GARDEN STATE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARDS

Booktalks for the 2014 Ballot

FICTION

Dancing Home by Alma Flor Ada and Gabriel M. Zubizarreta

When Margie’s cousin moves from Mexico to live with her and her family in California, she goes through an identity crisis. Margie was born in Texas to Mexican parents. She has spent her whole life adapting to American customs and ways while rejecting anything that comes from south of the border. Having Lupe move in stirs up feelings on what it means to be an American.

Lupe brings out more Mexican in Margie’s parents than Margie can handle; however, Margie begins to feel jealous of the cultural connection that Lupe has to her mom and dad. Will Margie be able to sort out her feelings and come to terms with who she really is or will she forever resent her cousin?

Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book by Tom Angleberger

The very first day of seventh grade was going great until Harvey showed up with Darth Paper and a determination to take down his foe Dwight and Dwight’s Origami Yoda. Things get worse for Dwight when Origami Yoda tries to warn his friend Jen about impending doom. Instead of Jen heeding the warning, she allowed herself to be convinced by Harvey to report Dwight’s comment as a terroristic threat. As a result, Dwight gets suspended from school. Will Dwight be allowed to return to McQuarrie Middle School or will he be sent to alternative school CREF?

City of Orphans by Avi

The year is 1893 and thirteen-year-old Maks Geless is trying to help his parents out financially by selling newspapers; however, a menacing gang called the Plug-Uglies and their ruthless leader Bruno is trying to put the Newsies out of business. When Maks gets cornered by Bruno, a homeless girl named Willa emerges out of the gutter and beats Bruno back with a stick. In return, Maks offers to take her home for a hot meal. Upon their arrival at Maks tenement, they find out that Maks oldest sister, Emma, has been arrested for stealing a watch from a guest at the newly opened Waldorf Hotel. Maks knows that his sister didn’t steal anything and sets out to find who did. Can Maks and Willa find the clues they need in time to set Emma free?

Cinderella Smith by Stephanie Barden

Cinderella Smith’s real name is Josephine-Kathryn; however, she earned the nickname Cinderella because she is always losing one shoe. It is the beginning of the school year and there are some changes in Cinderella’s life, most notably, moving up a grade to join the second-floor students and being snubbed by her friends. When new girl Erin shows an interest in Cinderella, the other girls become even snobbier. Erin’s mother is getting remarried and Erin enlists

Cinderella’s help in finding out if her two new stepsisters are wicked. Cinderella takes on the challenge and creates a “Wicked Stepsisters Notebook.” Will there be a happily ever after?

Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow by Nathan Bransford

Sixth-grade class clown Jacob Wonderbar and his friends Sarah and Dexter find a spaceship crashed in the woods near their suburban neighborhood. They take it for a ride and end up breaking the universe, getting kidnapped by a space pirate, and landing on a planet that reeks of burp breath. Their troubles put a strain on their friendship, but the only way for them to get home is to work together.

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

After being “grounded for life,” Jack is facing a summer of doing nothing. But plenty of excitement comes Jack's way once his mom loans him out to help a feisty old neighbor with a most unusual chore—typewriting obituaries filled with stories about the people who founded his utopian town. As one obituary leads to another, Jack is launched on a strange adventure involving molten wax, Eleanor Roosevelt, twisted promises, a homemade airplane, Girl Scout cookies, a man on a trike, a dancing plague, voices from the past, Hell’s Angels, and possibly murder.

True (… Sort Of) by Katherine Hannigan

Delly Pattison is a creative 11 year old who loves to create her own language and go on adventures with her little brother. Unfortunately, Delly also cannot help but get into trouble. Even with her good intentions, Delly’s spontaneity leads to disastrous results. With the threat of getting kicked out of school, a mysterious new classmate named Ferris Boyd, who refuses to speak, helps Delly learn to control her impulsiveness. As their friendship grows, Delly discovers that Ferris has an almost magical way of communicating with animals and is the best basketball player their small town has ever seen. Delly also learns the reason behind Ferris’ muteness and realizes she might be in trouble. Can Delly save her new friend from her own trouble? 

Zita the Spacegirl: Far From Home by Ben Hatke

While walking home, Zita and her friend Joseph discover a strange, square-shaped device with a bright red button. Zita impulsively pushes the button which suddenly opens a portal and sucks Joseph away. Feeling responsible for her friend’s disappearance, Zita pushes the button again—this time so she can follow Joseph into a bizarre world of unknown creatures, robots and aliens. While trying to navigate this new world, Zita is lucky enough to find a friend and ally named Piper. Zita and Piper set out to rescue Joseph and return the two of them to Earth.  Will Zita and Piper find Joseph and will they both make it back to Earth?

Till Death Do Us Bark by Kate Klise

Seymour is one lucky kid—he’s finally happily living with his adoptive parents (one alive, one ghost), and now he finds a lost dog! But the dog, whom he names Secret, is the key to some secrets in town. Can Seymour and Secret find the missing inheritance of Secret’s former owner? Will Seymour’s parents let him keep Secret? Read the book, which is all told in letters and newspaper articles, to see if you can solve the mystery.

13 Gifts by Wendy Mass

When Tara, a self-proclaimed shrinking violet, steals the school mascot, a goat, in order to make some friends with the popular crowd and gets caught, she gets herself in a heap of trouble. In addition, her parents decide that instead of taking her on their summer trip to Madagascar to study the courtship rituals of the Bamboo Lemur, she must go stay with her aunt, uncle, and bratty cousin Emily St. Claire in Willow Falls. Tara thinks it's a good time to start over; she'll be turning 13 after all, so she might as well make the best of it and perhaps even attempt to break out of her shell (in a non-criminal manner). What Tara doesn't know is that this charmed town has something big in store for her on her 13th birthday. It's not a typical birthday. But then again, nothing is Willow Falls is exactly typical!

Cats in the Doll Shop by Yona Zeldis McDonough, illustrated by Heather Maione.

Anna is excited that her cousin Tania will be coming to live with the family. She even makes a special doll just for her. But when Tania arrives she is strange and unfriendly. What makes Tania hide food and act so rude? And will Anna be able to save the alley cats even though papa says “no pets allowed”?

Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver

After the death of her father, Liesl is locked in the attic by her stepmother. There she receives a visit from Po and Bundle, spirits from the Other Side, with a message from Liesl’s father. Liesl must try to recover her father’s ashes and keep evil forces from obtaining the Most Powerful Magic in the World. On her journey she meets Will, the alchemist’s apprentice, and along with Po and Bundle, the group sets out on a sometimes humorous, sometimes dark, but always exciting adventure.

Lucky for Good by Susan Patron

Lucky is happy with her life in Hard Pan until the arrival of a county health inspector brings the possibility of the closure of Brigitte’s café which in turn would mean that Lucky and Brigitte would have to leave. The arrival of Miles’ mother also causes friction between good friends Lucky and Miles. Further turmoil occurs when Lucky is forced to do a family tree assignment

which causes Lucky to investigate the father she hardly knows. This stand-alone finale in Lucky’s Hard Pan Trilogy tests the strength and resourcefulness of Lucky in new ways.

Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck

Mice sisters Helena, Louise and Beatrice along with brother Lamont follow their human family on a voyage from New York to London. On board the 1880’s ship, they discover a world of dinners and dances for mice. The sisters find they must intervene on behalf of their human family in an adventure at times both humorous and frightening. Will they be successful or will they fall victim to the water or the ship’s cat? Grades 4 & up, younger for read-aloud

Sidekicks by Dan Santat

Captain Amazing, superhero and savior of Metro City, is getting old. He's out all hours battling arch-villains, catching thieves, and helping little old ladies cross the street. He doesn't even have time for his house full of pets. His four pets all agree that he needs a sidekick but each one of them thinks HE should get the sidekick spot - and a chance for one-on-one time with the Captain. Get ready as these pets with superpowers duke it out for the one thing they all want - a super family.

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. After losing both his mother and his hearing in rapid succession, Ben longs for the father he has never known. Lonely Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room and Rose reads an enticing heading in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing. Set fifty years apart, these independent stories - Ben's told in words, Rose's in pictures - weave back and forth until they ultimately entwine. How they unfold will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder.

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

Siblings Kate, Michael, and Emma were orphaned by their parents when they were very, very young--leaving them only with the last name “P.” After being sent from one orphanage to another, the three end up in a mysterious town called Cambridge Falls. When they happen upon a book that holds the power of time travel, they begin to unravel a mystery of magic and danger. Given the power to change history, will they succeed and save the world?

Pie by Sarah Weeks

Hungry for a good read? Take a big bite of Pie and you’ll be satisfied. After the death of Polly Portman, whose award-winning pies put the town of Ipswitch, Pennsylvania, on the map in the 1950s, her devoted niece Alice and Alice's friend Charlie investigate who is going to extremes to

find Aunt Polly's secret pie crust recipe. This book is full of charm and humor, not to mention every chapter begins with a scrumptious recipe for pie. Yum!

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book 2, The Hidden Gallery by Maryrose Wood

The second book in this hilarious series, plucky and resourceful governess Miss Penelope Lumley and her wolfish charges, Alexander, Cassiopeia and Beowulf, are headed to London for further adventures. The mystery of who exactly are the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place continues, as well as Miss Lumley’s connection to them. You’ll be howling for more.

Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods

With personality as long as his name, Saint Louis Armstrong Beach loves his life in New Orleans playing his clarinet for tourists and paling around with local stray dog, Shadow. But as Hurricane Katrina threatens his city, Saint stays to weather the storm in order to save Shadow. Saint proves to be as vibrant and resilient as his beloved city as this book takes you through the days leading up to the infamous hurricane and right through to the eye of the storm. Hold on tight!

FICTION SERIES

Just Grace and the Double Surprise by Charise Mericle Harper

Have you ever been so excited and nervous for something you could just explode? That is how Grace’s best friend, Mimi, feels as she anxiously awaits the arrival of her new adopted sister. When things don’t turn out as Mimi had hoped, Grace has to use her special empathy power to cheer her up and show her that not always getting what you want can be a good thing. Can Grace remember her own advice as she receives a special, unexpected surprise of her own?

Babymouse: Mad Scientist by Jennifer L. Hold & Matthew Holm

Babymouse struggles to come up with an idea for her Science Fair project. Encouraged by her father, eventually Babymouse agrees to collect pond water in order to observe and research amoebas. Amoebas prove to be much more exciting than Babymouse expected, when she discovers Squish—a baseball hat wearing, pizza and cupcake loving, green colored amoeba. Squish and Babymouse develop an interesting friendship and due to his fame and popularity---Squish goes on to star in his own comic book series. Read Babymouse: Mad Scientist to learn about Squish’s beginnings and continue his hilarious story in Squish: Super Amoeba by the same authors.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney

What would you do if you were stuck inside during a blizzard for days? Well, if you’re anything like Greg Heffley, you’d have a blast! No school, no chores, all fun, right? At least for the first hour. Then Greg starts to go stir crazy! If anyone can make it though, Greg can—using a little ingenuity and lots of funny drawings!

Big Nate on a Roll by Lincoln Peirce

Big Nate loses his skateboard in a skateboarding accident, but just in time his Timber Scouts troop is having a contest and the winner gets a new skateboard! Nate tries his best to sell the most “Warm Fuzzies” but new scout Artur always comes in first. Even the various schemes Nate tries to get ahead all backfire on him. Will Nate win or will Artur?

Clementine and the Family Meeting by Sara Pennypacker

Third-grader Clementine has a lot going on in her life. Her friend Margaret is acting strange, Clementine has lost her favorite hat and her science project, a rat, has gone missing in the school. But most disturbing of all is the news from the family meeting that Clementine’s family is expecting a new baby. Why would her parents ruin her perfect family with a new baby? How will the resourceful Clementine deal with all of these problems?

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Dead Bodies, Funerals and Other Fatal Circumstance by Lenore Look

Life can be a scary thing for many, and death an even scarier thing, especially for Alvin Ho. Alvin's life is full of many dangers which seem to be lurking at every turn, like his second grade history test. School is the scariest place of all for Alvin, the place where his voice never fails to abandon him. Because disaster is always following Alvin around, he makes sure to carry his Personal Disaster Kit (PDK) with him at all times, just in case. Unfortunately for Alvin, his PDK is not able to save him from going to his first funeral, complete with a real dead body. As he awaits the day of the funeral, disaster after disaster seems to come his way and Alvin is convinced his own doom is inevitable, but maybe things will not be as bad as they seem. Humor is present throughout that will more than likely capture the interest of many eight-year-old boys.

Gooney Bird on the Map by Lois Lowry, Middy Thomas (Illustrator)

Gooney Bird and her second-grade classmates are gearing up for February vacation and exploring the month's other celebrations—Valentine's Day and several presidents' birthdays. Gooney Bird, as always, is brimming with facts and ideas. When some students are upset because others are going to exotic destinations, Gooney Bird cooks up a plan to bring everyone together, culminating in the creation of a large, snowy U. S. map on the playground and a presentation about states for the entire school.

NON FICTION

13 Planets: The Latest View of the Solar System by David A. Aguilar.

Scientists are always discovering new objects in outer space and learning new facts about our solar system. Did you know that Mercury is both the hottest and coldest place in our solar system, at the same time? Mars has dust storms that are 50 times larger than any tornado on Earth? Did you know that Uranus spins completely on its side? Scientists think it got tilted when it was hit with something really big. These are just a few of the fascinating facts you’ll learn about our solar system in this book, including how the planets are tied to our own Greek and Roman mythology.

Thunder Birds: Nature’s Flying Predators by Jim Arnosky.

Most of us see birds in our backyards building little nests and pecking on the ground for seeds. Well, you’ve never seen birds like this before! These are thunder birds! With incredible life size paintings, you’ll get up close and personal with some of nature’s most fearsome flying predators. The American White Pelican has a wing span of over 9 feet! A loon can dive to depths of over 200 feet to catch fish. Owls’ wings are completely silent—prey animals are taken suddenly and without any warning. These fun facts and fold out pages of the amazing world of flying predators will captivate you!

A Butterfly is Patient by Diana Hutts Aston.

Butterflies are much more than just bugs! They are some of the most colorful, useful and unusual creatures in nature. With great pictures we’ll learn just how amazing these things with wings are! For example, how are butterflies helpful? Protective? Creative? And poisonous! Did you know that "monarchs weigh only as much as a few rose petals," the wingspan of the

Arian Small Blue is "about the length of a grain of rice?” Continue turning the pages and you’ll be dazzled!

Just Being Audrey by Margaret Cardillo

Audrey Hepburn was a beautiful actress who lit up the movies from the 1950’s through the 1980’s. Not only was she an award-winning actress, but a very interesting person! She grew up in the city of Paris, but not the glamorous city you and I think of today. When she was a child, her city was occupied by the Nazi’s during World War II. Life was difficult. Luckily, she escaped and became the famous actress we know today. But she found, later in life, that the most important thing she could do was to help very poor children through an organization called UNICEF, the same agency that helped her as child, and still works today to help feed hungry children around the world.

Planting the Wild Garden by Kathryn O. Galbraith

Travel as a seed does with wind and water, animals and people. The trip is made through panoramic illustrations alongside cross-sections and close-ups. Illustrator Wendy Anderson Halperin has created a beautiful book for nature lovers of any age.

In Search of Sasquatch by Kelly Milner Halls

Footprints, video, sounds and photographs – the evidence of Sasquatch cannot be denied. The search continues for this hidden creature of the forest with new technology. 45 credible sightings in New Jersey alone! Join the “Squatchers” to learn more.

Basketball Belles: How Two Teams and One Scrappy Player Put Women's Hoops on the Map by Sue Macy

Told through the eyes of Agnes Morely, a girl raised on a New Mexico ranch and sent to Stanford University to learn to be a lady, the excitement and significance of the first-ever intercollegiate women’s basketball game come to life in this story. The in-your-face, exhilarating illustrations leap off the slightly oversized pages with all the vibrancy and poignancy of this historic game played in 1896. An author’s note and a timeline flesh out the details of a little known, but important event in sports history.

Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero by Marissa Moss

How could a woman serve her country during the Civil War? Sarah Edmonds decided to become a soldier. She had already disguised herself as Frank Thompson to escape an arranged marriage. So, as “Frank,” she enlisted, fought in battles, and eventually became a nurse tending the wounded. Others noticed her bravery and asked her to be a spy. Marissa Moss follows the story of a remarkable woman, almost forgotten by history, who served her country in a time of great need. Add this fast paced, well illustrated title to your biography collections!

Saving Audie: A Pit Bull Puppy Gets a Second Chance by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

We all know what happened to Michael Vick when he was found guilty of owning dogs that were part of a dog fighting ring. But did you ever wonder what happened to the dogs? Forty dogs were rescued, but could they be saved? Were they too damaged to lead normal lives? This is the story of the animal rights groups who insisted the dogs deserved a second chance. But more than that, it is the story of one puppy, Audie, who was rescued, rehabilitated, and adopted by a family who gave him the love and care he deserves. This emotional account and accompanying photographs will inspire hope and compassion. You will love this heartwarming story.

A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis by Matt De La Pena

In 1938, for one evening, black and white Americans stood united in support of African American boxing legend Joe Louis vs. German Max Schmelling. Learn how the life of Joe Louis and this historic match represented all Americans on the brink of World War II. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson.

Lemonade, and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word by Bob Raczka

Are you ready for a puzzle in poetry form? Challenge yourself to read words backwards, sideways, slantways, and crazy spacing ways! Each poem is created from the letters of its single-word title. Letters are lined up under the original letter in the title, as if they are falling down the page—leaving you with a word mystery to solve. (Don’t worry, if you flip the page, you’ll find the poem written in a more readable format.) Take the fun even further by creating your own Lemonade inspired poetry!

The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families by Susan L. Roth, Susan and Cindy Trumbore.

Take a journey through the beautifully collaged world of Gordon H. Sato’s mangrove tree project in the African village of Hargigo. Discover how village life was transformed by the planting and caring of mangrove trees.

Drawing from Memory by Allen Say

Do you love to draw? Do you dream of becoming a cartoonist? What about moving out of your parents’ house at the age of 12? Accompany Allen Say on his journey to comic artist and storyteller in 1940s Japan, to Caldecott Medal winning illustrator in the United States. Filled with photographs, color illustrations, comic book panels and sketches, Say takes you on an adventure through his childhood, to his meeting with his idol—a cartoonist who takes him on as an apprentice—to his eventual prominence as an extraordinary and renowned illustrator of children’s books.

Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein

What happens when your hair blower works in reverse? What is a Zoootch? What exactly comes on a hot dog with ‘every thing on it?’ Find out the answers to these crazy questions and more in this fabulous book of poetry and drawings from Shel Silverstein. All the poems were selected by Silverstein’s family.

Baby Mammoth Mummy: Frozen in Time!: A Prehistoric Animal’s Journey into the 21st Century by Christopher Sloan

Yuri, a nomadic reindeer herder, discovered a complete 42,000 year-old frozen baby mammoth in Siberia. While he was alerting scientists, other herders sold it to a store where dogs gnawed off her tail and one ear before scientists convinced the store owner to give up the mammoth. This fascinating book, filled with amazing photographs by Francis Latreille of the fully intact frozen mammoth—nicknamed Lyuba, describes scientists’ investigations, as well as the world Lyuba lived in. Written by a past GSCBA winner, the text is lively and the book includes resources, glossary and index.

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet

Tony Sarg, marionette-maker, developed the helium balloon animals that debuted in the 1928 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, beginning a tradition that has continued to the present. Sarg’s “upside-down marionettes” could be seen above the crowds, but were controlled from the ground. Caldecott Honor Winner Melissa Sweet illustrated his biography with lively mixed-media collage and watercolor that capture the enthusiasm of the man who claimed, “I have never done a stroke of work in my life.”

Friends: True Stories of Extraordinary Animal Friendships by Catherine Thimmesh

Catherine Timmesh brings us unusual animal pairs in gorgeous photos, each with an accompanying poem and a short back-story about how they met and how long they were together. Some were pals for only an afternoon (a frog that transported a mouse through floodwaters in India). Some have been friends for a long time, like the Asiatic bear and black cat who have been together for twelve years, and counting, in the Berlin Zoo. A heartwarming book that can be used to discuss friendship, or simply enjoyed by those of any age.

Odd Ball: Hilarious, Unusual & Bizarre Baseball Moments by Timothy Tocher

Zany stories from baseball are grouped into nine “innings,” each with a theme, such as ears, birds, or fouls. The stories are told in text, and black and white cartoons or sketches by Stacy Curtis. Fun for readers of all levels, but for the reluctant reader who loves baseball, or just bizarre facts, the combination of format and subject is a real winner. The book concludes with odd facts about the players.

EARLY READERS

Fly Guy vs. the Flyswatter by Tedd Arnold

Fly Guy tags along in Buzz’s pocket for the class trip to the Fantastic Flyswatter Factory. When the tour guide demonstrates the power of the flyswatter of the future, “The Super Swatter 6000,” using a tiny, defenseless fly, Fly Guy zooms into action to save the little fly. Havoc ensues, but the kids all agree: it was the best field trip ever!

Biscuit and the Lost Teddy Bear by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Biscuit returns in another fun adventure from Capucilli. Biscuit finds a teddy bear that doesn’t belong to anyone he knows. But then he notices boxes being unloaded from a big truck outside a nearby house where a little boy sits crying. Could the teddy bear belong to the new neighbor?

Max Spaniel: Best in Show by David Catrow

Max is back! Max Spaniel is not just a dog, but a famous star. (You might know his famous, cool cousin, Spaniel L. Jackson!) While there are many dogs with various talents in the dog show, there is only one Max. He doesn’t just dive, but dives for sunken treasure; he doesn’t howl, yip or woof, he quacks and roars. And talent? His shadow puppets impress everyone. But when the contestants come together to form a band for the music contest portion of the show, everyone is a winner. Catrow’s signature illustrations are half the fun in this zany romp.

Carl and the Kitten by Alexandra Day

Friendly Rottweiler Carl, from Day’s well-loved picture books, rescues his friend, a little kitten who has climbed up a tree. Climbing up was much easier than climbing down! This is a very beginning early reader in the series, “My Readers: Classic Stories Classic Characters.” And Carl has not lost a step— he is still as sweet and helpful as ever!

Mia and the Dance for Two by Robin Farley

Poor kitty cat Mia, her best friend, Ruby the giraffe (sporting a striped scarf while sitting in bed reading a ballet book), is sick and cannot come to dance class. When everyone pairs off to practice a new dance requiring a partner, Mia stands alone, feeling sad and lonely. But she soon has a new problem when two friends ask to partner up with her. This addition to the sweet stories about Mia in the “My First I Can Read!” series will have aspiring dancers admiring the adorable, expressive animal characters in this lively tale about consideration of the feelings of others.

Dixie by Grace Gilman

Dixie and Emma do everything together. And like most puppies, Dixie wants lots of attention. So, when Emma is too busy studying her lines to play the role of Dorothy in the school play, Dixie wreaks all kinds of havoc to gain Emma’s attention. Dixie even hides one of the ruby slippers Emma is to wear in the play. But Dixie relents and returns the shoe when she sees how upset and worried Emma is about doing well in the play. With Dixie by her side playing the part of Toto, Emma is a big success in “The Wizard of Oz.”

Pony Scouts: Back in the Saddle by Catherine Hapka

When she falls during a balance lesson, Annie does not want to get back on the horse, Splash. But when the new foal, Surprise, nickers at her, Annie realizes that if she ever wants to ride Surprise, she’ll have to get back in the saddle again. And she does! A nice addition to the “I Can Read” series, “Pony Scouts,” that horse lovers will adore!

Boy, Bird, and Dog by David McPhail

Using only a handful of very simple words, most of which are one syllable, McPhail tells the brief story of Boy, who figures out a clever way to bring Dog up into their tree house where Bird waits. Boy’s method comes in handy when Mom comes outside with cookies to share. A wonderfully simple, elegant story from a master storyteller and illustrator in Holiday House’s “I Like to Read” series.

See Me Run by Paul Meisel

A la Dick and Jane, dogs run and run, splat in mud, swim in a creek, and dig and dig. When they unearth a huge fossil that rises out of its grave to chase the dogs, they run and run again! Written for very early readers, Dick and Jane never had this much fun, or got this muddy! Part of the “I Like to Read” series from Holiday House.

Silly Lilly in What Will I Be Today? by Agnes Rosenstiehl

Silly Lilly pretends to be something different each day of the week. On Monday, she is a cook, staining her hands with the colors of beets, carrots, and spinach. On Tuesday, she finds two cinder blocks and pretends to be a city planner. On Wednesday, a musician. What will inspire Silly Lilly on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday? Well, any week that includes being a candy taster can’t be all bad! A fun entry in the Toon Book series.

Aggie Gets Lost by Lori Ries

Back for another adventure, Ben and his dog Aggie are playing fetch in the park one day when Aggie doesn’t return. Ben and his parents put a plan into action to find Aggie, but no one has seen her. After a sleepless night wondering and worrying that maybe Aggie was unhappy and ran away on purpose, Ben goes back to the park, still looking for his best friend. Ben meets another friend, Mr. Thomas, who is blind. Mr. Thomas offers Ben another way to look for Aggie in this satisfying tale.

Annie and Snowball and the Book Bugs Club by Cynthia Rylant

When Annie asks Henry to join the local library’s summer reading club, “The Book Bugs Club,” Henry is not so sure. Isn’t reading an “indoor thing?” But he thinks about all the things Annie has done with him

and Mudge and decides it’s time to do an “Annie-thing.” To his surprise, reading absolutely CAN be an outdoor thing, and the Book Bugs Club can be lots of fun, especially the picnic at the end of the summer! You will recognize some of your own students and patrons in Annie and Henry!

Mittens, Where is Max? by Lola M. Schaefer

Mittens the cat wants to play with his best friend, Max the dog. But Max is not in any of his usual spots. Will Mittens ever find him? Adorable Mittens will be irresistible to young readers in this title in the “My First I Can Read!” series.

Mouse Loves School by Lauren Thomas

Mouse climbs into a backpack and ends up at school. Join him in this boldly illustrated very early reader as Mouse discovers numbers, colors, shapes, letters, and best of all, friends.

Ducks in a Row by Jackie Urbanovic and Lori Haskins Houran.

Poor Max the Duck. He is feeling unneeded in Irene’s busy household. But when his three aunts show up unexpectedly, they need him to do EVERYTHING! Just as Max begins to wonder if he’ll ever have time to relax again, the first snowflake falls . . . Based on the popular “Duck” books by Urbanovic, this early reader will please fans of the original picture books about Max and Irene and their busy home.

I Broke My Trunk by Mo Willems

Gerald tells his best friend, Piggie, the “long, crazy story” of how he broke his trunk. Was it when he lifted Hippo onto his trunk? No. Was it when he lifted Rhino onto his trunk? No. Was it when he lifted BOTH of them onto his trunk? No. It wasn’t even when he lifted two hippos, one rhino, and a piano on his trunk! So WHEN did Gerald break his trunk?! Ask Piggie!

Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems

What a dilemma for Elephant! Should he, shouldn’t he? The rationalizations fly as Elephant tries to decide what to do. By the time he makes up his mind, his ice cream has melted. But wait, something unexpected happens! And even though it was not a part of Elephant’s plan, all works out just fine! Another wonderful title in the Elephant and Piggie friendship saga.

Mouse and Mole: A Perfect Halloween by Wong Herbert Yee

Good friends Mouse and Mole are back for another exciting adventure, this time, at Halloween. Mouse has so much to do before the big day, but Mole just can’t get into the spirit of it. Even Mouse’s decorations scare him. But when Mouse decides to enter a pumpkin carving contest, Mole thinks that a pumpkin carving contest is not too scary. (You’ll never guess who wins for the “sc-scariest j-jack-o’-lantern!”) Mole does not even want to shop for Halloween costumes because he is too scared. Mouse wants to help her friend and thinks that maybe if she reads him a Halloween story, he’ll get over his fear. The story is about a little mouse and a little mole who, although scared, together act bravely. Mole decides that maybe he can try to act like the little mole in the story. Four related but separate stories, including the “story-within-a-story,” make for perfect Halloween fun any time of year for fans of Mouse and Mole.