Tammi Sauer

Michael Slack

Friends forever—or snack time? 

In the deep ocean, tiny Nugget and big, toothy Fang get along swimmingly—until Nugget’s first day of minnow school. There Nugget learns that minnows are supposed to be afraid of sharks! To regain Nugget’s trust, Fang takes desperate (and hilarious) measures. But it’s not until his big sharp teeth save the entire school that minnows learn this shark is no foe. Fantastically stylized artwork adds even more humor to this undersea story of unlikely friendship

Nugget and Fang: Friends Forever--or Snack Time?

John Briggs

Nicola Slater

being yourself

individuality

Lemmings look alike, sound alike, and act alike. So if one jumps off a cliff, the others follow . . . except Larry. Larry s “very” independent-minded. But can he teach his fellow lemmings to think for themselves? John Briggs has created a wonderfully funny, quirky tale about doing your own thing, while Nicola Slater s illustrations capture all the humor and pathos in Larry s situation.”

Leaping Lemmings!

Hannah Harrison

“Paula and Maggie are best friends until Paula starts playing with some new friends instead, but when her new playmates turn on her, it’s Maggie who rushes to Paula’s defense”

My Friend Maggie

Kari Rust

An old dog learns new tricks in this story about righting wrongs

Tricky

Violeta Noy

What happens when one little ghost wants to stand out? All ghosts wear white sheets. That’s just what ghosts do. White sheets are good for haunting people, and they make the ghosts feel like part of one big family. But one little ghost named Roderic wants to wear something different. He tries all sorts of things: a bag, a rug, a boot. Can he find the right one for him? Find out in this colorful picture book from debut author-illustrator Violeta Noy.

The Right One for Roderic

Adriana Brad Schanen

Greg Swearingen

Quinny has a lot to say. Hopper gets to the point.

Quinny has one speed: very, very, extra-very fast. Hopper proceeds with caution.

Quinny has big ideas. Hopper has smart solutions.

Quinny and Hopper couldn’t be more different. They are an unstoppable team.

But when summer ends, things suddenly aren’t the same. Can Quinny and Hopper stick together in the face of stylish bullies, a killer chicken, and the brand-new Third Grade Rules-especially the one that says they aren’t allowed to be friends anymore?

Quinny & Hopper

Rob Biddulph

A heartwarming and poignant story from award-winning creator Rob Biddulph about the power of embracing your true colors. Perfect for fans of Peter Brown’s Tiger Goes Wild.

It’s a dog’s life in the big, busy city, but there’s one lonely pup who doesn’t quite fit in. She behaves differently from the rest, sports rainbow in a sea of gray, and marches to the beat of her own drum.

She’s one Odd Dog.

Join Odd Dog as she journeys to the other side of the world to find her place in it, only for her to discover that maybe she’s meant to be right where she started.

And check out Rob Biddulph’s other books for children, including:

Blown Away

The Grizzly Bear Who Lost His GRRRRR!

Odd Dog Out

Alice Bowsher

Ziggy Hanaor

Fly just wants to have fun flying, but everyone she meets thinks she’s doing it all WRONG!

Fly is happily practicing her flying in the park, doing some wibbles and some wobbles and some waveys. Blackbird, Seagull, Starling and Hawk take turns giving Fly advice about the best way to fly; fly in a straight line, glide on the wind, fly in a flock, dive onto your food…. Fly tries to take their advice on board, but each time finds that this is not HER way to fly. With a sweet, witty twist at the end, this is a delightful book about staying true to yourself in the face of people who insist they know better.

Fly Flies

Cale Atkinson

Oliver has always dreamed about where he will fit. Will he be in the mane of a unicorn? The tentacle of a pirate squid? The helmet of an astronaut? When he finally goes in search of his perfect place, he finds that trying to fit in is a lot harder than he thought. But like any puzzle, a little trial and error leads to a solution, and Oliver figures out exactly where he belongs. 

Where Oliver Fits is a sweet and funny story that explores all the highs and lows of learning to be yourself and shows that fitting in isn’t always the best fit.

Where Oliver Fits

Phillip M. Hoose

Hannah Hoose

Debbie Tilley

A song in which an ant pleads with the kid who is tempted to squish it.

Hey Little Ant

Sherri Duskey Rinker

Matt Myers

Sniff! Sniff-sniff!  

I smell a bone. A bone that’s BIG.  

I’ll get it out, I’ll dig and dig.  

A big, BIG bone! I know it’s there!  

It will take work, but I don’t care!  

Tiny may be a small dog, but don’t let that fool you. He’s a pooch with power who knows what he wants. And he’s going for it. But oh, those pesky pessimists – they’re trying to rain on Tiny’s dig-parade!  

Thank goodness for one special boy who believes in Tiny, because in the end, this dog’s grit proves that he’s the little pup who could… dig up some giant surprises!

Tiny and the Big Dig

Jess Engle

Katey Howes

consent

A lovebird who doesn’t like kisses? Rissy’s friends and family wonder if she’s sick, confused, or rude. But kisses make Rissy uncomfortable. Can one little lovebird show everyone that there’s no one right way to show you care?  Rissy No Kissies carries the message that your body and your heart are yours, and you choose how to share. A note at the end provides further information for kids, parents, and educators about body autonomy, consent, and different ways to show affection.

Rissy No Kissies

Emily Gravett

From author-illustrator Emily Gravett comes a warm and funny picture book about friendship and loving someone different from yourself. Cyril is a squirrel. Pat is a rat. They have a lot of adventures and fun together. But no one else thinks they should be friends. In Emily Gravett’s brilliantly funny story, two friends learn that some things are more important than being the same, or following others.

Cyril and Pat

Deborah Underwood

T. L. McBeth

The clothes don’t make the bunny in this new picture book from New York Times-bestselling author Deborah Underwood, illustrated by T. L. McBeth. When Ogilvy moves to a new town, the possibilities feel endless. There are so many new bunny friends and fun things to do together! But in this town, bunnies in dresses play ball and knit socks, and bunnies in sweaters make art and climb rocks. Ogilvy wants to do everything—and won’t let a sweater or a dress get in the way.

Ogilvy

Bethanie Deeney Murguia

From the author-illustrator of Do You Believe in Unicorns? comes a sweet, colorful celebration of how we choose the things we love best.

Have you ever thought about how your favorite things became your favorites in the first place? Sometimes picking a favorite can be easy: you know from the moment you see it. And sometimes, selecting one can take a little longer as you consider all the options. The choice is yours: you can have many favorites or none at all. You might even find that your favorite changes. From colors to animals to the perfect hat, there are so many things to love . . . and even help you learn a little about yourself in the process. Playful and thought-provoking, this cheerful rhyming story encourages young readers to reflect on how they make decisions and pick their own favorite — or two.

The Favorite Book

Jill Esbaum

Joshua Heinsz

There’s only one thing Dylan wants: frog boots! But what happens when this little boy discovers they’re meant for . . . girls?

School shopping is no fun for Dylan—until he spots a pair of boots decorated with poison-dart frogs. They’re so cool that he even wears them to bed, where he discovers they glow in the dark! He can’t wait to wear them to class. But before he can show them off in circle time, a kid exclaims: “Ms. Kory, that boy’s wearing girl boots.” And, suddenly, when everyone’s laughing at him, the boots don’t seem so wonderful anymore. Will he ever want to wear them again? A timely story about embracing what you love, staying true to yourself, and defying stereotypes.

Frog Boots

Maribeth Boelts

Noah Z. Jones

Jeremy, who longs to have the black high tops that everyone at school seems to have but his grandmother cannot afford, is excited when he sees them for sale in a thrift shop and decides to buy them even though they are the wrong size.

Those Shoes

Sam Wedelich

Who are you calling little?  

Chicken Little is NOT afraid of anything. Well, okay, maybe a mysterious BONK to the head can produce panic. But only momentarily. It’s not as though she meant to send the barnyard into a tailspin, thinking that the sky was falling. How ridiculous! But can she calm her feathered friends with facts and reason?

A timeless favorite becomes a clever cautionary tale in this FUNNY, fresh, and timely picture book debut by cartoonist, Sam Wedelich!

Chicken Little: The Real and Totally True Tale

Stan Berenstain

Jan Berenstain

When Brother and Sister try out for soccer teams, Papa is at first disappointed that they do not want to play baseball, but he changes his mind when he sees them practice.

The Berenstain Bears Get Their Kicks

Claudia Boldt

Harold is unlike any other fox. He hates eating chicken, for one thing. He much prefers reading detective novels. When Harold’s father challenges him to catch a chicken as part of his initiation into adulthood, Harold is faced with a dilemma–should he obey his father and endanger the chicken’s life, or do what his heart tells him is right? The latest title from award-winning illustrator Claudia Boldt, Outfoxed introduces a smart, independent-minded character in Harold the fox and is sure to become a bedtime favorite.

Outfoxed

Oliver Jeffers

The Hueys are small and mischievous, unique compared to the world’s other creatures–but hardly unique to one another. You see, each Huey looks the same, thinks the same, and does the same exact things. So you can imagine the chaos when one of them has the idea of knitting a sweater! It seems like a good idea at the time–he is quite proud of it, in fact–but it does make him different from the others. So the rest of the Hueys, in turn, decide that they want to be different too! How? By knitting the exact same sweater, of course!

The first in a series of child-friendly concept books by the #1 bestselling artist of The Day the Crayons Quit, How to Catch a Star, Stuck, and This Moose Belongs to Me, The New Sweater proves that standing apart can be accomplished even when standing together.

The Hueys in The New Sweater

Robert Kraus

Jose Aruego

Leo isn’t reading, or writing, or drawing, or even speaking, and his father is concerned. But Leo’s mother isn’t. She knows her son will do all those things, and more, when he’s ready. ‘Reassuring for other late bloomers, this book is illustrated with beguiling pictures.’ – Saturday Review.

Leo the Late Bloomer

Elise Gravel

shopping

needs vs wants

Bob’s tricycle is broken and he needs a wrench to fix it. He ventures out to buy one at the Megamart, where slick salesman, Mr. Mart, convinces Bob that it’s not a wrench he needs, but a fridge hat…singing pajamas…a screaming machine! Bob spends all his money on things that he really doesn’t need and before he knows it has no money and no wrench.  
Lively illustrations and quirky hand-lettering make The Wrench a delight to read while also conveying an important message about consumerism and excess.

The Wrench

Brenna Maloney

sisters

From the creator of Ready Rabbit Gets Ready! comes a hilarious photo-story of sisterhood and one-upmanship.

Philomena needs new glasses. Her sister Audrey wants them, too. And if Philomena and Audrey have them, shouldn’t their sister Nora Jane also have them?

In this utterly amusing tale of sisterhood, glasses, purses, and dresses, these girls soon make an important discovery. Not everyone needs the same things!

Philomena's New Glasses

Julie Colombet

In a society of lemmings, can a bear ever belong?

The Society of Distinguished Lemmings aims to be distinguished in abosultely everything. It takes an awful lot of rules to be so distinguished, including: no rolling around, no climbing about, and certainly no splashing in the mud! But Bertie has had quite enough of the society and all its rules. After venturing outside, Bertie discovers a bear, who is very unlike a lemming. With the bear’s help, Bertie learns that prancing about in the wild is quite a lot of fun! But when the other lemmings find out about the bear, they decide everything about him will have to change if he’s ever to fit in. Will the Society ever accept Bertie’s new friend, or is the bear simply too big and clumsy of a creature to be distinguished?

This hilarious tale features valuable themes of finding new friends, challenging peers, and questioning the rules. Readers will return to the story again and again to discover the quirks of every distinguished lemming while also learning about the importance of staying true to yourself amidst pressure to conform.

The Society of Distinguished Lemmings

Kristen Remenar

Matt Faulkner

After Groundhog announces six more weeks of winter, half his animal friends are disappointed, while the other half are excited. Each animal asks Groundhog to make his prediction in their favor the following year. Rather than being truthful about the fact that he just “calls it like he sees it,” he leads them to believe he can control the weather, accepting their gifts of food and favor. On the next Groundhog Day, he finally admits he made promises he couldn’t keep because he was trying to please everyone and makes amends.

Matt Faulkner’s rich illustrations are packed with hilarious details that will delight readers of all ages. No matter what weather the Groundhog predicts, curling up with this fun book is a great way to spend the winter.

Groundhog's Dilemma

Tomie dePaola

This beautiful edition of Tomie dePaola’s progressive 1979 classic stars a special little boy who won’t give up on the dreams that make him unique. Oliver Button is a sissy. At least that’s what the other boys call him. But here’s what Oliver Button really is: a reader, and an artist, and a singer, and a dancer, and more. What will his classmates say when he steps into the spotlight?

Oliver Button Is a Sissy

Patricia Polacco

Patricia Polacco takes on cliques and online bullying 

Lyla finds a great friend in Jamie on her first day of school, but when Lyla makes the cheerleading squad and a clique of popular girls invites her to join them, Jamie is left behind. Lyla knows bullying when she sees it, though, and when she sees the girls viciously teasing classmates on Facebook, including Jamie, she is smart enough to get out. But no one dumps these girls, and now they’re out for revenge. 

Patricia Polacco has taken up the cause against bullies ever since Thank You, Mr. Falker, and her passion shines through in this powerful story of a girl who stands up for a friend.

Bully

Jody Jensen Shaffer

Stephanie Laberis

peer pressure

self-esteem

Prudence looks like a full-time cow―she wanders through pastures, she swats flies, and she lines up for supper. But Prudence is a part-time cow―she is also a scientist, an architect, and an inventor, studying and building and dreaming and creating. To the other cows in the herd, Prudence is a bit too part-time. She’s just too different to be part of the herd. At first Prudence tries to fit in, suppressing all her scientific smarts and imaginative inventing. But in a moment of inspiration―Cow Power!―Prudence realizes how to show the others that she can be a part-time cow and a full-time member of the herd. Funny and sweet, this is a story for anyone who’s ever felt a bit different.

Prudence the Part-Time Cow

Jake Burt

Even though he suffers from social anxiety, twelve-year-old Addison agrees to help his best friend achieve social media fame while at a nationally-televised NBA game.

The Right Hook of Devin Velma

Helaine Becker

Orbie

One day, a sloth accidentally gets delivered to the Zoom! She was supposed to be dropped off at the Zzzzzoo, a much more laid-back, slow-paced place. She had been looking forward to long, languorous naps while the sun gently warmed her belly. But at the Zoom, the zebras gallop so fast they leave their stripes in puddles. The monkeys climb so fast they forget to stop at the treetops. And the parrots fly so fast their tails draw rainbows across the sky. 

When the sloth tries to make friends, nobody has any time—until the sloth meets a creature who’s a little more her speed, and everyone stops to notice. This is a surprising, delightful, and funny picture book about slowing down to enjoy the little things and making time for what matters.

Sloth at the Zoom

Terri Libenson

Another spot-on story of middle school drama and friendship from Terri Libenson, national bestselling author of Invisible Emmie and Positively Izzy.

Friends. Frenemies. Middle school…

The last day of seventh grade has Jaime and Maya wondering who their real friends are.

Jaime knows something is off with her friend group. They’ve started to exclude her and make fun of the way she dresses and the things she likes. At least she can count on her BFF, Maya, to have her back . . . right?

Maya feels more and more annoyed with Jaime, who seems babyish compared to the other girls in their popular group. It’s like she has nothing in common with Jai anymore. Are their days as BFFs numbered . . . ?

Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Jennifer L. Holm.

Just Jaime

Kindness is the single most powerful thing that we can teach our children.  Follow Maddy through her day at school, where your child will learn how easy it can be to spread kindness!   From taking turns on the swing to including everyone in the game - this storybook shows that no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.  A lightbulb lesson of kindness is found on each page!  Included in the book is a Weekly Kindness Challenge to help encourage your child to: Say Sorry, Be Polite, Take Turns, Be a Helping Hand, Include Others, and Show Respect.  If you value raising kind kids that make the world a better place, then this book is for you!  The Kindness Starts with You Series is intentionally written for children aged one through five.

Kindness Starts With You - At School

Sonny Ross

A career-minded duck conveys an important message about finding your own way in this funny, quirky story. Duck wants a job. All his friends have jobs in the city, and they never stop talking about them. Duck doesn’t think a job in the city sounds very exciting, but he decides to try it – and it’s not long before he discovers that it is not for him! He knows he needs to follow his heart and pursue his dream of being an artist. And when he does, he realizes he’s found a job that he truly loves.

Duck Gets a Job

Melissa Walker

Lucy Truman

Mattie Markham is sweet and winning, very real, and a sixth-grade heroine. Add this book to your treasure shelf.” (Natalie Standiford, author of The Secret Tree)

“A heartwarming and completely charming story about moving on, growing up, and being yourself.” (Sarah Mlynowski, New York Times bestselling author of the Whatever After series)

“A gentle look at the challenges of both fitting in to a new situation and having a friend with special needs.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)

“An accessible chapter book with a clear but gently delivered
message.” (Booklist)

“I love how this book gets the fragile ecosystem that is middle school. There’s a purity to the voice that feels very real, very Judy Blume. Loved it!” (R.J. Palacio, author of Wonder)

Let's Pretend We Never Met

Jerry Spinelli

This Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year tells a story about the perils of popularity, the courage of nonconformity, and the thrill of first love, an eccentric student named Stargirl changes Mica High School forever.

Stargirl

Elena Delle Donne

From 2015 WNBA MVP, 2016 Olympic gold medalist, and global ambassador to the Special Olympics Elena Delle Donne comes the first novel in a brand-new middle grade series with as much heart as there is game.

Elle Deluca is a seventh grader who is tall—not just sort of tall. She’s six feet tall. And for a twelve-year-old girl, this means that her basketball team has high hopes for her changing positions and becoming their starting center. But a new position is not the only footwork she has to learn. Her class’s dance unit in gym is coming up, and that means she has to learn ballroom dance steps with a boy much shorter than her—and perform publically for a grade.

In the first book in WNBA MVP and Olympic gold medalist Elena Delle Donne’s Hoops series, Elle must figure out a way to remain herself when others want her to be someone else.

Elle of the Ball

From the creator of Wolves, Dogs, Tidy, and the Bear and Hare series and twice-winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal, Emily Gravett comes a fresh, funny, and punchy picture book about the futility of fads and the joy of learning to be yourself. Harbet had a hat. His Nana had knitted it for him when he was little.  Harbet likes his comfy knitted hat, but the others keep jeering at him–OLD HAT! OLD HAT! No matter what headwear he buys–be it a towering fruit platter hat, an old-boot-on-the-head hat, or a brightly lit traffic cone hat, Harbet cannot keep up with the latest fashions. As soon as he gets a brand new hat it is already…OLD HAT! It seems that Harbet will never fit in. But when one day he decides to go his own way, Harbet discovers just how much more fun it is to stop following others and think for yourself.

Old Hat

Newbery Honor Book * ALA Notable Children’s Book Deeply felt. Presents a moral question with great care and sensitivity. –The New York TimesA spellbinding story about rites of passage. –Publishers Weekly (starred review)A realistic story with the intensity of a fable. –The Horn Book (starred review)Thought-provoking. –School Library Journal (starred review)In Palmer LaRue’s hometown of Waymer, turning ten is the biggest event of a boy’s life. But for Palmer, his tenth birthday is not something to look forward to but something to dread.Then one day, a visitor appears on his windowsill, and Palmer knows that this, more than anything else, is a sign that his time is up. Somehow, he must learn how to stop being afraid and stand up for what he believes in.Wringer is an unforgettable tour de force from Newbery Medal winner Jerry Spinelli.

Wringer

Sue Hendra

Paul Linnet

Nick East

Fans of Room on the Broom and How to Catch a Monster will love this creepy-cute tale about one pumpkin who must learn to embrace his differences when he realizes he’s unlike the other pumpkins. This oversized board book is perfect for Halloween!  Christopher Pumpkin is not like all the other evil pumpkin spawn of the wicked old witch. Christopher prefers cupcakes and hugs to cobwebs and slugs, unlike the rest of the pumpkin brood.  But when the creepy clan starts planning the SCARIEST Halloween party ever, Christopher’s cheerful ideas for décor and treats cause a bit of a stir. Can he find a way to scare everyone and stay true to himself?

Christopher Pumpkin

Gillian McDunn

bullying

friendship

bees

From the author of Caterpillar Summer comes the story of a young girl navigating her friendship with the middle school Queen Bee.

Meg has been best friends with Beatrix forever. Everyone at school wants to be like confident, decisive Beatrix, and Meg has always felt the same. But this year, Meg wants to take a science course instead of dance class. She’d rather do what makes her happy—not what Beatrix wants.

When a quirky girl named Hazel moves to town, Meg is partnered with her on a science project about bees. Meg learns a lot about being Queen Bee—in a hive and in middle school. As Beatrix is less than welcoming to Hazel, Meg feels her loyalty fraying. Choosing Hazel could mean ending her oldest friendship; a choice more difficult than Meg ever expected.

By turns heartbreaking and empowering, The Queen Bee and Me explores the challenging dynamics of middle-school friendship in a way readers of any age will appreciate.

The Queen Bee and Me

Harriet Muncaster

Fans of Vampirina and the Princess in Black series will love Isadora Moon: half-fairy, half-vampire, totally unique–and totally in BIG trouble! Isadora wants to take Pink Rabbit to class for Bring Your Pet to School Day. But her older cousin Mirabelle has a much better plan–why not take a dragon? What could possibly go wrong. . . ? Sink your fangs into all of Isadora’s adventures! Isadora Moon Goes to SchoolIsadora Moon Goes CampingIsadora Moon Goes to the BalletIsadora Moon Has a BirthdayIsadora Moon Goes on a Field TripIsadora Moon Saves the CarnivalIsadora Moon Has a Sleepover

Isadora Moon Gets in Trouble

Last year Suds was a Third Grade Angel, but now… it’s time to be a Fourth Grade Rat!Fourth graders are tough. They aren’t afraid of spiders. They say no to their moms. They push first graders off the swings. And they never, ever cry.Suds knows that now he’s in fourth grade, he’s supposed to be a rat. But whenever he tries to act like one, something goes wrong. Can Suds’s friend Joey teach him to toughen up… or will Suds remain a fourth grade wimp? Now with brand-new illustrations, this sequel to Jerry Spinelli’s THIRD GRADE ANGELS is a classic story of fitting in (or not) and friendship.

Fourth Grade Rats

K-Fai Steele

Pip is a normal pig who does normal stuff: cooking, painting, and dreaming of what she’ll be when she grows up. But one day a new pig comes to school and starts pointing out all the ways in which Pip is different. Suddenly she doesn’t like any of the same things she used to . . . the things that made her Pip. This charming picture book celebrates all our differences while questioning the idea that there is only one way to be “normal.”

A Normal Pig

Beverly Cleary

Jacqueline Rogers

Newbery Medal–winning author Beverly Cleary’s final book in the Ramona series has all of the warmth, realism, and humor of its predecessors.

Ramona Quimby can’t wait to start fourth grade. With a new baby sister to brag about, new calluses to show off, and a new best friend to get to know, everything’s going to be great!

Or is it? When Ramona’s spelling is atrocious, her teacher, Mrs. Meacham, is firm about her needing to improve. Then a scary incident at a friend’s house leaves Ramona feeling at fault. Who knew growing up could be filled with such complicated situations?

Ramona's World

“Pippa is a magnetic heroine, funny and good-hearted.”–Booklist Readers will cheer on Pippa Park in this wonderful middle school book about friendships, bullying, crushes, and family. In this relatable story, Pippa reinvents herself and discovers who she really is on and off the basketball court. Life is full of great expectations for Korean American Pippa Park. It seems like everyone, from her family to the other kids at school, has a plan for how her life should look. When Pippa gets a mysterious basketball scholarship to Lakeview Private, she jumps at the chance to reinvent herself. At school, Pippa juggles old and new friends, a crush, and the pressure to get As and score points while keeping her past and family’s laundromat a secret from her elite new classmates. But when Pippa begins to receive a string of hateful, anonymous messages via social media, her carefully built persona is threatened. As things spiral out of control, Pippa wonders if she can keep her old and new lives separate, or if she should even try. GREAT FOR DISTANCE LEARNING! A Contemporary Reimagining of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens Now an AR Quiz! Bonus Content in the Book includes:   Discussion Questions, Author Q&amp;amp;amp;A, and Korean Language Glossary with Pronunciation Guide Download complimentary Tween Book Club printable online activities at pippapark.com:  word games, make-your-own-book playlist, discussion questions, and the Common Core Language Arts Guide for educators!

Pippa Park Raises Her Game

Alicia D. Williams

This deeply sensitive and powerful debut novel tells the story of a thirteen-year-old who must overcome internalized racism and a verbally abusive family to finally learn to love herself.

There are ninety-six things Genesis hates about herself. She knows the exact number because she keeps a list. Like #95: Because her skin is so dark, people call her charcoal and eggplant—even her own family. And #61: Because her family is always being put out of their house, belongings laid out on the sidewalk for the world to see. When your dad is a gambling addict and loses the rent money every month, eviction is a regular occurrence.

What’s not so regular is that this time they all don’t have a place to crash, so Genesis and her mom have to stay with her grandma. It’s not that Genesis doesn’t like her grandma, but she and Mom always fight—Grandma haranguing Mom to leave Dad, that she should have gone back to school, that if she’d married a lighter skinned man none of this would be happening, and on and on and on. But things aren’t all bad. Genesis actually likes her new school; she’s made a couple friends, her choir teacher says she has real talent, and she even encourages Genesis to join the talent show.

But how can Genesis believe anything her teacher says when her dad tells her the exact opposite? How can she stand up in front of all those people with her dark, dark skin knowing even her own family thinks lesser of her because of it? Why, why, why won’t the lemon or yogurt or fancy creams lighten her skin like they’re supposed to? And when Genesis reaches #100 on the list of things she hates about herself, will she continue on, or can she find the strength to begin again?

Genesis Begins Again

Ben Mezrich

Tonya Mezrich

Charlie is recruited to use his mathematical prowess to discover what happened to a box of stolen moon rocks in this follow up to Bringing Down the Mouse. The Kid: Charlie Lewis, a.k.a. Numbers. The smartest kids in sixth grade. Charlie sees the world as a series of math problems—ones that can be solved, if you know the right equations. The Team: The Whiz Kids. Charlie’s best friends are joining him undercover to recover missing moon rocks, which have disappeared from NASA’s vaults. The Target: Aerospace Infinity, the company owned by former astronaut Buzz Caldwell and hosting organization of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum’s paper airplane contest. Working together, the Whiz Kids must master the principles of aerodynamics, wind science, and gravity to win the contest to get closer to their target. The Catch: Nothing is ever as it seems, and Charlie suspects the mission is being led by someone who isn’t what she claims to be. And messing with the government could jeopardize their futures…

Charlie Numbers and the Man in the Moon

Ed Vere

In this timely and charming story about the importance of being true to yourself, mindfulness, and standing by your friends, we meet Leonard, a lion, and his best friend Marianne, a… duck. Leonard and Marianne have a happy life together—talking, playing, writing poems, and making wishes—until one day a pack of bullies questions whether it’s right for a lion and a duck to be pals. Leonard soon learns there are many ways to be a lion, and many ways to be a friend, and that sometimes finding just the right words can change the world…

This sweet, funny, thoughtful, and much-needed story will open up readers’ eyes to the importance of being who they are and not backing down to hurtful criticism. It’s an empowering tale about connecting with others and choosing kindness over bullying, and shows children how angry and provocative words can be overcome by empathy and courage.

How to Be a Lion

Rolf, a small, gentle wolf, lives with Mrs. Boggins, who tells him he is a good little wolf. But when he meets up with a large, ferocious wolf, he is told that he isn’t a real wolf. Wolves aren’t little and good–they are big and bad. To prove he is a real wolf, the old wolf tells Rolf he must perform certain tasks, such as blowing down a little pig’s house. Rolf is a total failure . . . until the big bad wolf urges him to do something unspeakable to old Mrs. Boggins. Then the good little wolf proves that he can stand up to the big bad bully. Or so it seems. More mature readers may find a different ending that could lead to a great discussion! Using familiar storybook characters and an endearing new hero, Nadia Shireen makes her debut in this winning picture book.

Top 10 Peer Pressure Books

Peer Pressure