July = Disability Pride Month

Every July, Disability Pride Month invites us to celebrate a powerful truth: people with disabilities may have different abilities, and that is something to honor and celebrate.  Check out these teen books featuring characters with disabilities . . . .

Run On Your New Legs series by Wataru Midori
After the loss of his leg, Kikuzato’s dream of becoming a soccer ace comes to an end. But with use of a prosthetic leeg, he finds a new goal -- to become a track star and win gold at the Tokyo Paralympics!

Maybe We're Electric by Val Emmich

In Edison, New Jersey, in a museum devoted to the inventor Thomas Edison, a bitter, self-loathing sixteen-year-old girl with a deformed hand and the seemingly coolest boy in school spend the night during a snowstorm, growing close until a shameful secret threatens everything.

Earth Girl by Janet Edwards

Abandoned on Earth because of her inability to survive on other planets, Jarra crafts a fake background for herself to join a class of norms who are excavating the dangerous ruins of the old cities.

Falling Over Sideways by Jordan Sonnenblick

Harassed at her middle school, not taken seriously at home, and with a "perfect" older brother, Matthew, to live up to, thirteen-year-old Claire has always felt like her life was cursed--then one morning, when she are her beloved father are talking at breakfast, her father suddenly falls over with a stroke, and suddenly everything changes.

More Books --

Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas

Breathe and Count Back From Ten by Natalis Sylvester

Cursed by Karol Ruth Silverstein

Going Bovine by Libba Bray

Heroes by Robert Cormier

The Innocent Treatment by Ari Goelman

Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom

A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnhard

The Speed of Falling Objects by Nancy Richardson Fischer

Sunrise Nights by Jeff Zentner

When My Heart Joins the Thousand by A.J. Steiger

Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest

National Cousins Day = July 24

 Did you know there is a day celebrating cousin?  This July 24th read a story about cousins having adventures . . . .

Ibby's Magic Weekend by Heather Dyer

While spending the weekend with her troublemaking cousins Francis and Alex, sensible Ibby discovers that magic may be more than just smoke and mirrors when it falls to her to save their magician uncle, who disappeared years ago.

Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott

Rose Campbell finds herself in the care of her extended family after her wealthy father dies. Surrounded by her great-aunts, her father's brothers, their wives, and her seven rambunctious male cousins Rose spends a year taking chances, learning new things, and discovering what it means to be part of a large, loving family.

The Road Wherever by John Ed Bradley

With his father absent and his mother working, eleven-year-old Henry "June" Ball must spend the summer on the road with his cousins, "Ford men" who repair old cars.

More Books --

100 Cupboards by Nathan D. Wilson

Cupcake Cousins by Kate Hannigan

The Book of Fatal Errors by Dashka Slater

Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn

The Ghost Road by Charis Cotter

Here Comes Trouble by Kate Hattemer

My Cousin the Alien by Pamela F. Service

Nora and the Texas Terror by Judy Cox

Wed Wabbit  by Lissa Evans

Art in Our World

Check out one of these great picture books about art . . . . 

The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau by Jon Agee

When Felix Clouseau's painting quacks, he is hailed as a genius. Suddenly everyone wants a Clousseau masterpiece, and the unknown painter becomes an overnight sensation. That's when the trouble begins.

I Can Only Draw Worms by Will Mabbitt

Teaches the reader to count to ten using worms that have great adventures or everyday experiences, described but not illustrated due to the author/illustrator's inability to draw anything but worms.

Jeremy Draws a Monster by Peter McCarty

A young boy who spends most of his time alone in his bedroom makes new friends after the monster in his drawing becomes a monstrous nuisance.

When Pencil Met Eraser by Karen Kilpatrick

When Pencil draws on the pages of this book, Eraser erases parts of Pencil's work, and the book itself becomes a canvas for their different takes on creativity - until the two discover their artwork is even better when they work together.

More Books --

Art & Max by David Wiesner

The Artist by Ed Vere

Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett

The Boy and the Mountain by Mario Bellini

The Concrete Garden by Bob Graham

The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt

Doodleday by Ross Collins

Draw Me a Star by Eric Carle

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont

I Cannot Draw a Horse by Charise Mericle Harper

The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen

Knit Together by Angela Dominguez

Lines by Suzy Lee

Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni

Masterpiece Mix by Roxie Munro

Scribbles and Ink by Ethan Long

Time to Make Art by Jeff Mack

Warthogs Paint by Pamela Duncan Edwards

World Music Day -- June 21st

 Did you know that June 21st is World Music Day?  Celebrate by reading one of these chapter books stories about music . . . .

Welcome to Starvation Lake by Gloria Whelan

When a tire fire causes a punk rock band to take a detour to Starvation Lake, the fourth-grade students talk them into playing at the school fund raiser.

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

When Chester, a very musical cricket, visits New York, he brings business to Mario's newsstand.

The First Rule of Punk by Celia Perez

María Luisa O'Neill-Morales starts seventh grade with a bang -- spurning the middle school's most popular girl in favor of starting a band with a group of like-minded weirdos.

More Books --

Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow

Duet by Elise Broach

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

Gentle's Holler by Kerry Madden

The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements

Mrs. Bacon is Fakin' by Dan Gutman

The Show Must Go On by Tina Wells

Simon B. Rhymin' by Dwayne Reed

The Singing Rock by Nathaniel Luchenmeyer

Upstaged by Diana Harmon Asher

If You Like the Warriors series by Erin Hunter

The Warriors series by Erin Hunter is one of the more popular series for children.  But what should you read next?  Try one of these series . . . .

Guardians of Ga'Hoole series by Kathryn Lasky

When Soren, a barn owl, arrives at St. Aggie's, a school for orphaned owls, he suspects trouble and with his new friend, a clever elf owl named Gylfie, embarks on a perilous journey to save all owls from the danger at St. Aggie's.

Endling series by Katherine Applegate

After her pack is hunted down and killed, Byx fears she may be the last of her species. The Endling. So Byx sets out to find safe haven, and to see if the legends of other hidden dairnes are true. 

Spirit Animals series by various authors

As a dark force engulfs the land, the fate of Erdas has fallen on the shoulders of four young strangers who each have forged a rare bond with their spirit beasts -- a bond that gives great powers to all of them.

More Series --

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

The Erth Dragons by Chris D'Lacey

Longburrow by Kieran Larwood

The Lost Rainforest by Eliot Schrefer

Mouseheart by Lisa Fiedler

The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

Wings of Fire by Tai Sutherland

Con-GRAD-ulations!

May is the time for graduation!  This week, we're sharing teen stories of graduates and graduations.  Here's a few of our favorites . . . .

The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti

Indigo is looking forward to becoming a full-time waitress after high school graduation, but her life is turned upside down by a large check given to her by a customer who appreciates that she cares enough to scold him about smoking.

Top Ten by Katie Cotugno

Ryan and Gabby are the unlikeliest of best friends. Now, on the night of high school graduation, everything is suddenly changing--in their lives, and in their relationship. As they try to figure out what they mean to each other and where to go from here, they make a top ten list counting down the top ten moments of their friendship.

Every Moment After by Joseph Moldover

After high school graduation, best friends Matt and Cole strive to put behind them the school shooting they survived in first grade and really begin to live.

More Books --

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

The Foreseeable Future by Emily Adrian

Inexcusable by Chris Lynch

The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Kill All Happies by Rachel Cohn

Killer House Party by Lily Anderson

Paper Towns by John Green

A Scatter of Light by Melinda Lo

Shift by Jennifer Bradbury

Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour

The Perfect Pet

This week, we're sharing some of our favorite pet stories for younger children.  Here are a few of our favorite pet picture books . . . .

A Boy and His Bunny by Sean Bryan

One morning, a boy wakes up with a rabbit on his head and, although his mother is skeptical, he soon discovers that he can be fed, ride a bobsled, and even look cool with a rabbit on his head.

Dogs by Emily Gravett

Various types of dogs illustrate the concept of opposites, with such examples as dogs that are big and small, tough and soft, hairy and bald, and slow and fast.

Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown

When Lucy, a young bear, discovers a boy lost in the woods, she asks her mother if she can have him as a pet, only to find him impossible to train.

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

A mother dog tries to teach her pup how to bark, and is surprised at why he wasn't learning.

More Pet Stories --

Bad Dog by Mike Boldt

Be Gentle with the Dog, Dear by Matthew J. Baek

The Blue House Dog by Deborah Blumenthal

Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings

Dog in Charge by K.L. Going

The Dog Who Belonged to No One by Amy Hest

Flat Cat by Tara Lazar

Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio

Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet by Kelly DiPucchio

Goldfish on Vacation by Sam Lloyd-Jones

The Great Dog Wash by Shellie Braeuner

How Mr. Silver Stole the Show by Kate Klise

I Got a New Friend by Karl Newson Edwards

I Hate My Cats: A Love Story by Cali Davide

I Want a Dog by Jon Agee

I'm Not Missing by Kashelle Gourley

Mogie: The Heart of the House by Kathi Appelt

Move Over, Rover by Karen Beaumont

Mr. Putney's Quacking Dog by Jon Agee

No Dogs Allowed! by Sonia Manzano

Painter and Ugly by Robert J. Blake

The Perfect Pet for You by Estelle Laure

The Pet Potato by Josh Lacey

Pirate's Perfect Pet by Beth Ferry

Some Cat! by Mary Casanova

Take Your Pet to School Day by Linda Ashman

This Is Gus by Chris Chatterton

Trouper by Meg Kearney

Wiener Wolf by Jeff Crosby