Picture Books
by Mark Holtzen
Long before the Mariners ever set foot on the mound, the Seattle Rainiers played for the Pacific Coast League.
Hoping to watch his team take the 1955 pennant, young Huey gathered his hat and his mitt, but where was his ticket? Frantically retracing his steps through his South Seattle neighborhood, he visits local mom-and-pop shops, including an Italian bakery and a Japanese fish market. As he searches, he sees the entire community united by the game. Neighbors are huddled around radios listening to the legendary announcer Leo Lassen. Will Huey find his missing ticket in time? And more importantly, will his Rainiers win the game?
by Kate Messner
When Ken Nedimyer was a boy, he loved the ocean. So much so that he filled his bedroom with aquariums so that he could watch and learn as much as possible about the creatures of the deep.
Later, as an adult, Ken noticed something discouraging about his favorite spots — the reefs of South Florida. They were shrinking. Once again, Ken built a homegrown "ocean" by cultivating live rocks on shore that could later be replanted on the sea floor. Because of Ken's work, coral reefs worldwide have regrown and are now thriving.
Ken Nedimyer, known today as the "live rock farmer," is credited with revitalizing the habitats of thousands of marine species by growing and transplanting staghorn coral onto dying reefs. This is his story.
by Deborah Hopkinson
In the early days of our country, Amelia, a hardworking orphan and "bound girl," was sent to live with the Beans, a family boasting six young boys. Her days were spent busily cooking, cleaning, and keeping up with the many demands of a colonial home. Wanting to do her part to make her country strictly American, she began experimenting with local ingredients like winter squash and cornmeal, adapting traditional English recipes to the new nation's resources.
To celebrate George Washington’s inauguration as the first U.S. President, she is asked to bake a special dessert. She creates thirteen "Independence Cakes"—one for each of the original colonies—which she presents to Washington in New York.
While a work of fiction, this book is based on the could-be life of Amelia Simmons, author of the first American cookbook.
Please note: Amelia uses Brandy in her cake recipe.
Dozens of Doughnuts
by Carrie Finison
To prepare for hibernation, LouAnn bakes a dozen doughnuts. But just as she's about to take a delicious bite, her doorbell rings and in walks a friend. Ever the kind bear, LouAnn divides the batch in half and shares. But as more and more friends come to visit, her portion gets smaller and smaller until her plate is empty. Will she have to hibernate on an empty stomach?
This story gently teaches the basic concepts of division and fractions through a delightful rhyme.
Leveled Readers
by Shirley Raye Redmond
In October 1943, British troops captured an Italian village. However, they were unable to notify the Allied forces because their radio was broken and the telegraph lines were down. American warplanes were already scheduled to bomb the town to clear out enemy forces, unaware that the Germans had retreated and the British (along with 1,000 civilians) were now inside. With only minutes to spare, a soldier attached a desperate message to the leg of G.I. Joe, a carrier pigeon, and released him. The bird had to fly 20 miles to the American airbase in record time. Despite facing hazards like enemy machine gun fire and a predatory hawk, G.I. Joe reached the airfield just as the planes were warming up their engines on the runway. The bombing mission was called off, and the village was saved.
This Level 2 reader is based on a true story.
Norma Jean, Jumping Bean
by Joanna Cole
Norma Jean is a young kangaroo who absolutely loves to jump. She jumps out of bed, jumps to school, and even jumps during story time. Her constant jumping becomes excessive, leading to catastrophe. She accidentally knocks over a friend's block tower, spills milk on a classmate, and makes playtime difficult for others. After her friends become upset and call her a "jumping bean," Norma Jean feels sad and decides to stop jumping entirely. She begins walking everywhere. During the school’s field day, her friends and teacher encourage her to participate in the jumping events. Norma Jean rediscovers her talent, winning several ribbons in the hurdles, high jump, and potato sack race.
This Level 2 reader will help young kids realize that there is a time and place for certain activities.
Illustrated Chapter Books
by Candice F. Ransom
Floyd Collins, an experienced caver, becomes trapped in Sand Cave in Cave City, Kentucky. When a massive rescue effort begins, a young boy named Arly Dunbar determines to help. Arly runs errands and brings coffee to the emergency crew. Feeling that he isn't doing enough, however, Arly decides to sneak past guards and crawl into the narrow cave himself to reach Floyd. Inside, the boy drops his lantern and nearly gets trapped in the dark. He eventually uses his knowledge of caves to find his way out safely, but learns a valuable lesson about listening to authority in the process.
Please note: This historical fiction is based on a true story and ends as the actual rescue effort did. Floyd Collins doesn't make it out and eventually dies in the cave. While the text doesn't emphasize the tragic outcome, it does mention the man's death, which may be a difficult plot point for sensitive readers.
Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook
by Joyce Lankester Brisley
Millicent Margaret Amanda is an awfully long name for a young girl to say. For anyone to say, really. So, instead, she goes by Milly-Molly-Mandy. She lives a simple life with a variety of extended family members in a rural English village. Together with her best friend, Susan, and neighbor Billy Blunt, Milly-Molly-Mandy enjoys running important errands for others, learning to knit and bake, and picking berries along the roadside.
This charming title comprises short slice-of-life stories that together give readers a peek into the innocent, albeit idyllic, childhoods of the early 20th century.
Parents, Be Aware
by Annie Barrows
Stella is a kind, protective, skilled storyteller, and the "thinker" who wonders about the world. At 7 years old, she's the oldest. Marigold is only four. She's imaginative, plucky, and known for telling "fibs" or imaginative stories. She's the youngest, and everyone knows it, especially Stella. This is the story of their sisterly adventures — of zoo trips, school days, and magical bathrooms.
This is the first in an ongoing series that currently includes one other title.
Things to know: Similar to Annie Barrow's other illustrated chapter book series, Ivy and Bean, Stella and Marigold is filled with deceitful mischief and sassiness. Marigold lies to her mother about dropping her hair clip down the drain and to a friend about living in Japan when she was younger. She also talks about how mean all her teachers are and how she hates a boy in her class. While the author attempts to paint the girl's relationship as loving and relatable, she mainly emphasizes their disrespect and disobedience.
Just for you, Mom
by Alice Ozma
When Alice was nine years old (in fourth grade), she and her father—a dedicated school librarian and single parent—made a pact to read aloud together for 100 consecutive nights. After meeting their initial goal, they celebrated with pancakes but realized they didn't want to stop. They continued the ritual, which they dubbed "The Streak," for 3,218 nights. But things had to change when Alice entered college.
This heartwarming memoir is written as a series of vignettes, with each chapter corresponding to a specific day in the streak or a specific life event of the author. It is a fascinating and inspiring look at the power of a parent-child bond over books.
Best in Show
by Lindsay Mattick
This is the true story behind the world's most famous bear, Winnie the Pooh. The author is the great-granddaughter of Captain Harry Colebourn, a Canadian soldier sent off to fight in WWI. While en route to his station, Colebourn rescues a bear cub from a trapper and names her Winnie. As the war rages on, Colebourn can no longer care for the growing bear and must relocate her to the London Zoo. While she's there, a young boy named Christopher Robin, the son of a budding English writer A.A. Milne, comes to know and love her.