Mrs. Malecha Reads!

by David Wiesner and Donna Jo Napoli Lexile:  460 Genre:  Fantasy, Graphic Novel Who is the girl in the tank?  Is she a fish? Is she a mermaid?  Have you seen her?  Fish girl lives in a tank and is the main attraction in the aquarium along the ocean boardwalk.  She can only communicate with her ocean friends and is satisfied with her life until she meets Livia, an ordinary girl, who comes to watch her at the aquarium.  Fish Girl wants to be more like Livia, free to make her own choices and decisions.  Livia shows her a whole new world...will Fish Girl leave the safety of the aquarium and take a chance on a new life?

by Lauren Tarshis Lexile:  870 Genre:  Informational Ever wanted to know what it is like to live through a tornado?  The first half of the book describes the story of the Dillon family and their experience with the Tri-State Tornado of 1925.  The second half of the book focuses on the Satterlee family and their experiences surviving the Joplin tornado.  Both were devastating storms to the communities that were hit.  While many people lost their lives and all of their belongings, it was also a time when people came together to help one another out.  Read this book if you want to know more about these terrible tornadoes.

by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch Lexile:  760 Genre:  Historical Fiction Lida isn't Jewish, so she thought she was safe.  She has watched her neighbors who wear the yellow star disappear day after day.  But when her parents are taken by the police, she and her sister are sent to a brutal work camp where the Nazis rule.  Lida tries her best to look out for her sister, but she too is taken from her.  Lida is forced to work in a factory that makes bombs for the German army.  Can she and her friends find a way to get back at the people who have destroyed so many lives?

by Pam Munoz Ryan Lexile:  680 Genre:  Historical Fiction Friedrich, Micheal, and Ivy are all growing up in different times and in different places.  The one thing they have in common:  a harmonica.  This harmonica has a long life and story as it passes from one person to the next.  It's journey begins in Germany, then moves to Pennsylvania, and eventually ends up in California.  It changes the lives of many and eventually brings these three people together. This book is a most amazing way to tell a story.

by Steven Swinburne Illustrated by Bruce Hiscock Genre:  Informational A mother turtle goes ashore, digs a hole, and lays one hundred eggs and then heads back out to sea. As the hatchlings emerge, they have numerous obstacles to face as they make their way to the sea. But even there, they aren't safe.  Out of those 100 hatchlings, how many will survive and grow up to be sea turtles?

by Eva Furrow and Donna Jo Napoli Illustrated by Laurel Molk Genre: Informational Harriet is a Galapagos Tortoise and she likes to take her time.  As she makes her slow journey across the island, she takes the time to eat and sleep and observe all the diversity in the world around her. Will Harriet ever make it home?

by Sharon G. Flake Illustrated by Anna Raff Cat thinks that Duck should stop acting like a Cat.  Because Duck is not a Cat.  But Duck likes to say "meow."  Doesn't that make him a cat?

by Erin Entrada Kelly Lexile:  690 Genre:  Realistic Fiction 4 kids.  4 stories.  4 friends?  Well, not right now.  Virgil is so shy he can hardly talk to anyone. Valencia has a lot to say, but no one to say it to.  And being deaf makes her feel different.  Kaori is a fortune teller and wants to help Virgil gain enough confidence to speak to the mysterious V.S.  And then there is Chet, the neighborhood bully.  Virgil is tired of living in fear of what Chet will do or say next.  Gulliver, Virgil's guinea pig, is about to bring these four lives together.  Is it a coincidence or is it meant to be?

by Philippe Cousteau and Deborah Hopkinson Illustrated by Meilo So Lexile:  520 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Viv is trying to fit into her new school and her new home.  Her new class is looking for a problem to solve.  They decide to get involved with a project to help the baby loggerhead turtles get to safety in the sea.  Viv's classroom becomes The Loggerhead Lab as they get to work on coming up with a strategy that will keep the turtles safe.

by Kenneth Kraegel Genre:  Realistic Fiction Jameson loves his green pants.  He can do anything as long as he is wearing his green pants.  But now his cousin has asked him to be in her wedding which means he will have to wear a tuxedo and it can't be green.  How will he be able to be his amazing self without his green pants???

by Mac Barnett Illustrated by Brian Biggs What is going on upstairs?  This is the story of a whole bunch of people in an apartment building who are supposed to be sleeping.  But there is all kinds of noise.  Who is making it and why?

by Emma Carroll Lexile:  560 Genre:  Realistic Fiction, Fantasy Alice's brother has been waiting for a heart transplant.  When a donor becomes available, she is sent to live with her grandmother, Nell, with whom she has never really gotten to know.  Nell lives in an old cottage in Darkling Wood.  As soon as Alice moves in, she realizes things are not right.  For one thing, Nell wants to cut down all of the trees in Darkling Wood because the roots are causing damage to her house.  There is a whole group of townspeople who think this is a bad idea because it might upset the fairies.  Fairies?  Alice doesn't believe in magic and fairies and finds it hard to believe that there are people who do.  But one thing is certain, there are mysteries that surround Darkling Wood and those mysteries involve Alice's family.  What will Alice discover about Darkling Wood?

by Caela Carter Genre:  Realistic Fiction Flora and Julian have learned to rely on each other.  They have been moved from foster home to foster home for as long as they can remember.  But now they live with Emily and Jon who say that they are a forever family.  But Flora and Julian aren't sure because they haven't ever been able to trust the adults in their lives.  Their new parents are committed to helping them move forward together as a family, but before they can do that, it will mean revisiting the past.  Flora and Julian have a lot to learn about their past and how they got to where they are today.

by Cynthia Rylant Illustrated by Christian Robinson Lexile:  BR Genre:  Fantasy The little penguins want to get out in the snow.  What do they need?  Mittens, scarves, boots, and snow...everything is in place for a little winter fun in the deep snow.

by Curtis Manley and Kate Berube Lexile:  560 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Nick has two cats that he loves and does everything with.  The other thing Nick loves to do is read. But because his cats don't read, it's not something that they can do together until Nick has a brilliant idea!  He will teach his cats how to read!  Is that even possible?  Well, Nick is determined to find out.

by Paul Mosier Lexile:  720 Genre:  Realistic Fiction Rydr is traveling across the country from Palm Springs to Chicago by train. Alone.  Her mother is dead.  Her grandma is dead.  She is traveling to meet a great uncle whom she has never met, but is willing to take her in.  "He has to stay alive for 5 more years so I don't have to go with social services," is what Rydr tells another passenger on the train.  Rydr doesn't know what her new life is going to be like, but the family that she meets on the train along the way is giving her hope that maybe her story will have a happy ending.