2020-2021 Book List

As Warm as the Sun			Author Kate and Jim McMullan		2020-2021 Gallery
Illustrated by	Publisher Neal Porter Books	ISBN# 978-0823443277 (HB)	Copyright 8/13/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 0.00
Toby loves basking in the morning sun, snuggling in a lap in the afternoon, and toasting his tummy by the fireside at night, but somehow his warm spots never last. What Toby wants more than anything is to find something as warm as the sun that never fades or fizzles.

As Warm as the Sun, by Kate and Jim McMullan, ISBN 978-0823443277, RL0.00. Toby loves basking in the morning sun, snuggling in a lap in the afternoon, and toasting his tummy by the fireside at night, but somehow his warm spots never last. What Toby wants more than anything is to find something as warm as the sun that never fades or fizzles.

Because of the Rabbit			Author Cynthia Lord		2020-2021 Crown
Illustrated by	Publisher Scholastic Press	ISBN# 978-0545914246 (HB)	Copyright 4/26/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 4.30
On the last night of summer, Emma tags along with her game warden father on a routine call. They’re supposed to rescue a wild rabbit from a picket fence, but instead they find a little bunny. Emma convinces her father to bring him home for the night. The next day, Emma starts public school for the very first time after years of being homeschooled. More than anything, Emma wants to make a best friend in school. But things don’t go as planned. On the first day of school, she’s paired with a boy named Jack for a project. He can’t stay on topic, he speaks out of turn, and he’s obsessed with animals. Jack doesn’t fit in, and Emma’s worried he’ll make her stand out. Emma and Jack bond over her rescue rabbit. But will their new friendship keep Emma from finding the new best friend she’s meant to have?

Because of the Rabbit, by Cynthia Lord, ISBN 978-0545914246, RL4.30. On the last night of summer, Emma tags along with her game warden father on a routine call. They’re supposed to rescue a wild rabbit from a picket fence, but instead they find a little bunny. Emma convinces her father to bring him home for the night. The next day, Emma starts public school for the very first time after years of being homeschooled. More than anything, Emma wants to make a best friend in school. But things don’t go as planned. On the first day of school, she’s paired with a boy named Jack for a project. He can’t stay on topic, he speaks out of turn, and he’s obsessed with animals. Jack doesn’t fit in, and Emma’s worried he’ll make her stand out. Emma and Jack bond over her rescue rabbit. But will their new friendship keep Emma from finding the new best friend she’s meant to have?

Best Family Ever			Author Karen Kingsbury and Tyler Russell		2020-2021 Crown
Illustrated by	Publisher Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books	ISBN# 978-1534412156 (HB)	Copyright 2/5/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 3.20
Brooke is the perfect older sister. For that reason, Kari and Ashley work hard to make their parents just as proud of them as they are of Brooke. Each girl has her own talents. Brooke is an excellent student. Kari is a great soccer player. Ashley, a talented artist. And they are always there for each other. But when the news comes that Dr. Baxter is moving the family from Ann Arbor to Bloomington, Indiana, and the Baxters need to leave the only home and friends they’ve ever known, no one is happy. Saying goodbye is hard but the family still has what’s most important—their faith and their love for each other.

Best Family Ever, by Karen Kingsbury and Tyler Russell, ISBN 978-1534412156, RL3.20. Brooke is the perfect older sister. For that reason, Kari and Ashley work hard to make their parents just as proud of them as they are of Brooke. Each girl has her own talents. Brooke is an excellent student. Kari is a great soccer player. Ashley, a talented artist. And they are always there for each other. But when the news comes that Dr. Baxter is moving the family from Ann Arbor to Bloomington, Indiana, and the Baxters need to leave the only home and friends they’ve ever known, no one is happy. Saying goodbye is hard but the family still has what’s most important—their faith and their love for each other.

Carter Reads the Newspaper			Author Deborah Hopkinson		2020-2021 Crown
Illustrated by Don Tate	Publisher Peachtree Publishing Company C	ISBN# 978-1561459346 (HB)	Copyright 2/1/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 4.50
Carter G. Woodson was born to two formerly enslaved people ten years after the end of the Civil War. Though his father could not read, he believed in being an informed citizen. So Carter read the newspaper to him every day. When he was still a teenager, Carter went to work in the coal mines. There he met a man named Oliver Jones, and Oliver did something important: he asked Carter not only to read to him and the other miners, but also research and find more information on the subjects that interested them. “My interest in penetrating the past of my people was deepened,” Carter wrote. His journey would take him many more years, traveling around the world and transforming the way people thought about history.

Carter Reads the Newspaper, by Deborah Hopkinson, ISBN 978-1561459346, RL4.50. Carter G. Woodson was born to two formerly enslaved people ten years after the end of the Civil War. Though his father could not read, he believed in being an informed citizen. So Carter read the newspaper to him every day. When he was still a teenager, Carter went to work in the coal mines. There he met a man named Oliver Jones, and Oliver did something important: he asked Carter not only to read to him and the other miners, but also research and find more information on the subjects that interested them. “My interest in penetrating the past of my people was deepened,” Carter wrote. His journey would take him many more years, traveling around the world and transforming the way people thought about history.

Code Word Courage			Author Kirby Larson		2020-2021 Crown
Illustrated by	Publisher Scholastic Press	ISBN# 978-0545840750 (HB)	Copyright 4/24/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 4.10
Billie has lived with her great-aunt ever since her mom passed away and her dad left. Billie’s big brother, Leo, is about to leave, too, for the warfront. But first, she gets one more weekend with him at the ranch. Billie’s surprised when Leo brings home a fellow Marine from boot camp, Denny. She has so much to ask Leo—about losing her best friend and trying to find their father—but Denny, who is Navajo, or Diné, comes with something special: a gorgeous, but injured, stray dog. As Billie cares for the dog, whom they name Bear, she and Bear grow deeply attached to each other. Soon enough, it’s time for Leo and Denny, a Navajo Code Talker, to ship out. Billie does her part for the war effort, but she worries whether Leo and Denny will make it home, whether she’ll find a new friend, and if her father will ever come back. Can Bear help Billie—and Denny—find what’s most important?

Code Word Courage, by Kirby Larson, ISBN 978-0545840750, RL4.10. Billie has lived with her great-aunt ever since her mom passed away and her dad left. Billie’s big brother, Leo, is about to leave, too, for the warfront. But first, she gets one more weekend with him at the ranch. Billie’s surprised when Leo brings home a fellow Marine from boot camp, Denny. She has so much to ask Leo—about losing her best friend and trying to find their father—but Denny, who is Navajo, or Diné, comes with something special: a gorgeous, but injured, stray dog. As Billie cares for the dog, whom they name Bear, she and Bear grow deeply attached to each other. Soon enough, it’s time for Leo and Denny, a Navajo Code Talker, to ship out. Billie does her part for the war effort, but she worries whether Leo and Denny will make it home, whether she’ll find a new friend, and if her father will ever come back. Can Bear help Billie—and Denny—find what’s most important?

Courageous: A Novel of Dunkirk			Author Yona Zeldis McDonough		2020-2021 Lamplighter
Illustrated by	Publisher Scholastic Press	ISBN# 978-1338226850 (HB)	Copyright 11/27/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 5.10
Aiden has been afraid of the ocean since his brother’s ship was sunk by the Germans. Then the call comes in: British forces are stranded at Dunkirk, and they need help from civilian boats.

Courageous: A Novel of Dunkirk, by Yona Zeldis McDonough, ISBN 978-1338226850, RL5.10. Aiden has been afraid of the ocean since his brother’s ship was sunk by the Germans. Then the call comes in: British forces are stranded at Dunkirk, and they need help from civilian boats.

Life According to Og the Frog			Author Betty G. Birney		2020-2021 Crown
Illustrated by	Publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Reader	ISBN# 978-1524739942 (HB)	Copyright 7/3/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 4.20
Og the Frog has just moved into Room 26, and the place is hopping. There are lively kids, new routines, and a furry neighbor who seems to squeak all day. Luckily, everyone seems friendly and—BING, BANG, BOING!—some even put juicy crickets in his tank. But just as Og is getting used to this new life, there is talk of sending him back to the pond. Sure, he misses his friends, but now he has a lot more time for his favorite hobby—making up songs and poems—and he loves listening to his new friends and giving them encouraging BOINGS just when they need them. And there’s that steady supply of crickets . . . Og doesn’t want to say goodbye to his new life or his furry neighbor. But will his classmates decide to keep Og as their classroom pet or take him back to his old life, at the pond?

Life According to Og the Frog, by Betty G. Birney, ISBN 978-1524739942, RL4.20. Og the Frog has just moved into Room 26, and the place is hopping. There are lively kids, new routines, and a furry neighbor who seems to squeak all day. Luckily, everyone seems friendly and—BING, BANG, BOING!—some even put juicy crickets in his tank. But just as Og is getting used to this new life, there is talk of sending him back to the pond. Sure, he misses his friends, but now he has a lot more time for his favorite hobby—making up songs and poems—and he loves listening to his new friends and giving them encouraging BOINGS just when they need them. And there’s that steady supply of crickets . . . Og doesn’t want to say goodbye to his new life or his furry neighbor. But will his classmates decide to keep Og as their classroom pet or take him back to his old life, at the pond?

Louisiana’s Way Home			Author Kate DiCamillo		2020-2021 Crown
Illustrated by	Publisher Candlewick Press	ISBN# 978-0763694630 (HB)	Copyright 10/2/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 4.50
When Louisiana Elefante’s granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home. But as Louisiana’s life becomes entwined with the lives of the people of a small Georgia town — including a surly motel owner, a walrus-like minister, and a mysterious boy with a crow on his shoulder — she starts to worry that she is destined only for good-byes.

Louisiana’s Way Home, by Kate DiCamillo , ISBN 978-0763694630, RL4.50. When Louisiana Elefante’s granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home. But as Louisiana’s life becomes entwined with the lives of the people of a small Georgia town — including a surly motel owner, a walrus-like minister, and a mysterious boy with a crow on his shoulder — she starts to worry that she is destined only for good-byes.

Love Does for Kids			Author Bob Goff and Lindsey Goff Viducich		2020-2021 Crown
Illustrated by Michael Lauritano	Publisher Thomas Nelson	ISBN# 978-0718095222 (HB)	Copyright 10/23/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 0.00
In the same way that Love Does has struck a deep chord with adults, kids will experience God in new and thrilling ways and see that living out our faith certainly isn’t boring! With this book, children will laugh, dream, and be inspired to make a difference for God.

Love Does for Kids, by Bob Goff and Lindsey Goff Viducich, ISBN 978-0718095222, RL0.00. In the same way that Love Does has struck a deep chord with adults, kids will experience God in new and thrilling ways and see that living out our faith certainly isn’t boring! With this book, children will laugh, dream, and be inspired to make a difference for God.

Maybe Tomorrow?			Author Charlotte Agell		2020-2021 Gallery
Illustrated by Ana Ramirez	Publisher Scholastic Press	ISBN# 978-1338214888 (HB)	Copyright 4/26/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 2.20
This tender exploration of loss illuminates how kindness, empathy, and friendship can lift our spirits and see us through many tomorrows. It will resonate with anyone who has experienced hardship or grief, from the death of a loved one or a pet, to a friend moving away, or the transition to a new home or family situation.

Maybe Tomorrow?, by Charlotte Agell, ISBN 978-1338214888, RL2.20. This tender exploration of loss illuminates how kindness, empathy, and friendship can lift our spirits and see us through many tomorrows. It will resonate with anyone who has experienced hardship or grief, from the death of a loved one or a pet, to a friend moving away, or the transition to a new home or family situation.

My Fourth of July			Author Jerry Spinelli		2020-2021 Gallery
Illustrated by Larry Day	Publisher Neal Porter Books	ISBN# 978-0823442881 (HB)	Copyright 5/14/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 0.00
A responsible little boy who’s eager to do his part wakes up joyful and ready to celebrate his favorite day of all. But there’s a lot of work to do—pies to be baked, deviled eggs to be filled—and the boy has lots of jobs to complete before he can enjoy the fun . . . the world’s best picnic!

My Fourth of July, by Jerry Spinelli, ISBN 978-0823442881, RL0.00. A responsible little boy who’s eager to do his part wakes up joyful and ready to celebrate his favorite day of all. But there’s a lot of work to do—pies to be baked, deviled eggs to be filled—and the boy has lots of jobs to complete before he can enjoy the fun . . . the world’s best picnic!

Saving Winslow			Author Sharon Creech		2020-2021 Crown
Illustrated by	Publisher HarperCollins	ISBN# 978-0062570703 (HB)	Copyright 9/11/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 4.20
Louie doesn’t have the best luck when it comes to nurturing small creatures. So when his father brings home a sickly newborn mini donkey, he’s determined to save him. He names him Winslow. Taking care of him helps Louie feel closer to his brother, Gus, who is far, far away in the army. Everyone worries that Winslow won’t survive, especially Louie’s quirky new friend, Nora, who has experienced loss of her own. But as Louie’s bond with Winslow grows, surprising and life-altering events prove that this fragile donkey is stronger than anyone could have imagined.

Saving Winslow, by Sharon Creech, ISBN 978-0062570703, RL4.20. Louie doesn’t have the best luck when it comes to nurturing small creatures. So when his father brings home a sickly newborn mini donkey, he’s determined to save him. He names him Winslow. Taking care of him helps Louie feel closer to his brother, Gus, who is far, far away in the army. Everyone worries that Winslow won’t survive, especially Louie’s quirky new friend, Nora, who has experienced loss of her own. But as Louie’s bond with Winslow grows, surprising and life-altering events prove that this fragile donkey is stronger than anyone could have imagined.

Seeds and Trees			Author Brandon Walden		2020-2021 Gallery
Illustrated by Kristen and Keven Howdeshell	Publisher The Treasured Tree	ISBN# 978-1947165687 (HB)	Copyright 6/12/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 0.00
It’s time to tell a special tale that will warm the hearts of readers of all ages. Seeds and Trees revels in the power of words. It explores their effects on feelings and emotions. And it does so through the journey of two different seeds.

Seeds and Trees, by Brandon Walden , ISBN 978-1947165687, RL0.00. It’s time to tell a special tale that will warm the hearts of readers of all ages. Seeds and Trees revels in the power of words. It explores their effects on feelings and emotions. And it does so through the journey of two different seeds.

Squirrel’s Family Tree			Author Beth Ferry		2020-2021 Gallery
Illustrated by A.N. Kang	Publisher Orchard Book	ISBN# 978-1338187366 (HB)	Copyright 1/29/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 3.30
What makes an oak tree an oak tree and what makes a squirrel a squirrel? In Squirrel’s Family Tree, things aren’t always what they seem. As squirrel searches for, finds, and hides her acorn treasures beneath the shadows of the great oak trees in the forest, little does she know the role she plays in creating the very environment she forages in.

Squirrel’s Family Tree, by Beth Ferry, ISBN 978-1338187366, RL3.30. What makes an oak tree an oak tree and what makes a squirrel a squirrel? In Squirrel’s Family Tree, things aren’t always what they seem. As squirrel searches for, finds, and hides her acorn treasures beneath the shadows of the great oak trees in the forest, little does she know the role she plays in creating the very environment she forages in.

We are the Gardeners			Author Joanna Gaines and Kids		2020-2021 Gallery
Illustrated by Juliannna Swaney	Publisher Thomas Nelson	ISBN# 978-1400314225 (HB)	Copyright 4/26/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 0.00
You and your children can learn all about the Gaines family’s story of becoming gardeners in Joanna’s first children’s book—starting with the first little fern Chip bought for Jo. Over the years, the family’s love for gardening blossomed into what is now a beautiful, bustling garden.

We are the Gardeners, by Joanna Gaines and Kids, ISBN 978-1400314225, RL0.00. You and your children can learn all about the Gaines family’s story of becoming gardeners in Joanna’s first children’s book—starting with the first little fern Chip bought for Jo. Over the years, the family’s love for gardening blossomed into what is now a beautiful, bustling garden.

What is Given from the Heart			Author Patrica C. McKissack		2020-2021 Gallery
Illustrated by April Harrison	Publisher Schwartz & Wade	ISBN# 978-0375836152 (HB)	Copyright 1/8/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 3.60
“Misery loves company,” Mama says to James Otis. It’s been a rough couple of months for them, but Mama says as long as they have their health and strength, they’re blessed. One Sunday before Valentine’s Day, Reverend Dennis makes an announcement during the service—the Temples have lost everything in a fire, and the church is collecting anything that might be useful to them. James thinks hard about what he can add to the Temple’s “love box,” but what does he have worth giving?

What is Given from the Heart, by Patrica C. McKissack, ISBN 978-0375836152, RL3.60. “Misery loves company,” Mama says to James Otis. It’s been a rough couple of months for them, but Mama says as long as they have their health and strength, they’re blessed. One Sunday before Valentine’s Day, Reverend Dennis makes an announcement during the service—the Temples have lost everything in a fire, and the church is collecting anything that might be useful to them. James thinks hard about what he can add to the Temple’s “love box,” but what does he have worth giving?

Who Are You Calling Weird?			Author Marilyn Singer		2020-2021 Crown
Illustrated by Paul Daviz	Publisher Words & Pictures	ISBN# 978-0760363393 (HB)	Copyright 11/23/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 0.00
Celebrate the weird, wonderful, and the downright bizarre in this compelling compendium of unusual animals. From the green fur of a three-toed sloth, to the pink and wiggly appendage of the star-nosed mole, there’s something new to marvel at on every page.

Who Are You Calling Weird?, by Marilyn Singer, ISBN 978-0760363393, RL0.00. Celebrate the weird, wonderful, and the downright bizarre in this compelling compendium of unusual animals. From the green fur of a three-toed sloth, to the pink and wiggly appendage of the star-nosed mole, there’s something new to marvel at on every page.

A Ray of Light			Author Walter Wick		2020-2021 Lamplighter
Illustrated by Walter Wick	Publisher Scholastic Press	ISBN# 978-0439165877 (HB)	Copyright 2/26/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 6.90
The wonder of light has fascinated readers for ages. Walter Wick’s mesmerizing photographs paired with simple yet fascinating text and scientific observations help readers understand the secrets and complexity of light.

A Ray of Light, by Walter Wick, ISBN 978-0439165877, RL6.90. The wonder of light has fascinated readers for ages. Walter Wick’s mesmerizing photographs paired with simple yet fascinating text and scientific observations help readers understand the secrets and complexity of light.

An Invisible Thread Young Readers Edition			Author Laura Schroff, Alex Tresniowski		2020-2021 Lamplighter
Illustrated by	Publisher Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers	ISBN# 978-1534437272 (HB)	Copyright 5/7/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 5.20
On one rainy afternoon, on a crowded New York City street corner, eleven-year-old Maurice met Laura. Maurice asked Laura for spare change because he was hungry, and something made Laura stop and ask Maurice if she could take him to lunch. Maurice and Laura went to lunch together, and also bought ice cream cones and played video games. It was the beginning of an unlikely and magical friendship that changed both of their lives forever.

An Invisible Thread Young Readers Edition, by Laura Schroff, Alex Tresniowski, ISBN 978-1534437272, RL5.20. On one rainy afternoon, on a crowded New York City street corner, eleven-year-old Maurice met Laura. Maurice asked Laura for spare change because he was hungry, and something made Laura stop and ask Maurice if she could take him to lunch. Maurice and Laura went to lunch together, and also bought ice cream cones and played video games. It was the beginning of an unlikely and magical friendship that changed both of their lives forever.

Library on Wheels			Author Sharlee Glenn		2020-2021 Lamplighter
Illustrated by	Publisher Harry N. Abrams	ISBN# 978-1419728754 (HB)	Copyright 4/10/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 6.30
Mary Lemist Titcomb (1852–1932) was always looking for ways to improve her library. As librarian at the Washington County Free Library in Maryland, Titcomb was concerned that the library was not reaching all the people it could. She was determined that everyone should have access to the library—not just adults and those who lived in town. Realizing its limitations and inability to reach the county’s 25,000 rural residents, including farmers and their families, Titcomb set about to change the library system forever with the introduction of book-deposit stations throughout the country, a children’s room in the library, and her most revolutionary idea of all—a horse-drawn Book Wagon. Soon book wagons were appearing in other parts of the country, and by 1922, the book wagon idea had received widespread support. The bookmobile was born!

Library on Wheels, by Sharlee Glenn, ISBN 978-1419728754, RL6.30. Mary Lemist Titcomb (1852–1932) was always looking for ways to improve her library. As librarian at the Washington County Free Library in Maryland, Titcomb was concerned that the library was not reaching all the people it could. She was determined that everyone should have access to the library—not just adults and those who lived in town. Realizing its limitations and inability to reach the county’s 25,000 rural residents, including farmers and their families, Titcomb set about to change the library system forever with the introduction of book-deposit stations throughout the country, a children’s room in the library, and her most revolutionary idea of all—a horse-drawn Book Wagon. Soon book wagons were appearing in other parts of the country, and by 1922, the book wagon idea had received widespread support. The bookmobile was born!

Ruby in the Sky			Author Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo		2020-2021 Lamplighter
Illustrated by	Publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux	ISBN# 978-0374309053 (HB)	Copyright 2/5/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 4.10
Twelve-year-old Ruby Moon Hayes does not want her new classmates to ask about her father. She does not want them to know her mother has been arrested. And she definitely does not want to make any friends. Ruby just wants to stay as silent and invisible as a new moon in the frozen sky. She and her mother won’t be staying long in Vermont anyway, and then things can go back to the way they were before everything went wrong. But keeping to herself isn’t easy when Ahmad Saleem, a Syrian refugee, decides he’s her new best friend. Or when she meets “the Bird Lady,” a recluse named Abigail who lives in a ramshackle shed near Ruby’s house. Before long Ahmad and Abigail have become Ruby’s friends―and she realizes there is more to their stories than everyone knows.

Ruby in the Sky, by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo, ISBN 978-0374309053, RL4.10. Twelve-year-old Ruby Moon Hayes does not want her new classmates to ask about her father. She does not want them to know her mother has been arrested. And she definitely does not want to make any friends. Ruby just wants to stay as silent and invisible as a new moon in the frozen sky. She and her mother won’t be staying long in Vermont anyway, and then things can go back to the way they were before everything went wrong. But keeping to herself isn’t easy when Ahmad Saleem, a Syrian refugee, decides he’s her new best friend. Or when she meets “the Bird Lady,” a recluse named Abigail who lives in a ramshackle shed near Ruby’s house. Before long Ahmad and Abigail have become Ruby’s friends―and she realizes there is more to their stories than everyone knows.

Smart Cookie			Author Elly Swartz		2020-2021 Lamplighter
Illustrated by	Publisher Scholastic Press	ISBN# 978-1338143560 (HB)	Copyright 1/30/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 4.10
Frankie knows she’ll be in big trouble if Dad discovers she secretly posted a dating profile for him online. But she’s determined to find him a wife, even if she ends up grounded for life. Frankie wants what she had before Mom died. A family of three. Two is a pair of socks or the wheels on a bicycle or a busy weekend at the B&B where Frankie and Dad live. Three is a family. And Frankie’s is missing a piece. But Operation Mom is harder to pull off than Frankie expects. None of the Possibles are very momish, the B&B’s guests keep canceling, Frankie’s getting the silent treatment from her once best friend, and there’s a maybe-ghost hanging around. Worst of all, Gram and Dad are definitely hiding secrets of their own. If a smart cookie like Frankie wants to save the B&B and find her missing piece, she’s going to have to figure out what secrets are worth keeping and when it’s time to let go.

Smart Cookie, by Elly Swartz, ISBN 978-1338143560, RL4.10. Frankie knows she’ll be in big trouble if Dad discovers she secretly posted a dating profile for him online. But she’s determined to find him a wife, even if she ends up grounded for life. Frankie wants what she had before Mom died. A family of three. Two is a pair of socks or the wheels on a bicycle or a busy weekend at the B&B where Frankie and Dad live. Three is a family. And Frankie’s is missing a piece. But Operation Mom is harder to pull off than Frankie expects. None of the Possibles are very momish, the B&B’s guests keep canceling, Frankie’s getting the silent treatment from her once best friend, and there’s a maybe-ghost hanging around. Worst of all, Gram and Dad are definitely hiding secrets of their own. If a smart cookie like Frankie wants to save the B&B and find her missing piece, she’s going to have to figure out what secrets are worth keeping and when it’s time to let go.

The Alcatraz Escape			Author Jennifer Chambliss Bertman		2020-2021 Lamplighter
Illustrated by Sarah Watts	Publisher Henry Holt and Co	ISBN# 978-1627799638 (HB)	Copyright 5/1/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 5.80
Legendary literary game-maker Garrison Griswold is back in action―this time with “Unlock the Rock.” For his latest game, Griswold has partnered with the famous—and famously reclusive—mystery writer Errol Roy to plan an epic escape room challenge on Alcatraz Island.

The Alcatraz Escape, by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman , ISBN 978-1627799638, RL5.80. Legendary literary game-maker Garrison Griswold is back in action―this time with “Unlock the Rock.” For his latest game, Griswold has partnered with the famous—and famously reclusive—mystery writer Errol Roy to plan an epic escape room challenge on Alcatraz Island.

The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon			Author Dean Robbins		2020-2021 Gallery
Illustrated by Sean Rubin	Publisher Orchard Books	ISBN# 978-1338259537 (HB)	Copyright 5/28/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 3.40
As a boy, Alan wanted to fly planes. As a young navy pilot, Alan wished he could paint the view from the cockpit. So he took an art class to learn patterns and forms. But no class could prepare him for the beauty of the lunar surface some 240,000 miles from Earth. In 1969, Alan became the fourth man and first artist on the moon. He took dozens of pictures, but none compared to what he saw through his artistic eyes. When he returned to Earth, he began to paint what he saw. Alan’s paintings allowed humanity to experience what it truly felt like to walk on the moon.

The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon, by Dean Robbins, ISBN 978-1338259537, RL3.40. As a boy, Alan wanted to fly planes. As a young navy pilot, Alan wished he could paint the view from the cockpit. So he took an art class to learn patterns and forms. But no class could prepare him for the beauty of the lunar surface some 240,000 miles from Earth. In 1969, Alan became the fourth man and first artist on the moon. He took dozens of pictures, but none compared to what he saw through his artistic eyes. When he returned to Earth, he began to paint what he saw. Alan’s paintings allowed humanity to experience what it truly felt like to walk on the moon.

The Boo-Boos that Changed the World			Author Barry Wittenstein		2020-2021 Gallery
Illustrated by Chris Hsu	Publisher Charlesbridge	ISBN# 978-1580897457 (HB)	Copyright 2/13/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 3.90
1920s cotton buyer Earle Dickson worked for Johnson & Johnson and had a klutzy wife who often cut herself. The son of a doctor, Earle set out to create an easier way for her to bandage her injuries. Band-Aids were born, but Earle’s bosses at the pharmaceutical giant weren’t convinced, and it wasn’t until the Boy Scouts of America tested Earle’s prototype that this ubiquitous household staple was made available to the public. Soon Band-Aids were selling like hotcakes, and the rest is boo-boo history.

The Boo-Boos that Changed the World, by Barry Wittenstein, ISBN 978-1580897457, RL3.90. 1920s cotton buyer Earle Dickson worked for Johnson & Johnson and had a klutzy wife who often cut herself. The son of a doctor, Earle set out to create an easier way for her to bandage her injuries. Band-Aids were born, but Earle’s bosses at the pharmaceutical giant weren’t convinced, and it wasn’t until the Boy Scouts of America tested Earle’s prototype that this ubiquitous household staple was made available to the public. Soon Band-Aids were selling like hotcakes, and the rest is boo-boo history.

The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler			Author John Hendrix		2020-2021 Lamplighter
Illustrated by	Publisher Harry N. Abrams	ISBN# 978-1419728389 (HB)	Copyright 9/18/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 7.60
Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party is gaining strength and becoming more menacing every day. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor upset by the complacency of the German church toward the suffering around it, forms a breakaway church to speak out against the established political and religious authorities. When the Nazis outlaw the church, he escapes as a fugitive. Struggling to reconcile his faith and the teachings of the Bible with the Nazi Party’s evil agenda, Bonhoeffer decides that Hitler must be stopped by any means possible!

The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler, by John Hendrix, ISBN 978-1419728389, RL7.60. Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party is gaining strength and becoming more menacing every day. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor upset by the complacency of the German church toward the suffering around it, forms a breakaway church to speak out against the established political and religious authorities. When the Nazis outlaw the church, he escapes as a fugitive. Struggling to reconcile his faith and the teachings of the Bible with the Nazi Party’s evil agenda, Bonhoeffer decides that Hitler must be stopped by any means possible!

The Friend Who Forgives			Author Dan Dewitt		2020-2021 Gallery
Illustrated by Catalina Echeverri	Publisher The Good Book Company	ISBN# 978-1784983024 (HB)	Copyright 11/1/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 0.00
Do you ever talk before you think? Mess up? Let others down? That’s what Peter did, again and again and again, and it led him to abandoning his best friend, Jesus. Peter loved Jesus. He felt terrible when he pretended not to know him. He thought all was lost when Jesus died. But Jesus is not like our other friends. He wants to forgive us when we are really sorry, even when we mess up again and again and again. And because Jesus died and rose again he can. Jesus’ death took the punishment for all of Peter’s mistakes and all our mistakes, and his resurrection showed the penalty was lifted. After he rose from the dead, Jesus went and found Peter and forgave him, and he can do the same for us. Peter spent the rest of his life telling people that if they put their trust in Jesus, they could be forgiven too again and again and again. Children know all about failing, but they don’t always experience true forgiveness. This book points them to Jesus, the one who will forgive them again and again and again.

The Friend Who Forgives, by Dan Dewitt, ISBN 978-1784983024, RL0.00. Do you ever talk before you think? Mess up? Let others down? That’s what Peter did, again and again and again, and it led him to abandoning his best friend, Jesus. Peter loved Jesus. He felt terrible when he pretended not to know him. He thought all was lost when Jesus died. But Jesus is not like our other friends. He wants to forgive us when we are really sorry, even when we mess up again and again and again. And because Jesus died and rose again he can. Jesus’ death took the punishment for all of Peter’s mistakes and all our mistakes, and his resurrection showed the penalty was lifted. After he rose from the dead, Jesus went and found Peter and forgave him, and he can do the same for us. Peter spent the rest of his life telling people that if they put their trust in Jesus, they could be forgiven too again and again and again. Children know all about failing, but they don’t always experience true forgiveness. This book points them to Jesus, the one who will forgive them again and again and again.

The Friendship War			Author Andrew Clements		2020-2021 Crown
Illustrated by	Publisher Random House Books for Young Readers	ISBN# 978-0399557590 (HB)	Copyright 8/1/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 5.00
Grace and Ellie have been best friends since second grade. Ellie’s always right in the center of everything—and Grace is usually happy to be Ellie’s sidekick. But what happens when everything changes? This time it’s Grace who suddenly has everyone’s attention when she accidentally starts a new fad at school. It’s a fad that has first her class, then her grade, and then the entire school collecting and trading and even fighting over . . . buttons?! A fad that might also get her in major trouble and could even be the end of Grace and Ellie’s friendship. Because Ellie’s not used to being one-upped by anybody. There’s only one thing for Grace to do. With the help of Hank—the biggest button collector in the sixth grade—she will have to figure out a way to end the fad once and for all. But once a fad starts, can it be stopped?

The Friendship War, by Andrew Clements, ISBN 978-0399557590, RL5.00. Grace and Ellie have been best friends since second grade. Ellie’s always right in the center of everything—and Grace is usually happy to be Ellie’s sidekick. But what happens when everything changes? This time it’s Grace who suddenly has everyone’s attention when she accidentally starts a new fad at school. It’s a fad that has first her class, then her grade, and then the entire school collecting and trading and even fighting over . . . buttons?! A fad that might also get her in major trouble and could even be the end of Grace and Ellie’s friendship. Because Ellie’s not used to being one-upped by anybody. There’s only one thing for Grace to do. With the help of Hank—the biggest button collector in the sixth grade—she will have to figure out a way to end the fad once and for all. But once a fad starts, can it be stopped?

The Winter War			Author Priscilla Shirer and Gina Detwiler		2020-2021 Lamplighter
Illustrated by	Publisher B&H Kids	ISBN# 9781462796755 (HB)	Copyright 8/15/2018	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 4.50
Two years ago, the Prince Warriors lost one of their own, but now they must stand firm . . . because death is coming once again. In this sequel to Priscilla Shirer’s best-selling trilogy, the Prince Warriors return to Ahoratos to find it bare and dangerous. The Winter War is upon them

The Winter War, by Priscilla Shirer and Gina Detwiler , ISBN 9781462796755, RL4.50. Two years ago, the Prince Warriors lost one of their own, but now they must stand firm . . . because death is coming once again. In this sequel to Priscilla Shirer’s best-selling trilogy, the Prince Warriors return to Ahoratos to find it bare and dangerous. The Winter War is upon them

Wish on All the Stars			Author Lisa Schroeder		2020-2021 Lamplighter
Illustrated by	Publisher Scholastic Press	ISBN# 978-1338195774 (HB)	Copyright 7/9/2019	Intl. Setting	Reading Level 0.00
Juliet is now an official member of the Starry Beach Club, and loves working with her new friends, Emma and Carmen, to make people’s wishes come true. Living away from her dad is still hard, and she misses her best friend from her old town, but she has her friends and the bookmobile, and San Diego feels more like home than ever. But then she learns that the bookmobile is going to have to shut down. The owner of the parking lot wants to start charging rent, and soon the bookmobile won’t be able to stay in business. The Starry Beach Club comes up with different ways to save their favorite store, but none seem to work. But then Emma gets the idea to have a crafts fair…and she wants Juliet to sell her paintings! Juliet is nervous, and isn’t sure whether she’s ready to put herself on display. Meanwhile, Carmen is feeling anxious about the possibility of her mother being deported. Will Juliet be able to be brave for herself and for Carmen?

Wish on All the Stars, by Lisa Schroeder, ISBN 978-1338195774, RL0.00. Juliet is now an official member of the Starry Beach Club, and loves working with her new friends, Emma and Carmen, to make people’s wishes come true. Living away from her dad is still hard, and she misses her best friend from her old town, but she has her friends and the bookmobile, and San Diego feels more like home than ever. But then she learns that the bookmobile is going to have to shut down. The owner of the parking lot wants to start charging rent, and soon the bookmobile won’t be able to stay in business. The Starry Beach Club comes up with different ways to save their favorite store, but none seem to work. But then Emma gets the idea to have a crafts fair…and she wants Juliet to sell her paintings! Juliet is nervous, and isn’t sure whether she’s ready to put herself on display. Meanwhile, Carmen is feeling anxious about the possibility of her mother being deported. Will Juliet be able to be brave for herself and for Carmen?