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Susan Wood

Books

(Charlesbridge)

Juan Garcia Esquivel was born in Mexico and grew up to the sounds of mariachi bands. He loved music and became a musical explorer. Defying convention, he created music that made people laugh and planted images in their minds. Juan’s space-age lounge music—popular in the fifties and sixties—has found a new generation of listeners. And Duncan Tonatiuh’s fresh and quirky illustrations bring Esquivel’s spirit to life. Available in both English and Spanish editions.
Pura Belpré Honor Book
ALA Notable Children’s Book

Junior Library Guild Selection
School Library Journal’s Top Ten Latinx Books
CCBC Choices 2017 honoree
ALA Odyssey Honor Audiobook


esquivelbook.com

(Sterling)
This tasty take on the classic Little Red Hen story has a deliciously spicy twist! 
Yum, guacamole! That’s what Little Red Hen craves, and she could use some help gathering and mashing the ingredients. So she asks her friends, including an armadillo, snake, and iguana, to lend a hand. Every one says no. But after Little Red Hen works hard to make the scrumptious fresh guac, all the animals want a taste. In a fun departure from the original tale, Little Red Hen cooks up a comeuppance for the slackers that they’ll never forget! Kid-friendly guac recipe included!

holysquawkamole.com

(Abrams)
The incredible story of the first female senator of Massachusetts. Elizabeth came from a struggling middle-class family in Oklahoma City. After a heart attack put Elizabeth’s father out of work, she helped out by babysitting, waitressing, and sewing, all while shining as a star member of her school’s debate team. Debate taught Elizabeth how to fight with her words, a skill that eventually won her a state championship and a college scholarship. As a lawyer and law professor, Elizabeth learned why it was so difficult for working-class families like her own to advance economically, and today she stands up for the poor and middle-class in her role as a senator. Elizabeth shows the importance of using your words to fight for both yourself and for those who need your help.
CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Book for Young People
ILA/CBC Children’s Choices 2019 Reading List

(Abrams)
From humble beginnings sketching Iowa’s cornfields and rolling hills as a child, painter Grant Wood (1891–1942) became the father of Regionalism—an artistic movement that celebrated the real-life surroundings of the people. While studying art in Europe in the early twentieth century, Grant couldn’t find a style that touched his heart quite right. Impressionism, Cubism, and Abstract art didn’t reflect his view of the world. It wasn’t until he stumbled upon Gothic art that Grant recognized something familiar. Back home in America, Grant asked his sister and his dentist to pose for what would become a uniquely American work of art and the founding iconic image of Regionalism. Grant’s art celebrated hardworking Americans who finally saw themselves depicted in fine art. American Gothic is a picture-book biography that explores the birth of the famous painting, the movement that made it possible, and the artist who created it all.
Junior Library Guild Selection
Iowa Public Radio’s Best Children’s Books Pick
Blue Ribbon Selection, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books


americangothicbook.com

(Sleeping Bear Press)
When a family spends a day at the beach, the children investigate various footprints to see what type of creatures live along the shoreline. Rhyming text turns a sandy beach into an outdoor classroom. The tracks and habits of local wildlife—including hopping sandpipers, scuttling crabs, and burrowing turtles—are identified and explained for young ecology detectives. Even Daddy's feet make an appearance! And at day's end, it's time for tired feet to make their way home. STEM-based back matter includes information on how clues like footprints can identify the type of wildlife inhabiting any given habitat.

School Library Journal starred review: "An engaging read which encourages children to explore the natural world around them, and to fully utilize and embrace their senses.”

(Sleeping Bear Press)
Just after World War II, the people of McCall, Idaho, found themselves with a problem on their hands. McCall was a lovely resort community in Idaho's backcountry with mountain views, a sparkling lake, and plenty of forests. People rushed to build roads and homes there to enjoy the year-round outdoor activities. It was a beautiful place to live. And not just for humans. For centuries, beavers had made the region their home. But what's good for beavers is not necessarily good for humans, and vice versa. So in a unique conservation effort, in 1948 a team from the Idaho Fish and Game Department decided to relocate the McCall beaver colony. In a daring experiment, the team airdropped seventy-six live beavers to a new location. One beaver, playfully named Geronimo, endured countless practice drops, seeming to enjoy the skydives, and led the way as all the beavers parachuted into their new home. Readers and nature enthusiasts of all ages will enjoy this true story of ingenuity and determination. 
California Young Reader Medal
CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Book for Young People


skydivingbeavers.com