Learn how and why a useful, 5000-year-old invention has become a threat to our planet--and what you can do about it--in this history of the simple straw. From reeds used by ancient Sumerians to bendy straws in World War II hospitals, people have changed the straw to fit their needs for 5000 years. Today however, this useful tool is contributing to the plastic problem polluting our oceans. Once again, the simple straw needs a reinvention. With bright illustrations and well-researched text, children can read about the inventors behind the straw’s technological advancements, including primary sources like patents, as well as how disposable plastic harms the environment. See the newest solutions, from plastic straw alternatives to activism by real kids like Milo Cress who started the Be Straw Free campaign when he was 11 years old. Learn about what kids can do to reduce plastic waste. The backmatter includes more information on the movement to stop plastic waste, action items kids can do, a bibliography, and additional resources on plastic pollution. Books for a Better Earth are designed to inspire children to become active, knowledgeable participants in caring for the planet they live on. A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!

The enterprising kids of Fort Builders, Inc., are at it again. This time, the friends use their creativity and construction know-how to build a pet palace in the second story in the fun-to-read Aladdin QUIX chapter book series that’s perfect for emerging readers! Jax and his twin sisters are getting kittens! The new four-legged members of the family will be coming home any day. And Fort Builders, Inc., has a new project…pet forts! Together, they know they can come up with the purr-fect hangout for the tiny felines. But they hit a major snag in their testing phase. None of the forts they test out is quite right. Can the team manage to build the best pet palace imaginable in time for the kittens’ arrival?

The enterprising kids of Fort Builders, Inc., are at it again. This time, the friends use their creativity and construction know-how to build a pet palace in the second story in the fun-to-read Aladdin QUIX chapter book series that’s perfect for emerging readers! Jax and his twin sisters are getting kittens! The new four-legged members of the family will be coming home any day. And Fort Builders, Inc., has a new project…pet forts! Together, they know they can come up with the purr-fect hangout for the tiny felines. But they hit a major snag in their testing phase. None of the forts they test out is quite right. Can the team manage to build the best pet palace imaginable in time for the kittens’ arrival?

The kids of Fort Builders, Inc., hunt for the perfect treehouse tree in the fourth story in the fun-to-read Aladdin QUIX chapter book series that’s perfect for emerging readers! Caleb and the rest of the Fort Builders, Inc. group feel like it’s finally time to have their own dedicated workspace! Their big idea? A fort treehouse! But finding the perfect tree for their unique fort is a little tougher than they thought...

The kids of Fort Builders, Inc., hunt for the perfect treehouse tree in the fourth story in the fun-to-read Aladdin QUIX chapter book series that’s perfect for emerging readers! Caleb and the rest of the Fort Builders, Inc. group feel like it’s finally time to have their own dedicated workspace! Their big idea? A fort treehouse! But finding the perfect tree for their unique fort is a little tougher than they thought...

Take off with Nancy Harkness Love, first female pilot to serve in the Army Air Forces and founder of the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) during World War II, in this picture book biography perfect for readers of Fly, Girl, Fly! or Fearless Flyer. In 1930, when Nancy Harkness was sixteen years old, she took a ride in a biplane and fell in love with flight. But at that time, women weren’t encouraged to pursue careers in aviation. Despite the barriers, Nancy took to the air and earned her pilot’s license. She continued to fly in college, becoming known as “The Flying Freshman.” After traveling to Boston for a job, she met her future husband and fellow pilot, Bob Love, and began her official career in aviation, eventually becoming director of the WAFS during World War II. By pursuing her dreams, Nancy paved the way for other female pilots to soar.