Melissa's Picks

A retelling of Aesop's famous fable celebrating loyalty and the power in small things. Fabulously set in Africa, with luminous illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert that make this version a real standout.

A great little mystery with a twist, charmingly set in 1970's New York City for retro fun. Chock full of friendship dynamics, for boys or girls, and winner of the 2010 Newbery Medal. Fans of Madeleine L'Engle will love it!

I really wish I hadn't been reading the last chapter of this teen ghost story when the transformer on my street decided to blow, plunging the room into sudden, total blackness with a loud Kaboom....it scared the bejeezus out of me! Seventeen-year-old Maddy's quest to find out the meaning of her life, and how she died, makes a perfect spooky read, but it's also a beautiful story about understanding yourself. A good read any time of year, especially if you're a fan of Gabrielle Zevin's brilliant novel, Elsewhere.

Charles Darwin's daughter, Etty, escapes the kitchen to help with her father's bumblebee experiment in the garden. An inspiring foray into science, family life, and girl power, with detailed illustrations by Jen Corace of Little Hoot.

A page-turning stunner about an orphaned boy living in a Paris train station, and the earliest beginnings of cinema. The secrets of an amazing mechanical man are unlocked seamlessly in both the text, and the action taking place in Selznick's Caldecott-winning illustrations.

Witty and irreverent, with a heartwarming ending, this brand new classic for ages 12 to 112 is full of miracles for the cynical and jolly alike. "Is there a more charming holiday tale to behold?"

Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, share the marvelous mishaps of their everyday lives with their neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, and her "good" dog, Zeke. Funny and full of warmth. Only Mr. Putter could spend $100 on cake-baking supplies and still not have any flour...

Rock and roll road trip! Follow Chuck's pilgrimage to the sites of various rock star deaths, while he recounts his relationship woes in hilarious detail.

Barnwell makes lovely black and white portraits of the Appalachian farming community. Landscapes, structures, and people are captured with gorgeous use of texture, light, and shadow.

A Caldecott-winning wordless tale of an antique camera that washes ashore bearing images of fantastical underwater civilizations. Look deeper, as does Weisner's child protagonist, and you will find connections that span both time and the globe.

Part mystery, part environmental campaign, this story is full of plucky kids up against some big, bad Florida developers. Fun for summer reading, or any time of year.