The Candymakers by Wendy Mass J MAS—Logan is the candymaker’s son and he, along with three others, are entering the candymaker’s competition to create a new type of candy. The book is told in alternating points of view between Logan, Daisy, Miles and Phillip, the contestants. It was a fascinating way to tell a story and I quickly grew very fond of the characters. But this book is not only about making candy, but about secrets and friendship.
Close to Famous by Joan Bauer J BAU —As always, Bauer’s books are wonderful. Close to Famous is no different. She deals with real life with all its joys and sorrows. Foster and her mom have moved to Culpepper, a small, small town, in order to escape from her mom’s scuzzy ex-boyfriend. Foster immediately finds her way into the hearts of the town with her scrumptious cupcakes. She is a very talented baker. But she is hiding a terrible secret—she can’t read. But with her new friends, perhaps she can overcome her fears and learn how to be happy. 
The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket E SNI—A murder has occurred in the orchestra hall! Follow the Inspector as he questions each of the instruments, and then be prepared for a punny, surprise ending. Listen to the CD that’s included for an awesome musical rendition of the story. 
Kringle by Tony Abbott J ABB—No one ever thinks of Santa being a boy, but long, long ago there was a young orphan boy named Kringle who fought for good at a time when things seemed to be at their darkest. Fantasy lovers and Narnia fans will eat this up as Kringle encounters elves, pirates, goblins and flying reindeer. 
It’s Christmas David! By David Shannon E SHA – My favorite character, David, is back, this time for Christmas! Follow his adventures as he learns what not to do during the holidays.
Happy Birthday, Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel J BRU—Another hysterical adventure of Bad Kitty! Join in the fun as Strange Kitty, Stinky Kitty and all the rest of the neighborhood pals get ready to party!
Frog Went A Courtin’ by John Langstaff E LAN—You can’t help but smile when you read this book and think of Uncle Pecos from Tom and Jerry singing his version of this folk song turned book. Amazingly enough, this classic story came straight out of Scotland more than 400 years ago and tells the unlikely love story between a frog and a mouse.Read this to your kids to show them what books looked like when their grandparents were younger, and then show them the Tom and Jerry Uncle Pecos clip on YouTube to get a laugh & show them how cartoons were when you were a kid. This book won a Caldecott Medal in 1956 for best illustration. 
Bark, George by Jules Feiffer E FEI—A mother dog tries to teach her pup how to bark, and when he’s unable to produce the right sounds, a visit to the vet is made ending with a surprising result.
The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth by Kathleen Krull J B FAR—A young genius sets out to invent something that will change the world. Philo Farnsworth was born in a time before refrigerators, cars, phones, or even indoor bathrooms, but his curiosity about how things worked, leads him to invent something we could not live without, the TV.
Crossing the Wire by will Hobbs JP HOB—Victor Flores is only 15 when falling crop prices threaten his family with starvation. He heads north to attempt to “cross the wire” from Mexico into the United States so he can find work and send money home. In Victor’s journey he must face danger, freezing cold, scorching heat, hunger and dead ends.
The Dream Jar by Lindan Lee Johnson E JOH—This is the perfect book to get your littlest friend to dream some wonderful dreams. Who doesn’t want to dream a “dreamy dream” every night? Sometimes you need a dream jar to fill up with happy thoughts to help you have magical dreams and not worry about sea monsters. This book offers beautiful, wistful illustrations that put you on a sweet path to dreamland. You may even want to make your own dream jar, just like the book. 
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume JP BLU—If you’ve ever had a younger brother or sister, you will enjoy this story of Peter and his demanding two-year-old brother, Fudge, and the ever increasing trouble he makes and becomes for his brother.
Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock retold by Eric A. Kimmel E 398.2 KIM—Anansi the Spider uses a strange moss-covered rock to trick all the other forest animals into giving him whatever he wants until the day Bush Deer decides to teach him a lesson.
The Amazing Life of Birds: (the Twenty-day Puberty Journal of Duane Homer Leech) by Gary Paulsen J PAU— In this journal Duane Homer Leech describes his observations of a newly hatched bird, nesting in his windowsill while interweaving his own story and challenges he faces while confronting puberty.
Read about the secret life of worms, told from the point of view of a young worm - in diary format.
Olivia by Ian Falconer E FAL—Olivia is a feisty pig who has too much energy for her own good. And she proves that time after time, from getting ready for the day to playing on the beach to going to bed. Just ask her mom!
Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose J B COL—Based on extensive interviews with Claudette Colvin and many others, Phillip Hoose presents the first in-depth account of an important yet largely unknown civil rights figure, skillfully weaving her dramatic story into the fabric of the historic Montgomery bus boycott and court case that would change the course of American history.
Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures that May or May Not Exist by Kelly Milner Halls J 001.944 HAL—Do Nessie, Big Foot and the Jersey Devil really exist? Learn about the scientific monster study known as cryptozoology, uncover new monsters like the Yowie and see if you believe that these creatures really do exist. Fans of cryptids will make this their new favorite book.
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger J ANG—Tommy and his fellow sixth-grade friends keep a log of stories dealing with their odd classmate Dwight and the paper origami Yoda finger puppet he wears, which seems able to give somewhat useful advice and predict the future. While some students seem to believe Yoda’s talents, Tommy’s friend Harvey doesn’t buy into the future-predicting Yoda stuff, referring to Dwight’s finger puppet as no more than a “paper wad.” Funny fiction suitable for fans of Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. 
The Captain Contest by Matt Christopher J CHR—This is the first book in the soccer cats series and a good choice for a reader beginning to embark on chapter books. Dewey London finds himself in a predicament when he signs up for a new soccer league that is offering a contest to come up with the team name and t-shirt logo. The winner gets to be the captain of the team. Here’s the problem, while Dewey can draw, he has a hard time making decisions and is terrified to be the captain. What should he do?
Leo the Snow Leopard: The True Story of an Amazing Adventure by Juliana Hatkoff, Isabella Hatkoff and Craig Hatkoff J 599.7555 HAT –An interesting true story of an endangered snow leopard and his journey to the Bronx Zoo. Cutest pictures ever!
Spooky America: Four Real Ghost Stories by Lori Haskins E 133.1 HAS—Give your younger reader a book of four ghost stories, fact-based tales of hauntings, such as a white ghost horse seen by sailors off the coast of Cape Cod, and a mysterious picture of “Aunt Pratt” that emits a tapping sound whenever it is moved from her favorite place in the old house on the Shirley Plantation in Virginia. SPOOKY!
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary JP CLE—Ramona finds herself miserable when her father leaves his job in a grocery store to go to college to become a teacher. Everything in her family changes and it’s her job in this family to “get along.” She finds this job difficult with a teacher who calls her a nuisance, little Willa Jean who always wants to play with her, and an attempt at cracking a hard boiled egg on her forehead leaves a goopy egg mess on her head. Things do turn around for Ramona and there is a happy ending in sight.
Grab your parents & your pajamas for a night 
The Sister’s Grimm: The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley JM BUC (2012 BLUESTEM NOMINEE) -Two sisters go to live with an old woman claiming to be their grandmother and discover they live in a world where fairy tales are all based on real events. After a bit of a rocky start, it is up to the girls to save Everafter and their grandmother. Friends are not always so and enemies are sometimes allies in the first book in this series. A great book and I definitely plan to read the rest in the series.
Fashion Kitty by Charise Mericle Harper J GN HAR—After a stack of fashion magazines falls on Kiki Kitty's head while she is blowing out the candles on her birthday cake, Kiki turns into Fashion Kitty, a feline superhero who saves other kitties from fashion disaster.
