Children

How did the story of Cinderella, her glass slipper, the pumpkin carriage, and a magical night at the ball with a prince come to be? Find out in this dazzling book that explores the many different versions of Cinderella's story across different authors, movies, cultures, and more!

Who HQ brings you the stories behind the most well-known characters of our time in the What Is the Story Of? series!

Did you know that the first version of Cinderella's story was written two thousand years ago in Greece? It was about a young woman named Rhodopis and her missing sandal. Since then, many versions of this fairy tale have been written featuring a poor girl whose kindness led to her dreams coming true. China, Italy, France, and Germany all have distinct versions of Cinderella's story that author Dana Rau explains within this exciting nonfiction book for fans of the beloved princess. Young readers will learn over a dozen different versions of Cinderella's story, including the most famous versions by Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, Walt Disney, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Fans will also get to know the many different actresses who have brought Cinderella to life, including Brandy Norwood, Julie Andrews, Drew Barrymore, and Anne Hathaway.

YOU are a British citizen during World War II when the German Blitzkrieg--or Blitz--begins. Night after night, waves of German planes drop hundreds of bombs on cities and towns all over Great Britain. How will you protect yourself during these terrifying attacks? What will you do to help your neighbors and community survive? Step back in time to face the dangers and difficult decisions real people encountered during the Blitz of World War II.

It is 1915, and twelve-year-old Penny and her brother Charles are embarking on a trip to England aboard the RMS Lusitania. But war is brewing overseas, and there are rumors that Germany will torpedo any ship that comes into the area--even a ship full of civilian passengers. Shy and nervous Penny is worried, but those worries fade when she makes her first real friend, a bold girl named Mary. With Mary, Penny begins to find her voice for the first time. Then, as they approach Ireland, their worst fear comes true: The Lusitania is struck by a torpedo. In the chaos of a sinking ship, Penny becomes separated from Charles and Mary, and she must gather all her courage to stay alive and face an uncertain future. This fast-paced Girls Survive historical fiction--with nonfiction backmatter, including an author's note, discussion questions, and more--will captivate readers as they learn the devastating story of the sinking of the Lusitania.

From the screenwriter of Academy Award­–nominated Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish comes an inventive middle grade adventure about an interdimensional school for time travelers perfect for fans of the Spy School and Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series.

When Bertie Wells accidentally creates a black hole in his bedroom in the year 1878, the last thing he expects is for a grown-up to step out. Darla Marconi comes with an offer: Bertie is invited to attend the EverWhen School of Time Travel and Other Odd Sciences.

Not exactly thrilled at the idea, but not exactly having anything better to do, Bertie agrees. And that was only the first weird thing to happen to him that day. Thankfully, he's not alone—144 years in the future, math whiz Zoe Fuentes just accepted the same invitation, and 550 years in the past, Amelia da Vinci (yes, that da Vinci) has also decided to attend.

Transported to 2024 for their first semester of school, these three must team up and work together in order to survive the year, including weathering a time paradox, solving the case of a disappearing dean, and uncovering the truth behind a shady intergalactic secret society.

Dolly Parton is known as one of the most famous singer/songwriters in country music, but what about before that? What happened when Parton was younger? What did she do then that led to her being famous later on? Also includes a page for caregivers and teachers that suggests guiding questions to help aid in reading comprehension. Downloadable Teacher Notes available.

Nancy investigates a string of accidents at the theater in the twenty-sixth Nancy Drew Diaries, a fresh approach to a classic series.

When Ned is cast in a stage production of Macbeth, led by the famous but peculiar director Bear Larouche, Nancy volunteers to help with the set. She’s also allowed to sit in on a few rehearsals, where she gets an earful from the director about theater superstitions: never say “Macbeth” out loud—only refer to it as “The Scottish Play”—never wear blue, no peacock feathers onstage, and so on. 

The play is off to a promising start until Ned breaks the most important rule and accidentally says “Macbeth” in the theater. And then accidents begin happening during rehearsals. It quickly goes from odd to scary, and the director is ready to cancel the show. 

Nancy might not believe in superstition, but she does believe in intuition, and hers is telling her that the cause behind these incidents isn’t a curse, but someone in the cast. It’s up to her to find out who before opening night.

In the second installment of this hilarious unlikely-superhero adventure, Stanley and Gene master their invisibility powers and face a mysterious new villain bent on their destruction!

“Can't be missed!” —Max Brallier, #1 NYT bestselling author of The Last Kids on Earth

Being invisible comes with great responsibility . . . and great fun!

Stanley and Gene have joined forces and finally figured out how to control their invisibility. It’s obvious to Stanley what the duo should do with this newfound control—fight crime of course! Gene, on the other hand, is not so sure. When the only crime around is stealing a pen from the bank, fighting it isn’t all that exciting.

But when a new pair of villains rob Stanley’s family store, things get personal. Can Stanley and Gene track down the thieves and recover the stolen goods before his family is forced to sell their home? And who is the mysterious supervillain boss instigating all of this trouble?

These enemies-turned-partners will have to use all their powers and creative problem-solving to face these foes.

A girl whose anxiety disorder has been ruling her life since her father’s death unexpectedly has the story she’s written come alive in this adventurous and tender middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of Barbara Dee and Jamie Sumner.

Zoey Turner used to see magic everywhere. With a dad like Zoey’s, it was hard not to. Not only did they read The Magic of Ever After series together every day, they also used to create original stories together. Used to. Ever since her dad died unexpectedly last year, all Zoey sees is danger.

Fear has shrunk homeschooled Zoey’s life to the span of one block, where she keeps close to the people that she needs the most. Her mom is almost never out of sight, and Jada, the owner of Ever After Books, is always around to talk about their favorite fantasy trilogy. Zoey finally ventures outside her comfort zone for the chance to meet famed author Raven M. Wells, only for the outing to lead to a panic attack.

Instead of a signed book, Zoey ends up with a novelty pencil embossed with the phrase make your own magic that she uses to cope with her disappointment by writing a story like the ones she and her dad shared. The next day, Zoey is shocked to find her fantastical tale has come true. Emboldened by the pencil, Zoey takes risks she thought were long behind her in pursuit of her happy ending. But is she really in charge of how the story ends?

An introduction for young readers on the basics of how to care for a pet cat. Bright photos and clear, simple text lay the foundation for children to take greater responsibility and a more active role in their pets' lives. Additional features include a table of contents, a glossary of key words and phrases, a fun-facts section, a list of needs and dangers to the pet, and sources for further research.

Learn about the record-breaking career of basketball superstar Caitlin Clark in this Who HQ Now biography featuring newsmakers and trending topics.

Point guard Caitlin Clark took the world of college basketball by storm when she began playing for the University of Iowa in 2020, earning 27 points in her first game alone. By the end of her college career, Caitlin broke the record for total NCAA career-scoring points by scoring 3,951 points over her four years as an Iowa Hawkeye. The high-scoring athlete grabbed the attention of the world—over 14 million viewers tuned in to watch her playoff games in April of 2024. When it came time to be drafted onto a professional basketball team in the WNBA, Caitlin was the first pick of the first round and was selected by the Indiana Fever. Learn all about the beloved number 22 in this inspiring book that is perfect for basketball fans and young athletes.