The Terrible Two
Mac Barnett & Jory John
Amulet
On Sale Now
A must-read-aloud for the guys teaching elementary school. This one is funny. A bumbling principal, a school buddy who’s not the goody-goody he’ll lead you to believe, the new kid who is not the pranking legend he’ll lead you to believe, and somewhere in the distance a mooing cow. The pranks are smart, the plot packs surprises, and the writing is clever. Take the Prankster’s Oath and open up a chapter of the International Order of Disorder in your classroom today.
Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Nancy Paulsen Books
February, 5th
Anybody who has read One for the Murphy’s is well aware that Lynda Mullaly Hunt creates characters that live with you long after you’ve closed their book. Once you see Ally struggle to hide her difficulties from classmates and teachers, she’ll take a place right alongside Carley in memorability. Fish in a Tree celebrates smart kids who don’t yet know they can be smart in school and the teachers who recognize how good they are at hiding.
Aaron Starmer
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
March 17th
Aaron Starmer makes a point to acknowledge that second books in trilogies tend to feel very “middle.” When we left Alistair, everything in the solid world were as terrible as it could be while Aquavania is being ravaged by an evil entity known as The Riverman. The Whisper is his origin story. This second installment is much more than an utterly engrossing journey through the history of world on par with Narnia and Middle Earth. As Starmer peels back layer after layer of this intricate story, a new interpretation of the first volume emerges.
Victoria Jamieson
Dial
March 10th
A complex look at coping with the rift that occurs between childhood friends as they discover their individuality. The bright, engaging graphic format and look at roller derby subculture keeps the story as energetic as it is thoughtful.
Jennifer Nielsen
Scholastic Press
February 24th
Fans of The False Prince will tear through this fast paced adventure set in ancient Rome. A healthy dose of magic with just enough mystery and action will keep readers eagerly flipping pages.
Rebecca Stead
Wendy Lamb Books
August 4th
In Rebecca Stead fashion, Goodbye Stranger weaves together an intricate plot and engrossing story to address an elephant in the classroom: the pressures and ramifications of provocative text messaging. Every character who holds a stake in ensuring that children leave middle school with a healthy self-image drips with Stead’s sensibility. While elevating such an important issue is a wonderful use of the status inherent in a Newbery medalist, above all, this is truly heartfelt story about remaining loyal to lifelong friends as one’s own autonomy emerges. Young readers already familiar with Rebecca’s ability express the complexities of life through the simplest language will be over the moon at how she’s grown along with them.
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