Tuesday, along with her dog Baxterr, set out on a magical journey to find her missing mother Serendipity Smith.  Her quest leads her into her own story in a magical land.  In order to return home she must finish her story. Tuesday befriends the brave Vivienne Small, tangles with a pirate, learns to sail an enchanted boat and discovers the truth about her loyal dog.  Writing is not easy and making your way to the end is difficult.
Can she find a happy ending?



3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, adventure, fantasy, Tessa's Picks

4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, character driven, contemporary fiction, friend
Raymie’s dad has run off with a dental hygienist and she has a plan to bring him back, a plan that involves winning the competition for the title of "Little Miss Central Florida Tire." This involves learning to twirl the baton.  And she has some competition from Louisiana Elefante (who has a show business background) and Beverly Tapinski (who wants to sabotage the competition).  They all meet up at baton class with with instructor Ida Nee.  Unexpectedly they become friends, helping each other resolve a sorrow that each carries with her.
There is sadness, droll humor, connectedness and that incredibly real sense of humanity that this author is so capable of revealing.






4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, character driven, contemporary fiction, friendship, humor, Tessa's Picks

Climb into the world behind the canvas with Claudia. There you will meet an evil witch who holds new found friend Pim under a spell. They must go on a quest to destroy the witch’s most precious possession in order to order to set Pim free.  Characters from famous paintings appear to add to the adventure.
Nothing in this magical world is what it appears to be.






4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade. adventure, fantasy, Tessa's Picks

​ Nandu who was raised by wild dogs in the jungle of Nepal, by a twist of fate finds himself at the King’s elephant stable.  His “parents” are the wise stable head, Subba-Sahib, and an affectionate elephant Devi Kali. Although he is only twelve, Nandu becomes the most skilled elephant handler.  When the government threatens to close the stable, he searches for a way to  save his community and his family.  To accomplish this he must find a great tusker; a bull elephant must be bought and lead back to the stable. This pays homage to The Jungle book, another coming of age tale where adventure, animals, family and bravery lead to wisdom.

4th grade, 5th grade, adventure, animals, Tessa's Picks

From the opening page where Zylynn is being driven away from the compound run by zealots, there is a feeling of dread and train crash curiosity. She reveals her fears and misconceptions of the outside world, where she sees darkness and evil surrounding her. In flashbacks we view the life of the compound where the female god of Light is worshiped. Father Prophet rules this kingdom and dictates days of hunger and punishment. The community is kept to a starvation diet
and prayer and chores rule the day. When she is rescued by her father and taken into the family where there is love and kindness and FOOD, she thinks that it is all a lie and will be taken away. Determined to run away and return to the compound, she makes a plan that includes taking her little sister with her as an offering to Father Prophet. Can she recover from the intense brainwashing she has endured and accept the love of her new family? You won’t be able to put this down until you find out.!

6th grade, 7th grade, 8th grade, contemporary fiction, character driven, Tessa's picks