Fairytale Retellings
By Jennifer of Maricopa County Library District Gail Carson Levine is the middle grade queen of fairytale retellings, so many of us fell in love with her Newbery Award-winning book “Ella Enchanted.” If you have exhausted Carson’s catalog, we have ...
Manu
“Encyclopedia of Ordinary Things” Author: Stepanka Sekaninova Genre: Nonfiction Summary: This book shows ordinary things, along with their origins and inventors, in a new way. It explores everyday objects we often take for granted — things like shoes, umbrellas, toothbrushes, ...
Teaching Kindness: Picture Books about Politeness & Good Manners
By Esmeralda of Maricopa County Library District Picture books about good manners are a wonderful way to teach children how to be kind, respectful, and polite in everyday life. These stories are often fun and engaging, using humor, relatable characters, ...
Manu
“Houston, Is There A Problem?” Author: Eric Walters Genre: Fiction Summary: This book is about 13-year old Houston Williams, who is very smart. He comes home from school one day, and sees a letter for him. When he opens it, ...
Frightfully Fun Books & Movies for Kids
Halloween doesn’t always have to mean sugar rushes and spooky scares. Sometimes the best way to celebrate is with a blanket, some popcorn, and a stack of stories that bring just the right amount of goosebumps. Whether you’re curling up ...
Little Books That Make Big Readers
By Sandee of Maricopa County Library District Bob Books are specifically created for children just learning to read, beginning with simple words and gradually introducing new phonics concepts. Books with repetition, supportive illustrations, and predictable text allow for smoother ...
Book Club Manu
Version 1.0.0 “Nancy Drew Diaries - Famous Mistakes“ Genre: Fiction Summary: “Famous Mistakes“ is about Nancy Drew, a young detective who likes mystery. Nancy investigates a trashed hotel room during a break from her usual activities. She's helping ...
Best Graphic Novels for Kids (That Aren’t Just Dog Man)
We love Dog Man as much as the next kid (or adult), but there's a whole universe of graphic novels out there just waiting to be devoured. From laugh-out-loud adventures to heartwarming coming-of-age stories, graphic novels make reading feel like ...
“Don’t Let the Pigeon…” Miss These Great Read-Alikes!
By Jennifer G. of Maricopa County Library District “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” by Mo Willems features a wild and wacky pigeon who will do anything to be allowed to drive a bus! The book, along with all ...
Unfortunate Adventures Await!
The “A Series of Unfortunate Events” books have been beloved by middle grade readers for decades now. Known for their dark humor, peculiar characters, and snarky narrator, these books are perfect for young readers looking for something on the suspenseful ...
Funny, Feisty, and Fabulous: Stories Like “Junie B. Jones”
By Lindsey of Maricopa County Library District Kids love to read the antics of “Junie B. Jones,” but I would argue that Junie’s staying power likely stems from her enduring sassiness and questionable decision-making. If you’re tempted to mimic that ...
Hands-On Reading: Interactive picture books to spark imagination.
By Dannelle of Maricopa County Library District One of the best ways to get kids to enjoy reading is to involve them in the story—and interactive picture books, like “Bunny Slopes” by Claudia Rueda, make that task easy and fun! ...
Chilling Reads for the Tweens
BOOK CLUB Chilling Reads for the Tweens By Sally of Maricopa County Library District If your tween horror fan has outgrown R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps” series but isn’t quite ready for Scott Cawthorn’s popular “Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF)” teen ...
Book Club: The Joy of Books
Dual Delight: The Joy of Bilingual Picture Books By Amy of Maricopa County Library District Not only are bilingual picture books a great tool for language learning, but they are also just plain fun to read! “Green is a Chile ...
Middle School: A Time of Change
By Christy of Maricopa County Library District It’s no secret that middle school can be difficult. It is a time of huge changes and trying to figure out who you are and how you fit in. These difficulties can be ...
Book Club: May 2024
AVERY’S PICK “MAGNUS CHASE AND THE SWORD OF SUMMER” AUTHOR: Rick Riordan GENRE: Young Adult Fantasy AGES: 11+ RATING: 5 starts SYNOPSIS: Magnus Chase has seen his share of trouble. Ever since that terrible night two years ago when ...
Book Club: April 2024
AVERY’S PICK “MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN” AUTHOR: Ransom Riggs GENRE: Young Adult Fantasy AGES: 11+ RATING: 5 stars SYNOPSIS: A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be ...
If You Dig “Dogman” …
By Janelle Yoder of Maricopa County Library District Through “Dogman” and several other series, author Dav Pilkey has been captivating avid and reluctant readers alike with his hilarious storylines and engaging graphic novel format. If you’ve enjoyed the half-dog, half-man ...
