Books published by publisher David R. Godine Publisher 2013

One of the Ten Best Books of the Year, The New York Times Brewster is excited about starting first grade . . . until Mama announces that he'll be attending Central, a school in the white part of town. Mama says they have art and music and a library bursting with books, but Brewster isn't so sure he'll fit in. Being black at a white school isn't easy, and Brewster winds up spending his first day in detention at the library. But there he meets a very special person: Miss O'Grady. The librarian sees into Brewster's heart and gives him not only the gift of books but also the ability to believe in himself. This story set in the desegregation era of the 1970s introduces readers to brave, young heroes who helped build a new world.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic poem now vibrantly illustrated as a read-aloud picture book.I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.The poems in Robert Louis Stevenson’s collection, A Child’s Garden of Verses have been popular ever since the book’s first appearance more than one hundred years ago. None more so than “My Shadow,” a traditional favorite for reading aloud. Illustrator Glenna Lang has created a visual narrative to accompany the poem as a young girl travels through a dream nightscape with her shadow companion. Beautifully true to the sense and spirit of Stevenson’s work, the illustrations add their own grace and rich atmosphere. The striking art style will captivate and delight readers of all ages.This edition of My Shadow is a wonderful way to enjoy an old favorite bedtime poem with the youngest child.

Adapted from a traditional tale, this beautifully illustrated picture book tells of hundreds of birds gathering to choose a king. They cannot decide if the king should be the bird with the biggest beak or the one with the most colorful feathers. Finally, after considerable debate, they decide their king will be the bird who can fly the highest. And the winner would seem to be obvious―until a small wren outsmarts them all. From the biggest to the smallest, the fastest to the most abundant, they can all be found here, with a key at the back of the book that identifies the hundreds of species of birds included.

It was going to be a great summer for the Amazons until their great aunt came to stay. She’s decided the Blackett sisters need to act more like ladies―and that makes adventures a little bit more of a challenge!The Amazons’ mother (doubtless suffering from exhaustion) has gone off sailing in the North Sea with Captain Flint on a rest cure, but she has allowed her two daughters to stay on the lakeshore with their trusty cook. She’s also permitted their two old friends, Dick and Dorothea Callum, to come up for a visit. But when the redoubtable Great Aunt hears of their abandonment, she’s horrified and off on the next train.The Amazons are dismayed; not only will their solo holiday be ruined but now they’ll have to hide their two guests in the woods in an abandoned shepherd’s cottage (where they’ll be forced to live off the land like the ancient Celtic, “Picts”) while the Blackett sisters will be required to dress up in white pinafores, practice the piano, and recite reams of poetry aloud (therefore “The Martyrs”).Friendship and resourcefulness, dangers and excitement: Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons series has stood the test of time. More than just great stories, each one celebrates independence and initiative with a colorful, large cast of characters. The Picts & the Martyrs (originally published in 1943) is the eleventh title in the Swallows and Amazons series, books for children or grownups, anyone captivated by a world of adventure, exploration, and imagination.

A beautiful and timeless portrayal of friendship and the human spirit, The Secret Garden tells the story of the courage of two unhappy children who become determined to make their lives, and the lives of others around them, more joyful. Orphaned Mary Lennox is sent to live in her uncle's house on the Yorkshire moors, and the house is an unhappy one. Miserable and lonely, Mary starts to explore the house's gardens and she discovers a key to the secret garden.

The Swallows, Amazons, and friends search for gold in the Lake District Hills―camping out, evading dangers, and staying in touch via homing pigeon.Nancy and Peggy Blackett receive a letter from their Uncle Jim who’s on his way home after failing to find treasure in South America. When they hear a tale about a lost gold mine in the Lake District hills, Nancy and Peggy decide to find the mine as a surprise for their uncle. The children comb the nearby hills, while being shadowed by a mysterious figure they dub “squashy hat.” Undeterred by drought, sudden brushfires, and the continuing presence of Squashy Hat, the young prospectors persevere in their quest―with surprising results (aided by Dick’s knowledge of chemistry).Friendship and resourcefulness, dangers and rescues: Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons series has stood the test of time. More than just great stories, each one celebrates independence and initiative with a colorful, large cast of characters. Pigeon Post (originally published in 1936) is the sixth title in the Swallows and Amazons series, books for children or grownups, anyone captivated by a world of adventure, exploration, and imagination.

Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic poem now vibrantly illustrated as a read-aloud picture book.I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me, And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.The poems in Robert Louis Stevenson’s collection, A Child’s Garden of Verses have been popular ever since the book’s first appearance more than one hundred years ago. None more so than “My Shadow,” a traditional favorite for reading aloud. Illustrator Glenna Lang has created a visual narrative to accompany the poem as a young girl travels through a dream nightscape with her shadow companion. Beautifully true to the sense and spirit of Stevenson’s work, the illustrations add their own grace and rich atmosphere. The striking art style will captivate and delight readers of all ages.This edition of My Shadow is a wonderful way to enjoy an old favorite bedtime poem with the youngest child.

The Swallows break a promise to their mother and the four young sailors find themselves drifting out to sea―and then sweeping across to Holland in the midst of a full gale!The Swallows only meant to sail within an estuary on a borrowed boat. They didn’t mean to get stranded in the fog, lose their anchor in a storm, and be driven out into the North Sea. John is nearly swept overboard, their ship almost capsizes―and Susan really regrets not doing as their mother asked. And their father, Navy Commander Ted Walker, is due back from his posting in Hong Kong any time and they might miss seeing him. Family, resourcefulness, and sailing, too: Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons series has stood the test of time. More than just great stories, each one celebrates independence and initiative with a colorful, large cast of characters. We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea (originally published in 1937) is the seventh title in the Swallows and Amazons series, books for children or grownups, anyone captivated by a world of adventure, exploration, and imagination.

Who would have guessed that the seemingly mild-mannered dot who holds our internet addresses together actually has a riotous secret life of its own? What is it, exactly, that it gets up to when we turn our computers off? Renowned illustrator Ralph Steadman is just the person to show us. In this madcap adventure, little Dot, setting off to take tea with its good friend the Duchess, happens to run afoul of the mustachioed Duke of Bogshott and his White Army . . . at which point things get seriously weird, with a plot involving terrifically epic battles, wedding invitations, downhill rollerblading, and inky socks. In Steadman’s silly, anarchic paintings, little Dot runs wild―and invites the reader along for the ride.

Comfort food indeed! Eating outrageously fine cuisine is the sole activity that stops this young lad from screaming incessantly. But one fateful night, when his parents accidentally burn dinner, the boy’s temper flares and he begins to yell. Tired of all the noise, Mom and Dad relinquish all cooking responsibilities, leaving it all up to him. E voilà! The boy so enjoys cooking that he sings instead of screams, and finds that he is so talented that his parents open a restaurant with the boy as head chef. But life in the kitchen of an acclaimed and busy restaurant is not easy, so when the boy begins to make mistakes, will his penchant for earsplitting noise ruin everything?Witty text and clever illustrations combine to create a silly yet serious picture book for readers of all ages which teaches kids that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, especially when you’re singing.

An enchanting story about an adventurous girl and her day at sea with Bonefish Joe, one of the best-known bonefish guides in the Bahamas. Young and fearless, Flossie, lives on Harbour Island, a small outpost in the Bahamas known for its exquisite three-mile pink sand beach and for bonefishing, a catch-and-release enterprise that pits a determined angler against an inedible, surprisingly powerful, and elusive quarry. Flossie's dream is to go fishing with the legendary guide Bonefish Joe, a beloved island institution who picks up clients at the dock and returns with them hours later, still fishless but satisfied. One Sunday, after church, Flossie's wish is surprisingly granted, and she and her friend discover the allure, the challenge, and the delights of hooking (and releasing) one of angling’s greatest prizes. Diana Wege's lush and vibrant illustrations of the island, its people, its customs, and its architecture, perfectly captures the character, culture, and charm of the Bahamas and Harbour Island.

After finding a huge tooth on the docks, English explorer Archibald Leopold Ruthmore sets out to seek the race of giants to whom the tooth belongs and discovers nine giants, the survivors of a singularly gentle and kindly race. He lives among them for ten months, and on returning home he makes a mistake that he regrets forever―he writes a book revealing their existence and location.