“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
Gooney Bird arrives at the door of Mrs. Pigeon’s second grade classroom announcing, “I’m your new student. My name is Gooney Bird Greene – that’s Greene with a silent ‘e’ at the end – and I just moved here from China. I want a desk right smack in the middle of the room, because I … Read more
“It’s better to have one true friend than a million others.” Drita and her family are refugees from war-torn Kosovo. Once they have settled in America, all Drita wants to do is fit in. She’s got heart and determination in spades, but Drita speaks very little English and making friends is easier said than done. … Read more
Dick King-Smith is probably best known as the author of Babe: The Gallant Pig, the story that went on to be a Hollywood movie. But, he has a large canon of delightful books with animals – real and fantastical. The Water Horse isa mischievous romp and another animal lovers’ delight. King-Smith is a natural story teller, and this … Read more
Iron resolve. Ferocious courage. And a healthy dose of insanity. In Marion Jensen’s Almost Super, each of these attributes is as important to members of the Bailey family as are the superpowers they receive on the leap year after they turn twelve. But for brothers Rafter and Benny, those coveted superpowers may just look a … Read more
“On the outside, happy and sad often look the same.” What is it like to try to read when the letters seem to move on the page? What is like to be in the room full of people – and still feel all alone? Meet Ally. She’s dyslexic, but she doesn’t know there’s an actual … Read more
What do the toys do when you are away? It is a perennial question that has inspired stories from Raggedy Ann to Winnie the Pooh to Toy Story. In Toys Go Out, Emily Jenkins takes the baton from Johnny Gruelle, A.A. Milne, and Pixar and delivers a fresh take on this timeless concept. Jenkins makes it clear that her toys have their … Read more
“It’s important to stand up for what’s right, but sometimes there’s a fine line between courage and stupidity.” Hoot is the great Carl Hiaasen’s first foray into children’s literature, and he won the Newbery Honor for it. Well known for his adult novels with fast-paced, humorous tales of environmental shenanigans in Florida, Hiaasen hit a … Read more
Three characters; separated by continents, divided by decades, and bound by harrowing circumstances that reach beyond time and place. The journeys of the three protagonists in Alan Gratz’s Refugee are distinct in history, yet they share a common trajectory of escaping cruelty to find freedom. Josef from Germany in the 1930s, Isabel from Cuba in … Read more
Dog Days brings together a new kid story, a dog story, a bullying story, and a dose of financial literacy – all in 122 illustrated pages. Gavin is a third grader adjusting to a new town and new school while trying to make new friends. His attempt to impress a potential new friend leads to … Read more
Dragons in a Bag is a much-needed contribution to the world of fantasy kidlit. It practically stands alone in a subgenre lacking characters of color. In fact, author Zetta Elliott intentionally wrote this book to add some representation to this space and show children that “magic can happen to anyone, anywhere—not just white kids in … Read more
There are different ways to tell a dragon story. Tony DiTerlizzi knows this. Looking for knights and armor and fair maidens? Fire-breathing and flying? Medieval tales of derring-do? Kenny and the Dragon has a little of this. But it is really about something else… It’s a story about friendship. It’s about confounding expectations. And it’s about … Read more
A second Newbery Medal winner from Kate DiCamillo? Holy Bagumba! Flora Belle Buckman is an avid reader of comic books and self-proclaimed, natural-born cynic. A freak accident (while her neighbor is vacuuming her lawn!) transforms a squirrel into a character with creative superpowers, just like Peter Parker being bitten by an irradiated arachnid. Or like … Read more
Boggis and Bunce and BeanOne fat, one short, one lean.These horrible crooksSo different in looksWere nonetheless equally mean. So begins the sly and charming tale, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Roald Dahl’s 1970 story about a family of foxes trying to survive by outwitting the three loathsome farmers who try to root them out. They are led by … Read more
Sharon Creech’s Love That Dog is a unique and special book. On the surface, it is a simple story told through poetry. But that story works its magic in devious and mysterious ways. The young protagonist, Jack, who thinks he doesn’t like poetry, is compelled to endure a poetry unit. Every week his teacher, Miss … Read more
Newbery Award-winning author Sharon Creech blends the ingredients for a soulful story just like an old Italian grandmother blends the ingredients for soup. In a brisk 134 pages, Creech’s Granny Torrelli Makes Soup is a perfect spoonful of narrative prose for students and their families. It offers the simple premise that best friends are timeless … Read more
“Sometimes the things we want and the things we love get tangled up in our hearts like bramble when we try to do what’s right.” This poetic notion encapsulates the adventures in the novel, Brambleheart, written and illustrated by Henry Cole. Sometimes it is hard to choose between the things we want and the things … Read more
It sure is hard to be a dog. If only his Humans knew the struggle. Phew! Fenway and Hattie is the story of a dog and his Humans, their understandings and misunderstandings. It is a charming tale of true dedication and friendship. Fenway and his favorite Short Human, Hattie, find a way to better relate … Read more
Frindle tells the story of Nick Allen, a kid who “had plenty of ideas, and he knew what to do with them.” So far, his trip though elementary school has been eventful, but fairly trouble-free. Yes, he has implemented some crazy ideas, but he has never really faced a true adversary. Until he arrives in Mrs. … Read more
The Zoey and Sassafras series provides a wonderful way to get young readers excited about science. The first book, Dragons and Marshmallows, cleverly introduces the scientific method in a memorable and exciting way. It’s a unique blend of logic and imagination, just as any good science experiment should be. But, this story is far from a dry scientific … Read more
The Chocolate Touch is a charming little re-telling of the King Midas story – only this time it’s young John Midas who can turn everything into…chocolate! Why should you read that? Of course, it is engaging for children to read a book that is all about chocolate – at least on the surface. As John … Read more
Lola Levine is a confident 2nd grader with lots of winning qualities. She loves soccer, jumping on her bed, writing in her diary, painting, kittens, and eating all the delicious foods from her mixed heritage. She also loves writing notes to her friends, family, and teachers, and those notes are key to this heartwarming story. … Read more
Meet Aven Green. She’s a completely typical middle schooler. She goes to school, plays soccer, strums the guitar, and eats peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. But Aven does have one small difference…she was born without arms. “Growing up, I could do most everything everyone else with arms could do: eating cereal, brushing my … Read more
Judy Blume published Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing in 1972. The first book in a series of five, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing presents us with the plight of Peter Hatcher, a nine-year-old kid whose two-year-old brother, Fudge, creates havoc wherever he goes. Peter tries hard to put up with his brother’s shenanigans, … Read more
