Lane, Tamsin. YAEL AND THE PARTY OF THE YEAR

Lane, Tamsin.
YAEL AND THE PARTY OF THE YEAR
New York : Simon & Schuster,  2018
IL 3-6
ISBN 978-1-50117-612-8


Yael is getting ready for her bat mitzvah but she isn't looking forward to it the way the other kids have.  Her friend Eli had his at the start of the summer and the party was a disaster. There was a problem with the invitations so instead of a hundred people showing up, only about 20 did. And the weather changed drastically so all the food was ruined by a hail storm.  Yael doesn't want any of that. She only wants a few friends to celebrate with her. Her mother is having none of that. She is demanding a big party. As a compromise, the party will be held at an amusement park! Will this be the best party ever? Well, you get to help decide. This is a plot your own adventure book.

Foley, Kat. KAT WRITES A SONG

Foley, Kat.
KAT WRITES A SONG
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.0
ISBN 978-1-53440-680-3

Kat is feeling down. It is a rainy day and Kat decides to fight the blues. If Kat sings a song, maybe she will feel better. She decides to write a song to make herself feel better. She works hard on the song. And when it is finished, she sings the song and, sure enough, she feels better.  She decides to sing her new song around the neighborhood. Help her sing her "Amazing Song to Make Things Better"

Booth, Tom. DAY A THE BEACH

Booth, Tom.
DAY A THE BEACH
New York : Simon and Schuster Books. 2018
IL K-3, RL 3.3
ISBN 978-1-53441-105-0


Gideon and his little sister Audrey love going to the beach.  Each time they go, they build a sand castle together. Gideon makes sure the walls are straight and the sides were smooth. Audrey decorates the walls with shells and starfish. But this year, Gideon decided he wants to build the castle all by himself -- without Audrey. He tells her to go play by herself because this is the year he is going to build the biggest, best sand castle ever. It will be so wonderful that everyone on the beach will stop and name him king of the beach!  Great plan but what do you think will really happen?

Weatherford, Carole Boston. HOW SWEET THE SOUND : THE STORY OF AMAZING GRACE

Weatherford, Carole Boston.
HOW SWEET THE SOUND : THE STORY OF AMAZING GRACENew York : Atheneum Books for Young Rearders, 2018
IL K-3, RL 3.1
ISBN 
978-1-48147-206-7


The hymn Amazing Grace  is played on many different occasions. It is played at weddings, at funerals and other special events.  I am sure you have heard it somewhere.  But who wrote this song? It seems it has been around forever but someone must have written it originally. This is the story of John Newton who was forced to crew on a slave ship a long, long time ago.  At one point, the ship was hit with a very bad storm and the crew didn't think they would live. Read the rest of the story.

Rylant, Cynthia. ROSETOWN

Rylant, Cynthia.
ROSETOWN
New York : Beach Lane Books, 2018
IL 3-6, RL 5.6
ISBN 978-1-53441-277-4


Nine year old Flora Smallwood lives in a small town in Rosewood, Indiana.  Her parents have recently separated and now live in different houses. Flora has two good friends. Nessy and she have been friends since before school started. Yuri is a new kid at school and he is from Ukraine.  They all love reading and have the perfect place to hang out. Flora's mother works at a used book store and it is filled with wonderful stories.  As the school year moves on, the children experience changes and adventures.

McGhee, Alison. WHAT I LEAVE BEHIND

McGhee, Alison.
WHAT I LEAVE BEHIND
New York : Atheneum, 2018
IL YA
ISBN
978-1-48147-656-0

Walking helps Will cope with his life. His father died and Will is coping. That is when he started walking. He works at the Dollar One store and then walks around LA.  He meets people along the way and forms a type of relationship with them. There is Butterfly boy and others along his route. He has real friends too. Playa has been a good friend since they were little. When bad things keep happening, Will knows he has to get out of his funk and start making a difference in his world. Is that even possible?

Russell, Erin. HOW TO TRICK THE TOOTH FAIRY

Russell, Erin.
HOW TO TRICK THE TOOTH FAIRY
New York : Aladdin, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.7
ISBN 
978-1-48146-732-2


No one is safe from Kaylee.  She just loves to pull pranks. And she doesn't care who is the victim. Her friends, her family and even Santa Claus. But this time she just may have met her match. She pulls a prank on the Tooth Fairy. And if you know anything about the Tooth Fairy, you know she is the biggest prankster of them all.

Fan, Terry. OCEAN MEETS SKY

Fan, Terry.
OCEAN MEETS SKY
New York : Simon and Schuster, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.0
ISBN
978-1-48147-037-7

Finn lives near the ocean. Today would have been his grandfather's 90th birthday. Finn misses him so much. He remembers the stories his grandfather told him about the place where the ocean meets the sky. They had planned to build a boat and sail to find it. Finn decides to build the boat and find it. After he finishes the boat, he is very tired so he takes a nap below decks. He is awoken by the feeling of the ocean beneath the boat. Come along for the journey to where the ocean meets the sky.

Ransom, Candice. AMANDA PANDA AND THE BIGGER, BETTER BIRTHDAY

Ransom, Candice.
AMANDA PANDA AND THE BIGGER, BETTER BIRTHDAY
New York : Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2018
IL K-3
ISBN 978-1-52476-819-5

Amanda Panda is so excited.  Tomorrow is her birthday and she has great plans for her party. And she is the first one in Kindergarten to turn six! Life is good. But when she gets to school, she finds out that her very best friend is turning six today. How can that be? And she is even planning her party for the same day.  Amanda is angry.

Reynolds, Peter H. THE WORD COLLECTOR

Reynolds, Peter H.
THE WORD COLLECTOR
New York : Orchard, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.0
ISBN
978-0-545-86502-9

Are you a collector? Do you collect baseball cards or stamps or sea shells?  I really related to Jerome in this book because he collects words!  Yes, words. Hove you ever heard a word that made you laugh or feel happy? Like effervescent? It is a fun word to say and is one of Jerome's words. He sees words or hears words and if he likes them, he writes them down in a notebook. But what happens when he has so many words that he can't keep track of them?

Wolk, Lauren. BEYOND THE BRIGHT SEA

Wolk, Lauren.  
BEYOND THE BRIGHT SEA
New York : Dutton Children's Books, 2017
IL 5-8, RL 4.0
ISBN 9781101994856

Crow has only known life on the island with Osh. She was a newborn when she was placed in a basket and set adrift and landed on the shores of the Elizabeth Islands. Osh found her and has raised her as his own. It has just been the two of them. And Maggie, a neighbor who has helped. People believe Crow came from Penikese Island, a leper colony.  No one wants Crow around. They are afraid that she is also a leper even though it has been years and she has shown no signs of the illness. The leper colony was moved years ago and now the island has been opened to the public. A conservation scientist is scheduled to move to the island to keep track of the wildlife. But something is strange about him. He seems to be spending more time digging holes than counting birds. This leads to a mystery that involves Crow and her origins. Come long with her as she searches for her roots.

Lupica, Mike. THE MISSING BASEBALL

Lupica, Mike.
THE MISSING BASEBALL
New York : Philomel Books, 2018
IL K-3, RL 3.6
ISBN 978-0-425-28936-5


Zac can not find his autographed baseball! He usually doesn't get too attached to things like this but the ball is very special. Zac caught the homerun ball that was hit by his favorite player. He then got it signed after the game. It is very special to him and he really treasures it. Zoe loves a mystery and she is determined to find her twin brother's signed baseball. Will she have any luck?

Hall, Kirsten. THE HONEYBEE

Hall, Kirsten.
THE HONEYBEE
New York : Simon & Schuster Books, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.9
ISBN 978-1-48146-997-5

Have you ever seen a honeybee? I bet you have.  With their lovely yellow stripes and their buzzing. They are busy looking for flowers that will help them make honey. When one finds the perfect flower, he will let the others know and they will come and sip the sweet nectar that will become honey. Come on in and find out how these remarkable creatures spend their time.

Greenberg, Mike. MVP MOST VALUABLE PUPPY

Greenberg, Mike.
MVP MOST VALUABLE PUPPY
New York : Aladdin, 2018
IL K-3
ISBN 978-1-48148-931-7


Phoebe fell in love with her family right from the start. They picked her out at the animal shelter.  She loves her life and and playing with the children.  Come along and join in on some football fun when Phoebe joins the team.

Calmenson, Stephanie. OUR PRINCIPAL IS A FROG!

Calmenson, Stephanie.
OUR PRINCIPAL IS A FROG!
New York : Aladdin, 2018
IL K-3, RL 3.0
ISBN
978-1-48146-667-7

Principal Bundy wants to have some special entertainment for his students. When he sees an ad for a magician, he invites him to the school for an audition. The tricks are not so great and Mr. Bundy was not impressed. The magician promised one last trick. 

"He lives in a wood,
In a pond, or a bog.
He used to be a principal,
But now he's a ... FROG!"

And in a poof, Mr. Bundy becomes a frog! The magician doesn't know how to reverse the spell so he leaves and poor Mr. Bundy is still a frog.  How can he ever do his job as a tiny frog?

Quackenbush, Robert. DIG TO DISASTER

Quackenbush, Robert.
DIG TO DISASTER
New York : Aladdin, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.3
ISBN 978-1-53441-313-9

Miss Mallard is on a quest. She and a group of travelers are on a quest to find the lost temple Kimbu Tacka.  Their journey appears to be haunted though.  As they trek through the jungles of Central America, strange things are happening. Bridges collapse and there is a feeling of dread.  Some of the adventurers believe they are being followed by the Headless Demon.  Can that be?  Are they all in danger?

Perelman, Helen. ROYAL RESCUE ROYAL SWEETS

Perelman, Helen.
ROYAL RESCUE ROYAL SWEETS
New York : Aladdin, 2018
IL K-3
ISBN 9781481494786
Princess Mini  is very excited.  Today is her first day of the Royal Fairy Academy.  As the daughter of the ruling royal fairies in Candy Kingdom, she knows she must do well in school.  On her way to school, she hears someone calling for help.  When she searches, she finds a troll stuck in a caramel bush. She knows that she should keep going to get to school on time, but his cries make her want to help.  Should she stop and help a troll? What would the other fairies think?

Lupica, Mike. THE HALF-COURT HERO

Lupica, Mike.
THE HALF-COURT HERO
New York : Philomel Books, 2018
IL K-3, RL 3.6
ISBN 978-0-425-28939-6


Zac and Zoe are twins who love sports. Their dad is a sports writer and their grandfather was a great player in his day so they come by it naturally. The twins usually play on different teams but this summer they are playing on the same team.  They are really excited about it but when they see the basketball court, they are a bit sad. The court needs new baskets and new bleachers and an overall upgrade. But there is no money for that so they have to play where they can. When they come in the next day, there are new nets. Who could have done that? If there is something the twins like as much as sports is a good mystery!

Lupica, Mike. TEAM PLAYERS

Lupica, Mike.
TEAM PLAYERS
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2018
IL 3-6, RL 5.7
ISBN 978-1-48141-007-6


Cassie is used to being the leader on her softball team. Her father is the coach and Cassie is just a natural at fixing issues between the girls on the team. But this year she may find a problem she can't fix. There is a new girl on the team who is not fitting in. Sarah is a really good player but she has Asperger's Syndrome and doesn't fit in.  The other girls are not really accepting of Sarah and some even try to have her leave. The more Cassie tries to help Sarah, the worse things get. Can Cassie find a way to get others to accept Sarah?

Hendra, Sue. KEITH THE CAT WITH THE MAGIC HAT

Hendra, Sue.
KEITH THE CAT WITH THE MAGIC HAT
New York : Aladdin, 2018
IL K-3, RL 1.5
ISBN 978-1-48149-035-1

Keith is a very cute cat. He was just taking a little walk and minding his own business when it happened! A huge ice cream cone fell and landed right on his head! The other cats laughed at him for having an ice cream cone on his head. But he didn't want to be laughed at so he told them it was actually a magic hat. When they challenge him to do magic, what will Keith do?

Wheeler, Lisa. PEOPLE DON'T BITE PEOPLE

Wheeler, Lisa.  
PEOPLE DON'T BITE PEOPLE
New York : Atheneum, 2018
IL K-3, RL 1.8
ISBN 978-1-48149-082-5

"It's good to bite a carrot.
It's good to bite a steak.
It's BSD to bite your sister!
She's not a piece of cake"



What other things are good to bite? And especially, what should you not bite?  

Viorst, Judith. LULU IS GETTING A SISTER

Viorst, Judith.
LULU IS GETTING A SISTER
New York : Atheneum, 2018
IL K-3, RL 5.4
ISBN 978-1-48147-190-9

A baby sister!  You have got to be kidding me. Why would Lulu want a baby sister? And she tells her parents that in the form of a temper tantrum! No way will she let this happen. But her parents have other ideas. They are actually sending her to Camp Sisterhood where they will try to get her to accept the new sister. No way is that ever going to work. 

Thompkins-Bigelow, Jamilah. MOMMY'S KHIMAR

Thompkins-Bigelow, Jamilah.  
MOMMY'S KHIMAR
New York : Salaam Reads, 22018
IL K-3, RL 2.7
ISBN 978-1-53440-059-7



Do you ever play dress-up?  Maybe you like wearing your parent's clothes and pretending you are all grown up.  The little girl in this book likes playing dress up but she likes wearing her mother's khimar. A khimar is a head scarf and is also called a hijab. The women in the mosque wear them and it makes her feel good to wear her mother's khimar. Especially the yellow one. She imagines all sorts of things when she is wearing the yellow khimar. Come along and see.

Reynolds, Jason. SUNNY

Reynolds, Jason.  
SUNNY
New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2018
IL 5-8, RL 4.4
ISBN 978-1-48145-021-8


We've met Ghost and Patina from the elite track team. Now it is Sunny's turn.  Sunny is the kid who is always ready with a smile and something nice to say. But that hides what is really going on in Sunny's life.  The other kids go to school together and know each other better.  But Sunny is homeschooled and feels like an outsider. He never knew his mother as she died in childbirth. So his father doesn't celebrate his birthday since it is also the anniversary of his mother's death. And Sunny doesn't like running. What? He wins every race and he doesn't like running? When he finally realizes that he doesn't want to do this anymore, it was in the middle of a race and he was way ahead of the field but just stopped running. He didn't want to do it anymore.  Can he stay on the team even if he won't run?

Reynolds, Jason. FOR EVERY ONE

Reynolds, Jason. 
FOR EVERY ONE
New York : Atheneum, 2018
IL YA
ISBN 978-1-48148-624-8


A poem for every one. For every one who has a dream.  For every one who believes their dreams can come true. 

 “This letter / is being written / from the inside. / From the front line / and the fault line. / From the uncertain thick of it all.”