Preschool
Chicken Soup for the Soul Babies: Keep Trying (Don't Give Up!)
by Andrea J. Loney, illustrations by Hazel Quintanilla
Chick and Lamb want to play outside, but it's raining. Once the rain stops, Lamb struggles to put on rain boots. Lamb laments, "I can't!", but Chick replies, "Keep trying!" Then Chick is struggling to jump over the rain puddles. Chick cries, "I can't!", but Lamb replies, "Keep trying!" As they congratulate each other for their determination, a rainbow arcs above them.
This lighthearted board book playfully addresses perseverance — a warm and winning message for little ones!
On the Night You Were Born
by Nancy Tillman
On the night you were born, the whole world came alive with thanksgiving. The moon stayed up until morning. The geese flew home to celebrate. Polar bears danced.
On the night you were born, you brought wonder and magic to the world. Here is a book that celebrates you. It is meant to be carried wherever life takes you, over all the roads, through all the years. Because you are the one and only you . . . and always will be.
Primary (Kindergarten–Grade 2)
All About Nothing
by Elizabeth Rusch, illustrations by Elizabeth Goss
Nothing is really something! What might be hidden in the space around things, and how is that space important? In art, this is known as negative space, but "nothing" can be thought of more broadly — as free time during the day or the space between people. When we allow ourselves a moment of nothingness, we make room for creativity and so much more.
A Letter for Bob
by Kim Rogers, illustrations by Jonathan Nelson
Ever since the day that Mom and Dad brought Bob home from the car dealership, Bob has been a part of Katie's family.
Bob has taken them all over, from powwows to vacations to time spent with faraway family. Bob has been there in sad and scary times and for some of the family's most treasured memories.
But after many miles, it's time for the family to say goodbye to Bob . . .
Intermediate (Grades 3–5)
A Teacher's Top Secret for the Last Day of School: Mission Accomplished
by LaNesha Tabb
Dear Teacher,
You have been cleared to share this critical and top-secret information with your class. This information is important to share within the last few weeks of school. Everything that your class needs to know is in the briefing inside this book. Your mission is simply to read it. Good luck.
Parachute Kids: A Graphic Novel
by Betty C. Tang
Feng-Li's dream vacation to America turns upside down when her parents return to Taiwan, leaving her and her siblings alone in California. Thrust into a new school and culture, the kids must learn to survive, manage a household, and get along. As stress, loneliness, and sibling conflict grow, Feng-Li faces tough choices to hold her family together through challenges and unexpected chaos.
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman
by Gennifer Choldenko
When the mother of eleven-year-old Hank doesn't come home, Hank takes care of his toddler sister, Boo, like he always does. But it has been a week now. They are out of food, and mom has never stayed away this long. Hank knows that he needs help, so he and Boo seek out the stranger who is listed as their emergency contact.
But asking for help has consequences. It means social workers and a new school and having to answer questions about his mom that he has been trying to keep secret. And if they can't find his mom, Hank and Boo may end up in different foster homes. He could lose everything.
Lola
by Karla Arenas Valenti
Ten-year-old Lola, surrounded by everyday magic in her Mexico City home, discovers a mysterious link between her sick brother and the dying enchanted tree at the heart of their house. Guided by mischievous chaneques, she enters Floresta — a hidden world of myths and monsters. There, she must outsmart a young queen and confront her fears to find the cure that may save her brother's life.
High School (Grades 9–12)
Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy)
by Lauren Roberts
She is the very thing that he has spent his life hunting.
He is the very thing that she has spent her life pretending to be.
In the kingdom of Ilya, only the powerful Elites — those gifted with abilities by the deadly Plague — are allowed to thrive while the powerless, or Ordinaries, are banished. Paedyn Gray, an Ordinary posing as a Psychic to survive, lives by her wits in the shadows of Elite society. But when she saves a prince and is thrust into the deadly Purging Trials — a brutal test meant to showcase Elite powers — she must fight to stay alive without revealing her greatest secret: she has no powers at all.
Libertad
by Bessie Flores Zaldívar
In protest-filled Tegucigalpa, Honduras, during the 2017 election, teen poet Libertad ("Libi") navigates political unrest, a secret romance, and rising threats to her identity. When her mother discovers texts about a kiss with a girl and that her brother has joined the protests, Libi is forced to confront homophobia, family tensions, and violence. After tragedy strikes, she must decide whether to stay or leave everything behind to live freely and safely.
Books in Spanish
Redes (para los grados 9 a 12)
de Eloy Moreno
¿Cuantos likes vale tu felicidad?
Se pasa unas horas más viendo los viajes maravillosos, los cuerpos perfectos y todos los outfits que se prueban cada día los influencers. Y se siente mal porque ella no puede llevar la vida que ve en las redes, sabe que nunca podrá alcanzar una felicidad así.
To access the books on our monthly MPS Reads book lists, visit your school library or local library, or go online to Sora* (formerly OverDrive) and log in with your MPS student ID number.
*Some titles are not available through Sora.