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Counselling Skills and Studies
by Fiona Ballantine Dykes Traci Postings Barry Kopp Anthony CrouchAre you looking to use counselling skills to enhance your existing helping role? Are you taking the first steps towards becoming a professional counsellor? This practical guide will provide you with the ideal introduction, showing you what helping and counselling is all about. Part 1: Counselling Skills will introduce readers to the underpinning knowledge and practical tools needed to develop a range of helping skills for use in a variety of helping roles, showing what it means to work safely and ethically. Part 2: Counselling Studies will help them take their understanding further by considering in detail important theories and professional issues, preparing them to work as a professional counsellor. Part 3: Counselling Study Skills will offer practical advice and hints and tips to help them make the best start on their counselling portfolio, including journal and essay writing skills, research skills and how to get inspired and overcome blocks to learning. The Third Edition includes new content on counselling skills competencies; working with diverse client groups; online counselling; new case studies, tips and activities. Packed full of practical activities and written in a supportive conversational style, this book is essential reading for anyone wanting to learn counselling skills or embarking on their first stage of training to be a counsellor.
Counselling Skills and Studies
by Fiona Ballantine Dykes Traci Postings Barry Kopp Anthony CrouchAre you looking to use counselling skills to enhance your existing helping role? Are you taking the first steps towards becoming a professional counsellor? This practical guide will provide you with the ideal introduction, showing you what helping and counselling is all about. Part 1: Counselling Skills will introduce readers to the underpinning knowledge and practical tools needed to develop a range of helping skills for use in a variety of helping roles, showing what it means to work safely and ethically. Part 2: Counselling Studies will help them take their understanding further by considering in detail important theories and professional issues, preparing them to work as a professional counsellor. Part 3: Counselling Study Skills will offer practical advice and hints and tips to help them make the best start on their counselling portfolio, including journal and essay writing skills, research skills and how to get inspired and overcome blocks to learning. The Third Edition includes new content on counselling skills competencies; working with diverse client groups; online counselling; new case studies, tips and activities. Packed full of practical activities and written in a supportive conversational style, this book is essential reading for anyone wanting to learn counselling skills or embarking on their first stage of training to be a counsellor.
Health Psychology: Theory, Research and Practice
by David F. Marks Michael Murray Emee Vida Estacio Rachel A. Annunziato Abigail Locke Gareth J. TreharneHealth Psychology takes a truly international and critical biopsychosocial approach, providing students with a holistic understanding of health behaviour, culture and change. Thoroughly updated with the latest research, this comprehensive introduction to foundational and cutting-edge topics in health psychology gives you the tools you need to critically appraise theory and research, and to apply this knowledge to real-world public health issues. Praised for its coverage of social justice, macro-social and cultural issues in health, this edition features three new chapters on parenting and health, responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and gender-affirmative healthcare for transgender people. Now in full colour, it also includes updated pedagogy, with international Key Studies, Critical Discussions and Insights boxes to extend your learning. Written by experts in the field, this must-read for students of Health Psychology, Health Promotion and Health Behaviour demonstrates how theory and research learned in the classroom impacts public policy around the world. David F. Marks is a psychologist specializing in Health Psychology, Mental Imagery and Consciousness research. Michael Murray is Emeritus Professor of Social and Health Psychology at Keele University. Emee Vida Estacio is a chartered psychologist, author, speaker and health promotion specialist. Rachel A. Annunziato is Professor of Psychology at Fordham University. Abigail Locke is Professor of Critical Social and Health Psychology and Head of School at Keele University. Gareth J. Treharne is Professor of Psychology at te Whare Wananga o Otago (the University of Otago).
Understanding Music Education: Exploring Children′s Musical Worlds
by Mary StakelumThis book is a contemporary analysis of children’s music education, combining theoretical insight with practical application. It examines how children engage with, and think about, music and how an understanding of this can empower rich approaches to teaching and learning. Key topics include: an overview of music education as a field of study, musical imagination in thought and practice, musical worlds created with, and for, children and a range of perspectives on musicality and musical knowledge in childhood. This is essential reading for anyone involved in music education with children, including music leaders working in community settings, and for primary school teachers, and those training to teach, seeking to deepen their own professional understanding. Mary Stakelum is Area Leader, Music Education at the Royal College of Music.
Sports Marketing
by Sam FullertonFormerly published by Chicago Business Press, now published by Sage Sports Marketing, Fourth Edition guides students in gaining a better understanding of how to develop and implement marketing strategies and tactics within the sports marketing industry. Author Sam Fullerton provides thorough coverage of this discipline′s two broad perspectives: the marketing of sports products and creating a sports platform as the foundation for the marketing of nonsports products.
Understanding Music Education: Exploring Children′s Musical Worlds
by Mary StakelumThis book is a contemporary analysis of children’s music education, combining theoretical insight with practical application. It examines how children engage with, and think about, music and how an understanding of this can empower rich approaches to teaching and learning. Key topics include: an overview of music education as a field of study, musical imagination in thought and practice, musical worlds created with, and for, children and a range of perspectives on musicality and musical knowledge in childhood. This is essential reading for anyone involved in music education with children, including music leaders working in community settings, and for primary school teachers, and those training to teach, seeking to deepen their own professional understanding. Mary Stakelum is Area Leader, Music Education at the Royal College of Music.
Sports Marketing
by Sam FullertonFormerly published by Chicago Business Press, now published by Sage Sports Marketing, Fourth Edition guides students in gaining a better understanding of how to develop and implement marketing strategies and tactics within the sports marketing industry. Author Sam Fullerton provides thorough coverage of this discipline′s two broad perspectives: the marketing of sports products and creating a sports platform as the foundation for the marketing of nonsports products.
Health Psychology: Theory, Research and Practice
by David F. Marks Michael Murray Emee Vida Estacio Rachel A. Annunziato Abigail Locke Gareth J. TreharneHealth Psychology takes a truly international and critical biopsychosocial approach, providing students with a holistic understanding of health behaviour, culture and change. Thoroughly updated with the latest research, this comprehensive introduction to foundational and cutting-edge topics in health psychology gives you the tools you need to critically appraise theory and research, and to apply this knowledge to real-world public health issues. Praised for its coverage of social justice, macro-social and cultural issues in health, this edition features three new chapters on parenting and health, responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and gender-affirmative healthcare for transgender people. Now in full colour, it also includes updated pedagogy, with international Key Studies, Critical Discussions and Insights boxes to extend your learning. Written by experts in the field, this must-read for students of Health Psychology, Health Promotion and Health Behaviour demonstrates how theory and research learned in the classroom impacts public policy around the world. David F. Marks is a psychologist specializing in Health Psychology, Mental Imagery and Consciousness research. Michael Murray is Emeritus Professor of Social and Health Psychology at Keele University. Emee Vida Estacio is a chartered psychologist, author, speaker and health promotion specialist. Rachel A. Annunziato is Professor of Psychology at Fordham University. Abigail Locke is Professor of Critical Social and Health Psychology and Head of School at Keele University. Gareth J. Treharne is Professor of Psychology at te Whare Wananga o Otago (the University of Otago).
Leading and Managing People in Education (Education Leadership for Social Justice)
by Tony Bush David Middlewood′This cutting-edge publication is drawn on international research and practice, and undoubtedly encourages reflection and personal development. The authors are experts in the field of education leadership and management.′ - Professor Raj Mestry, University of Johannesburg The Third Edition of this successful and respected book covers leadership and management of people at all levels in educational organisations. It contains up-to-date research and literature, covering the entire spectrum of educational institutions. This new and revised edition: deals with issues such as succession planning, leadership development and diversity has an enhanced focus on international trends, examples and research acknowledges the changing English context, including the shift to system leadership, academies and free schools covers changes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland The book will be of great interest to postgraduate students, researchers and academics; candidates on professional leadership qualifications; middle and senior managers, and aspiring leaders in schools and colleges. Tony Bush is Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Warwick, UK and Visiting Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. David Middlewood is a Research Fellow at The University of Warwick.
Mastering PyTorch: Build powerful neural network architectures using advanced PyTorch 1.x features
by Ashish Ranjan Jha Dr. Gopinath PillaiMaster advanced techniques and algorithms for deep learning with PyTorch using real-world examplesKey FeaturesUnderstand how to use PyTorch 1.x to build advanced neural network modelsLearn to perform a wide range of tasks by implementing deep learning algorithms and techniquesGain expertise in domains such as computer vision, NLP, Deep RL, Explainable AI, and much moreBook DescriptionDeep learning is driving the AI revolution, and PyTorch is making it easier than ever before for anyone to build deep learning applications. This PyTorch book will help you uncover expert techniques to get the most out of your data and build complex neural network models. The book starts with a quick overview of PyTorch and explores using convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures for image classification. You'll then work with recurrent neural network (RNN) architectures and transformers for sentiment analysis. As you advance, you'll apply deep learning across different domains, such as music, text, and image generation using generative models and explore the world of generative adversarial networks (GANs). You'll not only build and train your own deep reinforcement learning models in PyTorch but also deploy PyTorch models to production using expert tips and techniques. Finally, you'll get to grips with training large models efficiently in a distributed manner, searching neural architectures effectively with AutoML, and rapidly prototyping models using PyTorch and fast.ai. By the end of this PyTorch book, you'll be able to perform complex deep learning tasks using PyTorch to build smart artificial intelligence models.What you will learnImplement text and music generating models using PyTorchBuild a deep Q-network (DQN) model in PyTorchExport universal PyTorch models using Open Neural Network Exchange (ONNX)Become well-versed with rapid prototyping using PyTorch with fast.aiPerform neural architecture search effectively using AutoMLEasily interpret machine learning (ML) models written in PyTorch using CaptumDesign ResNets, LSTMs, Transformers, and more using PyTorchFind out how to use PyTorch for distributed training using the torch.distributed APIWho this book is forThis book is for data scientists, machine learning researchers, and deep learning practitioners looking to implement advanced deep learning paradigms using PyTorch 1.x. Working knowledge of deep learning with Python programming is required.
Intelligent Healthcare Systems
by Vania V. EstrelaThe book sheds light on medical cyber-physical systems while addressing image processing, microscopy, security, biomedical imaging, automation, robotics, network layers’ issues, software design, and biometrics, among other areas. Hence, solving the dimensionality conundrum caused by the necessity to balance data acquisition, image modalities, different resolutions, dissimilar picture representations, subspace decompositions, compressed sensing, and communications constraints. Lighter computational implementations can circumvent the heavy computational burden of healthcare processing applications. Soft computing, metaheuristic, and deep learning ascend as potential solutions to efficient super-resolution deployment. The amount of multi-resolution and multi-modal images has been augmenting the need for more efficient and intelligent analyses, e.g., computer-aided diagnosis via computational intelligence techniques. This book consolidates the work on artificial intelligence methods and clever design paradigms for healthcare to foster research and implementations in many domains. It will serve researchers, technology professionals, academia, and students working in the area of the latest advances and upcoming technologies employing smart systems’ design practices and computational intelligence tactics for medical usage. The book explores deep learning practices within particularly difficult computational types of health problems. It aspires to provide an assortment of novel research works that focuses on the broad challenges of designing better healthcare services.
Social infrastructure and left behind places (Regional Studies Policy Impact Books)
by John Tomaney Maeve Blackman Lucy Natarajan Dimitrios Panayotopoulos-Tsiros Florence Sutcliffe-Braithwaite Myfanwy TaylorThis book explores the making, unmaking and remaking of social infrastructure in ‘left-behind places’. Such places, typically once flourishing industrial communities that have been excluded from recent economic growth, now attract academic and policy attention as sites of a political backlash against globalisation and liberal democracy. The book focuses on the role of social infrastructure as a key component of this story.Seeking to move beyond a narrowly economistic of reading ‘left behind places’, the book addresses the understudied affective dimensions of ‘left-behindness’. It develops an analytical framework that emphasises the importance of place attachments and the consequences of their disruption; considers ‘left behind places’ as ‘moral communities’ and the making of social infrastructure as an expression of this; views the unmaking of social infrastructure through the lens of ‘root shock’; and explains efforts at remaking it in terms of the articulation of ‘radical hope’.The analysis builds upon a case study of a former mining community in County Durham, North East England. Using mixed methods, it offers a ‘deep place study’ of a single village to understand more fully the making, unmaking and remaking of social infrastructure. It shows how a place once richly endowed with social infrastructure, saw this endowment wither and the effects this had on the community. However, it also records efforts of the local people to rebuild social infrastructure, typically drawing the lessons of the past. Although the story of one village, the methods, results and policy recommendation have much wider applicability.The book will be of interest to researchers, policy makers and others concerned with the fate of ‘left behind places’.The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (CC-BY-NC) 4.0 license.
Dr. Susan I. Moody's Travels to Iran, 1909-1934: Courageous Odyssey (Routledge Research in Gender and History)
by Hoda MahmoudiThis volume examines the life of the remarkable woman, Susan Moody, and her travels to Iran in the early 20th century during seismic changes in the world.Dr. Susan I. Moody’s Travels to Iran 1909-1934: Courageous Odyssey captures a fleeting moment of arresting change and shimmering possibility. Exploring the fading values of the 19th century and the emergent understandings of the 20th century, the author shows how one individual navigated such challenging times. This book explores the Industrial Revolution, the rise of the women’s movement, advances in medicine and healthcare, and the start of a new religion – The Baha’i Faith – of which Moody became a devoted member. Susan Moody was a pathbreaking artist and educator who became a physician later in life. She made the bold decision to leave the United States and travel to Iran in 1909 to serve women who effectively had no access to medical care. In examining Dr. Susan Moody’s story, this volume seeks to reflect on our own changing moment and the ever-present possibilities of improvement and advancement. By tracing her own courageous odyssey, we are invited to more deeply understand our own.This book will be of value to students and scholars alike interested in Women’s and Gender history and Social and Cultural history.
Every Little Kindness
by Marta BartoljFollow the trail of good deeds in this beautiful wordless picture book to learn how small acts of kindness can make all the difference!When one act of kindness sparks another, anything is possible! As a girl searches for her lost dog, a simple act of generosity ripples into a wave of good deeds. In the course of a single day, each considerate action weaves lives together and transforms a neighborhood for the better.This wordless story, told in beautiful illustrations reminiscent of a graphic novel, demonstrates how every little kindness, shared from person to person, can turn a collection of strangers into a community, and—even though we might not always see it—make the world a more vibrant and compassionate place to be.SHOWS CHILDREN WHY KINDNESS MATTERS: By demonstrating how each kind act leads to another, this heartfelt book shares an important message with children that even small actions can have a big effect.EASY TO FOLLOW: Told entirely in wordless illustrations with pops of color for every good deed, anyone can enjoy following this simple yet powerful story and appreciate the wisdom it shares.INCLUSIVE CAST OF CHARACTERS: This book features characters of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds, showing how a diverse community comes together to care for one another.INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE: Created by award-winning Slovenian artist Marta Bartolj, this story offers a perspective on kindness that resonates in any country.Perfect for:• Parents• Educators• Fans of wordless picture books
A Confederacy of Dumptys: Portraits of American Scoundrels in Verse
by John LithgowThe next book in John Lithgow's New York Times bestselling seriesFollowing the success of New York Times bestsellers Dumpty and Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown, award-winning actor, author, and illustrator John Lithgow presents the third book in his runaway hit series. A Confederacy of Dumptys takes us through a history of twenty-five "American Scoundrels" in this all-new collection of Lithgow's satirical poems and illustrations.While the Trump Era was rife with corruption and abuse of power, it was nothing new. Through Lithgow's cutting humor, you will read about a rogues' gallery of villains that came before Donald J. Trump, powerful men and women who were corrupt, venal, criminal, adulterous, racist, or just plain disgusting. With dark and lyrical stories from across American history, you will learn about long-forgotten figures and bad actors of today, including the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, the perpetrator of 19th century women's pyramid schemes, and participants in both the Watergate scandal and the Capitol insurrection. Trump and Nixon show up, of course, but also Leona Helmsley, Boss Tweed, Typhoid Mary, Newt Gingrich, Ted Cruz, and many more. Skipping through time, and delivered with classic Lithgow wit and style, A Confederacy of Dumptys is an exuberant reminder of how not to repeat history.Digital audio edition read by the author.The perfect book for:• Political satire fans—viewers of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.• American history buffs and trivia enthusiasts—readers of Jon's Stewart's America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction and Josh Clark's Stuff You Should Know: An Incomplete Compendium of Mostly Interesting Things.• Poetry, art, and illustration aficionados.
52 Cheap Dates at Home
by Chronicle BooksEnjoy date night from the comfort of your own home with these 52 inexpensive and imaginative ideas!This deck includes date night ideas like body painting, a home day spa, and more. Couples new and old will love these fun and flirty activities!Compact Size: This petite package means you can easily keep the cards at home on your bedside table, bookshelf, or coffee table.Great for Gifting: Makes a great newlywed or anniversary gift; or treat yourself and your partner. Date Night Activities for the Year: Choose one card a week, or pick a card whenever you need a date night.Perfect for:• Couples looking for date night ideas• Valentine's Day, anniversary, and birthday gifters• Newlywed, bachelorette party, and wedding shower shoppers
Made with Love: Donuts!
by Lea RedmondCelebrate the perfect donut, and debate over your favorite flavor, in this adorable board book that shows any donut is made better with love—and someone to share it with.These donuts are hot and fresh. Warm, golden brown and pillow-y soft, can you guess the delicious topping on each one? Turn over each donut to find out!Artfully drizzled with Lea Redmond's fun-loving guessing game and topped with mouthwatering illustrations from Flora Waycott, this beautifully designed board book is stacked with treats for hungry young readers. It's even shaped like a donut! With every turn of these satisfyingly thick pages, a new, delicious topping is revealed, leaving readers with a picturesque plate to start their day. Celebrate a classic family tradition with this appetizing board book infused with Lea Redmond's signature sweetness.BESTSELLING AUTHOR: Bestselling author Lea Redmond's Letters To series alone has sold more than 3 million copies. This is her modern, delicious, and innovative breakfast-themed take on Sam's Sandwich—featuring every kid's favorite food: donuts!GUESSING GAME: With each turn of the page, guess a new donut flavor! Which is your favorite? From pumpkin spice to chocolate, you have lots to choose from.DURABLE & PERFECT FOR LITTLE HANDS: Rounded, thick board construction makes this book both resistant to damages and perfect for little hands.IT LOOKS SO REAL YOU COULD EAT IT: With shaped pages, die-cut holes, and foil, this tactile board book mimics the delicious object quality of real donuts. Just don't actually try to eat it!HOLE-AS-HANDLE: The youngest readers can use the die-cut hole in the center of the book as a handle to turn the page.Perfect for: parents, gift-givers, donut lovers
He Came with the Couch
by David SlonimThe bestselling classic is now in paperback!When Sophie's family purchases a new couch, they get something they never expected. An original adventure that's both zany and tender, He Came with The Couch is silly, sweet, and hilarious good fun!GOOD FUN: This is a simple, fun story that is a silly read for the whole family!A CLASSIC BOOK: For fans of classic picture books as well as modern tales of fun, this book has humor for everyone.A FRIEND FOR THE AGES: Every child will want a friend and protector like the one Sophie has, instilling and cementing the power of friendship and good surprises. You never know what you’ll get when you get a new couch!Perfect for: parents and grandparents, educators, librarians
Mr. Watson's Chickens
by Jarrett DapierInterrupting Chicken meets Click, Clack, Moo in this zany classic-in-the-making!With rollicking rhythms, nonsensical refrains, and too many chickens to count, this modern classic will inspire unstoppable giggles and endless rereads. Bawka-bawka!Mr. Watson has 456 chickens in the sink, on the bed, in the bread box. When his partner, Mr. Nelson, threatens to leave, Mr. Watson takes his chickens to town to sell only for them to escape! Young readers will follow Mr. Watson all around town as he gathers up his chickens. But, when they're all rounded up, does he have the heart to sell them? Does a different fate await these chickens?This quirky, irresistible book is full of read-aloud fun with its onomatopoeia, rollicking rhythm, and familiar refrains and ends with a touch of sweetness. It has all the makings of a classic, with a farm theme, hilarious refrains, and a familiar narrative structure that unfolds in threes. Librarians, teachers, and parents looking for a new book that feels traditional will love sharing this book with children.A JOY TO REREAD: This is a very classic-feeling storybook. Paired with its funny farm setting and hilarious refrains, this book is sure to inspire countless rereads and endless giggles.PERFECT READ-ALOUD: This book is full of nonsensical sounds and repetition that make it fun to read out loud and invite audience participation. It's a perfect choice for classroom events and laptime reads.LIKE CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM, WITH CHICKENS!: With its bouncy refrains and rollicking rhythms, this book will remind readers of classic bestsellers like Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.REALISTIC RELATIONSHIP UNUSUAL IN PICTURE BOOKS: This book features a gay couple at its center, but doesn't call specific attention to it. It simply portrays a healthy relationship between two men (and their chickens!).WRITTEN BY A NEW TALENT WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS KIDS: This is Jarret Dapier's first book! He's a popular, award-winning teen librarian who works with kids, knows what they like, and is well-versed in the rhythms of the classic children's book—and he has many more stories up his sleeves.DELIGHTFUL, DETAILED DRAWINGS OF OVER 400 CHICKENS!: With hundreds of chickens to find and scenes crammed with action and detail, the pages of this book are chock-full of things to look at. Young readers will spend hours poring over each spread.Perfect for: parents, families looking for LGBTQIA+ stories, fans of funny books
Farm Lullaby
by Karen JamesonWith lyrical text from Karen Jameson (Woodland Dreams) and lovely illustrations from Wednesday Kirwan (Eggs Are Everywhere), this bedtime book shows every animal on the farm tucked in tight, drifting off to sweet dreams tonight!Farm-a-bye lullabyField and barn melt into skyMoonbeams shine on evening blushNighttime's blanket settles. Hush.From the largest horse to the smallest mouse, every animal on the farm has a sweet, sleepy bedtime ritual. Curl up like a soft lamb, snuggle like a warm chick, and settle in like a cozy calf, letting this soothing farm lullaby lull even restless little dreamers into a deep and peaceful sleep.This dreamy bedtime book pairs gentle rhymes with charming illustrations of the sleeping rituals of favorite farm animals. A great gift for any occasion, this lovely animal lullaby makes the perfect addition to any nursery, bedroom, or cozy reading nook.SWEET BEDTIME STORY: A soothing and lyrical text is perfect for bedtime read-alouds, engaging little readers with its beautiful illustrations and cozy rhyming narrative before sending them off to sleep with a gentle and loving goodnight.EVERY FARM ANIMAL SAYS GOODNIGHT: Featuring the bedtime rituals of both baby farm animals and their loving parents, this heartwarming book encourages parent/child bonding. Little animal-lovers and their caregivers will love snuggling up to these cozy farm friends.JUST RIGHT FOR THE AGE GROUP: In addition to reinforcing concepts like emotional security and unconditional love, the repetitive, read-aloud text structure also introduces rhyming, language patterns, and concepts like metonymy—ideal for boosting early cognitive development.GREAT GIFTING OPPORTUNITY: This sweet, beautifully illustrated bedtime book makes a gorgeous gift for any special occasion in a child's life, providing a read-aloud experience that infuses each sleepy moment with sweetness and love.LIGHTLY EDUCATIONAL: Scenes of familiar animals in a soothing farm environment, as well as in cozy sleeping places not usually visible to the human eye, serve to reinforce little readers' understanding (and appreciation) of nature and the natural world.Perfect for: Parents, gift-givers, animal and nature lovers
Bathe the Cat
by Alice B. McGintyBathe the floor? Sweep the dishes? This riotous romp of a picture book follows a frantic family as they try to get some chores done—with no help from the family cat, who keeps scrambling the list of chores with hilarious effects. Get ready for a rollicking read-aloud with a truly purrfect ending.It's cleaning day, but the family cat will do anything to avoid getting a bath. So instead of mopping the floor or feeding the fish, the family is soon busy rocking the rug, vacuuming the lawn, and sweeping the dishes. Bouncy rhyme carries the story headlong into the growing hilarity, until finally Dad restores some kind of order—but will the cat avoid getting his whiskers wet?HILARIOUS READ-ALOUD: Word scrambles are a delight in this silly rhyming picture book! Kids will love the accessible rhyming text, and emerging readers will be able to anticipate words after repeated reads, making for an engaging and interactive read-aloud experience.CATNIP FOR CAT LOVERS: This sweet and sneaky feline will do anything to get out of having a bath! Ample cat antics and scenes of increasing mischief (and increasing chaos!) will tickle young readers and entice parents—particularly those with a furry feline member of their own households.TWO DADS LEAD THE WAY: Dad and Papa are the heads of this large and loving biracial family, mirroring illustrator David Robert's own orientation and providing picture book readers with a positive depiction of LGBTQ+ characters in a fun and funny family story.WINNING AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATOR TEAM: Alice McGinty is a prolific author of books for children, and David Roberts is well-known for his work on the popular Questioneers series. Together, their upbeat text and energetic art with pops of neon color make for a standout picture book, just right for gifting and enjoying together at storytime.Perfect for:• Parents• Gift-givers• Cat lovers
Not a Unicorn
by Dana MiddletonMagic, adventure, and friendship collide in warm and funny novel about the power of self-acceptance to change the world.Jewel's your average eighth grader. Awkward relationship with a cute boy, ex-BFFs with a popular girl, mom issues at home. You've read it all before. Except for one thing: Jewel has a unicorn horn on her head.(Okay, and one other thing, but it's just too weird to mention here!)Jewel tries to stay invisible at school, looking forward to the day when she can finally leave her small town behind, making art with her fellow weirdos, and obsessively reading graphic novels with her best friends. But when she's selected to represent her school at the regional French speaking competition, she decides she's had enough of the shy life. The horn needs to come off.What happens when you have the ability to become the girl you've always wanted to be? When you don't know your true self, how do you know your true friends? What happens when everything in your life—your biggest struggle, your greatest joy, and your dearest friends—all combine in one calamitous adventure?With a sparkle of magic, a treasure trove of true determination, and help from all her friends both real and invisible, Jewel just might survive this year with her heart—and her head—intact.THE ULTIMATE EMPATHY READ: The unicorn horn in this book is a perfect symbol for all the ways every young person feels strange, different, or unusual in any way. While readers' specific situations may differ from Jewel's, her struggle for self-acceptance will resonate with readers of all stripes, circumstances, and backgrounds.A RICH, FANTASTIC FANTASY: At the heart of this book is a rich, multi-layered fantasy adventure that will have all readers thinking twice about the stories they read, the friends they have, and the superpowers they may not even know they possess.IRRESISTIBLE MIDDLE SCHOOL DRAMA: Catty ex-friends, terrifyingly unapproachable boys, embarrassing dance proposals, inspirational teachers—this book has all the hallmarks of everyone's favorite middle grade fare.UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS: Readers won't want to leave this world behind! The main characters and the families in this book are real, warmly drawn, and endlessly relatable. Readers will return to the book just to live in the world for a little bit longer.RELATABLE FAMILY ISSUES: Jewel's family deals with situations that will be very familiar to most readers: high hopes for the future, never having enough money, and the distance between what we want and what we have. The family dynamics are relatable, too: Jewel's single mom works a low-paying job, and they live in an apartment with Jewel's grandma. The warmth of this family despite their difficulties will stay with readers long after they close the cover.Perfect for: tweens, fans of unicorns, fantasy readers, parents, educators
Construction Site: Road Crew, Coming Through!
by Sherri Duskey RinkerThe hard-working crew of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site joins up with seven new road-building trucks to finish a BIG job: a brand-new road!The construction team is taking on their biggest challenge yet—building a brand-new superhighway! With the help of new rough-and-tough road-building machines, the crew gears up for an action-packed day of rolling, building, paving, painting, and all the jobs that go into making a strong new road that will get everyone home safe in time for bed! Playful rhyming text from the bestselling team behind Construction Site on Christmas Night, Three Cheers for Kid McGear!, and Construction Site Mission: Demolition! make this thrilling tale of teamwork a must-have read-aloud for construction fans everywhere.LATEST IN THE ENORMOUSLY POPULAR SERIES: The Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site series books have become bedtime staples and modern classics, and its millions of fans love each book for its tough, can-do trucks and their sweet, sleepy endings.HOW TO BUILD A ROAD: The process of putting a new road together is FASCINATING and involves a whole bunch of special vehicles, who help the original crew level, grade, flatten, pave, stripe, and open up a new road so that everyone can get home safe for bedtime!ROLLICKING READ-ALOUD: Sherri's bouncing, energetic rhymes make for a tremendously satisfying read-aloud experience, perfect for the energetic kids who love construction.TEACHES TEAMWORK: Like Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, this series extension emphasizes teamwork, collaboration, and working together—real-world skills presented to young readers in a fun, accessible construction-site setting!Perfect for: Parents, gift-givers, truck and construction enthusiasts
Death & Sparkles: Book 1 (Death And Sparkles Ser.)
by Rob JustusAdventure Time meets The Good Place in this zany-yet-philosophical graphic novel buddy comedy about the unlikely friendship between Death, a grim reaper who's never had a friend, and Sparkles, The Last Unicorn, a celebrity influencer who is somehow immune to Death's touch.Being Death is no way to live.Sure, you're all-powerful, but collecting souls involves a ton of paperwork, and it's impossible to have friends when everything you touch instantly dies.Being Sparkles the Last Unicorn isn't as fun as you'd imagine, either. Maybe it seems like the whole world wants to be your bestie, but really people just want you to pose with them for selfies, or use you to help them sell stuff.Everything changes when Death and Sparkles meet and realize they might just be one another's first chance at a real friend. But before they can even enjoy the bromance, the whole world starts freaking out about this unlikely pair. Will fame or BFFdom prevail?Laugh-out-loud hilarious, gently philosophical, and full of delightfully zany exuberance, this buddy comedy turns friendship on its head—literally—and will have readers believing in the power of cupcakes for breakfast and cosmic camaraderie.HILARIOUS BUDDY COMEDY: Move over, Wayne and Garth! Move over, Beavis and Butthead! Readers will love this spin on the classic mismatched BFF dynamic featuring two of the most powerful beings around: the guy in charge of taking everyone's life, and the most magical creature still in existence on Earth. Never have two beings been less alike or more adorable.PERFECT FOR RELUCTANT READERS: With bright, vibrant illustrations, big fun fonts, expressive sound effects throughout, an irreverent spirit, and a heart full of cupcakes, this graphic novel will entice even the most skeptical of young readers.BIG THEMES: Self-awareness; empathy; bravery; commercialism; celebrity influencers; and the courage to stand up for what you believe in, even if that's the hard thing to do—all of these important themes weave throughout the book in subtle ways that will resonate with readers without feeling heavy-handed.THE FIRST ADVENTURE OF MANY: This is the first book in a planned series about the adventures of Death and Sparkles. The next book will be out in Fall 2022!LIKE LIVING IN CANDYLAND: Rob Justus's expressive, vivid art makes readers feel like they're living in Candyland. With tons to see on every page, and countless visual gags per spread, this book will delight graphic novel fans and bring new readers to the genre.Perfect for:• Reluctant readers• Parents• Fans of graphic novels• Fans of unicorns• Educators
Circle Under Berry
by Carter HigginsPart Sandra Boynton, part Each Peach Pear Plum; part Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, part Hippopposites—a treat for the brain and the tongue.With an elegant and simple approach, this thought-provoking concept book shows young readers that everything in the world can be seen from infinite perspectives.Each page compares colors, shapes, and objects in relation to each other. A triangle that is over a square is also under a circle. A circle that is pink also might be a flower.The artful, playful combinations of simple concepts and Higgins's rhythmic writing and expert arrangement of objects on the page make this book a perfect read-aloud, capable of entertaining, educating, and challenging readers in equal measure.There are multiple ways to read the book, allowing it to work for several ages and reading levels at once. The educational value and sheer fun packed into this book's language and visual design will make it a huge hit with educators and librarians, new parents, and creative kids who are visual learners.This striking, delightfully different exploration of shape, color, and patterns redefines what a picture book can be. Read it once, read it ten times. See something new every time.A GREAT INTRODUCTION TO MANY DIFFERENT CONCEPTS: This book's focus on color, shapes, objects, and relative words like "over," "under," and "next to" make this the perfect introduction to basic concepts of all kinds. Rather than traditional concept books that focus on only one idea, this book combines its teaching approach, helping young readers learn more than one concept at once by showing how they relate to each other.A DYNAMIC LEARNING EXPERIENCE: The unusual combination of colors, shapes, and animals intelligently introduces young readers to patterns, classification, and problem-solving. The imaginative language of this book, rich with rhythmic phrasing and a tongue twister–like playfulness, creates a soothing read-aloud text that engages young children with questions and encourages audience participation.PERFECT FOR ANY KIND OF EDUCATION: With a variety of concepts, clear read-aloud qualities, and the many different ways this book engages different styles of learning, this book is ideal for librarians, educators, and anyone creating reading events in their communities.BELOVED AUTHOR: Carter Higgins is not only the author of many acclaimed books for children such as Everything You Need to Build a Treehouse, This Is Not a Valentine, and Bikes for Sale, she's also a seasoned school librarian who's spent many years working with children. Her love of kids—and her passion for teaching—shines throughout this book.EASY ART PROJECT INSPIRATION: Having honed her art skills as an elementary librarian, Carter Higgins makes her own debut as an illustrator for this book with simple, appealing collages. Kids will love making their own art projects inspired by the illustrations in this book.BRIGHT, EYE-CATCHING ART: The simple shapes and lively colors are designed to appeal to young children. Read this if your children enjoy Hervé Tullet's Press Here or Bill Martin Jr.'s Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?Perfect for:• Parents• Grandparents• Educators• Gift-givers