Grade: 5

The famous verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes inspired Caldecott medalists Leo and Diane Dillon to create this tribute to the cycles of life. Every verse in the book is accompanied by a full spread of artwork, each done in the style of a different culture. In all, the Dillons present 16 pairs of paintings showing cultures as diverse as ancient Greece, medieval Europe, aboriginal Australia, pre-conquest Mexico, 17th-century Ethiopia, and Imperial China. Notes at the end of the book explain more about each culture and the significance of the details shown. This is a book to view time and time again.

Ibn Battuta, a young Moroccan, was like other Muslims of the 14th century. He was a scholar who could recite the Koran, and he dreamed of a pilgrimage, or “hajj,” to Mecca. But unlike other Muslims and many other men, he made a 75,000-mile journey from Tangiers to China. During 29 years of traveling, Ibn Battuta saw amazing sights and learned a lot about the world. His travel sayings reflect more than places on a map. Ibn Battuta believed, “Traveling — it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”

When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles upon the Tuck family’s disturbing secret, she is forced to come to terms with her conflicting emotions. She feels drawn to the loving, gentle and rather eccentric Tucks, but what they tell her is too incredible to be believed. Doomed to—or blessed with—eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family tries to make Winnie understand that the terrible magic of the forest spring can never be revealed. The consequences to the world could prove to be disastrous! But then an unexpected complication arises when Winnie is followed by a stranger who wants to sell the spring water and make a fortune.

From the moment a fired-up teenager from Kentucky won 1960 Olympic gold to the day in 1996 when a retired legend, hands shaking from Parkinson’s, returned to raise the Olympic torch, the boxer known as “The Greatest” waged many a fight. Some were in the ring, against opponents like Sonny Liston and Joe Frazier; others were against societal prejudice and against a war he refused to support because of his Islamic faith. Charles R. Smith Jr.’s rap-inspired verse weaves and bobs and jabs with relentless energy, while Bryan Collier’s bold collage artwork matches every move — capturing the “Louisville loudmouth with the great gift of rhyme” who shed the name Cassius Clay to take on the world as Muhammad Ali.

Chris Conlan is the coolest kid in sixth grade—the golden-armed quarterback of the football team, and the boy all the others look up to. Scott Parry is the new kid, the boy with the huge brain, but with feet that trip over themselves daily. These two boys may seem like an odd couple, but each has a secret that draws them together as friends, and proves that the will to succeed is even more important than raw talent.

Orphan Urchin never intended to be a swashbuckling squirrel. Abandoned at birth on a Mistmantle beach, this mild-mannered acorn hunter was raised by the island’s squirrels, otters, and moles. He gains entrance into the royal court, thanks to the support of his hero, the dashing Captain Crispin. But something is wrong in the peaceful kingdom of Mismantle. Under the influence of the squirrel captain Husk, the King is enforcing severe measures against his people. Crispin himself is falsely accused of a horrific murder and banished. Can little Urchin, a mere smidgen squirrel, defend his master and his people?

Vendela is fascinated by Venice, a “fairy tale city” where streets are canals, and cars are boats. On her trip there with her father, she wants to see everything, especially the gilded horses at St. Mark’s Church. Readers will learn about the arts, crafts, food, history, and culture of this fascinating city. Illustrated with paintings and photographs, Vendela in Venice is a young girl’s story, a history book, and a travel guide!

In the tradition of his best-selling alphabet book, Animalia, author and illustrator GraemeBase takes young readers on an exhilarating journey of discovery with an ingenious fusion of counting book, puzzle book, storybook, and art book. From the plains of Africa and the jungles of the Amazon to the woodlands of North America and the deserts of outback Australia, the animals come together to drink from the water hole. But their water supply is diminishing. What’s going on? Each sumptuous landscape illustration conceals hidden animal pictures for readers to find as they count the animals that visit the water hole and try to solve the mystery: will the animals come back or is their water source gone forever?