GRADES / K-1st
BOOKS
- G.O.A.T.: Greatest of All (Jol Temple) / G.O.A.T. is the Greatest Of All Time goat, but all his farmyard friends would like to be the greatest too.
- Jabari Jumps (Gaia Cornwall) / Jabari is inventing a machine that will fly all the way across the yard! But making it go from CRASH to WHOOSH will take grit, patience, and maybe even a little help from his sister.
- Can I Be Your Dog? (Troy Cummings) / A dog looking for a home sends letters to prospective owners on Butternut Street, with surprising results.
- Sleepy, the Goodnight Buddy! (Drew Daywalt) / When a boy who routinely refuses to go to bed gets a talkative stuffed animal, the tables are turned!
- Everything Will Be Okay (Anna Dewdney) / Nothing is going right for little Bunny today. His sandwich has PB&J instead of cheese. Ow! And he’s stubbed his toe! But while some days can feel more sad than happy, there’s always a bright spot on the horizon.
- Worm and Caterpillar are Friends (Kaz Windness) / A worm and a caterpillar are best friends and when one of them is about to go through a big change, they both learn what is inside is what counts.
- The Book of Turtles (Sy Montgomery and Matt Petersen) / This tribute to one of the most diverse, fascinating, and beloved species on the planet (turtles) speaks to the diversity and wisdom of these long-lived reptiles.
- Eclipse (Andy Rash) / After hearing about the total solar eclipse happening in two months, a boy makes a plan with his father to go see it. They drive to the perfect campsite, not wanting to miss the couple of minutes when the sun will be completely hidden by the moon. When the moment happens, being together makes it even more special.
- Evergreen (Matthew Cordell) / To deliver her mother’s delicious soup to her sick Granny Oak, Evergreen the squirrel must face her fears and make the journey, during which she meets other forest dwellers, including some who want to get their hands on her soup!
- There’s a Unicorn in Your Book (Tom Fletcher) / Unicorns love to sing, but this unicorn isn’t singing because a worry gremlin has crept in! Help the unicorn by using your finger wand and listening to its worries so it can return to normal.
GRADES / K-1st
SERIES
- Pigeon (Mo Willems) / Kids will love this funny series about a stubborn pigeon who always tries to get his way. Told exclusively through simple dialogue, these books are great for reading aloud.
- Piggie and Gerald (Mo Willems) / The series follows the lives of an elephant named Gerald and a pig named Piggie. The two characters are the best of friends. Gerald the Elephant is antsy and serious, while Piggie is exuberant and lively. Willems aimed to teach his readership about the issues of friendship.
- Pete The Cat (Eric Litwin) / The story reinforces that whatever happens in life, you can rise above it. The moral of Pete’s story is: “No matter what you step in, keep walking along and singing your song because it’s all good.”
- The Bad Seed Series (Jory John) / Foods with attitude learn social-emotional skills in this charming and hilarious series.
- What If You Had Animal Series (Sandra Markl) / Your children will love exploring this imaginative series that challenges them to consider what life would be like with animal eyes, ears, and more.
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GRADES / 2nd – 3rd
BOOKS
- I Love Strawberries! (Shannon Anderson) / Jolie loves to eat strawberries. She has devised a plan to grow her own strawberries in her garden. She quickly realizes that growing strawberries is a lot of work and responsibility. Throughout this scrapbook-journal style book she convinces her parents how important it is to grow your own food and how rewarding it can be.
- Gumption! (Elise Broach) / When Peter goes on an African adventure with his beloved Uncle Nigel, who hopes to spot a rare gorilla, the oblivious Nigel urges Peter on by telling him to have gumption, while Peter keeps his eyes open and uses his ingenuity.
- Punky Aloha (Shar Tuiasoa) / Punky Aloha is a Polynesian girl who carries her culture in her heart and in everything she does. Kids will love to follow this fun character all over the island of O’ahu.
- The Chalk Box Kid (Clyde Robert Bulla) / A new neighborhood. A new school. A lonely birthday. Life isn’t easy for nine-year-old Gregory. Then he finds an abandoned chalk factory behind his house. It’s a secret place, just for him! Now he can draw anything he imagines on the dark brick walls. What amazing thing will Gregory draw first?
- Junia, The Book Mule of Troublesome Creek (Kim Michele Richardson) / Junia is a mule. But she’s not just any mule. She’s a mule with an important job. Every morning she carries her Book Woman up and down the rugged hills and surrounding woodlands near the Kentucky town of Troublesome Creek. Book Woman is a Pack Horse librarian. She and Junia deliver free books and reading material to the people living in the hills and woods.
- Over and Under the Wetland / (Kate Messner) / Part of the acclaimed nature book series that includes Over and Under the Pond, Over and Under the Rainforest, and Over and Under the Snow, this volume takes readers on a journey into the magical and mysterious reaches of Florida’s Everglades National Park.
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- Because of Winn Dixie (Kate DeCamillo) / A young girl, Opal, who is lonely and feels abandoned by her mother. She befriends a dog, Winn-Dixie, and he helps her form more new friendships. In the end, Opal is no longer sad and becomes happy with her life the way it is.
- The Activist (Nikkolas Smith) / – Motivated by the realization of global inequities, a young boy embraces his dual identities as an artist and activist, becoming an “artivist” to make a difference by using his viral mural as a catalyst for positive change.
- Beneath (Cori Doerrfeld) / – In this stunning story from New York Times bestselling creator Cori Doerrfeld, a child and their grandfather take a walk in the woods and discover more about themselves. This sweet and tender picture book celebrates our similarities, differences, and that there’s always more under the surface of what we can see.
- The Rise of the Earth Dragon (Tracey West) / Eight-year-old Drake is snatched up by the King’s soldiers and taken to the castle where he is told by the wizard Griffith that he has been chosen to be a Dragon Master like Ana, Rori, and Bo–and his first task will be to discover whether his dragon, Worm, has any special powers.
GRADES / 2nd – 3rd
SERIES
- Mindy Kim series (Lyla Lee) / Fresh Off the Boat meets Junie B. Jones in this adorable chapter book series following Mindy Kim, a young Asian American girl. Mindy is so excited to be a big sister—but also nervous, because she’s never been one before! When her baby brother, Charlie, arrives, Mindy wants to be as helpful as she can.
- Sarai series (Sarai Gonzalez/Monica Brown) / Meet Sarai, a girl who can do anything! This chapter book series is inspired by the life of viral video sensation and social activist Sarai Gonzalez with the help of award-winning children’s book author Monica Brown.
- Magic Tree House series (Mary Pope Osbourne) / A brother and younger sister discover a magic tree house about a ten minute walk from their house. It sends them off to a historical time and place where they have to accomplish something, narrowly escape danger, then be back at the treehouse by chapter ten.
- Princess in Black series (Shannon and Dean Hale ) / Who says princesses don’t wear black? Not Princess Magnolia, whose monster-fighting alter ego saves the kingdom from monsters again and again in this funny, action-packed series.
- Bad Guys series (Aaron Blabey ) / The Bad Guys is an illustrated children’s graphic novel series written by Australian author Aaron Blabey. It revolves around a gang of anthropomorphic animals known as the “Bad Guys”, who attempt to perform good deeds to change society’s perception of them as criminals.
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GRADES / 4th – 5th
BOOKS
- Lost Evangeline (Kate DeCamillo) / When a shoemaker discovers a tiny girl (as small as a mouse!) in his shop, he takes her in, names her Evangeline, and raises her as his own. The shoemaker’s wife, however, fears that Evangeline has bewitched her husband, so when an opportunity arises to rid herself of the girl, she takes it. Evangeline finds herself far from her adopted father and her home, a tiny girl lost in the wide world.
- Chalice of the Gods (Rick Riordan) / Percy Jackson’s hope for a normal senior year is shattered as the gods present him with three quests, beginning with the retrieval of Zeus’s goblet, in order to get the necessary three letters of recommendation for college.
- Duet (Elise Broach) / The life of a musically gifted bird changes forever after she discovers the music of Chopin and helps a talented young pianist solve the mystery of a long-lost Chopin piano.
- The One and Only Family (Katherine Applegate) / Ivan has been happily living in a wildlife sanctuary, with his friend Ruby next door in the elephant enclosure, frequent visits from his canine friend Bob, and his mate Kinyani by his side. And in the happiest turn of all, Ivan and Kinyani have welcomed a set of twins to their family!
- The Frindle Files (Andrew Clements) / In the long-awaited follow-up to the beloved classic Frindle, a new generation of kids discovers the power of words and imagination – and yes, even screens – to solve a mystery and change their world!
- The First State of Being (Erin Entrada Kelly) / A story of time travel, friendship, found family, and first loves, this thematically rich novel is distinguished by its voice, character development, setting, and exploration of the issues that resonate with middle grade readers.
- The Secret Library (Kekla Magoon) / History, mystery, and more are all part of Dallyś adventures in this time traveling book. Family secrets and the courage within yourself are all part of this fantasy adventure.
- The Mona Lisa Vanishes (Nicholas Day) / It happened on a Monday. Monday, August 21, 1911, to be precise. A man in a white coat walked over to the Mona Lisa, a relatively obscure painting at the time. He deftly removed it from the wall, took it from its frame, and after some mild difficulties with a door, left the Louvre itself.
- The Labors of Hercules Beal (Gary D. Schmidt) / Pedro was born into a large Mexican family in the heart of America and he’s about to experience his heritage in a way he could never imagine! Pedro’s father suggests a trip in the family Winnebago from their home in California back to Mexico on a mission to bring home their legendary grandfather.
- A Rover’s Story (Jasmine Warga) / Meet Resilience, a Mars rover determined to live up to his name. Res was built to explore Mars. He was not built to have human emotions. But as he learns new things from the NASA scientists who assemble him, he begins to develop human-like feelings.
GRADES / 4th – 5th
SERIES
- I Survived (Lauren Tarshis) / I Survived is a historical fiction series that tells the stories of iconic historical events—from the Revolutionary War to the sinking of the Titanic to the September 11 terrorist attacks—through the eyes of a young witness.
- Last Kids on Earth (Max Brailler) / Self-described late developer, thirteen-year-old Jack Sullivan has so far survived the zombie apocalypse by hiding out in his treehouse, playing video games and eating junk food. Jack’s life has actually become more like a video game than reality, battling monsters on a daily basis.
- Wings of Fire (Tui T. Sutherland) / The seven dragon tribes have been at war for generations, locked in an endless battle over an ancient, lost treasure. A secret movement called the Talons of Peace is determined to bring an end to the fighting, with the help of a prophecy — a foretelling that calls for great sacrifice.
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Jeff Kinney) / Filled with laugh-out-loud hilarious text and cartoons, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series follows Greg Heffley as he records the daily trials and triumphs of friendship, family life and middle school where undersized weaklings have to share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner and already shaving!
- Show Me History (Mark Shulman and James Buckley Jr.) / The Show Me History series are rollicking 96-page hardcover graphic novels that tells the stories of legendary figures from history, such as Babe Ruth and Amelia Earhart. Every book comes signed and sketched by the artist.
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DIGITAL RESOURCES