Exploring Our Community

A perfect, kid-friendly introduction to family heritage. Today is a big day for the five friends. Their class is hosting a Heritage Festival to celebrate the customs and traditions of people from all over the world. Martin, Sally, Pedro, Nick and Yulee each have their own heritage, and they have so much to share! They learn about various traditions involving music, food, language, stories, crafts, clothing and games. They also learn that exploring their different heritages makes everyone feel like they belong! There's a world of fun to be had, as readers discover the many ways people are alike and what makes each of us unique!

An engaging introduction to buildings, with a deft mix of nonfiction and fiction elements.

The perfect kid-friendly introduction to mindfulness. Pedro's friends - Yulee, Nick, Martin and Sally - are at his house for a sleepover. Pedro is moving in a few days, and he's been feeling sad and worried about the change. To help Pedro feel better, his mom decides to teach the five friends about mindfulness. As the children practice focusing on their bodies, using their senses, paying attention to their feelings and accepting life as it happens, Pedro learns there are many ways to manage the stress of his upcoming move. It's an enlightening journey to peace and calm, and kids will want to be present.

Learn about the problem of single-use plastic - and what to do about it. On his birthday, Nick challenges his friends to spend the day without using any single-use plastic. This means they bring their own cloth bags, say no thanks to plastic straws and decorate with paper streamers instead of balloons. Along the way, the kids learn what plastic is made of, how much of it surrounds us and how it's polluting our oceans and affecting the food chain. Most importantly, the five friends learn ways to use less - including just saying NO! No plastic? No problem. Readers will be primed for a No-Plastic Challenge of their own!

A fun introduction to why the world needs bees. Pedro, Nick, Yulee, Sally and Martin are buzzing with excitement today! The five friends are visiting Martin's neighbor, Mr. Cardinal. He keeps beehives in his backyard, and he's offered to show the friends how honeybees live. Mr. Cardinal explains how bees feed and pollinate, what happens inside their colony, how they build their hives and even why they like to dance! He also describes why some bees are in trouble and what people can do to help. And the day's perfect sweet ending? Honey, of course! Kids will delight in the message: it's best to "bee a friend" to bees everywhere!