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Plant a Kiss
Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Peter H. Reynolds is an adorable story about the power of love. Little Miss plants a kiss and to her amazement it turns into something so much bigger than she ever imagined. With very simple sentences that span pages and adorable illustrations with just…
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Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip
Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick is a quick read about a All-Star pitcher, Peter going into high school. He’s pretty sure life will be a breeze when he joins the high school baseball team with his best friend, AJ until a pitching accident over the summer ruins…
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The Center of Everything
The Center of Everything by Linda Urban is a coming-of-age story for a young girl whose grandmother has recently passed away. Ruby Pepperdine lives in Bunning New Hampshire where it is said the inventor of the donut settled after spending years on the ocean in his sailing ship. Ruby’s grandmother…
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Open This Little Book
This book is such a fun surprise when you open it. I have seen this title flit across the blogs and book reviews, but I didn’t realize its structure until I opened it up and began to read. Inside you’ll find the first on many “little” books, this one being…
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Hold Fast
I fell in love with Blue Balliett’s writing after reading her first middle grade novel – Chasing Vermeer. She was able to combine so many unique elements into one story that held me spellbound from beginning to end. In fact, Chasing Vermeer, was the first book discussion book choice that I…
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Exclamation Mark
Let me start with one simple fact – I ADORE Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s picture books. Her ideas are absolutely spot-on for young children and are humorous enough to get a chuckle out the adults reading them as well. Tom Lichtenheld’s illustrations are comical as well – he has an amazing way of…
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33 Minutes
A lot can happen in 33 minutes… just ask Sam Lewis, who is going to get his butt kicked in 33 minutes by his former best friend, Morgan Sturtz. Written in a span of time that takes only 33 minutes, Todd Hasak-Lowy creates a typical middle school environment where anything can happen. …
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The Fire Horse Girl
I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel based in San Francisco in the early 1920s. Often, parts of history seem to be overlooked in grade school and although much is said about immigration through Ellis Island, I had never heard of Angel Island, until I read this novel. Angel Island…
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Better Nate Than Ever
I found I was easily able to relate to Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle. Nate is growing up outside of Pittsburgh and trying to survive middle school. While his older brother is “perfect” at everything (i.e. sports), Nate prefers Broadway shows and singing, hoping one day to be a star! …
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The Colossus Rises
If you’re a librarian like me, there is a constant stream of kids asking, “What do I read now?” Even if you’re not a librarian, you may have asked yourself this as well. It’s always difficult after you find a great author or series to jump into something else you…