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Even though Magnolia assures her teacher that her large, green alligator won’t be any trouble, together girl and reptile prove the opposite. Messy, mischievous Magnolia not only gets her name on the board but three checks beside it and a trip to the principal in this rollicking tale.

The narrator is convinced she’ll never get a star next to her name. She’s not particularly good at anything — that is, until her teacher, Mrs. Benson, discovers Rose’s real talent is art. Almost childlike illustrations are the ideal complement to Rose’s voice in this encouraging tale.

Step by step instructions on how the read — and enjoy — a book are presented in lively illustrations and an encouraging narrative. A messy-coifed boy and his dog show the process all the way to THE END, and “if it was a really good story … start all over again.”

A straightforward, illustrated narration tells the story of the brave Pakistani girl who fought for girls’ rights to an education. Malala’s efforts advocating for the right to learn is presented in this accessible, readable, and brief book.

Oliver calms his nervous dad on the first day of school in this humorous turn-around tale. Children will see themselves — and perhaps a parent — in this lighthearted saga sure to cause chuckles beyond the start of school.

Fashion conscious Birdie has heard lots of negative things about school and so is quite nervous about her first day. But while she still misses her mom and Monster, her dog, she is thrilled to find that school is actually quite wonderful.

Ally, a great dinosaur aficionado, has first day jitters — but then so do the other imaginative kids in kindergarten. They come together and learn they actually have a great deal in common, including ways to create new adventures.

Orphaned at birth, Lanesha has second sight, giving her the ability to see her mother’s ghost. She also senses an impending storm which will devastate New Orleans and that her grandmother won’t survive. How Lanesha stays alive and the people she meets and helps along the way — plus a bit of magic realism — create a compelling read. See the two other two books in the Louisiana Girls Trilogy, Bayou Magic (opens in a new window) and Sugar (opens in a new window).

Cornelius Washington was proud of his hometown, New Orleans. His job as a sanitation worker was important before Hurricane Katrina devastated the city but became even more important after when Cornelius worked with others to help restore it. Textured illustrations and a hope-filled narrative combine fact with fiction for a moving look at a catastrophic event.

When Mary Ellen gets bored with her reading, Grandpa knows a hunt for a bee tree is just what she needs. Half the town joins the exciting chase, but it’s not until everyone returns home that Mary Ellen makes a discovery of her own: Sometimes, even the sweetest of things must be worked for.

Based on survey responses from over 900 adult readers and classroom feedback, Reading in the Wild offers solid advice and strategies on how to develop, encourage and assess key lifelong reading habits, including dedicating time for reading, planning for future reading, and defining oneself as a reader. Includes advice for supporting the love of reading by explicitly teaching lifelong reading habits. Contains accessible strategies, ideas, tips, lesson plans and management tools along with lists of recommended books. 

Miller takes us inside her sixth grade classroom to reveal the secrets of her powerful but unusual instructional approach. Rejecting book reports, comprehension worksheets, and other aspects of conventional instruction, Miller embraces giving students an individual choice in what they read, combined with a program for independent reading. She also focuses on building a classroom library of high-interest books, and above all on modeling appropriate and authentic reading behaviors. 

A rhyming description of a host of animals combines with crisp, colorful, and detailed illustrations encouraging readers to find matching pairs. Careful examination is needed to discern the differences in identically shaped but uniquely colored critters in this attractive game book.

In this Magic Tree House story, Jack and Annie’s vacation in the glorious waters off Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula doesn’t turn out quite like they expect. An encounter with sharks and with a Mayan girl plus a bit of magic create another satisfying, fantastical adventure in the series. A companion book, Sharks and other Predators (opens in a new window) helps readers separate fact from fiction.

No one is more surprised than 11-year old Martin when the Tyrannosaurus Rex hatches from what Martin thought was a fossilized egg. Feeding the growing dino and keeping him hidden becomes a major challenge. How Martin saves Rufus from a life in the circus with the help of an astute science teacher and his best friend, Audrey, make for a fast-paced, often humorous, and very satisfying adventure. For a gentler dino-come-alive novel, try Oliver Butterworth’s Enormous Egg (opens in a new window).

Stout Sam and his deckhand Pip live comfortably on their island enjoying whatever the sea washes to their shore. When they find a pig in a barrel on the beach, they name her Julie. Sam and Pip soon discover she has a special talent learned from pirates who want their treasure-locating pig back. This madcap adventure punctuated by full-color illustration is sure to make young readers laugh out loud.

The small bunny has 10 rules about being the best ninja there is. That is until he comes across a large bear that makes him appreciate the most important rule of all: all ninjas need friends! The ninja bunny and his buddies all look alike with the exception of the ninja’s outfit, adding to the humor conveyed in the illustrations and understated text.

Children come together to explore unknown territory depicted in delicate, highly detailed line illustrations that flow from page to page. Sharp angles in limited colors are used to focus the eye and require close examination to tell the story that is likely to change with each reader.

As it changes its appearance throughout the seasons, this plant also provides food for different birds and animals. But many people see poison ivy as a nuisance only for the itchy, sometimes dangerous reaction to it when they come in close contact with it. This attractive and informative introduction to poison ivy is handsomely illustrated with a brief but engaging text.

Silly verse about a range of topics is broadly categorized (e.g., “The Critterverse”, “My Peeps”, etc.), generally organizing the varied nonsense verse. Line illustrations add to the overall silliness, which culminate in an interview (of sorts) with the poet/artist. For example, when asked to describe himself, the poet calls himself: “A misfit sophisticate/I can’t get the gist of it…” who has a “…fondness/for words like ironical.”

Nina is afraid of the dark, doubly so when her nightlight goes out. But the light of fireflies brightens her solitary play until she releases the firefly back into the evening. Dark-hued illustrations use fine line, white space, and touches of red to enhance the drama of a very satisfying bedtime book.

Crisp color photographs of fruits and vegetables are presented. One of each is presented on the left of the double page spreads, while variations of the fruit or veggie (e.g., there are 12 different citrus fruits) are introduced on the opposing page. There is potential to introduce new edibles — perhaps at your local farmer’s market — while counting and playing with numbers.

Familiar tales such as “Little Red Riding Hood” and “The Princess and the Pea” have been faithfully retold and dramatically read.

Bone, a stray dog, narrates the sometimes harrowing tale of how he finds a permanent home, effectively and evenly read.