Marty Pants

This series by Mark Parisi is sure to be a hit with my upper grade students.  Like Wimpy Kid and Big Nate, it is an illustrated novel with a lot of humor.  The main character, Marty, has a VERY active imagination, and it leads him to jump to conclusions that get him in quite a bit or trouble.  The conclusions he makes are hilarious, and I enjoyed the humor very much.  He believes his teacher is an alien and he must save the world from his destructive plan.  Meanwhile he is being followed around by a girl, Analie N., who he kind of likes.  (Look at her name again. What does it spell?)  I will be adding this series to my libraries.  (FIC PAR)

The Summer of Broken Things

I was intrigued when I saw this novel, written by children's author, Margaret Peterson Haddix.  She writes a lot of fantasy, science-fictiony (is that a word?) books.  This was a realistic fiction one about two young girls and their summer trip to Spain.  Both discover a secret there that connects them and they spend the summer growing and learning how to handle the news.  The book goes back and forth between chapters told from both Avery and Kayla's perspectives.  I was not a fan of Avery - a spoiled brat who judges others and thinks she is better than everyone else.  Although, as a 14-yr-old rich girl, it was probably a realistic portrayal.  Several things in the story make it too mature to put on my shelves, but it would be a great addition to a middle school library. (FIC HAD)

La Princesa and the Pea

In this version of the classic fairy tale in which a girl must prove herself worthy of a prince by feeling a pea in a bed with 20 mattresses, the author has added some South American flavor with some Spanish vocabulary and illustrations inspired by textiles found in Peru.  I enjoyed the fact that it was a rhyming story, even with its Spanish words.  This is a 2018-19 NH Ladybug Contest nominee.  (PIC ELY)

A Small Thing...But Big

The sweet and simple illustrations in this 2018-19 NH Ladybug nominee help tell the tale of a girl who is somewhat afraid of dogs.  An old man in the park helps her get over the fear bit by bit.  Each victory for the girl is a small thing, but big to her - petting, walking beside, holding the leash.  Young students will identify with her successes and I look forward to discussions about small things that might have seemed big a the time.  (I loved the twist ending!!!!)  (PIC JOH)

Bunny's Book Club

On the NH Ladybug Contest list for 2018-19, this sweet story about a bunny who can not get enough books will be a hit with the kiddos.  Bunny loves eavesdropping on storytime outside with the librarian.  But when the weather changes and they have to move indoors, Bunny finds a way to get inside the library and get her own books.  Soon her friends get jealous and all want to do it.  But the librarian catches them.  Her solution for them is surprising and encouraging.  Gotta love a book about the love of books!  (PIC SIL)

Ranger Rick: I Wish I Was a Gorilla

This is a great new nonfiction series from a contributor to Ranger Rick, Jr magazine and the National Wildlife Federation.  It is an early reader for students who can read simple sentences.  Kids love reading about animals and these engaging nonfiction books let them imagine themselves being an animal.  What would I eat?  Where would I sleep?  These will be very popular for both students for sure, and teachers will also love them for research purposes.

A Long Walk to Water

One of the  many things I like about children's literature is that sometimes, an author uses his/her book to highlight other great books.  This summer, I read Andrew Clements' Losers Club and it did just that.  In it, I came across a title that I had heard before, but Clement mentioning it again made me go read it.  Am I glad I did!  It was a quick read, but powerful.  It is a novel based on the true story of a young boy in Sudan, an African country torn apart by war and poverty.    He escapes and loses his family, as many of these "lost boys" did.  His story is one of tragedy, but also of hope and promise.  It is important for our students to see a global picture when they read.  It also made me think of one of this year's Ladybug nominees, The Water Princess.  In both stories, the tragic situation of Africa's lack of fresh water and how that impacts education and growth there are highlighted.  (FIC PAR)

The Science of Breakable Things

This book was a bit heavy in its content, but refreshing in its willingness to tackle the topic of depression.  Natalie's mother is battling depression.  At the same time, Natalie has a science experiment she needs to complete.  An egg drop contest becomes a way by which Natalie can earn money to get her mom to a place that will fix her.  But "you can't always protect breakable things...but you keep going anyway.  Because science is about asking questions.  And living is not being afraid of the answer."  I loved Natalie's teacher in this story as well as  the author's infusion of the scientific method into its chapter format.  (FIC KEL)

Jabari Jumps

I loved this sweet picture-book story about courage.  Jabari has never jumped off the high board before.  He thinks it will be easy.  But then he finds all sorts of funny excuses to not go up.  His patient, understanding Dad waits below.  Many students will identify with Jabari and his willingness to overcome his fears, and discover "the surprise" that awaits him,  This is a 2018-19 NH Ladybug nominee.  (PIC COR)

Pocketful of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire

This biography is on the 2018-19 Ladybug nominee this year.  Mary Blair was an artist fascinated with color.  She was one of the first women to be hired at Walt Disney Animation Studios.  In the 1940s, most of her male coworkers thought her colors were too vibrant, abstract, and bold.  She stayed true to her passion and Walt Disney himself saw her genius.  She is the artist behind the It's A Small World ride in Disney World and many Disney films.  (BIO BLA)

Girls Who Code - The Friendship Code

In this first installment of a new series, the reader is introduced to a group of middle school friends who are all interested in coding.  They join an after school club, and soon they are involved in a bit of a mystery.  Someone is leaving them notes using strange language and symbols.  They realize it is language that computers speak, and using some new coding skills, together they figure it out.  This series will be popular with fans of realistic fiction friendship stories as well as anyone who is interested in computer science and coding.  (FIC DEU)

Ghosts

This was the NH 2018 Great Stone Face winner.  It is a graphic novel.  The author, Rena Telgemeier, is very popular with young students.  I generally find her books a bit too mature for a K-5 library.  This was perfect.  It is a touching story in which a family needs to move in order to improve the health of the main character's sister.  They move to a town which has ghosts, and on The Day of the Dead, ghosts are all supposed to come back and visit their families!  Cat is petrified while her sister is excited.  Getting excited is not good for her health, though, so Cat tries to keep them away.   (GN TEL)

Calvin Coconut: Hero of Hawaii

This is a beginning chapter book by Graham Salisbury.  It is a realistic fiction adventure story.  Calvin and his family live in Hawaii.  A hurricane occurs and Calvin is enjoying every second of the exciting storm.  But the next day, he and his friend head out to see the damage the storm caused and his friend gets in a very dangerous situation.  Calvin's bravery is put to the test.  Students will love this exciting story.  (E SAL) 

Malala's Magic Pencil

I do not think a library can have enough books about this young woman.  This is her autobiography, written in picture book format.  She starts the story reflecting on a television show she watched as a child in which a young boy had a magic pencil to change things that went wrong.  Malala always wished she could have that pencil to help make the world a better place.  In her world, girls do not have the same rights and freedoms as boys.  She decided to use her voice and make things better.  She suffered a terrible price for doing that, but it only made her stronger.  (BIO YOU)

After the Fall

What happened after Humpty Dumpty fell?  This beautiful book takes us there.  He is scared and nervous, and "There were some parts that could not be healed with bandages and glue."  Students will relate to his anxiety after a trauma, and hopefully gain courage like he did to get back up, try again and face your fears.  I loved the twist ending.  This is on the 2018-19 NH ladybug Award nominee list this year.  (PIC SHA)

Hello Goodbye Dog

Poor Moose does not like it when Zara goes to school.  He LOVES "hellos" but does not like "Goodbyes".  He sneaks away and finds her at all times of her school day and grownups make him say goodbye every time.   Until Zara comes up with a solution.  Now he never has to say goodbye!  This is on the NH Ladybug Award Nominee list for the 18-19 school year.  (PIC GIA)

I am Albert Einstein

I LOVE THIS SERIES by Brad Meltzer!  What a terrific way to engage students in learning about how "Ordinary People Change the World" - the name of the series.  The illustrations by Christopher Eliopoulos are wonderful and whimsical.  The stories are told from the famous person's viewpoint.  I thought this one was perfect in boiling down Einstein's potentially complicated science contributions to something a child could understand.  I can't wait to read the others and for my students to get their hands on them.  (BIO EIN)

When Andy Met Sandy

I adore anything by Tomie DePaola.  Here he has ventured into very early readers, much like Biscuit or Dick and Jane.  Students will enjoy his wonderful illustrations and simple words as they make their way through the book on their own.  In this one, two children alone on a playground become friends by reaching out to each other.  This has other books in the series as well.  (E DEP)

I Walk With Vanessa

In this wordless picture book by husband and wife illustrator team, Kerascoet, a simple act of kindness can change one person's world.  A new girl is being bullied.  A witness to this is troubled by it and thinks of a way to help her.  It has a wonderful message for young people that one little thing can have terrific consequences.  (PIC KER)

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

I can not say enough about this book.  It was THAT GOOD.  It reminded me of Little Women... a beautiful family who welcomes you in and does not let you go...each character bringing something different to the story.  It wrapped me up and held me tight.  It was so beautiful and touching in its story about a family trying to save their home.  Their landlord is kicking them out, so they try to convince him they should stay.  They learn why he is such a grump.  Their kindness and the touching story hit me hard.  I cried.  Please read it.  You will not be sorry.  (FIC GLA)

The Losers Club

In this realistic fiction story by Andrew Clements, Alec just wants to read.  He loses himself in stories.  He prefers them to his real life.  But in the after-school program he is not allowed.  He is forced to participate in the Activities or one of the Clubs.  He decides to make his own club - a reading club.  But he doesn't want to be disturbed and have a ton of kids in it, so he calls it the Losers Club.  He soon realizes that there are kids just like him - bookworms - and his club becomes more popular than he ever imagined.  And he also realizes, that books can not be a substitute for really living.  There was a bit of middle-school crushing happening in this book, but other that that, it was perfectly suitable for 4th and 5th graders.  It is on the Great Stone Face list this year.  (FIC CLE)

The Real McCoys

This is a cute, easy mystery story written in a popular new format - illustrated novel.  It is not a graphic novel, but the pages are heavily and whimsically illustrated to keep students' interest.  Moxie is a kid detective whose case is to find her school's missing owl mascot.  Her best friend and partner has moved away.  She finds help in her little brother.  It is a Great Stone Face contender for this year.  (FIC SWA)

Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Big Screen

This is a fictionalized version of a true story.  It is on the 2018-19 Great Stoneface nominee list.  Back in the 1920's, when movies did not have sound, animals were sometimes the main characters.  Strongheart was such a dog.  He starred in six real movies that were huge hits.  He became a movie star.  This is based on many of the events of his life, with some extra things added to make it a fun and exciting read.  The illustrations by Caldecott Award medalist Eric Rohmann are beautiful.  In the final pages of the book, the reader will find the true facts of the dog's life with some photos.  (FIC FLE)

The Magic Misfits

I LOVED THIS!  Read it in one sitting.  It is written by Neil Patrick Harris, one of my favorite actors - yes, I said actors.  He also loves magic.  This is the first in a series which I will definitely continue to buy for my libraries.  It felt to me like a cross between Lemony Snickett's A Series of Unfortunate Events (at the beginning) and Mysterious Benedict Society, with its special kids.  Carter, a boy whose parents disappeared, runs away from an "uncle" who wants him to use his skills as a magician to steal from people.  He ends up in a small town where he finally makes friends and fits in, and they stop a horrible criminal!  It is full of magic tricks you can learn, codes to decipher on the pages, and a great message about what magic really is.  (FIC HAR)

Bob

In this short, fantasy novel by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead, we meet Bob and Livy.  Bob s a magical creature who at the beginning of the story has been left in a closet for 5 years.  Livy left him there when she was visiting her grandma's house.  She is now back, and realizes she left him there.  They need to find out where he came from and get him home.  It was a sweet story.
(FIC MAS)

Rebound

This is the prequel to Kwame Alexander's Newbery Award winning book, The Crossover.  In this novel written in verse, the twins' father, Chuck Bell, is 12 years old and has just suffered a tragedy in his life.  He is sent to spent the summer at his grandparents' home.  During that summer, he rebounds in many ways and learns to cope with his loss.  This is a beautifully written story that students will love, with its rhythmic lines and catchy graphic images illuminating Chuck's daydreams.  (FIC ALE)