Books published by publisher Boyds Mills Press

Niko and his crew embark on an intergalactic adventure to the Planet Zorg, where Niko’s cousin Sasha is being held captive by a space pirate (who is actually Niko’s sister, Posh!). But when Niko and his crew charge in to the rescue, the girls do the unthinkable by capturing his ship and leaving him stranded far from Planet Home. Using his characteristic ingenuity and wit, Niko manages to take back control of his spaceship and his story. With a picture book format, comic book–style artwork, and humorous, simple text, Space Boy and the Space Pirate is both a thrilling adventure and a celebration of the power of pretend play.

Bear just wants to read and write and think while Goose wants to talk and talk and talk. Bear is getting increasingly frustrated as Goose keeps interrupting him. Then Goose announces that thinking makes him hungry and he needs to make a snack. Goose returns with the snack and a note that he reads to bear: “You are my splendid friend.” Bear responds by giving Goose a bear hug. They are splendid friends, indeed.

Award-winning author April Pulley Sayre explores everyone's favorite impertinent birds--seagulls--examining their intelligence, behavior, and surprisingly widespread habitat in this STEAM nonfiction picture book.Did you know that seagulls sometimes live far from the sea--near a lake or farm, or even in a desert? Or that they are omnivores, eating everything from fish and clams, to grasshoppers and mice, and even to blueberries? Or that they dance? These birds are full of surprises! Join April Pulley Sayre as she poetically describes the curious behaviors and wide-ranging habitats of one of the most graceful birds to soar in the sky.

Inspired by the stories Emma reads to him, Turtle digs out of his pen and sets off to see faraway places. The backyard grass is longer than his legs so he thinks he must be in the jungle. He spies a tree stump and believes it’s an elephant’s leg. Just when he begins to worry that he’s lost, Emma rescues him—and he discovers that he never left home. Undeterred, Turtle is grateful to “have the whole world here in my backyard,” and plans to escape again tomorrow, this time to China.

Magic doesn't work the way you think it will, but it's what Kate needs as she confronts friendship trouble, her parents' divorce, and Grammy's dementia in this lyrical middle-grade coming-of-age novel for fans of Half a Chance and The Same Stuff as Stars. Kate has trouble believing in magic, especially since the people she loves keep leaving her. But when Grammy tells her the three rules of everyday magic--believe, give, and trust--Kate can't resist believing, at least a little. Following Grammy's advice, she tries to bring her father, her best friend, and even Grammy herself back to her. Nothing turns out as Kate expects, yet the magic of giving--of trusting that if you love and give, good things will happen, even if you don't see them happen--will change Kate and her family forever.

During the presidential campaign of 1860, eleven-year-old Grace Bedell wrote to Abraham Lincoln and suggested that he grow whiskers, thinking that the beard would increase his chances of election. The exchange of letters between Grace and Mr. Lincoln and their meeting at the Westfield, New York train depot is one of the warmest human interest stories in American history and has been much publicized over the years. In this unique biography, Grace Bedell's life plays against the tumultuous backdrop of mid-nineteenth-century New York State--the 1860 presidential campaign, the Civil War, and the slavery issue. Here was a life rich with pioneering spirit.

The attributes of 28 different lizards are revealed in this STEM nonfiction picture book, while the story provides a subtle message encouraging children to be true to their own nature.The actions of 28 lizard species--the flying dragon that swoops through the air, the shingleback that sticks out its blue tongue to scare predators, the basilisk that can race across the surface of water--invite readers to act like a lizard themselves. The text by noted author April Pulley Sayre asks: "Can you run like a lizard? Sun like a lizard? Bob your head like a lizard?" Featuring brilliantly colorful, textured artwork by illustrator Stephanie Laberis, the book also includes extensive back matter with further information about the featured lizard species--their size, geographical range, why they perform the various actions introduced in the text--as well as details about lizards in general.

Laurence Pringle's fascinating and informative book, with stunning illustrations by Meryl Henderson, introduces young readers to the life and behavior of one of nature's most remarkable—and most popular—birds. The seventeen species of penguin come in all sizes and live in a surprising range of habitats. Readers familiar with the emperor penguin that stands almost four feet tall and lives in the Antarctic may be surprised to encounter the little blue penguin that’s only about sixteen inches high and hops ashore into the green forests of southern Australia and southern New Zealand. This book is packed with such a wealth of information, even penguin enthusiasts are bound to learn something new.

Today is Tess's first day of school and her very first ride on a school bus. As a multitude of vehicles—from fire engine to front loader—passes by, Tess eagerly asks, "Is this the bus for us, Gus?" Young readers will particularly enjoy knowing more than Tess as they identify all of the vehicles that pass by, and they will laugh at the ridiculous antics of all of the kids waiting at the bus stop. Bloom paints a brilliant cast of multiracial kids toting backpacks, lunch boxes, and show-and-tell pets, creating humorous subplots in this reassuring back-to-school classic.

Laurence Pringle takes a fascinating look at earth's only flying mammal in this fun and informative Parents' Choice Award book. Readers will learn how bats can pluck insects from the air, and even fish from the water. They will discover how bats help giant trees and other tropical plants to reproduce, and gobble up pesky mosquitoes. They will find out, too, how you can help to protect bats and their homes. Dozens of bats swoop through Meryl Henderson's striking illustrations. The colorful art and clear, concise text together demonstrate that bats may be strange, but that they are wonderful too, and well worth saving.

Young readers can learn about Eid, a religious holiday celebrated by Muslim families every year, as well as the Hajj pilgrimage, when Muslims travel back to Mecca for the Eid, in this picture book about Muslim culture and traditions written by Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin and illustrated by Laura Jacobsen. This Eid, Aneesa should be happy. But, her parents are thousands of miles away for the Hajj pilgrimage. To cheer her up, her Nonni gives her a gift of beautiful clothes, one outfit for each of the three days of Eid. At the prayer hall, Aneesa meets two sisters who are dressed in ill-fitting clothes for the holiday. She soon discovers that the girls are refugees – they had to leave everything behind when they left their native country to live in America. Aneesa, who can't stop thinking about what Eid must be like for them, comes up with a plan – a plan to help make it the best Eid holiday ever. School Library Journal says: "[A] beautifully composed story. . . . This is a welcome contribution, giving much-needed visibility to a celebration observed by over ten million people in North America." And Library Media Connection says: "After reading this book, children will have a greater appreciation for the Muslim culture and will have no problem realizing that love is an action word."