Easy Readers. Let's Go for a Drive! Mo Willems, 2012 Grades: 1-3. Good friends
Elephant and Piggie's best plans in preparing to take a drive go awry when they ...
Easy Readers Let’s Go for a Drive! Mo Willems, 2012 Grades: 1-3 Good friends Elephant and Piggie’s best plans in preparing to take a drive go awry when they realize they have no car. (A 2013 Geisel Honor Book)
Penny and Her Doll Kevin Henkes, 2012 Grades: 1-3 This memorable second easy reader about mouse Penny explores the universal childhood experience of naming things, with Penny pondering what to call the new doll Gram has sent her.
Penny and Her Marble Kevin Henkes, 2013 Grades: 1-3 In mouse Penny’s third outing, she spies a marble on a neighbor’s lawn and takes it –even though she knows she shouldn’t. That night, Penny has bad dreams about the imagined consequences of this furtive act, but is unwilling to confess to her parents; she finds her own resolution.
A Pet Named Sneaker Joan Heilbroner, 2013 Grades: K-2 Sneaker, a pet shop snake, really wants a home; he suffers considerable rejection until a boy named Pete chooses him. Sneaker is not only good for playing games like “I Am a Necktie” and “I Am Handcuffs” but is also incredibly smart and heroic.
Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover Cece Bell, 2012 Grades: 1-3 Rabbit and Robot disagree about everything on Rabbit’s “To Do” list at their sleepover, including Robot’s insistence for pizza toppings of nuts, bolts, and screws. And everything comes to a halt when Robot’s batteries run low. (A 2013 Geisel Honor Book)
Sadie and Ratz Sonja Hartnett, 2012 Grades: 1-3 Hannah’s hands –named Sadie and Ratz – behave like rampaging beasts, particularly when her annoying four-year-old brother is nearby, but mysterious mishaps occur and Baby Boy blames the destructive duo, Hannah resolves to prove their innocence.
Juvenile Fiction Chickadee Louise Erdrich, 2012 Grades: 4-6 In this fourth book in the series, eight-year-old Chickadee is kidnapped from his Ojibwe camp, and his family leaves the Great Plains (and their traditional nomadic way of life) to find him. Erdrich gives young readers a story full of suspense, humor, and child-appealing incident and adventure as she captures a pivotal moment in our national history.
Drama Raina Telgemeier, 2012 Grades: 4-7 Callie's personal drama on the tech-crew -- unrequited crushes, a first kiss, middle-
school cliques -- is a spot-on tribute to teamwork, strong friendships, and individuality. (A 2013 Stonewall Honor Book)
In a Glass Grimmly Adam Gidwitz, 2012 Grades: 3-5 Mistreated and misunderstood, cousins Jack and Jill run away from home and embark on a do-or-die quest to find a magic mirror and earn their true hearts’ desires. Once again embellishing upon a fairy-tale tapestry, Gidwitz’s hilarious and hair-raising companion A Tale Dark & Grimm (2010) features malicious villains, gruesome details, and fun-to-root-for-heroes.
Liar & Spy Rebecca Stead, 2012 Grades: 4-6 New friend Safer recruits lonely Georges to help investigate a sinister upstairs neighbor. With his developing powers of observation, Georges uncovers the truth about “Mr. X” (and Safer himself), then finds the courage to face his own secret.
Lulu and the Duck in the Park Hilary McKay, 2012 Grades: 2-4 Despite her teacher's stern warning, tender-hearted Lulu inadvertently and unexpectedly adds a new animal to the classroom in a laugh-out-loud transitional story.
May B. Caroline Starr Rose, 2012 Grades: 3-5 In this verse novel, dyslexic May B. is sent to help a couple in a soddy on the Kansas plains. Suddenly, May B. must fend for herself as winter approaches. A grittier story for Little House fans.
The One and Only Ivan Katherine Applegate, 2012 Grades: 4-6 In this 2013 Newberry Award winner, Ivan is a gorilla who lives in a circus mall. When a new baby elephant arrives, Ivan taps into his creative side to help them both escape captivity.
The Spindlers Lauren Oliver, 2012 Grades: 4-6 Liza’s little brother has always been slightly annoying, but
when she wakes up one morning to find him a sulky, soulless shell, the spunky heroine bravely sets off to rescue him. She encounters a host of characters, including a lovable flamboyant talking rat and the evil Queen of the Spindlers, spiderlike creatures that strike fear in all underground dwellers.
Splendors and Glooms Laura Amy Schlitz, 2012 Grades: 4-6 Lizzie Rose, Parsefall, and Clara are caught in the clutches of a wicked puppeteer and a powerful witch in this deliciously dark and complex good-versus-evil tale set in Dickensian England. (A 2013 Newbery Honor Book)
Starry River of the Sky Grace Lin, 2012 Grades: 3-5 Rendi, a runaway, finds work at a small inn. A mysterious guest shares mystical stories, helping Rendi discover truths about himself and the world.
Three Times Lucky Sheila Turnage, 2012 Grades: 5-7 Rising sixth-grader Mo LoBeau leads eccentric residents of Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, on a rollicking journey of mystery and adventure as she investigates a murder and searches for her long-lost mother. (A 2013 Newbery Honor Book)
Twelve Kinds of Ice Ellen Bryan Obed, 2012 Grades: 3-5 In a nostalgic look back to childhood winters with her close-knit family and neighbors, Obed describes the pleasures of playing and skating on the ice.
“Who Could That Be at This Hour?” [All the Wrong Questions] Lemony Snicket, 2012 Grades: 4-6 Young Lemony Snicket, a detective apprentice in the Sam Spade mode, investigates the theft of a black wooden statue.
Wonder R.J. Palacio, 2012 Grades: 4-7 It’s always hard being the new kid, but 10-year-old Auggie has severe facial deformities that make his transition from homeschooling to a fifth-grade classroom particularly trying. Palacio tells the boy’s story from a number of perspectives (including his sister’s and friends’), and readers will root for him as he experiences cruelty and kindness while making friends.
June 2013 Annotations from Horn Book
