Books published by publisher Downtown Bookworks

BIRD-ACIOUS takes the fun, fully-illustrated approach of the Science with Stuff series on our feathered friends. This info-taining 48-page book comes complete with an owl pellet for kids to dissect.Science with Stuff books bring science to life with a real natural treasure that deepens interest and understanding. This beautiful, colorful book explores a range of interesting bird species, facts, and behaviors--and comes with an owl pellet so that kids can see for themselves how and what birds eat.

The author of GODMOTHER (Three Rivers, 2009) and MERMAID (Three Rivers, 2011) brings her signature magical realistic spin on fairy tales to 9-12 year-olds.This thoroughly compelling, gorgeously told tale begins as the weather turns warm enough to swim in the local lake. Ava is on the brink of her twelfth birthday, and her crush, Jeff, is most definitely taking notice of her. Everything is going beautifully. Until Ava starts to grow feathers—all over her shoulders, arms, and back. Horrified, mortified, and clad in a turtleneck, she hides out in her bedroom, missing her dead mother and worrying about the summer, and the rest of her freakish life... Carolyn Turgeon has a gift for imagining magical worlds. In Ava’s case, this otherworldly place belongs to the Swan Maidens, one of whom is Ava’s mother. Ava goes back and forth between middle school and this magical realm, taking the reader along for an exhilarating, extraordinary ride.

Kids' favorite animals as featured in fine art make for a kid-pleasing, parent-pleasing concept book.With Art from the Start books, even the youngest of readers can appreciate what fine art has to offer. In Animals in Art, wildlife abounds! From Renoir’s beloved pets to Degas’ majestic horses and Rousseau’s fanciful monkeys, the ten beautiful animal paintings in this book will thoroughly engage babies and toddlers. Spare, rhyming text and famous paintings make reading this book (again and again) a pleasure for grownups as well!

Welcome to the painstakingly crafted teeny, tiny world of Mouse.Mouse and Musetta are the sweetest pair of rodents you’ll ever lay eyes on. This is the story of how they met and came to live in a fabulously turned-out loaf of bread. Each lovingly crafted scene is packed with incredible details—from the salt shaker end table to the walnut shell cabinets (with hinges!) to the postage stamp art. Really, how could Musetta resist popping in for a nibble of the cheese that lay on the table, that stood in the house…that Mouse built?

Famous paintings by Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet, and other major artists expose babies and toddlers to fine art and common first words.Art from the Start board books introduce basic concepts through fine art. The ten famous paintings in this beautiful little book instill an early love of art and help little ones to learn common first words. From “Mama, Daddy, and Baby” in Mary Cassatt’s masterpieces to “Stars, Moon, and Goodnight,” in Van Gogh’s Starry Night, each carefully chosen artwork gives children a different and beautiful way to look at familiar objects in the world around them. Similarly, Art from the Start: How is Mona Lisa Feeling? teaches feelings through famous portraits.

Crack codes, outsmart word games, solve picture puzzles, and show off your brain power alongside Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, Bumblebee, Katana, Raven, and the rest of the unstoppable, amazing DC super heroines.Girl Power Brain Boosters is packed with more than 100 original picture puzzles, spot the difference exercises, word ladders, drawing challenges, word searches, spy codes, mysteries, mindbenders, mazes, and more! The activities in this richly illustrated book are sure to captivate and provide an awesome brain workout.

Once Upon a Time... is a creative storytelling kit from the early childhood experts at PBS KIDS.Gather round . . . it’s story time! Once Upon a Time. . . is packed with games, prompts, silly scenarios, and creativity-boosting illustrations to get kids as young as 3 or 4 comfortable and confident telling stories. The book is sure to jumpstart the imagination and get the whole family sharing amazing tales about a grumpy bear, a ticklish pirate, a goofy astronaut, and anyone or anything else that they can dream up. The book comes with 2 wipe-off boards. Kids can draw and erase any idea, character, or action that pops into their head! The options for creative play are endless. Research shows that storytelling is a wonderful activity for kids (and adults!) of all ages. It: *Boosts creativity *Increases focus *Sharpens memory *Enhances verbal skills *Builds confidence

Activist flashcards offer a fun, engaging way to learn about influential social activists from Martin Luther King, Jr. to Malala Yousafzai.A deck of 40 cards highlights iconic activists from around the world and throughout history who fought for a wide range of causes. Illustrated cards featuring mini-biographies and quotes from luminaries including Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi, and Rachel Carson offer a child-sized taste of history and social justice. A 32-page book included in the package introduces readers to movements from Civil Rights to environmentalism to human rights crusades around the world. The book and deck also highlight young activists.

A fun (inexpensive!) picture book for the un-fancy Nancy’s.Shelby likes to play sports in her favorite red sneakers. She likes to dig for worms with her best friend, Nate. She does not want to have tea parties with her next door neighbor, Sophie. And when she is asked to be a flower girl in her aunt’s wedding, she knows one thing for sure: SHE IS SO NOT WEARING A DRESS! A spunky heroine, adorable illos, and a totally charming story will appeal to the many, many girls who prefer baseball caps to tiaras.

Get a taste of Shakespeare with unique kid appeal. Carefully curated excerpts from Shakespeare's works accompany spectacular art to illustrate the seasons. Familiar lines such as "Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate" are included along with elegant selections from King Lear, The Winter's Tale, The Tempest, and other famous plays and sonnets. A stunning and simple first taste of Shakespeare, this truly special book will appeal to parents and teachers as well as to children.