Summer Reading 2023

Ms. Chapman & Ms. Harte’s Summer Reading List 2023

Morgan Chapman, teacher-librarian at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, and Shannon Harte, teacher-librarian at Rundle College have collaborated again to bring you the best and brightest new picture books, early chapter books, middle grade novels, nonfiction and graphic novels to keep your child reading this summer. Through the pages of these diverse stories, they will meet new friends and explore new places, concepts and perspectives.

For even more picks, you can also check out our lists from previous years: Best and Brightest Summer Reads 2022 Best and Brightest Summer Reads 2021 Ms. Harte is on Instagram @hartelovesbooks Ms. Chapman is on Instagram @kidlitbookaday

Picture Books This Story is Not About A Kitten by Randall de Seve and Carson Ellis A beautifully illustrated story layered with meaning about a community coming together to save a stray kitten and finding deep connections in the work they do together.

Heartwarming and inspiring for all children who want to give animals a home.

Just Like Grandma by Kim Rogers, illustrated by Julie Flett Becca loves spending time with Grandma. Every time Becca says, “Let me try,” Grandma shows her how to make something beautiful. Whether they are beading moccasins, dancing like the most beautiful butterflies, or practicing basketball together, Becca knows that, more than anything, she wants to be just like Grandma. And as the two share their favorite activities, Becca discovers something surprising about Grandma.

Ramen for Everyone by Patricia Tanumihardja, illustrated

by Shiho Pate Perfect for kids who love to cook, this story celebrates learning traditional recipes, and embracing a growth mindset when we aren’t good at something….yet! Complete with a ramen recipe at the back for your family to try.

Meena’s Mindful Moment by Tina Athiade, illustrated by Åsa Gilland Meena is excited to visit Dada and explore all the exciting sights of his home with him. But Meena has so much energy, it becomes a whole imaginary character she calls her hurly-burly hullabaloo. But when Meena makes a mess, her grandfather is there to teach her how to handle it with deep breaths and meditative poses . This charming story all about mindfulness will be wonderfully relatable to anyone with a rambunctious hurly-burly hullabaloo of their own.

Are You A Cheeseburger? By Monica Arnaldo Laugh-out-loud humor and a tender friendship blossom in author-illustrator Monica Arnaldo’s charming picture book about a lonely raccoon and a glowing seed, and the world’s most important question: Can this seed grow cheeseburgers?

Be a Good Ancestor by Leona Prince & Gabrielle Prince, illustrated by Carla Joseph Rooted in Indigenous teachings, this stunning picture book encourages readers of all ages to consider the ways in which they live in connection to the world around them and to think deeply about their behaviors.

Early Chapter Books Jojo Makoons by Dawn Quigly, illustrated by Tara Audibert Hello/Boozhoo—meet Jo Jo Makoons! Jo Jo Makoons Azure is a spirited seven-year-old who moves through the world a little differently than anyone else on her Ojibwe reservation. It always seems like her mom, her kokum (grandma), and her teacher have a lot to learn—about how good Jo Jo is at cleaning up, what makes a good rhyme, and what it means to be friendly.

Even though Jo Jo loves her #1 best friend Mimi (who is a cat), she’s worried that she needs to figure out how to make more friends. Because Fern, her best friend at school, may not want to be friends anymore…

Trouble at Table 5 by Tom Watson From the author of Stick Dog comes the first book in a highly illustrated early chapter book series about three best friends whose plans, missions, and schemes are sure to shake up their school.

Molly gets things stuck in her head sometimes. When she sees a jar of candy on Principal Shelton’s desk, she absolutely needs to know how many candies are in that jar!

Luckily, her two best friends, Simon and Rosie, are ready to help her find the answer—even if it means detention for all of them!

Alina in a Pinch by Shenaaz Nanji *Calgarian Author!* Lunchtime can be lonely when you’re the new kid at school.

Moving to a new city means Alina has to make new friends, and nothing is worse than lunch at a new school. When her grandmother visits, Alina is inspired to help her cook the delicious Afro-Indian meals she’s always loved, but a cruel note from a mysterious lunchtime bully leaves a bitter taste that even Nani’s excellent cooking can’t erase. With an audition for Junior Chef fast approaching and Nani’s wise lessons helping her, can Alina embrace her heritage and convince her classmates that being different is a good thing?

Aven Green Series by Dusti Bowling Aven Green is a smart, lively, confident white girl who happened to be born without arms, a congenital condition called amelia. For Aven, having no arms hasn’t stopped her from living life to the absolute max! Young readers will laugh aloud at Aven’s funny reactions to queries about what happened to her arms (they were not scrubbed off in the car wash, eaten by iguanas in the Galapagos, pulled off in a game of tug of war, or flattened by a steamroller).

They will be intrigued by the practical skills she has perfected, using her feet to brush her teeth, comb her hair, eat mint chocolate chip ice cream, and write about all of the mysteries she has solved with her trusty magnifying glass and sleuthing kit.

With no arms, Aven says all those extra cells went straight to her brain, making her extra smart and, in her own words, “a sleuthing machine” who has been solving cases for a really long time—practically a whole month!

Bear in the Family by Eric Walters On returning to their home after a massive wildfire, nine-year-old Jasmin and her seven-year-old brother, Hunter, thought the biggest surprise would be whether their fire-resistant house had survived.

Jasmin and Hunter did not expect to find an orphaned bear cub stuck in the neighbors’ well. Rescuing the tiny cub from the well was the easy part; now they need to care for it until the people from the bear-rescue sanctuary can make it safely through the fires to pick it up. The cub turns out to be exactly what one would expect of a wild animal—a huge handful!

The latest Orca Echoes early chapter book from award-winning author Eric Walters was inspired by Eric’s visit to a wildlife sanctuary in Northern British Columbia. Bear in the Family tells the fictionalized story of a bear cub found by a family after the forest surrounding their home was destroyed by a wildfire.

Crimson Twill by Kallie George, illustrated by Birgitta Sif A little witch with a penchant for bright colors and bows has a surprising big-city shopping adventure in the first book of an illustrated series filled with offbeat charm.

Crimson Twill is a little witch, but you might not know it. She lives in the country and loves polka dots and puppies instead of pointy shoes and black dresses. She even wears a big bow on her hat—which is crimson, just like her name.

Tonight, for the very first time, Crimson is riding on her mother’s broom all the way to New Wart City to go shopping at Broomingdale’s! The huge department store has everything a witch could itch for. For Crimson, each floor (hats! cats! brooms!) is a new adventure. But is Broomingdale’s ready for a witch as unique as Crimson? A rich and playful new world comes to life in the first book of this charming series.

Starla Jean Series by Elana K. Arnold Introducing Starla Jean!

She's full of moxie, clever as a fox, and obsessed with catching a chicken she finds at the park.

When Starla first sees the scrawny bird wandering around, she just knows they're destined for one another. Her dad says, "If you can catch it, you can keep it," and Starla Jean is not one to back down from a challenge.

Simon B. Rhymin’ by Dwayne Reed Eleven-year-old Simon Barnes dreams of becoming a world-famous rapper that everyone calls Notorious D.O.G. But for now, he's just a Chicago fifth grader who's small for his age and afraid to use his voice.

Simon prefers to lay low at school and at home, even though he's constantly spitting rhymes in his head. But when his new teacher assigns the class an oral presentation on something that affects their community, Simon must face his fears.

With some help from an unexpected ally and his neighborhood crew, will Simon gain the confidence to rap his way to an A and prove that one kid can make a difference in his 'hood?

Dwayne Reed is a Chicago teacher, whose viral back-to-school music video "Welcome to the 4th Grade" took the internet by storm. His debut novel, Simon B. Rhymin' , inspires young readers everywhere to use their voices to create change within their communities.

Sparrow Being Sparrow by Gail Donovan (out July 25) Nine-year-old Sparrow Robinson blames herself for her elderly neighbour's accident, so she promises to take care of Mrs. LaRose's seven cats. But things become complicated when she has to find new homes for all of the cats plus some unexpected kittens.

Novels Annie’s Life in Lists by Kristin Mahoney For Annie, lists are how she keeps her whole life in order. And there is a lot to keep track of! Do you love Anastasia Krupnik, Ramona Quimby, and the Penderwicks? Then you will love Annie! Annie's a shy fifth grader with an incredible memory and a love of making lists. It helps her keep track of things when they can seem a little out of control, like her family, her friends, and her life in a new place.

Annie has: 1. An incredible memory (really, it's almost photographic) that can get her in trouble.

2. A brother who is mad at her because he thinks she is the reason they had to move to Clover Gap, population 8,432.

4. A best friend who she is (almost) certain will always be her best friend.

5. New classmates, some of whom are nicer than others.

6. A rocky start finding her place in her new home.

It’s the End of the World and I’m in my Bathing Suit by Justin A. Reynolds What happens when five unsupervised kids face the apocalypse under outrageously silly circumstances?

Twelve-year-old Eddie Gordon Holloway has concocted his most genius plan ever to avoid chores... especially the dreaded L-A-U-N-D-R-Y. If he can wear all the clothes he owns, he'll only have to do the laundry once during his school break.

On the day of the highly anticipated Beach Bash, Eddie's monstrous pile of dirty laundry is found by his mom. And Eddie's day has just taken a turn for the worst. Now he's stuck at home by himself, missing the bash, and doing his whole pile of laundry. But mid-cycle, the power goes out!

With his first load of laundry wet and the rest of his stuff still filthy, he sets out to explore the seemingly empty neighborhood in his glow-in-the-dark swim trunks, flip-flops, and a beach towel. He soon meets up with other neighborhood kids: newcomer Xavier (who was mid-haircut and has half his head shaved), Eddie's former friend Sonia (who has spent her entire break trying to beat a video game and was mid-battle with the final boss), and siblings Trey and Sage (who are dealing with major sibling drama).

As they group up to cover more ground and find out what happened, they realize that their families aren't coming back anytime soon. And as night falls, the crew realizes that they aren't just the only people left in the neighborhood, they might be the only people left... anywhere.

A Spoonful of Time by Flora Ahn Maya discovers stories and secrets from her family's past in Korea as her grandmother teaches her to cook and about their family's ability to time travel into memories via food.

Maya’s grandmother, Halmunee, may be losing her memory, but she hasn’t lost her magic touch in the kitchen. Whether

she serves salty miyeok-guk or sweet songpyeon, her stories about Korea come to life for Maya.

Then one day, something extraordinary happens: one delicious bite transports Maya and Halmunee into one of Halmunee’s memories. Suddenly they’re in Seoul, and Halmunee is young.

This is just the first of many secrets Maya will uncover: that she and her grandmother can travel through time. As Maya eats her way through the past, her questions multiply—until a shocking discovery transforms everything she thought she knew about family, friendship, loss, and time itself.

Brimming with heart and interspersed with seven family recipes that readers can make themselves, this is a story to savor by rising Korean American author Flora Ahn.

Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf A Malaysian spin on Little Red Riding Hood from the critically acclaimed author of The Girl and the Ghost, Hanna Alkaf.

Hamra and the Jungle of Memories When Hamra steals a magical fruit from a tiger hoping to cure her grandmother, she must repay her debt to the tiger by going on an extraordinary journey with him to make him human again.

For fans of Ikegna and A Tale Dark and Grimm comes a story of a brave heroine, a beguiling villain, fantastical worlds, magical adventures, and a journey that will remind you that hope, friendship, and love endures all.

Nic Blake and the Remarkables by Angie Thomas It’s not easy being a Remarkable in the Unremarkable world. Some things are cool—like getting a pet hellhound for your twelfth birthday. Others, not so much—like not being trusted to learn magic because you might use it to take revenge on an annoying neighbor.

All Nic Blake wants is to be a powerful Manifestor like her dad. But before she has a chance to convince him to teach her the gift, a series of shocking revelations and terrifying

events launch Nic and two friends on a hunt for a powerful magic tool she’s never heard of...to save her father from imprisonment for a crime she refuses to believe he committed.

The Greatest Kid by John David Anderson Zeke Stahls is not the best kid in the world. Some days he struggles just to be good. He'd rather be pulling pranks than doing extra credit, and he's too busy performing experiments on his little brother, Nate, or tormenting his older sister, Jackie, to volunteer for charity.

Which is why Zeke and his entire family are shocked when they receive word that he has been selected as a contestant in an online competition to find the World's Greatest Kid. Zeke has no idea how he was chosen for this, and he knows that measuring up to the other nominees--a saintly lineup of selfless, charming and talented do-gooders with photogenic smiles and hearts of gold--is hopeless. Still, with a $10,000 cash prize on the line, and Zeke's mom struggling to hold the family together on her single-parent salary, he decides to give it his best shot.As Zeke concocts various plots to show the world just how “great” he is, however, he finds himself wondering what that word even means, and who gets to decide. And what kind of kid he wants--and needs--to be.

Elf Dog & Owl Head by M.T. Anderson From the singular imagination of National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson comes a magical adventure about a boy and his dog—or a dog and her boy—and a forest of wonders hidden in plain sight. Clay has had his fill of home life. A global plague has brought the world to a screeching halt, and with little to look forward to but a summer of video-calling friends, vying with annoying sisters for the family computer, and tuning out his parents’ financial worries, he’s only too happy to retreat to the woods.

From the moment the elegant little dog with the ornate collar appears like an apparition among the trees, Clay sees something uncanny in her. With this mysterious Elphinore as guide, he’ll glimpse ancient secrets folded all but invisibly into the forest. Each day the dog leads Clay down paths he never knew existed, deeper into the unknown. But they aren’t alone in their surreal adventures.

There are traps and terrors in the woods, too, and if Clay isn’t careful, he might stray off the path and lose his way forever.

Harriet Spies by Elana K. Arnold There are a few things you should know about Harriet Wermer: -She always tells the truth.

-She’s loving spending her summer on Marble Island, where she is an A+ mystery-solver.

-Okay, maybe she doesn’t always tell the truth.

-Actually…she has a tendency to lie quite a bit.

Which is why, when one of the guests at her grandmother’s bed-and-breakfast finds that their treasured pair of binoculars has gone missing, no one believes Harriet when she said she had nothing to do with it. But this is one time Harriet isn’t lying—and she knows that if she can find the binoculars and figure out who really took them, she can prove it.

The Takeout by Tracy Badua When a celebrity chef’s new restaurant threatens Mila’s family’s food truck, she plans to expose them for the recipe thieves they are—even if that means dabbling in the Filipino folk magic she’s tried to avoid. Fans of Tae Keller and Lily LaMotte will cheer for this charming story about food, family, and finding the place you belong.

Mila teams up with family friend Ajay to investigate. She soon realizes that she needs to take the beloved Fab Foodie Brothers down before they run her family's tiny truck out of town. But that means dabbling in the Filipino folk healing and magical traditions that she has shied away from her whole life . . . as well as alienating her new friends.

Does Mila have to choose between her family and fitting in? Or, like the best recipes, will a blend of the traditional and the unexpected mix into something truly special?

Consider the Octopus by Nora Raleigh Baskin & Gae Polisner When chance, or fate, throws two twelve-year-olds together on board a scientific research ship at the edge of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, it’s not all smooth sailing!

Jeremy “JB” Barnes is looking forward to spending the summer before seventh grade hanging on the beach. But his mother, a scientist, has called for him to join her aboard a research ship where, instead, he’ll spend his summer seasick and bored as he stares out at the endless plastic, microbeads, and other floating debris, both visible and not, that make up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Miles and miles away, twelve-year-old Sidney Miller is trying to come up with an alternate activity worthy of convincing her overprotective parents that she can skip summer camp.

When Jeremy is asked to find the contact information for a list of important international scientists and invite them to attend a last-minute Emergency Global Summit, he's excited to have a chance to actually do something that matters to the mission. How could he know that the Sidney Miller he messages is not the famous marine biologist he has been tasked with contacting, but rather a girl making

podcasts from her bedroom—let alone that she would want to sneak aboard the ship?

Nora Raleigh Baskin and Gae Polisner's Consider the Octopus is a comedy of errors, mistaken identity, and synchronicity. Above all, it is a heartfelt story about friendship and an empowering call to environmental protection, especially to our young people who are already stepping up to help save our oceans and our Earth.

Gossamer Summer by H.M Bouwman Four sisters find their summer vacation taking a magical turn when they stumble into the world of some rather unexpected fairies in this moving middle grade story that’s perfect for fans of The Penderwicks.

It all started when Jojo saw a fairy but said she didn’t. After all, fairies aren’t real—and if they were, they wouldn’t look like that! No, Jojo did not see a small, green, muddy…person. Her sisters have no problem believing, though. They beg Jojo to finish the story she started telling long ago, but since the death of their beloved grandmother, Jojo hasn’t felt like talking about magic, even if her sisters still believe.

Instead, the sisters decide to make fairy gardens to entice the new kid across the street to come play. Their plan works, but it also catches the attention of creatures that bear an uncanny resemblance to the bedraggled fairies Jojo invented. Stories can’t come to life, though—can they? Yet the danger is real enough. With the questionable help of a very self-satisfied cat, the sisters and their new friend, Theo, set off on an adventure to save the fairies from a flock of terrifying birds made of bones. But making everything right again will require a different kind of magic: the magic of sharing stories…and letting go.

The Town with No Mirrors by Christina Collins In a modern-day utopian community where mirrors, photos, and even words like beautiful and ugly are forbidden, a girl who has never seen her own face harbors a guilty curiosity about the outside world. A thoughtful exploration of self-image in a world familiar to readers of The Giver and The List.

Zailey has never seen her own face. She's never seen her reflection, or a photo of herself, or even a drawing. In the special community of Gladder Hill, cameras and mirrors are

forbidden: it's why everyone's happier here. Nobody talks about anyone else's appearance. You're not supposed to even think about what other people look like, or what you look like.

But Zailey does.

She knows her superficial thoughts are wrong, and her sketchbook, filled with secret portraits of her classmates and neighbors, could get her in trouble. Yet she can't help but think those thoughts, and be curious about the outside world where she once lived, years ago. Most of all, she wonders what it's like to see herself―her own face.

When Zailey suddenly finds herself beyond the gates of her town, she has a chance to see if what she's been taught about the outside world is true and search for the mother she barely remembers. Only then will she find out the real story about Gladder Hill. But is she prepared for the truth?

The Big Sting by Rachelle Delaney A visit to Leo's grandfather's farm turns upside down when his grandmother's bee hives are stolen. Eleven-year-old Leo is an "armchair adventurer." This, according to Dad, means he'd choose adventures in books or video games over real-life experiences. And while Leo hates the label, he can’t argue with it. Unlike his little sister Lizzie, Leo is not a risk-taker.

So when he, Lizzie, Mom and Dad leave the city to visit Grandpa on Heron Island, Leo finds all kinds of dangers to avoid — from the deep, dark ocean to an old barn on the verge of collapse. But nothing on the island is more fearsome than Grandpa himself — Leo has never met anyone so grumpy!

According to Mom, Grandpa is still grieving the recent death of his wife, a beekeeper beloved by everyone on the island.

Despite Leo's best efforts to avoid it, adventure finds him anyway when Grandma’s beehives go missing in the dead of night. Infuriated, Grandpa vows to track down the sticky-fingered thieves himself . . . with risk-averse Leo and danger-loving Lizzie (plus a kitten named Mayhem) in tow.

Non-Fiction History Smashers Titanic by Kate Messner Students never seem to tire of learning about the Titanic, and this captivating book uncovers the truth beneath the many myths surrounding the famous ship. A great introduction to the series, which also takes a fact-finding, myth-busting approach to The Underground Railroad, Pearl Harbour, Plagues and Pandemics and more. Perfect for students who love the I Survived Series and are looking for more information about historical events.

The Strangest Thing in the Sea: And Other Curious Creatures of the Deep Written by Rachel Poliquin and Illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler A wonderfully weird book about the strangest creatures in the sea. A feathery tutu dancing through the water? A tiptoeing rock wearing a wig? Not everything is as it seems in this fascinating exploration of bizarre sea animals.

Each creature is introduced with intriguing art and text, and the question, “Am I the strangest thing in the sea?” Open the gatefold, and the actual creature in its habitat and a full description appear, along with the answer: No, it’s not the strangest thing in the sea. That is, until the last creature, which is the strangest. But what could it be? What’s cooler than bizarre things that are real?

Kids will want to dive right in!

Can You Believe It?: How to Spot Fake News and Find the Facts by Joyce Grant and Illustrated by Kathleen Marcotte Everything kids need to know to tell facts from “fake news” on the internet. Here’s a comprehensive guide to how real journalism is made, what “fake news” is and, most importantly, how to spot the difference. It provides practical advice, thought-provoking examples, and loads of explanations, definitions and useful context. Never judgmental, it encourages young people to approach what they find online with skepticism and helps them hone their critical-thinking skills to make good choices about what to believe and share

Fred & Marjorie: A Doctor, a Dog, and the Discovery of Insulin Written by Deborah Kerbel and Illustrated by Angela Poon In 1921, Frederick Banting was a young doctor with an idea: could the mysterious secretions of the pancreas be used to treat diabetes? We now call this substance insulin, and its life-saving discovery was an impactful milestone in medical science. Banting and his assistant, Charles Best, worked together in a small lab to test the theory with street dogs.

Banting formed a special bond with one of his test dogs and gave her a name: Marjorie. After Marjorie responded well to insulin treatments, the treatments went on to be used for humans with diabetes—and the results were deemed practically miraculous.

Sky Wolf's Call: The Gift of Indigenous Knowledge Written

by Eldon Yellowhorn and Kathy Lowinger From healing to astronomy to our connection to the natural world, the lessons from Indigenous knowledge inform our learning and practices today.

How do knowledge systems get passed down over generations? Through the knowledge inherited from their Elders and ancestors, Indigenous Peoples throughout North America have observed, practiced, experimented, and interacted with plants, animals, the sky, and the waters over millennia. Knowledge keepers have shared their wisdom with younger people through oral history, stories, ceremonies, and records that took many forms.

Graphic Novels Living with Viola by Rosena Fung Livy is already having trouble fitting in as the new girl at school—and then there’s Viola. Viola is Livy’s anxiety brought to life, a shadowy twin that only Livy can see or hear. Livy tries to push back against Viola’s relentless judgement, but nothing seems to work until she strikes up new friendships at school. Livy

hopes that Viola’s days are numbered. But when tensions arise both at home and at school, Viola rears her head stronger than ever. Only when Livy learns how to ask for help and face her anxiety does she finally figure out living with Viola.

Stealing Home by J Torres and David Namisato Sandy Saito is a happy boy who reads comic books and is obsessed with baseball—especially the Asahi team, the pride of his Japanese Canadian community. But when the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, his life, like that of every other North American of Japanese descent, changes forever. His family is forced to move to a remote internment camp, and his father must spend months away from them. Sandy, his mother and his brother cope as best they can with the difficulties at the camp.

Over time, Sandy comes to realize that life is a lot like baseball.

It's about dealing with whatever is thrown at you, however you can. And it's about finding your way home.

Spy School by Stuart Gibbs Can an undercover nerd become a superstar secret agent? The first book in Stuart Gibbs’s New York Times bestselling Spy School series is now a graphic novel!

Ben Ripley may only be in middle school, but he’s already pegged his dream job: CIA or bust. Unfortunately for him, his personality doesn’t exactly scream “secret agent.” In fact, Ben is so awkward, he can barely get to school and back without a mishap. Because of his innate nerdiness, Ben is not surprised when he is recruited for a magnet school with a focus on science—but he’s entirely shocked to discover that the school is actually a front for a junior CIA academy. Could the CIA really want him?

Actually, no. There’s been a case of mistaken identity—but that doesn’t stop Ben from trying to morph into a supercool undercover agent, the kind that always gets the girl. And through a series of hilarious misadventures, Ben realizes he might actually be a halfway decent spy…if he can survive all the attempts being made on his life!

Join Ben Ripley as he survives his first year at the Academy of Espionage in action-packed, full-color panels.

Junior High by Tegan and Sara From indie-pop twin-sister duo Tegan and Sara comes a contemporary middle grade graphic novel that explores growing up, coming out, and finding yourself through music and sisterhood, perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier's Sisters.

Before Tegan and Sara took the music world by storm, the Quins were just two identical twins trying to find their place in a new home and new school. From first crushes to the perils of puberty, surviving junior high is something the sisters plan to face side by side, just like they've always faced things. But growing up also means growing apart, as Tegan and Sara make different friends and take separate paths to understanding their queerness. For the first time ever, they ask who one sister is without the other.

Set in the present day, this effervescent blend of fiction and autobiography, with artwork from Eisner Award–winner Tillie Walden, offers a glimpse at the two sisters before they became icons, exploring their shifting relationship, their own experiences coming out, and the first steps of their musical journey.

Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega New York Times-bestselling author Claribel A. Ortega and star debut artist Rose Bousamra's Frizzy is about Marlene, a young Dominican girl whose greatest enemy is the hair salon!

Through her struggles and triumphs, this heartwarming and gorgeous middle-grade graphic novel shows the radical power of accepting yourself as you are, frizzy curls and all.

Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and "growing up." That means straightening her hair every weekend so she could have "presentable", "good hair".

But Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn't understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment, and the much-needed help of Camila and Tia Ruby—she slowly starts a journey to learn to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair.

Swim Team Written and Illustrated by Johnnie Christmas Bree can’t wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees—until she’s stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101.

The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she’s forced to dive headfirst into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help.

With Etta’s training and a lot of hard work, Bree suddenly finds her swim-crazed community counting on her to turn the school’s failing team around. But that’s easier said than done, especially when their rival, the prestigious Holyoke Prep, has everything they need to leave the Mighty Manatees in their wake. Can Bree defy the odds and guide her team to a state championship, or have the Manatees swim their last lap—for good?

Furball: Spy Cat by Adrian Beck lt's Garfield meets James Bond in a hilarious new junior fiction series about a spy cat on a mission to save the city.

Furball is the world’s greatest spy! But he’d rather spend his time napping or snacking.

When Furball and his spy friends, Jade and Kit, visit a waterpark on their day off, they learn Furball's greatest enemy is using the park as a secret base!

Can Furball and his friends stop the Baddies before they destroy the city? Or will Furball get distracted by the snack bar?

Podcasts If your curious kids love to listen to podcasts on long trips, download a few episodes of these brilliant podcasts to keep them learning and growing over the summer months.

Brains On! - Brains On!® is a science podcast for curious kids and adults from American Public Media. Each week, a different

kid co-host joins Molly Bloom to find answers to fascinating questions about the world sent in by listeners. Like, do dogs know they’re dogs? Or, why do feet stink?

Plus, we have mystery sounds for you to guess, songs for you to dance to, and lots of facts -- all checked by experts.

Wow in the World - Join hosts Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas on a journey away from your screens, inside your brain, out into space, and deep into the coolest new stories in science, technology, and innovation.

Smash Boom Best - Smash Boom Best is a debate show for kids and families from the makers of the award-winning podcast, Brains On! Every episode takes two cool things, smashes them together and lets you decide which is best. Our debaters use facts and passion to make their case -- teaching listeners how to defend their own opinions along the way.

Tai Asks Why Fifteen-year-old Tai Poole won’t rest until he’s uncovered the mysteries of the universe, one probing question at a time. In Season 4 of his Webby-winning podcast, Tai talks to everyone from NASA scientists to stand-up comedians to his equally curious little brother Kien. If you’ve ever wondered why nothing feels as good as a deep belly laugh or why it’s impossible not to finish a bag of Doritos, Tai has you covered.

Julie’s LIbrary - Join beloved icon Julie Andrews for story time! Julie and her daughter, children’s author and educator Emma Walton Hamilton, invite you into their library to read their favorite children's books. Every story comes to life with sound, music and activities. Authors, kids and other special guests chime in, too! It’s a show that will inspire lively conversations and a lifelong love of reading.