bubbles over as he ties real-life experiences from his own time in middle school to the experiences he has from his many years as a teacher. Covering topics like bullying, peer pressure, grades, dealing with difficult parents, and love and romance, this rare book reaches kids at a deeper level during an age when they are often considered too young to appreciate it. Readers will learn to find their own voice, begin to explore their genuine identity, and definitely laugh out loud along the way.

Investigate real-life adventures of espionage in this collection of impressive and inspiring profiles.Spanning more than 300 years and numerous countries, In Disguise! details the lives of some of history’s most daring women, all of whom risked their lives to stand up for their beliefs. Originally published a decade ago, this fully updated and expanded edition of In Disguise! profiles twenty-eight daring international secret agents, from Harriet Tubman, who freed hundreds of slaves during the Civil War, to Eva Wu, who hid secret messages in her hair to aid the Chinese Revolution, to the modern-day exploits of former CIA agent Valerie Plame. With riveting narratives, fun quizzes to determine if you have what it takes to go undercover, secret-agent trivia, and short spotlight bios, In Disguise! is sure to engage and inspire.

Start on the early road to success while having fun, learning new skills, and making money with this guide of more than fifty entrepreneurial ideas.Filled with delightfully simple business ideas, Better than a Lemonade Stand! is a fun guide packed with creative ideas that show how to start a business with little or no start-up costs, attract and retain customers, develop negotiating skills, and more. Originally written and published when the author was only fifteen years old, Better than a Lemonade Stand! has already helped thousands of kids start their own profitable small businesses. Now an adult and father himself, Daryl Bernstein has polished and expanded his book for a new generation of budding entrepreneurs. This indispensable resource includes more than fifty, fun, simple business ideas—complete with tips about supplies, time needed, what to charge, and how to advertise—all completely updated with strategies based on Bernstein’s own experience as a successful entrepreneur and father.

“Young women looking for inspiration will surely find it” (Booklist) in these profiles of forty-six movers and shakers who made their mark before they turned twenty.This fun and inspiring collection of influential stories provides forty-six illustrated examples of strong, independent female role models, all of whom first impacted the world as teenagers or younger. Originally published in two volumes over a decade ago, this fully updated and expanded edition of Girls Who Rocked the World spans a variety of achievements, interests, and backgrounds, from Harriet Tubman and Coco Chanel to S.E. Hinton and Maya Lin—each with her own incredible story of how she created life-changing opportunities for herself and the world. Personal aspirations from today’s young women are interspersed throughout the book, which also includes profiles of teenagers who are rocking the world right now—girls like Winter Vinecki, the creator of the nonprofit organization Team Winter, and Jazmin Whitley, the youngest designer to show at L.A. Fashion Week. It’s never too soon to start making a difference, and these exhilarating examples of girl power in action make for ideal motivation.

Why just party when you can party with a purpose? Seventeen-year-old Lulu Cerone shows teens how to bring social activism into their daily lives—and have fun while doing it—with this colorful DIY party planning guide perfect for every socially conscious kid!PhilanthroParties are “parties with a purpose.” In 2010, then ten-year-old Lulu Cerone was deeply affected by the earthquake in Haiti. She set out to raise money for Haitian relief by selling lemonade, but she upped the ante on the classic lemonade stand: she got her entire class to participate, boys against girls. Their lemonade “war” raised $4,000! Now seventeen, Lulu is bringing her message of social activism to kids and teens around the world, showing them how to have fun while taking action, giving back, and generally having an impact on the world and the communities they live in. Having a birthday? Invite your guests to bring a toy to donate to a local charity instead of presents. Earth Day coming up? Host a Guerrilla Gardening party where guests make seed bombs with native flowers and throw them all around their neighborhoods for some drought resistant greenery and color. Want to have a movie night? Invite friends over for National Popcorn Day. Watch movies, snack on some wildly delicious popcorn, but give the party a philanthropic twist by asking everyone to bring old DVDs and Blu-rays to donate for soldiers overseas. This creative DIY guide gives readers what they need to know—from inspiration to how-tos—to incorporate philanthropy into one’s social life. It includes party ideas and plans, event checklists, recipes, crafts, personal stories, and brief profiles of causes readers should know about. Organized by month of the year, the book features thirty-six PhilanthroParty concepts paired with vibrant photography and colorful design, to get kids started. Whether they are in their schools or in their communities, individually or in groups, kids and teens can make a difference and inspire others to do the same.

From the inspiring author of Girls Who Rocked the World comes another comprehensive collection of true, inspiring profiles of successful young women throughout history who made their mark on the world before turning twenty.Young women today crave strong, independent role models to look to for motivation. In the follow-up to the bestseller Girls Who Rocked the World, More Girls Who Rocked the World offers a fun and uplifting collection of influential stories with forty-five more movers and shakers who made a difference before turning twenty. From Annie Oakley and Queen Victoria to Malala Yousafzai and Adele—each with her own incredible story of how she created life-changing opportunities for herself and the world—you’ll get to know these capable queens of empires and courageous icons of entertainment. Also included are profiles of gutsy teenagers who are out there rocking the world right now and personal aspirations from today’s young women.

If you could plant a garden that would represent your personality, what would it include? Maybe cherry tomatoes, green peppers, and delicious strawberries? Audrey Aubergine and her friends do just that in their neighborhood’s community garden, where they play hide-and-seek, tend giant sunflowers, and discover nature’s possibilities.Charmingly illustrated in a folk art style, this heartfelt story captures the excitement of children getting their hands dirty and learning to nurture living things for the first time. A celebration of different cultures and a gentle reminder of the value of people working together, Our Community Garden will appeal to all ages.

“Young women looking for inspiration will surely find it” (Booklist) in these profiles of forty-six movers and shakers who made their mark before they turned twenty.This fun and inspiring collection of influential stories provides forty-six illustrated examples of strong, independent female role models, all of whom first impacted the world as teenagers or younger. Originally published in two volumes over a decade ago, this fully updated and expanded edition of Girls Who Rocked the World spans a variety of achievements, interests, and backgrounds, from Harriet Tubman and Coco Chanel to S.E. Hinton and Maya Lin—each with her own incredible story of how she created life-changing opportunities for herself and the world. Personal aspirations from today’s young women are interspersed throughout the book, which also includes profiles of teenagers who are rocking the world right now—girls like Winter Vinecki, the creator of the nonprofit organization Team Winter, and Jazmin Whitley, the youngest designer to show at L.A. Fashion Week. It’s never too soon to start making a difference, and these exhilarating examples of girl power in action make for ideal motivation.