Books published by publisher Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2003

From the highly acclaimed author of Caterpillar Summer comes a heartfelt story about the sweetness and stings of middle-school friendship.Meg has always found comfort in her best friend Beatrix's shadow. Self-assured Beatrix is the one who makes decisions, and the girls have been a pair since kindergarten. But middle school has brought some changes in Beatrix, especially when Meg tries to step outside her role as sidekick.A special science elective is Meg's first step away, but when she's paired with quirky new girl Hazel, Beatrix steps in to stake her claim on Meg. Meg is taken aback at how mean Beatrix can be--and how difficult it is to stand up to her friend. But as Meg gets to know Hazel while working on their backyard beehive project, she starts to wonder: Is being Beatrix's friend worth turning down the possibility of finding her own voice?This pitch-perfect exploration of middle-school friendship dynamics brims with heart and hope, and will resonate with readers of all ages.Acclaim for Caterpillar SummerAn Indies Introduce PickA Texas Bluebonnet SelectionA Parents Best Book of the YearA Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the YearAn Amazon Best Book of the Year

Rediscover acclaimed author Dashka Slater's joyful picture book about a baby on the go--now in a padded book form!Baby loves his brand-new white shoes, taking them all over the neighborhood while his frantic mom chases behind him. But he just can't resist stomping through puddles, squishing fallen plums, and dancing in fresh paint. It isn't long before those white, high-jumping, fast-running shoes are speckled and spotted with every color of the rainbow. Dashka Slater's delightful, rhythmic text and Hiroe Nakata's sweet, jaunty illustrations are the perfect match for this playful tale of fun, sun, and fabulous shoes!

You're invited to a party.What fun! Hip, hip, hooray!So come along to Monster's houseat three o'clock today.Raymond the hairdresser is scarily busy. Everyone wants to look their best for Monster's party. But a series of disasters at Raymond's hair salon – Oops, too much hair gel! Oops, the dyes have been muddled! – leave his customers disappointed until ... they discover Monster's party has a very special theme!A very silly, slightly spooky story that is perfect for youngsters at Halloween! From a bestselling author (Aliens Love Underpants) and illustrator (Barry the Fish with Fingers, Supertato).

Thirteen-year-old orphan Meryt-Re lives with her aunt's family in the ancient Egyptian village of Set Maat, home of the pharaohs' tomb builders. When her uncle pressurises her to marry a dull stonecutter, she resists, and begs for guidance from the gods - but she's unable to decipher the message behind her vivid dreams. Then her cousin falls gravely ill, and Meryt's uncle, believing her to have turned the gods against him, banishes her from his house.Other strange and suspicious activities are going on in the village, and there is unrest among the tomb workers. But it is not until she meets the village wise woman that Meryt can begin to unravel the meaning of her dreams and solve the mysteries surrounding her.A romantic and pacy thriller that brings ancient Egypt to life.

Col McCann is used to being in trouble. It is always the McCann family, in particular Mungo, Col's brother, who the police think of first. But Col has recently acquired a new fan - Dominic. Col saves Dominic from drowning in the local loch and discovers what it is like to be a local hero.But Col sees something in the loch, something that leads him to a devastating truth about his brother . . . and brings his loyalty to his family and his need to do what is right into direct conflict.

From acclaimed author and illustrator pairing comes a beautiful picture book biography about the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin and how she fought for respect throughout her life.Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul, a legend. But before she became a star, she was a shy little girl with a voice so powerful it made people jump up, sway, and hum along. Raised in a house full of talking and singing, Aretha learned the values that would carry her through life--from her church choir in Detroit to stages across the world. When she moved to New York City to start her career, it took years of hard work before she had a hit song. In the turbulent 1960s, she sang about "Respect" and refused to perform before segregated audiences. The first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha always remembered who she was and where she came from. In this stirring biography of a true artistic and social icon, award-winning creators Katheryn Russell-Brown and Laura Freeman show young readers how Aretha's talent, intelligence, and perseverance made her a star who will shine on for generations to come.Acclaim for Little Melba and Her Big Trombone2015 NAACP Image Award Nominee Outstanding Literary Work--Children 2015 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honor2015 ALA Notable Children's Book2015 Amelia Bloomer Project - Feminist Task Force2015 Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction, Recommended Title

This energetic, laugh-out-loud picture book about one boy's quest to find a yeti is perfect for fans of Uni the Unicorn and Dear Yeti.Henry loves yetis.Yes, yetis.The problem is nobody knows if yetis actually exist. Henry, however, is sure they do, and he sets off on an expedition to find one. He has packed everything he needs, including a camera to take photos for evidence. But can he find a yeti? And will anyone believe him when he returns home?Told through charming illustrations, this is a heart-warming and witty story about believing in yourself (and yetis).

E.D. Baker pulls out all the stops in this brilliant version of a classic tale. It's a little known fact that Sleeping Beauty's younger sister, Annie, is the one who must save the day and rescue her from the evil curse. Annie is impervious to ALL magic - good and bad - and is the only one left awake when her sister pricks that finger. She sets off through the kingdom to find her sister's true love, the only person who can wake her and reverse the spell. Annie is joined by a handsome prince in disguise as she tackles Hansel and Gretel (and their witch), and many other fabulously familiar fairytale characters. Full of Baker's trademark humour, plot twists, and with a funny and strong female lead, this will charm fans of The Frog Princess, and bring in many new ones.

Every morning a very large and very snappy crocodile shouts this selfish message: 'Stay away from my river! It's MY river! If you come in my river, I'll eat you all!' The animals in the forest don't know what to do. They are frightened of the crocodile. Even the fish, tadpoles, frogs, crabs and crayfish stay out of the water. Until one day the creatures are woken by a loud groaning sound which turns out to be the selfish crocodile in a lot of pain, and the smallest of them all, a little mouse, finds a way to solve their snappy dilemma! Celebrate 20 years of the classic The Selfish Crocodile with this anniversary edition! Astoundingly bright, bold illustrations bring to life all the wonderful creatures of the forest in a rainbow of colours.

In 1956, one year before federal troops escorted the Little Rock 9 into Central High School, fourteen year old Jo Ann Allen was one of twelve African-American students who broke the color barrier and integrated Clinton High School in Tennessee. At first things went smoothly for the Clinton 12, but then outside agitators interfered, pitting the townspeople against one another. Uneasiness turned into anger, and even the Clinton Twelve themselves wondered if the easier thing to do would be to go back to their old school. Jo Ann--clear-eyed, practical, tolerant, and popular among both black and white students---found herself called on as the spokesperson of the group. But what about just being a regular teen? This is the heartbreaking and relatable story of her four months thrust into the national spotlight and as a trailblazer in history. Based on original research and interviews and featuring backmatter with archival materials and notes from the authors on the co-writing process.

Enter a land of magical ponies in this chapter book series that features illustrations throughout and comes with a collectible charm!The enchanted island of Chevalia, where ponies rule, has finally had its magic restored, thanks to human Pippa and pony Princess Stardust. Her task complete, Pippa returned to our world . . . but her friends in Chevalia are never far away.It's St. Patrick's Day, but Pippa is having terrible luck at school. Even worse, Princess Stardust and the Pirate Ponies arrive to tell Pippa that trouble-making Divine has cast a spell to steal all of Chevalia's good luck, too. Pippa embarks on a journey across the high seas of Chevalia to win the ponies' luck back. Along the way, she and her friends discover a mysterious island, where a new pony might be able to tell them exactly how to turn their luck around!Pippa's adventures in magical Chevalia continue, brought to life with delightful illustrations--and the book includes a special collectible charm.Collect all of the books in the Princess Ponies series:A Magical FriendA Dream Come TrueThe Special SecretA Unicorn Adventure!An Amazing RescueBest Friends Forever!A Special SurpriseA Singing StarThe Lucky Horseshoe

From Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Award winner Renée Watson comes the first book in a young middle grade series about Ryan Hart, a girl who is pure spirit, kindness, and sunshine.Ryan Hart has a lot on her mind--school, self-image, and especially family. Her dad finally has a new job, but money is tight. That means some changes, like selling their second car and moving into a new (old) house. But Ryan is a girl who knows how to make sunshine out of setbacks. As her brother says when he raps about her, she's got the talent that matters most: it's a talent that can't be seen, she's nice, not mean!Ryan is all about trying to see the best in people, to be a good daughter, a good sister, a good friend. But even if her life isn't everything she would wish for, when her big brother is infuriating, her parents don't quite understand, and the unexpected happens, she always finds a way forward, with grace and wit. And plenty of sunshine. Acclaimed author Renée Watson writes her own version of Ramona Quimby, one starring a Black girl and her family, in this start to a charming new series.