Check out these exciting easy and fiction titles published in March. You’ll find magic, talking animals, dystopian societies, science fiction, and fantasy. Happy reading!
ELEMENTARY PICTURE BOOKS
The Adventures of Egg Box Dragon by Richard Adams (ill. by Alex T. Smith). 9781444938401. Hachette. 2019. Gr PK-2.
A mischievous homemade dragon is an expert at finding lost things, so the Queen asks him to find the missing jewel from her crown.
Angry Cookie by Laura Dockrill (ill. by Maria Karipidou). 9781536205442. Walker Books US. 2019. Gr PK-2.
Cookie woke up grumpy. He’s been angry at everything all day. What has caused his bad mood? And can it be fixed?
Another by Christian Robinson. 9781534421677. Atheneum BYR. 2019. Gr PK-2.
A young girl and her cat travel to an alternate universe where each child has a mirror image of themselves. The cat in the mirror had taken her own cat’s toy, and once the double returns it, the girl and her cat travel back to their own world.
Baby’s First Bank Heist by Jim Whalley (ill. by Stephen Collins). 9781547600625. Bloomsbury Children’s. 2019. Gr PK-1.
Baby Frank plans a bank heist in order to get money to buy a cute, fluffy new pet
Badger’s Perfect Garden by Marsha Diane Arnold (ill. by Ramona Kaulitzki). 9781534110007. Sleeping Bear Press. 2019. Gr K-3.
Badger is proud of the perfect garden that he and his friends planted and can’t wait for the flowers and vegetables to grow. But when a downpour washes his seeds away, he is depressed that they are all gone. But maybe they aren’t.
Cake by Sue Hendra & Paul Linnet. 9781534425507. Aladdin. 2019. Gr PK-3.
Cake is excited when he is invited to a birthday party, and the party-goers are happy to see him. But when candles are put on him and then blown out, Cake decides this isn’t the place for him.
The Dog Who Wanted to Fly by Kathy Stinson (ill. by Brandon James Scott). 9781773212807. Annick Press. 2019. Gr PK-2.
Zora the dog dreams of learning to fly so she can catch the vexatious squirrel that hangs out in her yard. Though the cat tells her that dogs cannot fly, Zora still tries—and fails every time. When an emergency threatens, Zora finds out what she is capable of.
Dragons Eat Noodles on Tuesdays by Jon Stahl (ill. by Tadgh Bentley). 9781338125511. Scholastic. 2019. Gr PK-2.
Two monsters tell a story about a dragon and a boy—a story that ends well for everyone because, well, it’s Tuesday, and dragons eat only noodles on Tuesdays. As they tell the story, readers will learn about how to write and edit a story—and how effective a surprise ending can be. Kids will love this great read-aloud.
Felipe and Claudette by Mark Teague. 9780545914321. Orchard Books. 2019. Gr PK-2.
Felipe the grumpy cat and Claudette the super-active dog live at a pet shelter. Every adoption day, the animals spruce themselves up so they look good for prospective owners, and every day, all the animals get adopted. Except for Felipe and Claudette. Felipe is convinced it’s the Claudette’s fault. But one day Claudette is adopted—and Felipe is lonely. Can it be that she misses that messy mutt?
I Need a Plan! by Federica Muia. 9781760360597. Starfish Bay. 2019. Gr K-1.
A warm summer day finds a gang of lizards lounging on sunny rocks and drinking iced drinks. Except for one lizard. He is allergic to the sun and must hide under the leaves all day. He wants to hang out with the others, but he needs a plan. Readers can join with the other lizards in figuring out a way for him to be safe in the sun.
Little Doctor and the Fearless Beast by Sophie Gilmore. 9781771473446. Owlkids Books. 2019. Gr K-3.
Little Doctor treats crocodiles from far and wide. She loves their armor and jaws and wishes she could be so strong. One day, the largest crocodile, Big Mean, comes to Little Doctor but refuses to open her mouth. Little Doctor comes up with a plan but becomes caught in Big Mean’s mouth—and there she finds little hatchlings covered in plastic. She helps free them and Big Mean rewards her with a story of strong, fearless beast called Little Doctor.
Lola Shapes the Sky by Wendy Greenley (ill. by Paolo Domeniconi). 9781568463193. Creative Editions. 2019. Gr 1-3.
A cloud’s job is to make weather, but one creative little cloud wants to make herself into various shapes and figures. A bossy cloud scolds her, but she ignores his demands and continues to form playful and original shapes. The other clouds join in, creating fabulous scenes for the people below
No More Poems! : A Book in Verse That Just Gets Worse by Rhett Miller (ill. by Dan Santat). 9780316416528. Little, Brown. 2019. Gr PK-3.
Ordinary childhood problems and family life are given a hilarious twist in 23 poems that will make great classroom read-alouds.
Not Your Nest! by Gideon Sterer (ill. by Andrea Tsurumi). 9780735228276. Penguin. 2019. Gr PK-2.
A tiny yellow bird builds a nest in the Acacia tree, but as she comes home with the finishing touches, she discovers it’s full. She builds a new one, but that one fills as well, and soon Fox, Brush Hog, Zebra, and others occupy all her nests. After coming up with a clever way to eliminate the animals, they realize their mistake and build a nest big enough for all of them.
Pepper and Frannie by Catherine Lazar Odell. 9781624146602. Page Street. 2019. Gr PK-3.
Pepper and Frannie show how best friends can overcome differences in personality. Pepper is practical; she likes to plan her adventures. Frannie is impetuous and free-wheeling. When Frannie misses the bus to a skateboarding festival, Pepper gives her a lift. Pepper doesn’t know how to skateboard, but when Frannie begs her to stay, she realizes that if she can learn this, she “can do anything!”
Puddle by Richard Jackson & Chris Raschka. 9780062651952. Greenwillow. 2019. Gr PK-1.
A deep puddle is sad as it gets abused by humans and animals alike, until a miraculous event occurs that gets it positive attention for once.
Queenie Quail Can’t Keep Up by Jane Whittingham (ill. by Emma Pedersen). 9781772780673. Pajama Press. 2019. Gr PK-1.
Queenie is always racing to keep up with her parents and her nine siblings. There are so many interesting things to see! But when Queenie sees danger while lagging behind, she is able to warn her family in time.
Sweety by Andrea Zuill. 9780525580010. Schwartz & Wade. 2019. Gr PK-2.
Sweety, a naked mole rat, has an unusual look, including thick glasses and protruding front teeth, and unusual hobbies, like interpretive dance and a love of fungus. Her peers don’t get her, but her Aunt Ruth helps Sweety realize she’s pretty awesome just the way she is.
Wake Up, Color Pup by Taia Morley. 9780399559457. Random House. 2019. Gr PK-2.
As a little pup follows a bright yellow bird through his gray world, each new discovery suffuses him with new colors and emotions. When a storm moves in, his colors fade away as fear takes hold, but his cheerful friend helps him keep his chin up.
ELEMENTARY CHAPTER BOOKS & FICTION
The Afterwards by A.F. Harrold (ill. by Emily Gravett). 9781547600441. Bloomsbury Children’s. 2019. Gr 4-6.
Ember’s best friend, Ness, unexpectedly dies, leaving Ember shocked and numb. After a dangerous incident with her uncle, who trades Ember’s life for his recently deceased dog, she finds herself in the afterlife where she looks for Ness to convince her to come back. But as she faces numerous dangers in the afterlife, she begins to question how far she is willing to go to bring Ness back.
Apocalypse Taco by Nathan Hale. 9781419733734. Amulet Books. Gr 4-6.
When Sid, Axl, and Ivan return from picking up tacos for their theater crew, they find weird copies of everything—with a gooey and tentacled twist. Turns out that when they went to the taco place, they entered into a new dimension populated by replicator bees which were invented in an effort to solve world hunger. They need to find their way back—but will need a windshield scraper to do it.
Didi Dodo, Future Spy : Recipe for Disaster (Didi Dodo, Future Spy, Book 1) by Tom Angleberger (ill. by Jared Chapman). 9781419733703. Amulet Books. 2019. Gr 1-4.
Chef Koko Dodo is desperate: today is the national cookie contest, but his super-secret fudge sauce is missing! In steps Didi Dodo—she actually crashes in on her skates—with a crazy plan to solve her first mystery.
The Griffins of Castle Cary by Heather Shumaker. 9781534430884. Simon & Schuster. 2019. Gr 4-6.
The Griffin children are to spend a fun week with their aunt in England (and her drooling dog), but end up trying to solve a local ghost problem.
Little Apocalypse by Katherine Sparrow. 9780062849762. Harpercollins. 2019. Gr 4-6.
Celia hates her new home in Youngstown. When her parents go away for the weekend, an earthquake strands Celia in town with no means of communication with them. She becomes aware of a world of monsters that adults cannot see. and of the children who hunt the monsters. She discovers that she is the girl of prophecy who will save the world—but she is unsure which side she is supposed to be on.
The Missing Piece of Charlie O’Reilly by Rebecca K.S. Ansari. 9780062679666. Walden Pond Press. 2019. Gr 4-6.
One night, Charlie O’Reilly wishes his younger brother would disappear. The next day, not only is Liam missing, but all memory of his existence is wiped from those who knew him. Charlie insists on finding Liam, but no one believes he even existed. Except, that is, for Charlie’s best friend Ana—who also has no memory of Liam, but believes Charlie anyway. Along their journey, they discover devastating truths about the power of magic.
A Monster Like Me by Wendy S. Swore. 9781629725550. Shadow Mountain. 2019. Gr 4-6.
Monster expert Sophie doesn’t expect anything different after moving to a new school in Portland, Oregon, as she will still have a blood tumor that covers half her face. Being a monster, she can also see the fairy tale creatures in others. Constantly worried about abandonment, Sophie doesn’t hold out much hope for friends, until some surprising figures enter her life and teach her to be comfortable in her own skin.
The Rambling by Jimmy Cajoleas. 9780062498786. Harpercollins. 2019. Gr 4-7.
Buddy runs away from his mother to find his father, a legendary Parsnit player, who left five years earlier for river country. No sooner do they meet than his father is kidnapped by henchmen sent by Boss Authority to collect on a debt. Buddy sets off through the spooky swamp to rescue him, learning more and more about his father and the magical game of Parsnit.
Ruff vs. Fluff (Arthur & Queenie, Book 1) by Spencer Quinn. 9781338091397. Scholastic. 2019. Gr 4-6.
A family’s pet dog and cat (who consider themselves mortal enemies) must help solve a murder mystery in the Green Mountains—a murder that has connections to a decades-old crime. The story alternates between the viewpoints of Arthur the dog and Queenie the cat.
The Tragical Tale of Birdie Bloom by Temre Beltz. 9780062835833. Harpercollins. 2019. Gr 4-6.
In the land of Wanderly, Birdie Bloom is a Tragical orphan doomed to a bad ending. Agnes Prunella Crunch is a wicked witch. A meeting between a Tragical and a witch does not usually end happily. When the witch, more bored than wicked, sends out a letter on the Winds, it ends up with Birdie, and the two begin a correspondence that just might change both their stories.
MIDDLE SCHOOL FICTION
Friendroid by M.M. Vaughan. 9781481490658. Margaret K. McElderry. 2019. Gr 4-7.
Danny doesn’t make friends easily but when he meets Eric Young, who seems to like the online video game Land X as much as Danny does, Danny thinks he may have found someone to bond with. But Danny learns that Eric is a robot, leaving Danny to wonder about what it really means to be human.
The North Star (Gemini Mysteries, Book 1) by Kat Shepherd. 9781499808094. Yellow Jacket. 2019. Gr 4-7.
Three friends have established the Gemini Detective Agency, mostly as a cover for getting pizza and going go-karting. When the North Star diamond necklace is stolen prior to being sold at auction, the Agency decides to investigate. Illustrations at the end of each chapter provide clues so readers can help solve the mystery.
Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles (Ronan Boyle, Book 1) by Thomas Lennon. 9781419734915. Amulet Books. 2019. Gr 5-8.
The Garda is an Irish force that polices the crimes of magical creatures, and Ronan Boyle is its youngest recruit. His parents are in jail for stealing an artifact from the museum where they worked. Ronan is convinced that they were framed by wee people, and is determined to prove that they are innocent. First he needs to survive the training schedule process in this series starter.
Sal & Gabi Break the Universe (Sal & Gabi Novel, Book 1) by Carlos Hernandez. 9781368022828. Rick Riordan Presents. 2019. Gr 5-8.
At the quirky Miami’s Culeco Academy of the Arts, Sal has the ability to reach through time and space to retrieve items, including his dead mother, from other dimensions. School reporter and student body president Gabi is on to him, but isn’t bothered by his unusual abilities. Until, that is, her baby brother gets very ill. She enlists Sal’s help, but in order to save him, Gabi and Sal might just break the universe.
Seventh Grade vs. the Galaxy by Joshua S. Levy. 9781541528109. Carolrhoda. 2019. Gr 4-7.
PSS 118 is located in a rickety old spaceship orbiting Jupiter, where Jack’s father was recently fired from his job of science teacher for secretly tinkering with the ship. When the ship is attacked, Jack gets a message from his father, telling him how to escape using the ship’s new and secret light-speed engines. The ship, with Jack and all his classmates, ends up hundreds of light-years away, where they are imprisoned by an evil alien overlord. Humor, action, and STEM makes this ideal for middle-grade science fiction lovers.
Superman : Dawnbreaker (DC Icons) by Matt de la Pena. 9780399549656. Random House. 2019. Gr 7-12.
Clark Kent lives in the town of Smallville, but he isn’t a superhero yet. While learning to control his powers, Clark meets Gloria Alvarez. She tells him that people are going missing from the Mexican-American and undocumented worker community in Smallville. Clark and his best friend Lana Lang investigate and Clark gets a chance to prove himself.
Tin by Padraig Kenny. 9781338277555. Chicken House. 2019. Gr 5-8.
In an alternate England in the 1930s, Christopher works as an assistant to an engineer who makes illegal mechanicals, or robots covered by synthetic skin. When Christopher finds out that he is a mechanical himself, he is taken away by a government agency. Afraid for his safety, his mechanical family sets out to rescue him with the help of the famous engineer who created him.
We’re Not From Here by Geoff Rodkey. 9781524773052. Crown Books. 2019. Gr 5-8.
Mars refugees cannot return to Earth so they migrate to the planet Choom inhabited by the mosquito-looking Zhuri. Lan Mifune and his family struggle while trying to fit in on, but despite their efforts, the Zhuri just don’t like humans. Lan tries to impress his insectoid classmates at school, but they are tired of humans’ emotions and war and want nothing to do with him. If he and his family are to survive, they must find a way of changing the Zhuris’ minds.
Young Captain Nemo (Book 1) by Jason Henderson. 9781250173225. Feiwel & Friends. 2019. Gr 5-8.
Gabriel Nemo is a descendant of Jules Verne’s Captain Nemo. For 12 years he has lived with his family in the Nemolab under the sea. After his sister left to chase illegal whalers, Gabriel and his friends decide to do search-and-rescue missions in his own undersea vessel. When a new breed of fierce sea creatures takes over sunken U.S. WWII ships, the Navy decides to destroy them. But Gabriel’s crew thinks the creatures should be left alone. But how can they stand up to the Navy?
HIGH SCHOOL FICTION
Between the Water and the Woods by Simone Snaith. 9780823440207. Holiday House. 2019. Gr 9-12.
When Emeline rescues her brother from a magical creature thought to be merely legend, their village sends them on a journey to report their sighting to the king. The city is embroiled in arguments between those who don’t believe in these creatures or in magic, and those who do—and both sides are fighting for the king’s support. Emeline is in danger, because she has realized that she has magic of her own.
The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson. 9780802129031. Grove Press. 2019. Gr 11-Adult.
Fatima, a concubine in the court of the sultan in Granada during the Spanish Inquisition, is friends with the palace mapmaker, Hassan. He can draw maps of lands he’s never seen and open doorways to new rooms and even new worlds. When a delegation from the new monarchy comes to see the sultan, one of the delegates notices Hassan’s gift and denounces him as a sorcerer. Fatima and Hassan are forced to flee, relying on vampire-jinn Vikram, his cat-like sister Azazel, and a host of other fantastical creatures.
Bloodleaf (Bloodleaf Trilogy, Book 1) by Crystal Smith. 9781328496300. HMH. 2019. Gr 9-12.
Princess Aurelia has blood magic, which is forbidden by her country’s religious leaders. As a result, her people despise and fear her. After an assassination attempt, she flees to the magically protected borders of Achleva. There she disguises herself as a commoner, practices her magic, and begins to fall in love with a man forbidden to her. When she discovers a plot against the magic of the city, she must decide whether to take on her royal position or keep the freedom of her commoner life.
Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera. 9781481472142. Simon & Schuster. 2019. Gr 9-12.
Nalah leads an all-girl gang in Mega City, a position which gives her access to hot boydega clubs but also frequently sends her into violent show downs, making Nalah weary of life. She dreams of making a home in the Mega Towers, but to make it there, Nalah will have to prove her loyalty to the city’s founder by crossing the border and finding the Ashé Ryders, a mysterious rival gang.
Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young. 9781534426139. Simon & Schuster. 2019. Gr 9-12.
In a near-future, girls-only private high school called Innovations Academy, drugs, lies, and behavior therapy are used to groom twelve perfect girls to be proper, chaste young women. When Mena meets a boy named Jackson on a rare outing, she begins questioning the school and its methods. Then one of the girls disappears, and Mena vows to uncover the truth and expose the school’s secrets.
Internment by Samira Ahmed. 9780316522694. Little, Brown. 2019. Gr 8-12.
In the near-future United States, book burnings, curfews, and mandatory viewing of the new president’s national security addresses have led to Muslim Americans being taken to internment camps. Layla Amin watches with contempt at the complicity of the community and her own parents who accept their current plight. Her friends both within and outside the camp are intent on starting a revolution that will end the violence and Islamophobia.
The Last 8 (Book 1) by Laura Pohl. 9781492669890. Sourcebooks. 2019. Gr 10-12.
Clover Martinez thinks she might be the last survivor on earth after an alien invasion killed everyone around her. When she finds seven other teens living at Area 51, she isn’t sure what to make of them. And when she finds a spaceship hidden in the walls of the compound, she’s not sure she can trust them at all.
The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie. 9780525426455. Penguin. 2019. Gr 8-12.
Poe, new captain of the Outpost’s last mining ship, wants nothing but revenge. Two years ago, her best friend was lost when river raiders attacked her ship. But her crew doesn’t all share her goals, and she realizes that there is a saboteur on board. On her journey, Poe discovers secrets that cause her to question everything she has always known about the Outpost and the raiders.
Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy. 9780316449274. Jimmy Patterson. 2019. Gr 9-12.
Ari, a refugee from the planet Ketch, crashes on Old Earth and unwittingly retrieves a mysterious sword from a stone, which reveals her to be the 42nd incarnation of King Arthur. She also awakens Merlin the magician, who has aged in reverse to present as a teenager. Merlin is left with the unenviable task of training the headstrong Ari. Initially reluctant to take the mantle, Ari realizes that with her new power she can take down the evil Mercer Corporation and bring peace to humanity.
Other Words for Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin. 9780062408914. Greenwillow. 2019. Gr 9-12.
Twins Mae and Rossa discover a house in which three witches live—and over five consecutive summers the two learn about love, ultimate evil, magic, and what people will do to earn their freedom.
Out of Salem by Hal Schrieve. 9781609809010. Triangle Square. 2019. Gr 9-12.
In 1997 Salem, Oregon, genderqueer teen and former witch Z adjusts to life as a zombie after surviving a car crash that killed her sister and parents. Suffering decay and the loss of magical power, Z moves in with Aysel, who proudly identifies as a fat, Turkish American lesbian and secretly lives as an undocumented werewolf. When a terrorist event causes national werewolf hostility and shines a light on Salem, Z and Aysel band together to resist the intolerance and oppression of a government that wishes neither of them existed.
The Pioneer by Bridget Tyler. 9780062658067. Harperteen. 2019. Gr 9-12.
Jo Watson was captain of the first mission to settle another planet, but when disaster struck on the journey, she was left with injuries that forced her out of the captain’s chair. Now on their new planet, she tries to make herself useful. This planet was supposed to be without life, but the humans find themselves in the middle of a deadly war between plantlike creatures and the humanoid Sorrow. Knowing there is little chance of returning to Earth, Jo and her friends must make some hard decisions.
Sherwood by Meagan Spooner. 9780062422316. Harperteen. 2019. Gr 9-12.
Robin of Locksley is dead, and the cruel Guy of Gisborne wants to become the new lord—and Maid Marian’s fiancé. In order to protect the people of Locksley town, Marian picks up Robin’s cloak and sword to become Robin Hood.
Sky Without Stars (System Divine, Book 1) by Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell. 9781534410633. Simon Pulse. 2019. Gr 9-12.
The French planet of Laterre had promised hope during the Last Days for a wealthy French family. But 500 years later, it is divided between an elite class and the starving poor. Three unlikely heroes meet who, unbeknownst to them, are essential to a revolution that will change the future of Laterre in this reimagining of Les Miserables.
To Best the Boys by Mary Weber. 9780718080969. Thomas Nelson Publishers. 2019. Gr 9-12.
The eligible boys of Pinsbury Port receive their annual letters inviting them to compete for a scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. Sixteen-year-old Rhen is jealous. She doesn’t want to learn domestic duties while the boys go to college. She wants to be a scientist and help her father cure the disease that plagues their town and claimed her mother. So she and her cousin, Seleni, disguise themselves and enter a deadly labyrinth, to best the boys and win the prize—if they can survive.
The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees. 9780525581178. Delacorte. 2019. Gr 8-12.
With terrible visions and dreams, Rhea has lived in an anxious panic for over a decade. At the heart of her fear is the dark woods in her back yard. One night she dreams of a witch deep in the woods who grants wishes to dreaming children. When she wakes, she discovers that she and the witch exist on the same plane and are destined to clash in magical, dark ways. Meanwhile, the Witch has an unwelcome visitor who tells her that something evil is stirring in the forest.
When the Sky Fell on Splendor by Emily Henry. 9780451480712. Razorbill. 2019. Gr 9-12.
Five years ago, the steel mill in Splendor, Ohio, exploded, and changed the lives of everyone in town. Franny’s brother still lies in a coma. She and a group of her friends, calling themselves The Ordinary, keep their minds off the town’s troubles by investigating local legends and ghost stories and filming them for You Tube. After they film a bright light falling from the sky, they stumble upon a being made of light and find that they have strange powers…and questions.
