Corey Rosen Schwartz

Dan Santat

Companion to the hit The Three Ninja Pigs, this fractured fairy tale is a sure-fire storytime hit.

Wolf just can’t catch a break! Ever since the three little pigs started teaching everyone Ninja skills, huffing and puffing just hasn’t been enough to scare up a good meal. 

His craving for meat sends Wolf to classes at the dojo, and soon he’s ready to try out his new moves. A little girl and her tiny granny should be easy targets—right?

Not if Little Red has anything to say about it! Kiya!

Ninja Red Riding Hood

Holly Sterling

karate

trying new things

Gi? Ready! Belt? Ready! Let’s go! It’s karate time. HAI-YAH! Join Maya and all her friends as they get together at the dojo for their Saturday karate class! There are moves to remember, blocks to practice, and punches to perfect. Maya is a white belt, which means she’s still a beginner, but with focus, balance, and determination – and a little help from her friends – can she show Sensei what she’s got? Written and illustrated by Holly Sterling, a karate champion and teacher, this is a joyful and uplifting celebration of the sport and a must-have primer for any child hoping to be a karate kid one day.

Karate Kids

Elise Gravel

Ada hates everything about ballet class, yet she still has to go! Arabesques? Grotesque! And then one Saturday, Ada pliés right out the door and into the hallway, smacking into someone who thinks her ungraceful moves are great! In the tradition of Kevin Henkes’s Lilly books and Russell and Lillian Hoban’s Frances classics, Ada is a plucky little kid with her own way of thinking. Through Ada’s stubbornness and emotional honesty, author/illustrator Elise Gravel shows her understanding of how kids feel and why. She shows us that anger is normal and feeling our emotions leads to growth! This short, funny, energetic book—full of word bubbles that enhance visual literacy and Gravel’s signature vibrant illustrations—is a great choice for both reading aloud and reading independently for emergent readers. Children who love ballet—and definitely those who don’t—will delight in this clever, subversive tale about a kid who has to do what she doesn’t like in order to discover what she loves.

The Cranky Ballerina

Barbara Dee

sexual abuse

self-esteem and self-reliance

peer pressure

A 2020 ALA Notable Children’s Book A Washington Post Best Children’s Book of 2019 Barbara Dee explores the subject of #MeToo for the middle grade audience in this heart-wrenching–and ultimately uplifting–novel about experiencing harassment and unwanted attention from classmates.  For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some boys giving her an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. A few days later, at recess, one of the boys (and fellow trumpet player) Callum tells Mila it’s his birthday, and asks her for a “birthday hug.” He’s just being friendly, isn’t he? And how can she say no? But Callum’s hug lasts a few seconds too long, and feels…weird. According to her friend, Zara, Mila is being immature and overreacting. Doesn’t she know what flirting looks like? But the boys don’t leave Mila alone. On the bus. In the halls. During band practice–the one place Mila could always escape. It doesn’t feel like flirting–so what is it? Thanks to a chance meeting, Mila begins to find solace in a new place: karate class. Slowly, with the help of a fellow classmate, Mila learns how to stand her ground and how to respect others–and herself. From the author of Everything I Know About You, Halfway Normal, and Star-Crossed comes this timely story of a middle school girl standing up and finding her voice.”

Maybe He Just Likes You

Geronimo Stilton

Enter the world of Geronimo Stilton, where another funny, cheesy adventure is always right around the corner. Each book is fast-paced with lively art and a unique format kids 7-10 will love.Geronimo Stilton gets caught up in the World Karate Championships, thanks to the efforts of Bruce Hyena and Piccolo Tao, Bruce’s super-sporty cousin. Geronimo only has a week to become real champion material! Will Geronimo manage to overcome his fears in order to win the competition?

The Karate Mouse

Franklin W. Dixon

A famous movie star’s black belt is brought into the karate class and is promptly stolen. Frank and Joe are hot on the trail of the thief in order to help reclaim their hero’s property - before he comes to visit!

The Karate Clue

Fran Manushkin

Tammy Lyon

After watching a ninja cartoon, Pedro dreams of being a ninja himself. Luckily, his dad gets him karate lessons. With hard work and a little practice, maybe Pedro can become ninja star, just like the ones he sees in the movies! A glossary and reading questions make this title a black-belt level book.

Pedro the Ninja

Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Beginning readers can learn all about what happens at karate class in this Pre-level 1 Ready-to-Read with sweet text and photographs of young martial artists-in-training! It’s the first day of karate class. What will it be like? Find out in this early reader by Biscuit creator Alyssa Satin Capucilli. Karate students wear a uniform called a gi, and learn to block and kick! Young readers will love seeing kids their age practicing karate, learning words like obi (the karate belt), and more in this adorable introduction to the sport! Includes a special section of step-by-step instructions for basic karate moves–to be done with a parent or guardian’s supervision.

My First Karate Class

Kim Smith

When The Karate Kid appeared in theaters in 1984, its heartwarming story of an unlikely friendship between a bullied boy and his karate teacher won over audiences and inspired children across America to take up martial arts. Now this beloved film is reimagined as a Pop Classics picture book, with Kim Smith’s bright and kid-friendly illustrations capturing all of the story’s iconic moments. Young Daniel moves to a new town and becomes the target of bullies from the local karate dojo Cobra Kai. Hoping to win the upcoming karate tournament, Daniel begs his neighbor Mr. Miyagi to help him train. Mr. Miyagi reluctantly agrees. But he becomes more than just Daniel’s sensei by teaching him lessons about patience, balance, and hard work along the way. This timeless story about finding inner strength will enchant children, their parents, and anyone who has ever had that one special teacher.

The Karate Kid

R.W. Alley

Kylie Kangaroo is ready to let her kicker fly at Koora’s karate club. There’s just one tricky trick–will Kylie ever learn to break a brick?

Kylie Kangaroo's Karate Kickers

Nancy Krulik

Katie’s friend Kevin can’t wait for his big karate match. And Kevin, who says he’s the best yellow belt in his class, thinks he’s bound to win. But when the magic wind turns Katie into Kevin just before his big match, she manages to threaten his chances of beating the competition! Will Katie be able to karate chop her way to the top?

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