Karen English

Essie eagerly awaits the visit of her cousin but feels disheartened after her arrival because Neeny is no longer interested in life on the island from which she moved.

A Pakistani-American girl takes part in her aunt's traditional Pakistani wedding.

Malika loves her new red shoes and wears them everywhere, but eventually she outgrows them, and her grandmother takes them to a second-hand shop--where they will become a special present for Amina (who fasted half the month of Ramadan) in Africa, who will enjoy her special red shoes every bit as much as Malika did.

Gavin wants to make a good impression at Carver Elementary, where no one knows he excels at soccer and skateboarding, but an annoying big sister, a bully, and his great aunt's Pomeranian are not helping.

"Richard can't wait to show off his skills at a friend's skateboard birthday party, but a note home from his teacher threatens to ruin his plans"--

After having a fight, two friends spend the day ignoring each other, until the lure of a game of jump rope helps them to forget about being mad.

While Ms. Shelby-Ortiz is recovering from an injury, substitute Mr. Willow takes over Nikki and Deja's third-grade class with disastrous results.

Newsy news is not just regular news. It's news that's interesting and exciting. Nikki and Deja know that there's plenty of newsy news happening on their block and at Carver Elementary, just waiting to be reported. Luckily, Nikki has her special pen and notepad, Deja has the use of Auntie Dee's computer, and they both have lots of ideas. Before long, the Fulton Street Newsy News Newsletter is born. At first, everyone wants to read what the girls have...

A distinctive new voice in children's fiction Francie lives with her mother and younger brother, Prez, in rural Alabama, where all three work and wait. Francie's father is trying to get settled in Chicago so he can move his family up North. Unfortunately, he's made promises he hasn't kept, and Francie painfully learns that her dreams of starting junior high school in an integrated urban classroom will go unfulfilled. Amid the day-to-day grind of...

When the students in Nikki and Deja's class find out that their school is going to hold its first-ever election for student body president, some kids are more excited than others. But none is as excited as Deja, who figures she's a shoo-in for the third grade nomination. Deja decides that Nikki will be her campaign manager, of course, and puts her to work right away. But will Deja's tendency to rush into things and boss people around alienate her...