Grade: 2

Another character who doesn’t seem to fit in is Max. The son of legendary heroes Captain Lightning and Madam Thunderbolt, he is expected to become a superhero. But unlike his parents, Max doesn’t quickly learn to fly. Prodding and teasing do not speed up the process. It’s only when flying is required to save a helpless creature that Max takes to the air. This brightly colored book offers hope to other late bloomers.

In the tradition of her previous biographical accounts,My Name is Celia and My name is Gabriela , Brown dazzles readers in this telling of Gabriel García Márquez’s magical childhood. Mesmerizing color-pencil, full-page illustrations wrap around the text to create what seems to be a perfect balance of art and language. Based on García Márquez’s adult autobiography Living to Tell the Tale (Knopf), this wonderful, engaging narrative transports readers to Gabito’s early childhood in northern Colombia. He shares heartwarming times with his grandpa and learns about the tough life of the fruit pickers he observes in the nearby banana plantation. The curious, budding storyteller is a dreamer who cherishes life’s every moment. When he decides to share his enchanted world with others, he is on his way to becoming one of the most acclaimed Latin American authors. Young readers will relate to Gabito’s escapades into his private and real worlds and understand without puzzlement how he moves between them effortlessly. Together with Brown’s other titles, this is a must-have for any library collection, especially those interested in adding multicultural titles. An accessible, high-quality choice for bilingual families.—Liliana Barro Zecker, Associate Professor, School of Education, DePaul Univ., Chicago, IL

“What you don’t like in others could be in your own house,” and “Experience is the Mama of Science” are only a couple of the Mexican-American proverbs in this festive bilingual collection. Whimsically illustrated with bright, colorful paintings, these proverbs capture the flavor of Mexico’s folk traditions.

With the familiar faces of Dick and Jane, this little book is a perfectly cheeky take on manners for the modern day. It’s a step-bystep guide to politeness in everyday life, including everything from table manners to tidying up after oneself. For example, the book reminds readers that your mother (who likely works fifty hours a week) is not your maid, so you should always rinse your dishes and put them away in the dishwasher. This witty little book is great for growing children or teenagers–or even adults–and will help remind us all to mind our manners.

Come along on the adventures of another set of best friends, Minnie and Moo. These two curious cows take off on the farmer’s tractor for a trip to the moon, or that’s where they think they are headed. Their funny, punny adventures will make readers want to read all of the chapter books in this series.

Get your dictionaries ready for a wordplay romp! Sage has misheard one of her teacher’s vocabulary words, leading to a classroom catastrophe: a momentous tragedy, an embarrassment, humiliation, shame. Students will laugh at her mistake, identify with her humiliation, and marvel at her ability to turn things around. Frasier’s humorous use of definitions adds to the fun.

Before she was called the old Lupine Lady, she was known as Miss Rumphius. But long before that, she was simply Alice, a small girl who lived in a city by the sea. After listening to Grandfather’s stories of places near and far, Alice dreams of traveling to those places — and beyond. Grandfather tells Alice to make the world a more beautiful place as well. After many years of adventure-filled travel, she settles in a house by the sea. Students will enjoy globetrotting with Miss Rumphius and finding out just how she decorates the world.

This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of Molly Bannaky, a brave but lesser-known figure from Colonial history. Bannaky, a former indentured servant, marries a slave and starts a farm with him.