Sam & Dave dig a hole by Mac Barnett 

Sam and Dave are on a mission. A mission to find something spectacular. So they dig a hole. And they keep digging. And they find . . . nothing. Yet the day turns out to be pretty spectacular after all. Attentive readers will be rewarded with a rare treasure in this witty story of looking for the extraordinary — and finding it in a manner you’d never expect. Request this book.

The buddy bench by Patty Brozo

A school playground can be a solitary place for a kid without playmates; in one survey, 80 percent of 8- to 10-year-old respondents described being lonely at some point during a school day.  Patty Brozo’s cast of kids brings a playground to raucous life, and Mike Deas’s illustrations invest their games with imaginary planes to fly, dragons to tame, and elephants to ride.  Request this book.

Rita & Ralph’s rotten day by Carmen Agra Deedy

Rita and Ralph live on neighboring hills and they are best friends, until a silly accident while goofing around ends up with both of them angry and unhappy–and they both need to find a way to heal the break in their relationship. Request this book.

A day so gray by Marie Lamba

Once you start to notice, colors and reasons for gratitude are everywhere, and that changes everything! Celebrate the hues and comforts of a cozy winter day as a discontented girl at first notices only dull grays and browns in a snowy landscape but is coaxed by her friend to look more closely. Soon she finds orange berries, blue water, purple shadows, and more. Warm friendship and a fresh way of seeing things transform a snow-covered landscape from bleak to beautiful! Request this book.

Julián at the wedding by Jessica Love

Julián and his abuela are going to a wedding. Better yet, Julián is in the wedding. Weddings have flowers and kissing and dancing and cake. And this wedding also has a new friend named Marisol. It’s not long before Julián and Marisol set off for some magic and mischief of their own, and when things take an unexpected turn, the pair learns that everything is easier with a good friend by your side. Request this book.

Evelyn Del Rey is moving away by Meg Medina

Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela’s best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other: Daniela with her mami and hamster, and Evelyn with her mami, papi, and cat. But not after today–not after Evelyn moves away. Until then, the girls play amid the moving boxes until it’s time to say goodbye, making promises to keep in touch, because they know that their friendship will always be special. Request this book.

The day Saida arrived by Susana Gómez Redondo

Two girls forge a forever-friendship by learning each other’s language. The Day Saida Arrived demonstrates the power of language to build bonds beyond borders. Request this book.

Bilal cooks daal by Aisha Saeed

Six-year-old Bilal is excited to help his dad make his favorite food of all-time: daal! The slow-cooked lentil dish from South Asia requires lots of ingredients and a whole lot of waiting. Bilal wants to introduce his friends to daal. They’ve never tried it! As the day goes on, the daal continues to simmer, and more kids join Bilal and his family, waiting to try the tasty dish. And as time passes, Bilal begins to wonder: Will his friends like it as much as he does? Request this book.

Lions & liars by Kate Beasley

Fifth-grader Frederick is sent to a disciplinary camp where he and his terrifying troop mates have just started forging a friendship when they learn a Category 5 hurricane is headed their way. Request this book.

The sky at our feet by Nadia Hashimi

Jason has just learned that his Afghan mother has been living illegally in the United States since his father was killed in Afghanistan. Although Jason was born in the US, it’s hard to feel American now when he’s terrified that his mother will be discovered — and that they will be separated. Request this book.

You go first by Erin Entrada Kelly

Charlotte, twelve, and Ben, eleven, are highly-skilled competitors at online Scrabble and that connection helps both as they face family issues and the turmoil of middle school. Request this book.

Strange birds : a field guide to ruffling feathers by Celia C. Pérez

After Ofelia, Aster, Cat, and Lane fail to persuade a local girls club to change an outdated tradition, they form an alternative group that shakes up their sleepy Florida town. Request this book.

Liar & spy by Rebecca Stead

Seventh-grader Georges adjusts to moving from a house to an apartment, his father’s efforts to start a new business, his mother’s extra shifts as a nurse, being picked on at school, and Safer, a boy who wants his help spying on another resident of their building. Request this book.

Click’d by Tamara Ireland Stone

After spending the summer at coding camp, Allie Navarro is excited to share the app she built with her friends, until it starts to cause problems between them. Request this book.

Save me a seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan

Ravi has just moved to the United States from India and has always been at the top of his class; Joe has lived in the same town his whole life and has learning problems–but when their lives intersect in the first week of fifth grade they are brought together by a common enemy (the biggest bully in their class) and the need to take control of their lives. Request this book.

Harbor me by Jacqueline Woodson

When six students are chosen to participate in a weekly talk with no adults allowed, they discover that when they’re together, it’s safe to share the hopes and fears they have to hide from the rest of the world. Request this book.

Be prepared by Vera Brosgol 

A misfit girl and her brother attend summer camp, where they struggle with primitive plumbing, snobby tentmates, and boys-versus-girls competitions. Request this book.

New kid by Jerry Craft

After his parents send him to a prestigious private school known for its academics, Jordan Banks finds himself torn between two worlds. Request this book.

A hole new world by Pat + Jen from PopularMMOs

An accidental trip into the underworld sends Pat and Jen on an adventure, but their attempts to flee puts them face-to-face with the most evil villain of all, Evil Jen. Request this book.

Click by Kayla Miller

When a school variety show leaves Olive stranded without an act to join, she wonders why all of her friends have already formed their own groups without her. Request this book.

The cardboard kingdom by Chad Sell

Follows the adventures of a group of neighborhood children who create costumes from cardboard and use their imagination in adventures with knights, robots, and monsters. Request this book.

The big break by Mark Tatulli

Russ’s friendship with Andrew disintegrates when Russ gets a girlfriend, leaving the video they are making without an ending, but a close encounter with the legendary Jersey Devil brings them back together. Request this book.

How to spot a sasquatch by J. Torres

Out on a camping trip with the Junior Rangers, Jay feels like the odd one out. He’s determined to get a photo of Bigfoot–but none of his friends believe Bigfoot exists. Meanwhile, Sass the Sasquatch and her curious forest friends are playing practical jokes on the campers. Request this book.

Alien Nate by Dave Whamond

Nate’s on a mission to Earth from the planet Vega. His goal: eat pizza! Luckily, soon after he crash-lands on Earth he meets Fazel, who helps him create a disguise, learn the ways of Earthlings and, most importantly, stuff himself with pizza! Request this book.