Christmas Books

Little Santa - Jon Agee
A resident of the North Pole with the ability to slide up and down chimneys meets a flying reindeer and some industrious elves, in this fictional biography of Santa Claus.

Is It Christmas Yet? - Jane Chapman
While waiting impatiently for the big day to arrive, Teddy tries to help Big Bear with Christmas preparations.


Cobweb Christmas - Shirley Climo
Long ago in Germany, an old woman cleans her house and decorates her Christmas tree, hoping that this year she will witness some special Christmas Eve magic.

The Christmas Wish - Lori Evert
Young Anja, whose greatest dream is to be one of Santa's elves, makes friends with the animals that guide her on the journey from her home in the far North to meet Santa.


Itsy Bitsy Christmas: You're Never Too Little for His Love! - Max Lucado
When a donkey tells Itsy and Bitsy, brother and sister mice, that a king is coming to Bethlehem they set out to find him, even though their friends tell them no king would ever come to so small and common a place as Bethlehem.

The Night Before Christmas - Clement C. Moore

Presents an interpretation of Clement C. Moore's timeless classic that renders the story in retro-style watercolors while introducing a wide-eyed child character who heightens the wonders of the magical evening.


Santa Clause and the Three Bears - Maria Madugno
When Papa, Mama and Baby Bear return from a walk on Christmas Eve, they're surprised to find their pudding eaten and their chairs sat in and broken. And who's that asleep in Baby Bear's bed?

New Nonfiction

Do You Dig Earth Science Series - Grades 3-6

Examining Erosion - Joelle Riley
Introduces the concept of erosion, including why it happens, the difference between gradual and drastic erosion, and why erosion is important to the Earth's rock cycle.

Figuring out Fossils - Sally M. Walker
This book describes the process through which fossils are created, and what we can learn from them.


Marveling at Minerals - Sally M. Walker
Readers learn about minerals, their properties, and their uses.

Researching Rocks - Sally M. Walker
By looking at rocks closely, we can tell where they were formed and what conditions they were created in. Learn about ways to research rocks and what they can teach us about our world.


Studying Soil - Sally M. Walker
Soil can be found almost everywhere on Earth. Sand is a soft soil that is found in deserts. Loam is soil that is great for growing plants. But how are these types of soils different? And how are they made? Explore the amazing world of soil in this book.


Uncovering Earth's Crust - Conrad J. Storad
This book describes how mountain ranges, ocean ridges, and the Earth's crust are made.




Grade 6 and Up

Imprisoned: The Betrayal of Japanese American During World War II - Martin W. Sandler
Drawing from interviews and oral histories, chronicles the history of Japanese American survivors of internment camps

YA Fiction

Leap of Faith - Jamie Blair
Seventeen-year-old Faith shepherds her neglectful, drug-addicted mother through her pregnancy and then kidnaps the baby, taking on the responsibility of being her baby sister's parent while hiding from the authorities.

 

Michael Vey 3: Battle of the Ampere - Richard Paul Evans

To stop Hatch from using the Elgen fleet to gain world power, Michael and the rest of the Electroclan must destroy the lead ship, but divisions within the Electroclan threaten the success of their operation.

Linked - Imogen Howson
When Elissa's nightmarish visions and inexplicable bruises lead to the discovery of a battered twin sister on the run from government agents, Elissa enlists the help of an arrogant new graduate from the space academy.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock - Matthew Quick

A day in the life of a suicidal teen boy saying good-bye to the four people who matter most to him.

Allegiant - Veronica Roth
The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered -- fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories. But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature -- and of herself -- while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice and love

Steelheart - Brandon Sanderson
At age eight, David watched as his father was killed by an Epic, a human with superhuman powers, and now, ten years later, he joins the Reckoners--the only people who are trying to kill the Epics and end their tyranny.

Boxers & Saints - Gene Luen Yang

In two volumes, Boxers & Saints tells two parallel stories. The first, Boxers, is of Little Bao, a Chinese peasant boy whose village is abused and plundered by Westerners claiming the role of missionaries. Little Bao, inspired by visions of the Chinese gods, joins a violent uprising against the Western interlopers. Against all odds, their grass-roots rebellion is successful.

But in the second volume, Saints, Yang lays out the opposite side of the conflict. A girl whose village has no place for her is taken in by Christian missionaries and finds, for the first time, a home with them. As the Boxer Rebellion gains momentum, Vibiana must decide whether to abandon her Christian friends or to commit herself fully to Christianity.
 

Boxers & Saints offers a penetrating insight into not only one of the most controversial episodes of modern Chinese history, but into the very core of our human nature.

Seasonal Books - (Holidays & Winter)

Thanksgiving

One is a Feast for a Mouse - Judy Cox
On Thanksgiving Day while everyone naps, Mouse spots one pea, a perfect feast, but he cannot help adding all of the fixings--until Cat spots him.


Thanksgiving Day Thanks - Laura Malone Elliott
Sam has trouble deciding what he is grateful for during a Thanksgiving-themed classroom assignment. Includes facts about Thanksgiving Day.


Giving Thanks: Poems, Prayers, and Praise Songs of Thanksgiving - edited by Katherine Paterson
Meditations on what it means to be truly grateful are paired with meticulous and exquisite cut-paper illustrations to give you a collection of more than 50 graces, poems and praise songs harvested from a wide range of cultures, religions, and voices.

Hanukkah

Latkes, Latkes Good to Eat: A Chanukah Story - Naomi Howland
In an old Russian village, Sadie and her brothers are poor and hungry until an old woman gives Sadie a frying pan that will make potato pancakes until it hears the magic words that make it stop. This humorous Chanukah story of generosity and greed is accompanied by bright, cheerful illustrations depicting a traditional Russian village and a recipe for latkes.

Hanukkah Bear - Eric A. Kimmel
On the first night of Hanukkah, Old Bear wanders into Bubba Brayna's house and receives a delicious helping of potato latkes when she mistakes him for the rabbi. Includes a recipe for latkes.



Winter
The Very Fairy Princess Sparkles in the Snow - Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton
Gerry, a most enthusiastic singer, is certain her music teacher will choose her to perform the solo at the Winter Wonderland Festival, and when someone else is chosen it takes a snowfall to bring Gerry's sparkle back.

Snowflakes Fall - Patricia MacLachlan
In this illustrated poem in honor of the victims of the 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, falling snowflakes celebrate the uniqueness of life, its precious, simple moments, and the strength of memory.

Winter is for Snow - Robert Neubecker
"A brother and sister help each other learn to appreciate the joys of winter."-- Provided by publisher

New Picture Books

Giant Dance Party - Betsy Bird
Six-year-old Lexy Tanz loves dancing so much that she wants to share her skills with others, and when she is becoming discouraged because no one wants lessons from a girl so small, a herd of hairy giants arrives to test her teaching ability.

Big Bear's Big Boat - Eve Bunting
When Big Bear outgrows his old boat, he gives it to Little Bear and builds himself a new one--just like it except bigger--until his friends start making suggestions that result in something very different.


Train - Elisha Cooper
Board a commuter train in New York, then follow the journey west and see the stations, the scenery, the different types of trains, and all the people who travel and work on the railroad system.

Little Red Writing - Joan Holub
Once upon a time, in pencil school, a brave little red pencil sets out to write an exciting story with nouns and adverbs and everything--but first she has to face the ravenous pencil sharpener, the Wolf 3000.


Old Mikamba Had a Farm - Rachel Isadora
The inhabitants of Old Makimba's farm in Africa, including a baboon, an elephant, and a lion, are described, verse by verse. Includes facts about African animals.

The Tortoise & the Hare - Jerry Pinkney
Illustrations and minimal text relate the familiar fable of the race between a slow tortoise and a quick but foolish hare.


Lifetime: The Amazing Numbers in Animal Lives - Lola M. Schaefer
A counting primer that combines contrasting illustrations with animal facts, inviting young children to count a woodpecker's 30 roosting holes, a giraffe's 200 spots, and 1000 baby seahorses.

Bedtime Monsters - Josh Schneider
A young boy conquers his fear of bedtime monsters after making a surprising discovery.


Digger, Dozer, Dumper - Hope Vestergaard
Rhymes and colorful illustrations invite young readers to meet their favorite trucks and vehicles face-to-face.

Mr. Wuffles! - David Wiesner
"Mr. Wuffles ignores all his cat toys but one, which turns out to be a spaceship piloted by small green aliens. When Mr. Wuffles plays rough with the little ship, the aliens must venture into the cat's territory to make emergency repairs."-- Provided by publisher

I'm a Frog! - Mo Willems
Piggie introduces his reluctant friend, Gerald the elephant, to the wonderful world of pretend.

How Do Dinosaurs Say I'm Mad? - Jane Yolen
Illustrations and rhyming text explore some of the things that dinosaurs might do when they are angry--and how they should control their tempers.

New Picture Books

Fairy Tale Comics: Classic Tales Told by Extraordinary Cartoonists - Edited by Chris Duffy
From favorites like "Puss in Boots" and "Goldilocks" to obscure gems like "The Boy Who Drew Cats," this volume has something to offer every reader. Seventeen fairy tales are wonderfully adapted and illustrated in comics format by such noted artists as Raina Telgemeier, Brett Helquist, Cherise Harper, and others.

Diary of a Worm: Teacher's Pet - Lori Haskins Houran
(based on the creation of Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss)
Worm makes a surprising discovery -- teachers have birthdays! That means Worm and his friends have to find the perfect present for their teacher, Mrs. Mulch.

Paper Son: Lee's Journey to America - Helen Foster James and Virginia Shin-Mui Loh
Twelve-year-old Lee, an orphan, reluctantly leaves his grandparents in China for the long sea voyage to San Francisco, where he and other immigrants undergo examinations at Angel Island Immigration Station.

What If You Had Animal Teeth!? - Sandra Markle
Text and illustrations depict how a child would look and behave with the teeth of various animals, including elephants, tigers, and rattlesnakes.

A Parable About the King - Beth Moore
This endearing story, shared by Moore at many of her conferences, guides readers to learn about the unfailing and unconditional love that God showers upon His children.


Cowboy Boyd and Mighty Calliope - Lisa Moser
A cowboy and his trusty rhinoceros try to prove themselves at the Double R Ranch, where the Slim, Hardtack, and Rancher Rose doubt Calliope's potential, but Boyd believes in her.

Wait! Wait! - Hatsue Nakawaki
A young child learns that although creatures that appear can also disappear, parents will always be there.


I Scream Ice Cream!: A Book of Wordles - Amy Krouse Rosenthal
"What do 'I Scream!' and 'Ice Cream!' have in common? Nothing--besides the fact that they sound the same! The ever-surprising Amy Krouse Rosenthal unleashes her prolific wit in this silly and smart book of wordplay. Perfectly complemented by equally clever illustrations from the talented and internationally renowned Serge Bloch, this mind-bending book will have young readers thinking about words in an entirely new way!"--Provided by publisher


Is This Panama? A Migration Story - Jan Thornhill
Follows Sammy, a young Wilson's warbler, on his first migratory journey south to Panama.