Book Finder

Sports are for everyone! Short, rhythmic poems about a range of familiar (as well as less well known sports like lacrosse) are presented in a highly illustrated, format sure to read aloud well. 

A picture book biography of Jane Austen, one of the most beloved writers of all time. Young Jane was a bit quiet and shy, but she observed people and loved to read. She devoured everything in her father’s massive library and before long, she began creating her own stories — and went on to invent an entirely new kind of novel.

Mikey’s dad has left home to fight overseas during World War I, and Mikey wants to do something big to help. His teacher suggests that the class participate in a knitting bee in Central Park to knit clothing for the troop, and when the girls turn it into a competition, the boys just have to meet the challenge.

Born in England in the early 19^th century, Anna was encouraged by her father to observe, study, and document the natural world. Together, they also experimented with light as a way to photograph and record her botanic specimens. Unfortunately, none of the photographs exist today as the “prints faded over time, like memories.” Later she created books using cyanotype (known today as sun prints). Lush but muted illustrations in blues and white evoke the period and this scientist’s work. Additional resources are included.

Though Eleanor Roosevelt was born into privilege, she developed a keen sense of justice and fairness. In a highly readable narration, Eleanor’s life is presented, enhanced by photographs and primary sources. Also included are a timeline and bibliography.

From a very young age, Barbara Jordan had a voice that stood out. The repeated refrain, “what can you do with a voice like that?” is answered as Jordan grows personally and politically. Even after retiring from the U.S. Congress, Jordan continued to use her voice to educate and inspire. Handsomely illustrated, this brief but informative look at the impact of one woman is highly readable. Additional resources are included.  

Michelle Obama is revealed here through the lens of her official White House photographer and a brief but informative text. Obama’s verve and interests are evident throughout this lively book. For preschoolers, Alison Oliver’s board book, Michele Obama (opens in a new window), can inspire parents to talk with young children about how to “be inspirational” while remaining true to one’s self.

What happens when you plant a seed? With a bit of care, something grows. The first children’s librarian from Puerto Rico, Pura Belpré (for whom an American Library Association literary award is named) planted seeds of stories throughout New York City where she worked, introducing children to tales from her homeland in Spanish and English. Illustrations bring the time and period to life.

Eliza Schuyler Hamilton’s life and accomplishments come into focus through letters written to an imagined-yet-unborn great granddaughter. Eliza’s insights go beyond that of her famous husband, Alexander (about whom additional material is included at the end). Handsome illustrations evoke a 19^th century style and period.

The women in Senator Gillibrand’s family inspired this examination of those active in the women’s suffrage movement from the late 19^th to early 20^th century. Some like Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman are well known. Others such as Inez Mulholland and Lucy Burns are lesser known. Together, these portraits present an accessible look at early activists. Stylized illustrations enhance the presentation.

She was a composer, an instrumentalist, the wife of a man whose name would become synonymous with jazz, and basically a woman before her time. Generous illustrations evoke the period in with Lil lived just as her story in verse suggests her musical talent. Readers will enjoy meeting this fascinating woman. Timeline, additional resources, and documentation are included.

Future rock star or friendless misfit? That’s no choice at all. Twelve-year-old Apple grapples with being different, with friends and backstabbers, and with following her dreams. A story about family, friendship, popularity, and going your own way.

Charlotte and Ben — friends connected only by an online Scrabble game — will intersect in unexpected ways as they struggle to navigate the turmoil of middle school. A sensitive look at friendship, bullying and coming of age.

Are you ready to go behind the scenes of our amazing sanitation system? From the history of toilets to the mystery of tap water, each book reveals what goes on after the flush and after the trash has been taken out.

An eerie tale of magic and friendship. When Jack is sent to Hazelwood, Iowa, to live with his strange aunt and uncle, he expects a summer of boredom. Little does he know that the people of Hazelwood have been waiting for him for quite a long time.

Princess Violet is plain, reckless, and possibly too clever for her own good. Particularly when it comes to telling stories. One day she and her best friend, Demetrius, stumble upon a hidden room and find a peculiar book. A forbidden book. A different kind of fairy tale, about the power of stories, our belief in them, and how one enchanted tale changed the course of an entire kingdom.

Warring nations, mysterious stone figures, and the running thread that magic is alive and dangerous all add to the gripping cnarrative of two children who find strength and ingenuity from being pushed out of their comfort zones. Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, is haunted by her mother’s last words: “The wrong boy will save your life, and you will save his.”

With even the best curricula and interventions, students with autism spectrum disorders will not learn unless the classroom environment is organized with their specific needs in mind. In this book you’ll find clear, brief text and lots of photos how to determine what type of furniture and materials to choose for various types of classrooms and how to arrange them in a way that creates an effective learning environment while reducing anxiety and preventing problem behaviors. It uses evidence-based practices of structure and visual supports to enhance the well-being and success of students.

Individuals with ASD are supported by a variety of people throughout their day, at school, work, and home. Parents and teachers can help build independence in children with autism by using structured work systems. In this book, you’ll learn how to set up structured work systems that provide visual information about tasks, task completion, and transitions to what comes next.

Little Red is one tough cookie. When a menacing wolf blocks the path to her grandmother’s house, she looks him in the eye, answers his questions, and continues on her journey. The wolf “might have scared some little girls. But not this little girl.” This phrase is repeated throughout the story. Woollvin’s street-smart character cannot be fooled by the wolf, even when he dresses up as her grandma. 

Visiting her grandmother in Louisiana, Maddy realizes she may be only the sibling to carry on her family’s magical legacy. And when a disastrous oil leak threatens the bayou, she knows she may also be the only one who can help. A coming-of-age tale rich with folk magic. See the two other two books in the Louisiana Girls Trilogy, Ninth Ward (opens in a new window) and Sugar (opens in a new window).

Through the curious, joyful eyes of 10-year-old Sugar, readers experience life on a Louisiana sugar plantation after Emancipation. Issues arise when Chinese workers are brought in to help harvest the cane. Sugar soon realizes that she must be the one to bridge the cultural gap and bring the community together. See the two other two books in the Louisiana Girls Trilogy, Ninth Ward (opens in a new window) and Bayou Magic (opens in a new window).

Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that’s been unleashed on his family and community. Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett takes Jerome on a journey towards recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life.

When her fifth-grade teacher hints that a series of lessons about home and community will culminate with one big answer about two tall towers once visible outside their classroom window, Dèja can’t help but feel confused. She sets off on a journey of discovery, with new friends Ben and Sabeen by her side. A story about young people who weren’t alive to witness 9/11, but begin to realize how much it colors their every day.