Bunny’s Book Club Goes to School

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Bunny and his forest friends meet at the town library every Saturday morning for book club. But one summer day, their library buddy Josie confesses to Bunny that she’s nervous about starting school. Bunny has an idea: He’ll go with her! Soon, Bunny’s friends Bear, Raccoon, Bird, Porcupine, Squirrel, Mole, Mouse, and Frog decide to join him—and Josie’s first day of school turns into a critter-filled adventure! 
For any child starting school, here’s a comforting, funny, and very fuzzy celebration of friendship that will make everyone excited to hit the books.

Kindness, Perseverance, Initiative, Critical Thinking-Problem Solving, Leadership, Innovation, Responsibility, Teamwork, Patience, Trustworthiness, Adaptability, Creativity, Effort, Cleverness, Excellent Attitude

Fiction

New or Not Yet Leveled

Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend!

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Change and transitions are hard, but Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! demonstrates how, when one experience ends, it opens the door for another to begin. It follows two best friends as they say goodbye to snowmen, and hello to stomping in puddles. They say goodbye to long walks, butterflies, and the sun…and hello to long evening talks, fireflies, and the stars. But the hardest goodbye of all comes when one of the friends has to move away. Feeling alone isn’t easy, and sometimes new beginnings take time. But even the hardest days come to an end, and you never know what tomorrow will bring.

Kindness, Adaptability

Fiction

New or Not Yet Leveled

What is Given from the Heart

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“Misery loves company,” Mama says to James Otis. It’s been a rough couple of months for them, but Mama says as long as they have their health and strength, they’re blessed. One Sunday before Valentine’s Day, Reverend Dennis makes an announcement during the service– the Temples have lost everything in a fire, and the church is collecting anything that might be useful to them. James thinks hard about what he can add to the Temple’s “love box,” but what does he have worth giving? This is a touching, powerful tale of compassion and reminds us all that what is given from the heart, reaches the heart.

Kindness, Innovation, Creativity, Gratefulness

Fiction

AR Reading Level 3.6

AR Point .5

Word Count 1120

Long May She Wave

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Discover the story of the girl who sewed the American flag that inspired the lyrics of the National Anthem in this beautifully illustrated celebration of our country’s iconic symbol for freedom.

Courage, Perseverance, Responsibility, Teamwork, Leadership, Patient, Innovation, Initiative

Nonfiction

AR Reading Level 4.0

AR Point .5

Word Count 590

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré

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An inspiring picture book biography of storyteller, puppeteer, and New York City’s first Puerto Rican librarian, who championed bilingual literature.

When she came to America in 1921, Pura Belpré carried the cuentos folklóricos of her Puerto Rican homeland. Finding a new home at the New York Public Library as a bilingual assistant, she turned her popular retellings into libros and spread story seeds across the land. Today, these seeds have grown into a lush landscape as generations of children and storytellers continue to share her tales and celebrate Pura’s legacy.

Adaptability, Creativity, Initiative, Innovation, Leadership, Responsibility

Nonfiction

AR Reading Level 4.0

AR Point .5

Word Count 570

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch

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One wintry day, a postman delivers a mysterious package with a big pink bow to a lonely man named Mr. Hatch. 
“Somebody loves you,” the note says. 
“Somebody loves me!” Mr. Hatch sings as he dusts his living room. “Somebody loves me!” Mr. Hatch whistles as he does his errands in town. “But who,” Mr. Hatch wonders, “could that somebody be?” 
After some time, Mr. Hatch discovers just who his secret admirer is and, in doing so, enjoys the biggest surprise of his life!

Kindness

Fiction

AR Reading Level 3.9

AR Point .5

Word Count 1484

Our Library

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When Miss Goose announces that the library is going to close forever, Raccoon and his friends spring into action. Where will they get the help they need to save their beloved library? In books, of course! This cheery tale shows how important libraries are to every community. Bright, playful illustrations enhance the light treatment of this serious subject, in a story that celebrates the value of books in everyone’s lives.

Adaptability, Courage, Critical Thinking-Problem Solving, Initiative, Kindness, Optimism, Perseverance, Patience, Responsibility, Self Confidence, Teamwork

Fiction

AR Reading Level 2.4

AR Point .5

Word Count 744

Sakura’s Cherry Blossoms

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Sakura’s dad gets a new job in America, so she and her parents make the move from their home in Japan. When she arrives in the States, most of all she misses her grandmother and the cherry blossom trees, under which she and her grandmother used to play and picnic. She wonders how she’ll ever feel at home in this new place, with its unfamiliar language and landscape. One day, she meets her neighbor, a boy named Luke, and begins to feel a little more settled. When her grandmother becomes ill, though, her family takes a trip back to Japan. Sakura is sad when she returns to the States and once again reflects on all she misses. Luke does his best to cheer her up — and tells her about a surprise he knows she’ll love, but she’ll have to wait till spring. In the meantime, Sakura and Luke’s friendship blooms and finally, when spring comes, Luke takes her to see the cherry blossom trees flowering right there in her new neighborhood. 

Kindness

Fiction

New or Not Yet Leveled

Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova

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One night, young Anna’s mother takes her to the ballet, and everything is changed. So begins the journey of a girl who will one day grow up to be the most famous prima ballerina of all time, inspiring legions of dancers after her: the brave, the generous, the transcendently gifted Anna Pavlova.

Leadership, Self Confidence, Perseverance, Patience

Nonfiction

AR Reading Level 2.5

AR Point .5

Word Count 643

With Books and Bricks: How Booker T. Washington Built a School

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“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.”  -Booker T. Washington

Booker T. Washington had an incredible passion for learning. Born a slave, he taught himself to read. When the Civil War ended, Booker finally fulfilled his dream of attending school. After graduation, he was invited to teach in Tuskegee, Alabama. Finding many eager students but no school, Booker set out to build his own school—brick by brick.

Courage, Effort, Initiative, Leadership, Optimism, Perseverance, Teamwork

Nonfiction

AR Reading Level 3.7

AR Point .5

Word Count 1016