Preschool
Chez Bob
by Bob Shea
Welcome to Chez Bob, which seems like a real restaurant . . . until you realize . . . that it's on an alligator's nose! Bob has a hidden plan for his customers: "Birds will come to eat, but I will eat the birds!" As they fly in from all over the world to dine on Bob's face, something starts to happen that takes the lazy, hungry reptile by surprise — the birds stay. "More yummy birds!" he rejoices. He will want for nothing! But when the time is right, will Bob make the right choice?
Pink Is for Boys
by Robb Pearlman, illustrations by Eda Kaban
Pink is for boys . . . and girls . . . and everyone! This beautiful, timely picture book rethinks and reframes the stereotypical blue/pink gender binary and empowers kids — and their grownups — to express themselves in every color of the rainbow. Featuring a diverse group of characters, Pink Is for Boys invites and encourages girls and boys to enjoy what they love to do, whether it's racing cars and playing baseball or loving unicorns and dressing up.
Primary (Kindergarten–Grade 2)
Where Do Words Come From?
by Jeff Zwiers, illustrations by Sr. Reny
Words are everywhere. But do you know where your favorite words come from? Maybe they plop to the ground from high up in the sky! Or maybe workers piece them together in big factories. Or maybe they come from a one-of-a-kind word maker . . . but who could that be? Vivid letter-filled illustrations explore imaginative ways that words are made as this book shares the secret to creating new words.
Antonio's Card/La tarjeta de Antonio
by Rigoberto González, illustrations by Cecilia Álvarez
Antonio loves words — they have the power to express feelings such as love, pride, or hurt. Mother's Day is coming soon, and Antonio searches for the words to express his love for his mother and her partner, Leslie. But he is not sure what to do when his classmates make fun of Leslie, an artist, who towers over everyone and wears paint-splattered overalls. As Mother's Day nears, Antonio must choose how to express his connection to both of the special women in his life.
Intermediate (Grades 3–5)
Stuntboy, in the Meantime
by Jason Reynolds, illustrations by Raúl the Third
Portico Reeves's superpower is making sure that all the other superheroes — like his parents and two best friends — stay super. And safe. Super safe. And he does this all in secret. No one in his civilian life knows that he is actually . . . Stuntboy!
But his regular Portico identity is pretty cool, too. He lives in the biggest house on the block, maybe in the whole city, which basically makes it a castle. All this is swell except that Portico's other secret is that his parents fight all the time. They try to hide it by repeatedly telling Portico to go check on a neighbor "in the meantime." But Portico knows that "meantime" means that his parents are heading into the Mean Time, which means that they are about to get into it . . . and Portico's superhero responsibility is to save them too — as soon as he figures out how.
When We Love Someone, We Sing to Them: Cuando Amamos Cantamos
by Ernesto Javier Martínez, illustrations by Maya Christina Gonzalez, translation by Jorge Gabriel Martínez Feliciano
In this reclamation of the Mexican serenata tradition is the story of a young boy who asks his father whether there is a song for a boy who loves a boy. When We Love Someone, We Sing to Them reframes a treasured cultural tradition to include LGBTQ experience. We learn about the Mexican tradition of singing to family and loved ones in this book through one boy who naturally assumes that the tradition includes him and his experience.
Watch a tradition expand as limitations are lifted to include everyone, all the way to remembering Xochipilli, the Mesoamerican deity of creativity, song, and dance.
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
We Are Family
by LeBron James and Andrea Williams
Drawing inspiration from his own life and the lives of the students at his I PROMISE School, LeBron James has crafted a fun and inspirational story about a determined group of middle schoolers and their quest to save their basketball season. Filled with grit, perseverance, and heart, Jayden, Tamika, Chris, Anthony, and Dex team up to save their beloved Hoop Group and get back on the court.
America Vol. 1: The Life and Times of America Chavez
by Gabby Rivera, illustrations by Joe Quinones and Ramon Villalobos
At last! Everyone's favorite no-nonsense powerhouse, America Chavez, gets her own series! She was a Young Avenger. She leads the Ultimates. And now she officially claims her place as the preeminent champion of the entire Marvel Universe! But what is a super-powered teenager to do when she is looking for a little personal fulfillment? She goes to college! America just has to stop an interdimensional monster or two before work can begin. Then she can get on with her first assignment: a field trip to the front lines of World War II — with Captain America as her wingman!
High School (Grades 9–12)
Ace of Spades
by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
When shocking secrets are blasted out to students at Niveus Private Academy by an anonymous texter, two students' lives are turned upside down on the cusp of graduation. They soon realize that Aces happens to be targeting only Black students — in fact, the only two Black students in the elite private school. This twisty ride of a thriller will leave you reeling as you uncover the disturbing secrets lurking in the dark corners of the school and will linger with you long after the last page.
The Inexplicable Logic of My Life
by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Sal used to know his place with his adoptive gay father, their loving Mexican American family, and his best friend, Samantha. But it's senior year, and suddenly Sal is throwing punches, questioning everything, and realizing that he no longer knows himself. If Sal isn't who he thought he was, then who is he?
Books in Spanish
Esperanza Renace (ages 9–12)
de Pam Muñoz Ryan
Esperanza Ortega tiene todos los tesoros que una chica pueda desear: hermosos vertidos, una linda casa llena de sirvientes en México, y la promesa de que un día llegará a presidir el Rancho como su mamá. Pero una tragedia inesperada destruye ese sueño, obligando a Esperanza y a su madre a escapar a California dónde tendrán que trabajar en una finca junto a otros mexicanos. Allí tendrá que olvidar su pasado y enfrentarse a las nuevas realidades de su vida: trabajo duro, aceptación y dificultades económicas. Esperanza descubrirá que la verdadera riqueza está en la familia y la comunidad.
Esperanza thought that she would always live a privileged life on her family's ranch in Mexico. She would always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home filled with servants, and Mama, Papa, and Abuelita to care for her. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard work, financial struggles brought on by the Great Depression, or lack of acceptance that she now faces. When Mama gets sick and a strike for better working conditions threatens to uproot their new life, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances — because Mama's life, and her own, depend on it.
To access the books on our monthly MPS Reads book lists, visit your school library or local library, or go online to OverDrive* and log in with your MPS student ID number.
*Some titles are not available through OverDrive.