There's no place like Space

Written by Tish Rabe

Illustrated by Aristides Ruiz

Read by Ms. Amanda

"Au revoir, Pluto! In this newly revised, bestselling backlist title, beginning readers and budding astronomers are launched on a wild trip to visit the now eight planets in our solar system (per the International Astronomical Union’s 2006 decision to downgrade Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet), along with the Cat in the Hat, Thing One, Thing Two, Dick, and Sally. It’s a reading adventure that’s out of this world!"

Professor Astro Cat's Stargazing

Written by Dr. Dominic Walliman and Ben Newman

Read by Ms. Amanda

"Welcome back, stargazers! Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what a star looks like up close? Ever thought about how long it would take to walk a light-year? Join Professor Astro Cat and his friends on another stellar mission!"

Interstellar Cinderella

Written by Deborah Underwood

Illustrated by Meg Hunt

Read by Ms. Amanda

"Once upon a planetoid,

amid her tools and sprockets,

a girl named Cinderella dreamed

of fixing fancy rockets.

With a little help from her fairy godrobot, Cinderella is going to the ball. But when the prince's ship has mechanical trouble, someone will have to zoom to the rescue! Readers will thank their lucky stars for this irrepressible fairy tale retelling, its independent heroine, and its stellar happy ending."

Hidden Figures

Writtenby Margot Lee Shetterly

Illustrated by Laura Freeman

Read by Ms. Amanda

"Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were good at math…really good.

They participated in some of NASA's greatest successes, like providing the calculations for America's first journeys into space. And they did so during a time when being black and a woman limited what they could do. But they worked hard. They persisted. And they used their genius minds to change the world.

In this beautifully illustrated picture book edition, we explore the story of four female African American mathematicians at NASA, known as "colored computers," and how they overcame gender and racial barriers to succeed in a highly challenging STEM-based career."

Snowflake Bentley

Written by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Illustrated by Mary Azarian

Read by Ms. Amanda

""Of all the forms of water the tiny six-pointed crystals of ice called snow are incomparably the most beautiful and varied." -- Wilson Bentley (1865-1931)

From the time he was a small boy in Vermont, Wilson Bentley saw snowflakes as small miracles. And he determined that one day his camera would capture for others the wonder of the tiny crystal. Bentley's enthusiasm for photographing snowflakes was often misunderstood in his time, but his patience and determination revealed two important truths: no two snowflakes are alike; and each one is startlingly beautiful. His story is gracefully told and brought to life in lovely woodcuts, giving children insight into a soul who had not only a scientist's vision and perseverance but a clear passion for the wonders of nature. Snowflake Bentley won the 1999 Caldecott Medal."

Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles

Written by Patricia Valdez

Illustrated by Felicita Sala

Read by Ms. Amanda

"Back in the days of long skirts and afternoon teas, young Joan Procter entertained the most unusual party guests: slithery and scaly ones, who turned over teacups and crawled past the crumpets.... While other girls played with dolls, Joan preferred the company of reptiles. She carried her favorite lizard with her everywhere--she even brought a crocodile to school!

When Joan grew older, she became the Curator of Reptiles at the British Museum. She went on to design the Reptile House at the London Zoo, including a home for the rumored-to-be-vicious komodo dragons. There, just like when she was a little girl, Joan hosted children's tea parties--with her komodo dragon as the guest of honor."

Me...Jane

Written and Illustrated by Patrick McDonnell

"One of the world's most inspiring women, Dr. Jane Goodall is a renowned humanitarian, conservationist, animal activist, environmentalist, and United Nations Messenger of Peace. In 1977 she founded the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), a global nonprofit organization that empowers people to make a difference for all living things. "

Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science: The First Computer Programmer

Written by Diane Stanley and Jessie Hartland

"Two hundred years ago, a daughter was born to the famous poet, Lord Byron, and his mathematical wife, Annabella.

Like her father, Ada had a vivid imagination and a creative gift for connecting ideas in original ways. Like her mother, she had a passion for science, math, and machines. It was a very good combination. Ada hoped that one day she could do something important with her creative and nimble mind.

A hundred years before the dawn of the digital age, Ada Lovelace envisioned the computer-driven world we know today. And in demonstrating how the machine would be coded, she wrote the first computer program. She would go down in history as Ada Lovelace, the first computer programmer.

Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring The Earth To Life

Written by Molly Bang

Illustrated by Penny Chisholm (A

Read by Ms. Amanda

"Living Sunlight shows children, teachers, and parents the remarkable magic of what makes us human.This informative yet dramatic book will mesmerize readers and help further a child's understanding of the energy we share with all living things in nature. We are all dancing sunlight. The book is co-authored by award-winning M.I.T. professor Penny Chisholm, a leading expert on ocean science. A perfect addition to any library!"

THe Story of Snow

The Science of Winter's Wonder

Written by Mark Cassino and Jon Nelson, PHD

Read by Ms. Amanda

"How do snow crystals form? What shapes can they take? Are no two snow crystals alike? These questions and more are answered inside this exploration of the science of snow, featuring photos of real snow crystals in all their beautiful diversity. Perfect for reading on winter days, this book by a nature photographer and a snow scientist will inspire wonder and curiosity about the marvels of snow. Snowflake-catching instructions are also included for aspiring young snow scientists! "

If you are a hunter of fossils

Written by Byrd Baylor

Read by Ms. Amanda

"Millions of years have passed since the desert was ocean, but the fossils still tell its story. And if you are lucky enough to find one, the ancient past can come back to flood your imagination. Byrd Baylor's eloquent prose-poem is complemented by Peter Parnall's vivid illustrations in a book that is itself a lasting treasure."

Wiggling Worms at work

Written by Wendy Pfeffer

Read by Ms. Amanda

"Crawling through the dirt, worms are hard at work, helping plants to grow. Worms help the fruit and vegetables we eat by loosening the soil and feeding the plants. Read and find out about these wiggling wonders! "

How to Catch a Monster

Written by Adam Wallace

Illustrated Andy Elkerton

Read by Ms. Amanda

"If you dare to travel beyond the closet door and into the land of the monsters... you might just find the very best reward of all. But with robots, lava pie, and a smattering of traps-catching monsters is no easy business!

Is there a monster living in your closet? Are you brave enough to catch him? Whether you're looking for Halloween kids books or a great bedtime story, parents and children alike will love sharing this fun and inventive picture book, which reminds us that things aren't always as scary as they seem."

Fright Club

Written by Ethan Long

Read by Ms. Amanda

"Each year, on Halloween eve, Fright Club meets to go over their plan: Operation Kiddie Scare. Only the scariest of monsters can join Fright Club-Vladimir the Vampire, Fran K. Stein, Sandy Witch, and Virginia Wolf have all made the cut. They've been practicing their ghoulish faces, their scary moves, and their chilling sounds. But when a band of cute little critters comes along asking to join in the fun, the members of Fright Club will find out who really is the scariest of all!

This clever, rollicking read aloud text and delightfully spooky illustrations will have young readers laughing, cheering, and begging to be the newest members of Fright Club."

The Little old lady who was not afraid of anything

Written by Linda D. Williams

Illustrated by Megan Lloyd

Read by Ms. Amanda

"Once upon a time, there was a little old lady who was not afraid of anything! But one autumn night, while walking in the woods, the little old lady heard . . . clomp, clomp, shake, shake, clap, clap.

And the little old lady who was not afraid of anything had the scare of her life!"

Room on the Broom

Written by Julia Donaldson

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Read by Ms. Amanda

"How the cat purred and how the witch grinned, As they sat on their broomstick and flew through the wind. The witch and her cat fly happily over forests, rivers and mountains on their broomstick until a stormy wind blows away the witch's hat, bow and wand. Luckily, they are retrieved by a dog, a bird and a frog, who are all keen for a ride on the broom. It's a case of the more, the merrier, but the broomstick isn't used to such a heavy load and it's not long before...SNAP! It breaks in two! And with a greedy dragon looking for a snack, the witch's animal pals better think fast. A very funny story of quick wits and friendship."