By Chelsea Weissman from Grandview Heights Public Library
Doggies: A Counting and Barking Book
By Sandra Boynton (ages birth-2)
What’s more fun than sharing a book that features all kinds of dogs and the different ways they can bark? Adults and young children alike will enjoy the colorful illustrations, counting and trying out all the different dog sounds while reading this together. This engaging board book even has a surprise character at the very end!
A Gift for Nana
By Lane Smith (ages 2-5)
It is not a holiday or her birthday, but Rabbit is on a quest for the perfect gift for his beloved Nana. A crow suggests something and sends Rabbit on his way to retrieve it. A sweet story about the importance of thinking of others that is beautifully illustrated with unique characters.
Guatemalan Summer
By Keka Novales (grades K-3)
Part of a new series called “Hola, Lola!,” this story takes Lola on a journey from her home in Texas to Guatemala to visit her grandparents and many other family members she hasn’t seen in a long time. A lot of Spanish words and phrases are interspersed throughout the story as well as cultural differences. There is also an English and Spanish glossary, a recipe for chocolate caliente, and discussion questions at the end of the story for further reflection.
Haven: A Small Cat’s Big Adventure
By Megan Wagner Lloyd (grades 4-7)
Haven has found a loving and cozy home with Ma Millie after struggling in the forest as a kitten. Sometime later when Haven is older, she embarks on a journey to find their neighbor Jacob so he can help Ma Millie get to a doctor after she has fallen ill. This is a sweet story about bravery, friendship, adventure and discovering different aspects of oneself. Before sharing it with a sensitive reader, be aware there are some realistic and sad things that happen, but it is minimal.
What I Carry
By Jennifer Longo (grades 8-12)
Muir has been in the foster care system her entire life. During her senior year of high school, she is placed in her last home with Francine and her adorable dog, Terry Johnson, on a small island in Washington. This story is full of developing and interesting relationships, a general love of nature and flashbacks of Muir’s life in foster care. The author wrote this book at the request of her daughter, who was in foster care the first few years of her life. By doing research and talking to many kids and people involved in the foster care system, she wrote a story that is not often told.
Bookmarks submitted by the Grandview Heights Public Library.
