Mrs. Malecha Reads!

by Deb Lucke Genre:  Fantasy, Graphic Novel Grunhilda the lunch lady is a witch.  And she is not supposed to be nice.  But during her first year on the job, she developed a friendship with one of the students.  So now her evil ancestors are upset that she is turning...nice! Witches are not supposed to be nice!  What will become of Grunhilda?

by Deb Lucke Lexile: 380 Genre:  Fantasy, Graphic Novel Grunhilda the witch is out of work.  She's been fired again and she desperately needs a job.  One ad in the paper catches her eye: " Elementary School Lunch Lady, Good Cooks Need Not Apply."  Before she knows it, Grunhilda has a new job, but there is one student who seems to be a little suspicious. Did she see Grunhilda's bats following her to work?  Is she just imagining that this student is paying her special attention?  Grunhilda MUST keep this job and she isn't going to let anyone spoil it for her.

by Zana Fraillon Genre:  Realistic Fiction Subhi has never been on "the outside."  He and his mother and sister have lived in an Australian permanent detention center since he was born.  Subhi is content with his life despite the fact that he has few freedoms or much to eat.  Things are different for his sister Queeny and his friend, Eli, though.  They remember life on "the outside" and they are tired of their unfair situation.  One night Subhi meets Jimmie, a local girl who sneaks through the fence to find out what life among the refugees is like.  Jimmie and Subhi strike up an unlikely friendship that will change them in ways they never expect.

by Ami Polonsky Genre:  Realistic Fiction Clara and her family are struggling to move on after her sister's death.  Life is different now and nobody knows quite what to do.  One day, Clara finds a note that was hidden in a purse.  It is from a girl named Yuming who lives in China.  The note says that she and others are in trouble.  They have been imprisoned in a factory where the purses are made.  Clara becomes obsessed with helping Yuming.  Will her grieving parents be persuaded to go to China so that they can help free Yuming?

by Vera Brosgol Genre: Fantasy Grandmother has a giant sack of yarn and she just wants a little peace and quiet so that she can get her knitting done.  Is that too much to ask?  One day, grandmother gives up.  She tells everyone to leave her alone and starts off on a quest to find a quiet place where she can get her knitting done. Will grandmother ever return home?

by Gianna Marino Lexile: 30 Genre: Fantasy Award:  2016-17 Star of the North Picture Book Nominee The night animals are scared.  They are hearing noises and seeing big things in the dark.  These things say "aarrooo."  What should they do?  RUN!!!

by Molly Beth Griffin Illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell Genre:  Realistic Fiction Award:  2016-17 Star of the North Picture Book Nominee Rhoda loves rocks.  She loves rocks so much she is willing to go on a camping trip and sleep on the hard, bumpy ground.  Rhoda can't believe all of the great rocks she is finding. Each one is more beautiful then the next so she puts them in her backpack.  Pretty soon her backpack is full and it is time to go. Rhoda's aunt and uncle are ready to hike back to the cabin where a comfortable bed and warm shower await, but Rhoda has a problem.  Her backpack has grown fuller than when they hiked up, how is she ever going to get it back down?

by Ame Dyckman Illustrated by Zachariah Ohora Lexile:  280 Genre:  Fantasy Award:  2016-17 Star of the North Picture Book Award Dot has a new baby brother, but she is suspicious of him from the beginning.  Dot and her family are rabbits, but she's pretty certain that her new brother is not.  As he grows, so does his appetite and Dot is worried that he is going to eat her up!  Is Dot right?

by Jon Arno Lawson Illustrated by Sydney Smith Genre: Realistic Fiction Award:  2016-17 Star of the North Picture Book Nominee A little girl and her father are on a walk.  Her father is distracted so the little girl keeps herself busy by finding wildflowers throughout the city.  She gifts the flowers to a variety of people and animals as they walk along, so notice and others do not, but she is happy as she walks along the city filled with sidewalks.

by Miranda Hall Illustrated by Jason Chin Lexile:  BR Genre:  Informational Award:  2016-17 North Star Picture Book Nominee Water is Water is a book about the water cycle.  Water is water unless it becomes steam or rain or ice or snow or...  Water takes on so many forms!  See how many you can count when you read this book.

by Michael Hall Lexile:  120 Genre:  Fantasy Award:  2016-17 Star of the North Picture Book Award Red's label says that he is red.  But he tries and tries and just can't draw anything that is red.  His friends, the other art supplies, try to help, but no one can help him draw red.  Red is sad and feels like he can't do anything right.  Until one day, he meets someone who helps him realize that he is actually blue!

by Julia Sarcone-Roach Lexile:  490 Genre:  Fantasy Award:  2016-17 Star of the North Picture Book Nominee Where did the sandwich go?  Well, you see, it was sitting right here and then this bear came along. And this bear was very hungry and he saw that the sandwich looked very delicious so he just went ahead and ate it and then he had to run along home which is why he is not here to tell you that he is sorry that he ate your sandwich.  But he did.  He ate it all.

by Muon Van Illustrated by April Chu Genre:  Fantasy Award:  2016-17 Star of the North Picture Book Nominee In a village by the sea there is a small child, his mother, a dog, and a cricket.  They are all waiting for someone to return.  While they wait, they go about their daily routines, in a village by the sea.

by Bob Shea Lexile:  70 Genre: Fantasy Award:  2016-17 Star of the North Picture Book Nominee Ballet Cat and Sparkles the Pony have fun playing together, but all Ballet Cat ever does is want to play ballet.  Sparkles would really like to be able to do something else.  Does he have the courage to share his secret secret with Ballet Cat?

By Kim Norman Illustrated by Liza Woodruff Lexile:  380 Genre:  Fantasy Ten adventurous friends are read to go sledding!  As they speed down the snowy hill, a few of them are going to be left behind!  Will anyone still be on the sled when it reaches the bottom of the long snowy hill?

by Jon Klassen Lexile:  140 Two turtles found a hat.  They both think they look good in it.  But they only have one hat.  So they decide that neither one will have the hat.  But they can't stop thinking about that hat and how they would like to wear it.  They finally fall asleep and have pleasant dreams about a world where there are two hats for both of them.

by Miriam Spitzer Franklin Lexile:  690 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Pansy and Anna have been best friends for ever.  Until the day they are supposed to leave for Girl Scout Camp.  Pansy changes her mind and decides not to go.  Anna is angry, but goes ahead without her.  And that is the last time that Pansy gets to talk to her friend.  Anna gets sick at camp and while she recovers, she is no longer the same person. Pansy is determined to be an extraordinary person so that when Anna recovers, she will want to be her best friend again.

by Derek Jeter Lexile:  800 Genre:  Memoir Derek cannot wait for the baseball season to begin.  He is sure this will be the best year yet because his dad is going to be the head coach.  Derek can't wait to play shortstop and win some games.  But Derek is surprised by the kids who end up on his team and even more surprised that his Dad expects him to get along with them, especially the ones that he doesn't like.  Derek doesn't understand why his dad won't listen to him, and it looks as if the season is going to be a long one.  How did things possibly get so messed up?

By Kate DiCamillo Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen Lexile:  500 Genre:  Fantasy Leroy Ninker dreams of being a cowboy.  He has boots, a hat, and a lasso, but if he is going to be a real cowboy, then he needs a horse!  So Leroy sets off to find a horse that will make his wildest dreams come true.  Will Leroy get to be a real cowboy?  Read this book to find out!

by John Grisham Lexile:  830 Genre:  Mystery Theo's best friend April has been kidnapped and now no one knows where she is.  The police are trying to find her, but Theo isn't sure they are following up on the right leads.  Theo decides to use his vast knowledge of the legal system to figure out the truth and bring April home.

by Jon Klassen Lexile:  90 Genre:  Fantasy Bear has lost his hat.  And now he wants it back?  Where did he see it last?  He sets off to ask all of his animal friends.  They all say they haven't seen it.  But one of them isn't telling the truth.  Will Bear get his hat back?

by John Grisham Lexile:  790 Genre:  Mystery Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer, is a good friend to have.  If you have any questions about the law, Theo will be happy to help.  He's only 13, but with 2 parents and an uncle who are lawyers, he knows his way around the courthouse.  When a high profile murder case goes to trial in his city, Theo wants to be as involved as possible.  Little does he know, that he will soon be more involved then he ever imagined!