Chapter Books

Pickle: the (formerly) anonymous prank club of Fountain Point Middle School by Kim Baker ; illustrated by Tim Probert — Using a bogus name, the League of Picklemakers, sixth-grader Ben and three recruits start a prank-pulling club and receive funding from their middle school's PTA.

Salt: a story of friendship in a time of war by Helen Frost — Twelve-year-olds Anikwa, of the Miami village of Kekionga, and James, of the trading post outside Fort Wayne, find their friendship threatened by the rising fear and tension brought by the War of 1812.

Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes — In 1870, Reconstruction brings big changes to the Louisiana sugar plantation where spunky ten-year-old Sugar has always lived, including her friendship with Billy, the son of her former master, and the arrival of workmen from China.

Eggs by Jerry Spinelli — Mourning the loss of his mother, nine-year-old David forms an unlikely friendship with independent, quirky thirteen-year-old Primrose, as the two help each other deal with what is missing in their lives.

Honey by Sarah Weeks — When she suspects that her father has a girlfriend, Melody and her best friend are determined to figure out who it is and why it is a secret.

Zorgoochi intergalactic pizza: delivery of doom by written and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino — Newly responsible for delivering pizza all over the galaxy, Luno and his friends Clive, an intelligent garlic bulb, and Chooch, a robot pizza oven, go on dangerous deliveries and try to evade those who would steal the Zorgoochi family Golden Anchovy.

Picture Books

Peanut Butter & Cupcake! by Terry Border — Peanut Butter sets out with his soccer ball to find a friend after moving to a new town, but everyone from Hamburger to Soup seems to be too busy to play.

Apple by Nikki McClure — Simple words and cut paper illustrations follow an apple as it falls from a tree, becomes part of a school girl's lunch, and is buried through the changing seasons until it sprouts anew.

Spuds by Karen Hesse ; illustrated by Wendy Watson — Maybelle, Jack, and Eddie want to help Ma by putting something extra on the table, so they set out in the dark to take potatoes from a nearby field, but when they arrive home and empty their potato sacks, they are surprised by what they see.

In the land of milk and honey by Joyce Carol Thomas ; illustrated by Floyd Cooper — A young girl journeys by train from Oklahoma to California in 1948 to begin a new life with her family, and finds there are people of all ages and races, new tastes and sounds, and a joyous welcome.

Goldy Luck and the three pandas by Natasha Yim ; illustrated by Grace Zong — One Chinese New Year, her mother sends Goldy Luck to the pandas next door with a plate of turnip cakes, but the pandas are out and disaster follows. Includes a recipe for turnip cakes and an explanation of Chinese New Year.

The giant carrot by Jan Peck ; pictures by Barry Root — An adaptation of the Russian folktale, The turnip. Little Isabelle surprises her family with her unique way of helping a carrot seed grow and of getting the huge vegetable from the ground. Includes a recipe for carrot pudding.