Books published by publisher Owlkids

Clara Humble may seem like your average fourth-grader who doesn’t look before she leaps, but she has a secret: she thinks she might have superpowers. Which is convenient, because things aren’t going so well for Clara. Students from rival R. R. Reginald are moving into her school for the term, and Clara’s favorite neighbor, Momo, is moving to a faraway retirement home.Together with her best friend, Bradley, the winsome and overconfident Clara becomes convinced that her knack for making liquids spill, overhearing her parents’ conversations, communicating with her pet chinchilla, and maybe even mind-controlling teachers could be used to put a stop to these injustices.Told in Clara’s clever, funny, and strikingly authentic voice, this novel kicks off a new series by inviting readers into this memorable character’s inventive mind to share in her misadventures. Annotated with Clara’s comic sketches, it’s a fast-paced read with a spot-on perspective of life as a 10-year-old that kids will surely relate to.LEVELINGGrade Range: 3–7Fountas & Pinnell: RLexile: 830LCOMMON CORESL.4.1,1b,1d,2,4,6RF.4.3,3a,4,4a,4cW.4.4,6,8,9,9a,10RL.4.1,2,3,4,6,7,10L.4.3,3a,3b,4,4a,5,5a,5b,6

In today’s multicultural cities and interconnected world, understanding different belief systems can help kids appreciate the differences of people they see every day, or people who live on the other side of the globe. This book introduces readers to the five major world religions by population: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Each mini-section opens with a fully illustrated spread representing one religion. Designed in a search-and-find style, the illustrated spreads are busy, bright, and jam-packed with details that show people worshipping among symbolic places, rituals, and objects. A text spread follows, pulling out details from the illustrated page and providing further information about the history, festivals, places of worship, celebrations, religious leaders, and gods of each religion. Front matter gives broader overall context about religion and each featured belief system, making this a comprehensive go-to resource for introducing religion and global cultures.

Do you believe in telling the truth? Sure you do. But even that’s a lie — because we all lie. Whether to protect a friend, to make someone feel better, or to avoid telling even bigger lies later, lying is actually central to human nature. Usually we’re taught that lying is bad, and that’s that. But in reality, it’s rarely so black and white.Kira Vermond’s latest book answers questions like: Why do we lie? What types of lies are there? What are the consequences of lying? What methods are used to detect lies? And when is it okay or even good to lie?From forgeries and hoaxes to plagiarism and placebos, Half-Truths and Brazen Lies offers historical anecdotes, scientific studies, and sociocultural analyses to help unpack the complex world of untruths. Told in a witty, conversational tone with an index and full-color illustrations, the book takes a thorough, nuanced approach to a fascinating aspect of human behavior.

From the creators of You Are Stardust and Wild Ideas comes a new picture book that explores how humans are inextricably connected to nature.This book draws examples from the clouds and the cosmos, the seafloor and the surface of our skin, to show how we are never alone: we are always surrounded and supported by nature. Whether it’s gravity holding us tight; our lungs breathing oxygen synthesized by plants; the countless microorganisms that build our immunity; or the whales whose waste fertilizes the plankton that feed the fish we eat: nature touches every aspect of how we live. Using lyrical text grounded in current science alongside detailed diorama art, this informational picture book presents the idea that we thrive through connections to the land and sea and sky, and togetherness is key to nature. It encourages inquiry-based learning, inviting readers to wonder, ask questions, observe the natural world, and engage with big ideas. An author’s note at the end offers more insight into the research behind the text.

Sea Otter Rescue is the third in the four-book Wildlife Rescue series. Each book introduces a species of animal in danger somewhere in the world and profiles a rescue center that helps it. Stunning photos by award-winning wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas give readers a rare view of these endearing creatures and the high level of care they receive.Sea Otter Rescue invites readers inside the Alaska SeaLife Center on the shores of Resurrection Bay in the town of Seward, Alaska. It explores how sea otters become orphaned or hurt and the process of healing and rehabilitating them. It also highlights the people who work at the clinic and how they aid the animals.Other special features include a map showing the sea otter’s native habitat range and an index, a glossary, sources, and an author Q&A based on common questions from kids. An author’s note introduces readers to small-scale ways in which even they can help with sea otter conservation.A portion of the royalties from this book will be donated to the Alaska SeaLife Center.LEVELINGGrade Range: K–5Fountas & Pinnell: PLexile: 1010LCOMMON COREL.3.3,4,4a,4c,4d,5,5b,5c,6SL.3.1,1a,1c,1d,2,3,4,6W.3.2,2a,2b,2c,2d,7,8,10RF.3.3,3c,3d,4,4a,4cRI.3.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

A Kirkus Reviews most anticipated picture book of fall 2019, new from Nadia L. Hohn, named one of CBC’s “6 Black Canadian writers to watch” Louise Bennett Coverley, better known as Miss Lou, was an iconic poet and entertainer known for popularizing the use of patois in music and poetry internationally―helping to pave the way for artists like Harry Belafonte and Bob Marley to use patois in their work. This picture book tells the story of Miss Lou’s early years, when she was a young girl growing up in Jamaica. As a child, Miss Lou loved words―particularly the Jamaican English, or patois, that she heard all around her. As a young writer, Miss Lou felt caught between writing “lines of words like tight cornrows,” as her teachers instructed, and words that beat more naturally “in time with her heart.” The uplifting and inspiring story of a girl finding her own voice, this is also a vibrant, colorful, and immersive look at an important figure in our cultural history. With rich and warm illustrations bringing the story to life, A Likkle Miss Lou is a modern ode to language, girl power, diversity, and the arts. End matter includes a glossary of Jamaican patois terms, a note about the author’s “own voice” perspective as a Jamaican-Canadian writer, and a brief biography of Miss Lou and her connection to Canada, where she lived for 20 years.

It’s a beautiful day in the garden when Poppy and her panda friend, Sam, hear a commotion. Their friend Basil―who has always been known for his elegance―is in tears, because somebody nibbled his leaves last night! Poppy puts her detective skills to work, with help from Sam, and together they set out to find the culprit. They start by interviewing the insects, but Ms. Honeybee, Madame Ladybug, and Mr. Bumblebee all have contradictory suspicions of their own. So Poppy and Sam test some creative methods to catch the vandal red-handed. After a few misadventures, they find the remorseful nibbler―and Basil helps him understand that everything tastes better when it is freely offered. Illustrated with charming details and lots of kid appeal, this is an easy-to-read graphic novel with friendly characters and a suspenseful story line.

Life’s third year is full of milestones: learning ABCs, making friends, playing make-believe, and having real conversations. The final book in this series, You Are Three, looks back on each of these memorable achievements and more, inviting little ones to celebrate how much they have grown and discovered.Supersaturated ink-and-wash illustrations in a striking palette lend a contemporary, whimsical feel to the book while the diverse children pictured add to the text’s warmth and broad appeal. You Are Three is a timely gift for toddlers and their parents, who will enjoy reflecting on the highlights of the third year and expressing how much their child is loved.LEVELINGGrade Range: Pre-K–1Fountas & Pinnell: HReading Recovery: 13Lexile: AD 440LCOMMON CORERI.1.1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10L.1.1,1b,1c,1d,1f,1g,4,4a,4b,4cL.1.5,5b,5c,6RF.1.1,2,3,4,4a,4b,4cSL.1.1,1b,1c,2,3,4,5,6W.1.2,3,5,6,7,8

The Last Train is the harrowing true story about young brothers Paul and Oscar Arato and their mother, Lenke, surviving the Nazi occupation during the final years of World War II.Living in the town of Karcag, Hungary, the Aratos feel insulated from the war — even as it rages all around them. Hungary is allied with Germany to protect its citizens from invasion, but in 1944 Hitler breaks his promise to keep the Nazis out of Hungary.The Nazi occupation forces the family into situations of growing panic and fear: first into a ghetto in their hometown; then a labor camp in Austria; and, finally, to the deadly Bergen Belsen camp deep in the heart of Germany. Separated from their father, 6-year-old Paul and 11-year-old Oscar must care for their increasingly sick mother, all while trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy amid the horrors of the camp.In the spring of 1945, the boys see British planes flying over the camp, and a spark of hope that the war will soon end ignites. And then, they are forced onto a dark, stinking boxcar by the Nazi guards. After four days on the train, the boys are convinced they will be killed, but through a twist of fate, the train is discovered and liberated by a battalion of American soldiers marching through Germany.The book concludes when Paul, now a grown man living in Canada, stumbles upon photographs on the internet of his train being liberated. After writing to the man who posted the pictures, Paul is presented with an opportunity to meet his rescuers at a reunion in New York — but first he must decide if he is prepared to reopen the wounds of his past.

Crocodiles come from far and wide to seek Little Doctor’s care. She treats each one with skill and kindness―even the toughest crocs with thick skins and large, powerful jaws. Little Doctor marvels at these fearless beasts, listening to their stories, while she diagnoses and cures what ails them. But when she meets Big Mean, the largest crocodile in the land with jaws clamped tightly shut, Little Doctor can’t figure out what’s wrong. And she might be just a little bit afraid. When one creative idea lands Little Doctor right inside Big Mean’s tremendous jaws, she is sure she’ll be munched or crunched―until she sees that Big Mean isn’t so horrible, after all. As it turns out, the crocodile is only protecting her hatchlings, all tangled in plastic, inside her mouth. Watercolor illustrations create a richly imagined world in this awe-inspiring story about how even little kids can be fearless, and even big, mean creatures sometimes need help.

When winter arrives, animals living in cold environments need to cope to survive. Do polar bears build homes? Do penguins snuggle with a friend? Yes! But their homes aren’t made of wood, and they don’t cuddle on a couch. Instead, these animals and many more have adapted in amazing ways to survive chilly weather. Whether it’s whales layering up with 12 inches of blubber, turtles burrowing into the mud to snooze and wait for spring, or emperor penguins coming together in a giant huddle, this book is full of fascinating tidbits about animal behavior in winter. Written in a question-and-answer format, this interactive nonfiction book encourages kids to predict the answers and shout them out. Playful phrasing and comic illustrations make the content engaging for readers, who will gain newfound knowledge and an early understanding of adaptations in nature.