Looking Back...at Secom

Celebrate the beauty and diversity of life in the Arab diaspora throughout the year.Wrapping grape leaves, playing doumbek, drawing henna tattoos,we’re Arab, Arab, Arab, the whole year through!Yallah! From January to December, join some busy kids as they partake in traditions old and new. There’s so much to do, whether it’s learning to write Arabic or looking at hijab fashion sites while planning costumes for a local comic convention. With details as vivid as the scent of jasmine and honeysuckle perfume (made to remind Mom of Morocco), children bond with friends, honor tradition, and spend loving time with family. Accompanied by buoyant and charming illustrations, this portrait of Arab life and childhood zeal is sure to bring joy all year round. Back matter includes an extensive glossary and notes to enrich the experience for readers of any culture.

A gentle introduction to horses will draw both committed horse lovers and those who need a little reassurance before jumping into the saddle.I have a friend named Catherine, and she has a horse named Shannon. “Come and meet her,” Catherine says.A little boy isn’t sure if he likes horses, but his friend Catherine assures him that her horse will like him. Shannon is very big, but she’s beautiful, throwing her head up and looking at him with her dark eyes as if she knows everything there is to know. Catherine patiently teaches the boy how to talk to a horse quietly, how to feed her carrots, how to lead her across a field, even how to blow at her softly to show that he likes her. But is he really ready to climb up on Shannon’s back and take a ride? Facts about horses are sprinkled throughout to satisfy inquisitive readers.

A tender, beautifully illustrated story about a girl in America and her grandmother in India, whose love stretches between languages and cultures―and across the world.When Jyoti visits her grandmother halfway around the world, she is overwhelmed by the differences between India and home. At first she feels lonely and out of place, but soon, despite a language barrier, she and Sita Pati are able to understand each other. They form a bond―looking at books together, making designs with colored sand, shopping at the market, playing games, eating chapatis, and sipping warm milk with saffron to bring sweet dreams. When it’s time to part, Jyoti doesn’t want to leave, but then she remembers that in Tamil, people don’t say goodbye, they say “I’ll go and come back.” Sure enough, the two reunite the next summer when Pati visits Jyoti in America, and it’s Jyoti’s turn to make her grandmother feel welcome. Can they create some special memories that will last until the next time they see each other?

E. B. White Read-Aloud winner Mac Barnett celebrates individuality in a story told with tenderness and subtlety.It’s John’s big day at school today―a performance for Sharing Gifts time. His bag is carefully packed and prepared, his classmates are ready, and the curtain is waiting to open. John is nervous, looking out at all the other children staring back at him. But he takes a big breath and begins. Mac Barnett’s compassionate text and Kate Berube’s understated and expressive art tell the story of a kid who finds the courage to show others his talent for dancing.

From up close and far away, things can look so different. Can you guess what animals you’re looking at as they zoom in, then zoom back out?No words are needed in this striking and colorful exploration