Grade: 3

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.

A nine-year-old slave, Corey Birdsong, writes about his daily life in his journal. Journal entries become more suspenseful as he and his mother escape and make the dangerous journey north along the Underground Railroad. Photos and historical references give this fictional journal a sense of real history. (Don’t be put off by Corey’s spelling mistakes — he does improve!)

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.

Using the letters of the Spanish alphabet, Ada has written 27 poems that appear in both Spanish and English. These poems honor the lives, experiences, and culture of the Spanish-speaking people who work the farmland of the American West. Silva’s vivid paintings reflect his Mexican heritage and his life as a child working on farms.

Goldilocks has always felt guilty about breaking into the Bears’ house and causing all that damage. So as she grew up she shortened her name to Goldi and opened a lock and key shop to help people protect themselves against snoops. It’s 50 years later and Goldi can’t stand it anymore. She must return to the scene of her crime to make amends. Finding no one home again, Goldi plasters the finest locks all up and down the Bears’ door, and then takes it upon herself to restock their cabinets and “spruce things up a bit!” When the Bears return, readers learn that one person’s improvements may well be another’s disaster! But read on — a surprise ending just might set things straight.

It is just before Christmas when an organ grinder and monkey appear on the street corner outside Frances’s apartment. Frances can see them from her window and, sometimes, when it’s quiet, she can hear their music. In fact, Frances can’t stop thinking about them, especially after she sees the man and his monkey sleeping outside on the cold street at midnight. When the day of the Christmas pageant arrives, and it’s Frances’s turn to speak, everyone waits silently. But all Frances can think about is the organ grinder’s sad eyes — until, just in time, she finds the perfect words to share. Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo pairs once again with acclaimed artist Bagram Ibatoulline as she presents a timeless story of compassion and joy.

Best known for his sports related young adult novels, Matt Christopher tackles nonfiction in this well-written book that describes nine memorable moments from baseball’s past. Christopher brings us into the careers of nine spectacular baseball players including Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Reggie Jackson, and Jim Abbott. Young lovers of sports will enjoy this informative, entertaining book.