From Black-ish writer and director Gail Lerner comes a whimsical and heartwarming tale where two unlikely allies band together to protect and defend the insect world from the worst enemy of all…humans. Now in paperback. “What an enchanting and wondrous book for young readers.” —Jamie Lee Curtis, actress and bestselling children’s book author Ten-year-old Eden’s quiet life is upended when she saves a paper wasp nest from destruction and discovers, to her awe and amazement, that she and its haughty queen can talk to each other. This first conversation is the start of a grand adventure, leading Eden to The Institute for Lower Learning, a secret laboratory devoted to the peaceful coexistence of humans and insects. The Institute is more fantastic and idyllic than Eden could’ve imagined but hidden deep within its tunnels is an old secret that could spell the end for all insects on earth. Nine-year-old August, an aspiring actor and bullied fourth-grader, is looking for that very secret after a few disastrous encounters have left him wanting to squash every annoying bug into oblivion. After all insects are small—he is big. And if there is anything he’s learned from the bullies at school—it's that being bigger is what counts. But in the world of the Institute where insects have a place of their own, both Eden and August discover being bigger isn't necessarily better and sometimes the most courageous thing to do is to set out to make a new friend.

Hello bug lovers and crochet adventurers! Grab your research equipment (magnifying glass, flask of tea, crochet hook, scissors and yarn) and follow us into a world full of magic and science, a microcosm of tiny creatures and big dreams! In this book you will find not only a charming selection of crochet patterns to create scrabbling beetles, beautiful bugs and fluttering butterfly crochet amigurumi, but also a wonderful story to read out loud and ponder on: a tale about growing up; accepting change and the power of dreams. Watch tiny creatures hatching from their eggs, look on as they munch through a green world, and be astonished at their marvelous transformations when they finally slip out of their cocoons. The wings and hats are interchangeable so you can use the patterns in this book to create new outfits for your little insect friends. Give your caterpillar a new set of wings for every day of the week, or cover your beetle in the most colourful wing suits. Be inspired by nature to make creatures of your own creation. It's a great little world full of possibilities. We wish you lots of fun on your journey of discovery and learning!

New in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of David Attenborough, the inspiring broadcaster and conservationist.

Part of the critically acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the amazing life of Jane Goodall, the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees. When Jane was little, her father gave her a toy chimpanzee named Jubilee. This inspired her lifelong love of animals, and she went to study them in the wild as soon as she could. Jane lived with chimpanzees in their natural habitat and became famous for her pioneering approach to research. She now educates the public on animal rights and campaigns for environmental issues around the world. ​This moving book features stylish illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the primatologist's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

A delightful picture book about a creature of habit whose routine suddenly gets disrupted by the unexpected arrival of a new friend. A perfect story for little readers learning social emotional skills that explores the joy of trying something new! A very big creature with big teeth, big eyes, and very big feet lives on the island of Habit. Every day the creature happily does the exact same things in the exact same order. That is, until a small boat carrying a very small creature with small teeth, small eyes, and very, very small feet arrives on the island. The big creature is excited to share his routine, but the small creature has ideas of his own. The little creature does something different every day--it's madness to the big creature! Can these two creatures learn to understand each other? Is the island big enough for both of them? Colorful and captivating, this is a story about learning with and from your friends.

From the bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, J. R. R. Tolkien tells the story of one of the most beloved fantasy writers of all time

Funny, thoughtful, and deeply moving—with a unique blend of fantasy and actual science—this novel explores both personal grief in the face of family loss and collective grief in the face of climate crisis, and how the only way to move forward is through friendship of all kinds. In Shajarpur, everyone is always happy. The weather is always perfect. But newcomer Savi, a lonely teenager, doesn’t know what happiness means anymore. If she were to make a list of things that were the absolute worst, moving to Shajarpur would be right on top. Well, right after missing her father, who just died of a heart attack. As Savi grapples with loss in a strange new town, she discovers something startling. Not only can she communicate with her father’s plants—all forty-two of them—she can talk to the giant ficus tree behind her school. Savi soon learns that Tree (as they are known) knew her father as well and that their friendship was at the heart of a magical network of animals and plants working together to protect Shajarpur. However, Tree is in danger, along with everything else, and needs Savi’s help. As she joins with all kinds of living things to save the town, Savi is shocked to find she is happy again, even if forces of nature are beyond her control.

"[A] salient celebration of family, music, and neurodiversity." —starred, Publishers Weekly "A top pick for any middle school collection; a perfect book club pick and a reminder to all that patience and understanding can change lives." —starred, School Library Journal Twelve-year-old Rosie is a musical prodigy whose synesthesia allows her to see music in colors. She’s never told anyone this, though. She already stands out more than enough as a musical “prodigy” who plays better than most adults. Rosie’s mom expects her to become a professional violinist. But this summer, Rosie refuses to play. She wants to have a break. To make friends and discover new hobbies. To find out who she would be if her life didn’t revolve around the violin. So instead of attending a prestigious summer music camp, Rosie goes with her mom to visit her grandparents. Grandma Florence’s health is failing, Grandpa Jack doesn’t talk much, and Rosie’s mom is furious with her for giving up the violin. But Rosie is determined to make the most of her “strike.” And when she meets a girl who seems distinctly familiar, she knows this summer will be unlike any other. With help from a mysterious glitch in time—plus her grandparents, an improv group, and a new instrument—Rosie uncovers secrets that change how she sees her family, herself, and the music that’s always been part of her.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wonderful Things You Will Be comes this companion to Dream Animals -- a celebration of the imagination of children dreaming both day and night! Emily Winfield Martin shows readers that letting their imaginations run free will lead them into fantastical day dreams. Whether cloud-gazing or wandering through a museum, reading a book or playing in a tide-pool, the children in this picture book find themselves in places inhabited by magical creatures such as dragons, unicorns, griffins, and jackalopes. A whimsical rhyme accompanies the dream-worthy illustrations.

Broad perspective on collectivity in the life sciences, from microorganisms to human consensus, and the theoretical and empirical opportunities and challenges. Many researchers and scholars in the life sciences have become increasingly critical of the traditional methodological focus on the individual. This volume counters such methodological individualism by exploring recent and influential work in the life sciences that utilizes notions of collectivity, sociality, rich interactions, and emergent phenomena as essential explanatory tools to handle numerous persistent scientific questions in the life sciences. The contributors consider case studies of collectivity that range from microorganisms to human consensus, discussing theoretical and empirical challenges and the innovative methods and solutions scientists have devised. The contributors offer historical, philosophical, and biological perspectives on collectivity, and describe collective phenomena seen in insects, the immune system, communication, and human collectivity, with examples ranging from cooperative transport in the longhorn crazy ant to the evolution of autobiographical memory. They examine ways of explaining collectivity, including case studies and modeling approaches, and explore collectivity's explanatory power. They present a comprehensive look at a specific case of collectivity: the Holobiont notion (the idea of a multi-species collective, a host and diverse microorganisms) and the hologenome theory (which posits that the holobiont and its hologenome are a unit of adaption). The volume concludes with reflections on the work of the late physicist Eshel Ben-Jacob, pioneer in the study of collective phenomena in living systems. Contributors Oren Bader, John Beatty, Dinah R. Davison, Daniel Dor, Ofer Feinerman, Raghavendra Gadagkar, Scott F. Gilbert, Snait B. Gissis, Deborah M. Gordon, James Griesemer, Zachariah I. Grochau-Wright, Erik R. Hanschen, Eva Jablonka, Mohit Kumar Jolly, Anat Kolumbus, Ehud Lamm, Herbert Levine, Arnon Levy, Xue-Fei Li, Elisabeth A. Lloyd, Yael Lubin, Eva Maria Luef, Ehud Meron, Richard E. Michod, Samir Okasha, Simone Pika, Joan Roughgarden, Eugene Rosenberg, Ayelet Shavit, Yael Silver, Alfred I. Tauber, Ilana Zilber-Rosenberg