Grades 3-5
Jacky is a funny girl who has a stutter and loves to make kids laugh. Because she’s always making jokes during class, she accumulates a lot of detention time. Then Ms. O’Mara makes Jacky an offer. She can join the school play and attend rehearsals instead of sitting in detention every day after school. But can Jacky get her stutter under control to feel confident enough to act in the play? Read Jacky Ha-Ha by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein to find out.
Grades 4-6
On his thirteenth birthday, Jeremy Fink receives a box with the words “The meaning of life.” He and his best friend Lizzy can’t wait to open it, but there’s one problem: the box is locked and the key is missing. Read Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life to follow Jeremy’s and Lizzy’s adventure around Manhattan to find the key.
Grades 4-6
Told from the point of view of Charlie Han, The Bubble Wrap Boy is a story of friendship and family. Charlie has always felt like an outsider who is a little bit geeky and doesn’t have many friends. Then Charlie discovers skateboarding and his whole world changes. He finally feels like he fits in somewhere. Kids will identify with Charlie as someone who has found his passion.
Grades 4-6
Eleven-year-old Maggie Mayfield is excited about life. Besides being a science fair champion and a shareholder in Coca-Cola, she has aspirations of being a future president of the United States. Things change for Maggie when her dad calls a family meeting and tells everyone that he is quitting his job because of his health. Maggie is determined to help her dad with whatever he needs so that he can get back on his feet and feel better as soon as possible.
Grades 4-6
Sonia Nadhamuni is half Indian and half Jewish. She goes to a private school. That is, she used to go to a private school until her dad lost his job. Now she has to go to the local public school and leave her old friends behind. Switching schools has made Sonia question her identity; she fit in so well at her old school. Was she Indian? Was she white? Both? Half and half? Self-identity is a journey for all of us. Read The Whole Story of Half a Girl to learn how Sonia figures out who she is.
Grades 4-6
Minty’s neighborhood is filled with mysteries, the biggest one of which is the Secret Tree. There are also the witch house, the old farmhouse and the seven-foot tall Man Bat. The Secret Tree is literally filled with the secrets of everyone that lives in the neighborhood, including Minty’s. Read The Secret Tree to find out which secrets Minty is hiding.
Grades 4-6
Twelve-year-old Lucy loves spending the end of every summer with her grandma, who she affectionately calls Grams. Lucy goes canoeing. She and Grams bake together and glaze pots in the potting shed. This summer, however, Lucy can tell something is off with Grams. There are a lot of surprises for Lucy as her summer comes to an end. She can’t help but wonder if things will ever be the same again.
Grades 3-5
From the author of The Princess Diaries comes a series for young readers. Meet Allie Finkle: a fourth grader who loves life and the rules that go with it. Rule Number One is “Don’t stick a spatula down your best friend’s throat”- a good rule to live by if I do say so myself. There are sixteen rules in the entire book, and Allie follows them very strictly, because they give her a sense of security. That security is threatened, however, when Allie’s parents announce that they are moving. This means a new house, neighborhood, and –gasp!-school for Allie. How will she cope with being the ‘new girl’? Will she be able to be come as comfortable with her new life as she is with her old one? Read the first in the Allie Finkle series, Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls: Moving Day by Meg Cabot to find out.
Ages 18+
Justice for Jessica is the classic case of whodunit. Jessica James is dead and Detective Rachel Storme is sure as hell going to find out who murdered her. The list of suspects is quite extensive. Was it Jessica’s husband? Her own sister? Several people listed “murders for hire” have also made the list. Read Justice for Jessica to find out who really did kill her, and why.
Thanks to Netgalley.com for a review copy of this book.
Grades 8-12
Eighth grader Nick loves soccer and hates books. It’s ironic that his father is a verbomaniac (someone who is obsessed with words), and makes Nick read the dictionary on a daily basis. If it weren’t for April, the girl Nick has a crush on, he probably would have never read a book of his own free will. April gives Nick a couple of books, and he loves them just as much as he loves soccer – well, almost. Alexander’s novel in verse is bound to hook soccer lovers and haters alike.
The Bookish Librarian 