Being Brave

Karen Cushman

Grayling doesn't want to be a hero, but to save her mother from a dark enchantment, she seeks out the few second-string magic makers who haven't been immobilized by the spell and goes off in search of her mother's grimoire, or book of magic. Obstacles both natural and supernatural block their way, and friction within the group delays the journey. Surprising herself, Grayling finds the strength and decisiveness to move the group forward and reach her goal. Eccentric witches and wizards plus a shape-shifting mouse provide moments of high comedy, as do odd practices that date back to the Middle Ages, such as divination with cheese.

Our Friend Hedgehog

Lauren Castillo

Sometimes you make a friend, and it feels like you have known that friend your entire life. . . . Hedgehog lives on a teeny-tiny island with only her stuffed dog, Mutty, for company. When a great storm carries Mutty away, she embarks on a quest to fi nd her friend. Following the trail of clues Mutty left behind, brave Hedgehog meets a wiggly Mole, a wordy Owl, a curmudgeonly Beaver, a scatterbrained Hen and Chicks, and a girl who's new to the neighborhood, Annika May. With bravery and teamwork, there's nothing that can stop these seven from finding Mutty, but along the way they discover something even more important: each other.

Susan Williams Beckhorn

Born with a clubfoot and marked as tabat-the unlucky one-Kai and his wolf Uff must brave the long winter together and learn what it takes to survive on their own. A powerful tale set in Paleolithic times from award-winning author Susan Williams Beckh orn.

Mystery of the Golden Temple

Lisa Travis

Welcome to Thailand! Nong May and her family have had a lot of bad luck lately. When nine-year-old Jess arrives in Thailand and accidentally breaks a special family treasure, it seems to only get worse. It turns out the treasure holds a secret that c ould change things forever!

Lois Lowry

It is 1943 and for 10 year old Annemarie life is still fun. But there are worries too - the Nazis have occupied Copenhagen and there are food shortages, curfews and the threat of being stopped by soldiers and Annemarie's best friend is a Jew.

Ellen Howard

Even though her brothers tease her about not being big enough to do any of the important jobs on the farm, Faith proves that she is brave enough to go down into the dark cellar for apples.

Annie Auerbach

Epic tells the story of a hidden civilization. The battle between good and evil rages until a teenage girl is magically transported into this forest kingdom to help save their world, and ours. The Jinn are tiny forest creatures who love all growing t hings. Their enemies, the Boggans, want to destroy the forest by spreading decay. When a human girl named M.K. magically shrinks and joins forces with the Leafmen— the brave warrior Jinn—the Jinn may have a chance of survival. Join M.K., the Leafmen, and other curious creatures on a dangerous journey to save this miraculous forest world! Epic: The Junior Novel retells the whole exciting story and features eight pages of full-color images from the movie!

Leah Braves the Flood

Julie Kathleen Gilbert

In 1919 Boston, an orphaned eighth-grade girl plans to head west to become a cowboy until the giant tank of molasses in her neighborhood explodes.

Ramona the Brave

Beverly Cleary

In this touching and funny story, the ebullient Ramona, feeling brave and grown-up, enters first grade. Quickly she finds that her new teacher, Mrs. Griggs, appears perplexed by pupils who like to be different. Since Ramona cannot help being differen t, clearly the two are incompatible. Nevertheless, Ramona can be counted on to keep things lively. Enraged when Susan copies her wise old owl prepared for Parents' Night and receives praise for it, Ramona rebels. Overcome by guilt and no longer brave, she tries mightily thereafter to please her teacher, but still Mrs. Griggs infuriatingly reports home that Ramona lacks self-control. Only because she is a girl with spunk, to use her father's word, does Ramona's courage return, earning her at last an uneasy truce with the teacher. Beverly Cleary draws here a portrait of a little girl discovering with astonishment that the way others see her is not always the way she sees herself. In the contrast lie moments of emerging self-knowledge for Ramona and of delicious hilarity for the reader.

Lisa Yee, Dan Santat

Fourth-grader Bobby is hurt when he hears his father, a former professional football player, say that the two of them are nothing alike, but finally summons the courage to talk about it after he suffers a public asthma attack.

Bruce Coville

A brave squire, an earnest page, and a strong-willed princess set out, each for individual reasons, to try to slay the dragon created to carry out a witch's revenge.

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things

Lenore Look

Here's the first book in the beloved and hilarious Alvin Ho chapter book series, which has been compared to Diary of a Wimpy Kid and is perfect for both beginning and reluctant readers. Alvin, an Asian American second grader, is afraid of everyt hing—elevators, tunnels, girls, and, most of all, school. He’s so afraid of school that, while he’ s there, he never, ever, says a word. But at home he’s a very loud superhero named Firecracker Man, a brother to Calvin and Anibelly, and a gentleman-in-training, so he can be just like his dad. From Lenore Look and New York Times bestselling illustrator LeUyen Pham comes a drop-dead-funny and touching series with a truly unforgettable character. “Shares with Diary of a Wimpy Kid the humor that stems from trying to manipulate the world.” —Newsday “Alvin’s a winner.” —New York Post From the Hardcover edition.