ALA 2017 highlights: graphic novels coming this summer & fall (ages 8-14)

My students love reading graphic novels, and I always look forward to expanding our collection. Here are six new graphic novels I'm excited to read this summer and fall.

• All's Faire in Middle School, by Victoria Jamieson (Dial/Penguin, September)
• The Baby-Sitter's Club: Dawn and the Impossible Three, by Ann M. Martin & Gale Galligan (Graphix/Scholastic, September)
• Making Scents, by Arthur Yorinks, Braden Lamb, & Shelli Paroline (First Second, June)
• Older Than Dirt: A Wild but True History of Earth, by Don Brown & Dr. Mike Perfit (HMH, September)
• Pashmina, by Nidhi Chanani (First Second, October)
• Swing It Sunny, by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Graphix/Scholastic, September)

For my students who love Raina Telgemeier's Smile and Ghosts, I'm excited to share three new books that show regular kids coping with the daily dramas of life. It's definitely worth celebrating how girls' stories are finding great voices in comics, with outstanding authors and artists.

Swing It Sunny, by Jenni Holm, combines heartfelt humor and heartache as Sunny wrestles with her dysfunctional family and figures out middle school. I especially appreciate the conflict and resolution with her older brother Dale who struggles with drug and alcohol problems. I finished reading this with a feeling of holding Sunny's heart in my hands.

The Baby-Sitter's Club graphic novels, adapted by Raina Telgemeier, are perennial favorites. Kids are super excited that a new one in this series will come out this fall. Dawn and the Impossible Three adapts the 5th Baby-Sitter's Club, and is illustrated by debut artist Gale Galligan.

All's Faire in Middle School, by Victoria Jamieson (who wrote Roller Girl), is sure to resonate with many kids struggling with finding friends, being true to themselves and navigating social pressures. As one librarian friend said, "Might as well order two copies right now, because it will never be on the shelf."

Pashmina, by debut author/artist Nidhi Chanani, explores a young teen's identity and relationships through magical realism. Priyanka Das wonders why her mother abandoned her home in India years ago, leaving her father behind. But Pri's mother avoids all discussions about India, leaving Pri just to wonder. But when she discovers a mysterious pashmina, she is transported to a beautiful, amazing place -- but is this the real India? And what is that shadow lurking in the background? Gene Luen Yang writes, “Colorful and deeply personal, Pashmina illuminates the experience of an Indian-American teenager and invites us to contemplate the power of our choices.”

In Making Scents, Mickey's parents are so crazy about dogs that they raise him with his "brothers and sisters", the dogs of their family. But when tragedy strikes, Mickey must move in with his aunt and uncle who hate dogs--and struggle to find acceptance for who he is. Kirkus describes this as "A heartfelt tale of acceptance, tolerance, and grief."

Nonfiction graphic novels that use humor and illustrations to draw readers into fascinating topics fascinate me. In Older Than Dirt, masterful graphic novelist Don Brown teams with geologist Mike Perfit to introduce young readers to earth science. According to the Kirkus review: "Readers will be entertained, informed, and inspired to learn more about whatever piques their curiosity, whether it is uranium, continental drift, glaciers, or one of the featured scientists, such as Marie Tharp... a grand and exciting adventure."

I'd love to hear about any upcoming releases that you're looking forward to reading! Many thanks to the publishers for sharing review copies. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books. Thank you for your support.

©2017 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

ALA 2017 highlights: middle grade novels coming this summer & fall

I'm just finishing a terrific weekend celebrating with librarians and authors the best books of last year, and we're already looking forward to books that will soon hit the shelves. All week I'll share books I'm looking forward to reading. I'd love to hear about any upcoming releases that you're looking forward to reading!

The First Rule of Punk, by Celia Perez (Penguin, August 2017)
Mango Delight, by Fracaswell Hyman (Sterling, June 2017)
My Brigadista Year, by Katherine Paterson (Candlewick, October 2017)
Patina, by Jason Reynolds (Simon & Schuster, August 2017)
Wishtree, by Katherine Applegate (Macmillan, September 2017)

All of these will appeal to 3rd, 4th and 5th graders, both in length and topics. Many of my students love realistic fiction they can see themselves in, like debut author Celia Perez's The First Rule of Punk. I am really looking forward to reading this and know many students will love the visual appeal of the zines included as part of this story. I also think many kids will see themselves in Mango Delight, as they follow Mango's friendship drama.

Jason Reynolds' Patina is the second in his Track series, following a track team in New York. Students across Berkeley loved Ghost, the first in this series. Like Ghost, Patina runs to escape from many of her problems, and I'm looking forward to seeing how Jason Reynolds draws readers into her world.

My Brigadista Year, master storyteller Katherine Paterson delves into the life of a young Cuban girl who leaves the comfort of her home in Havana to join Castro's army of literacy teachers. She goes into the countryside to teach villagers how to read. This historical fiction will help readers see into life in 1960s Cuba, as well as learn something about what it means to be human.

Wishtree, by Katherine Applegate, is such a truly wonderful story. I read this early in the year and cannot wait to read it again. As a teacher in Berkeley wrote me after reading this, it restores your faith in books and stories and people. This is exactly why we read -- to think about how we can respond when facing challenges, to know how our actions matter, to have the courage to speak up in the face of society's pressures.

When I get home, I will add onto this list. I'd love to hear about new books you're looking forward to reading.

©2017 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

#SummerReading 2017 for 5th & 6th graders

Kids know that practice is important in developing any skill; our job as parents is making our expectations clear AND creating a positive environment to encourage practice. You'll have much more success persuading your kids to read if they are able to choose what to read.

Validate their reading choices, engaging them to think and talk about what they read. Prod them a little to try something new--I often like to talk about it in terms of having a varied reading diet. Here are some of my favorite books to hook 5th and 6th graders.

Click for a link to the full 2017 summer reading lists
including printable PDFs

Exciting Adventure & Fantasy
Ambassador, by William Alexander
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelley Barnhill
York: The Shadow Cypher, by Laura Ruby
Pax, by Sara Pennypacker

Funny Stories (levels Q-R-S-T)
The 52-Story Treehouse, by Andy Griffiths
Funny Girl, edited by Betsy Bird
Timmy Failure, by Stephan Pastis
Zorgamazoo, by Robert Weston

Adventure and Historical Fiction
Echo, by Pam Munoz Ryan
The Inquisitor's Tale, by Adam Gidwitz
Some Kind of Courage, by Dan Gemeinhart
The War that Saved My Life, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Graphic Novels We Love!
Compass South, by Hope Larson
The Nameless City, by Faith Erin Hicks

Olympians series, by George O'Connor
Roller Girl, by Victoria Jamieson

Stories that Touch Your Heart
Booked, by Kwame Alexander
Clayton Byrd Goes Underground, by Rita Williams-Garcia
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, by Pablo Cartaya
The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary, by Laura Shovan

Fascinating Nonfiction
Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon, by Steve Sheinkin
Where Do Presidents Come From? by Michael Townsend
Rhythm Ride: A Trip through the Motown Sound, by Andrea Davis Pinkney
You Got This! Unleash Your Awesomeness, Find Your Path and Change the World! by Maya Penn

CLICK HERE for all of the 2017 summer reading lists, grades K - 5.

If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books. Thank you for your support.

©2017 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

#SummerReading 2017 for 3rd & 4th graders

Kids read every day during the school year, sharing books they like with friends. Keep those reading muscles strong over the summer by feeding them a steady diet of fun books to read!

Here are some of my favorite chapter books, graphic novels and nonfiction for kids who have finished 3rd and 4th grades. Each day this week, I'll be sharing a post to help families read over the summer, organized by grade levels.

Click for a link to the full 2017 summer reading lists
including printable PDFs

Note: Our schools use the Fountas & Pinnell reading levels to help indicate "just right books" for students. I like to band these levels together, to look at a group of similar books.

Favorite Chapter Book Series (levels N-O-P)
Goosebumps Horrorland, by R.L. Stine
I Survived series, by Lauren Tarshis
Lola Levine, by Monica Brown

Funny Stories (levels Q-R-S-T)
Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom, by Booki Vivat
My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish, by Mo O'Hara
The Terrible Two, by Mac Barnett and Jory John

Adventure and Historical Fiction (levels Q-R-S)
Chasing Secrets, by Gennifer Choldenko
Full of Beans, by Jennifer Holm
Some Kind of Courage, by Dan Gemeinhart

Exciting Adventure & Fantasy (levels Q-R-S-T)
Wing and Claw, by Linda Sue Park
Shadows of Sherwood, by Kekla Magoon
Wings of Fire, by Tui Sutherland

New Graphic Novels We Love!
Phoebe and Her Unicorn, by Dana Simpson
Real Friends, by Shannon Hale
The Sand Warrior (5 Worlds), by Mark Siegel

Stories that Touch Your Heart (levels Q-R-S-T)
Amina's Voice, by Hena Khan
A Boy Called Bat, by Elana Arnold
Clayton Byrd Goes Underground, by Rita Williams-Garcia

Fascinating Nonfiction
Dog Finds Lost Dolphins, by Elizabeth Carney
Journey: Based on the True Story of OR7, the Most Famous Wolf in the West, by Emma Bland
Stephen Curry, by Jon Fishman

CLICK HERE for all of the 2017 summer reading lists, grades K - 5.

If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books. Thank you for your support.

©2017 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

#SummerReading 2017 for 1st & 2nd graders

First and second graders have made monumental leaps in their reading this year. Keep those reading muscles strong by feeding them a steady diet of fun books to read!

Here are some of my favorite beginning readers, chapter books, graphic novels and picture books for kids just finishing 1st and 2nd grade. Each day this week, I'll be sharing a post to help families read over the summer, organized by grade levels.

click for link to full 2017 summer reading lists, including printable form

Note: Our schools use the Fountas & Pinnell reading levels to help indicate "just right books" for students. I like to band these levels together, to look at a group of similar books.

Beginning to Read (levels G-H-I)
What This Story Needs Is a Pig in a Wig, by Emma Virján
Don't Throw It To Mo! by David Adler

Developing Readers (levels J-K)
My Family Adventure (Sofia Martinez), by Jacqueline Jules
Buzz Beaker and the Outer Space Trip, by Cari Meister

Exploring Animals All Around
I, Fly: The Buzz about Flies and How Awesome They Are, by Bridget Heos
Puppies and Kittens (Scholastic Discover More), by Penelope Arlon

Beginning with Chapter Books (levels L-M)
The Infamous Ratsos, by Kara LaReau
Lola Levine Is Not Mean, by Monica Brown

Graphic Novel Series We Love!
Hilo, by Judd Winick
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea, by Ben Clayton

Having Fun with Chapter Book Series (levels N-O-P)
Bad Guys, by Aaron Blabey
Notebook of Doom, by Troy Cummings

Fascinating Nonfiction
Miguel Cabrera, by Matt Doeden
Plants Can’t Sit Still, by Rebecca Hirsch

Picture Books Full of Imagination
Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music, by Margarita Engle
Surf's Up, by Kwame Alexander

CLICK HERE for all of the 2017 summer reading lists, grades K - 5.

If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books. Thank you for your support.

©2017 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books

#SummerReading 2017: Preschool & Kindergarten

Summer is here. Kids are excited to have free time, but with that can come the eventual moans of: "I'm bored!" Head to the library or bookstore to stock up on a pile of books.

Here are some of my favorite books to recommend for kids just finishing preschool and kindergarten. Each day this week, I'll be sharing a post to help families read over the summer, organized by grade levels.

click for link to full 2017 summer reading lists, including printable form

Note: Our schools use the Fountas & Pinnell reading levels to help indicate "just right books" for students. I like to band these levels together, to look at a group of similar books.

New Picture Books We're Loving

Dad and the Dinosaur, by Gennifer Choldenko
Jabari Jumps, by Gaia Cornwall

Wordless Books to Read Together
A Ball for Daisy, by Chris Raschka
Journey, by Aaron Becker

Favorite Books to Read Aloud
Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park
Press Here, by Herve Tullet

Beginning to Read (levels C-D-E-F)
I See and See, by Ted Lewin
When Andy Met Sandy, by Tomie dePaola

Folktales and Trickster Tales
Can't Scare Me, by Ashley Bryan

Little Roja Riding Hood, by Susan Middleton Elya

Beginning to Read More (levels F-G-H-I)
Super Fly Guy, by Tedd Arnold
We Are Growing!, by Laurie Keller

Exploring Animals All Around
Biggest, Strongest, Fastest, by Steve Jenkins
Puppies and Kittens, by Penelope Arlon

Picture Books that Make Us Laugh
The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra, by Marc Tyler Noble
Niño Wrestles the World, by Yuyi Morales

CLICK HERE for all of the 2017 summer reading lists, grades K through 5.

If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books. Thank you for your support.

©2017 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books