The Sandwich Swap
By Her Majesty Queen Rania al Abdullah of Jordan
and Kelly DiPucchio
Illustrated by Tricia Tusa
Ages 3 – 7,
$16.99 (available April 27)

Lily and Salma are best friends. They play together and stick together through thick and thin. But who would have ever thought that ordinary peanut butter or plain old hummus could come between them? Lily and Salma don’t quite understand each other’s tastes, but does that mean they can’t be friends? They understand far better than a lot of grown ups that these things hardly matter and that friendship is the most important thing of all. Inspired by Her Majesty Queen Rania’s own experience, it is a warm-hearted and gently humorous fable about two girls who become aware of their subtle cultural differences, only to have their friendship strengthened as a result.

Ladybug Girl at the Beach
By David Soman and Jacky Davis
Ages 3 - 7
$16.99, available May 18

Lulu loves the beach. Well, she’s never been there before, but she knows she will love it. And then she sees the ocean and it is big and loud and rough. That’s okay--Lulu wanted to build sand castles and fly her kite with Bingo anyway. But while they are building their sand castle, the sneaky ocean comes in and tries to steal Lulu’s favorite pail. This is a job for Ladybug Girl! Lulu conquers her fear of the ocean when she remembers that Ladybug Girl can do anything, in this delightfully illustrated companion to the popular series.

Orangutans Are Ticklish: Fun Facts from an Animal Photographer
Written by Jill Davis
Photographed by Steve Grubman
Ages 3 - 7
$16.99, available June 10

In this knockout book of animal photographs, perfect for the youngest animal lover, you’ll discover all sorts of things. Did you know that orangutans are ticklish? Yes, they are -- just like you and me. But be careful if you ever see a hippo yawning. It doesn’t means he’s sleepy -- it means he wants to fight. The gorgeous up-close pictures and fascinating facts are complemented by behind-the-scenes peeks at how animal photographs are taken. (For instance, photographer Steve Grubman once had to lull a cow to sleep with soft music!) Animal lovers, young scientists, and budding photographers will all adore this beautiful nonfiction book.

Miss Brooks Loves Books!
(and I don’t)
By Barbara Bottner
Illustrated by Michael Emberley
Ages 4 - 8
$17.99

A librarian and a contrarian face off in this tale of a very reluctant reader. With the help of Miss Brooks, Missy’s classmates all find books they love in the library -- books about fairies and dogs and trains and cowboys. But Missy dismisses them all: “Too flowery, too furry, too clickety, too yippity.” Still, Miss Brooks remains undaunted. Missy will find a book to love, even if they have to empty the entire library. What story will finally win over resistant Missy? One about an ogre, of course! Barbara Bottner and Michael Emberley pay playful homage to the diverse tastes of child readers and the valiant librarians who are determined to put just the right book in each child’s hands.

Once Upon a Twice
By Denise Doyen
Illustrated by Barry Moser
$16.99
Ages 4 - 8

Out in the open, in the clear,
Where any wisenmouse would fear,
Jam licks his paw, he grooms an ear,
And never hears approaching hisssss . .
What will happen to the brave mouse Jam when he breaks the rules and goes for a moonlit adventure against the advice of the elder mice? Award-winning illustrator Barry Moser has created a dark and vivid mouse world to complement this cautionary tale full of clever nonsense words and rhyming prose that will keep kids on the edge of their seats. Local author Denise Doyen’s first book, Once Upon a Twice, a poetic adventure reminiscent of Jabberwocky, debuted to starred reviews and was included in Kirkus Reviews “Best Children’s Books of 2009”. Ms Doyen is available for school visits; to contact her please go to her website: www.denisedoyen.com .

The Very Fairy Princess
By Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton
Illustrated by Christine Davenier
Ages 4 - 8
$16.99, available May 18

While her friends and family may not believe in fairies, Geraldine knows, deep down, that she is a VERY fairy princess. From morning to night, Gerry does everything that fairy princesses do: she dresses in her royal attire, practices her flying skills, and she is always on the lookout for problems to solve. But it isn’t all twirls and tiaras -- as every fairy princess knows, dirty fingernails and scabby knees are just the price you pay for a perfect day!

All Star! Honus Wagner and the Most Famous Baseball Card Ever
By Jane Yolen
Illustrated by Jim Burke
Ages 6 - 9
$17.99

The Honus Wagner baseball card is the most valuable baseball card of all time! Honus was born poor, homely, and bowlegged. He was more destined to shoveling coal in his Pennsylvania mining town than becoming one of the greatest shortstops in baseball history. Indeed, shoveling all that coal may be exactly what gave Honus those strong arms and fast legs, turning him not only into a Pittsburgh Pirate, but one of the game’s most unforgettable players. Jane Yolen and Jim Burke, great fans of baseball, team up to deliver a beautiful and unique glimpse of the man behind the most famous baseball card ever, showing us that wit, talent, and passion score more that home runs.

Giraffe Goes to Paris
By Mary Tavener Holmes and John Harris
Illustrated by Jon Cannell
Ages 6 - 9
$17.99

Imagine a giraffe that can sail from Alexandria, Egypt, to Marseille, France, in a boat with a special hole for her neck. Imagine a giraffe that can walk from Marseille to Paris in forty-one days, wearing stylish boots and a cape. Imagine a giraffe that captures the attention of a hundred thousand spectators in Paris as she parades through the city, inspiring paintings, poetry, porcelain designs, and even an exotic hairstyle. Imagine Belle, a gift from the pasha of Egypt to the king of France in 1827, a giraffe who made history. This book presents Belle’s true story, told in the imagined words of her devoted Sudanese caretaker, Atir, who accompanied her on her journey to Paris and stayed with her till her death eighteen years later. Illustrated with artifacts and paintings from the nineteenth century and with Jon Cannell’s jaunty artwork, Belle’s remarkable story both captivates and informs.

Alchemy and Meggy Swann
By Karen Cushman
Ages 10 - 14
$16.00, available April 26

Fans of Karen Cushman’s witty, satisfying novels will welcome Meggy Swann, newly come to London with her only friend, a goose named Louise. Meggy’s mother was glad to be rid of her; her father, who sent for her, doesn’t want her after all. Meggy is appalled by London: dirty, noisy, full of rogues and thieves, and difficult to get around in -- not that getting around is ever easy for someone who walks with the help of two sticks. Just as her alchemist father pursues his Great Work of transforming base metal into gold, Meggy finds herself pursuing her own transformation. Earthy and colorful, Elizabethan London has its dark side, but it also has gifts in store for Meggy Swann. This wonderful read ranks with Newbery Medal Winner Karen Cushman’s best work.

Mockingjay: The Final Book
of the Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins
Ages 12 and up,
available August 24

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. This series is highly recommended for teens through adults; it’s a first-rate compelling read with its superb characterizations and plotting. Not for the faint of heart.

The Complete Guide to
Service Learning
By Cathryn Berger Kaye
Teacher resource
$39.99p

An essential, time-saving tool, fully revised and updated at a time when community service is in the spotlight. The Complete Guide to Service Learning is the go-to resource in the fast-growing field of service learning. It is an award-winning treasury of activities, ideas, quotes, reflections, and resources and provides hundreds of annotated book recommendations, author interviews, and expert essays—all presented within a curricular context and organized by theme. This new edition maintains the easy-to-use format of the original and is enhanced to reflect the most up-to-date service learning pedagogy. Chapters in this fantastic resource include: Hunger and Homelessness, Animals in Danger, The Environment, Elders, Literacy, and much more.

Fight Hate and Promote Tolerance

Teaching Tolerance, an outstanding project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, publishes a semiannual magazine that profiles programs promoting diversity and equity in replicable ways. In addition, the project produces and distributes free, high-quality anti-bias multimedia kits. Visit their website, www.teachingtolerance.org, or call (334) 956-8200 to request these materials. There are excellent resources on the website, including current and back issues of Teaching Tolerance Magazine, classroom activities and resources, and grant opportunities.

Another Mother For Peace

Children's Book World is very happy to be offering the following items from the wonderful organization, Another Mother For Peace.

All items have the saying "War is not healthy for children and other living things":

Contact information for Another Mother For Peace: 8950 West Olympic Blvd., Suite 194, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, www.anothermother.org