Books published by publisher Second ACT Press

Violet is happy that her father has come to pick her up after her first day at a new school. But as she races over to meet him, one of the other kids asks, "How come your dad is blue and you're not?" Violet has never even thought about this before. Her mother is red and her father is blue, so why isn't she red or blue? Why is she violet? Upset and confused, Violet goes to her mother. Using paints, her mother shows her that when you combine red and blue, you get violet! Like many people in the world, Violet is a beautiful mix of colors. But color isn't really that important. After all, it is what's inside us that counts. Tania Stehlik is of Indian and French Canadian descent and takes great pride in her mixed heritage. She lives in Toronto, Ontario. Vanja Vuleta Jovanovic is a multimedia artist and a freelance graphic designer. Born in the former Yugoslavia, she lives in Toronto, Ontario. The is now online for your viewing pleasure!

Before the rise of the Nazi party, Germany, especially Berlin, was one of the most tolerant places for homosexuals in the world. Activists such as Thomas Mann and Albert Einstein campaigned openly for the rights of gay men and women and tried to repeal the law against homosexuality. But that all changed when the Nazis came to power; existence for gay people became fear-filled. Raids, arrests, prison sentences and expulsions became the daily reality. When the concentration camps were built, homosexuals were imprisoned along with Jews and any other groups the Nazis wanted to suppress. The pink triangle sewn onto prison uniforms became the symbol of the persecution of homosexuals, a persecution that would continue for many years after the war. A mix of historical research, first-person accounts and individual stories brings this time to life for young readers. Stories of bravery in the face of inhuman cruelty, friendship found in the depths of despair in the camps and the perseverance of the human spirit will educate and inspire.

Thirteen-year-old Jakob’s family has hidden their true identity as Jews and are living as Catholics in Budapest during World War II. One day, in a burst of loyalty, Jakob decides to reveal that he is Jewish, putting his whole family in danger. Jakob hopes his best friend Ivan, a Christian, will help his family but comes to believe that Ivan has abandoned them. Sent as a prisoner to Auschwitz, Jakob is kept alive by his passion for revenge against Ivan. When Jakob is finally freed, he discovers that Ivan, too, made a choice that day, a choice that changes everything Jakob thought was true.

Sixteen-year-old Frederick has a lot of rules for himself. Like if someone calls him Freddy he doesn’t have to respond; he only wears shirts with buttons and he hates getting dirty. His odd behavior makes him an easy target for the “Despisers” at school, but he’s gotten used to eating lunch alone in the Reject Room.Angel, in tenth grade but already at her sixth school, has always had a hard time making friends because her family moves around so much. Frederick is different from the other kids she’s met - he’s annoyingly smart, but refreshingly honest - and since he’s never had a real friend before, she decides to teach him all her rules of friendship.But after Angel makes a rash decision and disappears, Frederick is called in for questioning by the police and is torn between telling the truth and keeping his friend’s secret. Her warning to him - don’t tell, don’t tell, don’t tell - might have done more harm than good.

A young girl and her mother have a loving, passionate conversation with each other. The girl is torn between her desire to stay home with her family and the familiarity of their village, and her desire to go to school and discover the world beyond the mountains that surround them. Every time the girl insists that she will stay, her mother repeats that she must go, that there is more to life than the labor in the coffee trees.

Children learn through simple easy to understand repetition. Your child’s imagination will almost immediately expand to limitless possibilities. When one little princess questions her future, she learns no matter where life takes her, she will always be secure in her parents' love.So, if you’re tired of royal Disney bedtime stories. This story, filled with simple rhymes and sweet illustrations, will encourage your "little princess" to explore her imagination and discover a world of choices.Give your child the gift of a lifetime, the gift of believing in themselves. Purchase A Most Reluctant Princess and add this fun picture book to your child’s library.

Krista and Jason have been best friends since preschool. It never mattered that he was a boy with reddish-brown hair and she was the “Korean girl” at school. Now in fifth grade, everyone in their class is preparing their Heritage Month projects. Jason has always loved Krista’s Korean family, and particularly her mom’s cooking, but Krista is conflicted about being her school’s “Korean Ambassador”. She’s also worried about asking her intimidating grandma to teach the class how to make their traditional kim-bap. Combine that with her new friends pulling her away from Jason, and Krista has a lot to deal with this year!

Shaun is strong enough to know that even things that don't come easily can be mastered through determination and work. Learning to ride his two-wheeler, he overcomes fear and teasing and manages to impress friends and bullies alike. From the I’m A Great Little Kid series developed by BOOST Child Abuse Prevention & Intervention Center to teach kids communication, self-esteem-building and other important skills.

Eleven-year-old Sibby Henry liked her old life. Now she's living in a new town with her nan and pops. On her first day of school she sees a dope skateboard park, but she's lost her precious board. To make things worse, Freddie, a super skater and a super jerk, dominates the park. Sibby tries to stay chill, but when Freddie gets in the face of her only new friend, Charlie Parker Drysdale, things get too hot for chill. Never one to back down, Sibby accepts when Freddie challenges her to a competition on the half pipe. She won't let anything stop her from proving herself.

The true story of nineteen-year-old Jordana Lebowitz’s time at the trial of Oskar Groening, known as the "bookkeeper of Auschwitz", a man charged with being complicit in the deaths of more than 300,000 Jews. A granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Jordana was still not prepared for what she would see and hear. Listening to Groening’s testimony and to the Holocaust survivors who came to testify against him, Jordana felt the weight of being witness to history – a history that we need to remember now more than ever.

Anne Frank's life story is told by answering the most frequently asked questions posed by young people visiting the Anne Frank House Museum in Amsterdam. Text, detailed photographs and beautiful illustrations combine to give the fullest picture of Anne's life, her diary and the Secret Annex. The book provides both an overview of the history of World War II and the Holocaust as well as intimate insights into the life of Anne Frank.