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Allie's basketball dream
Barber, Barbara
Allie loves basketball, but she is often the only girl on the court. Buddy and other boys tease Allie about playing basketball. Allie believes in her ability and keeps practicing so that one day she can be better at basketball than the boys!

Ruby's wish
Bridges, Shirin Yim
Ruby is known for wearing red and being an exceptionally bright student. Even during a time in China when ...most girls were never taught to read and write. However, Ruby's grandfather hires a teacher to come to the house, making it possible for any grandchild living in the house to learn. This initiates a desire in Ruby to attend university, a place that women in China were not encouraged to go.\r\n*Based on a true story of the author's grandmother.

Someday a tree
Bunting, Eve
A family has a beautiful tree in their yard which becomes poisoned and dies. The young daughter plants her acorns in hopes of a new tree growing someday.

I have an olive tree
Bunting, Eve
On Sophia's seventh birthday, her grandfather gave her an olive tree. Sophia is a little disappointed by the gift and doesn't understand why her grandfather would give her an olive tree that she can't even see. After all, it is Greece and she lives in California! It isn't until her grandfather passes away that Sophia truly understands the importance and meaning of the gift when she and her mother visit the olive tree in Greece.

Messenger, messenger
Burleigh, Robert
Being a bicycle messenger in a big city is a rigorous job, but someone has to do it. The messenger wakes early and works late to deliver the proper messages to their appropriate places. Nothing can stop him, not rain, snow, or distractions of others.

Jamari's drum
Bynum, Eboni//Jackson, Roland
Jamari grows up drawn to the beating of the djembe, the keeper of the peace, the great drum of his Mali village. Jamari grows older and becomes the drummer of the djembe. He eventually gets caught up in other aspects of village life. When the village is once again threatened by the nearby angry mountain, Jamari returns to his post as drummer for village peace.

Rockin' reptiles
Calmenson, Stephanie//Cole, Joanna
Allie the Alligator is a typical young girl. She and her two girlfriends have lots of fun together playing games and dressing up. The three of them will do anything to be able to go to the Rockin Reptiles concert, their favorite band. There's a catch though -- only two can go.

What planet are you from, Clarice Bean?
Child, Lauren
Clarice Bean is having a hard time coming up with an idea for her project on the environment. To make matters worse, she is paired up with her tag-along neighbor, Robert Granger. Her situation looks hopeless until her brother becomes an ecowarrior in an effort to free the tree from being cut down in their neighborhood. Robert and Clarice become ecowarriors themselves, saving the tree and their project.

The bat boy and his violin
Curtis, Gavin
Reginald loves playing the violin. Every free moment Reginald practices his violin, but his dad wants him to play baseball instead. Reginald does not give up. Soon his dad realizes the value and talent that Reginald has for the violin.

Art lesson (La clase de dibujo)
dePaola, Tomie
Tommy wants to be an artist when he grows up, but when he has his very first art lesson in first grade, he is very disappointed. He learns to compromise, and he is happy in the end.

The story of frog  belly rat bone
Ering, Timothy Basil
A boy discovers an unexpected treasure at the junk yard. After some of the treasure is stolen, he makes a creature to stand guard. As they patiently wait, their treasure blooms into a gorgeous garden for them to enjoy.

Keeping the city going
Floca, Brian
During the COVID-19 pandemic, entire cities shut down and everyone stayed in their homes except for the workers that society needed the most. The people who deliver the mail, stock the grocery stores and care for the sick: they remained. Society celebrates these people because, without their sacrifice and dedication, society would not have been able to survive a global pandemic.

Dear Willie Rudd
Gray, Libba Moore
Elizabeth remembers a wonderful woman named Willie Rudd that had an extraordinary impact on her childhood. Elizabeth writes a letter to Willie Rudd to tell her that she loves her and apologizes for any wrongs committed due to Willie's race.

A boy named giotto
Guarnieri, Paolo
Dreams really do come true for Giotto, a young shepard boy, who is mindless of his chores and duties because of his strong passion and talent for painting. Although he loses a sheep, Giotto's curiosity and persistence lead him to find someone who can unlock the door to his artistic future.

Barn savers
High, Linda Oatman
A young boy gets out of bed early to head to work with his father. They work all day long restoring an old barn to keep it from being torn down. They are the barn savers.

Angelina's birthday surprise
Holabird, Katharine
Angelina breaks her bicycle while riding with Alice. She works hard to earn money for a new bike. She gets a bike for her birthday because of her hard work.

Angelina ballerina
Holabird, Katharine
Angelina wants to be a ballerina. She never does her chores and dances all the time, annoying her parents and friends. Finally, her parents decide to enroll her in dance lessons. Angelina practices very hard for many years and eventually becomes a famous ballerina.

The woman who lived in holland
Howells, Mildred
A woman cleans everything in her town to the annoyance of other citizens. She later wishes that she could wash off the stars. When a storm blows her up into the sky, she gets her chance.

Abel's moon
Hughes, Shirley
Abel Grable returns from his work greeted by his family. When he tells them all about his adventures, his children only want to hear more. Before he sets out on his next outing for work, he writes his stories down. As he is away, his children take his writing table and create a certain machine that lets them be with their dad all the time while he's gone.

Earth mother
Jackson, Ellen
The day begins by Mother Earth tending to her plants and animals. As the day progresses, Mother Earth comes upon a man, a frog, and a mosquito. Each tell Mother Earth what can be changed in their life.

By the dawn's early light: The story of the star-spangled banner
Kroll, Steven
An account of the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner detailing how Key was actually behind enemy lines. He was seeking release of a captured friend from the British who would not allow their departure until the bombardment of Baltimore was completed.


Giant john
Lobel, Arnold
Giant John and his mother are very poor. Giant John leaves the enchanted forest to find a job. He comes across a castle and works for the royal family. Later, John returns with money just in time, before his mother is so desperate she must eat her shoe.

You and me and home sweet home
Lyon, George Ella
A young girl helps her family build a new home. The family celebrates the new milestone by sharing a meal together. The family then adjusts to the new house together.

George and martha
Marshall, James
Friendship reigns supreme between George and Martha. The two of them are learning to be honest and kind with each other. A faithful friendship is treasured by both.

Mole music
McPhail, David
Mole lives by himself underground, spending his days digging tunnels. One night her hears the beautiful music from a violin, and he gets one and begins to make wonderful music. Although he thinks he is playing only for himself, his music has an impact on numerous people.

My rows and piles of coins
Mollel, Tololwa M.
What would you buy if your mother gave you some money? Saruni wants a bicycle- a bicycle of his very own! Saruni saves his coins and works hard to help his mother. Unfortunately, Saruni is disappointed because he does not have enough to buy his very own bicycle. Where there is a will, there is a way, so Saruni finally gets a bicycle to help his mother to the Tanzanian market.

Karate hour
Nevius, Carol
A group of children practice karate. They kick, punch, chant and roll as they learn the value of self discipline, respect, and self esteem in both self and others.

The always prayer shawl
Oberman, Sheldon
A person's life is followed from birth to almost death. Jewish traditions, culture, and families are highlighted.

Mice at bat
Oechsli, Kelly
After the human baseball game is over, the mice run onto the field to begin their game. One team works and practices hard to become the best team in the area.

My mama sings
Peterson, Jeanne Whitehouse
A mother sings songs to her little boy just like her mama used to sing to her. One day when the mother comes home from a bad day at work, the little boy makes up a song about his mother. This makes his mother very happy.

Pumpkins: A story for a field
Ray, Mary Lyn
A man is sad to see a beautiful field become a residential development, so he raises money to buy the field by growing pumpkins and selling them all over the world.

Silent days, silent dreams
Say, Allen
Bob shares the life story of his Uncle Jim, a deaf artist with immense talent and determination to find ways to communicate. During his childhood, Uncle Jim’s parents were unsupportive of his passion for art and they sent him to the Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind with his sister. Bob never learned to speak, read, write, or use sign language. Ultimately, Bob went to art school where he shared his Uncle Jim’s work which was displayed in a gallery and sold to the public.

Making room
Taylor, Joanne
John William Smith dedicated his life to helping others, especially people in need by inviting them into his very own home! His dedication to family is heart-warming and his marriage is strong. Readers will find a unique meaning of home in this story.

The never-ending greenness
Waldman, Neil
A young boy plants trees to cope with the separation and loss he feels from his father who is at war. In doing this he single handedly turns a gloomy countryside destroyed by war back into the beautiful, alive place it once was. He also starts a holiday known today as Tu b'Shvat.

A garden alphabet
Wilner, Isabel
In this alphabet garden, you will experience the process of planting a garden through spring, summer, and autumn. While tending to your garden, you may even meet a variety of animals that may lend a hand during the process.

Daisy's taxi
Young, Ruth
Daisy ferries to and from the island all day in her water taxi. Throughout the day, Daisy takes passengers and their valuables to the island and back to shore no matter what kind of weather. After a long day, Daisy wants to go for a row with her husband.

Jake and honeybunch go to heaven
Zemach, Margot
Jake and his mule, Honebunch, earn their wings in Heaven by hanging up the moon and the stars each night.

Our tree named Steve
Zweibel, Alan
In a letter to his children, a father reflects upon the importance of a good friend and the value of a place to feel safe and secure. The father recalls various memories of his family as it has grown in relationship to a favorite tree that had been part of their lives since they built their home. The tree seems to help the family through many events but does not withstand a huge storm. The father uses the wood to build a tree house to continue its importance to the family.