Aesop's Fables
Level M,
fiction
These short fables offer children a collection of simple yet valuable life lessons. Each tale uses animal characters to tell the story, and a moral is clearly stated at the end. This book is a great introduction to fables. The classic illustrations enrich the stories.
Arthur's Bad News Day
Level M,
fiction
Arthur has been an only child for eight years and has just found out that a little sister is on the way. At first, Arthur is unhappy about the many ways in which her arrival will disrupt his life. He changes his tune after he holds her for the first time. Illustrations support the text.
A Man of Vision
Level M,
nonfiction
Meet Louis Braille, the person who invented a system for blind people to read and write. This informational book provides readers with insight into Louis Braille's life, from the year of his birth, to the accident that caused his blindness, and the year of his death. Illustrations support readers' understanding of this historical biography.
Firefighters
Level M,
nonfiction
Firefighting is serious business. Readers learn about the many challenges firefighters face and the kinds of equipment they use to do their job. It's a challenging undertaking and a very important one. Firefighters work to keep people and property safe. Informative photographs support the text.
Hibernation
Level M,
nonfiction
Have you ever wondered why some animals hibernate during the cold winter months? Where do they sleep? How do they survive? Hibernation provides information about animals that hibernate and how they stay alive during the winter months. Amazing pictures bring the text to life and draw young readers into the book.
A Prairie Dog's Life
Level M,
nonfiction
A Prairie Dog's Life provides information about prairie dogs by describing the adventures of Charlie the prairie dog. The book informs readers about where prairie dogs live, what they look like, and how they respond to danger. The book also includes photos with captions, a map, a table of contents, glossary, and index.
How Much Is a Trillion?
Level M,
nonfiction
How Much Is a Trillion? teaches readers number sense while exploring the concept of large numbers. The text gives many concrete and engaging examples that students can relate to, as well as helping them understand just how one could make a million, a billion, and a trillion! Photographs and captions support the text.
Keb Needs a Home
Level M,
fiction
A hermit crab named Keb is too big to live in a normal-sized snail shell. Keb is chased by seagulls and teased by other hermit crabs because he looks naked without a home to live in. After trying out various homes, Keb finally finds a blue boot that has washed ashore. It's the perfect home for him.
Sound All Around
Level M,
nonfiction
Readers learn about sound waves and vibration, volume, and pitch. The book delves into the many forms of sound and describes how the human ear receives and perceives sound. Photos and captions support the text.
Marcus Loses Patches
Level M,
fiction
Marcus Loses Patches is about a little boy who loves playing video games. One day, he gets so wrapped up in his game that he forgets to feed his dog, Patches. When he finally gets around to feeding her, he realizes that he has also forgotten to latch the gate and Patches has escaped. Mom and Grandpa helped Marcus find Patches, and he realizes that although video games are fun, they are not more important than his dog or his family. Illustrations support the text.
Mighty Glaciers
Level M,
nonfiction
Mighty Glaciers introduces readers to the formation, movement, and effects of continental and valley glaciers. It shows how glaciers can carve off mountainsides and transform them into plains of fertile soil. Photos, maps, and diagrams support the text.
The Sleeping Dog
Level M,
fiction
In this retelling of an Ituri folktale, a curious monkey comes upon a sleeping animal. Soon all sorts of forest creatures gather to look at the odd beast. Many can say what it is not, but none can say what it is. The sleeping animal is awakened by the commotion, and it begins to bark and chase the animals. Since then, dogs have chased any animal they see. The moral of the story is to "let sleeping dogs lie."
The Story of Jeans
Level M,
nonfiction
Blue jeans are as American as it gets, but do you know who invented them, how they became fashionable, or how they are made? The Story of Jeans answers these questions, taking the reader from the San Francisco Gold Rush to modern-day closets.
The Three Little Pigs
Level M,
fiction
The classic folktale The Three Little Pigs is retold with rich description--featuring the big, bad wolf huffing and puffing to blow down the straw house, the stick house, and the brick house. Memorable lines such as "Not by the hair of my chinny, chin, chin!" add to the fun, and the story ends with a breathless wolf toppling over in defeat. As expected, the three little pigs live happily ever after in the brick house. Illustrations support the text.
