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  Summer Reading, Grades 1-2  
All Are Welcome

Alexandra Penfold - Knopf Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover

A warm, welcoming picture book that celebrates diversity and gives encouragement and support to all kids.Follow a group of children through a day in their school, where everyone is welcomed with open arms. A school where kids in patkas, hijabs, and yamulkes play side-by-side with friends...
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All the Animals Where I Live

PHILIP C STEAD - Roaring Brook Press
Format: Hardcover

The author used to live in the busy city where there were buses and trains, and people waiting for buses and trains. Now he lives in the country and jubilantly takes us on a tour of his home, pointing out all the animals that share his space.
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Alma and How She Got Her Name

JUANA MARTINEZ-NEAL - Candlewick
Format: Hardcover

What's in a name For one little girl, her very long name tells the vibrant story of where she came from - and who she may one day be.If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza Jos Pura Candela has way too many names: six! How did such a small person wind up with such a large name Alma turns...
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Another

Christian Robinson - Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover

In his eagerly anticipated debut as author-illustrator, Caldecott and Coretta Scott King honoree Christian Robinson brings young readers on a playful, imaginative journey into another world.What if you ... encountered another perspective? Discovered another world? Met another...
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Auntie Luce's Talking Paintings

Francie Latour - Groundwood Books
Format: Hardcover

Every winter, a young girl flies to Haiti to visit her Auntie Luce, a painter. The moment she steps off the plane, she feels a wall of heat, and familiar sights soon follow -- the boys selling water ice by the pink cathedral, the tap tap buses in the busy streets, the fog and steep winding...
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Camp Tiger

Susan Choi - G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover

Imagination meets reality in this poetic and tender ode to childhood, illustrated by Caldecott Honor winner, John Rocco.Every year, a boy and his family go camping at Mountain Pond. Usually, they see things like an eagle fishing for his dinner, a salamander with red spots on its back, and chipmunks...
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Carl and the Meaning of Life

Deborah Freedman - Viking Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover

From the often Caldecott-buzzed Deborah Freedman, a sweet and funny story about finding your place in the world.Carl is an earthworm. He spends his days happily tunneling in the soil until a field mouse asks him a simple question that stops him short: "Why?" Carl's quest takes...
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Dreamers

Yuyi Morales - Neal Porter Books
Format: Hardcover

In 1994, Yuyi Morales left her home in Xalapa, Mexico and came to the US with her infant son. She left behind nearly everything she owned, but she didn't come empty-handed.She brought her strength, her work, her passion, her hopes and dreams...and her stories. Caldecott Honor artist and five-time...
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Fox the Tiger

COREY R TABOR - Balzer + Bray
Format: Hardcover

Fox wishes he were a tiger. Tigers are big and fast and sneaky. So he decides to become one! Soon Turtle and Rabbit are joining in the fun. But will Fox want to be a tiger forever?
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Hey, Water!

Antoinette Portis - Neal Porter Books
Format: Hardcover

Splash! A spunky little girl plays a spirited game of hide-and-seek with water, in this gorgeously illustrated nonfiction picture book.Hey, water! I know you! You're all around.Join a young girl as she explores her surroundings and sees that water is everywhere. But water doesn't...
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Jabari Jumps

GAIA CORNWALL - Candlewick
Format: Hardcover

Working up the courage to take a big, important leap is hard, but Jabari is almost absolutely ready to make a giant splash.Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He's finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he's a great jumper, so he's not scared...
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Just In Case You Want to Fly

Julie Fogliano - Neal Porter Books
Format: Hardcover

The creators of the award-winning When's My Birthday? team up again to create an inspirational book for anyone--parent or child--looking for support when facing a new challenge.just in case you want to flyhere's some windand here's the skyhere's a featherhere's...
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Llama Destroys the World

Jonathan Stutzman - Henry Holt and Co.
Format: Hardcover

Meet Llama, the next great picture-book megastar, who has most definitely driven a bus and who loves tacos way more than you.He also loves cake, and that's where our story begins.On Monday, Llama discovers a pile of cake, which he promptly eats.On Tuesday, Llama squeezes into his dancing...
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Meet Yasmin!

Saadia Faruqi - Picture Window Books
Format: Paperback

Meet Yasmin! Yasmin is a spirited second-grader who's always on the lookout for those "aha" moments to help her solve life's little problems. Taking inspiration from her surroundings and her big imagination, she boldly faces any situation, assuming her imagination doesn't get too big,...
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Mia Mayhem Is a Superhero!

Kara West - Little Simon
Format: Hardcover

Meet Mia Macarooney, an ordinary eight-year-old who finds out she has an extraordinary super-secret in this first chapter book in the brand-new Mia Mayhem series!Mia Macarooney is a regular eight-year-old girl who finds out that she's A SUPERHERO! Her life literally goes from totally...
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My Papi Has a Motorcycle

Isabel Quintero - Kokila
Format: Hardcover

A celebration of the love between a father and daughter, and of a vibrant immigrant neighborhood, by an award-winning author and illustrator duo.When Daisy Ramona zooms around her neighborhood with her papi on his motorcycle, she sees the people and places she's always known. She also sees...
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Celebracion!

Susan Middleton Elya - Lee & Low Books

It's a sunny day and everyone is headed to the main plaza for the start of the town parade and summer celebration. Follow along the parade route with a family of six as the festivities unfold. There are people riding motorcycles, bicycles, tricycles, and unicycles. Firefighters spray...
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The Patchwork Bike

Maxine Beneba Clarke - Candlewick
Format: Hardcover

It has a bent bucket seat, bashed tin-can handlebars, and wood-cut wheels - and riding the patchwork bike that you and your crazy brothers made is the best fun in the whole village.When you live in a village at the edge of the no-go desert, you need to make your own fun. That's when you and your...
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Peter & Ernesto: The Lost Sloths

Graham Annable - First Second
Format: Hardcover

Peter and Ernesto loved their tree. Then a hurricane came and blew it away! Now, Peter, Ernesto, and the rest of their sloth friends must venture into the jungle to find a new -- great -- tree. But the jungle is full of dangers, including angry ants, slithering snakes, and a ravenous jaguar!Can...
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The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family

Ibtihaj Muhammad - Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover

A powerful, vibrantly illustrated story about the first day of school--and two sisters on one's first day of hijab--by Olympic medalist and social justice activist Ibtihaj Muhammad. With her new backpack and light-up shoes, Faizah knows the first day of school is going to be special. It's...
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Saturday

Oge Mora - Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover

In this warm and tender story by the Caldecott Honor-winning creator of Thank You, Omu!, join a mother and daughter on an up-and-down journey that reminds them of what's best about Saturdays: precious time together. Today would be special. Today would be splendid. It was Saturday!...
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Skulls!

Blair Thornburgh - Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover

Debut picture book author Blair Thornburgh and award-winning illustrator Scott Campbell put their heads together to celebrate one of the most important bones in your body: the skull!You probably don't think much about skulls. So what's the big deal about them? Well, every head of every...
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Summer

Cao Wenxuan - Imprint
Format: Hardcover

Summer is a poetic, inspirational picture book about the power of kindness from two of China's most acclaimed creators -- and children will discover a surprise as they turn the pages!During a hot summer day in the grasslands, a group of animals race to claim the single spot of shade...
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We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga

TRACI SORELL - Charlesbridge
Format: Hardcover

The Cherokee community is grateful for blessings and challenges that each season brings. This is modern Native American life as told by an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation.The word otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express...
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Where Are You From?

Yamile Saied Méndez - HarperCollins
Format: Hardcover

This resonant picture book tells the story of one girl who constantly gets asked a simple question that doesn't have a simple answer. A great conversation starter in the home or classroom - a book to share, in the spirit of I Am Enough by Grace Byers and Keturah A. Bobo.When a girl is asked...
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