A terrific way to introduce kids to specific poets, their lives and their work. We especially recommend these in the series: Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Robert Louis Stevenson, Walt Whitman, Carl Sandburg.

FROM SARAH:

One of my favorite middle-grade authors, and one of my favorite middle-grade books. Watch how Shakespeare transforms one student's life in this can't-put-it-down novel. Highly recommended. If you've got all young kids, read this one on your own!  Gary Schmidt is easily one of today's best writers for teens. Meet him in the Author Access replay inside RAR Premium.

Recommended for ages 10+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

FROM SARAH:

I want to give this book to every teenager I know. It's a book that will make you want to hug a mean kid, stare at Audubon paintings, thank a veteran, read Jane Eyre, and get an orchid. Even if you ignore every other book I recommend, read this one. Highly, highly recommended for ages 14+. Meet author Gary Schmidt in the Author Access replay in RAR Premium.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

At once heartbreaking and hopeful, this absorbing novel centers on Doug, 14, who has an abusive father, a bully for a brother, a bad reputation, and shameful secrets to keep. Teachers and police and his relatives think he's worthless, and he believes them, holding others at arm's length.

**Description from Amazon: “Henry Smith’s father told him that if you build your house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.”But Trouble comes careening down the road one night in the form of a pickup truck that strikes Henry’s older brother, Franklin. In the truck is Chay Chouan, a young Cam...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In a literary environment dominated by men, the first American to earn a living as a writer and to establish a reputation on both sides of the Atlantic was, miraculously, a woman. Hannah Adams dared to enter―and in some ways was forced to enter―a sphere of literature that had, in eighteenth-century America, been solely a male province.

FROM SARAH:

This short chapter book is a lot of fun (and contains lots of hilarious ilustrations along the way). Short chapters and quick pacing make it an ideal first novel to read aloud.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

This lighthearted story about loyalty, problem solving, friendship, and independence is divided into short, action-packed chapters and has the cozy feel of a modern classic.

**Description from Amazon: What fills a hand fuller than a skein of gold? By order of the king, two boys, Tousle and Innes, must find the answer to this puzzling riddle within seven days or be killed. A former nursemaid to the queen’s child tells the boys that the banished queen may have the answer they seek. Danger present...

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Here again is the tale of Christian's epic trek from the City of Destruction to the Heavenly Palaces - of the pitfalls that threaten to waylay him and the graces that strengthen him along the way. Matching Bunyan's flare for storytelling and vivid imagery, Gary Schmidt's new narrative also echoes the style of writers like J.R.R. Tolkien, Dante, Sir Thomas Browne, E.M. Forster, and Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Even after three centuries, this odyssey of faith and human perseverance continues to inspire readers today - and now Schmidt's engaging retelling will delight and stir the imaginations of a new generation of pilgrim.

**Description from Amazon: It only takes a few hours for Turner Buckminster to start hating Phippsburg, Maine. No one in town will let him forget that he's a minister's son, even if he doesn't act like one. But then he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a smart and sassy girl from a poor nearby island community founded by former sl...

FROM SARAH:

A funny, moving tale from one of today's very best authors for young adults. What would you do if an English butler just showed up at your house one morning during the before-school frenzy? Absolutely delightful to read aloud (especially if you can pull off the butler's English accent!) Meet the author in his Author Access video replay in RAR Premium.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Carter Jones is astonished early one morning when he finds a real English butler, bowler hat and all, on the doorstep--one who stays to help the Jones family, which is a little bit broken.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

From celebrated author Gary D. Schmidt comes a picture book biography of a giant in the struggle for civil rights, perfectly pitched for readers today. Sojourner Truth was born into slavery but possessed a mind and a vision that knew no bounds.

FROM SARAH:
From one of Sarah Mackenzie's all-time favorite authors: a tender father-son story about the passage of time, the change of the seasons, and the excitement of making maple syrup.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Eager for maple syrup, Ethan can’t wait till sugaring time rolls around. And he can’t wait till his loose tooth falls out. But his father keeps telling him it’s not time yet, and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t make time pass more quickly. The closeness of father and son is evident throughout as they wait and then celebrate the end of waiting. The brief, lyrical text is illuminated by G. Brian Karas’s beautifully composed, evocative illustrations.

FROM SARAH:

A father and son travel all day to find what they need. This very short chapter book pairs well with Ox-Cart Man and can be read with kids of all ages.

Recommended for all ages.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A tender story of a father-son adventure with themes of community and kindness, in short chapters with vivid full-color illustrations, by bestseller and Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt and acclaimed artist Eugene Yelchin.

FROM SARAH:

Another astonishing book by the incomparable Gary D. Schmidt. This is a companion tale to The Wednesday Wars and Okay for Now, though it could also be read as a standalone.

Recommended for ages 14+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

In this poignant, perceptive, witty novel, Gary D. Schmidt brings authenticity and emotion to multiple plot strands, weaving in themes of grief, loss, redemption, achievement, and love.

FROM SARAH:

A book by Gary D. Schmidt, Phyllis Root, and Melissa Sweet? YES, PLEASE. I loved this beautiful picture book biography. Perfect for fans of Miss Rumphius.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 
Celia Thaxter grew up on a desolate island off the coast of Maine, where her father worked as lighthouse keeper. This picture book biography tells the true story of when Celia’s family moved to nearby Appledore Island, where her father built a large hotel, and Celia planted a bigger, ever-growing garden with nearly sixty types of flowers, from asters to wisteria.

FROM SARAH:

This is Gary Schmidt's best yet (do I always say that? It's always true!). Hercules is about as lovable as they come, learning how to be here and how to be okay after the tragic death of his parents. This book will make you want to read Greek myths, listen to Vivaldi, and watch the sunrise on Cape Cod. The audio version is especially well done (Audible I Libro.FM).

Highly recommended for ages 14+.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: 

From award-winning author Gary D. Schmidt, a warm and witty novel in the tradition of The Wednesday Wars, in which a seventh grader has to figure out how to fulfill an assignment to perform the Twelve Labors of Hercules in real life—and makes discoveries about friendship, community, and himself along the way.