Picture Books
by Tasha Tudor
In a quaint, pastoral New England community nestled somewhere west of New Hampshire and east of Vermont is the fictional town of Corgiville. It is at present all abuzz with preparations for the annual fair, specifically the prestigious goat race. A young dog named Caleb Corgi has spent months diligently training his beloved goat, Josephine, to win the big prize. His primary rival, Edgar Tomcat, however, is determined to beat him and win the race at all costs, even if it means he must cheat.
Fans of the Brambly Hedge and Beatrix Potter collections will love this long-form picture book about the life and times of a small make-believe town of animals.
by Audrey Vernick
In the 1920s, the 12 brothers of the Acerra family of New Jersey joined together to become the longest-running all-brother baseball team in American history. Through marriages, births of babies, and even a world war, the brothers continued to play together until 1952, marking 15 seasons of semi-pro baseball. In 1997, their unmatched legacy was officially recognized when they were inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This is their story.
by Kelly Jordan
Summer after summer, the little blue cottage awaits the arrival of the little girl who visits with her family. Once there, she swims, fishes, flies kites, and enjoys family meals, bringing delight to the otherwise forgotten home. Eventually, though, the girl grows up and stops visiting. Left empty season after season, the cottage falls into disrepair, its vibrant blue paint dimming to gray as it is nearly swallowed by nearby bushes. Years later, a vehicle approaches on the red clay road. The girl returns, now a mother herself, to fill the cottage with life again.
by Clare Turlay Newberry
Mama Muff and Papa Buster welcome three newborn kittens into their family. The litter consists of a red kitten named Junior, a multicolored kitten named Betty Jo, and a brave, all-black kitten named Smudge. The kittens grow from blind newborns to wobbly toddlers. One day, Muff and Buster leave the kittens alone to hunt for grasshoppers. Led by the curious Smudge, the kittens escape the safety of their box to explore the big living room and step right into mischief.
This Caldecott Honor book includes beautiful charcoal illustrations that make the kittens look as if they could pounce right off the page.
Leveled Readers
by David McPhail
A boy and a bird climb up into a tree house. But the dog can not climb and is left behind. Using a little creativity, however, the boy devises a plan to rescue his stranded mutt. He ties a rope to a pot, places the dog inside of it, and pulls his furry friend up into the tree. Once the three pals are reunited, they look out and see Mom walking toward them with a plate of cookies. Resolved not to miss out on a yummy treat, the boy, once again, uses the rope to lower the pot back down. Mom fills it with cookies, and the boy pulls them up for all to enjoy.
This Level 1 reader contains one or two simple three- to five-word sentences on each page.
The Founding Fathers Were Spies!
by Patricia Lakin
Did you know that during the American Revolution, key figures like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin — the nation's founding fathers — led vital intelligence networks? As spymaster Agent 711 of the Culper Ring, Washington directed covert operations to gather critical information from British soldiers and sympathizers without being detected. From disappearing ink to encrypted messages, the Culper Ring used all kinds of tricks to outsmart their enemies and win the war.
This Level 3 book is one of 6 narrative nonfictions in the Secrets of American History series.
Illustrated Chapter Books
by Kristin Earhart
The Dunlap family has left the bustling city of Chicago for the quiet Chincoteague Island of Virginia. Mom and Dad have hopes of opening a brand-new bed-and-breakfast inn. While the move is a homecoming for Mom, who grew up on the island, it is highly challenging for the children. Willa deeply misses her old friends, and Ben is naturally nervous about starting over in an unfamiliar place.
Despite the difficulties of starting over, the siblings are thrilled to be living near their grandparents' farm and the famous wild horses of Assateague Island. They spend most of their time caring for Starbuck, a wild pony bought at the annual auction who is not yet ready to mingle with the other horses. Working closely with Starbuck helps them both begin to see the island as their true home.
Please note: Upon arriving at her new yet rather old home, Willa wonders if there are ghosts inside. She quickly realizes there are not.
This is the first in an 8-book series loosely based on Marguerite Henry's classic novels about the Assateague ponies.
by Julie Andrews
Deep in the basement of the Sovereign Theatre sits a long-forgotten, miniature architect's model of the building. This hidden replica serves as the grand stage for an adorable community of theater mice. While human actors perform for massive crowds upstairs, the mice busily prepare to mount their own spectacular musical titled Broadway Airs downstairs.
Rehearsals are already in the usual showbiz chaos when two major crises strike at once. First, Adelaide, the troupe’s glamorous star and resident diva, suddenly vanishes right before opening night. And second, the historic Sovereign Theatre is scheduled for demolition, threatening the home and miniature stage of the beloved critters who live and work below it. Can the show go on?
Please note: The director mouse pours himself a drink. While the text is vague as to what type of drink he chooses, the illustration shows a bubbly liquid in a champagne-style glass.
Additionally, while helping Adelaide find her way back to the theatre, an elderly Asian mouse says, "Fortune is on your side."
Middle-Grade Novels
by Claire Swinarski
1943 occupied France: While snooping through her sister's belongings, 13-year-old Marie discovers that Héloise is secretly operating as an underground agent for the French Resistance. Desperate to take action against the occupation rather than feel helpless, Marie begs to join in the effort. She eventually climbs the ranks to become a smuggler who hides famous works of art from Nazi soldiers.
Present Day: 13-year-old Penny is miserable, resentful, and deeply lonely after being forced to leave her home in Wisconsin. Her family moved to Paris for a one-year teaching fellowship that her art historian mother accepted. Penny has completely given up creating art due to past school trauma and a recent health scare involving her brother. However, her curiosity sparks when construction contractors at her mom's job site uncover a hidden 1944 wartime painting sealed deep inside a plaster wall. Accompanying the piece is a letter addressed from "Marie Bonnet."
In this dual-perspective historical fiction, the lives of two girls, living 80 years apart, collide.
Please note: While his exact words are never mentioned, one scene in the text suggests that the Dad swore.
Marie lies to her older sister about her whereabouts, and Penny rolls her eyes at her mom.
There is one reference to female menstrual cycles.
Penny mentions another person's belief in "manifesting" but concludes that she does not believe in it herself.
The following words are included once or twice in the text: heck, crap, freaking, and sucked.
The Unlikely Tale of Chase & Finnegan
by Jasmine Warga
Chase is a five-month-old cheetah cub born at a zoo. When her mother suddenly passes away, she is left heartbroken, anxious, and alone. The zoo's lead cheetah trainer, Basma, hopes to train Chase to be a "Cheetah Ambassador" for an educational program to fund conservation efforts. However, Chase’s profound grief and intense fear—especially a trauma response triggered by leashes—jeopardize her future in the program.
Finnegan is a stray dog fleeing the memories of an owner who mistreated him and labeled him a "bad dog". After surviving an animal attack in the woods, he is rescued by a kind man named Ryan. Ryan takes him to the vet and brings him to the home he shares with Basma. Despite his safe new environment, Finnegan carries deep scars and a paralyzing fear of abandonment, constantly worrying that any mistake will cause his new humans to cast him out.
Recognizing Finnegan’s gentle temperament, Basma introduces the two animals, hoping the dog can act as a stabilizing companion for the anxious big cat. This is the story of an unlikely friendship and how two animals help each other overcome their fears.
Please note: About 3/4 of the way through the story, Ryan proposes to Basma, implying that they were, up until that point, living together out of wedlock.
by Sydney Taylor
The Brenners are a close-knit, Orthodox Jewish immigrant family living in New York's Lower East Side. The five sisters—Ella, Henny, Sarah, Charlotte, and Gertie—are nicknamed the "all-of-a-kind family" because they are spaced exactly two years apart and are always dressed in matching outfits. Though they are nothing alike, the girls are the best of friends.
This first book in the 5-title series follows the sisters' day-to-day lives as the rest of the nation braces for a War to End All Wars.
Fans of In Grandma's Attic will enjoy this living book about the blissful days of the ever-expanding Brenner family.
Danny the Champion of the World
by Roald Dahl
Nine-year-old Danny lives an idyllic life with his widowed father, William, in a traditional Gypsy caravan in rural England. William is a kind, deeply creative man who teaches Danny how to fix cars, build kites, and fly fire balloons. Danny believes his father to be absolutely perfect.
Danny's world shifts one night when William confesses a deeply kept secret: he is an avid, lifelong poacher of pheasants. Specifically, he loves sneaking into the nearby woods owned by Mr. Victor Hazell—a wealthy but incredibly mean local developer whom the entire village dislikes.
When William goes out poaching again, he falls into a hidden pit trap dug by Mr. Hazell’s aggressive gamekeepers and breaks his ankle. Sensing danger, Danny courageously sneaks a car into the dark woods in the middle of the night to rescue his father. Furious at Mr. Hazell's cruelty and eager for revenge, the duo decides to ruin Hazell’s upcoming, highly prestigious annual pheasant-shooting party.
Please note: With Robin Hood-like justice, this is the story of one family's attempt to rob from the rich to give to the poor.
To help with his plan, William tells Danny to pretend to be sick so he can skip school.
There is a mention of men drinking gin.
When referring to one particular sour woman in town, Father says that if he were married to her, he would poison her.
The town teacher is known for his cruelty and canes Danny as punishment.
Parents, Be Aware
by Julia Sarcone Roach
Your sandwich is missing. A bear must have eaten it. This book will tell you exactly how the fury thief was able to gobble it up without you noticing.
This is a twist-ending picture book told by a very unreliable narrator who may or may not be trying to cover up the fact that he ate your sandwich.
Things to know: While a well-written and humorous story, the entire premise is based on a dog lying to its owner about eating her sandwich and getting away with it.
by Alan Gratz
September 11, 2001, New York City--9-year-old Brandon Chavez is suspended from school and must go to work with his dad, a kitchen manager of a restaurant on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower. When Brandon sneaks away to the mall in the basement, a hijacked plane strikes the building. He must navigate smoke, fire, and destruction to survive.
September 11, 2019, Afghanistan--11-year-old Reshmina is an Afghan girl growing up in a mountain village deeply affected by the war between American forces and the Taliban. Following a battle near her home, she chooses to fulfill the traditional cultural honor code of Pashtunwali by sheltering an injured American soldier named Taz. Her choice places her entire village in imminent danger from Taliban retaliation.
This dual-time novel follows the choices of two children who face seemingly insurmountable tragedies.
Things to know: The story realistically depicts the events of 9/11, including people falling from the towers, being crushed by debris, dying in elevators, and being severely burned by jet fuel. In addition, the scenes set in Afghanistan describe a deadly battleground in a small village.
A few key characters die.
The following words and phrases are included in the text: "What the h*ll," "What the heck," and "d*mn."
Just for you, Mom
by Jamie Ogle
After being rejected by her father, Adelgard, a proud Visigoth, joins King Alaric's rebel army but is eventually captured by Rome and sold into slavery as a gladiator. Rising to fame as the arena's most famous gladiatrix (female gladiator), Adel uses her fame to protect herself.
Her path crosses with Felix, the kind-hearted doctor of the gladiator school, who ironically detests the empire's violent spectacles. The two form a deep bond, and Felix does his best to tend to the rebel fighters' humanity while grappling with his own moral crossroads.
The book seamlessly blends high-stakes action with strong faith themes, exploring concepts of sacrifice, surrender, and the importance of trusting God. It is a gripping tale of love and courage, drawing heavily on the real life of Telemachus, an early Christian monk whose personal sacrifice helped bring an end to the gladiatorial games of Ancient Rome.
Best in Show
by Eliza Wheeler
With only a small pension to keep them afloat after Father’s death, six-year-old Marvel, her mother, and her seven siblings must find inventive ways to survive the Great Depression. They grow vegetables, fish for trout, hunt for critters, and sell homemade goods. Times may be lean, but they have plenty of love to go around. It’s all hands on deck; even the littlest ones must help Mum with daily chores. Based on the true story of the author’s grandma, this beautifully illustrated book will introduce readers to the tenacity and pluck of the “Great” generation.
by Marguerite Henry
At first glance, Little Bub looks like nothing special--just an orphaned colt given to Justin Morgan, a Vermont schoolmaster, as payment for a debt. But Joel Gross, Mr. Morgan's favorite student, sees extraordinary potential in Bub. Under Joel's loving care and faithful training, the castoff horse begins to outpace all the other mounts in town and eventually the entire country. This underdog (or underhorse) classic is based on the true story of how an everyday workhorse became the sire for America's most celebrated stallion breed, the Morgan.