Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

This compact novel tackles prejudice, faith, hope and fear through the eyes of Frannie, a sixth grader in a predominately black school. One day a white-looking boy shows up at her school, seeming out of place. He is quickly knick-named Jesus-boy because of his long, flowing hair. Frannie puzzles over her classmates’ mixed reactions to this newcomer. The class bully instantly starts making fun of him while her friend Samantha, whose father is a conservative Baptist preacher, believes that he really is Jesus. Meanwhile, Frannie contemplates her family’s future. Her mother is expecting another baby after having lost her last three and her older deaf brother, Sean expresses a desire to be able to live in everyone else’s world as well as his own deaf world. All of these concerns are woven together as Frannie learns more about herself and the meaning of an Emily Dickenson poem “Hope is a thing with feathers that perches in the soul...” This thought-provoking novel could foster lively discussion among middle-school students.

Jazz Baby by Lisa Wheeler

This razzy, jazzy picture book will make you want to get up and dance. Daddy puts a record on and the tapping, and the snapping, and the clapping begin, with baby in the center of the action. The beat brings in the extended family and even the neighbors get in on the dancing. The illustrations are as energetic and joyful as the text. A great read aloud for pre-K-1 with lots of opportunities for audience participation.

Shark Girl by Kellie Bingham

Jane Arrowood had a promising future as an artist, until the day of the accident. Jane went to the beach and decided to go into the water to swim. She felt something tugging at her and she heard screaming from the shore. Unbeknownst to her, a shark had bitten off her right arm. Jane had to come to terms with this disability and was befriended by a little boy, Justin, to realize life still goes on. In this free-style verse, Kellie Bingham brought an unusual closeness to a character experiencing pain, self-esteem and recovery. This book is highly recommended for reluctant readers.

Grades 6-12

Peak by Roland Smith

Peak is his name, named by his mountain climbing parents. When he gets in trouble for climbing a skyscraper in New York City, he is picked up by his father, put through physicals and tests without explanation. Then the two fly to Nepal and Peak finds himself in the middle of "Peak Experiences", his father's mountaineering company and their expedition to the top of Mount Everest.

Grades 6-10.

Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf : A Year Told Through Stuff by Jennifer Holm

An inventive twist on the notebook style novel. Ginny's 7th grade school year is shown to the reader through a collection of stuff including To-Do lists, bank statements (despide several babysitting job deposits, it seems to always remain at $5 ), doctor's notes, store receipts (bad idea to dye your hair the day before picture day), principals notes to her mom, and some amusing poems.

Ginny deals with some difficult subjects during the course of the year; new stepfather, brother getting sent to military school because of his dangerous behaviour, ex-best friend getting the lead in HER ballet AND never returning her favorite sweater. She handles them with the awkward grace of a 7th grader but also with humor and a very appealing style.

Lucky Jake, by Sharon Hart Addy

Illus. by Wade Zahares.

Jake longs for a dog and when his prospector father finds a nugget of gold, part of it goes to pay for a pig he names Dog. Thus begins a string of luck and hard work that ultimately results in father and son opening a restaurant and trading post. The refrain of "Yup. Lucky" throughout the sequence of events punctuates the storytelling. The illustrator's electric and surreal use of color, line, and perspective are a visual treat. Could be used to teach cause and effect or sequencing, this is definitely a title for read aloud.

Today and Today: Haiku by Issa

Illus. by G. Brian Karas

Haiku by the eighteenth century Japanese poet, Issa, are arranged by season and accompanied by illustrations that tell a quiet story of a family experiencing nature, togetherness and loss. Not so much a narrative as a string of moments encapsulated in spare haiku and evocative illustrations.

Grades 2-4

Pictures from our Vacation, by Lynne Rae Perkins

On a road trip to visit relatives, a brother and sister are each given cameras that make instant photo stickers to put in notebook journals. The trip to visit grandparents includes a search for a lake dad remembers, a memorial service for a great-aunt, and numerous relatives. The photographs are child-like images of feet, clouds, and electric towers that fail to capture the words and stories that also linger in the mind of the narrator. Fun to extend to writing personal narratives.

Grades 2-4