Helen Plum Library

Nora Eldridge, an elementary school teacher in Cambridge, Massachusetts, long ago abandoned her dream to be a successful artist. Instead she has become the "woman upstairs," a reliable friend and tidy neighbor always on the fringe of others' achievements. Then into her classroom walks Reza Shahid, a child who enchants as if from a fairy tale, and Nora is drawn into the complex world of his glamorous and cosmopolitan family. As happiness explodes her...

Stella Endicott loves her teacher, Miss Liliana, and she is thrilled when the class is assigned to write a poem. Stella crafts a beautiful poem about Mercy Watson, the pig who lives next door -- a poem complete with a metaphor and full of curiosity and courage. But Horace Broom, Stella's irritating classmate, insists that Stella's poem is full of lies and that pigs do not live in houses. And when Stella and Horace get into a shouting match in the...

Not your typical how-to manual for new teachers, this no-nonsense, jargon-free guide offers a wide variety of tools and tactics for getting through every school day with grace and sanity. Covered in glue, glitter, orange juice—or worse? Make a quick change into the spare set of clothes you keep on hand for just this purpose. Butterflies in your stomach before your first-ever Meet the Teacher Night? Keep your cool by writing the agenda on your board—it’ll...

Alexander's class is going on a sleepover at the Stermont Museum, but something is stealing bright, shiny objects from all over town, including the museum's treasured Ruby Scorpion, and on the night of the visit the young monster hunters finally confront the town's newest monster--a warrior covered entirely by bubble-wrap

"Little Blue is too small for some jobs. Find out if he finds the right job for him"--Unedited summary from book

Did you know that there are many magnificent places to travel around the world? The World Is Beautiful is a colorful illustrated and engaging book about some of the world's greatest wonders in the world. Throughout the centuries, there have been amazing buildings, structures, landmarks, and monuments created for future generations to admire. These treasures are wonders of the ancient and modern world, and they symbolize the ingenuity of humans throughout...

Collins Big Cat is a guided reading series for ages 4-7 edited by Cliff Moon. Top children's authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that your children will love to read, banded to help you choose the right book for every child. Practical ideas for guided reading are included at the back of each book. A non-fiction report about different types of weather over the course of a week. Photographs of each weather accompany...

Collins Big Cat is a guided reading series for ages 4-7 edited by Cliff Moon. Top children's authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that your children will love to read, banded to help you choose the right book for every child. Practical ideas for guided reading are included at the back of each book. What's inside a nut? What's inside a pod? What's inside you and me? The clear photos in this book will show children what's...

Collins Big Cat is a guided reading series for ages 4-11 edited by Cliff Moon. Top children's authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that your children will love to read, banded to help you choose the right book for every child. Practical ideas for guided reading are included at the back of each book. A fascinating introduction to one of the world's most beautiful and mystifying types of forest. Author/photographer Nic...