Read a Book, Find a Friend

EVERYBODY

Dear Students,I have loved to read for as long as I can

remember. As I grew up, I learned to enjoy many types of books. I have created this bibliography, a suggested list of titles, for you. Use it when you aren’t sure what to read or when you want to find something new. This list is divided into sections, including picture books and easy readers, fiction books, nonfiction books, magazines, and diversity books on physical disabilities. Read the descriptions to find a new book or magazine that you might like to check out.

You’ll find that when you read a book that interests you, you will enjoy it so much more. Books have a special way of connecting to our lives. Pick up a new book today, and you may find a friend within.

Hope you find a new friend soon,

Mrs. Harmon

Our Everybody Fiction Section includes both picture books and easy reader books.

Picture books have illustrations that help tell a story. The illustrations can be more important than the words on the page. Some picture books don’t

have any words at all.

Easy Reader books are designed for those who are just learning to read independently. Most still have

pictures, but also use words to tell the story.

Picture Books and Easy Readers

Title: Buzz Boy and Fly Guy

Author: Tedd Arnold

Call Number: E ARN

Why you should read this book: In the dead of the night, pirates steal Buzz Boy and Fly

Guy’s house. They are trapped inside a cave with a sleeping dragon. Buzz Boy and Fly Guy use their super

powers to take back their home and even add a new member to their superhero team.

Arnold, Tedd. Buzz Boy and Fly Guy. New York: Scholastic, 2010.

Title: Extra Yarn

Author: Mac Barnett

Call Number: E BAR

Why you should read this book: Annabelle finds a box of colorful yarn. She enjoys

knitting sweaters for the townspeople and pets. She even makes covers for buildings and trees. Everyone enjoys her

creations. The box of yarn never runs out. A cruel Archduke steals the box of yarn. Will he find as much

happiness in the box as Annabelle did?

Barnett, Mac. Extra Yarn. New York: Harper Collins, 2012.

Title: Olivia

Author: Ian Falconer

Call Number: E FAL

Why you should read this book: Olivia is a wild child. She loves to be busy. Olivia likes to read and to paint. She tries on all her clothes and is always moving the cat around. Olivia does everything bigger and

better. Join this fabulous pig on her busy adventures.

Falconer, Ian. Olivia. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2000.

Title: Madeline’s Rescue

Author: Ludwig Bemelmens

Call Number: E BEM**

Why you should read this book: When Madeline nearly drowns, she is rescued by a stray dog. Her teacher, Miss Clavel, lets her class keep the dog and they name her

Genevieve. The school trustees come for a visit and force Genevieve to leave. The students search for her in the streets of Paris. Genevieve

returns with a surprise gift for each of the students.

Bemelmans, Ludwig. Madeline's Rescue. New York: Viking, 1953.

Title: Unspoken: A Story From The Underground Railroad

Author: Henry Cole

Call Number: E COL

Why you should read this book: A young girl helps a runaway slave hide during the Civil War. She brings the slave food and the slave gives her a doll. She protects the

slave from being caught by keeping the slave’s location a secret. Their friendship teaches the importance of showing kindness to others.

Cole, Henry. Unspoken: A Story From the Underground Railroad. New York: Scholastic Press, 2012.

Title: Click, Clack, Boo! A Tricky Treat

Author: Doreen Cronin

Call Number: E CRO

Why you should read this book: Farmer Brown’s animals love Halloween but he does not. He leaves treats for trick-or-treaters on his porch and hides in bed waiting for

them to leave. He cringes as he hears their crunches, creaks, and taps. Boy, is he shocked when he hears a quack! Will he be brave enough to

find out what those animals are up to?

Cronin, Doreen. Click, Clack, Boo!: A Tricky Treat. New York: Atheneum, 2013.

Title: Library Lion

Author: Michelle Knudsen

Call Number: E KNU

Why you should read this book: There is an exception to every rule. When a Lion shows up for story hour the librarian lets him stay. Lion must follow the rules, like “no

roaring”, just like the other children. Lion loves the library and comes early to story hour so he can help. What will happen when Lion breaks

a rule to help a friend? Will Library Lion be allowed back?

Knudsen, Michelle. Library Lion. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2006.

Title: Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

Author: Eric Litwin

Call Number: E LIT

Why you should read this book: Pete the Cat loves to wear his favorite yellow shirt with four colorful, groovy

buttons. He even makes up a song about his buttons, singing it as he eats ice cream and rides his skateboard. Does he worry when one by one the buttons start to pop

off? No way! He just makes up a new song about the buttons that are left. Pete knows that though things come and things go, it’s what you do with them that

matters. Sing along with Pete because it’s all good!

Eric Litwin. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons. New York: Harper, 2012.

Title: Leaf Man

Author: Lois Ehlert

Call Number: E EHL

Why you should read this book: A child imagines he sees a leaf man in a pile of leaves near his house. As the leaves rustle in the wind, he knows that the leaf man must follow it through

marshes and over meadows. He wonders if the leaf man will see turkeys, ducks, and cows. As he imagines where the leaf man travels, he realizes that the wind will

take him wherever it wants.

Ehlert, Lois. Leaf Man. San Diego: Harcourt, 2005.

Title: Black Dog

Author: Levi Pinfold

Call Number: E PIN

Why you should read this book: Small is not afraid of the black dog that is outside her house. Her father was so scared he called the police. Her mother was so terrified she kept

everyone inside. Her brother was so shaken he hid under the covers. Small will show this black dog who is in charge. When Small puts the

dog through his paces, she makes a best friend for life.

Pinfold, Levi. Black Dog. Somerville, MA: Templar, 2012.

Title: Chrysanthemum

Author: Kevin Henkes

Call Number: E HEN

Why you should read this book: Chrysanthemum loves her name. She thinks it is perfect until she goes

to school for the first time. Victoria, Rita, and Jo tease her about her name. They think it is silly to be named after a flower. Chrysanthemum is sad until a teacher shows her that she is

perfect just the way she is.

Henkes, Kevin. Chrysanthemum. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1991.

Title: A Ball For Daisy

Author: Christopher Raschka

Call Number: E RAS

Why you should read this book: Join Daisy the dog on her adventure with her favorite toy, a big red

ball! Daisy does everything with her red ball. When disaster strikes Daisy will learn that it is not just the toy, but the friends

she made playing with her red ball that make her happy.

Raschka, Christopher. A Ball for Daisy. New York: Schwartz & Wade, 2011.

Title: This Is Not My Hat

Author: Jon Klassen

Call Number: E KLA**

Why you should read this book: Would you be daring enough to steal a hat from an enormous fish?

Would you be brave enough to snatch it off of his head while he is asleep? One small fish does just that, and believes that he has gotten away with the crime. With trouble brewing behind him,

he wades into tall grasses assuming that he can’t be found. It’s a good thing that enormous fish didn’t wake up, right?

Klassen, Jon. This Is Not My Hat. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2012.

Title: Flotsam

Author: David Wiesner

Call Number: E WIE**

Why you should read this book: Flotsam – things that float and are washed up from the ocean. When a

boy sees an old camera washed up on a New Jersey beach, he finds film inside. He has the photos developed and is amazed by the images this camera captured in the ocean. Photos of robotic

fish, story time with squids, and untold aquatic journeys show us just one of the cameras many journeys.

Wiesner, David. Flotsam. New York: Clarion Books, 2006.

Title: He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands

Author: Kadir Nelson

Call Number: E NEL

Why you should read this book: Sing along with a boy and his family as they connect with the world

around them. Join their family and friends as they celebrate the sky, the stars, and the earth, gifts from a loving creator. Enjoy

the lyrics and sheet music that are included.

Nelson, Kadir. He's Got the Whole World In His Hands. New York: Dial Books, 2005.

Title: One Cool Friend

Author: Toni Buzzeo

Call Number: E BUZ

Why you should read this book: While at the aquarium, Elliot, a very proper and well-mannered young

boy, asks his father for a penguin. His father agrees believing he is going to buy a stuffed penguin. Elliot sneaks a live penguin

into his book bag without being caught. Elliot realizes that taking care of a pet is hard work.

Buzzeo, Toni. One Cool Friend. New York: Dial Books for Young Children, 2012.

Title: Bear’s Picture

Author: Daniel Pinkwater

Call Number: E PIN

Why you should read this book: Everyone knows that bears can’t paint pictures, but Bear decides to

paint one anyway. He makes squiggly orange and green splotches. He even uses just the right kind of yellow. Bear's painting is special,

which makes him happy.

Pinkwater, Daniel. Bear's Picture. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008.

Title: The Keeping Quilt

Author: Patricia Polacco

Call Number: E POL

Why you should read this book: Great Gramma Anna’s quilt comforts her family. It helps them to

remember special traditions. It is used at weddings and special meals, it cuddles new babies, and it soothes those who are sick. As time

passes, Great Gramma Anna’s quilt remains the same, loved by each generation.

Polacco, Patricia. The Keeping Quilt. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1988.

Title: The Relatives Came

Author: Cynthia Rylant

Call Number: E RYL

Why you should read this book: A group of relatives leave their grape orchard to visit their family in

the summer. They hug, laugh, eat, and play. The relatives help around the house and the garden. When the relatives return home, they begin

dreaming of the fun they will have next summer.

Rylant, Cynthia. The Relatives Came. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1985.

Title: Cat Secrets

Author: Jef Czekaj

Call Number: E CZE

Why you should read this book:Read this story to learn important secrets about the life of a cat. Learn how to meow, purr, stretch, and take a nap. Be sure not to give away

any of their secrets!

Czekaj, Jef. Cat Secrets. New York: Balzer & Bray, 2011.

Title: A Sick Day for Amos McGee

Author: Philip Stead

Call Number: E STE**

Why you should read this book:A kind zookeeper, Amos McGee, visits his animal friends at the zoo each day. He plays chess, runs races, and reads stories to his friends.

When Amos gets sick, he realizes he can count on his friends for help.

Stead, Philip. A Sick Day for Amos McGee. New York: Roaring Book Press, 2010.

Title: A Frog Thing

Author: Eric Drachman

Call Number: E DRA

Why you should read this book:Frank wasn’t happy with doing ordinary frog things. He wanted to

learn how to fly. One day, a small bird fell from a nest into the water. Frank saved the bird. Momma bird repaid Frank by teaching him how

to fly.

Drachman, Eric. A Frog Thing. Los Angeles, California: Kidwick Books LLC, 2010.

Title: Each Kindness

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Call Number: E WOO

Why you should read this book:Chloe is cruel to Maya, the new girl at school. Chloe's teacher talks

about what it means to be kind, and how even doing something small is important. Maya moves away before Chloe can be kind to her. Chloe

realizes that she lost a chance to make a friend.

Woodson, Jacqueline. Each Kindness. New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012.

Title: Clever Jack Takes the Cake

Author: Candace Fleming

Call Number: E FLE

Why you should read this book:A poor boy runs into many obstacles when delivering a birthday

present to the princess. As Jack walks to the castle, he shares pieces of the cake to those he meets. When Jack arrives at the castle he has

nothing to give to the princess. The princess was delighted with the story of the missing cake.

Fleming, Candace. Clever Jack Takes the Cake. New York: Scwartz & Wade, 2010.

Title: Dadblamed Union Army Cow

Author: Susan Fletcher

Call Number: E FLE

Why you should read this book:An unusual cow follows its owner south into the Civil War. The

soldier couldn’t sleep or play cards with friends because he was taking care of the persistent cow. However, when the soldiers were cold or

hungry, they would rely on the cow for their surprising comforts.

Fletcher, Susan. Dadblamed Union Army Cow. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2007.

Title: The End

Author: David LaRochelle

Call Number: E LAR

Why you should read this book:When a princess decides to make a big bowl of lemonade, she starts a whole chain of events. These events lead to the prince falling in love

with her. The prince was on fire but fast thinking by the princess helped save his life.

LaRochelle, David. The End. New York: Scholastic, 2007.

Title: Officer Buckle and Gloria

Author: Peggy Rathmann

Call Number: E RAT**

Why you should read this book:Officer Buckle and Gloria are famous presenters at safety shows.

Officer Buckle notices that Gloria is stealing the show and that he is not needed. After a huge accident, Officer Buckle and Gloria learn the

most important safety tip: Always stick with your buddy!

Rathmann, Peggy. Officer Buckle and Gloria. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1995.

Title: Creepy Carrots

Author: Aaron Reynolds

Call Number: E REY

Why you should read this book:Jasper loves eating carrots until they start following him home. He

starts seeing them everywhere and is convinced they are after him. To prove to his parents that he is telling the truth, Jasper makes a plan to trap all the carrots in Crackenhopper’s Field. However, he discovers

the carrots are very clever.

Reynolds, Aaron. Creepy Carrots. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2012.

Title: Green

Author: Laura V. Seeger

Call Number: E SEE

Why you should read this book:Green is all around us. There are many different colors of green. The

many shades of green teach us to be diverse and unique.

Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Green. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2012.

Title: The House in the Night

Author: Susan M. Swanson

Call Number: E SWA**

Why you should read this book:Bedtime rituals are very important for a young child’s routine.

Looking at familiar pictures, knowing that the moon will always return and that your favorite book is on the bed maybe comforting to those

who are falling asleep.

Swanson, Susan Marie. The House in the Night. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008.