Grade: 2

Up, up, and away! When Tom Tate hears that Wilbur and Orville Wright are building a flying machine, he can’t wait to try it. Tom’s dad thinks it’s dangerous. Some people think the Wrights are crazy. Can Tom help the brothers get their dream off the ground?

Stanley might be flat, but his story sure isn’t. This is the first in a series of books about a boy who is flattened to a mere half inch of thickness by his bulletin board. Quicker than you can say, “poor Stanley,” he discovers life as a pancake does have its advantages. Stanley can slip under locked doors, fly like a kite, and get to California cheaply via U.S. mail. Despite his exciting adventures, like helping capture art thieves, Stanley eventually wants to be normal thickness again. Stanley’s brother finds a way to help him out. The back of the book has a cardboard Stanley for kids to cut out and mail to their friends. Send Stanley on some new adventures!

Eight-year-old Maxine doesn’t create a world, but gets a glimpse of her own from a new perspective–she blasts into space. Despite extensive training, she’s unprepared for the awe-inspiring moment when she sees the Earth from her capsule. As Max gazes on the planet, she observes that, unlike maps, “The Earth has no lines to divide it into states and countries . . . . It’s just one Earth.”

Let’s face it: Freckle phobia is no fun. Red-headed actress Julianne Moore knows from personal experience that fretting over these scarlet-colored beauty marks can become a silly preoccupation. The four-time Academy Award nominee joins with illustrator LeUyen Pham to create an endearing picture book about a common childhood experience.

A Caldecott Honor Book, this classic story shows how even the unlikeliest character can turn into a leader. While the other mice collect and store food to prepare for winter, Frederick appears to be doing nothing but daydreaming. In fact, he’s preparing in his own way — by gathering warmth, colors, and words! When the food runs out, Frederick’s imaginative collection helps pull his friends through a difficult time.

An old standby about friendship, this story introduces Charlie Rooster, Fat Percy the Pig, and Johnny Mouse, a tight-knit bunch of friends who are constant companions. But even best friends can’t do everything together, and so the book ends with each of them dreaming of independent adventures.

An old standby about friendship, this story introduces Charlie Rooster, Fat Percy the Pig, and Johnny Mouse, a tight-knit bunch of friends who are constant companions. But even best friends can’t do everything together, and so the book ends with each of them dreaming of independent adventures.

At the playground, at the pet store, on a car trip, or at home: Dick, Jane, and Sally alwayshave fun. Will Dick get another dog? Will Sally finally win a game of hide-and-go-seek? And who are Dick and Jane’s favorite friends? With short stories and text from the original Dick and Jane basic readers, this is a perfect chapter book for eager new readers!