Synopsis: A sensitive and endearing middle grade novel about a young Pakistani immigrant adjusting to his new life in contemporary America   Ten-year-old Bilal liked his life back home in Pakistan. He was a star on his cricket team. But when his father suddenly sends the family to live with their aunt and uncle in America, nothing is familiar. While Bilal tries to keep up with his cousin Jalaal by joining a baseball league and practicing his English, he…

Synopsis: "Nonstop action, real history, serious danger. You gotta read these books!" --Alan Gratz, #1 New York Times bestselling author of RefugeeDecember, 1961Marta is a young girl who saw thirty miles of barbed wire appear across her city overnight, separating Berlin into West and East -- with Marta's home on the Communist Bloc-controlled eastern side.January, 1989Now a spray-painted concrete monolith, the Berlin Wall bisects the city. Kurt, a young…

Synopsis: "When their father leaves them, thirteen-year-old Shana and her younger brother Cody move with Mama to the sterile suburb of Laglade, Maryland. But Shana and Cody miss the forests and rivers of Virginia. mama finds them a summer cabin, and they promise to stay out of trouble. Soon Shana and Cody find out that promise isn't easy to keep. Their tranquil summer in the woods is threatened when they meet Henry, an ornery old man who claims to be a…

Synopsis: Kids will exercise their early math skills with this bestselling picture book--now available in Scholastic Bookshelf!Mr. and Mrs. Comfort are having a family reunion! Mr. Comfort starts cooking up his famous spaghetti and meatballs, while Mrs. Comfort carefully arranges eight tables and thirty-two chairs so that everyone will have a seat. The tables look lovely, the food is ready, and here come the guests--with their own seating plans!This…

Synopsis: For an eighth grader, Molly Williams has more than her fair share of problems. Her father has just died in a car accident, and her mother has become a withdrawn, quiet version of herself.Molly doesn’t want to be seen as “Miss Difficulty Overcome”; she wants to make herself known to the kids at school for something other than her father’s death. So she decides to join the baseball team. The boys’ baseball team. Her father taught her how to throw…

Synopsis: From Jewell Parker Rhodes, the author of Towers Falling and Ninth Ward (a Coretta Scott King Honor Book and a Today show Al's Book Club for Kids pick) comes a tale of a strong, spirited young girl who rises beyond her circumstances and inspires others to work toward a brighter future. Ten-year-old Sugar lives on the River Road sugar plantation along the banks of the Mississippi. Slavery is over, but laboring in the fields all day doesn't make…

Synopsis: A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection! From award-winning and bestselling author, Jewell Parker Rhodes comes a powerful coming-of-age story about two brothers, one who presents as white, the other as black, and the complex ways in which they are forced to navigate the world, all while training for a fencing competition. Framed. Bullied. Disliked. But I know I can still be the best. Sometimes, 12-year-old Donte wishes he were…

Synopsis: Ruby Lavender used to have a good life. She and her grandmother, Miss Eula, were inseparable--they even drove the getaway car together for chickens rescued from the slaughterhouse! But this summer, Miss Eula will be in Hawaii, and Ruby's sure it'll be a lonely, empty, horrible season without her. What happens instead? Ruby makes a new friend, saves the school play, writes plenty of letters to her favorite (and only) grandmother . . . and finally…

Synopsis: Jessica has always been a worrier, and learning about fire safety is making her more nervous than ever. But our favorite worrywart is about to discover that knowing what to do in an emergency is the best (and only) way to extinguish her fire-safety fears!

Synopsis: Greg's dad, Frank, is on a mission - a mission to make this wimpy kid, well, less wimpy. All manner of 'manly' physical activities are planned, but Greg just about manages to find a way out of them. That is until military academy is mentioned and Greg realizes that he's going to have to come up with a very special excuse.

Synopsis: NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The must-have, heartwarming and hilarious classic about a baby bird in search of his mother!A baby bird goes in search of his mother in this hilarious Beginner Book edited by Dr. Seuss. When a mother bird's egg starts to jump, she hurries off to make sure she has something for her little one to eat. But as soon as she's gone, out pops the baby bird. He immediately sets off to find his mother, but not knowing what she looks…

Synopsis: “A sunny, smart, tongue-in-cheek tale.” —The New York Times Book Review “Sweet and affirming.” —Kirkus Reviews “With a gentle message of inclusion and helping others, this title reaches beyond a mere friendship story.”—School Library Journal “Heartening.”—Booklist In this bestselling and internationally beloved picture book, the local Pet Club won’t admit a boy’s tiny pet elephant, so he finds a solution—one that involves all kinds of unusual…

Synopsis: Shel Silverstein Who wants a cheap Rhinoceros? Looking for a new pet? Bored with cats, dogs, goldfish, gerbils, and hamsters? How about a cheap rhinoceros? Shel Silverstein's loving look at the joys of rhino ownership may convince you to be the one lucky kid to take home this very, very unusual pet.

Synopsis: Laugh-aloud humor abounds when David can't resist bugging his big brother. In this funny romp, David careens from one mischievous antic to the next... until he finally wins his brother's approval.Little-brother antics have never been so endearing -- or true to life! David Shannon's beloved character in his bestselling book No, David! captures the attention and hearts of young children as few characters can. Readers relish David's exuberance,…

Synopsis: A cave is a pocket for a bear, a breath is a pocket full of air. A hat is a pocket for your hair, and a seat is a pocket called a chair... A Sock Is a Pocket for Your Toes: A Pocket Book is a whimsical pocket full of bells and balloons, ice cream and mud, giggles and hugs. Elizabeth Garton Scanlon's delightful verse is captured in Robin Preiss Glasser's energetic artwork, which follows four families through a busy day exploring the surprising…

Synopsis: I know some Big Words. I'll teach them to you. Although you are small, you can use Big Words too. Big Words aren't scary. They're big fun to learn. I was taught once and now it's your turn. The eighth hilarious picture book by the #1 New York Times bestselling team of Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell helps little people communicate in a big person's world. With grown-up words like cooperate, respect, patience and considerate, a big,…

Synopsis: In this endearing bedtime story, Willa's big brother helps her get to sleep by reminding her about all of the happy things around her. Willa is afraid of bad dreams. "Think of something happy," suggests her big brother, Willoughby. But Willa needs his help. So together they think of all the happy things that await her in the morning--cozy slippers to warm her little feet, a yummy breakfast, and the morning itself, which loves to gently nudge her…