Editorial Gold

Monterey Bay Parent

Design Gold
 Read The Current Issue
MenuClose
Monterey Bay Parent » Book List » Page 2

Book List: Back to School Reads

By |

Heading back to school can be nerve-wracking, especially if you’re moving to a new school or hitting a milestone grade. Don’t worry—we have plenty of books to prepare your student for a new chapter!

If You Take a Mouse To School by Laura Numeroff

Laura Numeroff’s well-known If You Give a Mouse a Cookie series branches into the schoolyard with If You Take a Mouse To School. This classic children’s book is the perfect read-aloud choice for elementary school kids!

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes

Chrysanthemum has always loved her name, but when the other kids make fun of it on her first day of school, she’s not sure how to handle it. With the help of her music teacher, she learns to love herself and her name in the face of adversity. Chrysanthemum is another picture book classic!

Frindle by Andrew Clements

Andrew Clements writes great books for readers in-between chapter books and young readers. Frindle, one of his most popular titles, follows Nicholas Allen, a kid who always has great ideas. When Nick learns about how words are invented , he has another great idea: he’ll invent his own word. Before it’s too late, frindle—Nick’s new word for ‘pen’—has taken over the entire school.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

This Young Readers title has gained intense popularity over the last few years, especially following the release of the movie in 2017. Palacio’s Wonder follows August Pullman—Auggie—as he learns to navigate middle school with a facial deformity that draws lots of attention.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Stargirl is different from anyone else Leo has ever met, and she seems unashamed to be so—but the pressures of high school start to creep in, Leo and Stargirl both have to decide what is most important to them. Fitting in with the crowd? Or being who you are? A coming-of-age story perfect for anyone twelve and up, Stargirl is a novel about learning how to be comfortable in your own skin.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Told through a series of letters from the main character, Charlie, to an unspecified friend, The Perks of Being a Wallflower chronicles what it’s like to experience high school and all of the joy, confusion, and devastation that comes with growing up. This story is beautiful and powerful, but its themes are on the more mature side, so read with caution.

Kate Higginbotham is a writer, reader, and editor from North Alabama. After self-publishing several YA novels, spending time abroad, and graduating from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, Kate moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she spends her time elbow-deep in literature of all kinds. She currently writes the “Book List” column alongside freelance editing and other publishing ventures.

The Book List: Bold Women in Books to Celebrate Women’s History Month

By |

This month’s recommendations feature bold women (both real and fictional) whose stories will inspire and empower growing girls to reach for the stars.

Firebird by Misty Copeland

Penned by legendary ballerina Misty Copeland, Firebird is a story about how hard work, determination, and perseverance can make you into anything you want to be—even a firebird.

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

This picture book recounts the hidden history of NASA and the four incredible African-American women who launched America into space. Alongside beautiful illustrations, this book contains extra historical information and a glossary for further learning.

Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo

Imagine a jam-packed anthology containing 100 true stories about 100 incredible women and illustrated by over 60 female artists around the world. That’s this book. Featuring past and present world-changers, Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls is proof that women can be world-changers, too.

I Am Malala (Young Readers Edition) by Malala Yousafzai

When the Taliban took over Malala’s once peaceful region in Pakistan, they insisted that educating women was a crime. Women weren’t allowed to go to the market, let alone a school. Malala continued to fight for her right to education, and for her defiance, she was shot point-blank by the Taliban on her way home from school. Against all odds, Malala survived and dedicated her life to fighting for what she believes in. This is her story.

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

Zoe Washington is a bright young girl with a talent for writing and an appetite for justice—and when her absent father is convicted of a crime he says he didn’t commit, she’s determined to uncover the truth. Amid investigations and a baking internship that could help her accomplish her dreams, Zoe learns how to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and chase after what she thinks is right.

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

Beverly Clearly’s Ramona Quimby, Age 8 is a Newberry Honor Book and Young Readers classic. To read Ramona is to grow up with her, learning to be brave, to be kind, and to take on responsibility.

Matilda by Roald Dahl

At five years old, Matilda is neglected by her family and bullied by Miss Trunchbull, the headmistress at her school—but Matilda knows she is special in more ways than one, and she’s willing to do what it takes to protect her classmates and her beloved teacher, Miss Honey. Roald Dahl’s 1988 classic is a tried-and-true story of being brave in the face of adversity and standing up against bullies.

Kate Higginbotham is a writer, reader, and editor from North Alabama. After self-publishing several YA novels, spending a considerable amount of time abroad, and graduating from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, Kate moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where she spends her time elbow-deep in literature of all kinds. She currently writes the “Book List” column alongside freelance editing and other publishing ventures.

The Book List: Our Favorite Books to Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr

By |

A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation

by Barry Wittenstein

Much has been written about Martin Luther King, Jr. and the 1963 March on Washington. But there’s little on his legendary speech and how he came to write it.  Martin Luther King, Jr. was once asked if the hardest part of preaching was knowing where to begin. No, he said. The hardest part is knowing where to end. “It’s terrible to be circling up there without a place to land.” Finding this place to land was what Martin Luther King, Jr. struggled with, alongside advisors and fellow speechwriters, in the Willard Hotel the night before the March on Washington, where he gave his historic “I Have a Dream” speech.

I am Martin Luther King, Jr. (Ordinary People Change the World) by Brad Meltzer

As a child, Martin Luther King, Jr. was shocked by the terrible and unfair way African American people were treated. When he grew up, he decided to do something about it—peacefully, with powerful words. Included is a timeline of key events, photos, comic-book-style illustrations, and childhood moments that influenced Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. (Little People, BIG DREAMS, 33) by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

Little Martin grew up in a family of preachers: his dad was a preacher, his uncle was a preacher, his grandfather was a preacher…so maybe he’d become a great preacher too. One day, a friend invited him to play at his house. Martin was shocked when his mother wouldn’t let him in because he was black. That day he realized there was something terribly unfair going on. Martin believed that no one should remain silent and accept something if it’s wrong. And he promised himself that—when he grew up—he’d fight injustice with the most powerful weapon of all: words. This moving book features stylish illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with photos and a profile of the activist’s life.

Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport

This biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. brings his life and the profound nature of his message to young children through his own words. The author uses quotes from some of MLK’s most beloved speeches to tell the story of his life and his work in a direct way.

My Little Golden Book About Martin Luther King Jr. by Bonnie Bader

This Little Golden Book for preschoolers captures the essence of Martin Luther King, Jr. for the littlest readers. They’ll learn how his childhood in segregated Atlanta—and in his father’s church—shaped the future civil rights leader. And they’ll gain a clear understanding of the way he became an eloquent, powerful voice for African Americans.

Parenting OC