OUR LIBRARY by Eve Bunting

"There's nothing you can't learn to do when you have books...and it's even better if you have a library."

When Miss Goose tells Raccoon and his friends that the library is in danger of closing forever, they know they have to do something about it! Turning to books for the answer, the kids learn how to renovate the library, raise money, and find a perfect new location...not to mention how to deal with a cranky beaver! Our Library has sweet illustrations and just enough humor to keep it light-hearted. This is an inspirational book that teaches the importance of books and the library to a community. After all, without the library, how would we have Story Time?!?!

Our Library can be found in the Easy section under E BUN.

THE CRICKET IN TIMES SQUARE by George Selden

It's highly unusual to find a cricket living in a subway station, but the station in Times Square has been granted the honor. Chester the cricket and his friends have many adventures and help each other through many ups and downs. The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden is a classic work of juvenile literature about unlikely friendships that change the lives of the characters forever...all because of a single cricket bringing them together.

Readers from 4th grade; up will absorb important character values from The Cricket in Times Square. This book, along with the sequels- eg. Tucker's Countryside and Chester Cricket's New Home- can be found in the Juvenile section under J SEL.

A FARAWAY ISLAND by Annika Thor

A Faraway Island is an excellent book for middle school readers about the Jewish children sent to Sweden during World War II. The main characters Stephie and Nellie struggle throughout this story. They have to deal with being away from their parents and losing the life they had in Vienna, as well as struggle to hold onto their German and Jewish identity while embracing their Swedish future, but the story is not all about hardship. Even though Thor’s main characters are fictional, she writes their emotions so well that readers can't help but feel their frustration, sadness, and hurt as well as their joy. You can find this historical fiction in the juvenile section under J THO.