Maryann Cocca-Leffler

A cat who struggles with social skills learns ways to be honest without being rude. Cat always says what's on his mind, no matter how much his words may upset others. But when he hears his friends talk about him, Cat realizes that words can hurt, even though that may not be the intention.

Meet Janine. She is one of a kind! Janine dresses a little different, remembers random facts, reads the dictionary for fun, and has her own style of cheering. Nobody does things the way Janine does things! One girl in Janine's class is throwing a party and all the COOL kids are invited. But, Janine is not cool. Some kids think she is strange and want her to change. Will Janine try to be different or just be her spectacular self? In this charming story,...

From a very young age, Judy Heumann heard the word NO. When she wanted to attend public school, the principal said NO. When she wanted her teaching license, the New York Board of Education said NO. Judy and people with disabilities everywhere were tired of hearing "NO." In the 1970s, an important disability rights law, Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, was waiting to be signed. Judy and other disability-rights activists fought for "YES!"...

"A family of pigs decides that this year they will make their gifts for Christmas rather than buy gifts. But the littlest pig struggles to come up with an idea"--

After new girl Kim tells her classmates she is from a royal family, her lie grows and grows.

"Janine is good at a lot of things like singing, cheering, and spelling big words. But she is not very good at sports--her body just doesn't work like the other kids'. On field day at school, Janine tries her best to finish each challenge"--

Ben is upset when a substitute teacher changes his school routine, until a visit from his regular teacher and her new baby reveals that change can be good.

A toddler goes to the playground, to Grandma's house, and home to play, then has a bath and goes to bed, each activity requiring a goodbye that also signals the beginning of new events.

A young squirrel disagrees with his parents who want to exclude such newcomers as the blue jays, chipmunks, and beavers from the squirrels' woodland neighborhood.