Eleven holiday stories from nine amazing authors! Winter Wonder brings you a confection of Christmas stories by an array of well-loved authors featuring characters drawn from their award-winning books. Eleven new stories spanning all ages from the young to the young at heart will whisk you away on a snowstorm of delight to worlds of fantasy, adventure, history, and even outer space with tales celebrating the magic of Christmas or the wonder of winter holidays. Fill your child's holiday reading with stories of adventure, myths - both Greek and Native American, science fiction, time-travel, a lyric poem, mystery, and even a bit of romance. Eleven stories will entertain your middle-grade to teen to young-at-heart readers. We welcome you into our winter holiday wonders with stories guaranteed to entertain, illuminate, and cheer.

Breathtaking photography and fascinating facts about snow crystals “will instill appreciation for these tiny, cool objects” in both children and adults (The Washington Post). How do snow crystals form? What shapes can they take? Is it true that there are no two snow crystals alike? These questions and more are answered in this visually stunning exploration of the science of snow. Perfect for reading on winter days, the book features photos of real snow crystals in all their beautiful diversity. Snowflake-catching instructions are also included! “Settle down in a comfy chair. . . . By the end, you’ll be hoping there’s a day when you can follow the careful directions for catching and viewing snow crystals.” —Chicago Tribune “The clear and direct narrative takes readers into the clouds to explain snow-crystal formation...and then zooms in on the actual crystals. Sure to get young scientists outside in the cold.” —Kirkus Reviews “Nature photographer Cassino’s gallery of snow crystals is [a] riveting exhibition.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

Oh what a wonderful wintery world. Ignite your imagination, embrace the cold. Inspired by the enchanting questions of little ones, Winter, You Wonder explores the often-overlooked charms of a chilly winter landscape. Follow precocious Pipa on a heartwarming adventure, from the thrill of the first snowfall to her last skate on fresh ice, as she ponders: How do stars stay warm? What do fish think below a frozen lake? Do snowmen have feelings? With an invitation to discover the unseen wonder of winter, even the coldest months become a joyful celebration!

Two children celebrate a wonderful wintry day by playing in the snow, sledding, building snow people, baking cookies, and ice skating.

From a Caldecott Medalist ("Mirette on the High Wire") comes an amazing true story about an extraordinary horse and the man who trained him. Full color.

Richard Winter's critique of our "culture of entertainment" explores the nature, causes and effects of boredom and counteracts it with practical suggestions for living with passion and wonder.

You are responsible forever for what you tame... Zane's not the bad boy he was when he left Whispering Pines. He's back, and (mostly) reformed. Nowadays, he works security in a gated community. His life is simple and good. The only thorn in his side is the stray dog scaring residents and the cute do-gooder who takes him on for trying to chase the dog off. Becca knows Zane's just doing his job, but she's trying to rescue a stray and the legendary playboy's tactics are making her job much harder. When she finds out he's not an animal-lover, she can't decide whether she should cut him loose or try and thaw his heart. These two have little in common, except a red-hot chemistry that insists on rearing its head every time they're together. When Becca faces the animal rescue of a lifetime, can she count on Zane to come through, or do old habits die hard? If you like sweet small towns, memorable characters, and swoon-worthy happy endings, then you'll love this romance by a USA Today best-selling author.

An extraordinary literary debut about a Nigerian boy's secret intersex identity and his desire to live as a girl. Oto leaves for boarding school with one plan: excel and escape his cruel home. Falling in love with his roommate was certainly not on the agenda, but fear and shame force him to hide his love and true self. Back home, weighed down by the expectations of their wealthy and powerful family, the love of Oto's twin sister wavers and, as their world begins to crumble around them, Oto must make drastic choices that will alter the family's lives for ever. Richly imagined with art, proverbs and folk tales, this moving and modern novel follows Oto through life at home and at boarding school in Nigeria, through the heartbreak of living as a boy despite their profound belief they are a girl, and through a hunger for freedom that only a new life in the United States can offer. An Ordinary Wonder is a powerful coming-of-age story that explores complex desires as well as challenges of family, identity, gender, and culture, and what it means to feel whole.

Winner of the Caldecott Medal! For fans of Blueberries for Sal, One Morning in Maine, and Make way for Ducklings. "Out on the islands that poke their rocky shores above the waters of Penobscot Bay, you can watch the time of the world go by, from minute to minute, hour to hour, from day to day . . ." So begins this classic story of one summer on a Maine island from the author of One Morning in Maine and Blueberries for Sal. The spell of rain, the gulls and a foggy morning, the excitement of sailing, the quiet of the night, the sudden terror of a hurricane, and, in the end, the peace of the island as the family packs up to leave are shown in poetic language and vibrant, evocative pictures.

A touching Christmas tale from Jemez Pueblo, illustrated in color by the author.