National Network for Equitable Library Service

In this perfectly pitched novel-in-letters, autistic eleven-year-old Vivy Cohen won't let anything stop her from playing baseball—not when she has a major-league star as her pen pal. Vivy Cohen is determined. She's had enough of playing catch in the park. She's ready to pitch for a real baseball team. But Vivy's mom is worried about Vivy being the only girl on the team, and the only autistic kid. She wants Vivy to forget about pitching, but Vivy won't give up.

Two friends get highly imaginative on an urban basketball court as they try to one-up the other in a popular game that turns into a humorous and inventive celebration of athletics and creativity.

Every grandma knows that her love for her grandchildren can span great distances! So when Grandma heads out on an adventure of her own, she stays in touch with her grandchild through a series of sweet letters and memories. Grandchild follows Grandma through her notes until Grandma finally returns home—and opens up Camp Grandma for a visit full of fun, grandma snuggles, and games. This tender story from the author and illustrator team behind Grandma Loves You! proves that a grandma's love knows no bounds.

This resonant and award-winning 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 where she's from—where she's really from—none of her answers seems to be the right one. Unsure about how to reply, she turns to her loving abuelo for help. He doesn't give her the response she expects. She gets an even better one. Where am I from?

From Julie Flett, the beloved author and illustrator of Birdsong, comes a joyous new book about playtime for babies, toddlers, and kids up to age 7. Animals and kids love to play! This wonderful book celebrates playtime and the connection between children and the natural world. Beautiful illustrations show: birds who chase and chirp! bears who wiggle and wobble! whales who swim and squirt! owls who peek and peep! and a diverse group of kids who love to do the same, shouting: We play too!

A boy who loves baseball must get past his hard-working immigrant parents—and the rhino in the outfield—to become a batboy in this laugh-out-loud middle grade novel in the tradition of The Sandlot . Nick wants to change his life. For twelve years, he's done what his hard-working, immigrant parents want him to do. Now he's looking for his own American dream and he thinks he's found it. The local baseball team is having a batboy contest, and Nick wants to win. But the contest is on a Saturday—the day Nick has to work in his father's shop. There's one other tiny—well, not so tiny—problem.

Sumac Lottery is the fifth of seven kids in her (Very) large, (Extremely) unruly family. With four parents, a parrot, a dog, a rat and two cats, the sprawling Victorian house they call Camelottery is already quite full (in the best sense). But then one day, Sumac gets the news that one of their grandfathers will be coming to live with them. And not just any grandfather—a long-dormant one who fell out with his son so long ago that he hasn't been part of any of their lives. Suddenly, everything changes. Sumac has to give up her room to make the newcomer feel at home.

A story about making new friends and missing home, wherever home may be. Mónica and Hannah are school kids in the big city. Together, they have formed the Homesick Club, since they are both from far away. Mónica misses the family of hummingbirds that she and her grandmother would feed in her backyard in Bolivia every day. Hannah misses the sunshine and the tiny tortoise that lived near her house in Israel.

9-year-old Gabe (Gabriella) Murray lives and breathes hockey. She's the youngest player on her new team, she has a nifty move that her teammates call "the Gabe," and she shares a lucky number with her hero, Hayley Wickenheiser: number 22. But when her coach hands out the team jerseys, Gabe is stuck with number 9. Crushed, Gabe wants to give up hockey altogether. How can she play without her lucky number?

Separated from his family when they were forced to flee their home, a young East African boy named Deo lives alone in the Lukole refugee camp in Tanzania. With scarce resources, bullies have formed gangs to steal what they can, and one leader named Remy has begun targeting Deo. But when a coach organizes the children to play soccer, everything begins to change for Deo. And for Remy. By sharing the joy of play, "no one feels so alone anymore." Readers everywhere will be inspired to read how play can change lives.