After her father has a premonition, Thea, her parents, and her little sister move to the Bloodless Valley of southern Colorado, hoping to make a fresh start. On their remote farm, they will “unschool”: take nature hikes, help with the animals, and learn outside. But soon her parents don’t have time to teach the girls, and forbid Thea and her sister from going to the library, not wanting to “poison” them with the internet or books. Thea learns the reason her parents could afford to buy land—sight unseen—is because nothing will grow without a fight.

To make ends meet, her parents let her work at the café in town, and there she meets Ray, who is deaf and spends summers in the valley. Thea was born partially deaf, but all her family is hearing, and her father has always told her she needs to just be like everyone else, to pass and pretend. But Ray—the first other deaf teen Thea has ever met—knows how to sign. When he starts teaching Thea in secret, she begins to learn what she has been missing, not only language but community.

Thea begins spending her days with Ray, going deep into the valley to meet its other residents, artists and outcasts—and it is there that she connects the Dust Bowl from history and warnings from scientists with the weather she’s living through. The days are hotter than ever. The river is drying up, crops are dying. History may be repeating itself, as the black blizzards of Colorado have returned. And her father isn’t the only one who has dreams.

The post Dust first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

He was born James Plummer and grew up in poor neighborhoods where  gangs were common. What set him apart were his love of the starlit sky and the mysteries of science and his off-the-charts IQ.

Despite the constant upheaval and turbulence of his home life, James  devoured books, conducted science experiments, and taught himself computer programming, winning a state science fair with his project  modeling Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. His thirst for knowledge would be his guiding star even when destructive habits—a crack cocaine addiction in college and graduate school—nearly derailed his dream of  becoming a research physicist. Although at times he self-sabotaged his life and found the struggle nearly unbearable, he persevered and ultimately became a renowned astrophysicist, changing his name to Hakeem Oluseyi to honor his ancestors.

This honest, compelling memoir will inspire readers to reach for their own dreams.

The post A Quantum Life (Adapted for Young Adults): My Unlikely Journey from the Street to the Stars first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

Named Best Book of the Year by Barnes & Noble, The New York Times/New York Public Library, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal

They All Saw a Cat meets The Important Book in this sensitive and impactful picture book about seeing the world from different points of view by Caldecott and Coretta Scott King Honoree Christian Robinson.

In this full, bright, and beautiful picture book, many different perspectives around the world are deftly and empathetically explored—from a pair of bird-watchers to the pigeons they’re feeding. Young readers will be drawn into the luminous illustrations inviting them to engage with the world in a new way and see how everyone is connected, and that everyone matters.

The post You Matter first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

Stick and Stone are sticking together in this hilarious and heart-warming board book that proves once and for all why best friends ROCK!

When Stick rescues Stone from a prickly situation with a Pinecone, the pair become fast friends. But when Stick gets stuck, can Stone return the favor? The author Beth Ferry writes warm, rhyming text that includes a subtle anti-bullying message even the youngest reader will understand. The New York Times best-selling illustrator Tom Lichtenheld imbues Stick and Stone with energy, emotion, and personality to spare. In this fun board book about kindness and friendship, Stick and Stone join George and Martha, Frog and Toad, and Elephant and Piggie as some of the greatest friend duos in children’s literature.

The post Stick and Stone Board Book first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

From the Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator of Last Stop on Market Street, this bilingual board book is perfect for on-the-go storytime—rain or shine!

The post Rain!/¡Lluvia! Board Book: Bilingual English-Spanish first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

I live in a bog. I live in a mound. My place is a burrow, hidden in the ground.

Are you for SURE? I had NO clue!

Mine’s a burrow! Mine’s a burrow! Mine’s a burrow, too!

This rhyming read-aloud starts off with a porcupine who says, “I live in a tree trunk.” Soon all the baby animals on the page begin eagerly sharing where they live! But when the groundhog and the platypus and the rabbit realize they live in the same dwelling as several other species, they say, “Are you for SURE? I had NO clue!” in a refrain kids will love repeating.

The strong, catchy rhythm and sense of wonder and discovery about the animal kingdom, plus deadpan humor and wonderfully expressive art, make this an addictive repeat read for all ages.

The post I Live in a Tree Trunk first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

The Intersectional Environmentalist examines the inextricable link between environmentalism, racism, and privilege, and promotes awareness of the fundamental truth that we cannot save the planet without uplifting the voices of its people — especially those most often unheard. Written by Leah Thomas, a prominent voice in the field and the activist who coined the term “Intersectional Environmentalism,” this book is simultaneously a call to action, a guide to instigating change for all, and a pledge to work towards the empowerment of all people and the betterment of the planet.

Thomas shows how not only are Black, Indigenous and people of color unequally and unfairly impacted by environmental injustices, but she argues that the fight for the planet lies in tandem to the fight for civil rights; and in fact, that one cannot exist without the other. An essential read, this book addresses the most pressing issues that the people and our planet face, examines and dismantles privilege, and looks to the future as the voice of a movement that will define a generation.

The post The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

Hi! I am Great White Shark, and if you get this book, you’ll read all about ME–the greatest shark in the sea!

Not so fast! Greenland Shark here, and as the oldest shark in this book, that makes me the greatest.

Did someone say fast? I’m Mako Shark, and I’m the fastest shark in this book! Eat my bubbles!

Wow, I’m Hammerhead Shark. You don’t need my special eyes to see that there are lots of great sharks in this book. Sink your teeth into it now!

New York Times bestselling author Joan Holub makes a splash with bestselling illustrator Laurie Keller to deliver an entertaining undersea story filled with the greatest shark facts in the ocean!

The post I Am the Shark first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

Something strange happened on an unremarkable day just before the season changed.

Everybody who was outside . . .

. . . went inside.

Outside, it was quieter, wilder, and different. Inside, we laughed, we cried, and we grew.

We remembered to protect the ones we love and love the ones who protect us.

While the world changed outside, we became stronger on the inside and believed that someday soon spring would come again.

The post Outside, Inside first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.

Meanwhile, Pippa feels completely adrift at school in the bustle of LA–its unfamiliar noises, its unfriendly atmosphere. She finds comfort only in the beloved family cat she’s brought with her and in her zoology class, which makes the world seem just a bit brighter. As Lu, George, and Pippa struggle to adapt, growing apart in the process, tensions outside the family are mounting as well; women have been disappearing across the country with no worldly explanation, all while California’s wildfire season is swiftly approaching, bringing with it a reckoning that none of the Barneses can avoid.

At once a grounded story about love and family, and a transcendent tale about the power of nature, Unleashed is a stunning look at what matters in an all too chaotic world, the things that sustain us when we are on the verge of losing it all, and how we might find ourselves in the most unexpected of ways.

The post Unleashed first appeared on Shelves Bookstore.