It is 2091, and humans have been living on Mars for twenty years. There are grown-ups who have come from several different countries on Earth to establish the settlements, and there are kids who were brought there as babies. There’s even a cat – Leo – fondly referred to as the “Lion of Mars.” The … Read more
“But I am not safe here. If any human ever learns who I really am, they will have me destroyed. And that is why, when the time is right, I will try to escape.” After living on a remote island and learning to speak the language of the animals, Roz the robot is facing a … Read more
“A lot happens in a school when the teachers aren’t looking.” So closes an anonymous letter left for Mr. Binney, fifth grade teacher at McKenna School. The letter is attached to a manuscript that tells a remarkable story of Malcolm and his noble quest to protect the school from the evil plan of Snip, a … Read more
From Newbery-winning author, Kwame Alexander. For middle schools. About soccer. About books. And relationships. Nick Hall is a pretty typical middle schooler. He’s a king on the soccer field, he’s doing well in school, and he’s gearing up to ask out April, the girl of his dreams. However, Nick doesn’t like words. His father is … Read more
Set in London, the Planet Omar series brings to life the vivid imagination of a 9-year-old boy facing a new school year at a new school. Thanks to Zanib Mian’s witty writing and the fully integrated illustrations by Nasaya Mafaridik, this book moves briskly with plenty of laughs – and lessons – along the way. … Read more
What is life like when you are a seventh-grader who gets picked up from school every day in the family taco truck, lovingly named Tía Perla? Well, what was fun and exciting in elementary school – “corn chips and cold sodas for all my friends” – is now just humiliating. Tía Perla, huffing and wheezing … Read more
The girl who charmed you in Stella Díaz Has Something to Say is back for more heartwarming fun. And you don’t have to read the first book to appreciate the second book of this series. If only I could do something big this summer, too. It’s the beginning of summer vacation and Stella is dejected. … Read more
This was going to be the worst summer ever! So says Jake as he waits for the ferry to take him to stay with his grandmother, Honey, on Dewees Island in the Lowcountry of South Carolina – very much against his will. No friends. No Wi-Fi. And, minutes after the ferry leaves the dock, no … Read more
“Papa Pete always says laughter is good, but not as good as a pickle.” Bookmarks Are People Too! is the first book in the Here’s Hank series, books that re-package Henry Winkler’s lovable character Hank Zipzer for younger readers. Don’t worry – these Intro level books retain all the hilarity and shenanigans of Niagara Falls, … Read more
The Hank Zipzer series is the creation of Henry Winkler (yes, the Fonz, from Happy Days). He began the series to give voice to his own struggles in school when he was a child with dyslexia. So he created Hank Zipzer – “the world’s greatest underachiever.” Yes, Hank struggles with the technical aspects of school … Read more
“Little Miss Perfect” takes on “Mr. Good-Enough” in Allan Woodrow’s tale of sibling-rivalry with an entrepreneurial twist. A resourceful, yet tired single mom wants nothing to do with umpiring her kids’ argument about getting a family pet. After hearing Lexi’s boardroom-worthy presentation for a cat, and Otto’s desperate pleas for a dog, Mom decides to … Read more
Read to Them is proud to offer E.B. White’s classic Charlotte’s Web. An entire community reading about Farmer Zuckerman’s barn – from kindergarteners to 5th graders, from parents to administrators, from teachers to bus drivers – will give your school an experience that is nothing less than “TERRIFIC.” Whether you are an older sibling who … Read more
On the surface, Save Me a Seat is book about bullying. But there is so much more. It’s a book about different perspectives, told by two boys from different cultures. It’s a book about friendship. It’s a book about classroom dynamics. It’s a book about Indian food! Ravi’s family has just immigrated from India. He … Read more
To my faithful readers,because a book is like a pie –the only thing more satisfying than cooking up the storyis knowing that somebody might be out thereeating it up with a spoon.-SW This epigraph is an invitation by Sarah Weeks to relish all the tasty morsel moments in PIE. And there are plenty! PIE is … Read more
“What we expect rarely occurs; what we don’t expect is what happens.” This simple, realistic truth reveals the essence of this deeply affecting novel. Willow Chance is twelve years old, which can be a tough time for any kid and Willow isn’t any kid. She is eccentric, alternatively obsessed with rare medical conditions, botany, and … Read more
“Rejoice, Oh New Yorkers—for a musical miracle has come to pass in our city!… Ah, music lovers, you will never guess. It was a cricket! A simple cricket…that is able to chirp operatic, symphonic, and popular music. … You will find him in the newsstand run by the Bellini family in the subway station in … Read more
In The Wednesday Wars, Holling Hoodhood, navigates 7th grade on Long Island in the 1967-68 school year, a time of great upheaval both for Holling and the country. At home, his father is absorbed in his competitive architecture practice, his sister is consumed by protesting the Vietnam War, and his mother is trying to maintain … Read more
Newbery Medal-winning Holes is a rich, complex book that has already engaged a generation of readers. It is sure to provide a wealth of spirited discussion and fun activities when you read it school-wide. At its heart, Holes is the story of Stanley Yelnats, a boy wrongly accused of a crime and sentenced to spend … Read more
What do a lumbering Labrador, a wise-cracking bat, a Caribbean crab, and a squirrel mother of triplets have in common? They are the best of friends, of course! Gooseberry Park is the endearing story of true friendship and selflessness at its best. Kona, the loyal Labrador, is willing to risk it all to help his best … Read more
In Clementine by Sara Pennypacker, we experience life through the viewpoint of a feisty, firecracker of a third-grade girl, who is having a really bumpy week. It starts off on a Monday when Clementine tries to help a friend who has glue in her hair by cutting off all of her hair! Everything goes wrong, and the … Read more
Read to Them is proud to offer the special, moving, magical Wonder, by R.J. Palacio. One of the most acclaimed books of our time, Wonder has swept readers of multiple generations – a wide range of students, parents, librarians, and teachers. It is a title we’ll be talking about a generation from now. Wonder tells … Read more
Nory Horace was trying to turn herself into a kitten. She was hiding in case something went wrong. The world went blurry, and Nory’s heart beat faster. Her body stretched and shrank. But wait. Her front legs weren’t kitten legs. And what was this nose? It was more of a snout. A beaver nose. Zamboozle! … Read more
Introducing… Merci Suárez! She is fun, spunky, ambitious, mature (and sometimes immature) – making for one highly representative middle-schooler. Merci’s story is one of change, of accepting the hard truths in life and the bumps along the road. Hers is also the story of a loving family that helps during this tricky time. Join Merci … Read more
“Roar!” says Judy Moody as she wakes up for the first day of third grade. Judy is not excited about a new teacher, a new desk, or a new class pet. And the worst part? None of her shirts have words on them. “Judy Moody did not want to give up summer. She did not … Read more
