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Sam uses a great deal of initiative to make just the right birthday present for his mother. But when he combines all of her favorite smells to make the perfect perfume, disastrous (and odiferous) results permeate this worthy sequel to All About Sam.

10-year-old Anastasia is quite content as the only (and quite self-assured) child of professional parents. But she is not so happy and not so nice after she learns that she is to become a sister. Anastasia’s lists organize her thoughts and create humor in this first book of the series.

When Anastasia’s parents announce the family’s move from the city to the dreaded suburbs, Anastasia fears that life as she loves it will come to an abrupt end. Once there, of course, the resilient 12-year-old falls for her new home and becomes just as involved with new friends and neighbors.

When Coraline and her family move into a new house, she finds a mysterious otherworld on the other side of one of the house’s many doors. Narnia, however, this is not. The creepy characters of this other dark world lead Coraline on a number of spine-tingling adventures, but readers will be enchanted by Coraline’s courage and resourcefulness.

Animals and people prepare for fall in different ways and at different times around the world. The season is often celebrated by harvests, introduced and illuminated in lyrical prose and restrained illustrations.

It takes great skill to be a kite fighter as Kee-sup and Young-sup know well. The brothers have different talents; the older boy makes kites easily while Young-sup flies them with a sure hand. Loyalty, tradition and rivalry between the boys are themes in this riveting novel set in 15th century Korea.

What’s better than just eating a favorite dish? Anticipating it while preparing it, of course! Rhythmic, rhyming language and playful illustrations capture the joy of making this special Korean dish — and the joy of sharing it.
Country of origin: Korea
 

American born Ami Chi is traveling to Vietnam, where the streets are crowded with scooters and the fruit are shaped like dragons and stars. Her parents still consider Vietnam home. But how can home be a place you’ve never been? She finds her answer in the green rice paddies that blanket the countryside, in the bustling Cho Lon market, and in the quiet rooms of her grandmother’s house. Vietnam may be nothing like America, but it feels strangely familiar. Before long, Ami Chi finds that you can travel very far and still find yourself at home.

Moon Shadow joins his father, traveling from China to San Francisco in the early 20th century. Together father and son confront harsh prejudice as well as kindness, and ultimately follow a dream to build a flying machine in this Newbery Honor novel.

While her father is away, Amy’s mother must get a job. But it’s not the usual kind of employment; Amy’s mom becomes a professional baseball player! Told from Amy’s perspective, historical detail of the World War II period is conveyed through an engaging narrative and stylized paintings.

Jeffrey Bones narrates this easy-to-read mystery that begins with his preparation for his grandfather’s birthday celebration, introduces a lost present, and ultimately moves to a satisfying resolution. New readers will appreciate the textual and visual clues which allow them to solve the mystery along with young Bones.

Life in a large family sometimes presents special challenges, such as preparing for a day at the beach. Everyone forgets something, so after many trips to retrieve everything — from Fido (the dog) to a favorite beach pail — a sudden storm prevents the trip — but not the fun!

When Emily’s mom is called to the office, their trip to the beach is canceled. But happily, Emily has a very special grandma who brings the beach to her. Delightfully frumpy characters are as engaging and recognizable as the situation.

A loving father takes his children, Alice and Baxter, to take a look at the ocean. But they soon realize their visit to the beach would be so much better with stuff they didn’t bring; and after all, and a trip back home will take only half an hour! After lots of back and forth travel, the panda family figures out how to have all the fun possible.

Bright illustrations and simple words depict what young children are likely to encounter on a trip to the beach. From playthings to sea creatures, this sturdy book is ideal to share with the very young with or without a trip to the sea.

As the sun rose, an egg was ready to hatch but whose chick was it? “Whose egg is this?” quacks, chirps and honks each different bird. But the swan knows who the little gray cygnet belongs to; it’s her much loved hatchling! Children will empathize with the simply told, realistically illustrated tale.

While a family with a baby enjoys a picnic, forest animal babies and their families engage in comparable activities. Lighthearted illustrations show parallel human and animal family scenes with a rhythmic text for added fun.

Ellie was promised a puppy of her own before she turned 9 years old. But that was before her great aunt had to give up her dog, who Ellie’s parents take in. Though Ellie is reluctant to accept Preston as her dog — he’s not the puppy she’d wanted — he turns out to be a good friend and her dog after all in this warm novel about friendship and acceptance.

Baby animals are shown here in transport! Rich language and expressive illustrations give an engaging and informative look at how animals move. Some animals stand up right away while others need time to grow — just like young humans.

Dreams are for the day and the night. Children dream for themselves as well as their community and their world. Short poems, richly imagined and vibrantly illustrated appear in English and Spanish and are firmly rooted in a child’s experience.

This book is about a ten-year-old Dominican boy, Miguel, who recently moved to a small town in Vermont after his mother and father separated. Throughout the story Miguel demonstrates mixed feeling about his parents’ separation, about starting a new life in a small town away from New York City where his father lives, and about welcoming a flamboyant aunt, “Tía Lola,” who only speaks Spanish.

The artist recalls growing up in south Texas in this celebration of family and cultural traditions presented in vivid paintings and short prose in Spanish and English. Garza’s pride in her Mexican-American heritage is evident and celebrated in this handsome book.

A lovable Rottweiler named Carl has everthing under control while Mom steps out on an errand. Or does he?

Jenna wants to dance in the powwow as her grandmother and other women in her family have. But she wonders: will she have enough jingles to make her dress sing? Traditional and contemporary activities come together in this appealing, clearly illustrated story of a modern girl and her background, based on the author’s Muscogee (Creek) heritage.