Book Lists!

Summer break is here! Welcome to sunshine, fireflies, and warm breezes. One of my favorite parts of summer break as a kid was reading underneath our big oak tree while lounging in a hammock. If your young reader is a seasonal reader, here are some sensational novels, novels in verse, and graphic novels to dive into this summer.   Summer at Squee By Andrea Wang Phoenny Fang plans to have the best summer ever. She’s returning to Summertime Chinese Culture, Wellness, and Enrichment Experience (SCCWEE for short and “Squee” to campers in the know), and this year she’s a senior camper. That means she; her best friend, Lyrica Chu; and her whole Squad will have the most influence. It almost doesn’t matter that her brother is a CIT (counselor-in-training) and that her mom and auntie are the camp directors. Time spent at Squee is sacred, glorious, and free. On the day Phoenny arrives, though, she learns that the Squad has...

Nowadays children are confronted with adult issues and decisions daily. Social media influences, families, schools and communities expect young people to grow up fast. For many kids this passage to adulthood is fragmented and difficult. Kids love graphic novels because of the vibrant illustrations, the spot-on humor and the space...

Hey, it’s May! And lots of shiny, new middle grade books are making their way into readers’ hands. Here are a few to check out! Two books in the new Scholastic series: Magic Gems, by Payal Doshi Journey Through the Waterfall (Magic Gems #1) Lily the Water Gem helps her...

Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview, a repeating feature for the last Tuesday of every month. Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math! Today, we’re interviewing Annette Whipple, author of Ribbit! The Truth About Frogs. The book investigates some of the more than 7,000 frogs around the world and invites readers to take an active interest in...

Changing the clocks for Daylight Saving Time reminded me of how disruptive losing one hour can be, and had me imagining if I could travel through time. These seven spectacular books feature diverse characters, each with a definite reason for visiting another time. Some go to the past for a...

For a short month, February is overflowing with brand new middle grade books. Have a look and let us know which of our Middle Grade New Releases you’re looking forward to reading.     Serendipity by Gabbie Benda Serendipity is the luckiest kid in the world. But what happens when...

As a ten year old, I spent half my time wanting to change the world and the other half wanting to hide from it. My grandmother marched for Civil Rights in the South. When my mother took me to a demonstration in New York City, I thought more about my...