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.”

Napoli, Donna Jo. HUNGER

Napoli, Donna Jo. 
HUNGER
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2018
IL YA
ISBN 978-1-48147-749-9



The autumn of 1846 in the West of Ireland, locals were dying from hunger. The potato crop had failed and that was the main staple of the Irish diet. The British land owners took the rest of the crops for payment on the land rental. Lorraine's family is doing OK but they worry when the latest crop fails.  Lorraine is befriended by the landowner's daughter who tries to find a way to help. Miss Susannah can't be seen being friends with an Irish girl so she can't help as much as she might want.  But will her good intentions be enough to save the tenants as they face starvation and disease? 

Mantchev, Lisa. JINX AND THE DOOM FIGHT CRIME!

Mantchev, Lisa.  
JINX AND THE DOOM FIGHT CRIME!
New York : Simon and Schuster, 2018
IL K-3, RL 1.2
ISBN 978-1-48146-701-8

Meet Jinx. And her little brother Doom. They used to fight each other. But then they realized that they should use their talents for something better. They now fight crime! But first they need to eat breakfast. Then brush their teeth. Then they fight crime and protect the innocent. Join them as they FIGHT CRIME.  

Hahn, Mary Downing. ONE FOR SORROW : A GHOST STORY

Hahn, Mary Downing.
ONE FOR SORROW : A GHOST STORY
New York : Clarion Books, 2017
IL 5-8, RL 5.8
ISBN 978-0-544-81809-5


Annie is starting a new school and she wonders if she will make any friends. Be careful what you wish for. The first girl who befriends Annie is Elsie Schneider, the most unpopular girl in school.  When the other girls see Annie with Elsie, they make fun of her for hanging around with the "dirty Hun". The year is 1918 and the world is at war with Germany and people around the country are angry at people of German descent.  So poor Elsie gets picked on all the time. What Annie soon finds out is that there is something very strange about Elsie. When she destroys Annie's toys and keeps just hanging around, Annie wants out of the friendship. Her opportunity comes when Elsie gets sick and stays home. Annie has a chance to talk to the other girls and now she is hanging out with them and making fun of Elsie.  Will Annie realize that she is treating Elsie badly before it is too late?

Haddix, Margaret Peterson SUMMER OF BROKEN THINGS

Haddix, Margaret Peterson
SUMMER OF BROKEN THINGS
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2018
IL YA
ISBN 978-1-48141-764-8


Told in two voices -- Avery, a rich, spoiled 14-year-old who is used to getting her way and Kayla, a 16 year old who is known as "butt-girl" in school. These two have very little in common and are now thrown together for the summer.  Avery wants to go to soccer camp with her friends but her father has business in Spain and has decided she will go with him for the summer. He asks Kayla to come along to be a companion to Avery. Neither girl can fathom why. They hardly know each other. And they have very different backgrounds. Kayla is excited as she has never traveled but she is worried that Avery won't accept her.  Avery can't believe she is stuck with this girl for the summer.  What they don't know is that there is a secret that binds their families together. When it comes out, will it tear everything apart?

DePaola, Tomie. STREGA NONA'S MAGIC RING

DePaola, Tomie.
STREGA NONA'S MAGIC RING
New York : Simon and Schuster, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.4
ISBN  978-1-48147-761-1

Spring has sprung and Strega Nona suggests that Big Anthony go into town and have some fun. A little night life is what he needs. He doesn't believe anyone would dance with him.  Strega Nona decides she too needs a little night life and finds her magic ring that turns her into a beautiful woman. Big Anthony has secretly seen her do this and wants to try it himself. When Strega Nona is away, Big Anthony finds the ring and indeed turns into a very handsome man. At the dance, all the women want to dance with him and won't leave him alone. He decides to take the ring off and go home.  Uh-oh. The ring is stuck! What will he do?

DePaola, Tomie IN A SMALL KINGDOM

DePaola, Tomie
IN A SMALL KINGDOM
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2018
IL K-3, RL 1.7
ISBN 978-1-48149-800-5

In a small kingdom far away, a beloved king has died. Before he died, he named his youngest son as the next king. The older son was angry and jealous of his brother. He knew that the king could not rule without the magic robe that his father wore.  So, the older son secretly stole the robe, ripped it up into pieces and threw it away. Now the young king had no power. Or was there a way to change that?

Campbell, Sarah C. WOLFSNAIL : A BACKYARD PREDATOR

Campbell, Sarah C.
WOLFSNAIL : A BACKYARD PREDATOR
New York : Boyds Mills Press, 2008
IL K-3, RL 4.4
ISBN 978-1-59078-554-6

Have you ever heard of a wolfsnail?  Sounds scary, doesn't it? Well, they are actually tiny snails that eat slugs. There are some great closeup photos of this little creature in this book. There is a lot of information about the wolfsnail packed into this book.

Buckley, James. BONNIE AND CLYDE

Buckley, James.
BONNIE AND CLYDE
New York : Aladdin, 2018
IL 5-8, RL 6.4
ISBN 978-1-48149-549-3

Have you ever heard of Bonnie and Clyde? If you lived in the 1930s, you probably would have known everything about them. They were notorious criminals who captured the public's attention and made front page news wherever they went. They were young, good looking and bold. The country was in a deep economic depression and people were looking for something to distract them from their day to day lives. Romanticizing the lives of these two outlaws filled that need. As their crimes grew more violent, the country turned against them and when they were finally caught, the story did not end. Read about another of History's Worst.

Barnes, Derrick D. CROWN : AN ODE TO THE FRESH CUT

Barnes, Derrick D.
CROWN : AN ODE TO THE FRESH CUT
New York : Bolden, 2017
IL K-3, RL 3.3
ISBN 978-1-57284-224-3

How do you feel when you get a great haircut? Do you feel on top of the world? Invisible? Well, this book is a celebration of that great haircut. Go to the barber shop and sit in that chair. Let him work his magic on you. And strut your stuff in your fresh cut crown.

An, Na. THE PLACE BETWEEN BREATHS

An, Na.
THE PLACE BETWEEN BREATHS
New York : Atheneum, 2018
IL YA
ISBN 9781481422253

Grace King is smart and very mature for her 16 years. Having grown up with a father who was studying schizophrenia and trying to find a cure, Grace has had the opportunity to work in a lab that was doing genetic research. She is a quiet young lady and takes her internship seriously. Her mother left the family many years ago suffering with schizophrenia and Grace is determined to help her father find a cure.  Her attention to detail uncovers a coding mistake in some of the testing. Could this lead to the breakthrough the lab needs to find the cure?  And will Grace be able to find her mother to offer the cure? Full of twists and turns, and told in first, second and third person, this is a story that will keep you wondering what is really going on.

Sima, Jessie. HARRIET GETS CARRIED AWAY

Sima, Jessie.  
HARRIET GETS CARRIED AWAY
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2018
IL K-3, RL 2.5
ISBN 978-1-48146-911-1


Harriet loves wearing costumes.  She wears them every day!  When her dads take her to the store to buy party supplies for her birthday party, Harriet wears a penguin costume. Her dads are getting the food so she goes to the party hat aisle and finds something amazing. This is where Harriet gets carried away!

Sayre, April Pulley. WARBLER WAVE

Sayre, April Pulley. 
WARBLER WAVE
New York : Beach Lane Books, 2018
IL 2.9, RL K-3
ISBN 978148144829-1


Warblers are tiny birds who weigh no more than a couple of nickles. But these birds take an amazing journey every year when they migrate. These beautiful photographs help capture the migration. 
"In spring, as you nightly nap, warblers flap over oceans, lakes, and mountains. Tiny. Strong. Pushed along by wings and rivers of wind." Follow these amazing birds on their long journey.

Kelly, Erin Entrada. HELLO UNIVERSE

Kelly, Erin Entrada.
HELLO UNIVERSE
New York : Greenwilllow Boos, 2017
IL 3-6, RL 5.1
ISBN 0062414151

Four middle schoolers. Each with their own story to tell.  Virgil Salinas is shy and is bullied because of his learning disabilities.  Chet Bullens takes delight in bullying Virgil and goes out of his way to terrorize him.  Valencia Somerset is deaf and also goes to the resource room with Virgil. Since her best fried dumped her for kids who could hear, Valencia is alone and finds it hard to find  new friend. And Kaori Tanaka who fancies herself a psychic telling fortunes for other kids.  Their paths will cross when Chet tosses Virgil's backpack down an abandoned well. Now it will take the combined efforts of the others to save his life.

Gravett, Emily. OLD HAT

Gravett, Emily.
OLD HAT
New York : Simon & Schuster Books, 2018
IL K-3, RL 0.8
ISBN 978-1-53440-917-0

Harbet loves wearing his hat. It is a hat that his Nana had made for him. But when he went out, all the others laughed at his hat. Old hat, old hat. They were all wearing the latest fashion and Harbet decided he would also get a new hat. But when he went out, the others laughed. Old hat, old hat. He kept trying to find the latest fashion but he was always one step behind the others. Until one day...

Fleming, Denise. THIS IS THE NEST THAT ROBIN BUILT WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HER FRIENDS

Fleming, Denise.
THIS IS THE NEST THAT ROBIN BUILT WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HER FRIENDS
New York : Beach Lane Books, 2018
IL K-3, RL 1.7
ISBN 978-1-48143-083-8

Building a robin's nest can be a complicated task. There are many steps involved and here we find how she gets some help from her friends.   The tale begins with a squirrel "who trimmed the twigs, not too big,/ that anchor the nest that Robin built" 

Engle, Margarita. THE FLYING GIRL : HOW AIDA DE ACOSTA LEARNED TO SOAR

Engle, Margarita.
THE FLYING GIRL : HOW AIDA DE ACOSTA LEARNED TO SOAR
New York : Atheneum Books, 2018
IL K-3, RL 4.4
ISBN 978-1-48144-502-3

Aida de Acosta saw the beautiful air ship flying in the sky in Paris and decided that she wanted to learn to fly.  In those days, women were not supposed to do things like that. But she was determined. She convinced the air ship's owner to teach her to fly. Alberto Santas-Dumont believed that all she needed was courage and the chance to try. And that she did. To the dismay of the women who saw her. They thought is shameful for a woman to fly. But she had inspired many of the children that day. As Aida say, "Sometimes all it takes to change the whole world is one wild dreamer's soaring example."

Ness, Patrick. RELEASE

Ness, Patrick.
RELEASE
New York : HarperTeen, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 0062403192


A day in the life of Adam, a rising senior who is having a very full day. It may just be the worst day of his life. His ex-boyfriend is leaving.  His best friend has been murdered by her meth-addicted boyfriend. He is being harassed by his boss. And he is going to come out to his homophobic evangelical pastor father.  Oh, did I mention that his brother who is a seminary student has gotten his girlfriend pregnant?  What a day. Come along with Adam as he tries to get through it all.

Zoboi, Ibi. AMERICAN STREET

Zoboi, Ibi.
AMERICAN STREET
New York : Balzer + Bray, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 0062473042

Fabiola Toussaint and her mother are on their way to America. Life in Haiti is hard and they are looking forward moving to Detroit with her aunt and cousins. But at the airport, the unthinkable happens. Fabiola's mother is detained by ICE and taken away. She tells Fabiola to keep going and get to Detroit. This is not how it is supposed to be. But Fabiola has no other option. She arrives in Detroit and is taken in by her family. But this is not the way she pictured life. The life in Detroit is not easy. There is abuse and drugs everywhere. Fabiola must survive in this and she must find a way to get her mother here. This is a stark look at what many immigrants find on their search for the American dream.

Pearson, P. O'Connell. FLY GIRLS

Pearson, P. O'Connell.
FLY GIRLS : THE DARING AMERICAN WOMEN PILOTS WHO HELPED WIN WWII
New York : Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2018
IL 5-8, RL 7.7
ISBN 1534404104

It is not unusual to see women pilots today. We see them on commercial flights and we see them in the military. But back in World War II, it was unheard of. The military thought that women were incapable of controlling the big military aircraft. But a few determined women persisted and did what they could to show the military that they could fly any plane and were as brave as any of the men.  As thae war raged on, more and more men were sent to the war which meant that there were fewer pilots at the home front. Pilots were needed to transport planes and to test them. This is where the women found their niche.  They filled that void but as civilians. It was not an easy life but women proved themselves to be expert pilots. This is a fascinating account of the brave women who served during the war and how they changed minds.

Lettice, Jenna. THE 12 DAYS OF VALENTINE'S

Lettice, Jenna. 
THE 12 DAYS OF VALENTINE'S
New York : Random House, 2017
IL K-3, RL 3.3
ISBN 0399557350

Do you like Valentine's Day? What do you like the most? The cards? The candy? The decorations? Well, in this book, they like them all.  And they start their celebration early so they have 12 days of Valentine's!

Lehrhaupt, Adam. IDEA JAR

Lehrhaupt, Adam.
IDEA JAR
New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2018
IL K-3, RL 1.7
ISBN 1481451669

Do you like to write? Maybe your teacher asks you to write in class.  If you are like me, sometimes you just can't think of what to write about. You need an idea before you can think of a story. The class in this book keeps an Idea Jar. Students put ideas on slips of paper and put them in the jar. Now when they need an idea, they can just pick one out of the jar. But what happens when the ideas begin to take over?

Bates, Amy June. THE BIG UMBRELLA

Bates, Amy June. 

THE BIG UMBRELLA
New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2018
IL K-3, RL 1.4
ISBN  1534406581

"By the front door/there is an umbrella/It is big/It is a big, friendly umbrella." So begins the young child's journey through the town. It is raining and the umbrella invites people to come in out of the rain. The umbrella doesn't care who you are, you are welcome. And there is always room for one more.

Bardugo, Leigh. WONDER WOMAN : WARBRINGER

Bardugo, Leigh.
WONDER WOMAN : WARBRINGER
New York : Random House, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 0399549730

I know, I know. You have heard the backstory of Wonder Woman many times. But I think this one is new and enjoyable. Yes all the things you love about Wonder Woman are here but it is a new story. We meet Diana on the island and she is trying to prove herself to the others.  But she can't leave a teenage girl out in the ocean to die. So she rescues Alia from a shipwreck and brings her back to the island. This is not just any girl. The oracle tells Diana that Alia is the warbringer and unless the two can reach Themyscira, global war will be inevitable. Alia doesn't make it easy though.  

Abdo, Kenny. CAMP TERROR

Abdo, Kenny. 
CAMP TERROR
New York : EPIC, 2018
IL YA
ISBN 1680767291

Summer camp! Who doesn't look forward to a summer in the woods with lots of activities? Well, Maddy for one. But everyone agrees that this will do her a world of good so she is packed up and off she goes to Camp Dream Haven. The camp has been closed for years but has been spruced up and is now open for business again. Now Maddy is stuck at camp and is the target of the camp bully. How fun. When a rafting trip goes terribly wrong, Maddy and TJ are lost in the woods. And they may find out why the camp closed in the first place. 

Giovanni, Nikki. I AM LOVED

Giovanni, Nikki.
I AM LOVED
New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2018
IL K-3, RL 3.6
ISBN 1534404929

Poet Nikki Giovanni has written these beautiful poems about love and friendship, family and even loss. She tells of love of family and even pets. And in the end, the love of the most important person.

A beautiful collection of poetry made even better by Ashley Bryan's illustrations.

Casey, Susan. DOLPHINS : VOICES IN THE OCEAN

Casey, Susan.
DOLPHINS : VOICES IN THE OCEAN
New York : Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2018
IL 5-8
ISBN 1524700851

When her father died, Susan Casey sunk into a depression. She decided she needed to get away alone and get her head in a better place. She ended up in Hawaii. She spent her days swimming in the beautiful waters off Maui. And it was here that her life changed. While swimming, she had a close encounter with a pod of spinner dolphins. They swam with her for a bit and then went on their way. She became fascinated with the dolphins and went on to study dolphins around the world. She spent time in Ireland where she met Fungie who lived along in Dingle Bay. In Japan she joined a group working to protect dolphins. This memoir offers a look at different dolphins around the world and the people who love them.

Aguirre, Ann. VANGUARD

Aguirre, Ann.
VANGUARD
New York : Feiwel and Friends, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 1250089824

The war is over and now we find our heroes settling into ordinary life. But not Tegan. She still longs for adventure and is not content just living this new life. So she takes her medical skills and signs on as a ship's doctor. Accompanying  her is Millie and Morrow. And the Uroch Vanguard, Szorak.  He is on a mission to find a new homeland for his people. Tegan decides to help him and the two will find adventure enough to last a lifetime. And maybe more than they could have hoped for.