Weatherford, Carole Boston. BE A KING : DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.'S DREAM AND YOU

Weatherford, Carole Boston.  
BE A KING : DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.'S DREAM AND YOU
New York : Bloomsbury, 2018
IL K-3, RL 1.7
ISBN 978-0-8027-2368-0


You have probably heard Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic "I have a dream" speech. He dreamt of equality. When there was no walls between the races. Where children of any color or creed could work together to make the world a better place. Can you be like that? Can you work towards equality? Can you be a King?


You can be a King. Stamp out hatred. Put your foot down and walk tall.

You can be a King. Beat the drum for justice. March to your own conscience.

Shusterman, Neal. SCYTHE

Shusterman, Neal.  
SCYTHE
New York : Simon and Shuster, 2016
IL YA
ISBN 978-1-44247-242-6



Way back in the year is 2042, humans conquered death and now everyone is immortal.  That's right. No one can die. Well they can be deadish but then revived. And they can even decide to become younger. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? But of course if no one can die, the world gets more and more crowded. So Scythes came into being. The Scythes are specially hand picked and trained in the art of gleaning. Gleaning is killing. But when a Scythe gleans someone, they stay dead. This helps keep the population from becoming overwhelming. When Citra and Rowan are picked to be scythe apprentices, they are both confused. Neither one wants to be a scythe and find the thought of gleaning abhorrent.  They do agree to be apprentices because their families are granted immunity during their training.  The apprenticeship is hard and neither particularly want to be successful. They are both apprenticed to the same Scythe which is unheard of. The Conclave of Scythes allows it to continue on the condition that whoever becomes a scythe must glean the other. There are many unexpected events along the way which will keep the reader going and trying to figure out what is going to happen. 

Averbeck, Jim. TWO PROBLEMS FOR SOPHIA

Averbeck, Jim.
TWO PROBLEMS FOR SOPHIA
New York  : Margaret K. McElderry, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.8
ISBN 978-1-48147-788-8


Sophia has a problem. Well, two problems actually. You see, Sophia has a pet giraffe. Doesn't that sound great! What a fun pet. But her family doesn't agree.  They do not like Noodle's super sloppy kisses. Or his snoring. No one can get any sleep. So, it is up to Sophia to fix those two problems or Noodles will be gone and it will be perdurable, perpetual, abiding, forever.

McKinnon, Heidi. I JUST ATE MY FRIEND

McKinnon, Heidi.
I JUST ATE MY FRIEND
New York : Simon and Schuster, 2018
IL K-3, RL 0.7
ISBN 978-1-53441-032-9

The poor yellow monster is all alone without any friends. You see, he just ate his friend. OK that's bad but anyone can make a mistake. He is lonely and really wants a new friend. He asks everyone he meets but no one wants to be his friend. No one?

Wood, Douglas. AMERICANS

Wood, Douglas.
AMERICANS
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2018
IL K-3, RL 3.6
ISBN 
978-1-41692-756-3

What does it mean to be an American? Americans are different from one another. Americans come from all backgrounds and beliefs. They are different colors and different religions. But Americans share certain ways of doing things that keep us all together. What are some of those things?

Wilson, Karma. A DOG NAMED DOUG

Wilson, Karma.
A DOG NAMED DOUG
New York : Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2018
IL K-3, RL 1.5
ISBN 978-1-44244-931-2


I love my dog a lot but when I am working in the garden, he is no help at all. He loves to dig and sometimes digs up plants I just put in. Well, the dog in this book sure likes to dig too. Doug can dig better than the rest.

Lockhart, E. GENUINE FRAUD

Lockhart, E.
GENUINE FRAUD
New York : Delecorte Press, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 978-0-385-74477-5



Starting the book with Chapter 18, we meet Julie. She is at a Mexican resort pretending she is something she is not. She is using a fake accent and you just get the feeling she is on the run. But from what? Julie's story is told in reverse chronicle order so we are left to figure out what is going on. We know that her best friend, Imogen, has committed suicide but we don't know why. As the story unfolds, we follow Julie as she tells her story of her childhood and her meeting Imogen and how they become friends. This is a suspenseful mystery and we keep trying to figure out what is happening. And many times we are wrong. 

Iturbe, Antonio. THE LIBRARIAN OF AUSCHWITZ

Iturbe, Antonio.
THE LIBRARIAN OF AUSCHWITZ
New York : Godwin Books, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 978-1-62779-618-7
This is a Holocaust story but one you may not have heard before. We meet Dita as a prisoner at Auschwitz-Birkenau. But she is part of Block 31, a group of prisoners who allowed to keep their own clothing and have a bit more freedom than the others but it is still a hard existence. A young man named Freddy Hirsch is able to provide schooling to the children and some adults in secret. Dita is 14 and loves reading. The Nazis have burned books and very few remain. But there are 8 books in Block 31. Eight precious books that must be hidden from the guards for fear they will be taken away. Dita finds a way to hide the books and actually loan them out to other prisoners. If she is caught, it could mean her death. This is based on a true story from the camps. Many of the people in the story survived the camps and were able to tell their story. Do you cherish books as much as those in the camps did?

Yolen, Jane. A BEAR SAT ON MY PORCH TODAY

Yolen, Jane.
A BEAR SAT ON MY PORCH TODAY
New York : Handprint Books, 2018
IL K-3, RL 1.3
ISBN 978-1-45210-249-8

What would you do if a bear sat on your porch? Well, you would probably run but in this story, the bear would not leave. The girl tries to shoo him away but he is determined to stay. Well, he seems nice so the young girl lets him stay.  But then a squirrel sat on the porch. Again, he was determined to stay so the girl said yes. As more and more animals stop by, things get really crowded! What is going to happen?

Stone, Tanya Lee. WHO SAYS WOMEN CAN'T BE COMPUTER PROGRAMMERS? : THE STORY OF ADA LOVELACE

Stone, Tanya Lee.
WHO SAYS WOMEN CAN'T BE COMPUTER PROGRAMMERS? : THE STORY OF ADA LOVELACE
New York : Chisty Ottaviano Books, 2018
IL K-3, RL 4.1
ISBN  978-1-62779-299-8

Many people think that computers are a fairly recent invention. Well, would you believe me if I told you that the first "computer" was invented in the early 1800s?  It was invented but not built. A young woman by the name of Ada Byron saw the potential in this new machine and started creating "software" that would run on the machine.  Ada's mother was afraid that she was too flighty as a child and pushed math on her. Little did she know that it was the combination of Ada's imagination and her math skills that lead to her becoming the first computer programmer. At least on paper.

Johnson, Cindy Chambers. RUSSELL WRESTLES THE RELATIVES

Johnson, Cindy Chambers.
RUSSELL WRESTLES THE RELATIVES
New York : Aladdin, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.6
ISBN 978-1-48149-159-4

Russell is dreading the family reunion. He comes from a long line of wrestlers and he is just one small boy. He is not looking forward to Grandaddy's Texas Ticklehold, or Grammy's Kansas Crusher. And don't forget Cora the Cleaner, or Uncle Murphy's Earthquake Shake.  Poor Russell. How will he survive?

Kurtz, Jane. WHAT DO THEY DO WITH ALL THAT POO?

Kurtz, Jane.
WHAT DO THEY DO WITH ALL THAT POO?
New York : Beach Lane Books, 2018
IL K-3, RL 4.2
ISBN 978-1-48147-986-8
This is probably something you have wondered from time to time. What do zoos do with all the animal poo. Every animal poops. Some have unique looking poop. Seriously. Pandas poop looks bright green and doesn't smell at all.  Elephants can poop up to 165 pounds of poop every day! Wombats deposit about 80 to 100 droppings every night. And the poop is cube shaped!  But what do they do with all that poo?

Sanders, Rob. PRIDE : THE STORY OF HARVEY MILK AND THE RAINBOW FLAG

Sanders, Rob.
PRIDE : THE STORY OF HARVEY MILK AND THE RAINBOW FLAG
New York : Random, 2018
IL K-3, RL 3.2
ISBN 978-0-399-55531-2



On June 26, 2015. the United States Supreme Court ruled that gay people had the right to marry anywhere in the country.  This didn't happen overnight. Many people fought for the right for equality. One man who was very vocal in the fight was Harvey Milk. He had dreamed of a country where gay people would be treated with equality. When a gay pride parade was planned for San Francisco in 1978, Harvey knew there had to be a symbol for the movement. That is when the gay flag was born.

Nelson, S.D. RED CLOUD : A LAKOTA STORY OF WAR AND SURRENDER

Nelson, S.D.
RED CLOUD  : A LAKOTA STORY OF WAR AND SURRENDER
New York : Abrams Books, 2017
IL 3-6, RL 6.2
ISBN  978-1-41972-313-1


Long before Europeans came to America, Indians lived all through the land.  As more and more people immigrated, there was more need for land and the Indians were pushed further west. This is the story of Red Cloud, a Lakota Indian who would not be pushed anymore. As the soldiers moved further west into the land where the Lakota lived, Red Cloud made a stand. 

McGillivary, Dave. DREAM BIG : A TRUE STORY OF COURAGE AND DETERMINATION

McGillivary, Dave.
DREAM BIG : A TRUE STORY OF COURAGE AND DETERMINATION
New York : Nomad Press, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.0
ISBN 978-1-61930-618-9

Dave was little, he was really little.  All the kids made fun of his size and his dreams.  He wanted to be a professional athlete and maybe play on one of his Boston teams someday. His grandfather was always there with support and words of advice.  When he was twelve, he started running.  Twelve miles on his 12th birthday, 13 on his 13th birthday and he kept going.  When he was 17, he decided to run the Boston marathon -- 26.2 miles!  I wonder if he could ever run that far. What do you think?

Markel, Michelle. BALDERDASH! : JOHN NEWBERY AND THE BOISTEROUS BIRTH OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS

Markel, Michelle.
BALDERDASH! : JOHN NEWBERY AND THE BOISTEROUS BIRTH OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS
New York : Chronicle Books, 2017
IL K-3, RL 6.2
ISBN 978-0-8118-7922-4

Do you kow that if you lived way back in 1726, you would not find any good children's books to read? It's true. The only books that were published for children were religious tales and books meant to teach lessons. But that would all change when John Newbery became a publisher. He believed that children should have access to books written just for them. There should be exciting tales and stories about fantasy. Others felt that children should not read fiction because it would corrupt. Fortunately for all of us who love children's books, he was able to promote good books for children!

Levy, Debbie. I DISSENT : RUTH BADER GINSBURG MAKES HER MARK

Levy, Debbie.
I DISSENT : RUTH BADER GINSBURG MAKES HER MARK
New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016
IL K-3, RL 2.4
ISBN 978-1-48146-559-5


It isn't often that a Supreme Court judge becomes a popular pop figure. But Ruth Bader Ginsberg is not just any judge. She has worked all her life to help people who have no voice in the nation. When she decided to go to law school, she found that she was the only woman in the class. She has found herself the minority in many situations but that did not stop her. Find out about this amazing woman.

Engle, Margarita. JAZZ OWLS : A NOVEL OF THE ZOOT SUIT RIOTS

Engle, Margarita. 
JAZZ OWLS : A NOVEL OF THE ZOOT SUIT RIOTS
New York : Atheneum Books, 2018
IL YA
ISBN 978-1-53440-943-9

It's the 1940s in LA and the United States is at war. But that doesn't stop some teens from wanting to have fun. There is a dance club that they love to go to. Two Mexican American sisters work at a peach cannery during the day and go to the dance club at night. They are escorted by their brother who loves the club also. He loves getting dressed up in his zoot suit and dancing the night away. Jazz music plays and salsa rhythms entice the teens to dance. They welcome the sailors from the local port and the Jazz Owl girls are always happy to dance with the sailors. But as the summer goes on, things get tense. The young white sailors start beating the Mexican Americans. They begin targeting anyone wearing a zoot suit as do the police. It has become know as the zoot suit riots and Engle tells the story of racial riots in 1943.

Charbonneau, Joelle. TIME BOMB

Charbonneau, Joelle.
TIME BOMB
New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018
IL YA
ISBN 978-0-544-41670-3


Another school year starts tomorrow. This may be a time when many students are looking forward to the new year. But not all of them. Diana is tired of being the perfect daughter of a politician. Cas knows that this school is no different from the other and she knows this year will not any better. Rashid who is so sick of people looking at him and judging him for being Muslim. Frankie, the star football player who made a mistake this past summer with Tad, who is biracial and gay. Then there is Z, the angry young man who has just lost his mother and everything he had. They each have a plan to change things up in the school today. But only one of them is planning to bomb the school. And now they are trapped together trying to survive. All but one of them.

Herkert, Barbara. A BOY, A MOUSE, AND A SPIDER : THE STORY OF E.B. WHITE

Herkert, Barbara.
A BOY, A MOUSE, AND A SPIDER : THE STORY OF E.B. WHITE
New York : Henry Holt, 2017
IL K-3, RL 4.1
ISBN 978-1-62779-245-5

When I was little, one of my favorite books was Charlotte's Web by E. B. White.  Have you read the magical tale of a pig, a mouse and a spider? Elwyn Brooks White discovered the joys of writing when he was young. He also discovered the joys of animals and dusty old barns. After college and time in the city, Andy, as he was now known, moved his family to  rural Maine and returned to the life he loved. And the book was born.

Hegedus, Bethany. ALABAMA SPITFIRE : THE STORY OF HARPER LEE AND TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

Hegedus, Bethany.
ALABAMA SPITFIRE : THE STORY OF HARPER LEE AND TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
New York : Balzer + Bray, 2018
IL K-3, RL 4.0
ISBN 978-0-06-245670-0


Harper Lee wrote the book To Kill  Mockingbird. It is one of the most read books in the world. She originally published it in 1960 and it has gone on to be translated in multiple languages and even made into an award winning movie.  But who was Harper Lee?  After her book was published,she found she didn't enjoy the spotlight so kept to herself for the rest of her life. It is her only book to be published until an unfinished manuscript was found.  So, who is Harper Lee? Come along to find out.

Harvey, Jeanne Walker. MAYA LIN : ARTIST-ARCHITECT OF LIGHT AND LINES

Harvey, Jeanne Walker.
MAYA LIN : ARTIST-ARCHITECT OF LIGHT AND LINES
New York : Henry Holt, 2017
IL K-3, RL 4.0
ISBN 978-1-25011-249-1

During the 1960s and 1970s, the United States was involved in a war in Viet Nam.  After the war was over, it was decided to create a memorial to the fallen soldiers in Washington DC near memorials for soldiers who died in other wars. This time there would be a contest that would decide the style.  Over a thousand entries flooded in and from all of those, one was chosen.  The judges were so surprised to find out that the winning entry was by a young college student who had never designed a memorial before.  Learn about Maya Lin and why the Viet Nam memorial is so moving.

Calandrelli, Emily. ADA LACE, TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER

Calandrelli, Emily.
ADA LACE, TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER
New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young , 2018
IL K-3, RL 3.5
ISBN  978-1-48148-605-7

Ada Lace loves to tinker with technology. This time it is a ham radio. She gets the ham radio working and gets her license to use it. She wishes she could speak with other ham operators around the state. Her friend Nina wonders if she will be able to connect even further than just their city.  Maybe even  outer space.  When she hears someone on the radio saying "Release the swarm", she is convinced that there is something very frightening about this whole thing.

Bardhan-Quallen, Sudipta. THE UNITED STATES V. JACKIE ROBINSON

Bardhan-Quallen, Sudipta.
THE UNITED STATES V. JACKIE ROBINSON
New York : Balzer + Bray, 2018
IL K-3, RL 3.5
ISBN 978-0-06-228784-7

Have you heard of Jackie Robinson? He was a baseball player and his uniform number hangs in every major league ball park.  But let's back up a bit.  When he was growing up, he was not allowed to do the things he wanted to do simply because he was black. The United States was segregated and blacks were not treated very well.  At school, he excelled in all sports. He even achieved his dream of going to UCLA. But when the United States entered World War II,  Jackie enlisted in the army. And he found that even the army was segregated. When Jackie sat near the front of one of the buses, all his accomplishments didn't matter. He was arrested and court martialed.  A court martial is a military trial and Jackie faced going to jail because he sat on a bus.

Ahmed, Roda. MAE AMONG THE STARS

Ahmed, Roda.
MAE AMONG THE STARS
New York : Harper, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.8
ISBN 978-0-06-265173-0

Mae Jemison was born in 1956. It was a time when little girls were discouraged from going into jobs that men usually held.  Especially if they were black. When Mae told her elementary school class that she was going to be an astronaut when she grew up. her teacher told her it wasn't possible.  Be a nurse. That's a good job for a woman. But Mae's mother had another thought. Dream it and you can achieve it. Do you think Mae achieved her goal?

Krull, Kathleen. ONE FUN DAY WITH LEWIS CARROLL

Krull, Kathleen.
ONE FUN DAY WITH LEWIS CARROLL : A CELEBRATION OF WORDPLAY AND A GIRL NAMED ALICE
New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.8
ISBN 978-0-544-34823-3

Young Lewis Carroll loved playing with words. If you know his books, you will not be surprised to hear that.  He loved telling stories to his sisters and brothers and telling them they should do six impossible things before breakfast. Or that they should soothe the jubjub bird.  When he was a young man, he and some friends took a leisurely boat ride. To entertain the children, he invented a story about a girl named Alice and her adventures. He later wrote the story down and the rest is history.