New fears for fourth-grader Calvin include a school bully named Tito and the return of his estranged father, rock star Little Johnny Coconut.
Calvin Coconut: Rocket Ride
School
The Friendship Matchmaker
Lara Zany is her middle school’s official Friendship Matchmaker, but a new student, Emily Wong, has her own ideas on the subject and they vie to match two “hopeless cases” with their perfect best friend.
Yoko Writes Her Name
Kindergartner Yoko not only learns to write her letters and numbers in English, she shows her teacher and fellow students how to write their names using Japanese calligraphy.
A Gold Star for Zog
Each year, as Zog practices new skills learned at Madam Dragon’s school, a little girl helps him out until one day he finds a way to help make her dream come true for herself, a new friend, and Zog.
My Name Is Jorge: On Both Sides of the River
A collection of 27 insightful poems that illuminates the migrant experience from the point of view of a grade school child from Mexico. Jorge doesn’t want to be called George. He thinks the name sounds strange. “What an ugly sound!/Like a sneeze!” His struggles to fit in result in a friendship with a boy named Tim; a tentative coming to terms with American society; and some degree of sadness when, upon his grandmother’s death, his family must cross the river again.
This book has been included in WOW’s Language and Learning: Children’s and Young Adult Fiction Booklist. For our current list, visit our Booklist page under Resources in the green navigation bar.
The Frank Show
What do you do if it’s show-and-tell day at school and you’re supposed to bring someone from your family, but the only someone avaliable is your grandpa, who complains… a lot, prefers things the way they used to be, thinks his arm can predict the rain, is guaranteed to embarrass you. And to make matters worse, what if Khristian brings his stand-up comedian dad and Paolo brings his mom, who’s Italian and speaks Italian? You are going to wish your grandpa had some tricks up his sleeve…but what if he does?
This hilarious offbeat story from the creator of Marshall Armstrong Is New to Our School reveals that there is more to the older generation than meets the eye. After all, the longer you’ve been around, the more time you’ve had for wild adventures!
Excuses Excuses
“Youngsters will delight in Neel’s fantastic excuses… The illustrations, a collage of tinted photographs and art, provide an appropriately surreal backdrop” -Kirkus Reviews” Art and text intertwined with balanced whimsy, imbue Neel’s tall tales with colorful energy and unlimited creativity.” – BookDragon, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program Who doesn’t know a child who is always ready with an implausible excuse when caught out by an indignant adult? Excuses Excuses builds on this universal experience using an Indian setting. Young Neel is the boy next door who can’t help getting into trouble, and yet he is endearing in his explanations. He has one for every day of the week and for every kind of adult ? it seems that he may never run out of them! Wildly funny and imaginative, this narrative in nonsense verse is fast-paced and keeps young readers guessing. Unusual and dramatic art that captures the improbable colors of India adds zest to a story that all children would want to be a part of.
Kiss Me, I’m Perfect!
When Lacey reluctantly wears to school a shirt from her grandma that says “Kiss me, I’m perfect,” she is pleasantly surprised by what happens.
Three-Star Billy
Billy, a bad-tempered little monster who does not want to be in nursery school, throws tantrums that only result in his teacher’s giving him praise and three stars.
Madeline
Madeline, smallest and naughtiest of the twelve little charges of Miss Clavel, wakes up one night with an attack of appendicitis.