Winner of: 2014 Christopher Award, Books for Young People 2014 ILA Primary Fiction Award 2015 MLA Mitten Award Honor Human Rights in Children's Literature Honor With humor and warmth, this children's picture book raises awareness about poverty and hunger Best friends Sofia and Maddi live in the same neighborhood, go to the same school, and play in the same park, but while Sofia's fridge at home is full of nutritious food, the fridge at Maddi's house is empty. Sofia learns that Maddi's family doesn't have enough money to fill their fridge and promises Maddi she'll keep this discovery a secret. But because Sofia wants to help her friend, she's faced with a difficult decision: to keep her promise or tell her parents about Maddi's empty fridge. Filled with colorful artwork, this storybook addresses issues of poverty with honesty and sensitivity while instilling important lessons in friendship, empathy, trust, and helping others. A call to action section, with six effective ways for children to help fight hunger and information on antihunger groups, is also included.

This charming story presents a new way for young children to understand how to creatively embrace who they are, no matter what others think. Carla's lunch box is filled with odd delights like the Olive, Pickle and Green Bean Sandwich, the Banana-Cottage-Cheese Delight, and the unforgettable Chopped Liver, Potato Chips, and Cucumber Combo. To Carla, they are delicious and creative lunches, but her teasing classmates are unconvinced and abandon her at the lunch table to eat her bizarre sandwiches alone. One day, however, tables turn when Buster—the worst tease of all—forgets his lunch on the day of the picnic and Carla thoughtfully offers him her extra sandwich. Her own spirited nature helps Carla teach her classmates that "unusual" can actually be good. Lively illustrations help showcase the book's messages of acceptance, tolerance, individuality, and creativity, and the funny plot and authentic dialogue are sure to make this tale a favorite among elementary school children. Carla's creative sandwich solutions provide young chefs-to-be with the inspiration to create sandwich masterpieces of their own.

Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah's inspiring true story—which was turned into a film, Emmanuel's Gift, narrated by Oprah Winfrey—is nothing short of remarkable. Born in Ghana, West Africa, with one deformed leg, he was dismissed by most people—but not by his mother, who taught him to reach for his dreams. As a boy, Emmanuel hopped to school more than two miles each way, learned to play soccer, left home at age thirteen to provide for his family, and, eventually, became a cyclist. He rode an astonishing four hundred miles across Ghana in 2001, spreading his powerful message: disability is not inability. Today, Emmanuel continues to work on behalf of the disabled. Thompson's lyrical prose and Qualls's bold collage illustrations offer a powerful celebration of triumphing over adversity. Includes an author's note with more information about Emmanuel's charity.

Bombay, 1942 With Mahatma Gandhi's call to the British to Quit India, the city has become a hotbed of revolutionary activity-student protests, secret magazines and even an underground People's Radio which broadcasts news that the British want concealed. Sakina and her friends Zenobia and Mehul desperately want to be part of this struggle for freedom. But there is little that they are permitted to do. But at least, they are trying to do something useful, while their mothers are only running a cooking club ... The Songs of Freedom series explores the lives of children across India during the struggle for independence.

A homeless bear living in a city has a hard time getting by, but when a little girl makes friends with him, his life becomes brighter.

A Reading Rainbow book for your child Recommend by experts for children who are reading independently and transitioning to longer books. Teach kindness, courtesy, respect, and friendship: It was the perfect summer. That is, until Jeremy Ross moved into the house down the street and became neighborhood enemy number one. Luckily Dad had a surefire way to get rid of enemies: Enemy Pie. But part of the secret recipe is spending an entire day playing with the enemy! In this funny yet endearing story one little boy learns an effective recipe for turning a best enemy into a best friend. Accompanied by charming illustrations, Enemy Pie serves up a sweet lesson in the difficulties and ultimate rewards of making new friends. The perfect book for kids learning how to make friends or deal with conflict Ideal as a read aloud book for families or elementary schools Created by Derek Munson who has directly shared his children's stories with over 100,000 kids across the globe Fans of Last Stop on Market Street, Have You Filled a Bucket Today, and First Day Jitters will love this Reading Rainbow classic, Enemy Pie. Recommend by experts for children who are reading independently and transitioning to longer books and perfect for the following reading categories: Elementary School Chapter Books Family Read Aloud Books Books for Kids Ages 5-9 Children's Books for Grades 3-5

"A straightforward fictional view of an urban soup kitchen, as observed by a boy visiting it with his `Uncle Willie,' who works there every day....The difficult lives of those fed (including children)--as well as the friendly, nonintrusive attitude of the kitchen workers toward them--are presented sensitively but without sentimentality.