Mrs. Malecha Reads!

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?

The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson Illustrated by Sean Qualls Lexile:  AD770 Genre:  Biography Award: Schneider Family Book Award, 2016-17 Star of the North Picture Book Nominee Emmanuel was born with one leg and a dream.  His dream was to show the word that one person is enough to change the world.  When he was born, his father left and his mother taught him that if there was something he wanted, he would have to learn how to get it for himself.  So he learned to crawl and eventually hop.  Emmanuel wanted an education in a time when people with disabilities were not thought to be worthy of an education, but he didn't let that stop him.  When his mother got sick, he had to quit school and move to the city in order to support his family, but she gave him one final gift of words:  "Be respectful, take care of your family, don't ever beg.  And don't give up."