Rita & Ralph's Rotten Day by Carmen Agra Deedy

Rita and Ralph are best friends who meet at an apple tree between their two houses to play every day. One day Ralph accidentally hurts Rita in a game of Sticks and Stones. Rita is mad, and Ralph is sorry. What follows is the story of how mending a friendship is not always easy, but it is always worth it!

Carmen Agra Deedy was inspired to write this book by the hand game, "Mr. Wiggle & Mr. Waggle," which is included in the back of the book in case you want to learn it.

I recommend this lovely book to K-2 students.

Mrs. N.

The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes

The King of Kindergarten is another back-to-school read aloud that I plan to share in the future. The 5-year-old in this story is excited about starting school because his mommy tells him that he is going to be the King of Kindergarten! He brushes his "royal chiclets" (teeth) before a "big yellow carriage" (bus) takes him to the "grand fortress" (school). His first-day in his "Kindergarten Kingdom" is wonderful! His teacher reads books to the class, they have recess, lunch, and nap time, and they get to sing, dance, and play music. He cannot wait to return the next day.

I love the color-filled pages of this book, especially the illustration of the quilt on the very first page. I also love the happy and positive mood of this book. It should really help excite new kindergartners about starting school!

Mrs. N.

Lena's Shoes Are Nervous by Kath Calabrese and Juana Medina

I discovered Lena's Shoes Are Nervous: a first-day-of-school dilemma at the public library while I was looking for a good back-to-school read aloud. The story is about Lena's first day of kindergarten. As she wakes up and gets ready for school, she realizes that she has a very big problem...her shoes are nervous. Her sweet dad tries to help, but it is ultimately her headband with the bright green flower that is able to listen to what her shoes are feeling and convince them to be brave.

I really like the artwork in this book. Most illustrations are colorful line drawings, but my favorite pages feature part black-and-white drawings with only a few strategically colored-in elements. I also really like the story because it conveys the combination of nervous excitement that accompanies the first day of a new school year, for students and for teachers!

I recommend this book to K-2 students.

Mrs. N.

Ali Cross by James Patterson

Like John Grisham, James Patterson is one of those authors who writes equally well for adults and for children. Patterson's new Ali Cross series for the middle-grade audience springs to life from his blockbuster Alex Cross series for adult readers. Ali is detective Alex Cross's son who is eager to follow in his dad's footsteps as a police detective. In this first volume, Ali's friend Abraham goes missing, and Ali is absolutely determined to find him. At the same time, a string of burglaries targets Ali's very own neighborhood, and his father is on trial for an act of police brutality that he did not commit.

I recommend Ali Cross to upper elementary students who liked the Theodore Boone series or who enjoy mysteries and/or action stories. The story is set in the modern-day and deals with topics ripped from today's headlines in a way that is unbiased and illuminating.

Mrs. N.

The Space We're In by Katya Balen

The Space We're In is the story of Frank, a "normal" 10-year-old boy who loves soccer, coding, and playing with his friends. The problem is that Frank's younger brother Max is not "normal;" he is autistic. And because Max is different, Frank has to deal with those differences too...differences like Max's noises, his screaming, and his embarrassing, sometimes public, melt downs. When people make fun of Max, Frank is ashamed that he does not take up for him. Frank loves his brother, but living with Max is hard on his entire family.

When Frank's mother becomes ill, Frank blames Max for demanding so much from her. But when tragedy strikes, Frank realizes that he was wrong,--wrong about the cause of his Mother's illness and also wrong for not seeing Max for the wonderful brother he is.

I recommend this book to students 3rd grade and up who enjoy reading about people with differences or who live with challenging differences themselves. Author Katya Balen does a good job of capturing the challenges of both living with autism and living with someone with autism. 

Warning: The story is a sad one, and you may cry, but the ending is uplifting.

Mrs. N.