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Review: The Lions' Run

The Lions' Run By Sara Pennypacker New York: Balzer + Bray, 2026. Fiction. 288 pgs. 13-year-old Lucas Dubois grew up in the abbey orphanage in the French village of Lamorlaye. Even as a young boy, Lucas never had a lot of friends. Called petit Ć©clair by the other abbey boys for his soft disposition, Lucas rescues a litter of kittens from being drowned at the beginning of the novel. It's World War II, Lamorlaye is under Nazi occupation and food is scarce. But still, Lucas can't bear to see the kittens killed so he sneaks them away to a deserted stable where he meets Alice, a wealthy British girl who is hiding her racehorse from the Nazis. Meeting Alice, who is defiant of the Nazi orders, and Lucas' own small act of resistance, saving the kittens, emboldens him to take another risk -- Lucas becomes a messenger for the French resistance. His job as a greengrocer delivery boy enables him to move through the village freely, including accessing the Lebensborn clinic where tee...
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Display: Read Like a Champion

  Bunny Slopes By Claudia Rueda San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2016. Picture Book.  " In this interactive picture book, the reader must help Bunny stay on course as he skies down the slope. " -- Publisher Amazing Hockey Records By Thom Storden North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2015. Informational.  " Provides information on the most stunning records in the sport of professional hockey" -- Publisher Peasprout Chen: Future Legend of Skate and Sword By Henry Lien New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2018. Fiction. 330 pages.  "Peasprout Chen dreams of becoming a legend of wu liu, the deadly and beautiful art of martial arts figure skating. As the first students from the rural country of Shin to attend Pearl Famous Academy of Skate and Sword, Peasprout and her little brother, Cricket, have some pretty big skates to fill. They soon find themselves in a heated competition for top ranking." -- Publisher Great Moments in Olympic Snowboarding By Brian Howell Minneap...

De la hora del cuento: La letra "R"

  Cuentos ¡Vamos a surfear! Escrito por Kwame Alexander Ilustrado por Daniel Miyares Nueva York : Ediciones NorteSur, 2025. Libro ilustrado. "¡Vamos a surfear, compa! TodavĆ­a no, Cuate. Los libros son aburridos. ¡Este no! Compa y Cuate tienen ideas muy diferentes sobre lo que se debe hacer en un dĆ­a de playa. Sin embargo, mientras Compa se sumerge en la lectura de su libro (Moby Dick) dando gritos de asombro y entusiasmo, Cuate no puede evitar ser atrapado por las historia. En menos de lo que te tomarĆ­a gritar "¡Vamos a surfear!", las dos ranas estĆ”n disfrutando lla misma aventura (bueno, hasta que llegan a la playa)" --Editor Cuentitos Colores Por J.T. Morrow New York : Penguin Random House LLC, 2022. PequeƱo libro ilustrado. "Guisantes verdes, zanahorias anaranjadas, uvas moradas, la comida de Llama Llama estĆ” llena de color, ¡y mucho amor!" --Editor Otros libros sobre la letra "R " Te recuerdo Una ranita arbórea Cuando seamos ranas ¿Este regal...

From Story Time: The Letter "R"

Preschool Time Robinson's New Thing By Julia Mills    New York: Clarion Books, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, 2025. Picture Book. Calling all collectors! Julia Mills, the acclaimed creator of I Am Stuck, spins a funny new adventure about Robinson the raccoon, who loves to collect things. But when he meets a new friend, he discovers that memories and experiences make for the best collection of all. Perfect for fans of Memory Jars and In a Jar. Robinson the raccoon loves to collect things-big and small. His collection is amazing. One day he collects a shell that turns out to be . . . Rosie the snail! Rosie is not impressed by Robinson's stuff, and she takes him to see what she collects: breezes on the hilltop, bubbles in the stream, and the magnificent northern lights. Robinson soon realizes that the best things to hold on to aren't always things-instead, experiences with friends will last a lifetime. --Editor Preschool Time Make More S'mores Written by Cathy Ba...

Dragon Masters Readalikes

When it comes to early illustrated chapter books, the  Dragon Masters  series by Tracey West checks a lot of boxes. These stories are fast-paced and action-oriented but accessible to newly independent readers. The world-building is magical and the quests are exciting. If your J Intermediate-level reader has already devoured the thirty books in this super popular series, here are a few recommendations to broaden their horizons (at least until #31 comes out!). Llama Quest: Danger in the Dragons' Den Written by Megan Reyes  Illustrated by Kay Davault New York : Random House, 2025. Intermediate. 106 pages. Dak lives on his family's llama farm, which means his life is full of llama poop and empty of adventure. Then Dak meets the mysterious girl who lives with the monks next door and a talking llama named Lucy who is the keeper of the Ravenwood stones. These magical, protective stones have been scattered across the kingdom by a sneaky thief. Together Team Llama Quest has t...

Review: The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene

  The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene By Corey Ann Haydu Harpercollins Childrens Books, 2026. Fiction. 336 pages. Denny is not ready to turn twelve. Her best friend Runa has assured her that everything will change when they turn twelve but Denny doesn't like how much everything in her life has changed already. Her mother, who quit drinking when Denny was born, is battling alcoholism while her dad assures her that she is the only thing that her mother needs to quit. Runa is ingratiating herself in with a new group of friends and seems to be embarrassed by Denny and their "childish" habit of writing about the magical world of Sorrowfeld. On the day of her twelfth birthday, Denny is suddenly whisked into the world of Sorrowfeld and confused for Princess Auden, who is supposed to slay the dragons that have been terrorizing the kingdom. Suddenly Denny realizes that everything she and Runa have written about in their notebook, the half-baked rules of the world they were...

If You Like.. the Winter Olympics

 The 2026 Winter Olympics are here! Taking place in Milan and Cortina, Italy, this amazing sports spectacle features athletes from all over the world competing in various winter sports, such as skating, skiing, and snowboarding. It is an exciting time to cheer on your favorite athletes as they represent our country.  Here is a list of books to read to learn more about the Olympics, famous Olympians, and the sports that athletes are competing in right now!  What are the Winter Olympics? By Gail Herman New York: Penguin Workshop, 2021. Informational. 108 pages.  In this Who HQ book, readers can learn all about the Winter Olympics- how they began, various controversies and interesting happenings, and new sporting events that have been added through the years. This overview of the hallmark of winter sports competitions woud appeal to all middle grade readers!  Fearless Heart: An Illustrated Biography of Surya Bonaly Written by Frank Murphy with Surya Bonaly Illustra...