"We will make a quilt to help us always remember home," Anna's mother said. "It will be like heaving the family in backhome Russia dance around us at night. And so it was. From a basket of old clothes, Anna's babushka, Uncle Vladimir's shirt, Aunt Havalah's nightdress and an apron of Aunt Natasha's become The Keeping Quilt, passed along from mother to daughter for almost a century. For four generations the quilt is a Sabbath tablecloth, a wedding canopy, and a blanket that welcomes babies warmly into the world. In strongly moving pictures that are as heartwarming as they are real, patricia Polacco tells the story of her own family, and the quilt that remains a symbol of their enduring love and faith.

After being initiated into a neighbor's family by a solemn backyard ceremony, a young Russian American girl and her African American brothers' determine to buy their gramma Eula a beautiful Easter hat. But their good intentions are misunderstood, until they discover just the right way to pay for the hat that Eula's had her eye on. A loving family story woven from the author's childhood. "Polacco has outdone herself with these joyful, energetic illustrations, her vibrant colors even richer and more intense than usual, while authentic details enhance the interest. A unique piece of Americana." — Kirkus Reviews , pointer review "In this moving picture book, the hatred sometimes engendered by racial and religious differences is overpowered by the love of people who recognize their common humanity." — Booklist , starred, boxed review "The text conveys a tremendous pride of heritage as it brims with rich images from her characters' African American and Russian Jewish cultures--A tribute to the strength of all family bonds." — Publishers Weekly , starred review

Sydney Taylor grew up among immigrant families on New York City's Lower East Side prior to World War I and wrote the All-of-a-Kind Family stories for her daughter. Based on her family and childhood, these charming books capture the everyday life of a home with little money but lots of love and good times to share. Each book shares the ups and downs in the lives of this special family, through the eyes of Ella, Charlotte, Henny, Sarah, Gertie, and their little brother, Charlie.

Friends from different backgrounds come together in a heartwarming picture book that is perfect for Passover, from beloved children's book author Patricia Polacco. Larnel doesn't know his neighbor, Mrs. Katz, very well, until he asks her to adopt an abandoned kitten. Mrs. Katz agrees on one condition: that Larnel helps her take care of the kitten she names Tush. When Larnel starts spending more and more time with Mrs. Katz to help with Tush, Mrs. Katz tells him stories about coming to America from Poland and about the good times she spent with her late husband. As Larnel grows to love Mrs. Katz, he also learns about the common themes of hardship and triumph in each of their cultures.

Sometimes life's greatest accomplishments take place off the field. There's nothing All Star pitcher Peter Friedman loves more than baseball. It's his life. He breathes baseball, dreams about it, and works his tail off to be great. Most kids are nervous about starting high school, but Pete's amazing arm is going tomake his life pretty easy. But Pete's freshman year doesn't turn out as planned. A pitching accident over the summer ruins his arm. If he isn't the star pitcher, then who is he? Pete's best friend and pitching partner, AJ, tells him he'll be back to his normal self by springtraining. To make matters more complicated, there's something going on with Pete's grampa - and Pete's mother doesn't want to talk about it. The only person Pete can confide in is Angelika, the amazingly cute girl in his photography class who might like Pete as much as he likes her . . . only Angie doesn't know if she can date someone who can't be honest with himself, or with thepeople he's closest to.

Starting with the anticipation of a new baby's arrival, this book from Emmy Award-winning comedian Billy Crystal celebrates all the moments, great and small, that a new grandpa is ready to share. Whether it's taking a nap together or attending baseball games, this grandpa just can't wait for his grandchild to be born.

Zoe's uncle makes her feel special. Though ill with AIDS now, he surprises her by decorating the ceiling in her room with hundreds of glow-in-the-dark stars. Uncle Leonard can't promise Zoe when or if he will ever get well, but he reassures her he will always love her and, like the stars, be "close enough to see". Watercolor illustrations.

In the much-anticipated third entry in Edeet Ravel's delightful series, Pauline Carelli-Bloom is off to London to visit her grandmother. She's thrilled by all the different cultures she encounters in the great city -- and thrilled even more with Nigel Sivananda, a dashing young New Age devotee with, as she faithfully records in her diary, "blue eyes that pierce your soul and penetrate your thoughts." Now that her soul's been pierced and her thoughts penetrated, will Pauline also be swept completely off her feet? Will she return to her dull-but-faithful boyfriend Yoshi or escape to an ashram with Nigel in search of adventure and everlasting enlightenment? One thing is certain: Pauline's life is never boring, and neither is her journey toward self-discovery. Relating her latest adventures in life and love with quirky humor and an ever-present flair for the dramatic, Pauline presents a warm and funny snapshot of teen life, unfiltered and uncensored.