After Jewish fifth-grader Ava and her Muslim best friend Nadeem are called hateful names at school, Ava's Granny Buena rummages in her closet and pulls out a glittering crystal button box. It's packed with buttons that generations of Ava's Sephardic ancestors have cherished. With the help of Granny's mysterious cat Sheba, Ava and Nadeem discover that a button from the button box will take them back in time. Suddenly, they are in ancient Morocco, where Nadeem's ancestor, Prince Abdur Rahman, is running for his life. Can Ava and Nadeem help the prince escape to Spain and fulfill his destiny, creating a legendary Golden Age for Muslims, Jews and Christians?

What does a football-loving kid do with a couple of old wooden boxes and a pile of buttons? Andy Howell sure doesn't know, but his Grandma Lois gives him precisely that on his twelfth birthday. "They'll change your life and show you spectacular stories about our family's history," Lois tells him. But Andy wonders if she's just trying to coax him toward a future in the family tailoring business and away from his dream of becoming a famous football player. And when she urges him to sleep with the buttons to unlock their magical stories, he begins to think she's going crazy. He doesn't have time to mess with stupid buttons and boxes. All he can think about right now is how to get a good grade on his family tree project in history so he doesn't get benched by his coach and ridiculed by his teammates, who are also his friends. But when Lois suddenly ends up in the hospital with a mysterious ailment, Andy begins to wonder if the power of the buttons and boxes are the only things that can save her. If he learns the button's secrets and his family history, will it cure Lois? Andy doesn't know but frantically devises a plan to rescue her, risking trouble with his parents, teachers, friends, and worst of all, his coach. But is it too late?

The Button Box is a story about family and is a metaphor for life experience. ... This book will make you think of your family and the memories you treasure the most.

"Simple toys are best, and when they're done as well as this, simple books as well."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books An imaginative little boy explores the many pleasures that can be found in—and made from—his grandmother's button box. NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies "Chamberlain's bold linoleum cuts, with gentle color added, portray the buttons in loving detail and give the book an appropriately old-fashioned flavor."—Kirkus Reviews "Besides inspiring some flights of fancy for readers, the book will suggest many uses to parents and librarians for games, history lessons, and puppetry."—Booklist

"There was never a moment in our lives that we were not reminded that our father was the finest, bravest, most gallant, and best-looking man who ever lived and that he was destined for unimaginable glory. This we took for granted. Being our father's children was a special influence in all our lives, but the greatest, most pervasive, and most interesting influence in my life was Ma." The Button Box is the loving memoir of Beatrice Ayer Patton (1886-1953), the wife of one of the greatest military figures in history, General George S. Patton, Jr. Written by the Pattons' daughter, Ruth Ellen, the book covers Beatrice's life from her youth in a wealthy New England family until her death, with an emphasis on her years of marriage to George Patton. A supportive and loving wife, Beatrice was accomplished in her own right as an equestrian, musician, lecturer, sailor, and internationally published author. Courageous and adventurous, Beatrice played a significant role in her husband's life. Without her, General Patton might never have reached his own level of success. Although there have been numerous books written on George S. Patton, The Button Box provides a unique perspective on the general's complex personality as well as a rare and intimate look inside his famous American family, a glimpse of the "Old Army" that formed the cadre of the army of World War II, and a detailed description of life "between the wars" in a society not to be seen again. Most important, though, it is the story of a truly fascinating woman, told with love and a rowdy sense of humor by her daughter.

Discover Math Matters! With over 15 million books sold worldwide, this award-winning series of easy-to-read books will help young readers ages 5–8 approach math with enthusiasm. Great for fans of MathStart or Step into Reading Math. While Grandma takes her morning walk, Kelly reaches for Grandma's button box. Crash! Buttons in every size, shape, and color fly everywhere! Will Kelly and her cousins have the buttons sorted and back in the button box before Grandma's return? With engaging stories that connect math to kids’ everyday lives, each book in the Teachers’ Choice Award–winning Math Matters series focuses on a single concept and reinforces math vocabulary and skills. Bonus activities in the back of each book feature math and reading comprehension questions, and even more free activities online add to the fun! (Math topic: Sorting)

The book My Button Box is a sequel to my first book. This is an assortment of poems, essays, and stories written over many years and then embedded into a larger work using several fictitious characters.