COOKIE FIASCO By: Dan Santat WE ARE GROWING By: Laurie Keller

Cookie Fiasco and We Are Growing
Two wonderful beginning reading books inspired by Mo Willems, Elephant and Piggie Books.
Authors, Dan Santat and Laurie Keller make beginning reading fun. Great illustrations will delight your children. I hope you add them to your library. $9.99 Hyperion Books

WISH By: Barbara O'Connor

WISH  By: Barbara O'Connor
Charlie has been wishing everyday since fourth grade. She wishes on everything, stars, numbers, birds among many. But Charlie's world turns upside down when she is sent to live with an her Aunt Bertha and Uncle Gus. She didn't even know them. Aunt Bertha was the opposite of her sister, she is kind and loving. Charlie learns what being a family is really about, and what a real friendship can be when she meets Howard her neighbor and school mate and a scrappy stray dog. Get the tissues and be prepared to smile. Ages 8-12 $16.99  Farrar Straus Giroux

MARK OF THE PLAGUE By: Kevin Sands

MARK OF THE PLAGUE   By: Kevin Sands
This is the sequel to Blackthorn Key and a fabulous one indeed. The black death has come to London and this is where Christopher lives as an apprentice for his apothecary Blackthorn. But when Blackthorn is murdered and strange things start happening at the apothecary, Christopher and his friend Tom have to find out the real truth. Will they be able to save the people of London in time? Couldn't put it down. $17.99  Aladdin  Ages 10-14

LION ISLAND By: Margarita Engle

LION ISLAND  By: Margarita Engle
I must admit that I learn more about history reading historical fiction than I ever did in school. This is true when I read Engle's new novel. Cuban, Chinese, and African history all comes together from the years 1871-1878. Told in prose by the voices of the children whose parents are either slaves or writing to help the slaves find freedom. Cuba from another view. Ages 10 and up. $16.99 Antheneum

FROZEN By: Matthew Reinhart

FROZEN  By: Matthew Reinhart
Another stunning pop-up masterpiece by Reinhart. If you have a child who loves the movie Frozen and want to gaze at beautifully crafted pop-ups, this is a book for you. We collect pop-up books at our house and this will be added to our collection. I had the opportunity of meeting Matthew Reinhart and hearing how he crafts his books. The engineering involved is incredible. A great gift. $40.00
Disney Editions  All ages

IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A BROWNIE By: Laura Numeroff

IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A BROWNIE  By: Laura Numeroff
Well this is another in the series of Numeroff stories. One that will delight your little ones and make you want to go and bake a pan of brownies. I know I am headed to the kitchen after reading all about mouses adventures, and I might even have a glass of milk to go with it. Ages 4-8  $17.99  Harper

LUCY AND COMPANY By: Marianne Dubuc

LUCY AND COMPANY  By: Marianne Dubuc
In this series of short stories of Lucy and her animal friends you will come to love her and her cast of characters.  Lucy has a picnic on a tree branch, digs for treasure and finds the perfect home for hatchlings. Your little ones will enjoy all her adventures. Ages 3-6  $16.95  Kids Can Press

GHOST By: Jason Reynolds

GHOST  By: Jason Reynolds
Castle Cranshawl is a trouble maker at school and is often sent to the principals office. His life isn't easy for his father is in prison for trying to shoot he and his mom as they ran away. That is why Castle aka Ghost is a very fast runner. Not until he runs across Coach working with a bunch of runners that he begins to find his place and release some of his anger. Powerful story that is thoughtfully written. Ages 10 and up $16.99 Simon and Schuster

HOTEL BRUCE By: Ryan T. Higgins

HOTEL BRUCE  By: Ryan T. Higgins
Bruce is not too happy that he is missing his hibernation to take his goslings south. But more trouble awaits when he arrives home and finds that the mice have turned his beloved home into a hotel. In this funny sequel to Mother Bruce I am sure your children will love as Bruce confronts not only the mice, but the guests. Ages 4-8  $17.99 Hyperion

FANCY NANCY BEST READING BUDDIES By: Jane O'Connor

BEST READING BUDDIES  By; Jane O'Connor
A delightful I Can Read book about Nancy who has a reading buddy from the fifth grade. She absolutely loves Violet and can't wait to read to her. But Violet isn't around for a few sessions and Nancy is really sad. Will Violet return to help Nancy? Your children will love her wit. 
HarperCollins Ages 4-8 $16.99

LITTLEST BIGFOOT By: Jennifer Weiner

LITTLEST BIGFOOT  By: Jennifer Weiner
What would you do if you were a girl who didn't look as petite as your mom or was teased and bullied at each school you attend. Here we find Alice, who is on her way to her eighth boarding school. But what she begins to find here isn't so bad, until one more girl joins her cabin. 
There is another girl who lives across the pond, Millie. Millie has golden hair and is small for her family. She is also a member of the bigfoot clan. When Alice and Millie find each other they find acceptance. And more importantly someone who is a friend. 
Will the bigfoot clan be found out and exploited? Will Alice be able to stop the bullying and enjoy her school? A great read that will have you rooting for the characters. Ages 8-12  $16.99 Aladdin

ASHES By: Laurie Halse Anderson

ASHES  By: Laurie Halse Anderson
The conclusion of The Seeds of America series. If  you haven't read Chains and Forge, get going so  you can read this stunning conclusion. Isabel and Curzon are trying to find Isabel's younger sister who was separated from her when she was taken into slavery. Isabel has crafted papers that say they are free and she and Curzon set out to find Ruth. But the American Revolution gets in the way when Curzon signs up to serve. What happens to them is finely crafted in historical fiction. What is it like trying to fight for a country that tells you will have freedom after the war.  A must read. Ages 10-14 $16.99 Antheneum

SAM THE MAN AND THE CHICKEN PLAN By: Frances O'Roark Dowell

SAM THE MAN AND THE CHICKEN PLAN  By: Frances O'Roark Dowell
Sam is a very thoughtful young man and he really wants something great to share for show and tell. He gets a red feather and a blue feather happiness. He is going to show it to his classmates, but he wants to have a special box. So he asks his sister. Sam had just earned twenty dollars sitting for a neighbors chickens and that is how much his sister charges him for the box. But things go wrong and his feathers are lost. So Sam decides to earn money for a pet, a chicken that lays blue eggs. Will he be  able to come up with enough money. Sam really learns that being nice can bring a lot of joy. Ages 6-9 $15.99  Anthenum

CLOUD AND WALLFISH By: Anne Nesbet

CLOUD AND WALLFISH  By: Anne Nesbet

Historical fiction at its best.

 Noah Keller lives in Virginia and has a tortured life as a stutterer. But one day everything comes crashing down on Noah. His parents pick him up at school and tell him he has to have a new name and he is now called Jonah Brown. He also has to have a new birthday and be six months younger. Then they whisk him off to East Berlin behind the Iron Curtain. The year is 1989 and he isn't allowed to talk about normal things in the apartment, for it is being monitored. The only time he is allowed to ask questions is outside and only with a smile on his face. Then he meets the girl downstairs, Claudia. But that relationship isn't allowed by her grandmother. With a lot of sneaking around Cloud-Claudia and Jonah become friends. Tucked in every chapter is the information about about Germany and the wall. A great history lesson with a wonderful story. Ages 12 on up, or a really good reader. $16.99  Candlewick Press

THE SNURTCH By: Sean Ferrell

THE SNURTCH  By: Sean Ferrell
Ruthie has big problems at school. It isn't the other children, teacher, reading, writing or math. It isn't even the classroom. It is the Snurtch. He is a rude monster who shares her desk and gets her in a lot of trouble. Will she ever be able to rid herself of this pest. Read and find out. Ages 4-8  $17.99  Antheneum

IS THAT WISE, PIG? By: Jan Thomas

IS THAT WISE, PIG?  By: Jan Thomas
Pig is making soup and he is counting what he puts in the soup. One onion, two cabbages and here are three umbrellas. The other animals ask if that is wise to put in the soup. So he goes and gets something else. The children will want to read this over and over again. It is so silly. Ages 3 up. $14.99  Simon and Schuster

CLICK, CLACK, SURPRISE! By: Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin

CLICK, CLACK, SURPRISE!  By: Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin
Little Duck is having a birthday and Farmer Brown is making a cake. As little duck watches all his fiends get ready for the party her has to follow what they do. So when "sheep snippity-clip" and "chickens shimmy-shake" so does duck. It is a riot when he finally appears for his first birthday. 
Ages 3 up. $17.99  Atheneum for Young Readers

WHERE, OH WHERE, IS ROSIE'S CHICK? By: Pat Hutchins

WHERE, OH WHERE, IS ROSIE'S CHICK?  By: Pat Hutchins
Rosie's Walk was our favorite picture book when my children were little. We read it over and over again to see if the fox would get Rosie and that would be her end. But Rosie just kept on walking. Now the sequel to this simple classic is back. 
Rosie has a chick and she just can't find him. The children will delight in seeing Rosie's chick covered with a shell on top of her head. There is a fox and his little kit. But Rosie keeps looking and so will your children. The book says ages 4-8, but I feel it's 2 on up. I think my little 17 month old granddaughter would love it. $17.99  Simon & Schuster

POND By: Jim LaMarche

POND  By: Jim LaMarche
Here is a wonderful author who also does astounding illustrations. Pond is a simple premise of  a boy named Matt who finds a small, but littered junk pit where there is some water. So with the help of his sister and his friend Pablo they clean up the mess and water begins to flow. As the seasons change so do the animals that come to inhabit this beautiful new body of water. Ages 4-8  $17.99 Simon and Schuster

THE PROS & CONS OF BEING A FROG By: Sue deGennaro

THE PROS & CONS OF BEING A FROG  By: Sue deGennaro
When you have a friend who decides to dress up in as a cat and is frequently chased by other animals you have to step in and help him out, so another costume is in order. After trying a giraffe without much success a frog seems to be the perfect choice. But when your friends thinks you also need to be a frog and the only thing you really love is numbers will your friendship prevail? Ages 4-8 $17.99  Simon and Schuster