Special Collections
Summer Fun for Emerging Readers
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J.D. and the Hair Show Showdown
by J. DillardEight-year-old kid barber J.D. takes his talent to an Atlanta hair show in this illustrated chapter-book series.At only eight years old, J.D. the Kid Barber has already won a barber battle and appeared on local TV. Now he&’s the youngest barber to be invited to the Beauty Brothers Hair Expo in Atlanta! J.D. gets the VIP treatment—he takes his first flight, rides in a limo for the first time, and gets gifts from the show&’s sponsors. At the show, there are hair classes to take, product samples to try, and some of J.D.&’s favorite hair influencers to meet. And, of course, there&’s his own demo alongside kid hairstylist, Isabel Is Incredible. But what J.D. is most excited about is snapping a pic with eleven-year-old rap sensation Li&’l Eazy Breezy, which is harder than it sounds! The world of hair and beauty is so much bigger than J.D. could&’ve imagined, and he&’s ready to step up his game. Check out the other chapter books in the J.D. the Kid Barber series:J.D. and the Great Barber Battle J.D. and the Family Business
Marley and the Family Band
by Tracey Baptiste and Cedella MarleyA picture book that celebrates music, love, and family from author Cedella Marley. A poetic story about a young girl who moves to a new country and learns to make friends—inspired by a childhood growing up with the musician Bob Marley as a father.When Marley and her family move from Jamaica to Delaware, she knows life is about to change in big ways. And she's got the perfect plan to help her and her siblings make friends: an outdoor concert for the whole neighborhood!But when weather ruins their plans, she discovers help in the most unlikely places as her new neighbors quickly become the kindest of friends.In this joyful, vibrant picture book inspired by her childhood and iconic father, Cedella Marley assures children that nothing can stop the music as long as they have community.
Dragons in a Bag
by Zetta Elliott and Geneva BThe dragon's out of the bag in this diverse, young urban fantasy from an award-winning author!
When Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma, he finds out she's not his grandmother--but she is a witch! She needs his help delivering baby dragons to a magical world where they'll be safe.
There are two rules when it comes to the dragons: don't let them out of the bag, and don't feed them anything sweet.
Before he knows it, Jax and his friends Vikram and Kavita have broken both rules! Will Jax get the baby dragons delivered safe and sound? Or will they be lost in Brooklyn forever?
The Kids of Cattywampus Street
by Lisa Jahn-Clough&“An extraordinary book.&” --Lemony Snicket, author of A Series of Unfortunate Events Lovers of Roald Dahl and Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside School will be captivated by the adventures of this very special group of friends who live on the same street.In this delightful chapter book filled with black-and-white pictures, you'll meet Jamal, Lindalee, Hans, Matteo, and others--the kids who live on Cattywampus Street, not far from the Waddlebee Toy Store. Each of the eleven chapters in this magical, mysterious, silly, scary, happy, and sometimes sad chapter book tells an utterly unforgettable tale about one of the kids. Whether it's about Jamal and his magic ball, which knows how to find him after its been stolen away; or Charlotta, who shrinks so small that she can fit inside her dollhouse; or Rodney, whose pet rock becomes the envy of all the kids on Cattywampus Street, here are stories sure to charm, captivate, and engage all readers of chapter books, even the most reluctant.
The Underdogs Catch a Cat Burglar
by Kate Temple and Jol Temple&“The Underdogs will have young readers HOWLING with laughter, SNIFFING for clues, and BARKING with delight.&” —Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood, creators of the Real Pigeons series Perfect for fans of comical animal do-gooders like The Bad Guys, The InvestiGators, and The Chicken Squad, this hilarious chapter book series follows a group of bumbling dog detectives and their newest recruit—a cat! In this first case, the Underdogs are hot on the tail of a cat burglar.Crime is on the rise in Dogtown, and it&’s all thanks to a mysterious cat burglar! They&’ve stolen everything from handbags to ham sandwiches, and nobody has been able to catch them. Now The Underdog Detective Agency is on the case . . . but as their name might suggest, they aren&’t exactly the best sleuths in town. Barkley and the other dogs at the agency have been in a bit of a slump, but this latest case could turn it all around. So to catch this menacing cat burglar, they may have to do the unthinkable and hire their first-ever cat detective. Enter Fang, a street-smart, one-eyed feline and the newest member of the team. Being a cat in a dog&’s world isn&’t easy, but Fang is determined to prove she&’s got what it takes. Will Fang and Barkley be able to work together to solve the case and help make Underdogs the top dogs once again? You&’ll have to read to find out in this paws-itively hilarious mystery!
Words Are Magic!
by Zaila Avant-gardeScripps National Spelling Bee champ Zaila Avant-garde shares her love of words with new readers in this level 1 Step Into Reading book.Words are magic! Have you heard? Pick a letter. Make a word! New readers will find joyful encouragement in this level 1 easy reader that sings out about the magic of words. Encouraging kids to mix words, match words, shout and rap words, Scripps National Spelling champ Zaila Avante-garde takes readers along on a noisy and boisterous celebration of letters, sounds, and reading. It's the perfect first step for new readers, full of fun and energy, from one of America's most exciting and unique young voices. Step 1 Readers feature big type and easy words for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.Also available by Zaila Avant-garde:Words of Wonder from Z to AIt's Not Bragging If It's True
The Lemonade War
by Jacqueline DaviesFor a full hour, he poured lemonade. The world is a thirsty place, he thought as he nearly emptied his fourth pitcher of the day. And I am the Lemonade King. Fourth grader Evan Treski is people-smart. He's good at talking with people, even grownups. His younger sister, Jessie, on the other hand, is math-smart, but not especially good with people. So when the siblings' lemonade-stand war begins, there really is no telling who will win--or even if their fight will ever end. Brimming with savvy marketing tips for making money at any business, definitions of business terms, charts, diagrams, and even math problems, this fresh, funny, emotionally charged novel subtly explores how arguments can escalate beyond anyone's intent. This book features a teaser chapter from book two of the Lemonade War series, The Lemonade Crime.
Dear Professor Whale
by Megumi IwasaNow that Professor Whale has retired, he writes many letters to "You, Whoever You Are, Who Lives on the Other Side of the Horizon". Seal and Pelican are busy delivering the letters and Penguin is now teaching. Although he is happy his friends are doing so well, Whale wants a special friend, who might call him by a friendly sort of name. Like Whaley, maybe, instead of "Professor."
In this charming follow-up to the international bestseller Yours Sincerely, Giraffe, another correspondence flourishes across the horizons. The letters bring penguins, whales, and seals together in the famous Whale Point Olympics, where the winners are friendship and humor.
I Spy . . . a Shark!
by Cora ReefSimon Seahorse meets a shark in this second book of The Not-So-Tiny Tales of Simon Seahorse chapter book series—and it turns out sharks make for great stories…and great friends!
Simon and Olive love playing “I Spy” in Coral Jungle because there are so many things to see! There are different types of coral, seagrass, and all sorts of fish. But one day they spy…a shark! They swim away as fast as they can, but the shark catches up to them and introduces herself. And it turns out Simon and Olive—and all of Coral Grove—have a lot to learn about sharks.
With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Not-So-Tiny Tales of Simon Seahorse chapter books are perfect for emerging readers.
The Night Before Summer Camp
by Natasha WingThe first day of summer camp is almost here, and one little camper doesn’t know what to expect. For a while everything is hunkydory . . . until rest time rolls around and he gets a bad case of nervous butterflies. But an unlikely friend appears out of the crowd and reassures him that the best cure for the summertime blues is tons of summertime fun! A sweetly reassuring story, once again told in verse to the meter of Clement Moore’s classic.
A Lullaby of Summer Things
by Natalie ZiarnikIn the spirit of such bedtime favorites as Emily Winfield Martin's Day Dreamers, here is a quintessential end-of-day by the beach lovingly captured and perfect for reading aloud. This simple, lyrical picture book is as warm, reassuring, and filled with joy as a vacation at the beach.
Readers will join a little girl and her siblings as they wind down from a perfect day—hanging up towels, eating dinner, and getting ready for bed—each activity sparking a memory of their day—playing catch with the dog, chasing waves, and looking at sailboats along the shore. And when the lights of the family beach house go off—"In the dusky evening light, a sleepy house says goodnight"—young listeners will be lulled to sleep themselves.
The Night Before Summer Vacation
by Natasha WingA little girl and her family are getting ready to go on vacation . . . or at least they are trying to. In the effort to pack everything that will be needed, there's bound to be something overlooked, and what that is provides a funny ending to this meter-perfect "twist" on Clement Moore's classic.
Yoshi, Sea Turtle Genius
by Lynne CoxIn this picture book that is both heartwarming and exciting, join Yoshi, a sea turtle, on her remarkable journey as she swims farther than any animal in recorded history—23,000 miles!—to return to the beach where she first hatched, to lay her own eggs.
Inside every loggerhead turtle is genius: the ability to find their first home, no matter how far away. Follow one, from her birth on a beach in Australia…to her trip across an ocean filled with sharks and seahorses and much more…to her rescue from a net by a fisherman, who names her Yoshi…to her rehabilitation at an aquarium…to her record-breaking swim across the Indian Ocean to the beach on which she hatched, to lay her eggs.
Written by Lynne Cox, also a record-breaking swimmer, here is the true story of a sea turtle who swam the longest distance of any animal in recorded history.
Becoming Charley
by Kelly DiPucchioA New York Times bestselling author and an award-winning illustrator team up for a striking, modern-day take on The Very Hungry Caterpillar that celebrates staying true to oneself.
Everyone is trying to teach Charley the right way to become a butterfly: Eat your milkweed! Think black! Think orange!But Charley's busy admiring the many beautiful things in the world. Like the swaying trees, and the tall mountains, and the turquoise sea. . . . Is there really a "right" way for Charley to become a butterfly?
Young readers will see themselves in Charley--a little caterpillar with an emerging identity--in this dazzling picture book that beautifully explores the nature of self-love.
The Deaf Musicians
by Pete Seeger and Paul Dubois JacobsLee is a piano man. Every night, he plays jazz for the crowd. It sounds something like this:
Plink-a-plink-BOMP-plink-plink.
Yimba-timba-TANG-ZANG-ZANG.
One night, Lee's bandmates notice something is off. Lee's music comes out like this:
Ronk. Phip. Tonk.
There's no way to hide it: Lee is losing his hearing. Then Lee discovers sign language. And soon after, he meets Max, who plays the sax. Together they form a new band-the Deaf Musicians. But who will listen to a deaf musician?
With The Deaf Musicians, Pete Seeger, Paul DuBois Jacobs, and three-time Coretta Scott King Honor winner R. Gregory Christie present an inspiring story of overcoming obstacles, set to a jazzy score.
OO-AH, BE-DOOP, BE-DOOP, OO-AH, YEAH!
Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award
Dreamers
by Yuyi MoralesIn 1994, Yuyi Morales left her home in Xalapa, Mexico and came to the US with her infant son. She left behind nearly everything she owned, but she didn't come empty-handed.
She brought her strength, her work, her passion, her hopes and dreams...and her stories. Caldecott Honor artist and five-time Pura Belpré winner Yuyi Morales's gorgeous new picture book Dreamers is about making a home in a new place. Yuyi and her son Kelly's passage was not easy, and Yuyi spoke no English whatsoever at the time. But together, they found an unexpected, unbelievable place: the public library. There, book by book, they untangled the language of this strange new land, and learned to make their home within it.
Dreamers is a celebration of what migrantes bring with them when they leave their homes. It's a story about family. And it's a story to remind us that we are all dreamers, bringing our own gifts wherever we roam. Beautiful and powerful at any time but given particular urgency as the status of our own Dreamers becomes uncertain, this is a story that is both topical and timeless.
The lyrical text is complemented by sumptuously detailed illustrations, rich in symbolism. Also included are a brief autobiographical essay about Yuyi's own experience, a list of books that inspired her (and still do), and a description of the beautiful images, textures, and mementos she used to create this book.
Fry Bread
by Kevin Noble MaillardTold in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal.
Fry bread is food. It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate.
Fry bread is time. It brings families together for meals and new memories.
Fry bread is nation. It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond.
Fry bread is us. It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference.
Julián Is a Mermaid
by Jessica LoveIn an exuberant picture book, a glimpse of costumed mermaids leaves one boy flooded with wonder and ready to dazzle the world.
While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he’s seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a periwinkle curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes — and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself? Mesmerizing and full of heart, Jessica Love’s author-illustrator debut is a jubilant picture of self-love and a radiant celebration of individuality.
Ada Twist, Scientist
by David Roberts and Andrea BeatyLike her classmates, builder Iggy and inventor Rosie, scientist Ada, a character of color, has a boundless imagination and has always been hopelessly curious. Why are there pointy things stuck to a rose? Why are there hairs growing inside your nose? When her house fills with a horrific, toe-curling smell, Ada knows it’s up to her to find the source. What would you do with a problem like this? Not afraid of failure, Ada embarks on a fact-finding mission and conducts scientific experiments, all in the name of discovery. But, this time, her experiments lead to even more stink and get her into trouble! Inspired by real-life makers such as Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, Ada Twist, Scientist champions girl power and women scientists, and brings welcome diversity to picture books about girls in science. Touching on themes of never giving up and problem solving, Ada comes to learn that her questions might not always lead to answers, but rather to more questions. She may never find the source of the stink, but with a supportive family and the space to figure it out, she’ll be able to feed her curiosity in the ways a young scientist should.
The Gruffalo
by Julia DonaldsonA mouse is taking a stroll through the deep, dark wood when along comes a hungry fox, then an owl, and then a snake. Mouse outwits them by talking about his friend, the gruffalo, a creature with terrible claws, and terrible tusks in its terrible jaws, and knobbly knees and turned-out toes, and a poisonous wart at the end of its nose. Of course, there's no such thing as a gruffalo... or is there?
The Bear Ate Your Sandwich
by Julia Sarcone-RoachBy now I think you know what happened to your sandwich. But you may not know how it happened. So let me tell you. It all started with the bear . . .
So begins Julia Sarcone-Roach’s delicious tale of a bear, lost in the city, who happens upon an unattended sandwich in the park. The bear’s journey from forest to city and back home again is full of happy accidents, funny encounters, and sensory delights. The story is so engrossing, it’s not until the very end that we begin to suspect this is a TALL tale.
The wonderfully told story, spectacular illustrations, and surprise ending make this Julia Sarcone-Roach’s best book to date. You’ll want to share it with your friends (and keep a close eye on your lunch).
Splat The Cat
by Rob ScottonSplat and his class go on a field trip to an ice cream factory in this delectable I Can Read book from New York Times bestselling author-artist Rob Scotton. Splat can barely sit still during the bus ride. He's imagining the mountain of ice cream he thinks he'll get to eat! But when Splat gets there, that mountain becomes more of an avalanche. It's up to Splat and his classmates to save the day! Beginning readers will practice the –eam sound in this easy-to-read addition to the Splat series. Splat the Cat: I Scream for Ice Cream is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it's perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.
Rot, the Cutest in the World
by Ben ClantonA mutant potato learns that he’s pear-fect just the way he is in this bright, fun, and silly picture book from the creator of It Came in the Mail that will have kids collapsing in giggles (and rescuing the contents of the vegetable drawer).
Rot is a mutant potato. Like most mutant potatoes, Rot loves all sorts of games and contests. So when he sees a sign for the “Cutest in the World Contest,” he can’t wait to enter.
But when Rot realizes who he’s up against—an itty-bitty baby bunny, a little-wittle cuddly kitten, and an eenie-weenie jolly jellyfish—he loses confidence. Will the judges find room in their hearts for an adorable mutant potato?
Start Saving, Henry!
by Nancy CarlsonHenry's finally old enough to get an allowance, and he can't wait to spend it every week on giant jawbreakers, a huge pencil, and other silly things. But when Henry finds something he really wants, he discovers that saving money can be more difficult- and more rewarding-than he ever imagined. With candy-bright artwork, a popular main character, and a story that every child will relate to, Nancy Carlson's new book makes perfect "cents" for young readers!
Ruby Bridges Goes To School
by Ruby BridgesThe extraordinary true story of Ruby Bridges, the first African-American child to integrate a New Orleans school--now with simple text for young readers!
In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges walked through an angry crowd and into a school where she changed history.
This is the true story of an extraordinary little girl who helped shape our country when she became the first African-American to attend an all-white school in New Orleans. With simple text and historical photographs, this easy reader explores an amazing moment in history and the courage of a young girl who stayed strong in the face of racism.
Lexile Measure: 470L