K-2 Poetry

 

The Dragons are Singing Tonight - by Jack Prelutsky

A collection of poems about dragons, including "I'm an Amiable Dragon," "If You Don't Believe in Dragons," and "A Dragon is in My Computer."

 

The Bill Martin Jr. Big Book of Poetry - Edited by Bill Martin, Jr. (2008)
An illustrated collection of poems for children, featuring the writings of a wide variety of poets, selected as favorites by Bill Martin, Jr.

New Chapter Books

 

Babymouse Burns Rubber (#12) - by Jennifer L. Holm (2010)

Babymouse anticipates her dreams of being a race car driver coming true when she and her best friend Wilson enter the Race of the Century with hopes of making it to the winners' circle. 

Nightmare at the Book Fair - by Dan Gutman (2008)
On his way to lacrosse tryouts, the president of the PTA asks Trip Dinkelman to help her with the book fair, resulting in Trip sustaining a head injury which causes him temporary amnesia and makes for an interesting journey home.

 

Every Soul a Star - by Wendy Mass (2009)

Ally, Bree, and Jack meet at Moon Shadow, an isolated campground, to watch a total eclipse of the sun; but soon they begin to learn a great deal about themselves, each other, and the universe.  

New Baseball Books

 
Full Count: A Baseball Number Book - by Brad Herzog (2009)
Discusses various players, plays, and historic moments from baseball while teaching numbers that pertain to game basics, such as the signal for a fastball and the speed of fast pitches.

Mudville - by Kurtis Scaletta (2009)

Twelve-year-old Roy McGuire, an aspiring major leaguer, does not get much time to practice as it has been raining i his town for over twenty years, but when foster child Sturgis comes to live at his house, the rain finally stops, giving the boys a chance to organize a baseball team--an endeavor that changes their lives.

Brooklyn Nine - by Alan Gratz (2009)
Follows the fortunes of a German immigrant family through nine generations, beginning in 1845, as they experience American life and play baseball.

All Star!: Honus Wagner and the Most Famous Baseball Card Ever - by Jane Yolen (2010)

A biography of the personal and professional life of American Major League Baseball shortstop Honus Wagner, who played mostly for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1897 to 1917. 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Movie

Today "Diary of a Wimpy Kid", the movie, is released in theaters.

New Animal Books

 
Animals Without Backbones - by Bobbie Kalman (2009)
Photographs and simple text introduce children to the different types of animals without backbones that can be found in various parts of the world, including those on land and under the water.

Marsupials - by Nic Bishop (2009)

Presents photographs and discussions of the diversity, beauty, habits, and life cycle of various marsupials from Australia, including quolls, quokkas, potoroos, and pademelons.  

 

How do Animals Communicate? - by Bobbie Kalman (2009)

An introduction to animal communication that discusses whale songs, bird dances, scent messages, touch as communication, and other related topics.

Fractured Fairy Tales

The Chocolate Touch - by Patrick Catling (1952)

A boy acquires a magical gift that turns everything his lips touch into chocolate.

Ella Enchanted - by Gail Carson Levine (1998)

In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her.

New Picture Books

Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny! - by Jan Thomas (2009)
The dust bunnies try to help a big, mean dust bully smile by playing a rhyming game with him.

 

The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School - by Laurie Halse Anderson (2009)

A young girl's talented but untamed tresses do not impress her strict first-grade teacher, who has rules for everything, including hair. 

 
Luna and the Big Blur: A Story for Children Who Wear Glasses - by Shirley Day (2009)
A young girl who hates her glasses learns to appreciate them after spending a day without them. Includes note to parents.

Sloppy Joe - by David Keane (2009)

A young boy decides he is tired of his messy ways and tries to come clean, but being neat is not easy for someone called Sloppy Joe.  

  

Exploring Space

 

Space Stations - by Colleen Sexton (2010)

Introductory text and full-color images explore the history and function of space stations.
 

The Hubble Telescope - by Derek Zobel (2010)
Introductory text and full-color images explore the physical characteristics of the Hubble Telescope and how it is helping scientists learn more about space. 
 

NASA - by Derek Zobel (2010)

Full-color photographs and simple text introduce young readers to the role of NASA in space.

K-2 Poetry

 
The Big Red Barn - by Margaret Wise Brown
Rhymed text and illustrations introduce the many different animals that live in the big red barn.

Chicken Soup with Rice - by Maurice Sendak 

Describes how nice it is to eat chicken soup with rice during every month of the year. 

Sheep in a Jeep series - by Nancy Shaw
Records the misadventures of a group of sheep that go riding in a jeep.

Owl Moon - by Jane Yolen

On a winter's night under a full moon, a father and daughter trek into the woods to see the Great Horned Owl.

'The Missing' series

 
The Missing Book #1: Found - by Margaret Peterson Haddix (2008)
When thirteen-year-olds Jonah and Chip, who are both adopted, learn they were discovered on a plane that appeared out of nowhere, full of babies with no adults on board, they realize that they have uncovered a mystery involving time travel and two opposing forces, each trying to repair the fabric of time.

 The Missing Book #2: Sent - by Margaret Peterson Haddix (2009)

Jonah, Katherine, Chip, and Alex find themselves in 1483 at the Tower of London, and discover that Chip and Alex are Prince Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury, imprisoned by Richard III; but trying to repair history without knowing what is supposed to happen proves challenging.

New Picture Books

 
Princess K.I.M. and the Lie That Grew - by Maryann Cocca-Leffler (2009)
In an attempt to impress her new classmates, Kim lies about her name and claims that she comes from a royal family, but she gets herself into real trouble after her classmates beg to meet Kim's grandmother--the Queen.

Tacky Goes to Camp - by Helen Lester (2009)

Tacky the penguin and his friends go to Camp Whoopihaha where they scare each other by telling ghost stories around the campfire, never expecting that one of the frightening stories will come true. 

 

 

Born to Read - by Judy Sierra (2009) 

A little boy named Sam discovers the many unexpected ways in which a love of reading can come in handy, and sometimes even save the day.