Kwame Alexander
2) Black star
Author
Series
Language
English
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2025 ALA Youth Media Awards (SCPL-YS)
Black History Month (WPLD)
February 2026 | Black History Month (Kids)
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Black History Month (WPLD)
February 2026 | Black History Month (Kids)
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Description
Twelve-year old Black girl Charley, who dreams of becoming the first professional female pitcher, must navigate adolescence during the turbulent segregation era and the beginning of the Great Migration.
3) J vs. K
Author
Language
English
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2026 Audie Finalists
Children's Staff Picks 10/2025
Gift Guide 2025: For the Young Reader of Kidlit's Most Notable, Tried & True Authors
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Children's Staff Picks 10/2025
Gift Guide 2025: For the Young Reader of Kidlit's Most Notable, Tried & True Authors
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Description
"Two ten-year-olds must decide whether they should join forces to create an unbeatable duo that is sure to win their school's annual creative storytelling contest"-- Provided by publisher.
Author
Language
English
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2024 ALA Youth Media Awards (SCPL-YS)
2024 Youth Media Award Winners
2027 Bluestem Nominees
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2024 Youth Media Award Winners
2027 Bluestem Nominees
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Description
"A picture book in verse that threads together past and present to explore the legacy of slavery during a classroom lesson"-- Provided by publisher.
"From the fireside tales in an African village, through the unspeakable passage across the Atlantic, to the backbreaking work in the fields of the South, this is a story of a people's struggle and strength, horror and hope. This is the story of American slavery, a story that needs to be told and understood...
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English
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Description
"You gotta know the rules to play the game. Ball is life. Take it to the hoop. Soar. What can we imagine for our lives? What if we were the star players, moving and grooving through the game of life? What if we had our own rules of the game to help us get what we want, what we aspire to, what will enrich our lives? Illustrated with photographs by Thai Neave, The Playbook is intended to provide inspiration on the court of life. Each rule containswisdom...
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English
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Description
First, find a tree - a black tupelo or dawn redwood will do - and plant yourself. (It's okay if you prefer a stoop, like Langston Hughes.) With these words, an adventure begins - an adventure into the world of reading. Kwame Alexander's evocative poetry and Melissa Sweet's lush artwork come together to take you on a sensory journey between the pages of a book. Now, sleep. Dream. Hope. (You never reach the end) -- From dust jacket.
7) Swing
Author
Language
English
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For the record... (SCPL-YA)
OBD National Poetry Month (April) - YOUTH
OBD Sports Books (Brochure) - YOUTH
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OBD National Poetry Month (April) - YOUTH
OBD Sports Books (Brochure) - YOUTH
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Description
"Noah and his best friend Walt want to become cool, make the baseball team, and win over Sam, the girl Noah has loved for years. When Noah finds old love letters, Walt hatches a plan to woo Sam. But as Noah's love life and Walt's baseball career begin, the letters alter everything"-- Provided by publisher.
Author
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English
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Description
"From this first stanza, readers are invited to pay attention--and to see that paying attention itself is poetry. Kwame Alexander and Deanna Nikaido's playful text and Melissa Sweet's dynamic, inventive artwork are paired together to encourage readers to listen, feel, and discover the words that dance in the world around them--poems just waiting to be written down."-- Provided by publisher.
10) The mighty Macy
Author
Language
English
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February Buzzworthy Books Kids
GPLD 2026 Spring Favorites: Chapter Books/Graphic Novels
March 19, 2026: New J&Y Fiction
GPLD 2026 Spring Favorites: Chapter Books/Graphic Novels
March 19, 2026: New J&Y Fiction
Description
A young girl finds her voice--and discovers the power of speaking up for herself and her community--in this sweet and humorous chapter book by award-winning and #1 bestselling author Kwame Alexander, perfect for fans of Ivy + Bean and Ruby and the Booker Boys. When Macy gets book one of The Mighty Zora series for her birthday, she stays up until 11:34pm finishing the book. But the next day, when Macy gets to her school library, eager to check out...
Author
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English
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Description
"A celebration of the history of Black music in America"-- Provided by publisher.
"Listen to the sound of survival, courage, and democracy--the soundtrack of America. Hear Billie Holiday's raspy, mournful voice, and tap your foot to Louis Armstrong's trumpet. Scream with James Brown and bop your head to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Can you spot the 80+ references to artists like Robert Johnson, Ella Fitzgerald, Jimi Hendrix, Whitney Houston,...
Author
Language
English
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Description
"From NPR correspondent and New York Times bestselling author, Kwame Alexander, comes a powerful and provocative collection of poems that cut to the heart of the entrenched racism and oppression in America and eloquently explores ongoing events. A book in the tradition of James Baldwin's "A Report from Occupied Territory," Light for the World to See is a rap session on race. A lyrical response to the struggles of Black lives in our world . . ....
13) Surf's up
Author
Language
English
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Description
"Surf's up! Not yet, Dude! Books are boring! Not this one! Bro and Dude have very different ideas about how to spend the day at the beach. But as Bro continues to gasp and cheer as he reads his book (Moby Dick), Dude can't help but get curious. Before you can shout 'Surf's up!' both frogs are sharing the same adventure, that is, until they get to the beach"--Excerpt from Amazon.com.
Author
Series
Language
English
Description
Acoustic Rooster forms a jazz band with Duck Ellington, Bee Holliday, and Pepe Ernesto Cruz to compete in the annual Barnyard Talent Show against such greats as Thelonius Steer, Mules Davis, and Ella Finchgerald. Includes glossary, notes on the characters and songs, and jazz timeline.
16) El crossover
Author
Series
Language
Español
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Description
Ganador de la Medalla Newbery · Ganador del Premio Coretta Scott King · New York Times Bestseller · 2015 YALSA 2015 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults· 2015 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers · Publishers Weekly Best Book · School Library Journal Best Book· Kirkus Reviews Best Book
"Una hermosa novela medida entre la vida y sus líneas."—New York Times Book Review
Un
...18) El crossover
Author
Series
Language
Español
Description
Fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health.
Author
Language
English
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Description
"A howling wolf, a stalking tiger, a playful panda, a dancing bird - pairing the stunning photography of National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore with the delicate poetry of Newbery award-winning author Kwame Alexander, this lush picture book celebrates the beauty, diversity, and fragility of the animal world. Featuring more than 40 unique animal portraits, the pages invite kids to explore each creature's markings, textures, and attributes in...
Author
Language
Español
Description
"¡Vamos a surfear, compa! Todavía no, Cuate. Los libros son aburridos. ¡Este no! Compa y Cuate tienen ideas muy diferentes sobre lo que se debe hacer en un día de playa. Sin embargo, mientras Compa se sumerge en la lectura de su libro (Moby Dick) dando gritos de asombro y entusiasmo, Cuate no puede evitar ser atrapado por las historia. En menos de lo que te tomaría gritar "¡Vamos a surfear!", las dos ranas están disfrutando lla misma aventura...




