Charise has always been a bad sister. From the moment her younger brother was brought home, she was jealous of how much attention he got. As he got older and ruined her drawings, tried to steal her cat, and made her look bad with his natural ease around others she only grew to resent him more. And yet he kept coming back and trusting her. But when a game goes too far and he gets really hurt Charise tries to change. Can she be the big sister she wants to be? Or is she destined to be bad forever?

I've read a lot of stories about "bad" siblings, but they usually aren't from that sibling's perspective. This one is even more unusual because it's a memoir. It's brave of Harper to tell this story where she isn't shown in the best light and I really appreciate that she did. Harper gives insight into what was going on in her head when she did the things she did and it's a great exercise in empathy. This is an excellent choice for anyone who has experienced a difficult sibling relationship and fans of memoir comics in general. 

Bad Sister by Charise Mericle Harper, illustrated by Rory Lucey 

Erica's Picks
4th - 7th
​tags: character driven, comics, contemporary fiction, family life, SEL

Tola is the youngest of three, but don't underestimate her! Even though she is smaller than her siblings her kindness, bravery, and determination help her to do great things. From standing up to mean older kids to helping neighbors in need with her amazing number skills, Tola saves the day again and again. Get to know Tola and her neighbors in Lagos, Nigeria in this sweet, realistic story.

I love a character who is small but mighty so I naturally love Tola! This early chapter book has ample illustrations and three short stories that are quick to read and entertaining. With great lessons and a wonderful setting this is a perfect read-aloud book.

Too Small Tola by Atinuke, illustrated by Onyinye Iwu 

Erica's Picks
1st - 3rd
tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, family life, global perspectives, People of Color

When Jo gets bored one summer day, she is delighted to discover a dog walking around town with a basket and shopping list. Jo decides to follow the dog as it stops in at various stores and and the clerks check the list and fill his basket. When Jo is mistaken for the dog's owner and finally makes some friends, she doesn't correct them. But when people complain about dogs walking around without a leash the town is divided and Jo is caught in the middle. Will her new friends still like her when they discover the truth? And will the friendly shopping dog end up behind bars?

This comic is great for fans of realistic comics, especially dog lovers. Both Jo and the reader learn a great lesson in empathy and understanding other perspectives as the issue of whether off-leash dogs should be allowed is debated and finally brought to a resolution.

Pawcasso by Remy Lai 

Erica's Picks
3rd - 6th grade
​tags: animals, character driven, comics, contemporary fiction, family life, friendship, summer vacation

At first when Sona hears that she's going to have a baby brother or sister, she is not excited. Everyone in her family is talking about the new baby and hardly paying any attention to her. She doesn't want to share her favorite baby clothes and toys and make space for another person in her family. But when she learns about the special naming ceremony she is determined to find the perfect one. Can Sona go from reluctant older sister to being the very best?

This story follows a large and loving family in India as they prepare for a new baby. Learning about the cultural traditions around this event is fun and everything is clearly explained and celebrated with adorable illustrations, sweet characters, and a relatable plot for anyone who has experienced changes in their family. A great story for new chapter book readers.

Sona Sharma, Very Best Big Sister by Chitra Soundar illustrated by Jen Khatun 

Erica's Picks
1st - 3rd
​tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, family life, global perspectives, People of Color

When Christine first meets Moon, she's heard the rumors of her fighting and is afraid she's bad news. But when Moon and her mother move in to the small in-law unit on her family's property she quickly gains an appreciation for Moon's creative spirit and rebellious ways. When tragedy strikes and Moon needs a friend more than ever, will Christine be able to rise to the occasion?

This is a sweet comic about friendship perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier (it even has an endorsement from her on the cover!) Inspired by events from the author's childhood, the story is authentic and heart-felt

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Stargazing by Jen Wang 

Erica's Picks
3rd - 6th
​tags: character driven, comics, contemporary fiction, family life, friendship, People of Color

Eliana Elisabeth Montgomery-Hofstein — Ellie, has many names. Her least favorite of all is Splash; it was given to her at the age of five and has shaped her life ever since. See, Ellie is beautiful, but she doesn’t see herself that way because the people around her can’t get past her being fat. She is bullied daily by her peers, her siblings, and worst of all, her own mother. To cope, Ellie spends her free time floating in her pool where she can be weightless, free to take up as much as space as she wants. When her best friend moves away unexpectedly, Ellie feels lonely in a way she’s never felt before. With the help from a therapist and making a new friend in her neighbor Catalina, Ellie slowly learns to view life through a new lens and to live life on her own terms — Fat Girl Rules be damned. This poignant story about beauty in all forms, loving yourself, and challenging societal norms spoke deeply to my heart. It will speak to yours, too. A debut novel-in-verse from author Lisa Fipps will leave readers wanting to hear more from Ellie.

Starfish by Lisa Fipps

Jennie's Picks
5th-8th Grade
Tags: Character-Driven, Novels In Verse, Contemporary Fiction

Our Goldendoodle, Roux, gave this 5 stars!
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Elfie has never fit in at Cottonwood Elementary and never made any friends, despite her cousin being in the same grade. The students there are too chaotic, break the rules, and don't care enough about their grades in group projects. Which is why she's so excited to start at the local private school where everyone wears tidy uniforms and the curriculum is challenging and everything will be perfect. Then Elfie gets kicked out on her very first day. While she's waiting for the school's honor code review board to sort out the misunderstanding, she has to go back to Cottonwood. Slowly Elfie's perfect life unravels until she's left with a bigger mess than ever. But if she can learn to accept the imperfections, she might just be able to turn the year around.

This book had me laughing from the first page as I recognized my own younger self. Luckily for Elfie she progresses far faster than I did and reading about her emotional journey is at turns heartwarming and hilarious. A warm and wise novel for children especially recommended for over achievers and perfectionists who will empathize with Elfie and learn some important lessons as they read and laugh their way through her story.

Elfie Unperfect by Kristin Mahoney

Erica's Picks
3rd - 5th
​tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, family life, People of Color, school stories, SEL

When Lydia's mother dies after a long battle with cancer, she moves in with her aunt Brat. Brat and her wife have an odd life, living on an old farm with a retired farmer. They seem to have their hands full with people and animals to take care of, so Lydia is surprised when they decide to adopt a second dog. Lydia is not a dog person and this one acts bizarrely and pees all over the house. But he has a strange charm and soon worms his way into all of their hearts. But just as Lydia starts to feel settled in to her new life, her world threatens to be turned upside down once again.

This is the kind of heart-warming, emotionally intelligent story that I've come to expect from Leslie Connor. The characters are warm and well-drawn and welcome the reader in with a friendly embrace. Even when bad things happen, good people step up to make them right. Excellent for anyone looking for a tear jerker with a happy ending, especially dog lovers.

A Home for Goddesses and Dogs by Leslie Connor

Erica's Picks
4th - 6th
​tags: animals, character driven, contemporary fiction, family life, SEL, tear-jerker

Louisa wants nothing more than to spend the summer rehearsing with her violin for her big audition with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. But her environmentalist parents have other ideas. They went off on an expedition observing toads and sent Louisa to stay with her uncle in the wilds of the Tasmanian jungle in Australia. At first Louisa is scared stiff of the spiders and snakes that could be lurking in any corner, but soon she learns that even more fantastic creatures may be lurking in the jungle. Creatures like the widely-believed to be extinct Tasmanian Tiger. As she learns more about the history of Tasmania and her family she becomes determined to find and save the enigmatic creature that is drawn to her music. But with her uncle's home set to be bulldozed, will she be able to find it before it's too late?

This is an excellent read for music and animal lovers everywhere. The book completely transported me to Tasmania and made me fall in love with its native fauna. Even tasmanian devils are cute as babies. Louisa is a great character who grows immensely over the course of the book and watching her friendship bloom with Colin was a delight. Highly recommended.

Music for Tigers by Michelle Kadarusman

Erica's Picks
4th - 7th
​tags: animals, character driven, contemporary fiction, disability, friendship, global perspectives, SEL, social justice, summer vacation

Some kids crave popularity, but Ross just wants to be ignored. He hates the spotlight and would rather just doodle comics quietly while his peers look past him. This is hard when he becomes "cancer kid." At first the whispers around him at least contain fake sympathy, but when his treatment leaves him with a permanent squint, dripping eye goo, and a ridiculous protective hat, the whispers turn to outright disgust and cruel memes about him start circulating. Luckily he has one friend who has stuck by him and a new-found love for music. Will Ross's performance at the talent show be epic? Or will it be another mortifying moment he'd rather forget?

This book, based on the author's own experiences, has a lot of heart and a surprising amount of humor. An excellent choice for anyone looking for a realistic fiction book. Highly recommended.

Wink by Rob Harrell

Erica's Picks
4th - 7th
​tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, friendship, humor, school stories, SEL