More Great Books for 2nd Graders

“The Year of Billy Miller” by Kevin Henkes

Billy Miller is worried.  He's worried that he won't be smart enough for 2nd grade, and he has good reason to worry.  He started the year off by falling off of a giant statue of the Jolly Green Giant and miraculously coming out of it with only a large bump on his head.  His mom is concerned that he might have long-term issues from the fall, but his dad has assured him that this is going to be "The Year of Billy Miller."

“An Angel for Soloman Singer” by Cynthia Rylant (gorgeous illustrations)

Soloman Singer was an unhappy man… he lived in a place he didn’t love, no balcony, no pets, nothing like his Indiana home, and he was lonely… so he wandered.  One evening he wanders to a little cafe with a kind waiter.  He has no idea that an “Angel” is about to help him change his outlook.  This is the story about how we look at the world around us, how the people we connect to can make such a difference in our lives, and how one man manages to keep his dreams alive while learning to love what’s right in front of him.

More Great Books for 1st Graders

“Best Friends for Frances” by Russell Hoban

Frances is a young badger who just can’t find anyone to play with her.  Her friend Harold has decided that girls can’t go on walk-abouts and they can’t play baseball games either.  Frances discovers that she has a built in best friend at home in her younger sister, Gloria.  When she and her new best friend set out for a picnic outing, Harold decides that girls aren’t so bad after all, especially when they have such a fantastic looking picnic lunch.  I wonder if Frances and Gloria will let a “boy” come on their fun day.

 

“Oliver Button is a Sissy” by Tomie dePaola

“Oliver Button was called a sissy.  He didn’t like to do things that boys are supposed to do.”  What kinds of things do you suppose that would be? “Instead he liked to walk in the woods and play jump rope.  He liked to read books and draw pictures.”  Even his papa called him a sissy.  He was always trying to get Oliver to play baseball or football or basketball.  One day Oliver gets a nice shiny pair of tap shoes.  He gets so awesome at tap dancing that he decides to enter the talent show.  Do you think Oliver will win and earn everyone’s respect?  Do you think that his Dad and friends will finally accept him for who he is?  Or will Oliver be doomed to be called a sissy his whole life? 

A Moonlight Walk at the East Regional Library

More Great Books for 1st Graders to Read!

Check out these books at the LMES Media Center!!  Or fill out an online request form for them!

“Best Friends for Frances” by Russell Hoban

Frances is a young badger who just can’t find anyone to play with her.  Her friend Harold has decided that girls can’t go on walk-abouts and they can’t play baseball games either. Frances discovers that she has a built in best friend at home in her younger sister, Gloria. When she and her new best friend set out for a picnic outing, Harold decides that girls aren’t so bad after all, especially when they have such a fantastic looking picnic lunch.  I wonder if Frances and Gloria will let a “boy” come on their fun day.

“Oliver Button is a Sissy” by Tomie dePaola

“Oliver Button was called a sissy.  He didn’t like to do things that boys are supposed to do. Instead he liked to walk in the woods and play jump rope.  He liked to read books and draw pictures.”  Even his papa called him a sissy.  He was always trying to get Oliver to play baseball or football or basketball.  One day Oliver gets a nice shiny pair of tap shoes.  He gets so awesome at tap dancing that he decides to enter the talent show.  Do you think Oliver will win and earn everyone’s respect? Do you think that his Dad and friends will finally accept him for who he is?  Or will Oliver be doomed to be called a sissy his whole life? 

Great Books for 3rd Graders

“Miss Daisy is Crazy” by Jim Paillot

I go to a really weird school where the teachers don’t know anything, I say stuff all the time that isn’t even funny but everyone laughs, and the principal is willing to rent us the school. Well, we really wanted to buy the school and turn it into a video arcade cause my friends and I made a pact to always always HATE school. Since we couldn’t buy the school, we’re going to rent it.  You know the best part?  We don’t even have to pay for it, we just have to read a MILLION pages - sounds impossible, right?   What can I say, I have a really weird school where lots of crazy, impossible things happen!

“The Man Who Walked Between The Towers” by Mordicai Gerstein

The year is 1974, the year the World Trade Center is being built. We know The World Trade Center as the infamous Twin Towers (picture).  A young aerialist named Philippe Petit got a crazy idea as he watched the towers rise further and further into the sky.  Do you know what an aerialist is?  Can you imagine what he wanted to do? This is the true story, with gorgeous, artistic illustrations, of a man who will live forever in the memories of those who witnessed his death defying stunt.   

Check out these books at the LMES Media Center!!  Or fill out an online request form for them!

Great Books for 2nd Graders

“Make Way for Ducklings” by Robert McCloskey

When I went to Boston last year, I ran into several beautiful bronze statues of all these little ducklings. Boston inspired Robert McCloskey to write this lovely story about Mr. and Mrs. Mallord and their family that they raised in the heart of Boston. After the ducklings are born and unable to fly, they must make their way on foot across the city to Mr. Mallord. This means crossing dangerous roads filled with impatient drivers. Read how the city opens its heart to this family and "Makes Way for Ducklings."

“Nate the Great” by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

I, Nate the Great, am one of the world’s greatest detectives.   Unfortunately, I’m on the trail for a missing painting a day late. I hate cold trails.

Suspects… first there’s Annie, completely obsessed with yellow, but since she drew it, she’s probably innocent.

Then there’s Fang, Annie’s somewhat vicious looking dog.  Of course the picture is of him so it doesn’t make sense that he would take it.

And how about Rosamund - if Annie is obsessed with yellow, Rosamund is obsessed with cats.  Cat lovers do not take pictures of dogs.  I, Nate the Great, must think of everything.

Finally, there’s Annie’s little brother, Harry.  Hmmm… little brothers can be into everything. Did he take the picture?  Will this search have a happy ending?  I, Nate the Great, am on the case, so you can bet that I will not rest without an answer.

Check out these books at the LMES Media Center!!  Or fill out an online request form for them!

Great Books for 4th Graders

“Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH” by Robert C. O’Brien

Can you imagine living in a cage and having scientists give you injections to make you smarter?  What happens when you get smarter than the scientists?  That’s what happened at NIMH… several rats and a few mice got so smart that they were able to figure out how to synergize and escape by reading the laboratory signs.  Only a couple of mice make it, but several rats set out to create a new, civilized rat society, one that uses, or rather steals, human inventions.  Mrs. Frisby has no idea that she is connected to these rats.  Her son is dreadfully ill and she must use all her courage to find out how to help him by visiting the wise old owl.  His advice will lead her on a journey that will reveal secrets that her husband never had a chance to tell her.  Will the rats help save Timothy?  Will they learn to live without stealing?  Or will NIMH come and exterminate them all?

“The One and Only Ivan” by Katherine Applegate

This is the heart wrenching story of a beautiful Gorilla named Ivan who finds hope through a friend who teaches him to be an artist. Based on a true story, Ivan is a captive Gorilla in a type of circus on the side of the highway. As he grows, he struggles with who he is. He tries to be human, but fails, and he's not even sure he remembers what it's like to be a gorilla. This is a very fast read, but the story will remain with you for a lifetime.

Check out these books at the LMES Media Center!!  Or fill out an online request form for them!