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Books in Reading%20Rainbow%20Books series

  • Whoever You Are

    Mem Fox, Leslie Staub

    Paperback (HMH Books for Young Readers, Sept. 1, 2006)
    Every day all over the world, children are laughing and crying, playing and learning, eating and sleeping. They may not look the same. They may not speak the same language. Their lives may be quite different. But inside, they are all alike. Stirring words and bold paintings weave their way around our earth, across cultures and generations. At a time when, unfortunately, the lessons of tolerance still need to be learned, Whoever You Are urges us to accept our differences, to recognize our similarities, and-most importantly-to rejoice in both.
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  • A Chair for My Mother 25th Anniversary Edition

    Vera B Williams

    Paperback (Greenwillow Books, Jan. 23, 2007)
    This classic and award-winning picture book was written and illustrated by the celebrated Vera B. Williams and was named a Caldecott Honor Book by the American Library Association. This picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children."A tender knockout . . . it's rare to find much vitality, spontaneity, and depth of feeling in such a simple, young book."—Kirkus ReviewsAfter their home is destroyed by a fire, Rosa, her mother, and grandmother save their coins to buy a really comfortable chair for all to enjoy. A Chair for My Mother has sold more than a million copies and is an ideal choice for reading and sharing at home and in the classroom. "A superbly conceived picture book expressing the joyful spirit of a loving family."—The Horn Book
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  • When I Was Young in the Mountains

    Cynthia Rylant, Diane Goode

    Paperback (Puffin Books, Jan. 1, 1993)
    Caldecott Honor Book!"An evocative remembrance of the simple pleasures in country living; splashing in the swimming hole, taking baths in the kitchen, sharing family times, each is eloquently portrayed here in both the misty-hued scenes and in the poetic text."-Association for Childhood Education International
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  • Caps for Sale Board Book: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business

    Esphyr Slobodkina

    Board book (HarperFestival, Sept. 1, 2015)
    Caps for Sale is a timeless classic beloved by millions...one of the most popular picture books ever published! This picture book is an excellent choice to share at home or in the classroom, as children love chanting along with the naughty monkeys. The board book edition features sturdy pages and is just the right size for your little monkey.Children will delight in following the peddler’s efforts to outwit the monkeys and will ask to read it again and again. Caps for Sale is an excellent easy-to-read book that includes repetition, patterns, and colors, perfect for early readers.This tale of a peddler and a band of mischievous monkeys is filled with warmth, humor, and simplicity and also teaches children about problem and resolution.This classic picture book will be appreciated as a birthday, baby shower, or graduation gift!
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  • How Much Is a Million?

    David M Schwartz, Steven Kellogg

    Paperback (Collins, Dec. 28, 2004)
    “A jubilant, original picture book.” —Booklist (starred review)Ever wonder just what a million of something means? How about a billion? Or a trillion? Marvelosissimo the mathematical magician can teach you!How Much Is a Million? knocks complex numbers down to size in a fun, humorous way, helping children conceptualize a difficult mathematical concept. It's a math class you'll never forget.This classic picture book is an ALA Notable Book, a Reading Rainbow Feature Selection, and a Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book for Illustration.The repackage of this fun look at math concepts includes a letter from the author that features several ways for children to find a million everyday things.
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  • Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt

    Deborah Hopkinson

    Paperback (Dragonfly Books, July 10, 1995)
    An inspiring tale of creativity and determination on the Underground Railroad from Coretta Scott King Award winner James Ransome and acclaimed author Deborah Hopkinson.Clara, a slave and seamstress on Home Plantation, dreams of freedom—not just for herself, but for her family and friends. When she overhears a conversation about the Underground Railroad, she has a flash of inspiration. Using scraps of cloth from her work in the Big House and scraps of information gathered from other slaves, she fashions a map that the master would never even recognize. . . .From the award-winning author-illustrator team of Deborah Hopkinson and James Ransome, this fictional tale of the Underground Railroad continues to inspire young readers 25 years after its original publication."Inspiring." —The New York Times"A triumph of the human spirit." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
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  • The Wall

    Eve Bunting, Ronald Himler

    Paperback (Clarion Books, Aug. 24, 1992)
    A young boy and his father visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
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  • Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters

    John Steptoe

    Hardcover (Lothrop Lee & Shepard, Dec. 31, 2018)
    A Caldecott Honor and Reading Rainbow book, this memorable retelling of Cinderella is perfect for introducing children to the fairy tale as well as the history, culture, and geography of the African nation of Zimbabwe.Inspired by a traditional African folktale, this is the story of Mufaro, who is proud of his two beautiful daughters. Nyasha is kind and considerate, but everyone—except Mufaro—knows that Manyara is selfish and bad-tempered.When the Great King decides to take a wife and invites the most worthy and beautiful daughters in the land to appear before him, Mufaro brings both of his daughters—but only one can be queen. Who will the king choose?Award-winning artist John Steptoe’s rich cultural imagery of Africa earned him the Coretta Scott King Award for Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. The book also went on to win the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. This stunning story is a timeless treasure that readers will enjoy for generations.Coretta Scott King Award for IllustrationCaledcott HonorReading Rainbow BookBoston Globe-Horn Book
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  • Knots on a Counting Rope

    Bill Martin Jr., John Archambault, Ted Rand

    Paperback (Square Fish, Sept. 15, 1997)
    In Knots on a Counting Rope, Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault tell a poignant story about a boy’s emerging confidence in facing his blindness in this beautiful children’s picture book illustrated by Ted Rand.By the warmth of a campfire beneath a starry night sky, a Navajo youth named Boy-Strength-of-Blue-Horses listens to the tale of his birth from his grandfather. Although blind, the boy learns that he has the strength to cope with his condition and meet any challenge that comes his way.“The powerful, spare, poetic text is done full justice by Rand’s fine full-color illustrations…The love, hope, and courage expressed are universal.”― Booklist (starred review)
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  • Paul Bunyan

    Steven Kellogg

    Paperback (HarperCollins, Feb. 3, 2004)
    A funny retelling of the tallest of tall tales, the rollicking adventures of Paul Bunyan and his great blue ox, paired with the extravagant and lively illustrations of Steven Kellogg. Perfect for read-alouds full of laughter! Do you know who was the largest baby ever born in the state of Maine? What about who dug the Great Lakes? Or who gouged out the Grand Canyon? Why, it was Paul Bunyan, of course, America's finest, fastest, funniest lumberman and favorite folktale hero! In this engaging tale, beloved children's author Steven Kellogg combines exuberant illustrations with a hysterical text to create a truly legendary tale. This is a fun tall tale to share at home or in the classroom.
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  • Max Found Two Sticks

    Brian Pinkney

    Paperback (Aladdin, June 1, 1997)
    It was a day when Max didn't feel like talking to anyone. He just sat on his front steps and watched the clouds gather in the sky. A strong breeze shook the tree in front of his house, and Max saw two heavy twigs fall to the ground. So begins this story of a young boy's introduction to the joys of making music. Max picks up the sticks and begins tapping out the rhythms of everything he sees and hears around him...the sound of pigeons startled into flight, of rain against the windows, of distant church bells and the rumble of a subway. And then, when a marching band rounds Max's corner, something wonderful happens. Brian Pinkney's rhythmic text and lively pictures are certain to get many a child's foot tapping, many a youngster drumming.
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  • Abiyoyo

    Pete Seeger, Michael Hays

    Paperback (Aladdin, Jan. 1, 1994)
    Outcasts become heroes in this picture book adaptation of a South African lullaby and folk story.No one wants to hear the little boy play his ukelele anymore...Clink, clunk, clonk. And no one wants to watch his father make things disappear...Zoop! Zoop! Until the day the fearsome giant Abiyoyo suddenly appears in town, and all the townspeople run for their lives and the lives of their children! Nothing can stop the terrible giant Abiyoyo, nothing, that is, except the enchanting sound of the ukelele and the mysterious power of the magic wand.
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