Patrick has always wanted a dog, and one summer at his grandfather's house his dreams finally come true. When he sees Oz in the shelter, Patrick knows they'll be best friends. But Oz had a rough start with some mean people and doesn't trust anyone. Will Patrick be able to make Oz happy again and help him find his bark?

This is such a sweet story. I loved how the narrative switched between Patrick and Oz's perspectives. Partway through the story Patrick gets some upsetting news and the tables turn so that Oz needs to help Patrick find his happiness again. It's so heart-warming to see them help each other and the illustrations are simply adorable. It's a perfect read-aloud or early independent chapter book for kids who love dogs.

The Dog Who Lost His Bark by Eoin Colfer, illus. by P.J. Lynch

Erica's Picks
1st - 3rd grade
Tags: 

​Yasmin loves books and she's determined to read a new one every day. After school, she visits Book Uncle on the corner. A retired teacher, he has set up a free lending library for the neighborhood. Book Uncle is always ready with the perfect book and everyone loves him. But when the Mayor shuts Book Uncle down, Yasmin and the other kids worry they won't be able to get new books anymore. Luckily, a new election is just around the corner. If this Mayor won't let Book Uncle operate, they will campaign for one who will.

This sweet story is a great slice-of-life of a kid in India. I loved everything about the story from Book Uncle himself to the way the students get all the mayoral candidates talking about libraries. Highly recommended!

Book Uncle and Me by Uma Krishnaswami

Erica's Picks
1st - 3rd grade
​Tags:

Born in the Great Depression to two Deaf parents, Myron's native tongue is American Sign Language. As he grows up, he navigates his role as translator for his parents to the hearing world. Along the way there's emergency hospital trips, neighborhood bullies, gatherings at the beach, and landmark events. Myron's life is at turns ordinary and extraordinary but it's always fascinating.

I loved reading details about life in the 30's and 40's through the eyes of a child. The peeks into Deaf culture were great and the way Uhlberg describes the signs beautiful. My favorite parts were just reading about every day life in the past. 

The Sound of Silence by Myron Uhlberg

Erica's Picks
4th - 7th
Tags: Biography, Disability, Family Life, Nonfiction

I absolutely loved the update on this classic story. Whether or not you've read the original, there's much to enjoy about Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy.

The March sisters love each other, although at first glance it may not seem like it. Each sister has her own unique passions and personality and sometimes that leads to conflict. The oldest, Meg is obsessed with fashion and how the other, richer half lives. Jo couldn't care less about fashion but dreams of becoming a famous author someday. Beth is known for being quiet until she gets a guitar and learns how to make her noise. Amy is an artist and a chaotic rainbow of a girl, but sometimes her exuberance can get on her sisters' nerves. With their father stationed overseas and their mother working long hours as a nurse the March girls have to stick together. They've weathered many storms, but the coming years will try them more than anything they've faced. 

Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Rey Terciero and Bre Indigo

Erica's Picks
Grade 4 -8
Tags: comics, retellings, people of color

Allie Is a straight A student with a loving family, good friends and is dating the sweet Wells Henderson.  The book opens with a scene on an airplane where Allie’s father is targeted by the man next to him when he hears him speaking Arabic.  Islamophobic comments bring the steward over and Allie stands up for her father showing on her phone that he is a professor at Northwestern.  Allie smooths over the incident but is tired of bearing the burden of other peoples’ ignorance.
Her parents do not practice Islam (although her father’s extended family do) and advise Allie, who does not appear Muslim, to not acknowledge her heritage.  Feeling spiritually lost, Allie finds herself drawn to Islam and joins a young woman’s study group where they discuss religion. Supported by these strong feminist women, Allie feels proud to be an out Muslim and begins to learn Arabic so that she can speak with her grandmother.
When she finds out that Well’s father in none other than Jack Henderson infamous Islamophobic talk show shock jock, Allie is faced with some hard choices. Will there budding romance survive this news?
I loved the diverse characters in Allie’s family and how she finds her path and has the courage to follow it. I came away with so much empathy for what it means to be Muslim in America.

​Tessa's picks,6th-8th grade, Character driven, Contemporary fiction, Family life, Global perspectives, Issues fiction.

When Sweet Pea’s parents get a divorce, they try to keep things normal for her in the strangest way possible. Her father moves into a house just two doors down from her mother and tries to make the house identical, down to painting the walls to match the old wall paper. In between her parents lives the town eccentric and advice columnist, Miss Flora Mae. When Miss Flora has to take an emergency trip, Sweet Pea house sits. When she gives into temptation and reads the letters asking for advice, she finds out more than she bargained for. 

Sweet Pea is aptly named and a funny, sweet protagonist. I enjoyed watching her navigate friendships, her parents’ divorce, and her small town’s response to her father coming out as gay. 


Erica's Picks
Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy

Grades 3 - 6
​Tags: Character Driven, Contemporary Fiction, Family Life, Friendship, Humor, LGBTQ

None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for the filthy minds of high school students. Aphra’s programming project is supposed to give advice and learn natural language from its users, but when it starts spouting filth, she knows she can’t turn the project in. So she takes over, pretending to be her program while she gives advice. The good news is that her crush figures it out and falls in love with app’s persona. The bad news is he thinks the person behind the persona is Aphra’s best friend. 

This modern-day Cyrano had me in stitches with laughter. A fantastic romance filled with humor and heart. 

Erica's Picks
We Are the Perfect Girl by Ariel Kaplan

Grades 6-8
​Tags: Character Driven, Contemporary Fiction, Family Life, Friendship, Humor, Mental Illness, Retellings, Romance, SEL

Lou is used to small spaces. She shares a room with her mother in her grandmother's house in San Francisco. It's even more cramped when her extended family comes to visit. She loves them all, but longs for a space of her own. She's obsessed with tiny houses and has spent many hours researching their clever designs. When her mother gets a job offer in Washington state, Lou is convinced that if she can build her tiny house, it will convince her mother to stay. Will she be able to rally her friends to the cause? Or will she have to leave everyone she loves behind?

This is a charming story full of heart and endearing characters. Lou has a great community of friends and family. 

Erica's Picks
The House that Lou Built by Mae Respicio

Grades 3 - 6
Tags:

​When Vita’s grandfather is cheated out of his family home by a notorious conman, she and her mother take the next boat to New York. 1920s New York is full of wonders and danger, but none of it is a match for Vita’s determination. Vita has a permanent limp and is used to people underestimating her. She uses that to her full advantage. With her new friends from the circus, she sets off to steal her family’s fortunes back.

I enjoyed every moment of this adventure story. From the circus performers and animals to the trips through secret tunnels this book will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Erica's Picks
The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell

3rd - 6th grade
​Tags: Adventure, Animals, 

1890s Atlanta is not an easy place for Chinese Americans. Jo, abandoned at birth, lives with her adopted father in an abandoned hideout left over from the underground railroad. She grew up listening to the conversations in the newspaper offices above. When she hears that they are struggling, she anonymously submits articles for a new advice column. “Miss Sweetie” becomes wildly popular and controversial. As Jo tries to keep her identity a secret, she tries to uncover who her parents were. But some secrets are best left alone and these ones put her in the crosshairs of a notorious criminal. 

I loved this historical fiction. It transported me back in time and kept me turning pages with the hint of mystery and romance. 

Erica's Picks
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

6th - 8th
​Tags: Character Driven, Historical Fiction, Issues Fiction, Mystery, People of Color, Romance, Social Justice