Summer Newsletter

• Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin – Because who doesn't love a dragon with strong opinions about spicy food?

• The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt – A workplace comedy that happens to star art supplies

• Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña – A beautiful story about seeing beauty in everyday life

• The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi – About a Korean girl navigating her new school and deciding what to do about her name

• Dog Man: Mothering Heights by Dav Pilkey – Comics that make reluctant readers into book devourers

• The Wild Robot by Peter Brown – A robot learns to survive on an island (and in your heart)

• New Kid by Jerry Craft – Graphic novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real

• Wonder by R.J. Palacio – A story about kindness that changes how kids see the world

• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen – Survival adventure that makes you appreciate both wilderness and home

• The Crossover by Kwame Alexander – Basketball, family, and growing up told through knockout poetry

• Ghost by Jason Reynolds – Running toward something instead of away from it

• The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson – Coming-of-age story about identity and belonging

• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – A powerful story about finding your voice when it matters most

• Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo – Family, grief, identity

• Dumplin' by Julie Murphy – Body positivity and self-acceptance with humor

• The Midnight Visitor: Write a story that begins with a knock on the door at midnight. Who's there? What do they want?

• The Magic Object: You find something ordinary in your backyard, but it turns out to have magical powers. What is it, and what happens when you use it?

• Time Travel Trouble: You wake up in a different time period. Where are you, and how do you get home?

• The Secret Message: You discover a hidden message in your favorite book. What does it say, and where does it lead you?

• "What would you do if you were the main character?"
• "What was your favorite part to look at on each page?"
• "If we could add one more page to this story, what would happen?"

• "What's one thing this book made you think about differently?"

• "Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?"

• "If you could ask the author one question, what would it be?"

Pro tip: The best book conversations happen spontaneously. Try leaving books scattered around common spaces. Read your own book while they read theirs. Share the funny parts out loud. Sometimes the most meaningful discussions start with "Listen to this..."