TODAY ON ELECTION DAY by Catherine Stier

Election years are teachable moments for families, and Today on Election Day by Catherine Stier is a great companion to educating children on what happens on election day and the time leading up to it. Narrated by six children, the children walk readers through all they can expect to see and hear on election day. The story touches briefly on political parties, campaigning, and the history of elections. Readers can feel the excitement in the narration’s tone.  This book is sure to get children asking questions. This is a great read for the elementary school-aged audience. You can find Today on Election Day in the juvenile nonfiction section of your library under J 324.609 STI.

Bramble and Maggie

Bramble and Maggie by Jessie Haas

Maggie wants a horse more than anything, but her parents tell her she shouldn't fall for the first one she sees. Bramble the horse is tired of giving riding lessons. Riding around and around in circles all day is boring. She needs a person of her own, but she's picky.  Will these two pick each other? Will they be a good match? This is a great beginner chapter book and is located in the juvenile section of the library under J HAA.
-----Judy Griggs

MY BEAR GRIZ by Suzanne McGinness

Billy and his best friend, Griz, do everything best friends should do.  They eat sandwiches together, share secrets and jokes, and go on amazing adventures.  The only difference is that Griz is a giant grizzly bear. . .or is he?  Suzanne McGinness shows just how imaginative a little boy can be in this unique tale of friendship.  What’s more, her love of water color, collage, and acrylic paint make for beautiful illustrations to accompany this all around good book.  This book can be found in the picture book section under E MCG.

ELLEN'S BROOM by Kelly Starling Lyons

Ellen’s Broom is a sweet family story about the legalization of African-American marriages in the United States. It follows a former slave family as they merge the traditional jumping the broom ceremony with that of getting their legal papers. This book is good for older elementary children who are learning about America’s past and will lend to a good discussion on slavery and civil and human rights. Daniel Minter’s artwork works well with the story and is colorful, authentic, and inspired by traditional woodcuts. This story can be found in the picture book section under E LYO.

A WRINKLE IN TIME/WHEN YOU REACH ME

This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the publication of A Wrinkle in Time, which won the Newbery medal back in 1963. Looking at the book through a twenty-first century lens, some parts of Madeleine L’Engel’s book do seem a bit old-fashioned, but the story line about time travel and the theme of goodness overcoming evil is still quite good and thought-provoking. Best of all, we are introduced to spunky Meg Murphy, one of the first female protagonist to appear in a juvenile science fiction novel. Meg is good at math and science, is headstrong and independent, and even considered a bit of a troublemaker, all traits that help her defeat evil and darkness in another time and place in order to save her family. If you want to read a more modern story about time travel, try When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead, which also won the Newberry, but almost 50 years later. It takes place in the late 1970s so it could be considered a historical fiction, as well as a mystery, as well as science fiction. It’s similar to A Wrinkle in Time in that the story features a spunky young girl who must figure out how to interpret the clues she’s given to solve a mystery and “save” lives. And coincidentally, in this book, sixth-grader Miranda ‘s favorite book just happens to be A Wrinkle in Time. Find these Newbery winners at J LEN and J STE.

ANOTHER BROTHER by Matthew Cordell

Another Brother by Matthew Cordell is perfect for any first-born child struggling with having siblings who copy everything an older sibling does. Davy the Sheep was once an only child who captured all the attention from his parents. But then Mom and Dad had a few more sheep – 12 more to be exact! Davy becomes irritated with how his brothers mimic everything he does. And then one day, all 12 brothers stopped doing exactly what Davy did… and Davy missed that (until an adorable little sister comes along). The illustrations that accompany the story are hilarious, sure to delight any young child. You can find Another Brother in the Easy section at your library under E COR.

IRENA'S JARS OF SECRETS by Marcia Vaughan

A powerful book for older elementary students, Irena’s Jars of Secrets narrates the true story of a young woman who saved an estimated 2,500 Jewish children from concentration camps during World War II. Irena rescued Jewish children by often smuggling them out of ghettos and into the care of Christian families who were willing to help. She would change their names to Christian names and record their new names along with their true identities on paper. Those names were then buried under a tree in hopes of reuniting the children with their families after the war. This title is an excellent addition to any Holocaust studies curriculum. One can find this book in the juvenile nonfiction section of your library under J 940.531 VAU.