This Is My Home, This Is My School 

by Jonathan Bean

For young Jonathan and his sisters, Mom is the teacher and a whole lot more, and Dad is the best substitute any kid could want. From math, science, and field trips to recess, show-and-tell, and art, a school day with this intrepid, inventive family will seem both completely familiar and totally unique.

Nile Crossing

by Katy Beebe & Sally Wern Comport

A boy growing up in Ancient Egypt begins his first day of scribe training by traveling the Nile to his school. A twist on the first-day-of-school story that shows readers that feeling nervous is universal, even for kids growing up in an ancient civilization.

Steamboat School: Inspired By a True Story

by Deborah Hopkinson & Ron Husband 

In 1847 St. Louis, Missouri, when a new law against educating African Americans forces Reverend John to close his school, he finds an ingenious solution to the new state law by moving his school to a steamboat in the Mississippi River.

The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read

by Rita Lorraine Hubbard & Oge Mora

In 1848, Mary Walker was born into slavery. At age 15, she was freed, and by age 20, she was married and had her first child. By age 68, she had worked numerous jobs, including cooking, cleaning, babysitting, and selling sandwiches to raise money for her church. And at 116, she learned to read. An inspirational story of a woman whose long life and determination proved that you're never too old to learn.

Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools Around the World

by Susan Hughes 

Education is not readily available for kids everywhere, and many communities are strapped for the resources that would make it easier for kids to go to school. In short, it's not always easy getting kids off to class -- but people around the world are finding creative ways to do it. In this book, travel to India, Burkina Faso, Brazil, Uganda, and a dozen other countries, to visit some of these incredible schools, and, through personal interviews conducted by author Susan Hughes, meet the students who attend them too. 

Grandmother School

by Rina Singh & Ellen Rooney

Every morning, a young girl walks her grandmother to the Aajibaichi Shala, the school that was built for the grandmothers in her village to have a place to learn to read and write. A moving story about the power of education.

Deep in the Sahara by Kelly Cunnane

Recommended for ages 3-6

Lalla lives in the Muslim country of Mauritania, and more than anything, she wants to wear a malafa, the colorful cloth Mauritanian women, like her mama and big sister, wear to cover their heads and clothes in public. But it is not until Lalla realizes that a malafa is not just worn to show a woman's beauty and mystery or to honor tradition - a malafa for faith - that Lalla's mother agrees to slip a long cloth as blue as the ink in the Koran over Lalla's head, under her arm, and round and round her body. Then together, they pray.

Recommended for ages 5-9

Now that she is ten, Lailah is delighted that she can fast during the month of Ramadan like her family and her friends in Abu Dhabi, but finding a way to explain to her teacher and classmates in Atlanta is a challenge until she gets some good advice from the librarian, Mrs. Carman.

Recommended for ages 5-8

All Salma wants is to make her mama smile again. Between English classes, job interviews, and missing Papa back in Syria, Mama always seems busy or sad. A homemade Syrian meal might cheer her up, but Salma doesn't know the recipe, or what to call the vegetables in English, or where to find the right spices! Luckily, the staff and other newcomers at the Welcome Center are happy to lend a hand--and a sprinkle of sumac. With creativity, determination, and charm, Salma brings her new friends together to show Mama that even though things aren't perfect, there is cause for hope and celebration.

The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Jeanette Winter

Recommended for ages 6-10

In the spring of 2003, Alia Muhammad Baker was the city of Basra's real-life librarian. She was the keeper of cherished books and her library was a haven for community gatherings. But with war imminent in Basra, Iraq, what could this lone woman do to save her precious books?

This true story of one librarian's remarkable bravery reminds us all how, throughout the world, the love of literature and the respect for knowledge knows no boundaries.

Farah Rocks Fifth Grade by Susan Muaddi Darraj

Recommended for ages 8-12

Farah and her best friend, Allie Liu, are getting excited to turn in their applications to the Magnet Academy, where they both hope to attend sixth grade. But when new girl Dana Denver shows up, Farah's world is turned upside down. As Dana starts bullying Farah's little brother, Samir, Farah begins to second-guess her choice to leave him behind at Harbortown Elementary/Middle School. Determined to handle it on her own, Farah comes up with a plan--a plan that involves lying to those closest to her. Will her lies catch up with her, or can Farah find a way to defeat the bully and rock fifth grade?

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

Recommended for ages 9-13

Jude never thought she'd be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives. At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven't quite prepared her for starting school in the US--and her new label of "Middle Eastern," an identity she's never known before. But this life also brings unexpected surprises--there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is.

City of the Plague Godby Sarwat Chadda

Recommended for ages 9-13

Thirteen-year-old Iraqi American Sik wants a simple life going to school and helping at his parents' deli in the evenings. But all that is blown to smithereens when Nergal comes looking for him, thinking that Sik holds the secret to eternal life. Turns out Sik is immortal but doesn't know it, and that's about to get him and the entire city into deep, deep trouble. Sik's not in this alone. He's got Belet, the adopted daughter of Ishtar, the goddess of love and war, on his side, and a former hero named Gilgamesh, who has taken up gardening in Central Park. Now all they have to do is retrieve the Flower of Immortality to save Manhattan from being wiped out by disease. To succeed, they'll have to conquer sly demons, treacherous gods, and their own darkest nightmares.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963by Christopher Paul Curtis

An unforgettable family on a road-trip during one of the most important times in the civil rights movement. When the Watson family - ten-year-old Kenny, Momma, Dad, little sister Joetta, and brother Byron - sets out on a trip south to visit Grandma in Birmingham, Alabama, they don't realize that they're heading toward one of the darkest moments in America's history. The Watsons' journey reminds us that even in the hardest times, laughter and family can help us get through anything.

Night on Fireby Ronald Kidd

Thirteen-year-old Billie Sims doesn't think her hometown of Anniston, Alabama, should be segregated, but few of the town's residents share her opinion. When Billie learns that the Freedom Riders, a group of peace activists riding interstate buses to protest segregation, will be traveling through Anniston on their way to Montgomery, she thinks that maybe change is finally coming and her quiet little town will shed itself of its antiquated views. But what starts as a series of angry grumbles soon turns to brutality as Anniston residents show just how deep their racism runs. The Freedom Riders will resume their ride to Montgomery, and Billie is now faced with a choice: stand idly by in silence or take a stand for what she believes in. Through her own decisions and actions and a few unlikely friendships, Billie is about to come to grips with the deep-seated prejudice of those she once thought she knew, and with her own inherent racism that she didn't even know she had.

The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon

The Time: 1968. The Place: Chicago. For thirteen-year-old Sam it's not easy being the son of known civil rights activist Roland Childs. Especially when his older (and best friend), Stick, begins to drift away from him for no apparent reason. And then it happens: Sam finds something that changes everything forever. Sam has always had faith in his father, but when he finds literature about the Black Panthers under Stick's bed, he's not sure who to believe: his father or his best friend. Suddenly, nothing feels certain anymore. Sam wants to believe that his father is right: you can effect change without using violence. But as time goes on, Sam grows weary of standing by and watching as his friends and family suffer at the hands of racism in their own community. Sam begins to explore the Panthers with Stick, but soon he's involved in something far more serious--and more dangerous--than he could have ever predicted. Sam is faced with a difficult decision. Will he follow his father or his brother? His mind or his heart? The rock or the river?

Loretta Little Looks Back: Three Voices Go Tell It by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney

Loretta, Roly, and Aggie B., members of the Little family, each present the vivid story of their young lives, spanning three generations. Their separate stories -- beginning in a cotton field in 1927 and ending at the presidential election of 1968 -- come together to create one unforgettable journey. Through an evocative mix of fictional first-person narratives, spoken-word poems, folk myths, gospel rhythms and blues influences, Loretta Little Looks Back weaves an immersive tapestry that illuminates the dignity of sharecroppers in the rural South. Inspired by storytelling's oral tradition, stirring vignettes are presented in a series of theatrical monologues that paint a gripping, multidimensional portrait of America's struggle for civil rights as seen through the eyes of the children who lived it. The novel's unique format invites us to walk in their shoes. Each encounters an unexpected mystical gift, passed down from one family member to the next, that ignites their experience of what it means to reach for freedom.

Betty Before X by Ilyahsah Shabazz

In Detroit, 1945, eleven-year-old Betty's house doesn't quite feel like home. She believes her mother loves her, but she can't shake the feeling that her mother doesn't want her. Church helps those worries fade, if only for a little while. The singing, the preaching, the speeches from guest activists like Paul Robeson and Thurgood Marshall stir African Americans in her community to stand up for their rights. Betty quickly finds confidence and purpose in volunteering for the Housewives League, an organization that supports black-owned businesses. Soon, the American civil rights icon we now know as Dr. Betty Shabazz is born. Collaborating with novelist Renée Watson, Ilyasah Shabazz illuminates four poignant years in her mother's childhood, painting a beautiful and inspiring portrait of a girl overcoming the challenges of self-acceptance and belonging that will resonate with young readers today.

Revolutionby Deborah Wiles

It's 1964, and Sunny's town is being invaded. Or at least that's what the adults of Greenwood, Mississippi, are saying. All Sunny knows is that people from up north are coming to help people register to vote. They're calling it Freedom Summer. Meanwhile, Sunny can't help but feel like her house is being invaded, too. She has a new stepmother, a new brother, and a new sister crowding her life, giving her little room to breathe. And things get even trickier when Sunny and her brother are caught sneaking into the local swimming pool--where they bump into a mystery boy whose life is going to become tangled up in theirs.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Eleven-year-old Delphine is like a mother to her two younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern. She's had to be, ever since their mother, Cecile, left them seven years ago for a radical new life in California. But when the sisters arrive from Brooklyn to spend the summer with their mother, Cecile is nothing like they imagined. While the girls hope to go to Disneyland and meet Tinker Bell, their mother sends them to a day camp run by the Black Panthers. Unexpectedly, Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern learn much about their family, their country, and themselves during one truly crazy summer.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson, the acclaimed author of Red at the Bone, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child's soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson's eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.

Danny Constantino's First (And Maybe Last?) Date by Paul Acampora

When Danny Constantino asks his old-friend-turned-Hollywood-movie-star, Natalie Flores Griffin, to his local school dance and homecoming parade, she surprises him . . . by saying yes! Unfortunately, now everyone in Cuper Cove has something to say about Danny's love life - especially since Natalie is the hometown hero. Throw in herds of TV reporters and NFG groupies, his mom using Natalie's arrival for free publicity, and a pep rally gone horribly, horribly awry, and Danny's left absolutely clueless in this new world of crushes and becoming (kind of) famous.

Never Eversby Tom Ellen

Thirteen-year-old Mouse is pretty sure her life is totally over. Now that she's been kicked out of ballet school, she has to go on her new school's ski trip basically knowing no one. Meanwhile, Jack's life is just about to begin. He's on the way to the slopes with his school too, and all he can think about is how to successfully get his first kiss. But with new friends by her side, Mouse has more fun skiing and building igloos than she expected. And when Jack catches Mouse's eye at the ski resort, he's smitten. All's well -- that is, until mega pop star Roland arrives on the scene and sets his sights on Mouse, too! A week in the snow is about to get complicated. . .

Keep It Together, Keiko Carterby Debbi Michiko Florence

Seventh grade is supposed to be a game changer. And Keiko thinks she's got it covered, especially with Audrey and Jenna by her side to shop for a new look, pick out a prime lunch spot, and even hit up that cute new bubble tea place after school. Her trio is ready to tackle life as they always have... together. But when Audrey decides they need boyfriends before Fall Ball, it looks like things may be changing in all the wrong ways. Jenna is sick of caving in to Audrey's demands, and soon Keiko's besties are barely talking, leaving her caught in the middle. While she's been dreaming about triple-dates, first kisses, and a boy she really shouldn't have a crush on, the friendship she's always thought was rock-solid is beginning to crumble. Keiko feels pulled in two directions. Should she try to help her friends -- even if it means losing one of them -- or follow her heart? When it comes to flirting, friendships, and fallouts, how is Keiko supposed to keep it all together?

Redwood and Ponytailby K. A. Holt

At first, Tam figures Kate is your stereotypical cheerleader; Kate sees Tam as another tall jock. And the more they keep running into each other, the more they surprise each other. Beneath Kate's sleek ponytail and perfect façade, Tam sees a goofy, sensitive, lonely girl. And Tam's so much more than a volleyball player, Kate realizes: She's everything Kate wishes she could be. It's complicated. Except it's not. When Kate and Tam meet, they fall in like. It's as simple as that. But not everybody sees it that way.

Suite Scarlettby Maureen Johnson

Scarlett Martin has grown up in a most unusual way. Her family owns the Hopewell, a small hotel in the heart of New York City. When the Martins turn fifteen, they are each expected to take over the care of a suite in the once elegant, now shabby Art Deco hotel. For Scarlett's fifteenth birthday, she gets both a room called the Empire Suite, and a permanent guest named Mrs. Amberson. Scarlett doesn't quite know what to make of this C-list starlet, world traveler, and aspiring autobiographer who wants to take over her life. And when she meets Eric, an astonishingly gorgeous actor who has just moved to the city, her summer takes a second unexpected turn. Before the summer is over, Scarlett will have to survive a whirlwind of thievery, Broadway glamour, romantic missteps, and theatrical deception. The show, as they say, must always go on . . .

Flirty Dancingby Jenny McLachlan 

Cake Pop Crushby Suzanne Nelson

Sometimes friends, school, and boys can be a recipe for disaster! This sweet treat of a read is irresistible. Alicia Ramirez has always loved baking. Her family owns Say It With Flour, the small bakery in town. And Ali's specialties are cake pops: delicious confections on a stick. But Ali's sweet life turns sour when a sleek coffee shop opens across the street, giving her bakery a run for its money. Worst of all, the owner's son, Dane McGuire, likes to bake, too. He's the new kid in Ali's school... and happens to be annoyingly cute. When Dane and Ali engage in a bake-off to prove who is the cake-pop master, it's Ali's chance to save Say It With Flour. But will she be able to rise to occasion... and ignore what her heart might be telling her? Book 1 of theWishseries.

The Swapby Megan Shull 

With one random wish, Jack and Ellie are living life in each other's shoes. He's her. And she's him. ELLIE assumed popular guys didn't worry about body image, being perfect, or talking to girls, but acting like you're cool with everything is tougher than it looks. JACK thought girls had it easy--no fights with bullies, no demanding dads, no power plays--but facing mean girls at sleepovers and getting grilled about your period is way harder than taking a hit to the face at sports practice. Now they're dealing with each other's middle school dramas--locker room teasing, cliques, video game battles, bra shopping, and a slew of hilariously awkward moments--until they hopefully switch back! Though not quite a romance, a clever, laugh-out-loud dive into the minds of the opposite sexes.

Prince in Disguiseby Stephanie Kate Strohm

Life is real enough for Dylan—especially as the ordinary younger sister of Dusty, former Miss Mississippi and the most perfect, popular girl in Tupelo. But when Dusty wins the hand of the handsome Scottish laird-to-be Ronan on the TRC television network’s crown jewel, Prince in Disguise, Dylan has to face a different kind of reality: reality TV. As the camera crew whisks them off to Scotland to film the lead-up to the wedding, camera-shy Dylan is front and center as Dusty’s maid of honor. The producers are full of surprises—including old family secrets, long-lost relatives, and a hostile future mother-in-law who thinks Dusty and Dylan’s family isn’t good enough for her only son. At least there’s Jamie, an adorably bookish groomsman who might just be the perfect antidote to all Dylan’s stress . . .

Chris recommends...

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender

Alyssa recommends...

The Forest of Stars by Heather Kassner

Ann recommends...

Lightfall: The Girl and the Galdurian by Tim Probert

Stefanie recommends...

Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar

Betita’s life is turned upside down when her Papi isn’t there to pick her up from school. She later learns that there has been an ICE raid, and that her father was deported to Mexico, separated from her and her pregnant mother. When Betita and her mother try to visit him at the border, they end up getting detained and sent to a family detention center outside of Los Angeles, California. During this horrifically trying time for her and her family, Betita turns toward her love of poetry (and the book is fittingly written in verse), and the knowledge that her Papi has told her over and over since she was a young child--that she is a crane, descended from the Aztecs of Aztlan, and the land that they inhabit in the Southwestern United States is in fact, their promised land. A heart-wrenching but necessary read.

Allison recommends...

There Must Be More Than That! by Shinsuke Yoshitake

MaryJo recommends...

Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Luisa Uribe

Mitch recommends...

Little Bird by Cynthia Voigt, illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins

Little Bird is a crow, the smallest in her flock. After an attack on her roost’s oak tree, she decides that she can recover her kin’s “luck,” a necklace that had been woven into the nest. So off she goes, and as with any quest, there are many dangers, adventures, and strange encounters, from sassy blue jays to peanut butter to a wise and witty goat. She returns home a kinder and wiser crow, ready for new adventures. Characters featured in Voigt’s earlier Davis Farm books—Angus and Sadie,Young Fredle, andToaff’s Way—also make brief appearances, but you don’t need to have read the earlier books to enjoy this one. A fine for choice for solo readers, or as a family read-along.

For the mini mathematician: 

Circle! Sphere! 

The Last Marshmallow 

Up To My Knees

What Will Fit? all by Grace Lin 

Babies and toddlers don’t need advanced calculus to be mathematically-minded. They need simple yet charming stories that gently examine ideas like size, shape, and number, which is exactly what the Story Telling Math board books provide!

For the preschool puppy pal: 

Paolo, Emperor of Rome by Mac Barnett

An old-fashioned story book about a little daring dog who seeks out adventure through the streets and sites of Rome. Give a young child the gift of travel through books, while most international vacations are still off the table.

For a little language learner:

Literally: Amazing Words and Where They Come From by Patrick Skipworth, illustrated by Nicholas Stevenson

Discover the meaning and rich global history of twelve fascinating and fun-to-say words, including ukulele, zero, karaoke, and jaguar. Dynamic, two-page artworks accompany each short entry. A beautiful and engaging introduction to etymology. 

For a young romantic:

Eight Princesses and a Magic Mirrorby Natasha Farrant

An enchantress agrees to help bring up her brand-new goddaughter to be an "excellent princess," but she realizes she’s not sure what that means! So she sends her Magic Mirror across the world to learn about 8 different princesses and what makes them extraordinary. A gorgeous, full-color book, great for ages 8-11, sure to be a keepsake turned to again and again.

For the curious-about-anything-but-books child:

What Breathes Through Its Butt? Mind-Blowing Science Questions Answered by Emily Grossman, illustrated by Alice Bowsher 

Over 200 pages of mind-blowing answers to all kinds of questions kids might wonder themselves. Color art, photography, speech bubbles, and a dynamic layout may get your reluctant reader turning pages way past bedtime.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

This adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi’sStamped From the Beginningis a mega-bestseller, and for good reason - it’s a powerful, inspiring read for young activists.

Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow (plus Books 1-2) by Jessica Townsend

For middle-grade fantasy fanatics, this fun series may be a good choice, since it’s flown a bit under the radar. Give your reader all three books (so far - 9 are planned) for a Morrigan Marathon! 

The Very, Very Far North by Dan Bar-el

Meet Duane the polar bear, who discovers many potential friendships in other arctic creatures up in the Very, Very Far North. These gentle stories may remind you of Winnie the Pooh. Perfect for reading aloud!

Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott 

When Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma, he finds out she's not his grandmother--but she is a witch! She needs his help delivering baby dragons to a magical world where they'll be safe. A perfect fantasy adventure for young readers.

Megabat by Anna Humphrey 

A boy adjusting to his new house bonds with a cute little fruit bat (accidentally shipped from the Borneo rainforest) who talks and has a love of all things sweet. A very funny animal story, with a sequel!

The Littlest Voyageurby Margi Preus

A little red squirrel watches men rowing canoes, off to an unknown adventure, and longs to join them in their quest. Stowing away in the canoe, the squirrel finds his true identity - Jean Pierre Petit Le Rouge - and calling as a voyageur. A charming historical fiction novel for young readers and families.

Good Dog, McTavish by Meg Rosoff

When Ma Peachey declares a strike, the rest of the family finds themselves abandoned to chaos: no one cooks dinner, no one picks up the dirty laundry, the children are always late for school, and there is a good deal of squabbling and squalor. Enter McTavish, a rescue dog who, true to his mission, is ready to teach this family some new tricks. A witty tale for family sharing.