For many refugees the alphabet represents the start of a new language and a new future, but Anisa's Alphabet is different. A poignant and highly imaginative telling of one girl's story which will appeal to children and adults alike...Come with Anisa, and see things through her eyes. In this picture book, Anisa takes the reader though the alphabet, describing her journey from an unnamed war-torn country to a refugee camp, then on to an overcrowded boat towards supposed freedom and security. 'In this picture book, Anisa takes the reader though the alphabet, describing her journey from an unnamed war-torn country to a refugee camp, then on to an overcrowded boat towards supposed freedom and security...Prolific writer Mike Dumbleton and well-known illustrator Hannah Sommerville have taken on a weighty topic here and have produced a good quality book.' -- Katie Haydon, Books+Publishing Teachers' Notes are available here

Children′s literature is a powerful resource that can inspire a young reader’s lifetime love of reading, but how can you ensure that your literacy teaching uses this rich creative world to its fullest? This book gives pre-service primary teachers an in-depth guide to each major type of children′s book, examining the form, structure and approach of each. From fairy tales and non-fiction to picture books and digital texts, learn what qualities underpin outstanding children′s literature and how you can use this to inspire rewarding learning experiences in your classroom. Key features: Each chapter is full of key book recommendations to help you select excellent age-appropriate texts for your learners An international focus across English-language publishing, covering key books from Australian, US and UK authors A special focus on Australian indigenous children′s literature Busting popular myths about children′s literature to give you a deeper understanding of the form Evaluation criteria for every genre, helping you to recognise the qualities of high quality books This is essential reading for anyone training to teach in primary schools and qualified teachers looking to improve their professional knowledge. Matthew Zbaracki is State Head of Victoria in the National School of Education at ACU, Melbourne.

Boost students' language arts skills and meet standards—without adding to your schedule! Do you start the day with Morning Meeting? If so, you can use some of that time to reinforce students' language arts learning. These fun, lively activities enable you to seamlessly integrate language arts into a daily Morning Meeting. You'll find language arts activities for each component of Morning Meeting—greeting, sharing, group activity, and morning message. From reading poetry with sound effects to pantomiming idioms to guessing which character someone's describing, these activities are varied, challenging, and confidence-building. Features that make them easy to use: Clear, step-by-step directionsCan be used with any curriculumFew or no materials requiredVariations and extensions for language arts lessonsActivities sorted by grade, but can be adapted for any grade This book helps you inspire students' interest in language arts and give them practice in key skills—all while enriching and enlivening your Morning Meetings.

The Inner Alphabet offers a spiritual approach for learning the ABCs. While most alphabet books are externally focused, The Inner Alphabet is internally focused. Each letter has a word and corresponding statement to help children understand the word’s meaning. The age-appropriate statements are intended to be conversation starters for adults to teach children about the mind-set and choices that form the foundation for healthy, balanced living. For instance, A is for “Appreciation,” encouraging kids to look for things to appreciate. The letter B is for “Body;” children have bodies, but they also have souls. C is for “Confidence;” children should believe in themselves and know they are capable, and so on. This book is an excellent tool for adults who want children to develop the habit of being self-aware, which is a key component to social and emotional well being. Not only does The Inner Alphabet guide children on a path to self-realization, but it also builds literacy and vocabulary skills. Help your child learn the ABCs of authentic and happy living. It’s an alphabet book for the soul!

Norman Qwerty is a man of many ideas, and none of them are the least bit ordinary. He's quite certain that no one else thinks the way he does, and this makes him keep to himself. But when his ideas get too big to hold in, he builds the most extraordinary thing Soon the beloved Mr. Qwerty is never alone (unless he wants to be), and the world will never be the same.

In this powerful book, Nobel Peace Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author Malala Yousafzai introduces the people behind the statistics and news stories about the millions of people displaced worldwide. After her father was murdered, María escaped in the middle of the night with her mother. Zaynab was out of school for two years as she fled war before landing in America. Her sister, Sabreen, survived a harrowing journey to Italy. Ajida escaped horrific violence, but then found herself battling the elements to keep her family safe. Malala's experiences visiting refugee camps caused her to reconsider her own displacement — first as an Internally Displaced Person when she was a young child in Pakistan, and then as an international activist who could travel anywhere except to the home she loved. In We Are Displaced, Malala not only explores her own story, but she also shares the personal stories of some of the incredible girls she has met on her journeys — girls who have lost their community, relatives, and often the only world they've ever known. In a time of immigration crises, war, and border conflicts, We Are Displaced is an important reminder from one of the world's most prominent young activists that every single one of the 68.5 million currently displaced is a person — often a young person — with hopes and dreams. "A stirring and timely book." —New York Times

V is for Vulnerable by Seth Godin is a full-color ABC book for grown-ups, with a powerful message about doing great work. V is for Vulnerable looks and feels like a classic picture book. But it's not for kids, it's for hardworking adults. It highlights twenty-six of Seth Godin's principles about treating your work as a form of art, with illustrations by acclaimed cartoonist Hugh MacLeod. A sample: A is for Anxiety, which is experiencing failure in advance. Tell yourself enough vivid stories about the worst possible outcome and you'll soon come to believe them. Worry is not preparation, and anxiety doesn't make you better. F is for Feedback, which can be either a crutch or a weapon. Use it to make your work smaller, safer, and more likely to please everyone (and fail in the long run). Or use it as a lever to further push you to embrace what you fear and what you're capable of. This is unlike any previous Godin book and makes a great gift, both for loyal fans and those who've never read him before. Seth Godin is the author of thirteen international bestsellers that have changed the way people think about marketing, the ways ideas spread, leadership and change including Permission Marketing, Purple Cow, All Marketers are Liars, The Dip and Tribes. He is the CEO of Squidoo.com and a very popular lecturer. His blog, www.sethgodin.typepad.com, is the most influential business blog in the world, and consistently one of the 100 most popular blogs on any subject.