Bats Beneath the Bridge
Bats Beneath the Bridge
Discover how the people of Austin, Texas, stopped being afraid of the more than one million bats nesting under the Congress Avenue Bridge and, instead, welcomed them. This true story includes a foreword by bat biologist Dr. Merlin Tuttle, who came to Austin to advocate for the colony by educating residents about the ways in which bats are good for the environment, and for humans too. Now, tourists from all over the world come to Austin to watch the Brazilian free-tail bats fill the sky every evening in early spring.
After the Shelter
Life wasn’t easy at the shelter, but at least Lily knew what to expect there. Now she and her mom are moving into their own apartment, away from their friends. Though Lily is a little scared about what comes next, she’s excited, too. Their new neighbor, Mrs. McIntyre, will watch Lily while her mom works and goes to school, and Lily will start day care, where she can learn and play with kids her age. Life is good after the shelter and getting better every day.
A Teddy Bear for Emily—and President Roosevelt, Too
Rose Katz and Morris Michtom grew up in Russia during a period of persecution against Jewish people. Hoping to find kindness and opportunity in another country, they emigrated to the United States, where they got married and opened a candy shop. In 1902, they read a newspaper article about President Theodore Roosevelt sparing a bear on a hunting trip. To the delight of their daughter, Emily, the Michtoms created a small, stuffed version of the animal and named it Teddy’s Bear. Before long, this cuddly symbol of one man’s act of compassion became a beloved toy that continues to delight children all over the world.
Beauty and the Beaker
Beauty is a scientist who is never without her beaker. When a beast of a storm hits her island home, Beauty discovers a type of green energy that will restore power to the community, and help many others, too.
Zoologists on the Trail
Kai is a zoologist. He and his team study animals and how they behave in their environments. Their latest assignment: observing wolves in Yellowstone National Park. Using a combination of old and new technology, Kai’s team checks the pack’s health and its effect on the environment. Inspired by a real-world study, this story introduces readers to the terms, tools, and techniques zoologists use in their research, including bioacoustics, the study of making and receiving animal sounds.
Way Past Mean
Once Ruby starts being mean to the new girl, Nelly, she can’t stop. She likes being part of Yaz and Keya’s group, so she also makes fun of Nelly and hurts her feelings. It’s like Ruby’s on an out-of-control roller coaster, but it’s up to her to stop the ride.
The Mud Angels
When the Arno River floods the city of Florence, Italy in 1966, it leaves slimy, smelly mud everywhere. A young girl watches students from around the world, many from the US, help save the town’s rare treasures, earning themselves the nickname Gli Angeli del Fango, the Mud Angels.
South of Somewhere
When FBI agents swarm twelve-year-old Mavis Callahan’s downtown Chicago home, her mom goes on the run. With the family’s house and bank accounts seized, Mavis’s dad takes her and her siblings to seek refuge with his sister just south of rural Somewhere, Illinois—a far cry from the big city lifestyle Mavis is used to. As Mavis grapples with her sudden turn in fortune, she learns to make new friends and starts a babysitting business to bring in some much-needed cash for the family. But she can’t help but wonder—is her mom truly guilty? And if not, why has she gone into hiding, contacting Mavis only through a series of postcards from exotic locales? Mavis isn’t sure if she’s ready for the truth, but she’ll do anything to find it.
School of Fish
Emmy and her classmates have a special hands-on assignment: raising salmon and releasing them into the wild! At school, they learn about the biology, life cycle, and habitat of salmon, and watch them grow from egg stage to fry stage. When Release Day comes, the students wish their fry goodbye and good luck, hoping that one day they’ll find their way back to spawn.
Purple Up!
April 15 is Purple Up! Day—a day when Americans around the world recognize and celebrate the children who make sacrifices along with their military parents. Classmates mix the colors of the different military branches to create banners that say, “Thank you for your service!”