Ellen Rooney – illustratör

Every morning, a young girl walks her grandmother to the Aajibaichi Shala, the school that was built for the grandmothers in her village to have a place to learn to read and write.

The narrator beams with pride as she drops her grandmother off with the other aajis to practice the alphabet and learn simple arithmetic. A moving story about family, women and the power of education—when Aaji learns to spell her name you’ll want to dance along with her.

Women in countless countries continue to endure the limitations of illiteracy. Unjust laws have suppressed the rights of girls and women and kept many from getting an education and equal standing in society. Based on a true story from the village of Phangane, India, this brilliantly illustrated book tells the story of the grandmothers who got to go to school for the first time in their lives.

Orca Book Publishers is pleased to offer Grandmother School in two accessible editions. The audiobook features alternate text descriptions of images, including the cover. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Key Selling Points

★ “Soft, warm hues fill each page, underscoring the warmth of a family that is big enough to welcome ‘more us’ while also honoring Uncle Gray’s agency. A sensitive and powerful look at a complex topic. Recommended for all collections.” — School Library Journal (SLJ), starred review

The day has come—Uncle Gray is finally moving in!

His nephew stands waiting for him out on the porch, and when Uncle Gray arrives, the boy is surprised his uncle only has one little backpack. Uncle Gray has been living on the streets for years, and the boy remembers how he and his mom used to go driving to look for him, especially during the winter. Sometimes they'd find him in his tent, with ice in his beard. He was always glad to see them. Now that Uncle Gray is ready to move in, he'll have his own cozy room, and the boy is glad to know they won't have to go looking to check if he's okay. Because he'll be right downstairs.

This gentle and compassionate story about an unhoused family member is based on the author's family experience and is a follow-up to the story told in The One with the Scraggly Beard. Also available in French as Plus de nous.

Praise for The One with the Scraggly Beard:

“A complex topic painted with care and told with empathy.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A powerful book…Models what respect and human dignity looks like for all community members.” —Toronto Star

Le grand jour est arrivé. Oncle Gray emménage! Son neveu l'attend sur le porche, et quand Oncle Gray arrive, le garçon est surpris que son oncle ait seulement un petit sac au dos. Oncle Gray a vécu de nombreuses années dans la rue, et le garçon se souvient de quand sa maman et lui partaient à sa recherche, particulièrement en hiver. Parfois ils le trouvaient dans sa tente, avec des glaçons dans la barbe. Il était toujours content de les voir. Maintenant que Oncle Gray est prêt à venir vivre avec le garçon et sa maman, il aura une chambre confortable juste pour lui, et le garçon est content qu'ils n’aient plus à le chercher pour être certains qu’il va bien. Parce qu’il sera juste en bas, au sous-sol.

Cette histoire douce et compatissante sur un membre de la famille sans-abri est inspirée par les expériences familiales de l’autrice, et est une suite à l’histoire racontée dans L’Homme à la barbe hirsute. Également disponible sous le titre More Us en anglais.

Éloges pour L’Homme à la barbe hirsute:

"Un sujet complexe, traité avec soin et raconté avec empathie.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Une histoire puissante...montre à quoi ressemblent le respect et la dignité humaine pour tous les membres de la communauté.” —Toronto Star

Perfect for fans of STEM, this inspiring picture book biography tells the extraordinary story of pioneering astronomer Maria Mitchell.

Maria longed to travel beyond her small island of Nantucket. But she wasn’t sure how. Her father taught her to look to the stars for guidance. If you knew how to read them, he said, the stars could tell you where you were, and where you needed to go. They spent hours scanning the night sky together through a telescope on the roof. Maria learned how to use astronomers’ tools to measure and track time by the stars. But what could she do with her skills? Then, one day, she heard that a prize was being offered to the first person to find a new comet. Could this be the opportunity she was waiting for?

This absorbing picture book biography by Laura Alary tells the fascinating, though not well-known, story of a remarkable nineteenth-century woman scientist and women’s rights advocate. After winning that prize for discovering a comet, Maria Mitchell would go on to become the first professional female astronomer in the United States, first female member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and one of the first female college professors. Beautifully illustrated with lovely textured artwork by Ellen Rooney, this is a well-told story with a teachable STEM component, supporting both science and social studies curriculums, that supports a growth mindset. It’s also a wonderful guide sure to inspire readers to find their own way in the world. It includes backmatter that further describes Maria’s impressive life and achievements.