3rd Grade Reads

For "Frankie Sparks: The Class Pet": Frankie Sparks, the self-proclaimed "best inventor in the third grade," does research and creates a tool to try to persuade her classmates that a rat would make the best class pet.

Author: Megan Frazer Blakemore

Call Number: J FICTION BLA

Louie doesn't have the best luck when it comes to nurturing small creatures. So when his father brings home a sickly newborn mini donkey, he's determined to save him. He names him Winslow. Taking care of him helps Louie feel closer to his brother, Gus, who is far, far away in the army. Everyone worries that Winslow won't survive, especially Louies quirky new friend, Nora, who has experienced loss of her own. But as Louie's bond with Winslow grows, surprising and life-altering events prove that this fragile donkey is stronger than anyone could have imagined.

Author: Sharon Creech

Call Number: J FICTION CRE

In Brooklyn, nine-year-old Jax joins Ma, a curmudgeonly witch who lives in his building, on a quest to deliver three baby dragons to a magical world, and along the way discovers his true calling.

Author: Zetta Elliott

Call Number: J FICTION ELL

Eager to do something her big sister has not done first, Jasmine Toguchi, eight, decides to pound mochi with the men and boys when her family gets together for New Year's.

Author: Debbi Michiko Florence

Call Number: J FICTION FLO

With no knightly experience but plenty of pluck and an impressive vocabulary, a twelve-year-old peasant, hoping to improve his station in life, volunteers to help a cowardly prince and his not very powerful wizard rescue a princess from an evil, foul-smelling monster.

Author: Stuart Gibbs

Call Number: J FICTION GIB

Hugo is a young Sasquatch who longs for adventure. Boone is young boy who longs to see a Sasquatch. When their worlds collide, they become the unlikeliest pair of best friends.

Author: Ellen Potter

Call Number: J FICTION POT

Spending the summer in his grandfather's rundown town, ten-year-old Ben meets an adventurous local girl and together they learn that the town's veterinarian runs a secret hospital for imaginary creatures.

Author: Suzanne Selfors

Call Number: J FICTION SEL

Max and his mom embark on a road trip as they adjust to their new understanding of family

Author: Linda Urban

Call Number: J FICTION URB

For Book 1: Hoping to become the greatest detective that ever grew, Inspector Flytrap, a Venus Flytrap, and his assistant, Nina the Goat, investigate "big deal" mysteries at an art museum, a cookie shop, and a garden.

Author: Tom Angleberger

Call Number: J MYSTERY ANG

In ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh's pampered cat Ra and his scarab-beetle sidekick question the royal palace's animal inhabitants, solve a crime, and exonerate a servant girl falsely accused of theft.

Author: A. B. Greenfield

Call Number: J MYSTERY GRE

For "Hello, Nebulon": Moving from Earth to the futuristic planet Nebulon in 2120, eight-year-old Zack is nervous about starting school and meeting people.

Author: Ray O'Ryan

Call Number: I SCIENCE FICTION ORY

Two boys race to get an undercover alien back to her mothership while dodging an oddball group of UFO-chasers, TV newspeople, and Florida retirees

Author: Greg Leitich Smith

Call Number: J SCIENCE FICTION SMI

Funny and full of heart, this debut graphic novel is a story about friendship, identity, and embracing all the parts of yourself that make you special.

Author: Rachel Elliott

Call Number: J FICTION ELL (Graphic Novel)

When ten-year-olds Shirley and Jamila meet, Jamila is simply hoping for a friend in her new neighborhood but Shirley is a detective and together they seek a missing gecko.

Author: Gillian Goerz

Call Number: J FICTION GOE (Graphic Novel)

To earn their “foraging” bug badge, Doug, Abby and Josh, the Bug Scouts, embark on an adventure in the wilderness to find an edible plant and encounter a clever, yet hungry, frog who distracts them from their mission.

Author: Mike Lowery

Call Number: J FICTION LOW (Graphic Novel)

Max and a group of friends dubbed the Midknights go on a quest to rescue the Kingdom of Byjovia from the mean King Gastley!

Author: Lincoln Peirce

Call Number: J FICTION PEI (Graphic Novel)

Kerry gets lost on his way home and has to navigate through a fantastical forest to find his way out, only most the creatures in the forest are not there to help him

Author: Andi Watson

Call Number: J FICTION WAT (Graphic Novel)

What will my life be like? Will I be happy? Will I ever be able to reach the stars? There are no answers to these questions, but in this eloquent picture book Britta Teckentrup lets children know that they are not alone in asking them and gives parents an opportunity to start a conversation with their children about the questions that come up in their lives. A young girl stands on a chair to see what it's like to be tall. A boy stares towards the sky and wonders if birds enjoy flying. Friends argue, lovers embrace, the distant sun warms the earth, and people grow old. Using soft hues, bold outlines, and unusual textures, Teckentrup's illustrations help evoke the feelings surrounding each question. As they flip through the pages children and their parents will find endless opportunities to think about life's big questions and to have conversations that will be remembered for years.

Author: Britta Teckentrup

Call Number: J100 TEC

One of today's most inspiring world leaders was once an ordinary child named Lhamo Thondup. In a small village in Tibet, his mother was his first great teacher of compassion. In everyday moments from his childhood, young readers begin to see that important lessons are all around us, and that they, too, can grow to truly understand them.

Author: Dalai Lama

Call Number: J294.3567 BST

A picture book that introduces the concept of gender identity to the youngest reader from writer Theresa Thorn and illustrator Noah Grigni. Some people are boys. Some people are girls. Some people are both, neither, or somewhere in between. This sweet, straightforward exploration of gender identity will give children a fuller understanding of themselves and others. With child-friendly language and vibrant art, It Feels Good to Be Yourself provides young readers and parents alike with the vocabulary to discuss this important topic with sensitivity.

Author: Theresa Thorn

Call Number: J305.3 THO

How old is the earth? Where is the ice three miles thick? Why are volcanoes so dangerous? Where are the wettest and driest spots on the planet? Find the answers to these questions--and many more--in Earth by the numbers.

Author: Steve Jenkins

Call Number: J550 JEN

Examines what is known about the human body today, and how different the facts are from what scientists, from ancient Egyptians to the recent past, believed to be true.

Author: Kathleen V. Kudlinkski

Call Number: J610.9 KUD

A biography of Philip Freelon, whose rich family history and deep understanding of Black culture brought him to the role of lead architect for the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Author: Kelly Starling Lyons

Call Number: J BIO FREELON

A picture book biography about Georgia Gilmore, the woman whose cooking helped feed and fund the Montgomery bus boycott of 1956.

Author: Mara Rockliff

Call Number: J BIO GILMORE

The latest by prolific children's book author Jan Wahl, Hedy and her Amazing Invention teaches kids about the pioneering scientific work and inspiring courage of Hedy Lamarr, the famous Hollywood actress who fought against old-fashioned parents, a domineering husband, prejudice, and stereotypes to become an accomplished inventor whose work helped pave the way for many of the communications technologies we enjoy today.

Author: Jan Wahl

Call Number: J BIO LAMARR