We Will Rock Our Classmates
Ryan T. Higgins

Penelope is a T. rex, and she’s very good at it. She also likes to rock out on guitar! With the school talent show coming up, Penelope can’t wait to perform for her classmates. But sharing who you are can be show-stoppingly scary, especially when it’s not what people expect. Will Penelope get by with a little help from her friends?

Emily’s First 100 Days of School
Rosemary Wells

Emily is ready for her first day of school. There’s so much to do: learning the alphabet, singing, reading books, dancing, and counting, starting with the very first day. One hundred days feels very far away, but day by day, Emily and her classmates see they’re getting closer. And as the lessons they learn begin to add up, their world expands. Chock-full of surprising discoveries, age-appropriate activities, and plenty of humor, Emily’s First 100 Days of School supports growing skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic, with an emphasis on math skills.

The Cool Bean
(Bad Seed #3)
Jory John
Pete Oswald (Illustrations)

Everyone knows the cool beans. They’re sooooo cool.
And then there’s the uncool has-bean . . .
Always on the sidelines, one bean unsuccessfully tries everything he can to fit in with the crowd—until one day the cool beans show him how it’s done.
This is a gentle, sweet story of how generosity and kindness are the true qualities to champion, and offers a great example for young readers and an important reminder for older readers.

The Day You Begin
Jacqueline Woodson

There will be times when you walk into a room
and no one there is quite like you.
There are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it’s how you look or talk, or where you’re from; maybe it’s what you eat, or something just as random. It’s not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it.
Jacqueline Woodson’s lyrical text and Rafael López’s dazzling art reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway.

Germs vs. Soap
Didi Dragon

You know who really doesn’t want you to wash your hands? Germs.
Germs vs. Soap shows children (and adults) the secret world of germs and how much germs absolutely, positively do NOT like soap. In fact, these germs will do anything to trick kids into not washing their hands with soap because it’s the one thing standing between them and their beloved energy cupcakes. And all they want is to gobble up all the energy cupcakes humans have to offer and then spread to eat some more. But only if soap doesn’t get in the way. Otherwise, it’s all down the drain for them.
Children need to learn proper hand hygiene, but it does matter how you tell them. Did you jumpstart their imagination? A quirky book like Germs vs. Soap sticks with kids. The story becomes real, right there in the palm of their hands, the moment they step in front of the sink and pump some soap. Germs, beware!

The One and Only Bob
Katherine Applegate

Bob sets out on a dangerous journey in search of his long-lost sister with the help of his two best friends, Ivan and Ruby. As a hurricane approaches and time is running out, Bob finds courage he never knew he had and learns the true meaning of friendship and family.

THE UNTEACHABLES
Gordon Korman

Meet the Unteachables – a notorious class of misfits, delinquents, and academic train wrecks. Meet Mr. Zachary Kermit, the most burned-out teacher in all of Greenwich.
The Unteachables never thought they’d find a teacher who had a worse attitude than they did. And Mr. Kermit never thought he would actually care about teaching again. Over the course of a school year, though, the Unteachables will experience mayhem, destruction—and maybe even a shot a redemption.

Shine!
J.J. and Chris Grabenstein

Piper Milly knows the people around her are special. Her parents are gifted musicians. The other students at Chumley Prep are smart and talented and driven to succeed. Everyone around her is stellar – except Piper. Or so she thinks. Perfect for the kids who haven’t yet discovered how they shine, this book is a wonderful reminder that we all have an important place in the world.

Bad Best Friend
Rachel Vail

Niki Ames doesn’t need to worry about being popular. She has her best friend Ava, which is why eighth grade is going to be a breeze. At least that’s how things were supposed to be. But when Ava chooses a more popular clique over her long-time bestie, Niki is left alone, wondering who her real friends are and how she’ll ever get through middle school.

Sleeping Freshman Never Lie
David Lubar

Wouldn’t it be great if you got a manual on how to survive high school? Scott Hudson thinks so, which is why he’s writing one for his soon-to-be sibling. To make sure his future little brother or sister has an easier time than he does, Scott covers everything from bullies to unrequited love to how to survive on too little sleep.