Preschool
Don't Eat Bees (Life Lessons from Chip the Dog)
by Dev Petty, illustrations by Mike Boldt
Are you a dog in need of advice? Fear not: Chip the dog is ON IT in this super-silly guide to living your best canine life. Chip is seven; he knows things. Like what to eat (important papers, the fancy bird that the humans cooked for the fancy dinner, Grandpa's teeth) and what not to eat (bees). He won't get those mixed up, will he?
All Are Neighbors
by Alexandra Penfold, illustrations by Suzanne Kaufman
Moving to a new place can be hard, but when your neighbors welcome you with open arms, there are so many things to discover and celebrate. Come along with the kids from All Are Welcome and Big Feelings as they introduce the new kid to a community where everyone has a place and is loved and appreciated — no matter what.
Primary (Kindergarten–Grade 2)
Wonder Walkers
by Micha Archer
When two curious kids embark on a "wonder walk," they let their imaginations soar as they look at the world in a whole new light. They have thought-provoking questions for everything they see: Is the sun the world's light bulb? Is dirt the world's skin? Are rivers the earth's veins? Is the wind the world breathing? I wonder . . . Young readers will wonder too as they ponder these gorgeous pages and make all kinds of new connections.
Big Feelings
by Alexandra Penfold, illustrations by Suzanne Kaufman
What should we do when things don't go to plan? We may feel mad, frustrated, or overwhelmed, but by talking it through, compromising, and seeing another point of view, we can start fresh —begin anew.
Intermediate (Grades 3–5)
The Many Meanings of Meilan
by Andrea Wong
After the family's matriarch, Nai Nai, passes, the family is on the road in search of a new home. When they land in Redbud, Ohio, Meilan is not quite sure who she is — and being renamed at school only makes it worse. She decides that she is many Meilans, each inspired by a different Chinese character with the same pronunciation as her name. Meilan keeps her facets separate until an injustice at school shows her the power of bringing her many selves together.
Frizzy
by Claribel A. Ortega, illustrations by Rose Bousamra
Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby, and hanging out with her best friend, Camila. But according to her mother, Marlene needs to focus on school and "growing up." That means straightening her hair every weekend so that she can have "good hair." Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn't understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups — and the much-needed help of Camila and Tía Ruby — she slowly starts a journey to learn to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair.
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
Frankie and Bug
by Gayle Forman
Bug is not too excited about hanging out with her neighbor's nephew, Philip, a kid that she has never met, but they soon find some common ground.
As summer unfolds, they find themselves learning some important lessons about each other and the world. Like what it means to be your true self and how to be a good ally for others. That family can be the people you are related to but also the people you choose to have around you. And that even though life isn't always fair, we can all do our part to make it more just.
Mexican WhiteBoy
by Matt de la Peña
Danny's fastball pitch is so fierce that any college scout would sign him on the spot. At his private school, they don't expect much else from him. Danny is brown. Half-Mexican brown. And growing up in San Diego that close to the border means that everyone else has him pegged. Danny is convinced that it's his whiteness that sent his father back to Mexico. That's why Danny is spending the summer with his dad's family. But to find himself, he may just have to face the demons he refuses to see — the demons that are right in front of him. And open up to a friendship that he never saw coming.
High School (Grades 9–12)
Punching Bag
by Rex Ogle
This is the compelling true story of a high school career defined by poverty and punctuated by outbreaks of domestic abuse. Rex Ogle describes his struggle to survive; reflects on his complex, often paradoxical relationship with his passionate, fierce mother; and charts the trajectory of his stepdad's anger. Hovering over Rex's story is the talismanic presence of his unborn baby sister.
Through it all, Rex threads moments of grace and humor that act as beacons of light in the darkness. This is a remarkable memoir about one teenager's cycle of violence, blame, and attempts to forgive his parents — and himself.
Breathe and Count Back from Ten
by Natalia Sylvester
Verónica has had many surgeries to manage her disability. The best form of rehabilitation is swimming, so she spends hours in the pool, but not just to strengthen her body. Her Florida town is home to Mermaid Cove, a kitschy underwater attraction where professional mermaids perform in giant tanks . . . and Verónica wants to audition. But her conservative Peruvian parents would never go for it. She decides that it's time to seize control of her life, but her plans come crashing down when she learns that her parents have been hiding the truth from her — about her own body.
Books in Spanish
Dímelo bajito (escuela secundaria)
de Mercedes Ron
Kamila Hamilton lo tenía todo bajo control . . . o eso creía: no entraba en sus planes que los hermanos Di Bianco volviesen de nuevo para poner su mundo al revés.
Thiago fue quien le dio su primer beso.
Taylor el que siempre la progegió.
El regreso de los hermanos hace que la vida aparentemente perfecta de Kami se tambalee. Ella ya no es la niña inocente que conocieron: desde que se fueron, parece que nadie puede acceder realmente a ella . . . nadie excepto ellos.
¿Podrá resistirse Kami a la simple presencia de Thiago?
¿Qué sucederá cuando Taylor comience a mirarla diferente?
¿Estallará todo en mil pedazos una vez más?
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.