Mrs. Malecha Reads!

by Eugene Velchin Lexile:  670 Genre:  Historical Fiction Award:  2016-17 Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominee, 2012 Newberry Honor Book "Anything ever happens to me, go see your Aunt Larisa.  She'll put you up." Sasha's dad whispers in his ear one night.  Sasha is growing up in Communist Russia and since a very young age has been waiting for the moment he turns ten so that he can become a Young Pioneer and pledge his loyalty to Stalin.  Hours after his father whispers to him, the secret police come and escort his father away and take him to prison.  The police tell Sasha they will be back for him in the morning.  Sasha remembers his father's words, but when he gets to Larisa, his uncle refuses to take him in.  Sasha has no choice but to fend for himself until he can figure out a way to get to Stalin and explain that this is all just a big misunderstanding.

by Kate Messner Lexile:  700 Genre:  Mystery Award: 2016-17 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee Anna, Jose, and Henry are at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. with their parents.  They have never met before, but their lives are about to intersect around the mysterious theft of the original Star Spangled Banner.  They speak for the first time in the airport where a snowstorm has cancelled all flights.  They hear that the flag has been stolen and figure that there is a good chance that whoever took it, might be trying to sneak it out by plane.  Rather that be bored in the airport, they decide to investigate.  Is there a criminal mastermind in their midst?

by Vivian Vande Velde Lexile:  740 Genre:  Fantasy Award:  2015-16 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee Twitch is the school year squirrel.  He happily lives in the trees watching all the little children show up for school.  But one day he makes the mistake the disturbing a neighborhood dog who starts to chase him. Twitch's only option is to race into the school as someone left the door open.  Once in the school, he gets all the classroom pets involved in trying to save him from the dog.  8 class pets plus 1 squirrel divided by a dog makes for one huge mess!

by Polly Carlson-Voiles Lexile:  790 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Award:  2015-16 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee Nika and her brother Randall are trying to find a permanent home.  Their parents have died so that has meant a series of foster homes.  Nika and Randall are happy with Meg, their foster mother of eleven months until the day that their social worker calls with the good news that their uncle in Northern Minnesota has offered to have them come to visit.  Nika is less than excited about the idea of leaving her friends in sunny California to move to the wilderness, but it turns out, she does not have a choice.  Shortly after she arrives, she and her uncle rescue an abandoned wolf pup and Nika starts to think that maybe this strange new place could be a new beginning for her and her brother.

by Jenny Lundquist Lexile:  680 Genre:  Fantasy Award:  2015-16 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee Callie needs glasses, but she doesn't want them.  Her mom makes her go to the eye doctor and he tells her that he will have to order her glasses.  In the meantime, he offers a loaner pair.  When Callie finally tries them on, she realizes that she can actually see people's thoughts!  She learns what her best friend really thinks about her and learns about the troubles her parents are having.  Her eye doctor warned her that the loaner glasses came with a big responsibility...now Callie has to decide how she is going to use the insight she has gained.

by Jenny Lee Lexile:  760 Genre:  Fantasy Award:  2015-16 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee Benji is accident prone and faints without a moment's notice.  But now he has had a major seizure and his doctor doesn't know why. She decides that he has two choices:  he can either wear the world's ugliest  protective helmet or get a therapy dog who can sense when he is in trouble.  Benji's mom does not want a dog in her house, so she opts for the helmet.  Benji has a disasterous day at school wearing the helmet which convinces his mom that maybe the dog isn't such a bad idea.  When Benji's therapy dog arrives at the house, they are all in for a big surprise!

by Lisa Graff Lexile:  720 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Award:  2015-16 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee Francine has always wanted to be the news anchor for her school news program. But this year when it's time to vote, the new kid, Kansas, gets half the votes!  Francine is outraged.  The media club decides to settle the decision by having Kansas and Francine complete dares.  The game is on and now Kansas and Francine have become enemies and competitors, until they realize that they both have something in common.  Is it possible that it might actually make more sense for them to become friends?

by Nate Bell Lexile:  690 Genre:  Science Fiction Award:  2015-16 Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominee Zack McGee's room has been invaded by a four inch tall alien who has crash landed his spaceship. He flew in through Zack's window and now he won't leave.  Amp was sent to Earth ahead of the big invasion, but he is quickly learning that his planet has seriously underestimated the knowledge of humans.  Amp needs to get back to his planet as quickly as possible to warn his fellow aliens that an invasion of Earth is not a good idea.  Will Zack be able to fix his space ship in time to get him back to his home planet?

by Erica S. Perl Lexile:  710 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Award:  2015-16 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee Zelly Fried really wants a dog.  She has begged her parents.  She has pleaded with her parents.  She has promised that she would do everything for the dog.  But they keep saying no.  And now they have moved her to Vermont so that they can live with her grandfather.  Zelly is trying to adjust to her new life when her grandfather, Ace, comes up with a great idea.  She can prove to her parents that she is responsible enough to have a dog by taking care of a pretend dog!  Ace gives her an empty plastic o.j. container that she must walk three times a day, feed, and clean up after.  At first Zelly feels completely ridiculous, but then discovers that Ace might actually help her realize her dream of getting a dog.

by Chris Grabenstein Lexile:  720 Genre:  Mystery Award:  2015-16 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee Mr. Lemonchello is one of the most famous game creators of all time.  Kyle loves his games and when he finds out that Mr. Lemonchello is behind the building of the new public library, he is very interested.  And then Kyle learns that there is an essay contest that will allow 12 winners to get an invitation to an all night lock in at this strange new building.  But what these 12 winners will soon realize is, that getting out of the library is going to be a lot harder than it was to get in!

by Neil Gaiman Lexile:  680 Genre:  Fantasy Award:  2015-16 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee Their mum has left for a conference and it is breakfast time.  Sister and brother pour their cereal, but alas, there is no milk.  They ask their father to go to the store to get some.  He is gone for a very long time.  When he comes back, they ask him what happened.  He tells them about how he was walking to the corner store when he heard a strange noise and then all of a sudden, very odd things started happening that prevented him from returning with the milk right away....

by Joan Bauer Lexile:  590 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Award:  2016-17 Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominee Sugar Mae Cole is always looking for the sweetness in her life which has been full of ups and downs. Lately, the downs seem to be winning.  She and her mother are forced out of their home and into a shelter.  It's not great, but as long as she has her 6th grade teacher, and her writing, life is bearable.  But then her mom gets the idea that they should move to Chicago and start their lives over.  Soon, Sugar finds herself alone in a new city with her mom who is no longer able to hold it together.  With the help of new friends, and one very special dog, Sugar hopes she can hang on until things get better.

by Liesl Shurtliff Lexile:  660 Genre:  Fantasy Award:  2015-16 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee Everyone in the kingdom thinks Rump's name is hilarious!  His mother died moments after he was born and before she could tell his grandmother his full name.  So Rump he became.  His grandmother won't tell him much about his mother.  One night, Rump finds her spinning wheel and begins to spin. Much to his surprise the straw he is spinning, turns to gold. Gold buys power and food...two things that Rump and his grandmother have very little of.  Could this be the answer to all of his family troubles?

by Chris Rylander Lexile:  760 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Award:  2015-16 Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee Do you have a problem? Well, Mac in the Fourth Stall can solve it for you. But for a price, of course. Mac and Vince have devised a success way to earn money by solving problems for their fellow classmates. They are on top of their game until Fred, a third grader, shows up with a problem. A big problem. Will this be Mac and Vince's greatest solution or will it be the end of their entire business?

by Derek Jeter Lexile:  750 Genre:  Autobiography, Sports Derek Jeter signed a contract with his parents to help him realize his dream of one day playing shortstop for the New York Yankees.  His parents told him at a young age, that anything is possible with hard work and dedication.  Derek has to work through a hitting slump and making a new friend in this book which is the second in the series.  The theme of the book is based around the second principle in his contract - Think Before You Act.  Sometimes that is easier said than done.

by Lauren Tarshis Lexile:  700 Genre:  Historical Fiction Eleven year old Hugo is about to have the experience of a lifetime!  He and his parents and his four year old sister will be flying across the Atlantic Ocean in the Hindenburg airship.  Once on board, Hugo learns that there is a spy on board and if discovered his life will be in danger.  Just when that mystery seems to be resolved,  New York comes into view, and an explosion aboard the ship happens that leaves Hugo and his family fighting for their lives.