Victory School Superstars: a series of easy chapter books by Sports Illustrated for Kids. Each book focuses on a different student and his/her sport and incorporates some life lessons on standard themes of teamwork, honesty, competitiveness. Gr 1-3.
Willodeen by Katherine Applegate. Willodeen has always been drawn to animals whether they are the incredibly cute hummingbears or the incredibly unpleasant warthog-like screechers. The villagers want to get rid of the screechers, but the hummingbears are disapppearing of their own accord. Strong messages about the interwoven fabric of nature. For animal lovers and protectors. Gr 3-5.
Pax: the Journey Home by Sara Pennypacker. Sequel to Pax, continuing the parallel journeys of the boy Peter and his pet fox Pax. In this story, Pax and his litter try to reconnect with Peter. With illustrations by Jon Klassen (This is Not My Hat). Gr 4-7.
Storm Warning by Elizabeth Raum. A gripping survivor story about a real flood – 1996-97 Red River Valley Flood witnessed by the author. Straightforward writing style will appeal to readers who sometime get mired in nuance and lengthy description or a lot of introspection. If you like this kind of book, Peg Kehret has also written similar stories of young people battling nature or other catastrophes on their own. Gr 2-5.
Linked by Gordon Korman. A small town in Colorado is shocked when a swastika is painted inside the local junior high. The 3 main characters and their friends respond with a project to unify the town – the titular Links – and try to find out the source of the hate graffiti, which keeps popping up. Korman weaves historical issues with contemporary voices. Gr 5+.
Dead Wednesday by Jerry Spinelli. In Robbie Tarnauer’s small town, every year the school holds Dead Day – a ritualistic remembrance of teens who died tragically through incaution the last year, in the hope of scaring some sense into the soon to be high schoolers. Each 8th graders assumes the identity of one of the teens. Anticipated as a day to goof off, for Robbie aka Worm, the day quickly becomes serious, then magical, as his assignee appears to him. Gr 6+.
Einstein : The Fantastic Journey of a Mouse Through Space and Time by Torben Kuhlmann. A mouse uses Einstein's notebooks and theories to travel back and forth in time. When the mouse misses a long awaited cheese festival, he becomes obsessed with time and clocks. Eventually he figures out a way to create a time machine. This superbly illustrated work of fiction contains beautiful renderings and paintings on most pages, along with detailed story of one determined mouse. Great book to share as a read-aloud with older children or for independent reading. Gr 3-6 and families.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Goldilocks Wanted Dead or Alive by Chris Colfer /Jon Proctor. A graphic novel from The Land of Stories print series universe. For new readers, there is a print introduction to acquaint readers with characters and geography of the Kingdom. In this story, the Charming Brothers want to clear out some areas of the fairytale realm that are home to less desirable characters, such as trolls, dwarves, witches, and our heroine, Goldilocks. Gr 3-7.
Bedhead Ted by Scott SanGiacomo. A lighthearted comic story about our favorite redhead Ted and his travails at school and his mission to find the mythical giant raccoon Beast rumored to be around town. Ted discovers his superpower - his hair! Large easy to follow colorful panels with great expressive faces. Gr 2-5.
Hicotea by Lorena Alverez. A magical adventure by a Bogotan school girl when she visits a local wetland and discovers a world beyond it. When Sandy investigates a turtle shell, she falls into it and meets a hicotea, a magical sea turtle who has been recording the natural world before it is destroyed. What follows is a dreamlike experience in lush, brightly colored landscapes and intricately detailed illustrations. They bring a sense of wonder and magic to the natural world, hinting at the complex ecosystems around us that frequently go unnoticed. Panels range in size and pov. Type of graphic novel to be enjoyed slowly. Gr 2-5.