C’est une magnifique journée. Inspire un grand coup… Trois, deux, un… Vas-y, roule ! » Une petite fille s’élance et roule sur sa planche à roulettes en toute liberté à travers sa ville. À contresens est un véritable hymne à l’émancipation et à la liberté. À l’idée que malgré nos différences, nous pouvons prendre notre envol et nous émanciper peu importe ce que les autres diront. Un véritable bijou d’album décomplexant à glisser entre le plus de mains possibles.

Five words, cinco palabras. Teacher says they should fit just right. Like my favorite kicks. Mia is hunting words today: five words to describe who she is. It's easy at first. At the skateboard park, Mia finds words for how she can glide fast and soar high. Words like relámpago--lightning. These words feel good. When Mia has trouble learning a cool new trick on her board, though, other words come to her--words that won't leave her alone. Words like fail. Are these words really about her, too? But Mia knows who she is... she's someone who doesn't give up. And if she keeps trying, she'll find her five words, the ones that fit just right.

A-Okay by Jarad Greene is a vulnerable and heartfelt semi-autobiographical middle grade graphic novel about acne, identity, and finding your place. When Jay starts eighth grade with a few pimples he doesn't think much of it at first...except to wonder if the embarrassing acne will disappear as quickly as it arrived. But when his acne goes from bad to worse, Jay's prescribed a powerful medication that comes with some serious side effects. Regardless, he's convinced it'll all be worth it if clear skin is on the horizon! Meanwhile, school isn't going exactly as planned. All of Jay's friends are in different classes; he has no one to sit with at lunch; his best friend, Brace, is avoiding him; and--to top it off--Jay doesn't understand why he doesn't share the same feelings two of his fellow classmates, a boy named Mark and a girl named Amy, have for him. Eighth grade can be tough, but Jay has to believe everything's going to be a-okay...right?

Meet Anjali! She's the spunky star of this picture book with a timeless message about appreciating what makes us special and honoring our different identities. Anjali and her friends are excited to buy matching personalized license plates for their bikes--but Anjali can't find a plate with her name. She is often teased about her "different" name, and this is the last straw. Anjali is so upset that she demands her parents let her pick a new name! When they refuse, Anjali decides to take a closer look at who she is--beyond her name--and why being different means being marvelous. Actress and activist Sheetal Sheth has penned a deeply personal picture book about the experience of feeling othered and the journey toward embracing yourself.

A little evergreen tree learns that self-acceptance and being yourself never goes out of season in this irresistible picture book that's perfect for fans of Jory John and Pete Oswald's The Cool Bean and Michael Hall's Red. One spring, a pine tree named Everly sprouts in the woods where everyone is green. Fitting in feels great for Everly. But, uh-oh, one day all of the other trees begin to change--their greens turn to bright yellows and reds. Everly wants to change just like her friends, but . . . what's an evergreen to do? With the help of her friends, Everly soon realizes she is perfect just the way she is and starts to glow in her own special way. Readers will be inspired as Everly's confidence grows in this heartwarming story perfect for every season.

A ball must learn to deal with his envy when a floating balloon has him feeling down in this simple and relatable story that reminds little ones that being different is what makes you special. Balloon can soar, he can fly, he can dip, duck, and hover—all on his own. Balloon is full of gas. He knows it, too. It makes Ball feel grounded by gravity. Balloon is super special. What if Ball is not so special? Turns out Ball’s got some moves of his own.

The award-winning creator of the Giraffe and Bird books introduces Dotty the dancing dachshund to celebrate the gifts of those who struggle to "sit" and "stay" Dotty the dachshund knows she was born to dance ballet. When told to sit, she does a plié. Asked to stay, she does an assemblé. Fed up with Dotty's lack of discipline, Mrs. Austere sends her to the Canine School of Obedience, but Dotty just can't seem to learn. Heartbroken, the little dog flees to the park--where an unexpected new friend is waiting. Could he know the secret to helping Dotty dance out her dreams with her own kind of discipline? In Ballewiena, author-illustrator Rebecca Bender, creator of the award-winning Giraffe and Bird books, introduces a new volume of animal hi-jinks. Tucked into the witty language and amusing antics is a perceptive note of encouragement for anyone who was made for activity in a world that expects stillness.

Izzy's favourite place to be is in Mama's arms--skin to skin, safe and warm. One night, cuddled up on Mama's lap, Izzy notices something she's never noticed before: her skin is the color of chocolate, but Mama's skin is the color of sand. When Izzy realizes she's different from Mama in other ways, too, she feels sad and confused. She wants to be beautiful like Mama! But Mama addresses Izzy's disappointment with a gentle, loving refrain: You're part of me, and I'm part of you. I'm beautiful like me, and you're beautiful like you.

Conceived of as a letter to her younger self, Because You Are captures Jael Richardson's insightful lessons about growing up, being joyful and loving yourself as a young Black girl. By exploring what inner beauty means, this story inspires children to recognize and build their self-worth, to dream big and to make a difference in the world. These lessons are brought to life on the page with lively and tender illustrations by Nneka Myers.

An autobiographical novel in which fifteen-year-old Jennifer Johnson convinces her parents to commit her to the Eating Disorders Unit of an upstate New York psychiatric hospital in 1988, where the treatment for her bulimia and anorexia is not what she expects but her future self helps her through it.

Benford is delighted by his very first easel and canvas, he does not know what to paint, and as he searches for inspiration he imagines his blank canvas following him around demanding his attention.