Beat the boredom and get in some precious reading time this summer with new kids titles, which are available for you to check out through Highland To-Go, our curbside pickup service. Visit highland.sparkpa.org to see more new items on the carousel!

Picture Books & Board Books

Pup and Down!
by Sophie Beer

Two pups hit the town and create a special kind of puppy mayhem as they embark upon an adventure in opposites. Pup and Down is a roller-coaster ride that will have kids squealing with laughter from beginning to end.

No More Naps!: A Story For When You’re Wide-Awake and Definitely Not Tired
by Chris Grabenstein, pictures by Leo Espinosa

The author of the Mr. Lemoncello books brings his wit and humor to a pint-sized audience in this picture book debut that turns the universal dilemma of getting kids to sleep on its head. It’s time for a nap but, just like stubborn toddlers everywhere, Annalise Devin McFleece won’t have anything to do with bedtime. Dad tries to encourage sleepiness by pushing her around the park in her stroller. Along the way, they pass a man sitting on a bench, dog walkers walking dogs, a boy on a skateboard, kids playing ball, a girl practicing her juggling, and others. Each of them thinks that taking a nap is a great idea and if Annalise Devin McFleece doesn’t want hers, they’ll happily take it. And one by one, everyone falls asleep…except Annalise Devin McFleece. But when she’s finally ready for her nap, all the naps are taken! Is there anyone who has an extra nap to spare? With every turn of the page, the busy city scene becomes more and more quiet…except for Annalise Devin McFleece. Will she ever take a nap?

Don’t Feed the Coos!
by Jonathan Stutzman, illustrated by Heather Fox

Don’t Feed the Coos is a delightful cautionary tale that details the fallout when a little girl decides to share some bread with a coo (aka pigeon). From the park to home to the arcade to karate practice, the coos follow the generous-but-foolish girl who didn’t heed the warning. Because when you give a coo a crumb…the entire population of coos will come! But fret not: our spunky little heroine will discover that even the biggest of problems can be solved with a little determination.

Chapter Books

Here In the Real World
by Sara Pennypacker

Ware can’t wait to spend summer “off in his own world”—dreaming of knights in the Middle Ages and generally being left alone. But then his parents sign him up for dreaded Rec camp, where he must endure Meaningful Social Interaction and whatever activities so-called “normal” kids do. On his first day Ware meets Jolene, a tough, secretive girl planting a garden in the rubble of an abandoned church next to the camp. Soon he starts skipping Rec, creating a castle-like space of his own in the church lot. Jolene scoffs, calling him a dreamer—he doesn’t live in the “real world” like she does. As different as Ware and Jolene are, though, they have one thing in common: for them, the lot is a refuge. But when their sanctuary is threatened, Ware looks to the knights’ Code of Chivalry: Thou shalt do battle against unfairness wherever faced with it. Thou shalt be always the champion of the Right and Good—and vows to save the lot. But what does a hero look like in real life? And what can two misfit kids do?

Clean Getaway
by Nic Stone

For the life of him, William “Scoob” Lamar can’t seem to stay out of trouble–and now the run-ins at school have led to lockdown at home. So when G’ma, Scoob’s favorite person on Earth, asks him to go on an impromptu road trip, he’s in the RV faster than he can say FREEDOM. With G’ma’s old maps and a strange pamphlet called the ‘Travelers’ Green Book’ at their side, the pair takes off on a journey down G’ma’s memory lane. But adventure quickly turns to uncertainty: G’ma keeps changing the license plate, dodging Scoob’s questions, and refusing to check Dad’s voice mails. And the farther they go, the more Scoob realizes that the world hasn’t always been a welcoming place for kids like him, and things aren’t always what they seem–G’ma included.

We’re Not From Here
by Geoff Rodkey

The first time I heard about Planet Choom, we’d been on Mars for almost a year. But life on the Mars station was grim, and since Earth was no longer an option (we may have blown it up), it was time to find a new home. That’s how we ended up on Choom with the Zhuri. They’re very smart. They also look like giant mosquitoes. But that’s not why it’s so hard to live here. There’s a lot that the Zhuri don’t like: singing (just ask my sister, Ila), comedy (one joke got me sent to the principal’s office), or any kind of emotion. The biggest problem, though? The Zhuri don’t like us. And if humankind is going to survive, it’s up to my family to change their minds. No pressure.

Non-Fiction

The Boy Who Became A Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story
by Jim DiBartolo

Bruce Lee was born on November 27, 1940 – in both the hour and the year of the dragon. Almost immediately, he was plunged into conflict: as a child in Hong Kong as it was invaded and occupied by the Japanese; as the object of discrimination and bullying; and as a teenager grappling against the influence of gangs. As the world knows, Lee found his salvation and calling through kung fu – first as a student, then as a teacher, and finally as a global star. The Boy Who Became a Dragon tells his story in brilliant comic form.

Who Did It First?: 50 Politicians, Activists, and Entrepreneurs Who Revolutionized the World
by Jay Leslie, edited by Alex Hart, illustrated by Nneka Myers

You likely know that Barack Obama was the first African American president of the United States. And you maybe you know that Sandra Day O’Connor was the first woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. But you might not know that Nelson Mandela was the first black president of South Africa. Or that Schuyler Bailar is the first openly transgender NCAA Division 1 swimmer. Who Did It First? 50 Politicians, Activists, and Entrepreneurs Who Revolutionized the World brings together all of these trailblazers into one stunning package. With both well-known figures and lesser-known heroes, this book is a celebration of the inspiring innovators who braved uncharted waters to pave the path for future generations.

All descriptions above provided by the publishers.