The Best New and Notable Books for 4-12 Readers

Judson Literacy in Motion Conference 2018 Compiled and Annotated by: Karen Biggs-Tucker Email: [email protected] Twitter: @litcup www.litcup.net

Novels for Middle Grade Readers (Grades 4-6): Alexander, K. (2018). Rebound. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. In the prequel to Crossover, we learn about Chuck Bell and how he came to be the basketball star that his sons look up to and admire. When Chuck was a young boy, he went to spend the summer with his grandparents where he learned to important things: that he loved basketball and that his family had some secrets in their past that they had not been completely honest about with him.

Anderson, D. (2018). Granted. New York, NY: Walden Pond Press. Ophelia Fidgets is a fairy whose job is to grant wishes and she has been waiting a very long time to grant one. When she gets her very first wish granting assignment, she wants to do whatever she can to make the wish that she has been given come true…no matter what the cost

Applegate, K. (2018). Endling: The last. New York, NY: Harper. Byx is the youngest member of a mythical doglike species that has been hunted to near extinction in the war- torn kingdom of Nedarra. When she finds herself on her own, she begins to search for a safe haven looking not only for safety, but for peace. As she travels, she finds new allies that become not only her friends, but her “family” as she creates a new future for herself.

Arnold, E. (2018). Bat and the waiting game. (C. Santoso, Illus.). New York, NY: Walden Pond Press. Bat’s story continues, but one thing stays the same: change is difficult for him. Life has been good for him as he enjoys taking care of his new pet skunk, Thor. But, then life begins to change when his sister begins to spend more time with her friends and gets a part in her school play. When this happens, she can’t take care of Bat after school and that means a big change for him. That change makes him very uncomfortable and he just wishes that life at home would go back to the way that it was before.

Arnold, E. (2017). A boy called Bat. (C. Santoso, Illus.). New York, NY: Walden Pond Press. Bixby Alexander Tam (whose nickname is Bat) has many surprises and unknowns in his life. Some of them he likes and some he doesn’t. He lives with his mom and visits his dad. He has a difficult time making friends, but he loves animals. One day, his mother brings home a baby skunk and he decides that that is one surprise that he wants to keep, but it is going to take some convincing and work if he wants to make that happen.

Beasley, K. (2018). Lions and liars. (D. Santat, Illus.). New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, & Giroux. Frederick Frederickson has a food-chain theory about life. There are lions, like the school bully. Gazelles, like the bullied kids and the fleas -- Frederick's a flea. His school year is off to a terrible start when Frederick finds himself at a camp that he discovers is a disciplinary camp for boys. He develops a friendship with his cabinmates that is put to the test when they learn that a hurricane is coming, and they will have to work together to survive.

Bowling, D. (2017). Insignificant events in the life of a cactus. New York, NY: Sterling Children’s Books. Aven Green was born without arms, but that isn’t what she tells everyone that she meets. When she and her family move to a rundown down theme park in Arizona, she dreads having to tell her “story” again. But when she arrives at Stagecoach Pass, she discovers Connor who struggles with his own disability. As they begin roaming Stagecoach Pass, they find an abandoned room that contains secrets, more that both of them combined.

Brown, P. (2018). The wild robot escapes. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Roz has returned to civilization, been repaired and reassigned to Hilltop Farm. There she is expected to completed duties around the farm, including caring for the animals. As she reflects back on her life on the island, she realizes how much she misses Brightbill and how much she needs to return. With the help of the children of the farm owner, she begins to plan her escape. Will she be able to escape and find her way “home?”

Brown, P. (2016). The wild robot. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Roz the robot finds herself on a deserted island with no idea why she is there. The only thing that she does understand is that she needs to survive. As she begins to understand her surroundings, she begins to learn from the native animals that live on the island. Eventually, the island begins to feel like home until one day she has to make the ultimate choice – the island or her past.

Burt, J. (2017). Greetings from witness protection. New York, NY: Feiwel & Friends. Nicki has been asked to join a family in witness protection keeping them safe from notorious criminals. She is just what US Marshals have been looking for to throw these bad guys “off their game.” Now Nicki must not only keep the Trevors safe, but keep her grades up, pass the standardized testing that she is faced with while going to her new school, and maintaining her new identity. Little does she know that a secret from her past might put them all in jeopardy.

Charles, T. (2018). Like Vanessa. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. Vanessa lives with her family in Newark, New Jersey. She struggles with a mother she barely remembers, a grandfather dealing with addiction and her own battle with self-confidence. But when a new teacher at school coordinates a beauty pageant and convinces Vanessa to enter, Vanessa's view of her own world begins to change.

Connor, L. (2018). The truth as told by Mason Buttle. New York, NY: Katherine Tegen Books. Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, turned up dead in the Buttle family’s orchard. Mason and his new friend, Calvin are bullied by the other boys in their neighborhood, so they create an underground space for themselves. When Calvin goes missing, Mason finds himself in trouble again. He’s desperate to figure out what happened to Calvin, and eventually, Benny.

Curtis, C. P. (2018). The journey of little Charlie. New York, NY: Scholastic. Charlie is facing challenges in his life, including a debt that his father has left after his death. He makes a deal with Cap’n Buck where he will help hunt down fugitives for a price that will help eliminate his debt. Unfortunately, Cap’n Buck has not given him the complete story behind the fugitives that he will be hunting down and bring back to the Cap’n. Now, Charlie has a decision to make to do what he needs to do or the right thing to do.

Diehl, J. H. (2018). Tiny infinities. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. Alice is a girl who is dealing with a great deal of change in her life. Her father has moved out and her mother is not dealing with it well, leaving Alice on her own much of the time. She tries to distract herself by participating in swimming, but that becomes complicated when a new friend tells her that her freestyle is really a backstroke Her biggest surprise is that her new babysitting charge is mute until one day, Alice hears her speak.

Dominquez, A. (2018). Stella Diaz has something to say. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press. Stella loves fish, her family, and her friend, Jenny, but things are changing for her. When her best friend is in a new class, she finds herself faced with a class bully and a boy who wants to be her friend, but every time that Stella tries to talk to him, she accidentally speaks Spanish. How can a girl who loves her Mexican heritage find a balance between that and her new life in America?

Eggers, D. (2018). The lifters. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. Gran and his family move to Carousel, but do not realize that there are forces underneath them that are causing the town to slowly sink. One day, his friend Catalina opens a door leading to the underground and beginning their work to try to overcome what is happening underground and ultimately “lifting” their town out of danger.

Fleming, C. (2017). Ben Franklin’s in my bathroom. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade Books. Nolan and his little sister, Olive live in a small town. One day, after tinkering with the family toaster, they are both surprised when THE Ben Franklin shows up in their house. After been sees many of his favorite inventions in action in the 21st century world – including electricity, the public library, and a few others, Nolan decides that it is time to get him back to his time period, but that might be harder that he anticipated!

Glaser, K. (2017). The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The Vanderbeekers love their home – a brownstone on 141st Street. One day, their landlord decides not to renew their lease and they are desperate to figure out a way to convince him that they should stay. They will do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved brownstone …and believe me, they have quite a few tricks up their sleeves to convince their landlord to let them keep their house!

Glaser, K. (2018). The Vanderbeekers and the hidden garden. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Jessie, Oliver, Hyacinth, and Laney are spending the summer at home while Isa is at sleepaway camp. They are a bit bored and getting on each other nerves until a favorite neighbor suffers a personal tragedy. As the siblings try to think of a way to help, they make a plan. Their plan is to create a garden, but it isn’t an ordinary garden; it’s a garden that heals.

Griffin, P. (2017). Saving Marty. New York, NY: Dial Books. Renzo has had a bit of a complicated life and he has tried to be both a friend and a hero (like his dad), but he feels like he doesn’t do a very good job at either until he meets a runt piglet who he adopts and names Marty. The family farm is a perfect place for Renzo and Marty to bond and grow until one day Marty causes an accident. Then Renzo realizes that Marty’s days are numbered and he sets out to be a real hero and save Marty’s life, but will that be a job that is too big and will he be unable to save Marty after all.

Hiranandani, V. (2018). The night diary. New York, NY: Dial Books. In 1947 India has been separated into two very separate nations – Pakistan and India. The divide has caused great dissention between the Hindus and the Muslims. Nisha and her family are refugees fleeing Pakistan because they are half-Hindu and half-Muslim. As they travel a long and difficult journey, she learns about family, country, but most of all herself. Holm, J. (2018). The third mushroom. New York, NY: Random House. (available September 4, 2018) Grandpa Melvin is back again and Ellie is thrilled her have her fourteen year old companion back! Her mother isn’t quite as excited to have her 80-year-old father back in teenage form, but she begins to make adjustments in their daily lives as he prepares for another visit with his family. As he and Ellie team up for the annual science fair, they begin an experiment that might create and maintain vitality. They continue to work on their experiment, but unexpected results occur.

Holm, J. (2014). The fourteenth goldfish. New York, NY: Random House. Ellie is having a hard time letting go – letting go of fifth grade, letting go of life without her father, and letting go of her goldfish when it died. Then one day her life changes when an awkward teenage boy shows up and announces that he is her grandfather. Could this boy be telling the truth and more importantly, could he be telling the truth that he has found the “cure” for old age?

Holt, K. A. (2018). Knock out. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. Levi wants to be more.. more than the sick, helpless kid that his family sees, more than the class goof-off that his classmates see, but is it too late. But one day, his dad suggest that he begins to take boxing classes and he begins to feel different. As he begins to become a boxer, he learns that there is a school with a team and a free-study curriculum, but will he be able to convince his mom that that is where he needs to be to become the person that he wants to become….

Johannes, S. (2018). Beatrice Zinker, Upside down thinker: Incognito. New York, NY: Disney-Hyperion. (available September 18, 2018) Operation Upside is off to a great start until it hits a snag! Mrs. Tamarack ends up with a Strictest Certificate and then the team needs to take some time off before they get in any more trouble than they find themselves in already. Beatrice finds this difficult when she sees a boy who needs someone who needs some recognition. When his certificate falls into the wrong hands, Beatrice really has a problem.. How will they be able to fix this and will they need to add some extra kids to the team to help them fix this one?

Johannes, S. (2017). Beatrice Zinker, Upside down thinker. New York, NY: Disney-Hyperion. Beatrice does her best thinking when she is hanging upside down. So, it isn’t unusual for her to get dressed for the first day of third grade in her ninja suit because she is ready for a secret mission with her best friend, Lenny. When she discovers that Lenny has other interests, Beatrice decides that maybe “upside down thinking” could save the day, but she just has to figure out how to do it and stay out of trouble in the process.

Keller, T. (2018). The science of breakable things. New York, NY: Random House Books for Young Readers. Natalie is challenged by her quirky science teacher, Mr. Neely to create a question to explore. Natalie has many questions and has a hard time choosing. So much is going on at home. Her mother has become withdrawn and she doesn’t know what to do. When Mr. Neely suggests that Natalie enter the egg drop content, she has hope because the prize money may help her help her mother. But what happens if someone else wins that money and she is back to her question of what to do with someone who doesn’t know what to do with herself…

Kelly, E. (2018). You go first. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books. Charlotte and Ben are online friends connected by a Scrabble game. Their lives are very different, but in many ways the same. They are dealing with struggles at home and at school. But most of all, they are looking for a friend to help them navigate the complicate world of adolescence.

Klages, E. (2018). Out of left field. New York, NY: Viking Books for Young Readers. Katy Gordon is the best pitcher in town and everyone knows that, but when she tries out for Little League, she is turned down flat. Girls can’t play, period. Katy thinks that isn’t fair and decides to do something about it. Taking a page from the civil rights lessons that she is learning about in school, she begins to learn about the forgotten history of female ball players.

McAnulty, S. (2018). The miscalculations of lightning girl. New York, NY: Random House. Lucy is a math genius, but she became one in an unexpected way; she was struck by lightning. Because she is a genius, her parents have decided to homeschool her. Now, she is 12 years old and ready for college, but there is one thing that is standing in her way – middle school. She has to go for one year, make one friend, join one extra-curricular activity, and read one book. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But to Lucy it’s pretty complicated and she isn’t sure that she can solve this calculation, no matter how hard she tries!

Magras, D. (2018). The Mad Wolf’s daughter. New York, NY: Kathy Dawson Books. One night, Drest’s life takes an unexpected turn when her father, the Mad Wolf and her brothers are captured by a deadly war-band and it is up to her to rescue them. As she journeys, she is aided by a witch and the spirits of her five brothers who speak to her mind encouraging her along the way. As she gets closer to saving her family, she realizes that there might be more at stake than just freeing her father and her brothers, she might actually fulfill a destiny that was more that she expected or dreamed of when she began her journey.

Mass, W. & Stead, R. (2018). Bob. (N. Gannon, Illus.). New York, NY: Feiwel & Friends. Livy returns to Australia to visit her grandmother, but she feels like she has forgotten something important since her last visit … and she is absolutely right. Bob, is short, green, and dressed in a chicken suit and reminds Livy of a promise that she made five years ago. She promised to help him find his way back home and now he wants to her keep that promise. Now together, they will figure out where Bob came from, help him find his way back, and unravel the mystery of why there hasn’t been rain in a LONG time.

Messner, K. (2018). Breakout. New York, NY: Bloomsbury. Nora Tucker is looking forward to summer vacation and completing the extra credit project where she completes a submission for Wolf Creek’s town time capsule, but all of that changes when two inmates escape from the town’s maximum-security prison. Everyone in town changes; they lock their doors, they are on edge, and now they fear the worst in everyone. Now, she is worried that things in Wolf Creek will never be the same.

Pearce, J. (2018). Ellie engineer. New York, NY: Bloomsbury. Ellie is an engineer with a tool belt strapped over her favorite skirt she invents and builds amazing creations in her backyard workshop. She is planning on making a birthday gift for her best friend, Kit. She wants it to be special, but as she begins to work on it, she discovers that it may be more than she can handle on her own.

Rhodes, J. P. (2018). Ghost boys. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group. Jerome is shot and killed by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real one. As a ghost boy, he observes not only his family mourning, but his community dealing with the brutal and unfair killing of yet another African American boy by a white police officer. Later Jerome meets another ghost boy: Emmett Till tells him that he is not only in his experience and he helps him begin to process what has happened and understand that racism is part of our history. He also helps Jerome help the healing begin in his community by reaching out to the daughter of the police officer in a way that may begin to change the cycle of senseless violence that exists in the world.

Romero, R. M. (2017). The dollmaker of Krakow. New York, NY: Delacorte Press. Karolina is a living doll who finds her way to a dollmaker in Krakow, Poland. The Dollmaker has learned to keep to himself because he finds that is a better way to keep his secrets. Karolina helps the Dollmaker begin to create relationships, even with a father who plays violin and his young daughter. One day the Nazis arrive and the Dollmaker realize that their Jewish friends may be in danger. Both he and Karolina decide that they must help their friends, no matter what the risks or the costs.

Saeed, A. (2018). Amal unbound. New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen Books. Amal lives a quiet life in her Pakistani village caring for her siblings and going to school until one day she disrespects the son of the village’s landlord. As a consequence, for her actions, she is sent to live with his family to pay off her family’s debt. As she works as a servant at the Khan estate, she struggles to maintain her hope of ever getting her freedom. When she realizes that if she works with those around her that she may be able to not only regain her freedom, but also reveal secrets that have been hidden at the estate for many years.

Senzai, N.H. (2018). Escape from Aleppo. New York, NY: Paula Wiseman Books. Nadia celebrates her twelfth birthday in her home in Aleppo, but life is changing in ways that are alarming her family. Civil war has begun in Syria and now one is safe anymore. Her family decides to flee to safety. This is a dangerous decision to make, but Nadia’s parents feel that they have no choice. They gather a few belongs, leave the only home that they have known, and then hope that they can find a way to get to a safer place to live a life where they can be free.

Shabazz, S. & Watson, R. (2018). Betty before X. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux. Betty is a young girl living in 1945 Detroit with a foster family after her Atlanta mother has sent her there because she is “trouble.” She loves going to church and being a part of the Housewives League. After being inspired by activists like Paul Robeson and Thurgood Marshall, she realizes that it is her responsibility to help fight for equal rights for African Americans in her community. Who would know that this would be the beginning of a life of civil rights activism that would lead Dr. Betty Shabazz to become a civil rights icon in her own right?

Smith, R. (2017). Black Panther: The young prince. New York, NY: Marvel. T’Challa is twelve years old and living in Wakanda learning how to rule a kingdom from his father, the reigning Black Panther. He loves new technology and his best friend M’Baku, but when danger approaches his home, his father decides to send both him and M’Baku to school in America. As T’’Challa begins to navigate middle school on the south side of Chicago, he learns that there are quite a few lessons that he has to learn about not only hiding his true identity, but also navigating new relationships with his classmates. But when strange things begin to happen, he realizes that it may be time to begin to practice some of those heroic skills that his father taught him and become the Black Panther, sooner than he expected.

Stoddard, L. (2018). Just like Jackie. New York, NY: Harper Collins. Robbie and her grandfather have been together for as long as she remembers. He has taught her about many things, including cards, baseball and a few other important things. Now grandpa’s memory is failing so much, he can’t even remember her name. To make things work, she feels angry all the time and gets in trouble at school. Now she is in a therapy group and she can’t tell anyone what’s going on because if she does, then they’ll take her away and she’ll lose the only family that she has ever known.

Swartz, E. (2018). Smart cookie. New York, NY: Scholastic. Frankie has a secret and she might be a BIG trouble if her dad finds out. She has posted a dating profile for him on a website hoping to find a new wife for him. It has been hard for her since mom died, especially when it is time for events at school and around town. But she isn’t the only one that has a secret, there is something going on with Dad and Gran. They have a secret and it has something to do with the B & B. Guests keep cancelling and Frankie thinks it might be a ghost or could it be something worse?

Uss, C. (2018). The adventures of a girl called Bicycle. (J. Bean, Illus.). New York, NY: Holiday House. Bicycle is a girl who has lived in a monastery most of her life in Washington, D.C. where she has honed the art of being silent. She loves biking and being quiet. When Sister Wanda announces that Bicycle will be attending a camp where she will be learning how to and making new friends, Bicycles jumps on her bike and heads west. But she finds more that she expects on her journey, including a ghost that sits on her handle bars and a mysterious lady dressed in black.

Wey, G. (2018). The language of spells. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. Grisha is a dragon that can’t be seen, and Maggie is the girl who can see him, but more importantly ask the question…where have all the dragons gone and why would someone make the magic go away? Now it is up to them to find the answers to these questions and see if they can save the magic before it is too late, for both the dragons and the world that they live in.

Yang, K. (2018). Front desk. New York, NY: Arthur Levine Books. Mia’s family lives in a motel. They are immigrants, but they have a secret; they hide other immigrants. If Mr. Yao, the hotel owner, finds out, they will be in serious trouble. Mia manages the front desk of the hotel and helps to take care of the guests. She also wants to be a writer, even though her mother wants her to concentrate on math because she doesn’t know English very well. How will Mia’s year end up? It will take all of her strength, confidence, and kindness to make her dreams and the dreams of those around her come true!

Yeh, K. (2017). The way to Bea. New York, NY: Little Brown. Bea’s world is changing; she is starting seventh grade without a friend and she is getting ready to be a big sister at home. She doesn’t know how to handle these changes, so she turns to writing. So, she begins writing haikus in invisible ink and hiding them where no one will be able to find her words. One day, she is shocked to find that someone has written back to her. This opens up a new world to Bea where both her words and maybe her actually have a place after all.

Novels for Upper Grade Readers (Grades 7-12): *denotes titles with more mature content for readers Acevedo, A. (2018). The poet x. New York, NY: Harper Teen. Xiomara is looking for a place for her voice. Her body and her world are changing, but she doesn’t know how to express what she is feeling about her life. Then she discovers a leather notebook that can contain not only her words, but her feelings. When she is invited to join the school’s poetry slam club, she realizes that if she does, she must do it in secret because her mother won’t approve. But in the end, Xiomara realizes that she can’t be silent because the world needs to hear what she has to say!

Ahmed, S. (2018). Love, hate, and other filters. New York, NY: Soho Teen. Maya Aziz is torn between two worlds – her proper Indian world that her parents have created for her and her modern American world that she has grown up in from the day that she was born. Her dream is to go to film school in New York City, but her parents have other plans for her. There is also another world that Maya is thrown into where a horrific crime is committed that affects not only her, but others in her community that reminds her that hate, and bigotry exist all around her. It is up to Maya to make choices, find strength, and find out where she belongs.

Alexander, K. (2017) Solo. New York, NY: Blink. Blade Morrison lives the life of a child of a rock star as he struggles living in the shadow of his addict father. When he finds a family secret that changes his life forever, he travels across the ocean to find out who he really is. Told in verse, this novel develops characters, family, and ultimately identity in an unforgettable way.

Benway, R. (2017). Far from the tree. New York, NY: Harper Teen. Grace was an only child who was adopted at birth. She later discovers that she had an older sister and younger brother who she never knew growing up. After putting her own baby up for adoption, she decides to go in search of her own siblings to better understand herself, and ultimately who they are both individually and collectively. In doing so, she comes away with not only that, but also an understand of what family is, whether you grow up together of separately.

DeLaCruz, M. (2018). Love & war: An Alex & Eliza story. New York, NY: Putnam. Alex and Eliza struggle to find love both during and after the war. Whether Alex is trying to be heroic during battles or while he is establishing his law practice, it is up to Eliza to try to keep the “home fires burning.” As their struggles become more real and more complicated, the both realize that the most important “fight” is the one to stay together and find happiness in the new nation that has been established post-Revolutionary War.

DeLaCruz, M. (2017). Alex and Liza: A love story. New York, NY: Putnam. The American Revolution has begun, but the colonies are preparing for the Schuyler’s grand ball. They are one of the New York’s oldest and most distinguished bloodlines. They are preparing to showcase their three daughters – Angelica, Peggy, and Eliza to eligible bachelors. But Eliza isn’t making easy for them because she would rather be happy the troops serving on the battle lines. When she meets Alexander Hamilton, she realizes that she is smitten, even though he has brought bad news for her father. Thus, begins one of America’s most famous love stories…Alex and Liza; one that will change the course of American history.

Friend, N. (2018). How we roll. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux. Quinn is beautiful and popular until alopecia strikes, and she loses all of her hair. When her friends abandon her, she feels completely alone until she meets Jake. Jake has lost both of his legs in a freak accident and he feels isolated, lost, and alone too. When they find each other, they realize that they can find confidence to believe in themselves again.

*Kiely, B. (2018). Tradition. New York, NY: Margaret K. McElderry Books. Fullbrook Academy is a private school filled with privilege and tradition. Jules and Jamie are both there for different reasons, but they both hope to keep their heads down and move through their senior year without trouble. When their paths cross, they are realized that they will have no other choice than to challenge the traditions at Fullbrook that treat girls like prizes and athletes like commodities.

Moore, D. (2017). The stars beneath our feet. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Lolly and his mother aren’t feeling much like celebrating Christmas. They are still mourning the death of his older brother in a gang-relating shooting. But then, Lolly receives two bags of Legos. Lolly loves Legos, but now he is faced with two bags without instructions to tell him what to build. In addition to finding a way to construct with his Legos, he also has to decide the path that he will take when he is approached to join a gang. What will he do and will he be able to find his way within his Lego city and within the community center that offers him a “bridge” back into the world.

Polishner, G. (2018). In sight of stars: A novel. New York, NY: Wednesday Books. Klee loves art and visiting museums with his father in New York City, but his life has changed since his father’s death now that he lives in the suburbs with his mother. The only thing that brings him any happiness is Sarah who he meets in art class. When Sarah betrays him, a dramatic act puts in a psychiatric hospital for teens. As he looks back over his life, he begins to understand his choices and the impact that they have had on him. Will understanding these choices help him find his way back to his life?

Reynolds, J. (2017). Long way down. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. Will has always be taught to follow the rules and now it is time to follow the most important one – get revenge. His brother has been shot and killed. He has gotten his gun from the drawer, gotten on the elevator to take the sixty second ride to the lobby and then he will go and take revenge on his brother’s killers. But he meets several people as he travels down in that elevator who have something to say to him that may …or may not change his mind.

Stone, N. (2017). Dear Martin. New York, NY: Crown Books. Justyce McAllister is an honor student attending an elite private school, but it doesn’t keep him for being profiled by a police officer who handcuffs him because he suspects him of a crime. Justyce is frustrated because of the treatment that he receives. He looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King to help him understand how to navigate the unfair world that he lives in and begins writing a journal with letters to Dr. Martin Luther King. Then comes a day when something happens that he doesn’t things that even Dr. King can help him understand. How will the teachings of Dr. King help him understand the loss, accusations, and grief that he finds himself faced with?

Informational Books for ALL Readers: Ahmed, R. (2018). Mae among the stars. (S. Burrnington, Illus.). New York, NY: Harper Collins. Mae Jamison dreamed of becoming an astronaut. She imagined herself among the stars. Her mother believed in her and told her that if she worked hard, she could achieve her dream. Mae did and became the first African American woman astronaut in space.

Becker, H. (2018). Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson saved Apollo 13. (D. Phumiruk, I lllus.). New York, NY: Henry Holt. Katherine Johnson loved numbers from the time that she was a child. Of course, she could find a career that would have numbers in it. After beginning her work at NASA, she realized that the love of numbers could help the new space program. Then history tells us that she was one of the first women that contributed to the NASA program

Clark-Robinson, M. (2018). Let the children march. (F. Morrison, Illus.). New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. In 1963, children lead marches after hearing Martin Luther King speak about civil rights and the need for peaceful protest. Realizing that their parents were unable to march, children stepped up to march in their places. Taking the lead, these children were some of the first and youngest civil rights marchers in our country’s history.

Cline-Ransome, L. (2018). Before she was Harriet. (J. Ransome, Illus.). New York, NY: Holiday House. Harriet Tubman was known by many names throughout her lifetime. Because of the many roles that she played in her life, her names matched them. From Minty the slave to General Tubman who led slaves to their freedom, Harriet was an amazing woman who inspired many people throughout her life.

Clinton, C. (2017). She persisted: 13 American women who changed the world. (A. Boiger, Illus.). New York, NY: Philomel. She Persisted is for all the young women who were told to be quiet but looked for a way to find their voice. Telling the story of amazing women throughout our country’s history – from Harriet Tubman to Oprah Winfrey.

Clinton, C. (2018). She persisted around the world: 13 women who changed history. (A. Boiger, Illus.). New York: Philomel. A celebration of women from around the world who persevered and succeeded in their own unique ways against all odds. This book serves as a reminder to young women (and men) to find your own voice and stand up for what you believe in no matter what people tell you.

Eaton, M. (2018). The truth about dolphins: Seriously funny facts about your favorite animals. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press. What do you want to know about dolphins? This book has a wide variety of questions and their answers for anyone that wants to know more about his amazing animal.

Eggers, D. (2017). Her right foot. (S. Harris, Illus.). San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. Many people know the Statue of Liberty, but have you ever noticed her right foot. A celebration of not only who she is and what she stands for, but what her right foot symbolizes for all those who have sought safety within her shores.

Fishman, S. (2017). A hundred billion trillion stars. (I. Greenberg, Illus.). New York, NY: Greenwillow. A book that celebrates numbers from three trillion trees that cover the earth to the seven billion people that weigh about as much as ten quadrillion ants…these numbers help make up the world that we live in, but they are not as nearly important as the ONE, one you.

Fleming, C. (2018). Strongheart: Wonder dog of the silver screen. (E. Rohmann, Illus.). New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade Books. Larry Trimble is searching for a star…a star that is also a dog! He then meets a dog named Etzel who is German Shepherd police dog who is exactly who has been looking for from the very beginning. Etzel’s lives up to everything that they have hoped that he would be and he is names, Strongheart. As his continues to make movies, he becomes the movie sensation that Trimble knew that he would be!

Ford, G. (2018). How the cookie crumbled: The true (and not-so true) stories of the invention of the chocolate chip cookie. New York, NY: Atheneum Books. Chocolate chip cookies are everyone’s favorites, but where did they come from? Ruth Wakefield was a talented chef who loved to created new treats, including this one! But not many people know how…and surprisingly enough, it was a messy one!

Grady, C. (2018). Write to me: Letters from Japanese American children to the librarian they left behind. New York, NY: Charlesbridge. After the bombing at Pearl Harbor, many Japanese American children were sent to internment camps. Before they are moved, children’s librarian Charlotte Breed asks the children to write her letters and gives them books to take with them. Through the three years of their internment, the children correspond with Miss Breed, sharing their stories, providing feedback on books, and creating a record of their experiences that became a record of their life there.

Guglielmo, A. & Tourville, J. (2017). Pocket full of colors: The magical world of Mary Blair, Disney artist extraordinaire. (B. Barrager, Illus.). New York, NY: Atheneum Books. Mary Blair was an artist who not only drew in beautiful color but lived her life just as vividly. When she went to work for Disney Studios, she continued to express her creativity and made a mark on the industry and Walt Disney himself. When she stood up for what she believed in, she realized that she could no longer continue to work at Disney Studios and made the difficult choice to leave. When Walt began to plan Disneyland, he knew that he couldn’t do it without Mary’s creativity and colors. Would he be able to convince her to come back?

Hale, C. (2018). water-land: Land and water forms around the world. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press. A unique look at the world that we live in and the connections between land and water. With each turn of the page, the reader better understands the different land and water forms and how the depend on each other and enrich the lives of those who live near them.

Harrison, V. (2017). Little leaders: Bold women in black history. New York, NY: Little Brown. Featuring forty trailblazing black women in American history, this book inspires young people to reach for their dreams and not be limited by anything. Historical female figures such as abolitionist Sojourner Truth, pilot Bessie Coleman, chemist Alice Ball, politician Shirley Chisholm, mathematician Katherine Johnson, poet Maya Angelou, and filmmaker Julie Dash are included in this beautiful text.

Hood, S. (2018). Shaking things up: 14 young women who changed the world. (S. Alko, S. Blackall, L. Brown, H. Hooper, E.W. Martin, O. Mora, J. Morstad, S. Palacios, L. Pham, E. Robinson, I. Roxas, S. Strickland, & M. Sweet, Illus.). New York, NY: Harper Books. Told through poems and beautiful illustrations, this text highlights the lives of fourteen women who “shook things up” by changing the world that they lived in for future generations of young women and men. Readers meet Mary Anning, Ruby Bridges, and Maya Lin to name just a few that will inspire them to do a few things that might “shake up” the world that we are living in today.

Hopkinson, D. (2018). Ordinary, extraordinary Jane Austen. (Q. Leng, Illus.). New York, NY: Balzer & Bray. Jane Austen is remembered as one of our greatest writers, but what we don’t know about her was that she was just an ordinary girl. An ordinary girl with extraordinary powers of observation. She was quiet, reserved, and loved watching people. She loved to take those observations and write them in her journal for safekeeping. She also loved to read. She loved to read many different types of books with the dream of writing a book of her own someday. Kensky, J. & Downes, P. (2018). Rescue & Jessica: A life-changing friendship. (S. Magoon, Illus.). Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press. Rescue is a service dog who is preparing to be a seeing-eye dog. His trainer says that he isn’t meant to be that type of service dog and begins preparing him for a different purpose. Jessica is a young woman who is dealing with losing her leg after the Boston Marathon bombing. When she sees another patient with a service dog, she decides to apply for one and eventually she is introduced to Rescue. Their relationship quickly forms and Rescue cares for Jessica in many ways fulfilling his dream of helping someone – the ultimate goal of every service dog!

Krull, K. & Sarda, J. (2018). One fun day with Lewis Carroll: A celebration of wordplay and a girl named Alice. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. We know Lewis Caroll as the creator of Alice in Wonderland, but we don’t know as much about how much he loved to create words and play with language. As he played with words, he did that to create a love of language and to play with words to delight children. Including many of the words that he created, including chortle, uglification, and others, Carroll’s love of words is celebrated through this book.

Messner, K. (2018). The brilliant deep: Rebuilding the world’s coral reefs. (M. Forsythe, Illus.). San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. Learning that coral reefs were beginning to become extinct, Ken Nedimyer decided that he wanted to do something. He was one man with an idea to begin to rebuild the world’s coral reefs one at a time. Although the job seemed like a big one, he remembered that it only took one coral gamete to start a colony, so he knew that it could only take one person with one idea to make a difference in the world…and he did.

Robbins, D. (2017). Margaret and the moon: How Margaret Hamilton saved the first lunar landing. (L. Knisley, Illus.). New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. Margaret Hamilton was a girl who loved numbers and math from the very beginning. She looked for real world opportunities to use math to solve problems. Her dream was to become a scientist to help put a man on the moon. Her love for math and space travel led her to MIT and then to NASA. There she handwrote the code for several space missions, including Apollo 8, Apollo 9, Apollo 10, and Apollo 11. Without her, none of these missions would have been successful!

Rosenstock, B. (2017). Vincent can’t sleep: Van Gogh paints the sky. (M Granddpre, Illus.). New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. Vincent was one of the greatest artists whose work is loved and studied by many. However, he only sold one painting while he was alive, and his brilliance was not recognized until after his death. He spent many nights worrying about how to pay his bills and when he was unable to sleep wandered about looking at the starlit skies. One of his greatest works, The Starry Night was inspired by the night walks.

Say, A. (2017). Silent days, silent dreams. New York, NY: Scholastic. James Castle was born prematurely on September 25, 1899 in Garden Valley, Idaho. He was deaf, mute, and autistic. He wouldn’t learn to walk until he was almost four years old. He also never learned to speak, read, or write. However, he did learn to paint and is now recognized as a great artist. His artwork is now shown throughout the world.

Shetterly, M. (2018). Hidden figures: The true story of four black women and the space race. (L. Freeman, Illus.). New York, NY: Harper Collins. The four women – Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden-- who broke both race and gender barriers at NASA and became the mathematicians that helped maintain the Apollo space program. Known as “colored computers,” they succeeded in a highly challenging career and became scientists who astronauts depended on for their safety while in space.

Stone, T. (2018). Who says women can’t be computer programmers? The story of Ada Lovelace. (M. Priceman, Illus.). New York, NY: Henry Holt. Ada Byron was a young woman with a wild and wonderful imagination. She was the daughter poet, Lord Byron, but she learned both math and science from an early age. Her imagination and knowledge helped her understand concepts in both engineering and ultimately computer programming.

Wallmark, L. (2017). Grace Hopper: Queen of computer code. (K. Wu, Illus.). New York, NY: Sterling Children’s Books. Grace Hopper was a woman who was an inventor, code creator, and naval leader. Referred to as “Amazing Grace,” she did what no one had ever done before, she began to “translate” computer language into code that people could understand, create, and ultimately problem solve when needed. From the time she was a child and through her adulthood, she succeeded in doing what no one had ever done before. She loved challenges and tasks which seemed impossible --- a role model for young women and men alike.

Winter, J. (2017). the world is not a rectangle: a portrait of architect Zaha Hadid. New York, NY: Beach Lane Books. Zaha Hadid dreamed of designing cities as she grew up in Baghdad, Iraq. After studying architecture in London, she began designing buildings, but faced many obstacles because she was Muslim. She didn’t give up on her dream and ultimately achieved her goals designing buildings all over the world.

Wittenstein, B. (2018). The boo-boos that changed the world: A true story about an accidental invention (really!). (C. Hsu, Illus.). New York, NY: Charlesbridge. Earle Dickson worked for Johnson & Johnson and often helped his wife when she cut herself. He began to try to design an easier way to bandage her injuries. He created Band-aids, but it was the Boy Scouts who ultimately convinced his bosses that this invention was worth selling to the public.

Yousafzai, M. (2017). Malala’s magic pencil. (Kerascoet, Illus.). New York, NY: Little Brown Books. Growing up in Pakistan, Malala wished for a magic pencil. With it she could do amazing things. As she grows up, she enjoys learning and going to school, but one day her life begins to change. Then violence changed her life in a dramatic way. She then makes the decision to be an advocate for young women and education not only in her country, but throughout the world. She then learns that her “magic pencil” becomes a way that she writes to communicate her message to others. This is the story of one girl’s wish for a better world.

Poetry Books for ALL Readers: Derby, S. (2017). A new school year: Stories in six voices. New York, NY: Charlesbridge. The story of the first day of school told through the “eyes” of six students with a wide range of feelings and experiences. Ranging from kindergarten through fifth grades, we hear the ups and downs of a first day.

Hopkins, L.B. (2018). School people. (E. Shi, Illus.). New York, NY: Wordsong. Poems that introduce readers to the people who they encounter throughout the day at school. Introducing them through poems, helps readers know and appreciate the people who help make school a special place to be each day that they come to learn.

Latham, I. (2018). Can I touch your hair?: Poems of race, mistakes, and friendship. (S. Alko & S. Qualls, Illus.). New York, NY: Carolrhoda. Irene and Charles and working on a project and they don’t know each other very well. They also aren’t sure that they want to because all they see in each other are their differences. As they begin to ask each other questions, explore who they are, and deal with their misconceptions, they begin to understand that maybe they may have more in common than they think …and could be friends after all!

Pinkney, A. (2018). Martin rising: Requiem for a king. (B. Pinkney, Illus.). New York, NY: Scholastic. A collection of poetry to celebration the life and legacy of Martin Luther King. The poems are organized from dawn to night to dawn again correlating to the life and death, then honoring the legacy of King.

Reynolds, J. (2018). For every one. New York, NY: Atheneum. A poem for the dreamers of the world that was originally performed for the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and later as a tribute to Walter Dean Myers.

Vanderwater, A. (2017). Read! Read! Read! (R. O’Rourke, Illus.). New York, NY: Wordsong. A collection of poetry to celebrate the joys of reading and readers. In chronological order, the reader sees how amazing the process is from learning to read to sharing reading with others.

Picture Books for ALL Readers: Barnett, M. & Klassen, J. (2018). Square. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press. Square takes block from a pile below ground to a pile above ground every day. One day, Circle sees this and exclaims that Square is an artistic genius! She asks him to make a sculpture of her, but Square isn’t sure that he can make something as perfect as circle. Will he be able to fulfill Circle’s expectations, or will he let her down?

Barnett, M. & Klassen, J. (2017). Triangle. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press. Triangle is going to play a sneaky trick on his friend, Square, but the trick doesn’t end up the way that he plans. So, who ends up getting tricked…Square or Triangle?

Bates, A. (2018). The big umbrella. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. An umbrella waits by the front door until it begins to rain. Will it have room for everyone underneath it? The answer may surprise you as the reader sees more and more people gather underneath it. People of all shapes, sizes, and colors find shelter under the big umbrella; reminding us that there is always room for one more.

Berger, S. (2018). What if… (M. Curato, Illus.). New York, NY: Little Brown Books. What if…is the question that a young girl is faced with as she ponders her own creativity and ability to express herself. She has a wonderful imagination, but will she continue to share it with others if she no longer has her paints, pencils, and other “tools” that she uses to expresses herself. Her answer will be one that will inspire all of us to create and imagine, no matter what!

Britt, P. (2017). Why am I me? (S. Alko & S. Qualls, Illus.). New York, NY: Scholastic. A celebration of the uniqueness and individuals in our daily lives. Told through verse accompanied by beautiful illustrations, readers celebrate the diversity that exists in the world around us.

Byers, G. (2018). I am enough. New York, NY: Balzer & Bray. Told through lyrical verse and beautiful illustrations, this book reminds each person how important it is just to celebrate “you.” Once individuals can celebrate themselves, they can reach out and celebrate those around them, making the world a better place.

Crimi, C. (2017). There might be lobsters. (L. Molk, Illus.). Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press. Sukie loves the beach, but there are so many things there that scare her. She is always so worried when she is there, and she wishes that she could just enjoy her time at the beach. Will she ever be able to overcome those fears?

De La Pena, M. (2018). Love. (L. Long, Illus.). G. P. Putnam’s Sons. A celebration of the bonds that love creates between people from the initial bond between parents and child at the beginning of life to that bond when the child leaves to go out on their own and the love of parents follows them. Even though trials and tribulations may come, love remains a constant in our lives that helps get us through the tough times and helps us celebrate the good times. Love is a bond that holds us all together.

Denos, J. (2017). Windows. (E. B. Goodale, Illus.). Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press. As the neighborhood begins to settle in for the night at dusk, a boy and his dog go out for a walk. As he walks the neighborhood, he sees the life that goes on not only on the streets, but within the buildings as he looks in the windows giving “snapshots” into the worlds of his neighbors. A look into the quiet lives that exist outside and inside within our neighborhoods as we take a peek into the windows of our neighbors.

Dyckman, A. (2017). Read the book, Lemmings. (Z. OHora, Illus.). New York, NY: Little Brown. First Mate Foxy is trying to convince his shpmates that lemmings DO NOT jump off cliffs; a fact that he has just recently read in a book. They however do not know this and keep jumping off of cliffs. If only he could think of a way to get them to read, it could change their lives forever!

Florence, M. (2017). Stolen words. (G. Grimald, Illus.). G. Grimard, Illus. New York, NY: Second Story Press. A young girl asks her grandfather to say something to her in her native language, Cree. He tells her that he cannot because his language was “stolen” from him when he was a young boy. She then goes out to “find” his language to give back to him and searches for an understanding of how and why his language was taken from him and why.

Gianferrari, M. (2017). Hello goodbye dog. (P. Barton, Illus.). New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press. Moose doesn’t know what to do when Zara goes to school, so he follows her, but dogs aren’t allowed at school, so he is sent home. Unfortunately, Moose doesn’t understand, so he keeps coming back to school to be with Zara. Finally, with some specialized training and some problem solving, Moose and Zara find a way to be together all-day long.

Heder, T. (2018). Alfie. New York, NY: Abrams. Nia receives Alife, the turtle, as a birthday present when she turns six and they form a special bond. He’s quiet and sometimes she forgets that he is even there, but just before Nia’s seventh birthday, Alfie sets off to find the perfect present for her. Will he make it back in time for her birthday party to surprise her with his gift?

Jacoby, S. (2018). Forever or a day. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. This book celebrates “time” and the passage of it. Helping us understand that time sometimes passes quickly and sometimes passes slowly. Time is always precious and should always be appreciated and never wasted, especially when sharing moments with those we love.

John, J. (2017). The bad seed. (P. Oswald, Illus.). New York, NY: Harper Collins Press. He’s a bad seed…yes, a baaaaad seed! He has a bad temper, a bad attitude and has been bad for as long as he can remember. But what happens when a bad seed decides that he wants to change. Can a bad seed become good, or at least a better seed?

Kerascoet.(2018). I walk with Vanessa: A story about a simple act of kindness. New York, NY: Schwartz & Wade. Vanessa is the new girl at school and when a classmate sees her being treated badly tries to think of a way that she can help. When she thinks of a one, her simple act of kindness inspires those around her to make a difference in the life of one little girl and ultimately others in their community.

Kraegel, K. (2017). Green pants. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press. Jameson loves his green pants and wears nothing else. When he wears them, he can do anything! When he is asked to be in his cousin’s wedding, he learns that he must wear a tuxedo which has black pants…that means no green pants for Jameson! Now he must choose, wear his green pants and do what he wants or wear black pants and make his cousin happy. What will he decide? Can he make himself and everyone else happy at the same time?

Kuefler, J. (2018). The digger and the flower. New York, NY: Balzer & Bray. Digger goes to work every day and does his job. He scoops dirt, hoists it, and then pushes it. One day he discovers something growing in the middle of the job site that he had not noticed before and he must make a decision that will not only affect him, but the other trucks, and the city, forever.

Le, M. (2018). Drawn together. (D. Santat, Illus.). New York, NY: Disney-Hyperion. A young boy visits his grandfather and they both feel frustrated because of their lack of ability to communicate verbally with each other. Then, through chance, they find that they have something in common that may give them the ability to understand each other in a unique and unforgettable way.

Ledyard, S. (2018). Pie is for sharing. (J. Chin, Illus.). New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press. A pie is for sharing because it can be cut into many pieces. It can be shared at a picnic, while friends and family are together, or even at an event where you’re celebrating while watching fireworks! Doesn’t that sound like a great way to begin your summer?

Lehrhaupt, A. (2018). Idea jar. (D. Pilutti, Illus.). New York, NY: Paula Wiseman Books. The idea jar is a place with ideas for story writing are safely kept --- including a Viking, a space robot, and a dragon. What happens when they get loose? Life in the classroom gets a bit chaotic until writers help organize them into a story.

Lehrhaupt, A. (2017). This is a good story. (M. Le Huche, Illus.). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. An author begins to tell her story through drawing and the narrator begins to tell the story. The reader comes along for a story that includes characters that go on an adventure that will not soon be forgotten and will inspire writers to go and create stories of their own.

MacLachlan, P. (2017). Someone like me. (C. Sheban, Illus.). New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press. An author tells how the experiences from her childhood from reading, to listening to stories, to just experiencing her daily life influenced her to grow up and write books for readers.

McGhee, H. (2017). Come with me. (P. Lemaitre, Illus.). New York, NY: G. P. Putnam’s Sons’ Books for Young Readers. The story of a young girl who is overcome with the fear in the world who goes to her father and asks what she can do. He takes her hand and takes her to do an act of kindness. The next day, her mother does the same thing. With each adult who says, “Come with me” – she is filled with hope for a better tomorrow.

Martinez-Neal, J. (2018). Alma and how she got her name. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press. Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela thinks that she has way too many names: six! Alma asks her father where all of her names came from. As she hears the story of her name, Alma starts to think that her name might be right for her after all and realizes that she has a story to tell about how she got her name and it is a special one…just like her!

Miller, P. Z. (2018). Be kind. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press. Tanisha is having a really bad day. From spilling grape juice all over her dress to feeling like everyone is staring at her, she is feeling sad. Her classmate wants to help her but doesn’t know what to do. She wonders what it really means to be kind to someone. As she thinks about the meaning of kindness and begins to try to make Tanisha feel better, she realizes what a difference it would make if we would all be kinder to one another.

Otoshi, K. (2018). Draw the line. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press. Two boys are drawing lines and realize that their lines can come together, but something happens, and their lines get crossed. When their lines are crossed, everything is all wrong and they don’t know if they can fix it and make things right again!

Pearlman, B. (2018). Pink is for boys. (E. Kaban, Illus.). Philadelphia, PA: Running Press Kids. Pink is a color for girls and boys…for everyone! This book empowers kids to express themselves in all the colors of the rainbow and do what they love to do without fear of judgement as they grow into who they are to become!

Penfold, A. (2018). All are welcome. (S. Kaufman, Illus.). New York, NY: Knopf Books for Young Readers. (release date July 10, 2018) Peek into a school community where all children all welcome – where kids wear hijabs, jamulkes, baseball caps and learn with each other about their culture and traditions each day. At the end of the book, the school community comes together to celebrate the Luna New Year.

Reynolds, P. (2018). The word collector. New York, NY: Scholastic. Jerome loves words. He loves all kinds of words – short words, multi-syllable words, words that sound like songs, but most of all words that connect, transform, and empower. After he has collected all of his words, he must make a decision as to what to do with them. What to do with all of those words?

Schachner, J. (2017). Sarabella’s thinking cap. New York, NY: Dial Books. Sarabella is creative, imaginative, and loves to express herself, but unfortunately, this interferes with her ability to focus in class. This makes trouble for her with her teacher. She tries to be the kind of student that she feels like her teacher wants her to be, but she cannot. When given the opportunity to “show” who she is, she creates a thinking cap to share with her classmates to celebrate who she is and in doing so, better understands herself better.

Sierra, J. (2018). The great dictionary caper. (E. Comstock, Illus.). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. What would happen if all the words escaped from the dictionary? You’d call Noah Webster, of course, to restore order. This book helps us understand the secret lives that words have when we aren’t looking, including where they go to have a family reunion and what happens when they disagree causing things to fall apart.

Swanson, M. (2018). everywhere, wonder. (R. Behr, Illus.). New York, NY: Imprint Books. A boy finds wonder in things that are all around him and in his imagination. As he thinks about the pyramids of Egypt or walking on the moon or as he notices the world outside of his window, he realizes that whatever he thinks are all things that he can write about and share with others!

Tey, P. (2018). In-between things. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press. What does it mean to be “in-between?” It is a concept that has meaning as it is explored in this book looking at a variety of objects, including the reader. We are in-between all the time and it is quite interesting, if you stop and think about it for a minute. This book will help you do just that.

Woodson, J. (2018). The day you begin. (R. Lopez, Illus.). New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen Books. (August 28, 2018) When you walk into a room, you are different. There isn’t anyone else like you. Sometimes that makes you feel special and sometimes that makes you feel uncomfortable. Everyone has felt both of those ways at one time or another. This book celebrates the day that you begin something and for those people who are different. It celebrates our differences and reminds us to accept each other for who we are, not matter what.

for all that you do for students, teachers, and all the reading lives you touch! Remember to keep reading, writing, creating, dreaming, and loving! You make a difference each and every day in the lives of those around you! Now…go buy some books and enjoy your summer; you deserve it!