When a bully in a chaotic classroom encounters an ant named Jim she learns that tolerance and diversity are necessary for any social community to function well. Help promote the youngest students' emotional well-being and mental health as the classroom develops cohesion, trust, and team identity. Take back the playground and the classroom by focusing on:

-anti-bullying

-diversity

-teamwork

-tolerance

-cooperation

-respect

A herd of Spanish sheep is badly in need of guidance. Everyone knows that sheep are followers. They are perfectly content to trail along behind whomever happens to be a few steps ahead. This is exactly the case with a flock of sheep living outside a tiny village in the heart of Spain. One day Isabella begins to wonder if there isn't another way. "Must we always be wandering about willy-nilly, nobody knowing where we are going?" But recognizing the need for a leader and accepting the responsibility of being one are two different things. It will require a bolt of lightning — literally — to transform the reluctant Isabella into the leader she must be. From crumbling stone farm buildings and rugged grazing land to the pinnacled Alcazar, once home of Queen Isabella, this story captures the drama of the Spanish landscape, the perfect backdrop for the exciting events that lead to our Isabella's transformation. 

Following Isabella will help you:

• Consider leadership as a service to one's community
• Investigate different kinds of leadership
• Present information about sheep and sheep farming
• Explore the geography and culture of Spain

"A story about leadership, confidence, initiative and cooperation. Particularly useful for studies in social skills and character education. [Isabella] will be appreciated by general viewers as well." — School Library Journal

Author Linda Talley

Illustrator Andra Chase

Key Concept: Becoming a leader

Age Group: Grades K-4

Discover the spirit of generosity in a timeless Russian village. When homeless dog Vladimir is rescued from the cold, he joins a growing community of animal characters who inhabit Ludmila's barn — Ludmila herself, of course, and the three hens, the two cows, the one contrary goose — and we mustn't forget the mylishe, tiny but hungry — and then the swallows! Ludmila knows the best way to maintain harmony in these tight quarters: share and share alike. The ancient town of Suzdal, with its onion shaped domes, belltowers, wooden windmills, and chalk-white monasteries, provides the backdrop for this simple story of generosity. A traditional Russian family, that cares for the animals and grows fruit and vegetables on the small plot of land, echoes — in human terms — the theme of sharing.