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Melonhead, now in 5th grade, and his best friend want to earn money. So when Melonhead has a BOB — short for Brainflash of Brilliance — the We-Fix-It Company is born, starting the adventure and fun. The latest Melonhead book stands alone and is sure to engage young readers.

Stonewall Hinkleman’s parents are Civil War buffs who reenact its battles, insisting that Stonewall (named for Stonewall Jackson, of course) accompany them. When Stonewall Hinkleman finds has traveled back in time to a real battle, he must work to save history!

Can the advice of a paper finger puppet of Yoda on weird Dwight’s hand provide the advice needed by Tommy and other 6th graders? Tommy makes his case in this fast, funny, and first of the Origami Yoda books.

Horton Halfpott is the underappreciated but rule-abiding kitchen boy for the Luggertucks of Smugwick Manor. Everything changes — literally and figuratively — when Lady Luggertuck’s corset is loosened to unleash a series of farcical, laugh-out-loud adventures.

Things aren’t always as they seem which propels Lenny Flem, Jr. into action. Join Lenny and Jody O’Rodeo as they thwart the dastardly plans of the hypnotic Fako Mustacho. Readers will recognize pop culture icons in this nefariously funny adventure.

When his nemesis makes an origami Darth Vader, chaos ensues. Dwight gets kicked out of school and sent to a school for bad broods! Humor abounds in this silly but satisfying saga that combines parody of popular figures with comedy.

Andy Warhol became well-known as an artist whose impact on pop culture continues to be felt. Many facets of his life and work are introduced in this comprehensive, well researched, and accessible biography.

Friends Meera, Karl, and Gemma with a little help from the farmer solve the mystery of missing sheep and turkeys returning them to the Silver Street farm. Animal tracks and tracking plus interesting characters create a quick paced, funny, easier to read mystery.

Anna Hibiscus and her life in contemporary Africa come to life occasionally using authentic-sounding accents to create a strong sense of place.

Emily Bartlett lives in an old farmhouse in Pitchfork, Oregon at a time when automobiles are brand-new inventions and libraries are a rare luxury. Can Emily use her lively mind to help bring a library to Pitchfork? ReadWriteThink (opens in a new window) offers a persuasive writing lesson plan featuring this book.

Everyone eats so naturally, the kitchen is the place to discover more about it. Chemistry is with us every day and in many ways, introduced in an informative, conversational text and easy-to-do activities with readily available materials.

Ten-year old Spoon is afraid that he will forget his grandmother without something tangible to hold on to. Can Spoon share his sense of loss and his selfish action with his grandfather? Sophisticated readers and adults will have rich discussions around this book.

As Fadi’s family is preparing to flee to the U.S., Fadi’s little sister is lost. The family leaves her behind, but adjusting to life in the United States isn’t easy and as the events of September 11th unfold, the prospects of locating Mariam in a war-torn Afghanistan seem slim. When a photography competition with a grand prize trip to India is announced, Fadi sees his chance to return to Afghanistan and find his sister. Based in part on the Ms. Senzai’s husband’s own experience fleeing his home in Soviet controlled Afghanistan in the 1970s.

“Born with a cleft lip, Zulaikha struggles to feel worth in a society that values women by their marriage prospects…Then, by chance, Zulaikha meets Meena, a former professor, who begins to teach her to read and write just as American soldiers arrive, bringing the chance for both more education and surgery to correct Zulaikha’s birth defect. Reedy based his debut on real people and places he encountered while serving with the National Guard in Afghanistan, and the extensive detail about Afghani customs gives the story the feel of a docu-novel while also creating a vivid sense of place and memorable characters.” — Booklist

“A forced pen-pal exchange turns into an opportunity for real communication between Illinois sixth-grader Abby Carson and Sadeed Bayat, the best English-language student in his Afghan village. When Abby’s first letter arrives in Bahar-Lan, 11-year-old Sadeed is asked by the elders to compose his sister Amira’s reply; it isn’t proper for a boy and girl to correspond with one another. But soon Sadeed can’t resist telling Abby that it is he who has been writing to her. The third-person narrative alternates points of view, allowing for inclusion of intriguing details of both lives.” — School Library Journal

“Along with well-known figures such as Jim Thorpe and National Hockey League hit man Jordin Tootoo, Schilling introduces Olympic wheelchair racer Cheri Becerra-Madsen, speed skier Ross Anderson, ice dancer Naomi Lang, and eight other less-familiar Native American athletes of the present and recent past. Most of the portraits are based on personal interviews; all include tribal affiliations, career notes (sometimes in boldface), brief sidebars, and small, black-and-white action photos.” — Booklist

Malcolm the rat narrates his adventures in Mr. Binney’s fifth-grade class. At night, the school comes alive with the Midnight Academy, a secret society of classroom pets that protects the school. When the leader (an iguana named Aggy) goes missing, Malcolm sets out to find Aggy to ensure her safety and to clear his name.

Dickens’s England comes to life from the perspective of an alley cat.

A fox lives near the old house where Tilly and her parents have moved far from friends and the familiar. She follows the fox one night into a secret, moonlit garden where she finds friendship. Rich language, a calm pace, and a suggestion of magic create a memorable story.

Rendi, a self-centered, unhappy boy runs away from home and winds up in a sad town. Storytelling, however, instigated by a mysterious newcomer allows Rendi to mature and help the villagers. The rich narrative incorporates tales inspired by Chinese tales in this worthy companion to Where the Mountain meets the Moon (opens in a new window).

Ivan lives in a “domain” at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall. In evocative language and gentle illustrations Ivan’s story unfolds through his touching, taut, yet hopeful narration. It’s a chronicle of friendship, loyalty, and the power of art. (2013 Newbery Medal Winner)

“Telling of her childhood in Cuba, Ada begins with an introduction to her homeland followed by 11 episodes about her family and her community. One story tells of her grandfather Modesto’s courage and loyalty in the face of the death of his beloved wife and the simultaneous collapse of the Cuban economy. Another tells of her great-grandmother Mina, who continued to make rag dolls for the village children even after she had lost her sight. And a third tale tells of a Japanese street vendor who sold ice cream for a living, but gave generous samples to children who could not afford to pay.” — School Library Journal

Welcome to Tía Lola’s bed and breakfast! With the help of her niece and nephew and the three Sword Sisters, Tía Lola is opening the doors of Colonel Charlebois’ grand old Vermont house to visitors from all over. But Tía Lola and the children soon realize that running a B & B isn’t as easy they had initially thought — especially when it appears that someone is out to sabotage them! Will Tía Lola and the kids discover who’s behind the plot to make their B & B fail?

Miguel Guzman isn’t exactly looking forward to the summer now that his mother has agreed to let the Sword family — a father, his three daughters, and their dog — live with them while they decide whether or not to move to Vermont. Little does Miguel know his aunt has something up her sleeve that just may make this the best summer ever. With her usual flair, Tía Lola decides to start a summer camp, complete with magical swords, nighttime treasure hunts, campfires, barbecues, and an end-of-summer surprise!