Garth Williams

George Selden

city and town life

new experiences

Tucker is a streetwise city mouse. He thought he’d seen it all. But he’s never met a cricket before, which really isn’t surprising, because, along with his friend Harry Cat, Tucker lives in the very heart of New York City—the Times Square subway station. Chester Cricket never intended to leave his Connecticut meadow. He’d be there still if he hadn’t followed the entrancing aroma of liverwurst right into someone’s picnic basket. Now, like any tourist in the city, he wants to look around. And he could not have found two better guides—and friends—than Tucker and Harry. The trio have many adventures—from taking in the sights and sounds of Broadway to escaping a smoky fire. Chester makes a third friend, too. It is a boy, Mario, who rescues Chester from a dusty corner of the subway station and brings him to live in the safety of his parents’ newsstand. He hopes at first to keep Chester as a pet, but Mario soon understands that the cricket is more than that. Because Chester has a hidden talent and no one—not even Chester himself—realizes that the little country cricket may just be able to teach even the toughest New Yorkers a thing or two. The Cricket in Times Square is a 1961 Newbery Honor Book.

The Cricket in Times Square

Melissa Sweet

Thanksgiving

New York

parades

biography and autobiography

Presents a tribute to the creator of the giant balloons that fill the sky during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, tracing the work of artist Tony Sarg, whose innovative “upside-down puppet” creations have become the parade’s trademark.

Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade

Natasha Wing

Alexandra Boiger

historic buildings

female role models

New York City

Before she was an iconic First Lady of the United States, Jackie Kennedy was a born-and-raised New Yorker. She loved everything about her city, from the natural beauty of the parks to the architectural history of the buildings. So when the owners of Grand Central wanted to build a skyscraper on top of the famous train station, Jackie knew they had to be stopped. She helped inspire thousands of people to come together and fight to protect the historic landmark. From letter-writing campaigns all the way to the Supreme Court, this little-known story celebrates winning in the face of immeasurable odds and how one person can make a big difference.

When Jackie Saved Grand Central

Adam Gamble

Joe Veno

Easy-to-read text introduces the sights of New York City through a full day of sightseeing.

Good Night New York City

Jean Craighead George

self-reliance

runaways

mountains

survival stories

Terribly unhappy in his family’s crowded New York City apartment, Sam Gribley runs away to the solitude-and danger-of the mountains, where he finds a side of himself he never knew.

My Side of the Mountain

Deborah Hopkinson

Leonard Jenkins

This inspiring story of little-known civil rights champion Oscar Chapman reminds readers that one person can truly make a difference. On Easter Sunday 1939, Marian Anderson performed at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial for a crowd of over 75,000 people. The person largely responsible for putting her there was a white man, Oscar Chapman. When Chapman learned that Marian Anderson was not allowed to sing at Constitution Hall because of the color of her skin, Chapman helped produce a landmark concert that?for at least one evening?bridged the color divide to bring a city and much of the nation together. Award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson tells the inspirational story of Oscar Chapman’s lifelong commitment to ending bigotry. Illustrator Leonard Jenkins’s remarkable illustrations recreate a bygone era and pay tribute to remarkable real-life people and a magical moment in modern history. An author’s note provides additional historical context.

Sweet Land of Liberty

Kristy Dempsey

Floyd Cooper

Little ballerinas have big dreams. Dreams of pirouettes and grande jetes, dreams of attending the best ballet schools and of dancing starring roles on stage. But in Harlem in the 1950s, dreams don’t always come true—they take a lot of work and a lot of hope. And sometimes hope is hard to come by.

But the first African-American prima ballerina, Janet Collins, did make her dreams come true. And those dreams inspired ballerinas everywhere, showing them that the color of their skin couldn’t stop them from becoming a star.

In a lyrical tale as beautiful as a dance en pointe, Kristy Dempsey and Floyd Cooper tell the story of one little ballerina who was inspired by Janet Collins to make her own dreams come true.

A Dance Like Starlight

Miroslav Sasek

A pictorial tour of Manhattan’s neighborhoods, transportation and traffic, buildings, and the city’s activities, from the local shoeshine stall to Wall Street.

This is New York

Laurie Halse Anderson

illness

An epidemic of fever sweeps through the streets of 1793 Philadelphia in this novel from Laurie Halse Anderson where “the plot rages like the epidemic itself” (The New York Times Book Review). During the summer of 1793, Mattie Cook lives above the family coffee shop with her widowed mother and grandfather. Mattie spends her days avoiding chores and making plans to turn the family business into the finest Philadelphia has ever seen. But then the fever breaks out. Disease sweeps the streets, destroying everything in its path and turning Mattie’s world upside down. At her feverish mother’s insistence, Mattie flees the city with her grandfather. But she soon discovers that the sickness is everywhere, and Mattie must learn quickly how to survive in a city turned frantic with disease.

Fever 1793

Jennifer Adams

Greg Pizzoli

In this delightful series written by BabyLit author Jennifer Adams and illustrated by kidlit darling Greg Pizzoli, each book showcases a different city with lighthearted baby-appropriate text and ridiculously charming illustrations. Take a whirlwind tour of the Big Apple: cheer with the roaring crowds at Yankee Stadium, chug along peacefully on the Staten Island Ferry, wonder at the bright lights of Times Square, and say good night to the famous New York City skyline.

My Little Cities: New York

Javaka Steptoe

A visually stunning picture book biography about modern art phenomenon Jean-Michel Basquiat, written and illustrated by Coretta Scott King Award winner Javaka Steptoe. Jean-Michael Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings rocked to fame in the 1980s as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art work had ever seen. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City. Now, award-winning illustrator Javaka Steptoe’s vivid text and bold artwork echoing Basquiat’s own introduce young readers to the powerful message and art doesn’t always have to be neat or clean–and definitely not inside the lines–to be beautiful.

Radiant Child

Jeanette Winter

A tribute to the memory of September 11

On September 11, 2001, two sisters from South Africa are flying to New York City with 2,400 roses to be displayed at a flower show. As their plane approaches the airport, a cloud of black smoke billows over the Manhattan skyline. When they land, they learn of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. All flights are canceled; the sisters cannot go home, and they are stranded with boxes and boxes of roses.

In the days that followed September 11, Jeanette Winter was drawn to Union Square and saw, among the hundreds of memorial offerings, twin towers made of roses. In the pages of this small and vibrant book, she tells a moving story.

September Roses

Susan Lendroth

Kate Endle

A clever new spin on “Old MacDonald,” this fun book explores the popular trend of urban farming. From rooftop farms and gardens on Manhattan high rises to neighborhood gardens in empty lots in Atlanta to hydroponic gardens in Seattle, growing food locally has become an important part of city-dwelling life.

Set to the tune of the popular children’s song, this bouncy rhyming text will get everyone reading (or singing) out loud. If you’re not comfortable singing aloud, download the free recording of the song created by popular children’s performer Caspar Babypants (aka Chris Ballew, lead singer and songwriter for the band The Presidents of the United States of America). Six North American cities are highlighted, but included in the back matter are tips and tricks on how to alter the text so you can sing about your own hometown gardens.

Back matter also includes more information about the different types of gardens introduced, additional resources, and the sheet music for the song.

Old Manhattan Has Some Farms

Renée Watson

belonging

Harlem, New York

father-daughter relationships

family history

All Amara wants for her birthday is to visit her father’s family in New York City–Harlem, to be exact. She can’t wait to finally meet her Grandpa Earl and cousins in person, and to stay in the brownstone where her father grew up. Maybe this will help her understand her family–and herself–in new way.

But New York City is not exactly what Amara thought it would be. It’s crowded, with confusing subways, suffocating sidewalks, and her father is too busy with work to spend time with her and too angry to spend time with Grandpa Earl. As she explores, asks questions, and learns more and more about Harlem and about her father and his family history, she realizes how, in some ways more than others, she connects with him, her home, and her family.

Some Places More Than Others

Rita Williams-Garcia

The Gaither sisters are at it again! A sequel to the Newbery Honor Book One Crazy Summer, this Coretta Scott King Award-winning novel will find a home in the hearts of readers who loved Brown Girl Dreaming and As Brave as You. After spending the summer in Oakland, California, with their mother and the Black Panthers, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern arrive home with a newfound streak of independence. That doesn’t sit well with Big Ma, who doesn’t like the way things are changing. Neither does Delphine. Pa has a new girlfriend. Uncle Darnell comes home from Vietnam, but he’s not the same. And her new sixth-grade teacher isn’t the fun, stylish Miss Honeywell—it’s Mr. Mwila, a stern exchange teacher from Zambia. But the one thing that doesn’t change during this turbulent year is the advice that Delphine receives from her mother, who reminds her not to grow up too fast. To be eleven while she can.

P.S. Be Eleven

Yona Zeldis McDonough

Heather Maione

Nine-year-old Anna and her sisters love to play with the dolls in their parents’ doll repair shop. But when World War I begins, an embargo on German-made goods-including the parts Papa needs to repair the dolls-threatens to put the family’s shop out of business. Fortunately, Anna has an idea that just might save the day. Inspired by the true story of Madame Alexander, this is a timeless tale of family and imagination.
This beautiful gift edition of The Doll Shop Downstairs, featuring an eye-catching foil embossed cover, will make a perfect holiday present for dreamers and doll lovers everywhere.

The Doll Shop Downstairs

Joe McKendry

At the heart of the non-stop bustle of modern Times Square stands One Times Square, the former headquarters of the New York Times and the skyscraper – now all but invisible behind billboards – that gave the square its name in 1904. Around it, a once-humble district of carriage houses and coal merchants at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue evolved into “The Crossroads of the World.” Here impresarios and real-estate moguls vied to outdo each other as they built theaters and hotels, penny arcades and restaurants, dime museums and office towers in an unending cycle of reinvention and reimagination.

More than any other public space in New York City, Times Square is the place where Americans have gathered, in good times and in bad, to catch up on the latest news, to mark historic occasions, or just to meet a few friends. From the Stock Market crash in 1929 – when the building’s iconic “Zipper” provided up-to-the-minute information – to the celebrations marking the end of the Second World War, to annual New Year’s Eve festivities with the iconic descending lighted ball, the square and its tower have been an integral part of our history.

One Times Square explores the story of this fascinating intersection, starting when Broadway was a mere dirt path known as Bloomingdale Road, through the district’s decades of postwar decay, to its renewal as a glittering tourist-friendly media mecca. McKendry’s meticulous, lush watercolors take readers behind the famous Camel billboard to find out how it blew smoke rings over the square for 25 years, to the top of the Times Tower to see how the New Year’s ball has made its descent for over 100 years, and onto construction sites as buildings grow up around One Times Square to dwarf what once ranked among the tallest buildings in the world.

One Times Square: A Century of Change at the Crossroads of the World

Alice Provensen

Martin Provensen

After Punch is abducted and taken to New York City, he needs all his ingenuity to save himself

Punch in New York

Faith Ringgold

Illus. in full color. “Ringgold recounts the dream adventure of eight-year-old Cassie Louise Lightfoot, who flies above her apartment-building rooftop, the ‘tar beach’ of the title, looking down on 1939 Harlem. Part autobiographical, part fictional, this allegorical tale sparkles with symbolic and historical references central to African-American culture. The spectacular artwork resonates with color and texture. Children will delight in the universal dream of mastering one’s world by flying over it. A practical and stunningly beautiful book.”–(starred) Horn Book.

Tar Beach

Judith Hendershot

Thomas B. Allen

A child growing up in a coal mining community finds both excitement and hard work, in a life deeply affected by the local industry.

In Coal Country

An illustrated alphabet rhyme that includes the animals from alligator to zebra.

A Peaceable Kingdom: The Shaker Abecedarius

Roxie Munro

Captioned illustrations depict noted sights in New York City, including the American Museum of Natural History, Statue of Liberty, subway at Times Square, and New York Zoological Park. Includes a section of text in the back of the book providing information on each sight.

The inside-outside book of New York City

Amos Vogel

Maurice Sendak

A Sendak treasure long out of print available for the first time in decades.

How Little Lori Visited Times Square

Judy Blume

girls and women

prayer

growing up

making friends

Margaret shares her secrets and her spirituality in this iconic Judy Blume novel, beloved by millions, that now has a fresh new look.  

Margaret Simon, almost twelve, likes long hair, tuna fish, the smell of rain, and things that are pink. She’s just moved from New York City to Farbook, New Jersey, and is anxious to fit in with her new friends—Nancy, Gretchen, and Janie. When they form a secret club to talk about private subjects like boys, bras, and getting their first periods, Margaret is happy to belong.  

But none of them can believe Margaret doesn’t have religion, and that she isn’t going to the Y or the Jewish Community Center. What they don’t know is Margaret has her own very special relationship with God. She can talk to God about everything—family, friends, even Moose Freed, her secret crush.  

Margaret is funny and real, and her thoughts and feelings are oh-so-relatable—you’ll feel like she’s talking right to you, sharing her secrets with a friend.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Valentine Davies

Generations of believers in hope and goodwill have made Valentine Davies’ Miracle on 34th Street a treasured part of their holiday traditions. Millions of copies of this award-winning story have sold since its first publication in 1947, delighting readers of all ages. A facsimile edition of the book is now faithfully re-created, offering a new generation–and fans of the original–the beauty of the classic 1940s design. Details of how the book came to be written, and made into a beloved film, are included in a brief historical note.

Miracle on 34th Street

Lindsay Ward

One cold winter day, Blue returns to her nest to find something wonderful: Egg! Or rather a snowball she mistakes for an egg. Blue puts Egg in a pail and sets off to look for Egg’s mother. But as the winter winds down and the temperature goes up, Blue is in for a sad surprise. Not to worry, though. In this sweet story of friendship, even snowmelt grows into something beautiful.  With her intricate cut-paper illustrations, Lindsay Ward perfectly captures her lovable characters and their world in this unforgettable, heartwarming tale.

When Blue Met Egg

Frank Morrison

From beloved Newbery Honor winner and three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner Rita Williams-Garcia comes a powerful and heartfelt novel about loss, family, and love that will appeal to fans of Jason Reynolds and Kwame Alexander. Clayton feels most alive when he’s with his grandfather, Cool Papa Byrd, and the band of Bluesmen–he can’t wait to join them, just as soon as he has a blues song of his own. But then the unthinkable happens. Cool Papa Byrd dies, and Clayton’s mother forbids Clayton from playing the blues. And Clayton knows that’s no way to live.Armed with his grandfather’s brown porkpie hat and his harmonica, he runs away from home in search of the Bluesmen, hoping he can join them on the road. But on the journey that takes him through the New York City subways and to Washington Square Park, Clayton learns some things that surprise him. National Book Award Finalist  Kirkus Best Books of 2017  Horn Book Best Books of 2017  Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2017  School Library Journal Best Books of 2017  NAACP Image Awards Youth/Teens Winner  Chicago Public Library Best Books * Boston Globe Best Books of 2017”This slim novel strikes a strong chord.”–Publishers Weekly (starred review)”This complex tale of family and forgiveness has heart.” –School Library Journal (starred review)”Strong characterizations and vivid musical scenes add layers to this warm family story.” –Kirkus Reviews (starred review)”An appealing, realistic story with frequent elegant turns of phrase.” –The Horn Book (starred review)”Garcia-Williams skillfully finds melody in words.” –Booklist (starred review)

Clayton Byrd Goes Underground

Jason Reynolds

death, grief, and bereavement

adolescence

funerals

loneliness

A 2016 Coretta Scott King Author Honor book. Just when seventeen-year-old Matt thinks he can’t handle one more piece of terrible news, he meets a girl who’s dealt with a lot more–and who just might be able to clue him in on how to rise up when life keeps knocking him down–in this “vivid, satisfying, and ultimately upbeat tale of grief, redemption, and grace” (Kirkus Reviews) from the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award-winning author of When I Was the Greatest. Matt wears a black suit every day. No, not because his mom died–although she did, and it sucks. But he wears the suit for his gig at the local funeral home, which pays way better than the Cluck Bucket, and he needs the income since his dad can’t handle the bills (or anything, really) on his own. So while Dad’s snagging bottles of whiskey, Matt’s snagging fifteen bucks an hour. Not bad. But everything else? Not good. Then Matt meets Lovey. Crazy name, and she’s been through more crazy stuff than he can imagine. Yet Lovey never cries. She’s tough. Really tough. Tough in the way Matt wishes he could be. Which is maybe why he’s drawn to her, and definitely why he can’t seem to shake her. Because there’s nothing more hopeful than finding a person who understands your loneliness–and who can maybe even help take it away.

The Boy in the Black Suit

Karina Yan Glaser

family life

community

home

From New York Times best-selling author Karina Yan Glaser comes one of Times’ Notable Children’s Books of 2017: “In this delightful and heartwarming throwback to the big-family novels of yesteryear, a large biracial family might lose their beloved brownstone home, but win it back with an all-out charm offensive.”  The Vanderbeekers have always lived in the brownstone on 141st Street. It’s practically another member of the family. So when their reclusive, curmudgeonly landlord decides not to renew their lease, the five siblings have eleven days to do whatever it takes to stay in their beloved home and convince the dreaded Beiderman just how wonderful they are. And all is fair in love and war when it comes to keeping their home.

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler meets Chasing Vermeer in this clever middle grade debut When Theodora Tenpenny spills a bottle of rubbing alcohol on her late grandfather’s painting, she discovers what seems to be an old Renaissance masterpiece underneath. That’s great news for Theo, who’s struggling to hang onto her family’s two-hundred-year-old townhouse and support her unstable mother on her grandfather’s legacy of $463. There’s just one problem: Theo’s grandfather was a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and she worries the painting may be stolen. With the help of some unusual new friends, Theo’s search for answers takes her all around Manhattan, and introduces her to a side of the city–and her grandfather–that she never knew. To solve the mystery, she’ll have to abandon her hard-won self-reliance and build a community, one serendipitous friendship at a time. “Uniquely readable, entirely charming, and a pleasure from start to finish. Debuts this good are meant to be discovered.” –SLJ Fuse 8 Blog “Riveting from start to finish.” –BookPage

Under the Egg

A celebration of our nation’s melting pot, this beautifully illustrated origin story of the Statue of Liberty honors a poet who has advocated for the voiceless.  “Give me your tired, your poor  Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free . . . “ In 1883, Emma Lazarus, deeply moved by an influx of immigrants from eastern Europe, wrote a sonnet that gave a voice to the Statue of Liberty. Originally a gift from France to celebrate our shared national struggles for liberty, the statue, thanks to Emma’s poem, came to define us as a nation that welcomes immigrants. The text of that now famous poem, “The New Colossus,” appears in this free-verse biography, illustrated in an exquisite folk art style. The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus has been selected as a Common Core Text Exemplar (Grades 4-5, Poetry)

Emma's Poem: The Voice of the Statue of Liberty

A poignant story about the difficulties of leaving everything behind and the friendships that help you get through it.  Fleeing war-torn Kosovo, ten-year-old Drita and her family move to America with the dream of living a typical American life. But with this hope comes the struggle to adapt and fit in. How can Drita find her place at school and in her new neighborhood when she doesn’t speak any English? Meanwhile, Maxie and her group of fourth-grade friends are popular in their class, and make an effort to ignore Drita. So when their teacher puts Maxie and Drita together for a class project, things get off to a rocky start. But sometimes, when you least expect it, friendship can bloom and overcome even a vast cultural divide.

Drita, My Homegirl

Here is the original inspiration for the blockbuster Night At The Museum movies–starring Ben Stiller–from 20th Century Fox. In this charming, funny picture book that started it all, Larry becomes a night guard at New York’s Museum of Natural History. He thinks it’s going to be an easy job, but is he in for a surprise. After dozing off, he wakes up to find the most amazing vanishing act in the museum’s history. The museum’s entire collection of dinosaur skeletons has disappeared! In a panic, Larry rushes from one room to the next–then dashes outside into Central Park, and then next door into the planetarium. Where did the skeletons go? Who is the dinosaur thief? How in the world will Larry ever get those dinosaur bones back? Originally published by B.E.S. in 1993, this mystery-comedy picture book features the author’s original captivating, hilarious, full-color illustrations on every page.

The Night at the Museum

Karen B. Winnick

In this true story of bravery and determination, a young girl named Sybil Ludington risks darkness and danger to help the Revolutionary War effort. The British are invading, and it is up to her to muster the troops for defense. Karen B. Winnick skillfully captures the hazards of wartime, Sybil’s courage, and her spirited colt with a suspenseful account and rich illustrations.

Sybil's Night Ride

Over 1 million sold in series!The adventure continues as Patrick and Beth end up in New York City in 1923 as inventor Nikola Tesla is embroiled in a patent conflict with fellow inventor Thomas Edison.When they step into the Imagination Station, kids experience an unforgettable journey filled with action-packed adventure to inspire their imaginations. With each book, they’re whisked away with cousins Patrick and Beth to embark on a new journey around the world and back in time. This easy-to-read adventure, number 21 in the series, is the latest in the long-running successful series that has sold over 1 million books.

Madman in Manhattan

Stan Berenstain

Jan Berenstain

Illus. in full color. A bear explores a carton on a truck and gets carried away. By the time he has returned, the reader will be exposed to the concepts of -inside, outside, upside down.-

Inside Outside Upside Down

Bryan Collier

Discover the vibrant world of Harlem, New York, as seen through the eyes of one little boy who lives there. “Uptown . . .Harlem, New York.Chicken and waffles.Jazz.Home.”Uptown is a rich mix of flavors, colors, sounds, and cultures that come together to create a vibrant community like no other in the world. Seen through the eyes of one little boy who lives there, the details of life in Harlem are as joyous as a game of basketball on a summer’s afternoon and as personal as a trip to the barbershop where old-timers reminisce.Bryan Collier’s spare, poetic text and beautiful, intricate illustrations evoke every aspect of Harlem, from the legendary Apollo Theater to chocolate-colored brownstones, weekend shopping on 125th Street, and the music of Duke Ellington.Uptown is the winner of the 2001 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award.

Uptown

Meg Cabot

coming of age

royalty

The one and only Mia Thermopolis is back and ready to reign! Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Meg Cabot’s blockbuster series in royal style–with all-new middle grade editions of the first three books!Mia Thermopolis is pretty sure there’s nothing worse than being a five-foot-nine, flat-chested freshman, who also happens to be flunking Algebra. Is she ever in for a surprise.First Mom announces that she’s dating Mia’s Algebra teacher. Then Dad has to go and reveal that he is the crown prince of Genovia. And guess who still doesn’t have a date for the Cultural Diversity Dance?The Princess Diaries is the first book in the beloved, bestselling series that inspired the feature film starring Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews.

The Princess Diaries

From the critically acclaimed author of Anything But Typical comes a touching look at the days leading up to the tragic events of September 11, 2001, and how that day impacted the lives of four middle schoolers. Ask anyone: September 11, 2001, was serene and lovely, a perfect day–until a plane struck the World Trade Center. But right now it is a few days earlier, and four kids in different parts of the country are going about their lives. Sergio, who lives in Brooklyn, is struggling to come to terms with the absentee father he hates and the grandmother he loves. Will’s father is gone, too, killed in a car accident that has left the family reeling. Naheed has never before felt uncomfortable about being Muslim, but at her new school she’s getting funny looks because of the head scarf she wears. Aimee is starting a new school in a new city and missing her mom, who has to fly to New York on business. These four don’t know one another, but their lives are about to intersect in ways they never could have imagined. Award-winning author Nora Raleigh Baskin weaves together their stories into an unforgettable novel about that seemingly perfect September day–the day our world changed forever.

Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story

Elizabeth Enright

clubs

near-death experiences

Meet the Melendys! The four Melendy children live with their father and Cuffy, their beloved housekeeper, in a worn but comfortable brownstone in New York City. There’s thirteen-year-old Mona, who has decided to become an actress; twelve-year-old mischievous Rush; ten-and-a-half-year-old Randy, who loves to dance and paint; and thoughtful Oliver, who is just six. Tired of wasting Saturdays doing nothing but wishing for larger allowances, the four Melendys jump at Randy’s idea to start the Independent Saturday Afternoon Adventure Club (I.S.A.A.C.). If they pool their resources and take turns spending the whole amount, they can each have at least one memorable Saturday afternoon of their own. Before long, I.S.A.A.C. is in operation and every Saturday is definitely one to remember. Written more than half a century ago, The Saturdays unfolds with all the ripe details of a specific place and period but remains, just the same, a winning, timeless tale. The Saturdays is the first installment of Enright’s Melendy Quartet, an engaging and warm series about the close-knit Melendy family and their surprising adventures.

The Saturdays

Pulsating with the rhythm and vibrancy of the Jazz Age, this dazzling picture book is set in New York City in the 1920s. The story may be familiar, but the cast of characters will surprise you. Snow White is a beautiful jazz baby, protected by seven hot jazzmen. Instead of a wicked stepmother, her arch-enemy is the Queen of the Underworld. And her Prince Charming is a crack reporter from the New York Mirror. The breezy and clever text complements the style and color of the art deco illustrations, making this a picture book of astonishing originality. This winner of The Kate Greenaway Medal is at last available in paperback.

Snow White in New York (Revised)

Ron Roy

Timothy Bush

From popular A to Z Mysteries author Ron Roy comes a red, white, and blue mystery perfect for the election season!  In the third book of the Capital Mysteries–an early chapter book mystery series featuring fun facts and famous sites from Washington, D.C.– KC and her friend Marshall explore the Smithsonian, the most famous museum in the world. The money to build it was given to Washington, D.C., over a hundred years ago, but now one man is claiming that money should be his. KC and Marshall think they can prove Mr. Fisher is a big liar. But if they are wrong, the Smithsonian will belong to him! Each book highlights one of the famous museums, buildings, or monuments from the Washington area and includes a map and a two-page fun fact spread with photographs. Parents, teachers, and librarians agree that these highly collectible chapter books are perfect for emerging readers and any kid who love mysteries!

The Skeleton in the Smithsonian

The Mystery in New York

Steve Brezenoff

While in New York City on a field trip, Sam Archer and her friends find themselves immersed in a run of crimes at sightseeing locations.

The Burglar Who Bit the Big Apple

A New York Times Bestseller!  While Isa is off at sleepaway orchestra camp, Jessie, Oliver, Hyacinth, and Laney are stuck at home in the brownstone with nothing to do but get on one another’s nerves. But when catastrophe strikes their beloved upstairs neighbor, their sleepy summer transforms in an instant as the Vanderbeeker children band together to do what they do best: make a plan. They will create the most magical healing garden in all of Harlem.  In this companion to The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street,  experience the warmth of a family and their community as they work together to bring a little more beauty and kindness to the world, one thwarted plan at a time.

The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden

Tim Egan

Dodsworth wanted adventure. He wanted to see the world. He especially wanted to visit New York City. What he didn’t want was to be joined by a duck. A crazy duck. A duck that misbehaves. Young readers will laugh out loud at the duck’s silly antics as Dodsworth has the unexpected adventure of his life in the Big Apple . . . and beyond.

Dodsworth in New York

Help Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose solve mysteries from A to Z!    Kids love collecting the entire alphabet and super editions! With over 8 million copies in print, the A to Z Mysteries(R) have been hooking chapter book readers on mysteries and reading for years. Now this classic kid favorite is back with a bright new look!   J is for Jewel . . . New York is the emerald city! Dink’s uncle’s museum there has a new treasure–a golden jaguar statue with an emerald between its paws. But someone swaps the jewel for a fake! Who stole the jaguar’s jewel? Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are sure to find out!

The Jaguar's Jewel

September 11, 2001

A New York Times Bestseller - Named A Best Book of the Year by the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post Book World, Chicago Tribune, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Rocky Mountain News  Nine-year-old Oskar Schell has embarked on an urgent, secret mission that will take him through the five boroughs of New York. His goal is to find the lock that matches a mysterious key that belonged to his father who died in the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11. This seemingly impossible task will bring Oskar into contact with survivors of all sorts of an exhilarating, affecting, often hilarious, and ultimately healing journey.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Jeff Brown

Macky Pamintuan

Flat Stanley is taking over the world, one city at a time! In this awesome ninth installment in the renowned Flat Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures chapter book series, the Lambchops pack their bags for the US capital, Washington D.C.!Stanley’s been chosen to receive a medal of honor in the nation’s capital! But once in Washington, DC, Stanley gets swept away by a crowd and separated from his family. Now he’s on the run in a city filled with monuments–and with shadowy figures on his trail. What’s a flat boy to do now?This unforgettable adventure features fun, fascinating facts about Washington D.C.! And for parents and teachers, each Flat Stanley book is aligned to the Common Core State Standards, like multicultural adventure, plot and character development story elements, and compare and contrast! Don’t miss any of Flat Stanley’s worldwide adventures!

The US Capital Commotion

Mary Pope Osborne

Sal Murdocca

The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system!  Abracadabra! Jack and Annie are on a mission for Merlin the magician. They’re looking for a secret of greatness from the best escape artist that ever lived, Harry Houdini. Using the magic tree house to travel back in time, Jack and Annie head to Coney Island to look for the elusive magician. How can they find the master of escape? It’s going to take some determination, a little bit of trouble, and a whole lot of magic! Formerly numbered as Magic Tree House #50, the title of this book is now Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #22: Hurry Up, Houdini!  Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid?  Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures

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