BEAR’S BOOK, by Claire Freedman, Illustrated by Alison Friend, Templar Books

  When Bear's favorite book of stories falls apart, he is determined to write one of his own. He ventures into the forest for inspiration, but writing is harder than he thinks, and he soon discovers that he needs help from his friends. See how Bear transforms their day into a wonderful adventure in this … Continue reading BEAR’S BOOK, by Claire Freedman, Illustrated by Alison Friend, Templar Books

HOLY SQUAWKAMOLE! LITTLE RED HEN MAKES GUACAMOLE, Retold by Susan Wood, Illustrated by Laura Gonzalez, Sterling Children’s Books

This tasty take on the classic Little Red Hen story has a deliciously spicy twist! Yum, guacamole! That’s what Little Red Hen craves, and she could use some help gathering and mashing the ingredients. So she asks her friends, including an armadillo, snake, and an iguana, to lend a hand. Everyone just says “no.” But … Continue reading HOLY SQUAWKAMOLE! LITTLE RED HEN MAKES GUACAMOLE, Retold by Susan Wood, Illustrated by Laura Gonzalez, Sterling Children’s Books

A GIRL NAMED LOVELY, by Catherine Porter, Simon & Schuster

An insightful and uplifting memoir about a young Haitian girl in post-earthquake Haiti, and the profound, life-changing effect she had on one journalist’s life. In January 2010, a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, killing hundreds of thousands of people and paralyzing the country. Catherine Porter, a newly minted international reporter, was on the ground in the … Continue reading A GIRL NAMED LOVELY, by Catherine Porter, Simon & Schuster

THE DOLLAR KIDS, By Jennifer Richard Jacobson, Illustrated by Ryan Andrews, Candlewick Press

When a family buys a house in a struggling town for just one dollar, they’re hoping to start over — but have they traded one set of problems for another? Twelve-year-old Lowen Grover, a budding comic-book artist, is still reeling from the shooting death of his friend Abe when he stumbles across an article about … Continue reading THE DOLLAR KIDS, By Jennifer Richard Jacobson, Illustrated by Ryan Andrews, Candlewick Press