Stieffamilien

A heartfelt, sweet, social justice-themed ode to blended and unconventional families—perfect for fans of Rita Williams-Garcia, Lisa Graff, and Sara Pennypacker. This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 6, especially during homeschooling. It’s a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom.In this sequel to Two Naomis, now that Naomi Marie’s mom and Naomi E.’s dad are married, the girls have learned to do a lot of things together, like All-Family Sunday dinners, sixth-grade homework, navigating the subway system by themselves, and visiting their favorite bakeries. Until sixth grade in a new school presents a whole new set of surprises and challenges.Trusting her gut has worked for Naomi E. all her life, and she figures that it will be an asset to her role as a Peer Mediator—until she realizes how much of the job requires the Art of Compromise, which she’s only just starting to get used to at home.Naomi Marie is excited about making new friends—but she wants to keep old ones too. And when she sees that some in the school community have a hard time with the realities of “diversity in action,” she wonders if the new members of her family can see those realities as well.As the girls deal with the ups and downs of middle school and the mysteries of family dynamics, they learn that even when life and school try to drive you apart, it’s ultimately easier to face everything together.Can two very different girls with the same name learn to be sisters when the challenges of a new school try to pull them apart?- A Heartfelt Blended Family Story: Follows Naomi Marie and Naomi E. as they navigate their parents’ new marriage, All-Family Sunday dinners, and the reality of sharing a room for the very first time.- Two Stepsisters, One Name: One Naomi is learning the art of compromise as a peer mediator; the other is finding her voice to stand up for what’s right when she sees injustice in her community.- Dual POV Narrative: Told from both girls’ perspectives, this coming of age novel shows how two people can experience the same family and school in completely different ways.- Middle School Friendships: From making new friends in sixth grade to keeping old ones, the Naomis discover who truly has their back when things get tough.

This compassionate book explores the dynamics of blended families. Young readers learn about the different kinds of blended families, the ways they form, the challenges they can face, and strategies for working through those challenges. This book also features a "Many "Identities special feature, several "Did You Know?" facts, a table of contents, a reading comprehension quiz, a glossary, additional resources, and an index. This Focus Readers series is at the Beacon level, aligned to reading levels of grades 2-3 and interest levels of grades 3-5.

Sometimes out of sadness comes the perfect gift. Mama Bear gets lost in a forest of sadness and comes back home stronger than ever before. Follow Mama Bear as she makes her way through sadness and loneliness to hope and love. With help and guidance from friends, finding a way out of darkness becomes possible.

All families celebrate together. Some celebrations have parties. Others have a special treat. But all celebrations have family fun. Find out how families celebrate together.

Told in letters, posters, blog posts, homework assignments, and more, The Pages Between Us is a totally fun, totally earnest snapshot of middle grade friendship?and what it truly means to be there for someone during the ups, downs, and everything in between.Piper and Olivia have been best friends since...well, forever. But they're distressed to find that their new middle school schedules aren't giving them enough together-time. Luckily, an idea sparks when Piper finds a cute, sparkly notebook to disguise as her "French Class" homework. It's genius?now the two BFFs can stick together all the time. And document their adventures?you know, for anthropology's sake.But as the two navigate the tricky new world of sixth grade, they realize that they may need to branch out more than they originally thought. Their notebook, once a life raft, begins to feel like a big responsibility. Can they grow up, without growing apart?

OF COURSE you think we were evil, spiteful fairies, cursing the poor princess with a forever sleep. You don't know the other side of the story. Well, let us tell you.