Books published by publisher Owlkids

Why do you live where you do? The answer is a lot more complicated than it might seem. Why that house? Why this community? Why do cities sprout where they do? And what makes living there even possible? Geography, topography, climate, landscape, food, politics, economics, and more all play a role in how we choose the place we call home. This book takes readers on a tour of various ways humans adapt to our environments — or change them to suit our needs. It considers the big picture — we live on Earth because it has a breathable atmosphere — right down to the little things, like friendly neighbors, that simply make us happy. Why We Live Where We Live looks back in history at the transition from nomadic hunting to farming and the rise of cities following the Industrial Revolution. It also looks ahead to anticipate new concerns: how will climate change and rising water affect people who live near the ocean? Can humans survive in space? This comprehensive, cross-curricular resource will equip readers with solid background in human habitation and context about their place on the planet.Grade: 5Fountas & Pinnel: TLexile Measure: 930LCommon Core State Standards:CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.4,4a,4c,6CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.5.3,3a,4,4a,4cCCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2,2a,2b,2d,2e,4,7,8,9b,10

"In the world, there are different kinds of people," opens Up Above and Down Below. On the top, they think the ones on the bottom are different. Down below they think the ones up above are different. But what if they turned themselves upside down? Would they find that they're all the same, except in a few small ways?Through award-winning translator Susan Ouriou, author-illustrator Paloma Valdivia explores this complex philosophical question and encourages young readers to appreciate the differences among people as well as their similarities. The short sentences and stylized, surreal illustrations will draw readers into the whimsical worlds of up above and down below, delighting and enlightening them as they complete their tour.

Pairing creative rhyming similes with cut-paper collage art, Love You Head to Toe is an adorable book that compares newborn babies to baby animals on every page. Bright, playful illustrations show a different baby and a different species of animal, both engaged in similar behavior: babies stretch their limbs like sea stars, splash in the water like ducklings, toddle around like bear cubs, and fill their chubby cheeks like chipmunks. Action verbs on each page give the book energy and movement and reflect the varied activities of a baby’s day, with key elements like mealtime, bath time, and bedtime in chronological order. Babies and caregivers of a wide range of ethnicities are represented in this heartwarming read-aloud designed to show little ones how much they are cherished and loved.

New from the creator of Skunk on a String comes Wallpaper, a wordless picture book in Thao Lam’s signature paper collage style. It tells the story of a young girl whose family moves into a new house. Outside, she can hear other kids playing, but she’s too shy to say hello. So she picks at the old wallpaper in her room―revealing an entryway to a fantastic imaginary adventure world behind the walls.There, she runs between the vibrant and varied environments―surrounded by birds, swimming in a frog pond, in a herd of art-deco sheep―as she finds herself chased by a monster. He is frightening at first, until it becomes clear he simply wants to be her friend. When it comes time to go back to reality, the girl feels inspired with the courage to approach the other kids and say hello.Full of humor and heart, this book delivers exquisite illustrations in a lively fantasy narrative that will inspire thinking about bravery and overcoming obstacles.

Following her good-times-for-all, smash-hit Boredom Blasters, Helaine Becker serves up another barrel of laughs in this book for now and future jokesters. Young readers learn how to prepare a comedy routine and how to draw their own comic strips. They discover what separates a good clown from a stupendous one, and how to perform clown routines like juggling and pratfalls. Tasty recipes, hilariously inspired crafts, crazy jokes, fascinating facts, and giggle-inducing activities complement each chapter. Examples include whipping up a batch of Earthworms and Dirt Cups for dinner, creating slapstick sound effects with a pair of vinyl gloves, and livening up a party with a Very Silly Walk-a-Thon. Claudia Dávila’s whimsical full-color art adds to the fun.

Kyle has to go. There’s just one problem: as a young three-toed sloth, he lives high in the rainforest canopy with his mom, and it’s a LONG way down to the forest floor. Like other sloths, Kyle only goes down to the ground once a week when he has to do his “business.” And he’s never made the journey by himself before.Kyle’s mom says he’s old enough to go alone, but Kyle isn’t sure he’s ready. It’s so far! And won’t it be lonely? Unfortunately, he doesn’t have much time to decide.As he descends, Kyle’s worries dissipate when he discovers he’s not really alone. He encounters friendly neighbors like the red-spectacled parrot, whipsnake, tiger-legged monkey tree frog and leaf-cutting ant, all camouflaged in the canopy. With encouragement from his mom, he keeps moving — and makes it just in time.The book closes with two pages of informational text: one about three-toed sloths and the other about camouflage. Cut-paper collage art brings the rainforest canopy and all its many layers to life throughout this sweet, gently humorous story about new experiences and newfound independence.

Come one, come all! If you love excitement and fun, step right up and join the line! Usually the ride itself is more fun than the lineup, but for these fifty animals, anticipation is part of the fun. Each animal is clearly numbered and named and readers will delight in counting the animals and choosing their favorites.Finally, it's time to board the ride! Through a revealing gatefold spread, readers discover the ride is a giant whale roller coaster! As the whale spins, dips, dives, and splashes, all the animals have too much fun. When the ride ends, the animals can't wait to line up again — just as readers won't be able to wait to read The Long, Long Line again and again!

We use language all day, every day – probably without thinking much about it. But if you stop and consider it, language is not only extremely important, it’s fascinating too! Use of language is one of the key things distinguishing humans from other animals, and nearly 7,000 languages are spoken around the world. Without it, we’d be hard pressed to communicate, express ourselves, or understand others. The Book of Languages begins with an introduction to why language is important, how it originated and how it changes. From there, the book profiles 21 of the world’s languages. Each spread showcases a language’s history, where it’s spoken, what it looks like and how to speak a few phrases and count to ten. Rounded out with sections on non-verbal and animal language, this book will stimulate readers’ curiosity about the world and spark appreciation for language learning.

A hilarious and eye-opening new look at the world around us.Gross Universe is an eye-opening and sometimes stomach-turning journey of exploration into all of our own gross inner workings, and some of the more nauseating tales from nature and the world around us.The humor of MAD magazine meets good old hard scientific fact. Always entertaining, in fact downright hilarious, author Jeff Szpirglas takes a scientific look at the many things about our physical selves and the other animals and plants around us that often go unmentioned. From our gross microscopic friends to our skin, hair, sweat, and other malodorous excretions, plus mucus, mold, acne, pus (a Perfectly Understandable Secretion), explosions, fossilized vomit, gas, and myriad other delightful subjects, this is science that will be sure to capture the attention of a young reader.Szpirglas does not expose the sweeter side of life, but will keep young audiences enraptured, laughing, and learning. It may not always be pretty, but it’s definitely fascinating to uncover the scientific reasons for processes that happen to us and around us.

Abigail dreads swimming lessons. Every time she dives into the pool, she makes a big splash, and all the girls in her class shout: “Abigail’s a whale!” Abigail can see that she is larger than the other girls. She feels huge, heavy, and out of place.Abigail’s swimming teacher takes her aside and points out: we can change how we see ourselves. He offers a creative visualization technique she can use to feel bolder, more confident, and more accepting of herself. Abigail tries it out in challenging situations that week—walking home in the dark, eating her vegetables, trying to fall asleep. Illustrations in the book show her perspective morphing powerfully to match her new thought patterns.Next time she’s in swimming class, instead of feeling heavy, Abigail thinks sardine, eel, barracuda, shark! She starts to figure out how to draw on mindfulness, creative thinking, resilience, and positive self-esteem to embrace exactly who she is. This picture book supports social/emotional learning and serves as a perfect jumping-off point for topics like bullying, empathy, confidence, and creative problem solving.LEVELINGGrade Range: K–4Fountas & Pinnell: KReading Recovery: 18Lexile: AD 430LCOMMON CORERF.2.3,3c,3d,3e,4,4a,4cW.2.1,3,5,6,7,8L.2.3,4,4a,4d,5,5a,5b,6SL.2.1,1a,1b,1c,2,3,4,6RL.2.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,10

Chirp and his friends Squawk and Tweet love going on adventures together. Today, they've traded in their playhouse for the jungle — and they're thrilled to discover a pyramid made entirely of gold!But nothing could prepare treasure hunters Chirp, Squawk, and Tweet for the series of clever traps that have been set inside the pyramid's golden walls. Soon, it's not just treasure that the three friends seek, but safety!How will Chirp, Squawk, and Tweet escape?The Chirp books invite readers into a world of imagination where Chirp, Squawk, and Tweet work together to solve problems, using everyday objects and their limitless imaginations. Inspired by Chirp Magazine, the Chirp books are designed to encourage learning through imaginative play and will open up the world to preschoolers, one awesome adventure at a time.LEVELINGGrade Range: Pre-K–3Fountas & Pinnell: JReading Recovery: 17Lexile: 610LCOMMON COREW.1.1,2,3,5,7,8L.1.1,1b,1f,2,2a,2b,4,4a,4c,5L.1.5b,5c,5d,6RF.1.1,1a,3,3f,4,4a,4cSL.1.1,1b,1c,2,3,4,5,6RL.1.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9

Raj has one rule: he never uses the bathroom at school. It’s just not the same as the one at home. All day, he avoids bathroom trips. Easy enough, since he lives by these tips: Don’t linger at the sink. Stay away from anyone who makes you laugh. Watch out for distractions, especially schoolwork. And sit still: no running, jumping, cartwheels, or sneezing. Until one day―achoo!―Raj has to break his own rule. After he faces his fear and uses the bathroom at school, Raj feels different. He doesn’t have to rush! He can try new things, laugh, explore … even enjoy his work. He can stay awhile and play. Raj discovers things are better if you just go when you need to. Told in speech bubbles with bright, lively art showing a diverse group of kids, this is a riotous rhyming read-aloud with an empathetic take on facing a common fear.