A gentle story that teaches how small acts of kindness can help children feel included and allow them to flourish, from esteemed author and speaker Trudy Ludwig and acclaimed illustrator Patrice Barton.

A simple act of kindness can transform an invisible boy into a friend...

Meet Brian, the invisible boy. Nobody in class ever seems to notice him or think to include him in their group, game, or birthday party . . . until, that is, a new kid comes to class.

When Justin, the new boy, arrives, Brian is the first to make him feel welcome. And when Brian and Justin team up to work on a class project together, Brian finds a way to shine.

Any parent, teacher, or counselor looking for material that sensitively addresses the needs of quieter children will find The Invisible Boy a valuable and important resource. Includes a discussion guide and resources for further reading. 

“I am an ordinary person with an extraordinary past.”

In this true and moving story, Alter Wiener, a teen Holocaust survivor of five Nazi prison camps during World War II, transports young readers back in time when an unexpected person demonstrated moral courage in repeated acts of kindness toward him. 

From nationally acclaimed author and speaker Trudy Ludwig and award-winning illustrator Craig Orback, Gifts from the Enemy shows how acts of social justice and kindness can change lives. Parents and teachers will find this story a valuable and timely resource to help children understand in an age-appropriate way about the Holocaust and the dangers of hatred, stereotyping, and prejudice. The back matter includes a note from Holocaust survivor Alter Wiener to readers, discussion questions, activities to promote kindness, and more! 

Gifts from the Enemy is based on From a Name to a Number: A Holocaust Survivor's Autobiography self-published by Alter Wiener in 2007.

Oregon Reads Aloud is a collection of twenty-five read-aloud stories for children, written and illustrated by Oregon authors and illustrators.

The twenty-five stories in Oregon Reads Aloud are a celebration of all things Oregon, including a great food cart feud, the dance of the Chapman Swifts, the creation of Oregon’s mountain ranges, and a legendary African American cowboy at the Pendleton Round-up.

The book is a tribute to twenty-five years of SMART Reading’s work empowering Oregon children for reading and learning success. Oregon Reads Aloud proudly features the state’s rich trove of talent within the children’s literary community, including Eric A, Kimmel, Elizabeth Rusch, David Horn, Brian Parker, and Trudy Ludwig, among many others.