Each day we face a barrage of images and messages from society and the media telling us who, what, and how we should be. We are led to believe that if we could only look perfect and lead perfect lives, we'd no longer feel inadequate. So most of us perform, please, and perfect, all the while thinking, What if I can't keep all of these balls in the air? Why isn't everyone else working harder and living up to my expectations? What will people think if...

Ed Kennedy is an underage cabdriver without much of a future. He's pathetic at playing cards, hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey, and utterly devoted to his coffee-drinking dog, the Doorman. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery. That's when the first ace arrives in the mail. That's when Ed becomes the messenger. Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting...

Twelve-year-old Nick loves soccer and hates books, but soon learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams.

Eleven year-old Akeelah Anderson's life is not easy: her father is dead, her mom ignores her, her brother runs with the local gangbangers. She is a smart girl, but her environment threatens to strangle her aspirations. Responding to a threat by her school's principal, Akeelah decides to participate in a spelling bee to avoid detention for her many absences. Much to her surprise and embarrassment, she wins. Her principal asks her to seek coaching from...

In 1764, Kaya greatly admires a courageous and kind young woman in her Nez Percé village and wants to be worthy of her respect. Includes historical notes on the winter activities of the Nez Percé Indians, including ceremonies and crafts.

This is a gorgeous, lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another.

In rhyming text, a little girl expresses confidence and joy in her uniqueness, no matter her outward appearance.

Rachel Hollis is sounding a wake-up call. She knows that many women have been taught to define themselves in light of other people - whether as wife, mother, daughter, or employee - instead of learning how to own who they are and what they want. With a challenge to women everywhere to stop talking themselves out of their dreams, Hollis identifies the excuses to let go of, the behaviors to adopt, and the skills to acquire on the path to growth, confidence,...

Have you ever left a nerve-racking challenge and immediately wished for a do over? Maybe after a job interview, a performance, or a difficult conversation? The very moments that require us to be genuine and commanding can instead cause us to feel phony and powerless. Too often we approach our lives' biggest hurdles with dread, execute them with anxiety, and leave them with regret. By accessing our personal power, we can achieve "presence," the state...

Overview: Amber Brown loves the holidays. The shopping, the wrapping, the unwrapping. She isn't having any trouble with gifts, but life is another story. She's so happy her dad has moved back to New Jersey, but her mom isn't. It means the beginning of shared custody, and that means more fighting. Amber feels as if half of her belongs to her mom and half of her belongs to her dad, and that doesn't feel good at all. Then her mom says she can't...