Picture Books
by Debbie Levy
After WWII ended, Europe faced severe food shortages due to decimated farms and a looming harsh winter. Journalist Drew Pearson proposed a "Friendship Train" to collect food donations across America. Starting in California with just a few freight wagons, the train traveled to New York, swelling to over 500 boxcars as communities joined the cause. Among the donors were thousands of children who gave their allowances, sold newspapers, and collected canned goods for strangers overseas.
This is the true story of a nationwide, grassroots initiative that helped provide critical relief to war-torn countries.
by Deborah Hopkinson
Sal is an adventurous and capable young girl who can ride a bronco, fish with her bare hands, and drive a stagecoach just as well as her father. Moreover, she's quite the singer who loves to belt out folksongs for anyone who will listen.
When Sal's father is injured in an accident, she volunteers to make the dangerous mail delivery run through bandit territory alone. Her mother is worried about the notorious, rhyming outlaw "Poetic Pete," who has a reputation for politely robbing stagecoaches. Will she be able to make a safe delivery, or will she have a run-in with the infamous bandit?
This unique historical fiction is loosely based on the life of Delia Haskett Rawson, the first and possibly only woman to deliver U.S. mail by stagecoach in California.
by Beth Ferry
Peddler is a turtle who travels the countryside with a special cart, creating customized puddles for various animals and children, from a small, single-stomp puddle for a child to a perfect drip for a thirsty hummingbird. Peddler brings joy to everyone he encounters. Despite the happiness he brings others, the turtle is constantly on the go and begins to feel lonely. One day, at the ocean—the biggest puddle he's ever seen—his cart gets stuck in the sand. His animal friends, grateful for his kindness, show up to rescue him. They push and pull his cart back to the forest, where they have dug a large hole for him to call home.
by Brinton Turkle
Obadiah, a young Quaker boy, is annoyed because a particular seagull follows him everywhere—to the market, to the meeting (church), and even to his bedroom window where he sits to roost each night. During a bitterly cold winter day, the seagull disappears. Obadiah unexpectedly finds himself missing the bird's company. When the seagull eventually returns, it has a rusted fishhook caught in its beak and is clearly in distress. Obadiah helps the bird, and through this act of kindness, realizes the value of their unique friendship.
This is the first of four books in a delightful living book series about a Quaker family in Colonial America.
Leveled Readers
by James Skofield
Detective Dinosaur’s boss, Chief Tyrannosaurus, gives him an undercover assignment. Misunderstanding the term "undercover," the detective creates an elaborate but exhausting costume using an overcoat, sofa cushions, a blanket, and a wastepaper basket. He eventually learns that a simple disguise is all that is required for the job.
This Level 2 reader contains three stand-alone chapters about the misadventures of a silly detective. Young readers may need help decoding the following character names: Chief Tyrannosaurus, Officer Pterodactyl, Deputy Diplodocus, and Rowena Raptor.
Please note: The illustrations of the second chapter show creatures that look like "cute" ghosts with feet, but they are described as "blobs" that chase the detective in a bad dream. The word "ghost" is never used.
by Eva Moore
At the age of 16, Morris Frank went blind. Realizing there was little support for folks with vision impairments in 1924, Morris traveled to Switzerland to find independence. He met with Dorothy Eustis, a trainer who worked with police dogs. Among her students was Buddy, a German Shepherd who showed great potential to help those with sight struggles. In time, she taught Buddy to be a fresh set of eyes for Morris. Years later, the relationship between the dog and his blind master became the inspiration for America's first Seeing Eye Dog training school.
This is the true story of Buddy, the world's first seeing-eye dog.
Illustrated Chapter Books
The Blue Hill Meadows
by Cynthia Rylant
The Meadow family lives a peaceful life together in the rural town of Blue Hill, Virginia. Each season of the year brings new experiences that help to create new family bonds. In the summer, the Meadows adopt a stray dog named Lady, who eventually gives birth to seven puppies. In the fall, the father and son take a memorable fishing trip together. In the winter, a rare blizzard creates unexpected fun. And in the spring, Mother gets an extra special gift.
Each chapter of this book is a short, stand-alone story of family togetherness reminiscent of a modern Little House in the Big Woods or All-of-a-Kind Family.
by Lavinia Derwent
Bobby is a lively Skye Terrier who is deeply devoted to his master, a cantankerous old shepherd known as Auld Jock, who is constantly trying to shoo Bobby away. When Auld Jock becomes ill and eventually dies, he is buried in Greyfriars Churchyard in Edinburgh, Scotland. Heartbroken, Bobby refuses to leave his master's side. For the next 14 years, he remains in the cemetery, keeping a constant watch over the grave.
Based on a true story, this living book will introduce young readers to the dialect and social tiers of 20th-century Scotland.
Please note: Auld Jock visits a local dining hall on three different occasions. While there, he smokes his pipe and drinks. Though the text does not mention what he is drinking, it's clear by the third visit that it is alcohol, as Auld Jack is seen "staggering back to the lodging house" where he later dies.
Parents, Be Aware
Introducing Teddy
by Jessica Walton
Errol and his teddy bear, Thomas, are best friends who do everything together, from riding bikes to having tea parties. One day, Errol notices Thomas is sad. Thomas eventually confesses a secret he has been afraid to share: "In my heart, I've always known that I'm a girl teddy, not a boy teddy. I wish my name was Tilly, not Thomas." Errol immediately accepts his friend, reassuring Tilly that what matters most is their friendship, not whether she is a girl or a boy.
Things to know: This is a story that surreptitiously introduces the idea of gender transition through the relationship of a boy and his teddy bear.
Just for you, Mom
by Tea Cooper
The year is 1906. Orphan Jane Piper, adopted at age nine by wealthy philanthropist siblings Michael and Elizabeth Quinn, is proving herself to be a mathematical prodigy. One day, while attending an art exhibition in Maitland, the trio stumble across a mysterious painting. Upon a closer look, Elizabeth begins to tremble. Long-repressed memories of her childhood begin to surface, causing a rapid deterioration of her health and sanity.
Driven by loyalty and love, Jane uses her analytical mind to investigate Elizabeth’s hidden past to uncover the source of her breakdown. Unfortunately, the more Jane learns about the Quinn's early years as penniless young immigrants traveling from England to the gritty Australian goldfields, the more confusing the decades-long puzzle becomes.
Best in Show
by Monica Kulling
Henry Ford is passionate about mechanics and dreams of building a "horseless carriage" that everyday people can afford, rather than just the wealthy. Henry lacks the money needed to mass-produce his prototype. To secure funding and prove his car's capability, he decides to enter a high-stakes car race against experienced drivers. But will he win the $1000 grand prize, or will he go home empty-handed?
This true story is a Level 3 reader with illustrations that will captivate any emergent reader.