Picture Books

Du Iz Tak? - Carson Ellis
Readers are invited to imagine the dramatic possibilities to be found in the natural world, even the humblest back garden! With exquisitely-detailed illustration that will appeal to children and art-lovers alike, and a wonderfully playful invented language, we soon find ourselves speaking "Bug" ... Du iz tak? What is that?


Armstrong: The Adventurous Journey of a Mouse to the Moon - Torben Kuhlmann
The Tale of a Flying Mouse comes Armstrong: A Mouse on the Moon--where dreams are determined only by the size of your imagination and the biggest innovators are the smallest of all. The book ends with a brief non-fiction history of human space travel--from Galileo's observations concerning the nature of the universe to man's first steps on the moon.

Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse - Torben Kuhlmann
In a country far away, a new invention--the mechanical mousetrap--has caused all the mice but one to flee to America. Now stranded in a dangerous country, the last mouse decides to build a plane and fly to the land of freedom.

The Ninjabread Man - C.J. Leigh
In this adaptation of the traditional Gingerbread man, Ninjabread Man escapes the Sensei, and defeats Ninja Bear, Ninja Snake and Ninja Mouse, only to be eaten by the clever Ninja Fox.


Baby Wren and the Great Gift - Sally Lloyd-Jones
As she takes in the beauty of her canyon home, the tiny wren discovers what was waiting inside her all along--her own beautiful gift.

If You Give a Mouse a Brownie - Laura Numeroff
If you give a mouse a brownie, he's going to ask for some ice cream to go with it. When you give him the ice cream, he'll probably ask you for a spoon. He'll start drumming on the table. Drumming will get him so excited he ll want to start a band..


Duck on a Tractor - David Shannon
Pleased with his success in riding a bike, Duck decides to drive the farm tractor, and invites all the other farm animals along for the ride--all the way to town.

New Novels

Grades 3-6

The Poet's Dog - Patricia MacLachlan
Teddy is a gifted dog. Raised in a cabin by a poet named Sylvan, he grew up listening to sonnets read aloud and the comforting clicking of a keyboard. Although Teddy understands words, Sylvan always told him there are only two kinds of people in the world who can hear Teddy speak: poets and children. Then one day Teddy learns that Sylvan was right. When Teddy finds Nickel and Flora trapped in a snowstorm, he tells them that he will bring them home -- and they understand him. The children are afraid of the howling wind, but not of Teddy's words. They follow him to a cabin in the woods, where the dog used to live with Sylvan... only now his owner is gone. As they hole up in the cabin for shelter, Teddy is flooded with memories of Sylvan. What will Teddy do when his new friends go home? Can they help one another find what they have lost?

Ghosts - Raina Telgemeier
Catrina and her family have moved to the coast of Northern California for the sake of her little sister, Maya, who has cystic fibrosis. Cat is even less happy about the move when she is told that her new town is inhabited by ghosts, but Maya sets her heart on meeting one.


Grade 5-8

Ashes - Laurie Halse Anderson
As the Revolutionary War rages on, Isabel and Curzon are reported as runaways, and the awful Bellingham is determined to track them down. With purpose and faith, Isabel and Curzon march on, fiercely determined to find Isabel's little sister Ruth, who is enslaved in a Southern state.

The Hidden Oracle - Rick Riordan
After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. He must learn to survive in the modern world until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus's favor. 

Nonfiction for Elementary Grades

Giant Squid - Candace Fleming
A nonfiction picture book exploring the mysterious life of the elusive giant squid.

Writing with Rosie: You Can Write a Story Too - Patricia Reilly Giff
In a humorous and entertaining guide, two-time Newbery Honor-winning author Patricia Reilly Giff breaks down the process of writing fiction into steps, all while trying to cope with the constant distractions from her exuberant seventy-pound golden retriever puppy, Rosie. Citing examples from her award-winning novels she explains how to proceed with each step in chapter sections titled Can You See What I Did? Young writers can find the inspiration and tips they need to try their hand in sections called Your Turn. Anecdotes from her writing life and hilarious adventures with her high-energy pet provide entertainment and encouragement.

What Milly Did: The Remarkable Pioneer of Plastics Recycling - Elise Moser
Milly Zantow wanted to solve the problem of her towns full landfill and ended up creating a global recycling standard the system of numbers you see inside the little triangle on plastics. This is the inspiring story of how she mobilized her community, creating sweeping change to help the environment.

Around America to Win the Vote: Two Suffragists, a Kitten, and 10,000 Miles - Mara Rockliff
In April 1916, Nell Richardson and Alice Burke set out from New York City in a little yellow car, embarking on a bumpy, muddy, unmapped journey ten thousand miles long. They took with them a teeny typewriter, a tiny sewing machine, a wee black kitten, and a message for Americans all across the country: Votes for Women! The women's suffrage movement was in full swing, and Nell and Alice would not let anything keep them from spreading the word about equal voting rights for women. Braving blizzards, deserts, and naysayers--not to mention a whole lot of tires stuck in the mud--the two courageous friends made their way through the cities and towns of America to further their cause. One hundred years after Nell and Alice set off on their trip, Mara Rockliff revives their spirit in a lively and whimsical picture book, with exuberant illustrations by Hadley Hooper bringing their inspiring historical trek to life.

Who Eats What? series - Rebecca Pettiford
Vibrant photographs and carefully leveled text introduce early fluent readers to each biome and the many food chains it hosts. Each title includes an activity, glossary, and index.



Arctic Food Chains

Desert Food Chains

Ocean Food Chains

Prairie Food Chains

Rain Forest Food Chains

New Picture Books

Lion Lessons - John Agee
Learning to be a lion takes some serious lessons, but luckily, this kid has a teacher who is a real pro.

Coyote Moon - Maria Geanferrari
A nonfiction picture book about coyotes hunting in suburban 
neighborhoods at night.

We Found a Hat - Jon Klassen
Two turtles find a hat that looks good on both of them, but, with fairness in mind, they decide to leave it be, until night falls and one of the turtles changes its mind.

Pond - Jim LaMarche
A group of friends discovers a neglected pond in the woods and decides to fix it up together.

Playtime? - Jeff Mack
Using illustrations and only two words, shows the trouble a young boy has trying to get his very playful pet gorilla to go to bed.

Creation - Cynthia Rylant
The King James Bible creation story illustrated in a folk-art style.

Young Adult Books

Nonfiction

Sabotage: The Mission to Destroy Hitler's Atomic Bomb - Neal Bascomb
The invasion begins at night, with German cruisers slipping into harbor, and soon the Nazis occupy all of Norway. They station soldiers throughout the country. They institute martial rule. And at Vemork, an industrial fortress high above a dizzying gorge, they gain access to an essential ingredient for the weapon that could end World War II: Hitler's very own nuclear bomb. When the Allies discover the plans for the bomb, they agree Vemork must be destroyed. But after a British operation fails to stop the Nazis' deadly designs, the task falls to a band of young Norwegian commandos. Armed with little more than skis, explosives, and great courage, they will survive months in the snowy wilderness, elude a huge manhunt, and execute two dangerous missions. The result? The greatest act of sabotage in all of World War II.

Votes of Confidence: A Young Person's Guide to American Elections - Jeff Fleischer
An in-depth introduction to the American election cycle. Fleischer explains the past, present, and future of American elections; how the election process actually works and why it matters; and how young people can become involved-- not just this year, but for years to come.


Fiction

The Rose and the Dagger - Renée Ahdieh
Sequel to 'The Wrath and the Dawn'. Unsure who to trust, Shahrzad takes matters into her own hands to try and break the curse and reunite with her one true love.

The Reader: Book One of Sea of Ink and Gold - Traci Chee
Set in a world where reading is unheard-of, Sefia makes use of a mysterious object to track down who kidnapped her aunt Nin and what really happened the night her father was murdered.

Steeplejack - A.J. Hartley
Seventeen-year-old Anglet Sutonga lives repairing the chimneys, towers, and spires of the city of Bar-Selehm. Dramatically different communities live and work alongside each other. The white Feldish command the nation's higher echelons of society. The native Mahweni are divided between city life and the savannah. And then there's Ang, part of the Lani community who immigrated over generations ago as servants and now mostly live in poverty on Bar-Selehms edges. When Ang is supposed to meet her new apprentice Berrit, she instead finds him dead. That same night, the Beacon, an invaluable historical icon, is stolen. The Beacon's theft commands the headlines, yet no one seems to care about Berrit's murder--except for Josiah Willinghouse, an enigmatic young politician. When he offers her a job investigating his death, she plunges headlong into new and unexpected dangers.

A Torch Against the Night - Sabaa Tahir
Sequel to 'Ember in the Ashes'. Laia is determined to break into Kauf - the Empire's most secure and dangerous prison - to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars' survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom. But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene - Elias's former friend and the Empire's newest Blood Shrike. Bound to Marcus's will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own - one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape... and kill them both.

And I Darken - Kiersten White
No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets. Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who's expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he's made a true friend -- and Lada wonders if she's finally found someone worthy of her passion. But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against -- and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

The Last Star - Rick Yancey
The epic conclusion to the 5th Wave series. The enemy is Other. The enemy is us. They want the Earth, they want us to have it. They came to wipe us out, they came to save us. Beneath these riddles lies one truth: Cassie has been betrayed. So has Ringer. Zombie. Nugget. And all 7.5 billion people who used to live on our planet. Earth's remaining survivors will need to decide what's more important: saving themselves... or saving what makes us human.

Picture Books for Halloween & Fall

Rules of the House - Mac Barnett

Ian always follows the rules and his sister, Jenny, never does but when she angers some monsters while breaking all the rules of their vacation house in the woods, Ian first runs away, then realizes there should be a rule about protecting your sister from being eaten by monsters.

Bad Kitty Scaredy-Cat - Nick Bruel

Bad Kitty is frightened by the creatures on Halloween, but when she sees all the holiday treats she decides to be a very bad kitty and chases the scary creatures away.

Grimelda: The Very Messy Witch- Diana Murray

Grimelda likes pickle pie. Problem is, she can't find the pickle root to make the pickle pie! What is a very messy witch to do?

Bella's Fall Coat - Lynn Plourde

A picture book about the fall season, centering on Bella, a little girl who has outgrown but does not want to give up her favorite coat made by her grandmother, and how she deals with the inevitable change to something new.

A Teeny Tiny Halloween - Lauren L. Wohl

It happens every fall. The leaves from the tall trees that surround her house drift down until the teeny tiny woman's teeny tiny house is buried completely. Inside it's dark and a teeny tiny bit scary, but the resourceful woman has a plan and a few surprises up her teeny tiny sleeve.

Picture Books

At Night - Helga Bansch
The animals are all asleep in their respective homes, until things get turned upside down.

The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles - Michelle Cuevas
The whimsical story a man who has spent his life delivering the messages found in ocean bottles and the day he receives a message that turns out to be a party invitation.

The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank's Window - Jeff Gottesfeld
The story of the tree outside of Anne Frank's window.

Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus - John Hendrix
This picture book written and illustrated by John Hendrix focuses on the Biblical accounts of miracles performed by Jesus and concludes with the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. There is a detailed author's note and a list of Biblical passages.

A Well-Mannered Young Wolf - Jean Leroy
A young wolf must fulfill his prey's last wishes before he devours them.

Why Am I Here? - Constance Ørbeck-Nilssen
A young girl wonders what life would be like if she lived somewhere else. What if she lived in a city with millions of people? What would it be like to be a refugee from a war-torn country? Is she meant to be in a different place? Or is she right where she's supposed to be?

Before Morning - Joyce Sidman
Let snow fall overnight and change the world before morning, making it "slow and delightful and white.

The Storyteller - Evan Turk
In a time of drought in the Kingdom of Morocco, a storyteller and a boy weave a tale to thwart a Djinn and his sandstorm from destroying their city.

Freedom in Congo Square - Carole Boston Weatherford and R. Gregory Christie
Six days a week, slaves labor from sunup to sundown and beyond, but on Sunday afternoons, they gather with free blacks at Congo Square outside New Orleans, free from oppression. Includes foreword about Congo Square by Freddi Williams Evans, glossary, and historical notes.

Christian Education Resources

How Many Animals Were on the Ark?: Understanding the Animal Kinds
- edited by Craig Froman
"How was it possible for Noah to bring aboard 2 million animals on the Ark, or were there perhaps less than 7,000? You'll find the answer to one of the most difficult questions concerning the long voyage of Noah's Ark. Discover why Noah probably needed only a few thousand animals, and how he and his family could have cared for all life on the Ark during the Flood"--Answers in Genesis website

A is for Adam: The Gospel from Genesis - Ken Ham
Verses highlighting a word from each letter of the alphabet describe creation, the fall, Noah's flood, and the tower of Babel, and how they fit into God's plan for redemption through Jesus Christ, with accompanying background information, and suggestions for related activities.

D is for Dinosaur: Noah's Ark and the Genesis Flood - Ken Ham
D is for Dinosaur is a proven resource that makes learning the Bible fun. This revised classic from Ken and Mally Ham shares biblical insights of Noah's Ark and the Genesis Flood to a new generation of families. The flip-top format is arranged so that the colorful rhyming page faces the child while the back features a short scripted lesson with vocabulary words, questions, review, and narration exercises. 26 lessons are included with a lesson for each letter of the alphabet. Perfect for every Christian education venue, including homeschool and Sunday school.

N is for Noah: Trusting God and His Promises - Ken Ham
An entertaining ABC rhyme book that teaches children important Biblical concepts. Also, the easel-book format makes it easy to teach, with rhyming text and colorful illustrations for a child on one side, and detailed notes for parents and teachers on the back. It may be used as a devotional teaching book.

The Answers for Kids Bible Curriculum - Stacie McKeever
The Answers for Kids Bible Curriculum combines three popular illustrated kits (Beginnings, Seven Cs of History, and Questions) into an all-in-one 30-lesson course designed to greatly strengthen the biblical foundations of children's lives. Perfect for Sunday school, homeschool, Bible clubs, Christian school, or famly devotions, this dynamic curriculum gives children a solid understanding of biblical history and helps them to bodly share and defend the truth of the gospel.

Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers series by Joey Allen

The Gospel
Relates the good news of salvation to children, at their level of understanding. Even children can grasp God's saving love and His promise to adopt them and give them a home in heaven through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Mission
Presents God's worldwide plan to call people from every nation to worship Him through Jesus Christ. God invites children to share His good news with a world of people who desperately need a Savior.

The Trinity
The Trinity promotes the Christian doctrine that there is one God who exists as three persons -- the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This teaching is important for children to relate rightly to each member of the godhead. Our ideas about God affect every area of our lives.

The Scripture
The Scripture teaches children that the Word of God is true, inspired, reliable, and profitable to lead them to God and a life of godliness. This book is a tool to help youngsters find wisdom that leads to salvation, guidance for everyday living, and hope for the future through the Bible.

The Answers Book for Kids series by Ken Ham

Volume 1: 22 Questions from Kids on Creation and the Fall
Provides answers to such children's questions as "Did bumblebees have stingers before Adam and Eve sinned?" and "Why do evolutionists trust their beliefs and not Christ?"



Volume 2: 22 Questions from Kids on Dinosaurs and the Flood of Noah
Provides answers to such children's questions as "Why did God allow some creatures to go extinct?" and "Are dinosaurs related to birds?"

Volume 3: 22 Questions from Kids on God and the Bible
Provides answers to such children's questions as "Why can't I hear God talking to me?" and "How big is God?"

Volume 4: 22 Questions from Kids on Sin, Salvation, and the Christian Life
Presents the core biblical concepts of sin, salvation through Christ, and living the kind of life that honors God, to help children form a strong and lasting faith foundation.