James and Marvin are best friends, which wouldn’t be unusual except for the fact that James is a boy and Marvin is a beetle. Welcome to the world created by Elise Broach in her award-winning children’s novel, Masterpiece. The companion introductory chapter book series, The Masterpiece Adventures, revels in the magic of this unlikely friendship. … Read more
For years, schools have celebrated reading with Betty G. Birney’s Humphrey series. Now, readers who need a bit more support can join in the classroom hamster fun with Humphrey’s Tiny Tales, aseries of introductory chapter books. “Classroom pets like me love to be needed.” In Humphrey’s Playful Puppy Problems, everyone’s favorite hamster heads home for … Read more
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
Basketball. Competition. Family. Health. Poetry. Kwame Alexander weaves all these all elements together in his Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award winning novel in verse, The Crossover. OH, WOW – DID YOU SEE THAT NASTY CROSSOVER?Now you see why they call me Filthy.Folks, I hope you got your tickets,Because I’m about to put on … 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
“Can’t keep up. Can’t keep up.” Jessie Treski wants to keep up with her older brother. She’s really good with numbers, math, and, as it turns out, business. But she’s less sure of the social sense that allows her to understand how others react to her intelligence and her drive, including her classmates and her older … 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
“I think I might have learned more from not having a teacher than I did having one.” – Maggie We’ve all experienced a Ms. Bryce before – that strict, old-fashioned teacher that has been in the profession for a long, long time – the teacher that you wish would quit. Class 507, the worst class … Read more
Move over Humphrey, there’s a new class pet in town! Well, actually there are 8 of them. And a squirrel. And a dog. And together they do indeed create chaos. This fast-paced adventure from Vivian Vande Velde is one wild ride that your students are sure to enjoy. First, they’ll meet Twitch, the schoolyard squirrel, … 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
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
The Gooseberry Gang is back – and they’re stronger in number, spirit, and love. The beloved hermit crab, Gwendolyn, and the loyal Labrador, Kona, strive to save the Gooseberry Park residents from a devastating drought. This effort requires the cooperation and kindness of an entire menagerie of animals, each of whom demonstrates strengths and gifts … 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
How to Eat Fried Worms is a truly “squirm in your seat” read – and that makes it a perfect Intro/Sweet Spot selection for your school. One sure way to get children wanting to read more is to pick a book that is filled to the brim with classic kid-based grossness. Hit ‘em where they live. … Read more
A rich, modern, and now classic fable. Nim’s Island takes us to the idyllic spot in the Pacific where a young girl, Nim, lives with her scientist father. They are self-sufficient in their paradise, complete with solar powered computer batteries and a satellite dish. This isn’t a standard stranded-on-a-desert-island story. We spend all our time with … Read more
Robert C. O’Brien’s Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a Newbery-winning novel that sports an array of attractions. An intrepid mouse trying to save her family. A family farm with an array of creatures like Dragon, the cat. A wise owl living in the great tree in the forest. The mysterious rats from … 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
