YOUNGER READERS
Alexie, Sherman. Thunder Boy Jr.
Named after his father, Thunder Boy Jr. seeks a new name that’s all his own and celebrates something cool that he has done. E ALE
Beaty, Andrea. Ada Twist, Scientist.
Inquisitive Ada Twist is determined to identify a mysterious smell. Her mission includes some not-so-successful science experiments, supportive parents, and insatiable curiosity. E BEA
Brosgol, Vera. Leave Me Alone!
In her endeavor to make sweaters for 30 curious grandchildren, a harried grandmother embarks on a quest for peace and quiet. (Caldecott Honor Book) E BRO
Cummins, Lucy Ruth. A Hungry Lion; or, a Dwindling Assortment of Animals.
Why do a little calico kitten, a brown mouse, and a floppy-eared bunny disappear? Ask the hungry lion. E CUM
DePaola, Tomie and Jim Lewis. When Andy Met Sandy.
A story of gentle friendship begins when one child courageously asks another to play. E 428 DEP
DiCamillo, Kate. Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln?
Baby Lincoln goes on a “necessary journey,” taking the opportunity to explore, grow, and find herself. In the end she realizes that there is no place like home. J DIC
Dyckman, Ame. Horrible Bear!
When a kite goes astray, an accident and misunderstanding bring together two unlikely friends in a story about the power of forgiveness. E DYC
Fan, Terry. The Night Gardener.
A dreary town comes to life through the efforts of a mysterious nocturnal gardener, whose fantastic topiaries amaze and empower a young boy. E FAN
Fogliano, Julie. Old Dog Baby Baby.
Simple text and watercolor illustrations capture the sweet relationship between a crawling baby and a lovable old dog as they play together on the kitchen floor. E FOG
Jenkins, Martin. Fabulous Frogs.
Frogs of all sizes and colors, bearing a variety of unique characteristics, hop through this beautiful nonfiction picture book. E 597.89 GLA
Keller, Laurie. We Are Growing! A Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie Like Reading! Book.
The exuberance felt by a few blades of grass as they celebrate their individuality and quick growth is cut short in the face of an approaching lawn mower. (Geisel Medal Book) E 428 KEL
Klassen, Jon. We Found a Hat.
Two turtles unexpectedly explore the depths of their friendship and loyalty when they come across a good-looking hat without an owner. E KLA
LaReau, Kara. The Infamous Ratsos.
Trying to follow in their tough father’s footsteps, Louie and Ralphie’s efforts go humorously awry. (Geisel Honor Book) E 428 LAR
Milgrim, David. Go, Otto, Go!
Extremely simple text and humorous, energetic illustrations bring to life, with surprising emotional complexity, this tale of Otto the robot who is building a spaceship to take him home. (Geisel Honor Book) E 428 EASY BKS MIL
Pizzoli, Greg. Good Night Owl.
When an unfamiliar noise prevents Owl from falling asleep, his desperate efforts to find its source escalate to comedic effect.(Geisel Honor Book) E PIZ
Portis, Antoinette. Best Frints in the Whole Universe.
Using their own unique language, space creatures Yelfred and Omek demonstrate that friendship troubles are universal. E POR
Rex, Adam. School’s First Day of School.
In this charming account of first-day jitters, a brand new school building is the one wracked with nerves as the school year begins. E REX
Sidman, Joyce. Before Morning.
Through rhythmic text and scratchboard illustrations, readers follow a family from “the deep woolen dark” of night into a snowy morning, where all is made “slow and delightful and white.” E SID
Star, Fleur. Counting.
Experience counting in the natural world with a variety of textures and shapes. Numbers and words are printed as text and Braille in this early learning board book. E BOARD BK STA
Twohy, Mike. Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run! An Alphabet Caper.
In this playful abecedary, a ball and a dog interrupt mouse’s nap, triggering an A to Z chase. (Geisel Honor Book) E TWO
Urban, Linda. Weekends with Max and His Dad.
On weekends, third-grader Max visits his dad's new apartment and begins to adjust to his parents' divorce.
Watts, Jeri. A Piece of Home.
In this compassionate immigration story, Hee Jun and his family slowly adjust to their new life in West Virginia after moving from Korea. E WAT
MIDDLE READERS
Anderson, John David. Ms. Bixby’s Last Day.
Ms. Bixby is the sort of teacher that makes going to school worthwhile. When she is diagnosed with cancer, three boys decide to make sure her last day is perfect. J AND
Barnhill, Kelly. The Girl Who Drank the Moon.
Saved by a witch as a baby, Luna is accidentally filled with extraordinarily powerful magic. (Newbery Medal Book) J-FAN BAR
Brown, Peter. The Wild Robot.
An inquisitive and lonely robot mothers an orphaned gosling and befriends an island of animals in a story of survival, where nature and technology collide. J-SF BRO
DiCamillo, Kate. Raymie Nightingale.
DiCamillo’s writing sparkles with humor and hope as new friends Raymie, Beverly, and Louisiana endeavor to find their places in the world. J DIC
Dupuis, Jenny Kay and Kathy Kacer. I Am Not a Number.
Sent to a residential boarding school in Canada, Irene reminds herself that her family, language, and Anishinaabe culture are a source of great strength and pride. GOLDSTAR DUP
Goldsaito, Katrina. The Sound of Silence.
After a musician tells Yoshio her favorite sound is ma (silence), the boy seeks ma amidst the daily bustle of his life in Tokyo. E GOL
Holm, Jennifer L. Full of Beans.
Bean and his gang of friends find the resources to survive the Great Depression’s hardships in their hometown of Key West, Florida. J-HF HOL
Hopkinson, Deborah. Steamboat School.
When James’ school is closed by a law forbidding the education of African Americans, he helps create a clever alternative. E HOP
Levy, Debbie. I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark.
Discover the life of Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in this picture-book biography about how one small yet powerful woman persisted against great odds. J-B GINSBERG
Lin, Grace. When the Sea Turned to Silver.
Chinese folklore intertwines with Pinmei and Yishan’s perilous journey to save Pinmei's storyteller grandmother from the clutches of the evil Tiger Emperor. J-FAN LIN
Nannestad, Katrina. When Mischief Came to Town.
Recently orphaned, Inge Maria goes to live with her grandmother. Through her wild and spirited ways, Inge soon endears herself to the villagers, bringing joy to all. J-HF NAN
Peck, Richard. The Best Man.
Four men in Archer’s family become his heroes in this story of small-town life, family, and marriage.
Pennypacker, Sara. Pax.
Readers join a stirring search for peace in this poignant tale of loss and reconciliation, told in the alternating views of a fox and his boy. J PEN
Perkins, Lynne Rae. Frank and Lucky Get Schooled.
A boy and his newly adopted dog learn about math, science, and other school subjects through everyday interactions in nature and with each other. E PER
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of The Snowy Day.
This homage to Ezra Jack Keats takes the form of a biographical poem, telling of his creation of Peter, the young, black protagonist of The Snowy Day, and Keats’ impact on children's literature. J-B KEATS
Raczka, Bob. Wet Cement.
Children will enjoy the unusual format of the poems and their titles in this kid-friendly collection of concrete poetry. J 811 RAC
Stewart, Trenton Lee. The Secret Keepers.
When 12-year-old Reuben finds a peculiar, magical watch that has the power to turn its owner invisible, he’s propelled on the adventure of a lifetime. J-FAN STE
Thornhill, Jan. The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk.
Great Auks, flightless birds resembling penguins, were prolific in the icy waters of the northern Atlantic until human hunters, egg collectors, and climate change led to their extinction. J 598.33 THO
Turk, Evan. The Storyteller.
During a time of drought, a storyteller and his apprentice weave a complex tale to rescue their city from a menacing sandstorm. J 398.20953 TUR
OLDER READERS
Alexander, Kwame. Booked.
Twelve-year-old Nick excels on the soccer field but struggles to deal with his parents' divorce in this touching yet humorous novel in verse. J ALE
Beckhorn, Susan Williams. The Wolf’s Boy.
Two outcasts, a boy and a wolf, band together to survive the harsh, Ice-age winter. J-HF BEC
Fleming, Candace. Presenting Buffalo Bill: The Man Who Invented the Wild West.
Fleming digs for truth behind the myth of showman William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, the development of the Wild West, and the treatment of the American Indians during late nineteenth century. J-B BUFFALO BILL
Freedman, Russell. We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Adolf Hitler.
In this impeccably researched history, drawn from primary sources, readers learn about Hans and Sophie Scholl, former members of the Hitler Youth, who sacrificed their lives to spread the truth about the Nazi regime. (Sibert Honor Book) J 943.086 FRE
Gidwitz, Adam. The Inquisitor’s Tale; or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog.
On a dark night in 1242 France, travelers tell the story of three mysterious children: William, Jacob, and Jeanne, and their dog Gwenforte, recently brought back from the dead. (Newbery Honor Book) J-FAN GID
Ringtved, Glenn. Cry, Heart, but Never Break.
The figure of Death gently eases the pain of four siblings as they accept the loss of their grandmother. (Batchelder Award Book)
Weatherford, Carole Boston. You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen.
This collection of free-verse poems offers an evocative portrait of the U.S.’ first African American military pilots, who trained at the Tuskegee Institute during WWII. J-HF WEA
Wolk, Lauren. Wolf Hollow.
In this coming-of-age story, spunky and courageous Annabelle defends a veteran who has become the target of local bullying attacks. (Newbery Honor Book)
ALL AGES
Bryan, Ashley. Freedom over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life.
In the U.S., slaves were erroneously considered objects with a monetary value. Here, Bryan humanizes 11 enslaved people, imagining the dreams and personal reflections that belong only to them. (Newbery Honor Book) GOLDSTAR BRY
Campoy, F. Isabel and Theresa Howell. Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood.
With paint, brushes, and artistic spirit, a muralist transforms Mira’s gray neighborhood into a place of color, joy, and unity. Based on a community art movement in San Diego, California. E CAM
Ellis, Carson. Du Iz Tak?
As a tiny plant springs from the ground, curious bugs watch it grow and marvel in their own buggy language. Whimsically detailed paintings showcase their activities and the subtly passing seasons. (Caldecott Honor Book) E ELL
Fleming, Candace. Giant Squid.
Plunging into the “depths of the sunless sea,” readers are wrapped in the tentacles of Fleming’s text and Rohmann’s illustrations, gaining an appreciation for the elusive giant squid. (Sibert Honor Book) E 594.58 FLE
Fogliano, Julie. When Green Becomes Tomatoes.
Quiet, whispered poems capture the internal world of a diverse cast of children, who delight in the changing seasons. J 811.6 FOG
Jenkins, Steve. Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Infographics.
The animal kingdom is presented in easy-to-understand, colorful infographics that allow the reader to appreciate the world of animals by comparing and contrasting one species to another. J 590 JEN
Sanna, Francesca. The Journey.
In the face of war and the loss of her husband, a mother and her children leave everything behind to make a dangerous journey to find safety in a new land. GOLDSTAR SAN
Steptoe, Javaka. Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
The short yet brilliant life story of Jean-Michel Basquiat and his determination to become an artist are revealed through poetic language and illustrations dramatically influenced by Basquiat's own style. (Caldecott Medal Book) J-B BASQUIAT
Sweet, Melissa. Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White.
This enticing biography of beloved children’s book author E. B. White seamlessly incorporates photographs, personal letters, pages from his books, and collage illustrations with engaging text. J-B WHITE
Weatherford, Carole Boston. Freedom in Congo Square.
In rhythmic text and exuberant illustrations, Weatherford and Christie tell the story of slaves who, after toiling all week, had one afternoon free to dance, sing, and play music in New Orleans’ Congo Square. (Caldecott Honor Book) GOLDSTAR WEA
Wenzel, Brendan. They All Saw a Cat.
Readers observe a cat from a variety of perspectives as he sees and is seen by a cast of characters. (Caldecott Honor Book) E WEN |