Some tall tales

ALICE FROM DALLAS by Marilyn Sadler with illustrations by Ard Hoyt. Abrams, 2014.

Alice loves horses
And all things Texas until
A new cowgirl comes.

THERE WAS AN OLD COWPOKE WHO SWALLOWED AN ANT by Helen Ketteman with illustrations by Will Terry. Albert Whitman, 2014.

A stinging ant is
Followed by spider and more
Watch out stomach ache!

I kill the mockingbird

I KILL THE MOCKINGBIRD by Paul Acampora. Roaring Brook, 2014.

Lucy, Elena, and Michael are pleased to see that TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is one of their choices for summer reading. It is already one of their favorite books and one that their late beloved teacher Fat Bob loved, too. They know all too well, though, that not everyone is psyched about reading the book and hatch a plan to make TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD irresistible. A little help from the internet, some "misplaced" copies in bookstores, and soon their "I kill the mockingbird" plan has gone viral. Will the consequences be something with which the three can live? Will there be other repercussions? This novel considers all things literary and some very non-literary things as well as, over the course of a summer, demand for the book increases, a friendship is on the way to possibly becoming something more, and a town witnesses some magic.

The literary references are sure to please readers who are well read, but all readers are certain to find an element of connection in this novel about books, reading, teachers, love, cancer, small towns, and more.

Kid Stuff

SLEEP TIGHT, ANNA BANANA by Dominique Roques with illustrations by Alexis Dormal. First Second, 2014.

Anna Banana
Wants to keep reading despite
Protests from others.

JACOB'S NEW DRESS Sarah and Ian Hoffman with illustrations by Chris Case. Albert Whitman, 2014.

Jacob loves dresses
Even when the boys tease him.
They're comfortable.

Potpourri of Picture Books

PRESIDENT TAFT IS STUCK IN THE BATH by Mac Barnett with illustrations by Chris Van Dusen. Candlewick Press, 2014.

The President's stuck
In the tub. Who should we call?
How will he get out?

STONE SOUP WITH MATZOH BALLS: A PASSOVER TALE FROM CHELM by Linda Glaser with illustrations by Maryam Tabatabaei. Albert Whitman, 2014.

All we need for soup
Is a stone, some water, and
Generous people.

PLEASE, LOUISE by Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison with illustrations by Shadra Strickland. Simon & Schuster, 2014.

All Louise will need
Is at the library just
Just waiting for her there.

A CATFISH TALE by Whitney Stewart with illustrations by Gerald Guerlais. Albert Whitman, 2014.

His wife wants it all
A magic catfish can help
But how much's too much?

THE SHORT GIRAFFE by Neil Flory with illustrations by Mark Cleary. Albert Whitman, 2014.

He doesn't show up
In any photo. How can
We solve the problem?

Hearts

HEARTS by Thereza Rowe. Toon Books, 2014.

Pieces of her heart
Send Penelope on her
Journey to wholeness.

Migrant

MIGRANT by Jose Manuel Mateo with illustrations by Javier Martinez Pedro. Abrams, 2014.

Untie the ribbon that wraps the covers of this book and unfurl the accordion pages. Text in English and in Spanish accompany black and white illustrations that tell a deeper story of a family that comes to America as migrant workers. The format of this book is certain to attract readers. The illustrations add new dimensions to the book.

How I discovered poetry

HOW I DISCOVERED POETRY by Marilyn Nelson. Dial, 2014.

Moving place to place
Trying to fit in, finding
A voice of her own.

My big fat zombie goldfish

MY BIG FAT ZOMBIE GOLDFISH by Mo O'Hara. Feiwel and Friends, 2014.

A zombie goldfish?
Experiment gone awry.
Hypnotic powers.

Looniverse

LOONIVERSE: STAGE FRIGHT by David Lubar. Scholastic Press, 2014.

A rare blue moon might
Portend something dangerous
Or perhaps just strange?

(This short, funny chapter book is a stand alone part of a series.)

Word Burglar

THE WORD BURGLAR by Chris Cander with illustrations by Katherine Tramonte. Bright Sky Press, 2014.

He wants to read but
Everyone is too busy
So he burgles words.

Timmy Failure returns

TIMMY FAILURE: NOW LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE by Stephan Pastis. Candlewick Press, 2014.

Mysteries to solve
Timmy Failure on the job
Criminals beware!

Lindbergh

LINDBERGH: THE TALE OF A FLYING MOUSE by Torben Kuhlmann. North/South, 2014.

All the mice have fled.
Determined to follow them,
A mouse learns to fly.

Founding Mothers

FOUNDING MOTHERS: REMEMBERING THE LADIES by Cokie Roberts with illustrations by Diane Goode. Harper, 2014.

Remembering what
Women contributed to
U.S. history.

Baby Bear

BABY BEAR by Kadir Nelson. Balzer and Bray, 2014.

Baby Bear is lost.
He seeks advice from others,
And finds his way home.

Bunches of books

THE BAD BIRTHDAY IDEA by Madeline Valentine. Knopf, 2014.


Ben loves his robots
His sister Alice gets one
nd Ben is jealous.

THE HUEYS IN IT WASN'T ME by Oliver Jeffers. Philomel, 2014.

Who started it all?
What was the fight about? Should
We just let it go?

CALL ME JACOB by Marie Hubner with illustrations by Iris Wolfermann. North/South, 2014.

Matthew wants new names
Ones that will set him apart
And make him special.

LEONCE AND LENA by Georg Buchner with illustrations by Lizbeth Zwerger. Retold by Jurg Amann. North/South, 2014.

German play retold
Mistaken identity
With happy ending.

McElligot's Pool by Dr. Seuss. Random House, 1947.

McElligot's Pool
Full of possibilities
If one is patient.

Animal Fare

CLARK THE SHARK by Bruce Hale with illustrations by Guy Francis. Harper, 2014.

Clark the Shark loves school
He does not always fit in
But he does his best.

THE CROCODILE WHO DIDN'T LIKE WATER by Gemma Merino. North/South, 2014.

Corcodile hating
Water? How could that happen?
Perhaps he's not croc?

CUCKOO by Fiona Robertson. Putnam, 2014.

Cuckoo's different
From the others in his flock
Can he find a friend?

DONKEYS by Adelheid Dahimene and Heide Stollinger. North/South, 214.

Stubborn donkeys split
Seeking someone new to love
Only to find none.

GOLDI ROCKS AND THE THREE BEARS by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Beth Coulton with illustrations by Nate Wragg. Putnam, 2014.

Three bears seek songstress
For their band. Will Goldilocks
Create harmony?

Little things mean a lot

LITTLE FROG'S TADPOLE TROUBLE by Tatyana Feeney. Knopf, 2014.

Tadpoles mean siblings
Are coming soon. Little Frog
Is not that thrilled.

LITTLE POEMS FOR TINY EARS by Lin Oliver with illustrations by Tomie dePaola. Penguin, 2014.

Perfect poems for
Little ears, illustrated
Gather kids in laps.

SNOWBALL FIGHT by Jimmy Fallon with illustrations by Adam Stower. Dutton, 2014.

Snow means snowball fights
Building forts and attacking
Then home to get warm.

Half a Chance

HALF A CHANCE by Cynthia Lord. Scholastic Press, 2014.

It is another time of change for Lucy as she and her parents have just moved to New Hampshire to a house on a lake. Dad is taking off immediately to go photograph an endangered insect in Arizona. This is a constant in Lucy's life: new home, Dad gone. But somehow, Lucy is determined to find her place in her new world. The lens of her camera helps her see more clearly. This summer brings her closer to Nate, whose family's summer place is next door. Through Nate, Lucy learns about the loons that nest on an island in this lake. Lucy's summer will be a time of change, no doubt. But perhaps that change is a GOOD thing? Pair this with Cynthia Voigt's SOLITARY BLUE and Gary Paulsen's THE ISLAND.

Princess Labelmaker

PRINCESS LABELMAKER TO THE RESCUE by Tom Angleberger. Abrams, 2014.

Welcome back to Dwight and his Origami Yoda and to the Rebel Alliance that is fighting test prep at McQuarrie Middle School. A note from Princess Labelmaker to Principal Rabbski alerts her to the secret files sent her that demonstrate what is happening at the school with he dreadful test prep package that has replaced electives at the school. Will Rabbski stand up to the district? Will there Rebel Alliance win out over the Dark Side of test prep? Fans of the series will welcome this new entry into the lives of a band of misfits who are brought together by the Origami Yoda and his comrades.

Some bugs

SOME BUGS by Angela DiTerlizzi with illustrations by Brendan Wenzel. Beach Lane, 2014.

Bugs stink and hide and
Fight and hop and build and take
Look closely at them.

Maple

Her name is Maple
Like the tree she's named after
A tree that she loves.

Myths Retold

DO NOT OPEN! THE STORY OF PANDORA'S BOX by Joan Holub. Illustrated by Dani Jones. Simon Spotlight, 2014.

Pandora cannot
Resist opening the box.
Sad consequences.

THE ONE EYED PEOPLE EATER: THE STORY OF CYCLOPS by Joan Holub. Illustrated by Dani Jones. Simon Spotlight, 2014.

Odysseus and
His men are trapped by Cyclops
But they outwit him.

Kids Are Weird

KIDS ARE WEIRD by Jeff Brown. Chronicle Books, 2014.

Parenthood can be
A difficult time for us
Because kids are weird.

For instance:

Snoring Beauty

SNORING BEAUTY by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen with illustrations by Jane Manning. Harper, 2014.

Will the prince rescue
A snoring beauty? Maybe
With a mouse's help.

Moonbear's Sunrise

MOONBEAR'S SUNRISE by Frank Asch, Aladdin, 2014.

Bear loves the sunset
And longs to see the sun rise
But he is sleeping.

The Scraps Book

THE SCRAPS BOOK by Lois Ehlert. Simon and Schuster, 2014.

Artist Ehlert's life
Collecting, using, making
Art for all to see.

BTW, this book has a Lexile of 640, DRA 50, GRL U-W. Interesting how that limits the audience for this book, huh?

Lots of Spots

LOTS OF SPOTS by Lois Ehlert. Little Simon, 2014.

Animal patterns
Stripes, spots, and more. Animals
Display their brilliance.

A Nose for Fun

ROSIE AND REX: A NOSE FOR FUN by Bob Boyle. Harper, 2014.

Rosie and Rex don't
Agree on what to do for
Fun. Suggestions, please.

Too Cool for School

PETE THE CAT: TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL by Kimberly and James Dean. Harper, 2014.

What to wear asks Pete
Too many different answers.
He should pick his own.

Wake up, Rupert!

WAKE UP, RUPERT! by Mike Twohy. Somon and Schuster, 2014.

Rupert the rooster
Has trouble waking up, so
He enlists some help.

A is for awesome!

A IS FOR AWESOME by Dallas Clayton. Candlewick, 2014.

Awesome to Zleeping
The alphabet shows it stuff
There are words galore.