Just Like Home: Love Rolls In By: Erin Soderberg Downing

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Recommendation: Grade 3+

Ruby and Henry are twins whose family has a unique collection of pets.  Their mom is a veterinarian and often brings home animals needing a home, so it's no surprise to them when mom returns with a puppy.  The twins name the tiny dog, Arlo, and quickly fall in love with him.  Unfortunately, Arlo has suffered an injury and cannot use his back legs.  The twins are up for the challenge of making Arlo happy in their home, even if it is temporary, and come up with ways to help the puppy feel welcome.  This is a story that includes family, friendship, and pets.  It would be sure to please animal lovers.

The Secret Rescuers - The Storm Dragon By: Paula Harrison

Genre: Fantasy
Age Recommendation: Grade 2+

"The Storm Dragon" is the first book in The Secret Rescuers series.  In this story, the reader is introduced to Sophy, a young girl who works as a maid at the castle in the Kingdom of Arramia.  Sophy longs for adventure and is curious about the world.  When she finds a bag of stones in the items that are being removed from the castle, she gets the excitement she is after.  These stones are no ordinary stones, and they allow Sophy to help a young dragon who finds himself on the castle grounds. This is a fun story that would certainly appeal to many young audiences.  As an independent read, it's probably best suited to grade 2+, but could make a fun read aloud for grade 1s.

Every Little Bit Olive Tran By: Phuong Truong

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Recommendation: Grade 3-5

"Every Little Bit Olive Tran" is a Silver Birch Express 2026 nominee.  This is the story of Olive who is thrilled to be turning ten.  Turning ten means more independence, like walking to school on her own.  Olive is planning a big birthday party with her whole class invited.  But when Olive finds out that Mrs. Ly was pushed onto the street and that other Asian people have been the victims of cruelty, her happy world begins to change.  This book was not what I was expecting from a Silver Birch Express nominee.  The book deals with racism in a way that is easy for younger students to understand.  This book could be used to promote serious discussions.  It is a story of friendship and helping others out.  I recommend this to fans of realistic fiction or as a read aloud to stimulate discussions about racism.

Ghost Girl By: Brooke Carter

Genre: Fiction - Ghost Story
Age Recommendation: Grades 3-5

"Ghost Girl" is a Silver Birch Express 2025 nominee.  This is the story of Sly's first visit to their grandma Madsen's house.  Grandma lives in a big, old house known as Madness Mansion.  Grandma herself is a fortune teller and believes in all things mysterious and supernatural.  Shortly after arriving, Sly hears someone calling their name.  Sly investigates and ends up in a race against time trying to free a ghost girl and grandma Madsen from an enchanted mirror. This is an entertaining, quick read with just a bit of mystery and supernatural.  I recommend this book to fans of Goosebumps or Haunted Canada.  It's a great Halloween read!

Sarah Ponakey, Storycatcher and the Ahasiw's Forest Powwow

Genre: Realistic Fantasy Fiction

Age Recommendation: Grades 3-4

This is the first book in the Sarah Ponakey series.  Sarah and her mom have moved to the city and Sarah is missing her Kohkom (grandmother) and her best friend, Eden.  Sarah also misses being surrounded by nature and learning more about her Cree culture and traditions from her Kohkom.  Sarah is not feeling comfortable yet at her new school and after a particularly difficult day, Sarah comes home and takes a nap.  Sarah wakes up in a magical world where her crow stuffie is talking and walking along with other animals who introduce Sarah to the powwow tradition.  This book is a Silver Birch Express 2025 nominee and introduces the reader to some Cree words and traditions.  This would be a fun and easy read for students in grades 3-4 or strong grade 2 readers.

The Nguyen Kids - The Mystery of the Painted Fan By: Linda Trinh

Genre: Realistic/Fantasy Fiction
Age Recommendation: Grade 2-4

This is the third book in The Nguyen Kids series and is a Silver Birch Express 2024 nominee.  The main character is the youngest Nguyen sibling, Jacob.  Jacob likes to play hockey and is excited about trying things that make him feel happy, like dancing in the Lunar New Year performance.  When Jacob feels confused and frustrated about the way people react to some of the things he wants to try, he notices that the special painted fan is grandma gave him is doing mysterious things.  Will the painted fan be able to help Jacob figure out what's right for him?  Read the book to find out!

Keena Ford and the Second-Grade Mix-Up By: Melissa Thomson

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Recommendation:  Grade 1-3

Keena and her best friend Eric are set to begin grade 2.  Keena is excited because she and Eric are going to be in the same class.  They are even building a homework hut out of a big box so they can do their homework together. Unfortunately, just before school begins a letter arrives telling Keena that the school is creating a boys' and girls' class, so she and Eric will be separated.  When school starts, Keena is very happy with her wonderful new teacher.  This doesn't stop Keena from finding ways to get into mischief.  This is a fun read that children in grade 1 and 2 would especially enjoy.

Bear in the Family By: Eric Walters

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Recommendation: Grade 2-4

"Bear in the Family" is a Silver Birch Express 2023 nominee.  This is the story of a family returning to their home after being evacuated because of a forest fire.  Fortunately, their home, which was designed with forest fires in mind, remains.  When checking on a neighbour's home, they find a lone bear cub.  The family brings the cub home and contacts animal rescue.  With the forest fire creating a number of displaced animals, the family agrees to care for the cub for a couple of weeks.  The students who read this book enjoyed the story and the book won the Silver Birch Express award.  I personally, can see the appeal of this story, but do not entirely agree with the way the story was written. The family allowed a bear cub with sharp claws and teeth to roam around their home.  The author does have a note at the back explaining that wild animals are not to be approached, but I feel like the story could have handled this in a more realistic way. 

Alina In A PInch By: Shenaaz Nanji

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Recommendation:  Grade 3-5

"Alina In A Pinch" is a Silver Birch Express 2023 nominee.  Alina just started at a new school and is having a hard time finding a way to fit in.  When her parents need to leave unexpectedly to help a sick relative, Alina's grandmother, Nani, comes to take care of her.  Alina loves Nani and the delicious Indian food she prepares, in fact, Alina is a bit of a chef herself.  As much as Alina loves Nani's cooking, she is embarrassed about eating Indian food at school, especially since someone left her a nasty note about her lunches.  Will Alina find friendship at her new school?  Will she find out who left the nasty note?  Read the book to find out.  It's sure to leave you feeling hungry!

Crimson Twill: Witch In The City By: Kallie George

Genre:  Fantasy

Age Recommendation: Grade 2-4

This delightful Silver Birch Express 2023 nominee tells the story of Crimson Twill's first trip to the big department store in New Wart City.  Crimson is a country witch who has a unique style and she is very excited about visiting Broomingdale's and spending the money she has earned.  As she explores some of the interesting floors of Broomingdale's she finds things, but doesn't actually spend any of her money.  This is a sweet story about being true to yourself.  I can't wait to read another Crimson Twill story.

Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business By: Lyla Lee

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Recommendation: Grade 2-4

Mindy Kim is seven and a half years old and she and her dad have just moved from California to Florida.  As to be expected, Mindy is anxious about starting at a new school and her first day doesn't help to alleviate her worries.  Mindy decides that on the second day she will take a chance and ask Sally if she can eat lunch with her.  Sally says yes and curiosity abounds at the lunch table over Mindy's seaweed snacks.  Even though Mindy doesn't have any seaweed snacks left for herself after sharing with her new friends, this is much better than the previous day when the people at her table made fun of her lunch.  With some encouragement from Sally, Mindy creates a seaweed snack business.  Is Mindy's new popularity too good to be true?  Read this first book in the Mindy Kim series to find out!  Mindy is a relatable and fun character who really wants a puppy.  This book is a fun way to learn more about Korean culture.

Sadiq and the Fun Run By: Siman Nuurali

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Age Recommendation:  Grade 1-3

Sadiq and his family live in Minnesota.  His parents are from Somalia and the family is Muslim.  In this book, Sadiq is eager to join the football team with his friends, but his parents think he is too young for football so he joins the running club instead.  Sadiq is disappointed about this and it does impact his friendships, but he makes the best of the situation and things work out in the end.  This is a nice story that includes information about Somalian culture and language.  It is one of a series.  This series would be great for students who have some experience with chapter books but still enjoy illustrated novels. 

Mia Mayhem Is A Superhero! By: Kara West

Genre: Fantasy
Age Recommendation:  Grade 1-3

Mia thinks she's a regular girl who just happens to be a bit clumsy until the day she receives a letter from a superhero school.  She can't really believe it until she shows her parents and they reveal that they are both superheroes.  In this book, Mia begins her superhero training and decides on her superhero name.  This is a nice introduction to the series.  The illustrations compliment the text well.  This series would be great for students who are venturing into the world of chapter books.

Duck Days By: Sara Leach

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Recommendation: Grade 3-6

Lauren is in the third grade and her best friend is Irma.  Irma and Lauren love spending time together and Irma recognizes all the strategies Lauren uses when her Autism Spectrum Disorder makes it hard to "go with the flow". When Irma becomes friends with her new neighbour, Jonas, Lauren worries that Irma won't be her best friend anymore.  To top things off, there is going to be a mountain biking day at school and Lauren still uses training wheels to ride her bike.  How will Lauren face these new challenges?  This Silver Birch Express 2022 nominee is a great story of friendship and overcoming obstacles.  This is the third book about Lauren and after reading this, we must get Slug Days and Penguin Days for our school library.

Genius Jolene By: Sara Cassidy

Genre:  Realistic Fiction
Age Recommendation:  Grade 2-4

"Genius Jolene" is a Silver Birch Express 2021 nominee. Jolene is 8 years old and every year she takes a trip with her dad in his 18-wheeler to deliver newsprint.  One of their favourite road trip traditions is trying and rating a type of food at every stop.  This year they are taste testing onion rings.  This year has been different for Jolene because her parents recently separated and the reader learns about some of the changes this has brought.  "Genius Jolene"  is an interesting book.  I recommend this book to students who like realistic fiction or stories about family. 

The Wild Robot By: Peter Brown

Genre:  Adventure
Age Recommendation:  Grade 3-6

When a large cargo ship carrying robots sinks during a hurricane, some crates containing robots wash ashore on a small island.  All but one of the robots is broken into pieces and when this robot gets powered up, the island's animals quickly label her as a monster.  Over time, the robot, Roz, becomes a mother to an orphaned goose and a friend to the island's animals.  When the RECO robots come to retrieve all of the robot parts, it isn't without a fight.  This is an exciting story that would make a great read-aloud.  Also check out the sequel, The Wild Robot Escapes.

Wicked Nix By: Lena Coakley

Genre:  Fantasy
Age Recommendation:  Grade 3-5

Nix is a fairy, but for some unknown reason, the Fairy Queen went to the Summer Country with the other fairies and left him alone in the forest for a whole year.  Fortunately, Nix has Mr. Green to look out for him and a special little girl named Rose to keep him company.  When a man moves into the abandoned cottage in the forest, Nix tries everything he can to get rid of the man before the Fairy Queen returns to the forest on Midsummer's Eve.  This is an interesting story with a twist ending that is sure to please those who like stories with a little bit of magic.  This book is a Silver Birch Express 2020 nominee.

 

Mega Bat By: Anna Humphrey

Genre:  Animal Fiction
Age Recommendation:  Grade 2-4

Daniel isn't thrilled about moving to a new house.  He misses his friends and doesn't like his attic bedroom with its creaks and mysterious puddle.  When Daniel discovers that the puddle was made by a tiny talking fruit bat, he finds himself on a mission to reunite the lonely little bat with his bat family.  This is a fun story and Mega Bat has a mega cute way of speaking.  If you enjoy stories about friendship, you'll like this Silver Birch Express 2020 nominee.

Dragons in a Bag By: Zetta Elliott

Genre:  Fantasy
Age Recommendation:  Grade 2-5

Jax lives with his mother and lately, things have been tough for them.  Their landlord is trying to evict them and his mother has to go to court to fight for them to be able to stay in their apartment.  This means that Jax ends up spending the day with a woman he's never met before who everyone calls Ma.  Jax ends up on an unlikely adventure to return three dragons to a magical world where they can survive.  This book is a Silver Birch Express 2020 nominee and is the first book in a series.  If you enjoy books about magic, witches, and dragons, this is the book for you.

Sarai and the Meaning of Awesome By: Sarai Gonzalez and Monica Brown

Genre:  Realistic Fiction
Age Recommendation: Grade 2-4

Sarai Gonzalez is a real person who lives in New Jersey with her family.  She is a viral video star and social activist who loves to keep busy by dancing, being with her family and always doing what she can to help out.  When Sarai finds out that her grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins will have to move from their house, Sarai gets into action selling cupcakes and lemonade to try and buy the house for them.  As hard as she tries, she is not able to raise enough money, but everything works out in the end and she learns the importance of being able to accept change.