Poetry
Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems
See the ocean like you’ve never seen it before in Meilo So’s gorgeous watercolors and Kate Coombs’ poems, in turn playful and evocative.
Honors and Awards: Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, National Council of Teachers of English Notable Book, American Library Association Notable Children’s Book, one of Kirkus’s Best Books of the Year—Children’s Books
“Water Sings Blue...got four starred reviews and is, to my mind, the standout poetry collection of the year.”
—Jonathan Hunt, School Library Journal’s Heavy Medal blog
Breathe and Be: A Book of Mindfulness Poems
These simple, peaceful poems help children learn mindfulness as they connect to the beauty of the natural world, accompanied by Anna Emilia Laitinen’s quietly playful illustrations.
“Will work well in the context of a yoga or meditation group for young children or as a gentle, reassuring bedtime story.” —Kirkus Reviews
Monster School
Twilight’s here. The death bell rings. Everyone knows what the death bell brings—it’s time for class! You're in the place where goblins wail and zombies drool. (That’s because they’re kindergartners.) Welcome to Monster School!
“Classic school elements subverted for laughs will make kids want to ditch their own school and go to this one.”
—Publisher’s Weekly
Middle Grade Fiction
The Runaway Princess
“A dragon darkens our dells. A witch haunts our woods. Bandits roam our moors” . . . King Stromgard swept on. “In the tradition of so many monarchs, I offer my daughter's hand in marriage and half my kingdom to the prince who can rid us of these evils, restoring peace and prosperity to our realm.”
But Princess Meg isn’t exactly willing to go along with this plan. With the help of her friends, she must escape from the tower where she is sequestered, and maybe even win the contest herself!
Honors and Awards: American Library Association Notable Book, one of Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year, “Superior” rating in the Horn Book Guide
“With a wry humor that embraces modern sensibilities even as it sidesteps anachronisms, this delightfully devious girl-power fantasy cheerfully slices and dices every fairy-tale convention it encounters…”
—Horn Book
“This pleasingly twisty tale offers rib-tickling surprises around every corner.” —Publishers Weekly
The Runaway Dragon
When Meg’s dragon, Laddy, flies away from home, she knows she must go on a quest to find him. Of course, Meg’s quest goes topsy-turvy once she enters the enchanted forest. She and her friends are going to need swordplay, magic, and a whole lot of courage to find Laddy and get back home!
“Coombs again takes a familiar setup—feisty princess, fractured-fairy-tale kingdom—and makes it fresh with droll humor, brisk plotting, and multidimensional characters.” —Horn Book
“Coombs’ writing is sharp and funny, and interesting—it’s clear that she’s having fun with her words, and that makes it fun for the reader too! …Middle-grade at its most perfect middle!” —Charlotte’s Library blog
The Red Flower
Nearly paralyzed by grief over her own dead, Aubrey is looking for birds for a science assignment when she stumbles across a murdered boy in the park. The boy has a mysterious red flower tattoo on his arm, and the next morning the red flower appears on Aubrey’s arm…
“The Red Flower is a lyrical tale tinged with magic.” —Amazon review
“Coombs has crafted a thoroughly creepy story that will keep readers guessing—and turning the pages!”
—Amazon review
More Information
All of these books are available on Amazon.com, or ask for them at your local bookstore.
If you're interested in resources for educators about these titles and more, please explore the For Educators page.