Bryan, Ashley. INFINITE HOPE : A BLACK ARTIST'S JOURNEY FROM WORLD WAR II TO PEACE

Bryan, Ashley. 

INFINITE HOPE : A BLACK ARTIST'S JOURNEY FROM WORLD WAR II TO PEACE
New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, [2019]
IL 5-8
ISBN     9781534404908

You may know Ashley Bryan as an author and illustrator of many children's books. His works have won many awards. But you may not know the man himself. Ashley shares his story of his life during World War II. In 1943, he was drafted into the army. He was surprised at how Blacks were treated in the army. He had never experienced segregation before. But that was the just the beginning of his experience as a soldier in the war.

Golio, Gary. SMILE : HOW YOUNG CHARLIE CHAPLIN TAUGHT THE WORLD TO LAUGH (AND CRY)

Golio, Gary. 
SMILE : HOW YOUNG CHARLIE CHAPLIN TAUGHT THE WORLD TO LAUGH (AND CRY)
Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2019.
IL 3-6
ISBN 9780763697617

Charlie Chaplin was a famous actor in the early 20th century.  The movies were silent films and actors really had to project so the audience could tell what was going on. Born in London, Charlie learned early on that people would pay to be entertained. His family spent time in the poor house and Charlie was determined to help keep them out of the place. Charlie learned that he had talent and could sing and dance. When he was 9, he started acting in at theater troupe and started to earn real money. Charlie was at his best when clowning around to make people laugh. Learn about Charlie's childhood and how he became so popular that we still watch his movies 100 years later.

Gish, Melissa. BISON

Gish, Melissa.  
BISON
New York : Creative Education, 2012
IL 5-8, RL 7.0
ISBN 1608180778

Have you ever seen a bison up close? They are amazing animals.  Here you can learn about where they live and what they are like. They are a protected species so it is important to learn what we can about these beautiful creatures.

Davick, Linda. IT'S NOT EASY BEING MIMI

Davick, Linda.
IT'S NOT EASY BEING MIMI
New York : Beach Lane Books, 2018
IL 3-6
ISBN 9781442458895

Mimi lives in the Periwinkle Tower.  Her friends Yoshi and Tonya also live in the Tower. When they hear that a new kid will be moving in, Mimi wonders if this will be the bff she has been hoping for. Someone to share her hobbies and sense of adventure. But will that happen? Come and find out. And I bet you have never met anyone like Mimi before!

Bowman, Erin. TAKEN

Bowman, Erin.  

TAKEN
New York, NY : HarperTeen, 2014
IL 5-8
ISBN 9780062117274

If you are a boy living in Claysroot, you know that your time in limited.  You see, every boy in town is mysteriously heisted on his eighteenth birthday. No one knows what happens to the boys but they all know it will happen.  Gray Weathersby is 17 and his time is coming. But he is not just going to let it happen. He is determined to find out what happens to the boys. So, Gray goes over the wall to find out what lies beyond.  Will he he face the same fate as the others? Or is there something else beyond?

Steinkellner, Emma. THE OKAY WITCH

Steinkellner, Emma.
THE OKAY WITCH
New York : Aladdin, 2019
IL 3-6
ISBN 9781534431461

Moth is a thirteen year old girl living in a small town. The bullies always seem to pick on her.  When a new boy enters the school, Moth can't imagine how her life is going to change. You see, she learns something big about her family. She comes from a long line of witches! Now that is enough to change anyone.

Burgan, Michael. LIZZIE BORDEN : HISTORY'S WORST

Burgan, Michael.  LIZZIE BORDEN : HISTORY'S WORSTNew York : Aladdin, 2018IL 5-8ISBN 9781481496513 

On August 4, 1892, the city of Fall River, Massachusetts was shocked by a horrendous crime. Andrew and Abby Borden were murdered in their home.  The Bordens were well-known in the city and the crime was brutal. To make the story more sensational, the police arrested the couple's daughter Lizzie and charged her with the murders.  The gruesome crime attracted interest from all over the world. The press followed every bit of Lizzie's trial. Even over a hundred years after the murder, people still talk about the murder and discuss whether Lizzie actually axed her parents to death.

Bowman, Erin. FROZEN

Bowman, Erin.  

FROZEN
New York, NY : HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2015. ©2014
IL 5-8
ISBN     9780062117304

Leaving their village in search of answers, Gray Weathersby and friends have discovered the mystery surrounding the heists of boys from the village. And now they are trying to stop the government from their cruel plot to use the boys. But they find a frozen world with few allies willing to fight against the Franconian Order. Will they find a way to stop the Order? And are the allies what they seem to be?

Bowman, Erin. FORGED

Bowman, Erin. 

FORGED
New York : Harperteen 2016
IL 5-8
ISBN 9780062117335

Gray Weathersby and the rebels are taking their final stand against the Order. But with so many forgeries in their midst, how can they know who to trust? They are getting harder to detect and even harder to defeat.  Gray and the rebels now join the Expats to try to take down the Order.  And they know it is now or never.

Apfelt, Kathi. ANGEL THIEVES

Apfelt, Kathi. 
ANGEL THIEVES
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2019
IL 5-8
ISBN 9781442421097

Told from the perspective of four characters, this is a story that brings them together. An angel, an ocelot, runaway slaves, and a river. We meet Cade Curtis who is a young boy who is a cemetery thief. He is searching cemeteries in pursuit of carved angels to sell. We also learn the story of runaway slaves many years in the past. The stories slowly weave together.

Stone, Peter. THE PERFECT CANDIDATE

Stone, Peter.
THE PERFECT CANDIDATE
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2018
IL YA
ISBN 9781534422179
Cameron Carter can't believe this is happening. He has been chosen to spend the summer in Washington DC. He is going to be a summer intern for one of the most powerful congressmen in the country. This is an opportunity that someone like him usually doesn't get. He comes from a small town in California and his father is a struggling landscaper. But now his is working for the next Speaker. Cameron has always dreamed of this. His mother had interned in DC when she was his age. She was killed in a car accident years ago but Cameron feels a bit closer to her as he follows her journey. But as exciting as it all is, it doesn't take Cameron long to figure out that things are not what they seem.

Gibbs, Stuart. LION DOWN

Gibbs, Stuart.  
LION DOWN
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2019
IL 3-6
ISBN 9781534424739
We are off on another Fun Jungle adventure.  This time the kids are asked to help out investigating a strange occurrence at the park.  It seems that something is going on with the giraffes. Every Monday they suffer a bout of -- let's put it nicely -- the runs. The people in charge believe that someone is feeding the giraffes something bad on Sunday open feedings. Teddy and Summer are asked to watch and see if they see anyone feeding bad things to the giraffes. But this is not the only thing going on at the park. A pet dog has been killed and now there is a bounty on the head of all mountain lions in the area. Can the kids save them?

Gangsei, Jan. PROJECT ME 2.0

Gangsei, Jan. 
PROJECT ME 2.0
New York : Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, 2019
IL 3-6
ISBN 9781534420465
Farley is looking to make himself a better person. His nickname is Fart which gives you an idea of what he is known for now. When a girl who he had a crush on moves back to town, Farley is determined to become a better version of himself to impress her. And he does what many kids do. He booted up the computer and did a search. He clicks on a site that promises a better you in only seven steps. Wow, that doesn't sound hard. But when he clicks on the link, strange things begin to happen. Including a tiny creature appearing in his room.  The only way he can get rid of it, he has to complete the seven steps.

Gardner, Whitney. FAKE BLOOD

Gardner, Whitney. 
FAKE BLOOD
New York : Simon  & Schuster, 2018
IL 5-8
ISBN 978-1-48149-556-1
Middle schooler AJ has a crush on a girl in his class. But compared to some of the kids in his class, he feels very boring and he doesn't think she would be interested. When they are paired up in class, AJ knows this is his chance.  He knows she is obsessed with vampires and he decides to pretend to be one. He "borrows" his sister's make up to look paler. He tries on fangs left over from Halloween but they only fall apart. He learns about fake blood and starts putting it in his mouth. And it works. She thinks he is a vampire. But will things turn out like he thinks they will?

Lippincott, Rachael. FIVE FEET APART

Lippincott, Rachael.
FIVE FEET APART
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2018
IL YA
ISBN 9781534437333

Stella is back in the hospital. She has been in and out forever. Stella has cystic fibrosis and it is getting worse. This time she needs to miss the big school trip to Cabo because her lung function is so low. She is now at the top of the list for a lung transplant. Her best CF friend Poe is back in the hospital again also. Stella and Poe met on her first visit to the hospital and have become besties. This year there is a new teen on the floor. Will has CF but he has contracted a virus that makes him ineligible for a transplant. He is taking part in a trial of a new medicine. He is defiant and doesn't take his meds or use his vest. He is determined to walk away from all this treatment when he turns 18 in a few weeks. Stella knows she has to stay away from Will. The rule with CF patients is they need to stay six feet apart. No exceptions. But as they get to know each other, Stella wonders if maybe five feet is safe enough.

Romito, Dee. POSTCARDS FROM VENICE

Romito, Dee.
POSTCARDS FROM VENICE
New York : Aladdin, 2018
IL 3-6
ISBN 9781534403383


Skyler can't believe she is here. In Venice! In Italy! She just wants to keep exploring all the wonderful sites. But her mother has to go to work sometime. They are here to spend the summer here while her mother works on a special project. If all works out, they may even get to stay for a year! To keep her busy, Skyler will work on an internship during the day. She is not sure what she wants to do but when the very cute Australian boy says he is going to intern in the social media department, Skyler is in. Skyler, Logan and Zara will be writing posts for the the company blog. At the end of the summer, two of them will go on to write a weekly column. But Zara decides to undermine Skyler's chances. See the beautiful city of Venice through Skyler's eyes as she explores the city and navigates friendships.

Stefoff, Rebecca. CHARLES DARWIN'S ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES

Stefoff, Rebecca.
CHARLES DARWIN'S ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES
New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2018
IL 5-8
ISBN 9781481462495

When Darwin's Origin of Species was published in 1859,  it shook the scientific world. Darwin introduced the theory of evolution. Darwin believed in the idea of natural selection. He hypothesized that only the strongest of animals survived and that they passed down traits to their  young that helped them survive. In this way, species changed in order to survive changing environments. His theories were very controversial. As a matter of fact, they still are. But his theory is still very important even over 150 years on. 

Holm, Jennifer L. THE THIRD MUSHROOM

Holm, Jennifer L.
THE THIRD MUSHROOM
New York : Random House, 2018
IL 3-6, RL 5.3
ISBN 978-1-52471-980-7


Ellie's grandfather is back for a visit. He is a genius in the body of a 14 year old boy but the personality of a grumpy old man. And he is back in Ellie's life. Her family and her best friend Raj are the only ones who know about what has happened to Melvin. Ellie is so happy to have him around. They even go to school together. When they find out about the upcoming science fair, they work together. Neither can even expect the results that they will find.

Callaghan, Cindy. POTION PROBLEMS

Callaghan, Cindy.
POTION PROBLEMS
New York : Aladdin, 2018
IL 5-8, RL 5.3
ISBN 978-1-53441-740-3

Kelly Quinn and her friends Darbie and Hannah are not having a good day. Their special Secret Recipe Book has gone missing and ended up in Charlotte's hands. As if this were not bad enough, they learn that their favorite class at school is being cut because of budget cuts. Kelly comes up with an idea to enter a cooking contest to earn enough money to save the cooking class. TV chef Felice Faoudini is Kelly's favorite and she just knows that they can win with the help of the Secret Recipe Book.  They just have to get it back and cast a spell on Charlotte to get her to leave them alone. This series of books are the basis for the popular television show, Just Add Magic.

Halligan, Katherine. HERSTORY : 50 WOMEN AND GIRLS WHO SHOOK UP THE WORLD

Halligan, Katherine.
HERSTORY  : 50 WOMEN AND GIRLS WHO SHOOK UP THE WORLD
New York  : Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2018
IL 3-6
ISBN 9781534436640

Come along and learn about 50 amazing women who changed the world. All through history, women have been told what they can't do. These woman didn't believe that. They wanted to show what they could do.  There are authors, poets, scientists, and activists. From ancient Egypt to the 21st century, women have been shaking up the world.