A riveting and dramatic story of two devoted sisters, Italian citizens, who must survive in WWII Japan.In 1940, when Simona is eight and her sister, Carolina, is five, their father becomes the cook to the Italian ambassador to Japan, and the family leaves Italy for Tokyo. The girls learn perfect Japanese, make friends, and begin to love life in their new home. But soon Japan is engaged in a world war. In 1943, when all Italians in Japan are confined to internment camps as enemy aliens, Papà and the girls are forced to part, and Simona and Carolina embark on a dramatic journey. Anyone who aids them could be arrested for treason. All the sisters have is each other: their wits, courage, and resilience, and the hope that they will find people who see them not as the enemy, but simply as children trying to survive. In this gripping, deeply moving story, Donna Jo Napoli gives readers an unforgettable and authentic new perspective on World War II.

The timeless tales from the early books of the Bible have captivated generations. In this lush storybook, the fresh voice of lyrical storyteller Donna Jo Napoli and the lavish artwork of Christina Balit bring classic stories to life for a young, modern audience.Noah's Ark, Moses, David and Goliath, the ten plagues, Daniel and the lions' den, Jonah and the giant fish, and many more of the Bible's most powerful stories—27 in all—are compellingly retold in this beautifully illustrated treasury. Readers will be fascinated by the ancient people and events they encounter, surprised by some of the lesser known accounts revealed, and inspired by the lessons these tales impart. Stories cover important ground beyond religion, such as culture, history, and geography, and they touch on issues that remain relevant today—faith, loyalty, kindness, violence, generosity, greed, jealousy, and more. These accessible, readible stories give kids a rich picture of biblical...

Set in medieval Venice, this captivating fairy tale retelling by award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli explores belonging, beauty, and the transformative power of love through the eyes of a teenage girl. Dolce has grown up hidden away on an island in a lagoon. She is a giant, a freak, tormented by everyone but her loving mother. She spends her time learning the valuable secret of making mirrors. Following a tragedy, Dolce swims away and lands on an island where people see her as normal, even beautiful. Marin, a kind widower, and his little daughter bring Dolce to live with them in their grand palazzo. Eventually, Dolce and Marin marry. She secretly continues to make mirrors, not realizing that quicksilver endangers her . . . and so evil begins in innocence.

Even angels have a hard time playing fair The Little Angel of Fairness wants to treat all of her friends the same way, but sometimes it isn't easy. She's trying hard to earn her wings, and she really wants to get the best Angel assignments. But is it fair if her friends are sometimes left behind? Jessica knows what it feels like to be left behind. She wants to hang out with her older brother, Hank. But sometimes Hank wants to do things that are for "boys only" — like dressing up in a pirate costume for the big town parade. Jessica wants to dress up, too. And she knows she could come up with a great costume. Can the Little Angel of Fairness help her show Hank that girls are just as good as boys? Be fair.

Sly (a.k.a. Sylvia) has newly set up shop as a neighborhood detective, and the advice from Kirkus Reviews is plain and simple: "Clear some shelf space" for this funny, engaging series.With each zany mystery brought to her by friends and parents—this time involving soccer, ballet, swimming, and basketball—Sly uses her keen observation and reasoning skills to solve the case, while young readers will get a kick out of guessing the solutions alongside her.Best-selling author Donna Jo Napoli and her son, Robert Furrow, and illustrator Heather Maione, have created an enormously likable detective who is smart, spunky, and very witty!

A serious job for a little angel The Little Angel of Responsibility has a hard time finishing what she starts. She?s been working on the same knitting project for weeks. But something more interesting always seems to come up. This time, it?s helping a little girl with a big problem. Danielle is old enough to take care of herself. So when her mother starts working again, she leaves a lot of responsibility in Danielle?s hands — like making sure to get her homework done on time. But when the choice is left up to Danielle, she?d rather practice running for the track team than do schoolwork. Is the Little Angel of Responsibility ready to lend a hand? Be responsible!

Melkorka is a princess, the first daughter of a magnificent kingdom in mediæval Ireland -- but all of this is lost the day she is kidnapped and taken aboard a marauding slave ship. Thrown into a world that she has never known, alongside people that her former country's laws regarded as less than human, Melkorka is forced to learn quickly how to survive. Taking a vow of silence, however, she finds herself an object of fascination to her captors and masters, and soon realizes that any power, no matter how little, can make a difference. Based on an ancient Icelandic saga, award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli has crafted a heartbreaking story of a young girl who must learn to forget all that she knows and carve out a place for herself in a new world -- all without speaking a word.

The Little Angel of Understanding gets along with everyone — except for the Little Angel of Learning. He uses big words, and the little angel doesn't always know what they mean. Will the Little Angel of Understanding be able to earn his wings if there are still some words he can't figure out? He'll have to help Maggie with her problem first. Maggie loves it when her grandmother comes for a visit. But this trip is different, because Gram isn't just visiting. She's going to move in with Maggie's family — forever. Can the Little Angel of Understanding help Maggie make room for Gram?

When Roberto sneaks off to see a movie in his Italian village, he has no idea that life as he knows it is over. German soldiers raid the theater, round up the boys in the audience, and pack them onto a train. After a terrifying journey, Roberto and his best friend Samuele find themselves in a brutal work camp, where food is scarce and horror is everywhere. The boys vow to stay together no matter what. But Samuele has a dangerous secret, which, if discovered, could get them both killed. Lovers of historical fiction will be captivated by this tragic, triumphant, and deeply moving novel.

Who is that handsome green stranger? None of the pond dwellers has ever seen the peculiar new frog before. They found him sitting in a pile of human clothes outside the hag's house. What a strange frog he is! He gets his feet tangled when he tries to jump, he refuses to eat bugs, and he can't tell a toad from a frog. He calls himself "De Fawg Pin," and he's about to turn pond life topsy-turvy! "The frog prince motif has inspired many books, but few as original as this novel."—Booklist "An animal fantasy that fairy tale readers will relish."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

Don Giovanni was once the wealthiest and handsomest young man in Messina. Then a tidal wave changed everything. When a well-dressed stranger offers him a magical purse, he knows he shouldn't take it. Only the devil would offer a deal like this, and only a fool would accept. Don Giovanni is no fool, but he is desperate. He takes the bet: he will not bathe for 3 years, 3 months, and 3 days. Beauty is a small price to pay for worldly wealth, isn't it? Unless he loses the wager—and with it his soul. Set against the stunning backdrop of ancient Sicily, Donna Jo Napoli's new novel is a powerful tale about discovering what truly matters most.

Kepi is a young girl in ancient Egypt, content to stay home with her family, helping her father, who was wounded in the construction of a pyramid for the cruel pharaoh Khufu. But that was before she and her pet baboon, Babu, were kidnapped and held captive on a boat bound for the capital city, Ineb Hedj. And when Kepi and Babu are separated, she knows she has only one choice: to make her way to the capital on her own, rescue Babu, and find a way to appeal to the pharaoh. Khufu is rich and powerful, but Kepi has her own powers, deep inside her—ones she herself doesn't even know about yet.Donna Jo Napoli, acclaimed author of Zel and Beast, revisits the fabled origin of fairies in this strikingly orig-inal and affecting novel of friendship.