Ten on a Twig
Lo Cole

The Crossover
Kwame Alexander, Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile

The Crossover is Josh Bell’s story told in his own voice. Basketball is unquestionably a major focus in Josh’s life. This book is about basketball and so much more: family, school, relationships, and navigating the changes that are inevitably part of life. I felt a great deal of empathy for Josh. In fact, the entire Bell family won a place in my heart. Both the writing and illustrations in this graphic novel make the story come alive.

Fish in a Tree
Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Ally has moved a lot. Wherever she goes, one thing remains the same. Reading is hard for Ally, a real struggle. She learns to deflect attention from her reading difficulties by behaviors that give the impression that she is being uncooperative and doesn’t care. Finally, a teacher comes along who sees Ally’s strengths and recognizes that she struggles with reading because of dyslexia. With special methods, her teacher’s support, and her own effort, Ally begins to experience success. She also gains self-confidence in school and in life. A Fish in a Tree is a tribute to teachers who value every child as an individual and to kids who keep trying even when a goal is difficult to reach.

My Side of the Mountain
Jean Craighead George

Everybody laughs. Nobody believes that he will do it. Sam Gribley leaves his parents and many siblings in their crowded New York City apartment and runs away to the Catskills to live on the land formerly inhabited by his Gribley ancestors. With just a few basic supplies, Sam builds a shelter in a tree and learns to live in the wilderness. Sam becomes friends with a falcon, a badger, and even a few of his human neighbors. He adapts to the solitude with all its gifts and challenges and learns about himself in the process. My Side of the Mountain is a Newberry Honor Book and a classic in children’s literature. Most of all, it is a delightful story.