Picture Books
Dare the Wind
by Tracey Fern
According to her ship captain father, Ellen Prentiss was born with "saltwater in her veins." With his guidance, she learns to navigate using a sextant and the stars. One day, she falls in love and marries an up-and-coming young sailor. Together, they sail one of the new clipper ships in hopes of setting a world record voyage from New York to San Diego. Along the way, they are met with perilous storms that threaten to destroy their vessel and ruin all hope of their triumphant arrival. However, with Ellen's keen sense of direction, the couple finds a safe route around South America and reaches California in a record-breaking 89 days, cementing Ellen's name in maritime history.
Buford the Little Bighorn
by Bill Peet
Buford has become a burden to the rest of the herd. His horns have grown so long that he can no longer climb the mountain without their help. One day, he decides, he must do the only sensible thing: abandon his friends and family and go out on his own. But when he wanders away, he stumbles into the path of a few hunters. Frightened, Bufford takes off running up the wintry slopes of the mountains. His horns come to the rescue in a surprising way.
This is an older story, full of the kind of rich language rarely seen in modern children's literature.
At the Same Moment, Around the World
by Clotilde Perrin
At six o'clock in the morning in Dakar, Senegal, Keita wades out into the warm ocean water to help his father count the fish from last night's catch. At this same moment, it's six o'clock in the evening and Ivan is taking his dog for a walk around his snow-covered neighborhood in Anadyr, Russia. Everywhere around the world, people are doing different things all at the same.
Each page of this uniquely illustrated book showcases the happenings of every time zone, offering young readers a trip around the globe and a glimpse into various countries and cultures.
Lumpito and the Painter from Spain
by Monica Kulling
Lump, a small Dachshund from Italy, is unhappy because of his housemate, an intimidating Afghan named Big Dog, who torments him constantly. When his master, Photographer David Duncan, decides to visit a friend, a painter living in the south of France, Lump is excited to tag along. The artist is none other than the renowned Pablo Picasso, who immediately takes a liking to the little dog and renames him Lumpito. After seeing how happy Lumpito is with Picasso, David agrees to let the dachshund stay with the painter permanently. Lumpito becomes Picasso's constant companion, inspiring some of his drawings and paintings. He even appears in some of Picasso's famous studies of Las Meninas.
This is a living book that will introduce young readers to a handful of Spanish words, the title of one of Picasso's most notable pieces, and the famed painter himself.
Leveled Readers
Sketty and Meatball
by Sarah Weeks
Sketty and Meatball are the best of friends. They do everything together. One day, after waking up from a long nap under the lemon tree, they decide to go to the dog show. While there, they meet all kinds of amazing dogs just like them. Some are big. Some are small. Some have spots. And some don't. All the dogs are great. However, there's one dog that both Sketty and Meatball love the most. A hot dog!
While the publisher has deemed this delightful book appropriate for Level 1 readers, it does contain many multisyllable words and lengthy sentences. I'd argue it's more appropriate for a Level 2 or Level 3 reader.
Paul Bunyan: My Story
by David L. Harrison
Three hours after I came into this world, I weighed 80 pounds. I kept growing and growing and growing until my Northwoods home could no longer hold me. With my trusty blue ox, Babe, by my side, I joined a crew of ax-wielding men and became the biggest, strongest lumberjack this side of the Mississippi.
This is my almost-but-not-quite-true story.
Emergent readers will love the spirited, exaggerated text of this Level 3 tall tale.
Illustrated Chapter Books
Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express
by Margaret K. Wetterer
A severe rainstorm washed out the bridge over Honey Creek near 15-year-old Kate Shelley's home in Moingona, Iowa, causing a work train to fall into the swirling water below. Hearing the crash, Kate risks her life to cross the broken bridge in order to reach the Moingona depot and alert the authorities. With her guidance, the station master and crew are not only able to rescue the two men who went down with the sinking engine but also stop an approaching passenger train, which would have plummeted over the bridge had it not been warned.
This is the heroic true story of a young girl and her unbelievable courage on a dark and stormy night.
The Pepins and their Problems
by Polly Horvath
The Pepin family seems to be perpetually caught in bewildering situations. There was the time they woke up to find toads in their shoes, and the time their cow would only produce lemonade instead of milk, and the time they got trapped on the roof despite the fact that a ladder was in sight. To make matters worse, the family is never able to solve these preposterous problems on their own and has to crowd-source solutions.
The author breaks the fourth wall of this whimsical book by inviting the reader to submit possible solutions for each Pepin predicament. She then shares the "submitted suggestions" and offers her own humorous commentary about them all.
Please note: When asking for reader input, the author writes that she will use her telepathic powers to infer what the reader might be thinking.
One character says, "It's bad enough when there are ghosts in a house," when referring to an unwanted guest who refuses to leave.
There are two vain uses of the Lord's name and one mention of "heck" in the text.
Middle-Grade Novels
by Linda Sue Park
Ever since her Mama passed away, Hanna has always been an outsider. But when she and Papa move to the small settlement of LaForge in Dakota Territory to begin a new life, the ostracism she endured in California for her Asian heritage grows and morphs into hate. She dreams of becoming a dressmaker, but no one wants to trust a "half-breed." Kids make fun of her in school, parents refuse to let their children associate with her, and townsfolk threaten her Papa's livelihood if she is allowed to continue living amongst them. Will Hanna be able to gain their trust? Will her hopes of sewing beautiful clothes for her neighbors ever become a reality?
Inspired by the Little House on the Prairie series, Linda Sue Park wrote this story to offer a different perspective of 1880s America, a time of rapid westward expansion.
Please note: In one chapter, two drunk men saunter into town and approach Hannah. One says, "You know what they say about Chinese girls?" The other replies, "I surely do," and they reach out to grab her. Before anything can happen, the men are scared off by a passerby.
Due to the heavy theme of racism and its portrayal in the story, I believe this book is most suitable for readers aged 10 and above.
by Elizabeth Enright
While visiting their cousins one summer, siblings Portia and Foster Blake discover an abandoned Victorian resort community on a nearby lake. Upon closer inspection, however, they learn that the neighborhood isn't as empty as they originally thought. Two elderly siblings, Mrs. Cheever and Mr. Payton, are still very much at home and enjoying reclusive lives, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the big city.
Inspired by the fantastical tales of their new friends who grew up on the lake, Portia and Foster create a secret clubhouse in one of the remaining resort buildings and spend the rest of the summer uncovering the hidden mysteries of this long-forgotten place.
This is a story of playful sibling adventures. Fans of The Borrowers will enjoy the language and simple innocence of the book.
Please note: There are a few uses of "heck" and "doggone it" in the text. One of the elderly characters says, "By good fortune."
When commenting about being born the same year as each other, one child says to another, "That means we have the same sign of the Zodiac. Lybra." Additionally, at one point, the children think there is a ghost in one of the abandoned houses. They quickly learn that it's just a squirrel making noise.
The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic
by Jennifer Trafton
Young Persimmony Smudge sets out on the adventure of her life, not only to find her missing father but also to discover what makes the mountain rise and fall. Turns out, the answer to both riddles lies with a sleeping giant that lives underneath the island. Persimmony must convince the king of her discoveries, which proves to be her biggest challenge of all.
Unlike most fantasies, which lean towards depressing dystopian themes, The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic is light-hearted and almost comical in spots.
The Mona Lisa Vanishes
by Nicholas Day
The Mona Lisa is quite possibly the most recognizable painting in the world today. But prior to the 20th century, few folks knew it even existed. Why the sudden surge in popularity, you may wonder.
Well, the answer is simple. One random Tuesday morning in 1911, an Italian service worker quietly slipped out of a closet where he had been hiding overnight, removed it from its glass casing at the Louvre, and walked out with it, igniting an international manhunt and media frenzy.
The Mona Lisa was made famous because it was stolen.
This captivating narrative non-fiction jumps between two main timelines: the early 1900s, focusing on the sensational theft and investigation, and the Renaissance, exploring Leonardo da Vinci's genius and the life of his model, Lisa Gherardini.
Through story, the book offers insights into the changing world of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the rise of mass media, advancements in forensic science, and shifting cultural norms, all of which contributed to the Mona Lisa's enduring legend.
Please note: When describing the early years of da Vinci's life, the text reads, "He is an illegitimate son, known as a bastard."
Additionally, while the book is quite clean, because it includes some details about forensic police work, criminal punishment practices of the Renaissance era, and da Vinci's own work with cadavers, it may be unsettling for some sensitive readers.
Parents, Be Aware
by Chad Sell
One summer, in an ordinary neighborhood, 16 unordinary kids make some extraordinary things out of a few simple cardboard boxes. An imaginative world of robots, knights, dragons, and demons emerges, and the motley crew of kids unite to create a summertime adventure they will never forget.
Things to know: All three titles in this graphic novel trilogy explore themes of identity, emotional angst, and gender fluidity. The pictures show a boy donning a costume to become a sorceress with covert implications of transgender desires.
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Ada and her younger brother, Jamie, live in a small London apartment with their neglectful and abusive mother, who is too ashamed of Ada's clubfoot to let her leave the house. But when war begins to rage all around them, the children are evacuated to escape the bombings of the Blitz. They are sent to live with Susan Smith, a solitary woman in the countryside, who encourages Ada to walk, ride horses, and explore outside —things she has never done before. The bond between the older woman and her younger charges grows until a new family is formed.
Things to know: While this is an incredibly well-written story, the abuse the children suffer at the hands of their mother may be troubling for some sensitive readers.
Susan shares that she had an estranged relationship with her father because she was "different." She also speaks of her former female housemate who passed away years before. At first glance, this relationship appears to be that of two older women who live together to share expenses and enjoy a companionable friendship, typical of the time period. However, the text does make subtle suggestions that the former roommate was more than just a friend. While The War That Saved My Life never overtly confirms that the pair were romantically involved, its sequel, The War I Finally Won, dives deeper into that storyline to reveal that the women were lesbian partners. Additionally, in interviews, the author has shared her intentions to make Susan a sexually diverse character.
Just for you, Mom
by Susie Finkbeiner
The Harding family lives a seemingly normal suburban life in Detroit, but sisters Bertha and Flossie have very different dreams for their futures. Bertha is a tomboy who dreams of playing professional baseball in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, while the younger Flossie is a bookish and precocious child who wants nothing more than to fit in.
Their lives are thrown into chaos when their father, a well-known writer, is falsely accused of being a Communist. Facing public shunning and disgrace, the family is forced to sell their house and move to the small town of Bear Run to live with their Uncle Matthew. There, Bertha works to keep her dream of playing for the Workington Sweet Peas alive, and Flossie navigates new social circles while developing an unlikely friendship.
The family is tested, but eventually learn what it means to be all-American.