Books published by publisher DragonflyBooks

THE SECRET'S OUT ON BULLYINGHere is the all-too-familiar story of Monica. She and Katie have been friends since kindergarten. Monica loves being around her when she's nice. But there are times when Katie can be just plain mean. And Monica doesn't understand why.Monica is a target of relational aggression, emotional bullying among friends who will use name-calling and manipulation to humiliate and exclude. But with a little help from a supportive adult—her mother—Monica learns to cope and thrive by facing her fears and reclaiming power from her bully.Including a foreword by the founder of the The Ophelia Project, as well as helpful tips, discussion questions, and additional resources, My Secret Bully is a vital resource for children, parents, teachers, and counselors.

A powerful picture book biography of one of the abolitionist movement's most compelling voices.Sojourner Truth traveled the country in the latter half of the 19th century, speaking out against slavery. She told of a slave girl who was sold three times by age 13, who was beaten for not understanding her master's orders, who watched her parents die of cold and hunger when they could no longer work for their keep. Sojourner's simple yet powerful words helped people to understand the hideous truth about slavery. The story she told was her own.Only Passing Through is the inspiring story of how a woman, born a slave with no status or dignity, transformed herself into one of the most powerful voices of the abolitionist movement. Anne Rockwell combines her lifelong love of history with her well-known skill as a storyteller to create this simple, affecting portrait of an American icon.

A scrawny little crocodile wants the opportunity to bite off more than he can chew. He's tired of bananas; today he'd like to eat a child. But he's smaller than he thinks, and the little girl he chooses for his first meal puts him in his place—she picks him up and tickles his tummy! The little crocodile is going to have to eat a lot of bananas and grow a lot bigger before he can add children to his menu! Simple yet hilarious artwork brings this droll story to life.

The Dominican legend of the ciguapas, creatures who lived in underwater caves and whose feet were on backward so that humans couldn't follow their footprints, is reinvented by renowned author Julia Alvarez. Although the ciguapas fear humans, Guapa, a bold and brave ciguapa, can't help but be curious--especially about a boy she sees on the nights when she goes on the land to hunt for food. When she gets too close to his family and is discovered, she learns that some humans are kind. Even though she escapes unharmed and promises never to get too close to a human again, Guapa still sneaks over to the boy's house some evenings, where she finds a warm pastelito in the pocket of his jacket on the clothesline.

From the creators of the New York Times bestsellers How to Babysit a Grandpa and How to Catch Santa comes a silly (and not-too-spooky) send-up of Halloween...and ghosts!Who says ghosts get to have all the fun on Halloween? In this humorous addition to Jean Reagan and Lee Wildish's bestselling How to... books, the kids are in charge! But in order to scare a ghost, you might have to find one first. Guided by a tongue-in-cheek instructional style, two children show young readers how to set the stage for a spooktacular Halloween by carving pumpkins, playing games, and even reading scary stories. Has a ghost showed up? Great! Now the fun--er, the scaring--can really begin. Filled with charming role-reversal humor, creative ideas, and lots of holiday spirit, How to Scare a Ghost is sure to delight kids, parents, and things that go bump in the night.

A heartwarming tale of love and friendship with gorgeous illustrations by the award-winning team behind The Salamander Room—in print for over 25 years!Illustrated in full color. He is a blue-bellied toad hopping aimlessly through life. She is a sad peach yearning for escape and adventure. Then one remarkable day, Peach and Blue explore the pond that Blue calls home and awaken each other to a world neither has ever really seen before. Lush illustrations by the award-winning illustrating team of The Salamander Room, The Boy on Fairfield Street, and The Frog Prince, Continued perfectly complement Sarah Kilborne's unique and graceful text."This old-fashioned tale of friendship radiates warmth and authenticity. In every respect, this is a standout title." —Booklist

An inspiring true story of a boy genius.Plowing a potato field in 1920, a 14-year-old farm boy from Idaho saw in the parallel rows of overturned earth a way to “make pictures fly through the air.” This boy was not a magician; he was a scientific genius and just eight years later he made his brainstorm in the potato field a reality by transmitting the world’s first television image. This fascinating picture-book biography of Philo Farnsworth covers his early interest in machines and electricity, leading up to how he put it all together in one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century. The author’s afterword discusses the lawsuit Farnsworth waged and won against RCA when his high school science teacher testified that Philo’s invention of television was years before RCA’s.

When Roger Duvoisin first introduced children to his proud and silly goose, Petunia, in 1950, it was love at first sight. Those children have grown up, but Petunia is every bit as fresh and funny and muddled as the day she was born.In this, the first of the series of classic books featuring the silly goose, Petunia finds a book--and, deciding that if she owns a book she must be wise, dispenses hilariously mistaken advice to the other animals in the farmyard.With its gentle lesson and the kind of humor that kids love best, this new edition of a picture book classic will delight and inspire a whole new generation of readers.

This collection of poems that tell the story of the quilt-making community in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, is now available as a Dragonfly paperback. For generations, the women of Gee’s Bend have made quilts to keep a family warm, as a pastime accompanied by sharing and singing, or to memorialize loved ones. Today, the same quilts hang on museum walls as modern masterpieces of color and design. Inspired by these quilts and the women who made them, award-winning author Patricia C. McKissack traveled to Alabama to learn their stories. The lyrical rite-of-passage narrative that is the result of her journey seamlessly weaves together the familial, cultural, spiritual, and historical strands of life in this community.

An easy-to-understand children's story about financial literacy and the value of giving and saving—even five pennies! Benny McBride starts his day with five new pennies and is determined to spend them all. His mother wants him to buy something beautiful. His brother wants something good to eat. His sister wants something nice to wear. Benny knows his dog and cat would like something too. With the help of generous and thoughtful neighbors, Benny fulfills each request with a penny and arrives home with five but simple gifts.