Primary (ages 6-9)

Material appropriate for primary age groups

Tsunami!

Ojiisan, the oldest and wealthiest man in the village, doesn’t join the others at the rice ceremony. Instead he watches from his balcony. He feels something is coming—something he can’t describe. When he sees the monster wave pulling away from the beach, he knows. Tsunami!  But the villagers below can’t see the danger. Here is the unforgettable story of one man’s simple sacrifice saved hundreds of lives. An extraordinary celebration of both the power of nature and the power each of us holds within.

Bear’s Day Out

Bear usually spends his days singing to himself and wading playfully through the water in his cave by the sea. But then, one day, he hears the noises of the city traveling on the wind, and he decides to give city life a try. At first, the sights and smells are new and exciting. But when the hustle and bustle of the people, the markets, and the traffic all become too much for Bear, it will take a little bit of kindness from some helpful young strangers to get him back home again. Bestselling author Michael Rosen’s rhythmic text and Adrian Reynolds’ adorable, lively illustrations make this a perfect read-aloud for story time.

Holy Mole!: A Folktale From Mexico

When the Spanish viceroy comes for an unscheduled visit to the monastery, the cook goes into a frenzy. What will they feed this important ambassador to the king? Carlos, the orphan boy who works in the kitchen, tries to stay out of the way as lunch is hastily prepared, but his curiosity gets the best of him. His eagerness results in a moment of crisis, followed by what Brother Roberto can only assume is a miracle. This story, inspired by the Mexican folk tradition, explains the origins of mole, the popular national dish that combines chocolate with turkey, spices, and nuts.

The Great Paper Caper

When tree branches begin disappearing and paper airplanes are left in their place, the creatures that live in the forest carry out an investigation to find the culprit who has been stealing their homes.

Super Guinea Pig to the Rescue

Little guinea pig is obsessed with his favorite TV show and with its star, Super Guinea Pig. Every day he tunes in to watch Super Guinea Pig save the world from evil and terrible disasters. And every day he ignores his friends—an old hound dog, a yellow bird, and a plump goldfish—to watch his hero. When they start making fun of little guinea pig and asking why his new best friend never visits him, he dresses up as Super Guinea Pig to teach his friends a lesson. Leaping and acting like his hero, little guinea pig gets himself into a bit of trouble and calls upon Super Guinea Pig for help. His real friends save him the day.

My Name Is Gabito/Mi Llamo Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Marquez/La Vida de Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Gabriel Garcia Marquez is perhaps one of the most brilliant writers of our time. He is a tremendous figure, enormously talented, and unabashedly admired. This is his story, lovingly told, for children to enjoy. Using the imagery from his novels, Monica Brown traces the novelist’s life in this creative nonfiction picture book from his childhood in Colombia to today. This is an inspiring story about an inspiring life, full of imagination and beauty.

The Incredible Book Eating Boy

Like many children, Henry loves books. But Henry doesn’t like to read books, he likes to eat them. Big books, picture books, reference books . . . if it has pages, Henry chews them up and swallows (but red ones are his favorite). And the more he eats, the smarter he gets—he’s on his way to being the smartest boy in the world! But one day he feels sick to his stomach. And the information is so jumbled up inside, he can’t digest it!

And What Comes after a Thousand?

Otto and Lisa are special friends. Otto may be old, but he can still spit cherry pits, make slingshots and grow delicious raspberries. He and Lisa share a fascination with numbers, tell stories, and gaze at the stars. But when Otto gets ill and dies, Lisa struggles to understand. Her rage, confusion and mourning are reflected in the heartwarming illustrations, as she slowly comes to understand that while people die, memories last forever.