Picture Books
by Lela Nargi
Every morning, Fred, an urban beekeeper, climbs up to his apartment rooftop to greet his flying friends, whom he considers family. He says howdy-do to his three queens, Mab, Nefertiti, and Boadicea. As he sits on his roof, he watches his bees fly across the city, foraging in local gardens and parks for nectar and imagines their journey over brownstones and bridges. Later, when the honey is ready, he uses a spinning machine to extract it from the combs. Jarring the final product, he labels it "Fred's Brooklyn Honey, Made by Tireless Brooklyn Bees," and shares it with his neighbors on his front stoop, celebrating the fruits of the community’s flowers.
This living book will teach young readers the basics of honey production.
Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek
by Deborah Hopkinson
In 1816, seven-year-old Abraham Lincoln and his ten-year-old best friend, Austin Gollaher, lived near Knobb Creek in Kentucky. One day, despite warnings from Abe’s mother to stay away from the high water, the boys head to the creek to look for partridges. To reach the other side, the boys attempt to cross the swollen, turbulent waters on a narrow log. Austin makes it across, but Abe loses his balance and falls in. Since neither boy knows how to swim, Austin heroically uses a long sycamore branch to pull Abe to safety.
The narrator of this pseudo-tall tale about a little-known part of Lincoln's childhood breaks the fourth wall by talking to the reader.
Please note: Abe and his friend Austen disobey Abe's mother and then vow never to tell her about the aftermath of their bad choice.
My Father Knows the Names of Things
by Jane Yolen
Father knows the names of all kinds of things, including clouds, plants, bugs, and planets.
This lyrical picture book celebrates the bond between a father and his child through the shared wonder of the natural world. Unlike so many contemporary stories that portray men as bumbling or over-controlling, this one really highlights the greatness of a supportive and caring dad.
Sunrise Summer
by Matthew Swanson
Instead of a typical summer with swimsuits and sandals, the young girl in this book takes a trip that requires packing survival supplies like spark plugs and doorknobs. Her family travels via multiple flights and a bush plane to reach a remote cabin. For the first time, she is old enough to officially join her mother’s salmon-fishing crew in the remote wilds of Alaska.
Young readers will get a rare glimpse at the commercial fishing trade through the eyes of a young girl learning the ropes.
Leveled Readers
by Eric Seltzer
Space cows come in green and also in blue. Some of them quack, but most of them moo. They play games, eat chips, own toys, and use space ships.
This Level 1 reader follows the nonsensical day-to-day lives of cows who live in space. Young readers will enjoy the silly one-line rhymes as they practice reading one and two-syllable words.
by Eleanor Coerr
Ariel desperately wants to join her mother, "Carlotta the Great," the best female aeronaut in America, for an upcoming race against her rival, Bernard the Brave. Her parents refuse, telling her she is too young and must ride in a buggy with her father instead. While waiting for the race to start at the fairgrounds, Carlotta allows Ariel to sit in the basket of their balloon, Lucky Star. As the mayor delivers a long-winded speech, Ariel falls asleep inside a box of "odds and ends." A simple oversight finds Ariel in the race of her life!
Based on a true story of the Myers family, 19th-century balloonists, this Level 3 reader contains three hair-raising chapters.
Illustrated Chapter Books
The Trouble with Chickens
by Doreen Cronin
When a frantic chicken named Moosh demands that he find her two missing chicks in exchange for a hamburger, J.J. Tully, a retired search-and-rescue dog, reluctantly takes the case. The hardened hound follows the scent and discovers that Vince the Funnel, a house dog wearing a medical cone, is involved in the kidnapping. Then again, so is one of the chicks.
This is the first in a two-part mystery series starring J.J. and his farmyard friends.
Beti and the Little Round House
by Atinuke
Nestled in the Welsh mountains is a little round house made of mud and thatch. Here is where Beti, her Tad (dad), her Mam (mom), and her baby brother Jac live happily off the grid. Each season gives Beti a new chance to better appreciate her simple, woodland life and to grow and mature. Alongside her baby goat, Naughty, Beti proves herself to be a great help to her family.
This is the idyllic story of a family who chooses to live without the luxuries of modernity but who band together in love despite their unusual and sometimes difficult days. I especially appreciate the relationship between Beti and baby Jac, whom she cares for and delights in.
Middle-Grade Novels
Captain Gray
by Avi
In 1783, following the Revolutionary War, Kevin Cartwright's father—a wounded soldier—decides to leave Philadelphia to seek a peaceful life in the untamed wilderness of the New Jersey coast. During their journey, the family is ambushed by a ruthless band of pirates led by the mysterious and charismatic Captain Grey. The pirates claim to have killed Kevin's father and sister, taking the boy captive. Kevin discovers that Captain Grey has established his own independent "nation" on a remote part of the coast, funded entirely by piracy. As a prisoner of the "pirate king," Kevin is pressured to renounce his past and his country to join Grey’s lawless society. The story follows Kevin’s struggle to maintain his identity and his desperate search for a way to escape his captors.
Please note: At the end of one chapter, Kevin is sure he sees a ghost. By the beginning of the next chapter, much to his relief, he learns the true identity of the figure.
Ways to Make Sunshine
by Renee Watson
After Ryan’s father loses his job at the post office in Portland, Oregon, her family must move into a smaller "new (old)" house and sell one of their cars to save money. Ryan strives to live up to her unconventional name, which means "leader," while dealing with her family's financial struggles, overcoming her fear of public speaking, and finding her own unique talents, even though all her other friends already seem to shine.
Ryan learns that her true gift is kindness and the ability to find the "silver lining" in difficult situations.
This is a simple, contemporary story about a young girl's love for family and friends, and for building a life that celebrates both. Although not a Christian fiction, the book depicts the family attending church, praying, and speaking of faith.
Please note: At first blush, because the female protagonist has a traditionally male-sounding name, a reader might assume that this story includes transgender elements. It does not. The first chapter makes it very clear that Ryan's name was given to her because of its meaning, not its gender. She was born a girl and enjoys living up to her weighty name.
While unpacking in her new bedroom, Ryan discovers a box of old things from the previous owner. Her brother tries to convince her that they are items from a person who has probably died and may want the items back. He says, "Don't come crying to me when his spirit comes to haunt you." The siblings bicker throughout the book, but also stand together and show genuine love, respect, and pride for each other.
One character says, "Thank G*d for that," another says, "Shut up." When referring to the neighborhood that some friends moved into, which contains no other black families, Ryan's dad offhandedly remarks that the area is "too white."
Star in the Storm
by Joan Hiatt Harlow
Twelve-year-old Maggie Wells lives in a 1912 Newfoundland fishing village where a new law has outlawed all non-shepherding dogs. Trouble is, Maggie's best friend is her giant black Newf named Sirius. When a wealthy classmate, Tamar Rand, accuses the dog of killing one of her sheep, Maggie must find a way to hide him from being shot by her family in revenge. One day, a terrible storm hits the area, trapping a passenger ship in the bay. Determined to help her dog regardless of the outcome, Maggie commands Sirius to swim through the treacherous waves and carry a rope from the sinking vessel to shore, enabling a rescue effort that saves everyone on board, including Tamar's older sister and baby nephew.
Please note: As in many small villages in the early twentieth century, some of the folks in the story believe in silly superstitions, including Maggie herself, who at first accuses Tamar of acting like a witch. Despite the uncaring and spiteful behavior of the wealthy Rands, Mr. and Mrs. Wells exemplify integrity and kindness, encouraging Maggie to turn the other cheek and place her trust in God alone rather than in old wives' tales.
The story features a "town drunk" who, with Mr. Wells' mentorship, turns his life around.
At one point, Father says, "We are the masters of our own lives and fortunes." Additionally, while in a state of shock, one character uses God's name in vain.
This is not a Christian book; however, it includes many mentions of character, faith, and prayer.
Lemonade War
by Jacqueline Davies
After learning that his favorite (and only) younger sister, Jessie, will be skipping third grade to join his fourth-grade class, Evan Treski becomes nervous. Those nerves morph into jealousy, and through a series of misunderstandings, eventually anger. Feeling threatened and annoyed, he stops speaking to her and starts a lemonade stand with his friend, Scott. In response, Jessie starts her own stand with a new friend, Megan. Eventually, the siblings make a bet: whoever earns $100 first wins the loser’s total earnings. Instead of a friendly competition, this end-of-summer challenge becomes and all out war. As the rivalry intensifies, both siblings resort to dishonest tactics, wounding not just their own personal integrity but also their shared relationship.
Fans of The Pushcart War will enjoy this story that shows how small breakdowns in communication can quickly erode some of the very best friendships. Readers will gain a better understanding and appreciation for the tricks and tools of entrepreneurship.
Please note: Once the "war" begins, the once best-friend siblings begin to treat each other horribly, using words like "hate," "shut up," and "jerk." However, they both immediately regret their behavior and desperately want things to go back to the way they've always been.
The text includes one or two uses of God's name in vain.
Parents, Be Aware
Pirate Mom
by Deborah Underwood
Pete loves pirates, but his mother finds them "rude and messy." Things take a comedic turn when the two attend a magic show starring the Amazing Marco, who accidentally hypnotizes Pete's mom into believing she is a pirate.
Things to know: After her hypnotic transformation, the mother becomes mean and rude, steals underwear from a clothesline, and ignores her basic responsibilities. Desperate to protect her from losing the respect of her peers, Pete lies to the PTA about the reason behind her behavior.
The story resolves without a clear lesson or a takeaway for either Pete or the reader.
Snoop
by Gordon Korman
Instead of focusing on the ski hill ahead of him, 12-year-old Carter Peregrine disobeys his dad and continues scrolling YouTube Shorts on his phone. Consequently, he doesn't see his little brother, who's lost control of his skis and is headed right to him. Needless to say, at the end of what was supposed to be a great vacation with the dad he hasn't seen much since his parents' divorce, Carter finds himself in a wheelchair with two broken legs. Later, trapped at home and bored, the screen-addicted Carter discovers that he can access public surveillance cameras throughout his town. His casual "snooping" quickly turns into an obsession as he uses the town's security feeds and his mother’s professional drone to spy on neighbors, classmates, and even his crush, Lacey. However, his remote espionage leads to major complications, false accusations, and, eventually, the discovery of a real-life crime ring.
Things to know: Instead of attending his classes on Zoom, Carter disobeys his mother again and again to use his computer to hack into both public and private cameras. He lies to his teacher about being sick, calls his little brother a "jerk face" and a "waste of time," calls a classmate a "dufus," and blames everyone else for his poor behavior.
Since his spying leads to the arrest of a few criminals, Carter is never held accountable for his actions. Even his transformation from screen-addicted, entitled middle-schooler to town hero smacks of narcissism and blame-shifting.
Just for you, Mom
by Jennifer Chiaverini
Born into slavery, Elizabeth Keckley uses her exceptional sewing skills to eventually purchase her own freedom and that of her son, George. After moving to Washington, D.C., she establishes a thriving business catering to the city's elite, including the wives of Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee. In 1861, she's hired by Mary Todd Lincoln and becomes far more than a seamstress, serving as a trusted friend who supports the First Lady through the death of her son, Willie, and the intense political pressures of the Civil War. After the assassination of the president and under immense financial pressure, Keckley, unfortunately, makes a decision that will change their relationship forever.
Best in Show
by Candace Fleming
Based on the true-life generosity of the author's mother, this book shows the hardships of post-WWII Holland and depicts how one American girl sent hope to a small Dutch community one care package at a time.
At the risk of playing favorites, I must confess that this is my most favorite picture book of all time. I read it aloud to my kids every year when we pack Operation Christmas Child boxes. I tear up every time I read it.
Fish in a Tree
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Ally's been labeled many things: troublemaker, dumb, and weird, to name a few. She's too embarrassed to admit that she can't read, and so she develops many unhealthy coping skills to get by in school. After spending years hiding behind excuses, she meets Mr. Daniels, a substitute teacher who uncovers what's really going on. Ally is dyslexic. With his help, she not only learns to read but also learns what it means to be a true friend.