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

​​Dogs have been by our side since ancient times, and their history is entwined with our own. From Assyrian war dogs to pampered lap-warmers learn about all the purposes dogs have served and how we treat dogs has changed over time. If you're looking for inspiration you can even find common dog names from different times and places to call your own best friend. Perfect for fans of dogs and history.

Dog Days of History: The Incredible Story of Our Best Friends by Sarah Albee


Erica's Picks
4th - 6th
​tags: animals, history, nonfiction

From hijabs and heels to cosplay and cultural garments this book covers aspects of style that have often been overlooked by mainstream culture. An immersive look at various aspects of fashion, the book has gorgeous photographs throughout and highlights a wide and diverse range of artists. This is a quick and engrossing read. I only wish it was longer.

The Power of Style: How Fashion and Beauty Are Being Used to Reclaim Cultures by Christian Allaire


Erica's Picks
5+
​tags: art, nonfiction, People of Color

Cookie wants to be a nun. She’s been raised as a Catholic, but there’s just one problem: her family is actually Jewish. Straddling multiple worlds as she transitions from her beloved Catholic school to public school, Cookie learns that her immigrant family has been keeping secrets — her grandmother and aunts survived the Holocaust?! Her own mother received a medal for bravery during WWII AND converted to Catholicism during her time in Italy?! In this coming-of-age graphic memoir, the author details her struggle to make sense of her complicated family history, her relationship to the religion she loves vs. the one her family holds dear, and the many expectations placed on her to follow in her half-brothers’ footsteps. As Cookie and her family come to terms with the aftermath of WWII and its myriad effects, you will find humor, grace, and grit in the author’s telling of her life experiences set in New York, 1957 to 1967.

I loved reminiscing about my own life along with Cookie, growing up in the suburbs of New York surrounded by a large, Italian, Catholic, opinionated family. I remember struggling similarly to find my own place while still making room for my family history and all the joys and burdens that accompany it. 

Why is Everybody Yelling?: Growing Up in My Immigrant Family by Marisabina Russo
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Jennie’s Picks
7th-8th Grade
Tags: Comics, Family Life, Mental Illness, Humor

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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When Amari's genius older brother goes missing, she never gives up hope of seeing him again. But she never expected that he'd send her a magical message along with an invitation to join the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Amari has her eyes opened to the magical world that's been hiding in plain sight her whole life. She joins the summer program to train future agents, but she's warned that if she fails she'll have all her memories of the supernatural world erased before she's returned to her normal life. Amari is determined to stay in the program and learn the truth about her brother's disappearance, but it isn't easy to be the new scholarship kid competing with legacy candidates whose parents work for the bureau and have been studying their whole lives. Amari finds unusual and mysterious allies, but will it be enough when the same threat that her brother fought comes back to endanger them all?

This has a similar vibe to Harry Potter with a normal kid attending a magical school so that it's sure to appeal to Potterheads. But the story stands fully on its own with a unique setting and characters that in many ways surpasses Harry Potter's world. For starters this world is much richer for the diversity of its characters and its acknowledgement of real-world problems and how they filter into even magical worlds. The characters are fully developed, even the unsympathetic ones. The similarities between Amari's world and ours resonate on a powerful level as Amari fights stereotypes and discrimination in both. Highly recommended for young fantasy fans.

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston 

Erica's Picks
3rd - 7th
​tags: adventure, fantasy, fast-paced, friendship, People of Color, social justice, supernatural

Sy Montgomery is a master of nonfiction and research for her books has taken her all over the world from the Australian outback to the cloud forests of Papua New Guinea. Along the way she has learned transformative lessons from the animals she has encountered. Some close to home, like her beloved dogs and pig, and some far away like tree kangaroos and tarantulas. Through these animals, Montgomery tells us the story of her life and how all lives are connected. She shares these poignant stories with the reader so that they can become better creatures and take care of each other and all animals on this planet we share. Highly readable and strongly recommended for animal lovers, but keep the tissues handy.

How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery

Erica's Picks
7th & 8th
tags: animals, biography, nonfiction, tear-jerker