CCISD Letter Level Recommendations: M - P

Miryam's body doesn't fight off germs like it should. While doctors figure out how to make her better, Miryam needs to stay home for online classes. The trouble is: Miryam struggles to focus on her teacher and schoolwork when learning online. She likes in-person learning at school much better! Plus, she misses her friends! When Miryam's dad hears about the Helper Hounds, everything changes. Brisket the Helper Hound knows all about learning to focus and about staying in touch with friends, even from a distance.

A video contest is the perfect way for Camila to become a star. To enter, she must make a video that explains what her city, Los Angeles, means to her. But Los Angeles is so big--how will she decide what to talk about? As Camila works on her video, she realizes that there's one special thing that makes her city feel like home.

Meet Dino Detective and Awesome Possum- the sister-and-brother duo who are on the hunt for the next big case! Designed to engage early readers, this story combines charming characters with simple text, lively illustrations, and laugh-out-loud humor to help boost kids' confidence and create lifelong readers! Meet Dino Detective and Awesome Possum- the sister-and-brother duo who are on the hunt for the next big case! Designed to engage early readers, this story combines charming characters with simple text, lively illustrations, and laugh-out-loud humor to help boost kids' confidence and create lifelong readers! By veteran author-illustrator Tadgh Bentley comes a new series, chronicling the misadventures of a dynamic detective duo. When Awesome Possum notices yet another sock has gone missing in the wash, his suspicions are raised. He senses foul play. If they aren't in the laundry... who could be taking them? Feels like the perfect case for Dino Detective and Awesome Possum Private Eyes! With full-color illustrations on every page, this humorous story is perfect for kids just beginning to read on their own. The short chapters, early vocabulary, and amusing illustrations make reading easy and fun! Exciting, easy-to-read books are the stepping stone a young reader needs to bridge the gap between being a beginner and being fluent.

Tag and Skyla must rescue Blaze, in this action-packed fantasy adventure series!Pick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!Blaze has been captured by giant birds! Tag and Skyla set off through the Cloud Kingdom to find her, using only their magical map as a guide. They must travel through the dangerous Silver Swamp, where threats are lurking around every corner. Will they be able to rescue Blaze? And will these friends get one step closer to discovering Blaze's family of lost firehawks? This fully-illustrated series makes a great introduction to fantasy and quest stories for younger readers!

Inspired by the author's real life experiences, this rollicking, charming novel follows sixth grade Egyptian immigrant Nadia as she navigates the ups and downs of friendships, racism, and some magic, too! Nadia loves fun facts. Here are a few about her: * She collects bobbleheads -- she has 77 so far. * She moved from Egypt to America when she was six years old. * The hippo amulet she wears is ancient... as in it's literally from ancient Egypt. * She's going to win the contest to design a new exhibit at the local museum. Because how cool would that be?! (Okay, so that last one isn't a fact just yet, but Nadia has plans to make it one.) But then a new kid shows up and teases Nadia about her Egyptian heritage. It's totally unexpected, and totally throws her off her game. And something else happens that Nadia can't explain: Her amulet starts glowing! She soon discovers that the hippo is holding a hilarious -- and helpful -- secret. Can she use it to confront the new kid and win the contest? From political satirist and comedian Bassem Youssef, aka The Jon Stewart of the Arab World, and author Catherine R. Daly comes a humorous and heartfelt story about prejudice, friendship, empathy, and courage. Includes sections of black-and-white comics as well as lively black-and-white illustrations throughout.

In the first book of the Jeanie and Genie series, new student Willow Davis turns fellow second grader Jeanie Bell's life upside down with her unbelievable, magical secret! For Jeanie Bell, things at Rivertown Elementary are nice, normal, and totally average--just the way she likes it. But when a new girl, Willow Davis, joins the school, all of a sudden strange things start happening. Will Willow's big secret ruin the girls' friendship--and change life in Rivertown forever? With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Jeanie & Genie chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

The first ever graphic novel in the New York Times bestselling The Last Kids on Earth series--now with over 7 million copies in print! * A Netflix Original Series   These SIX brand-new, full-color comics feature thrilling stories from the Last Kids crew--and finally reveal the mysterious whereabouts of two villainous villains to prep readers for the 7th book in the series coming Fall 2021!   The kids and their monster buddies are hanging out in the tree house, when Jack launches into an epic, totally-heroic, super rad story of one of his many post-apocalyptic adventures. Of course, after he's finished, everyone's eager to one-up his tale with a story of their own. Soon, Quint, Dirk, June and Skaelka, and even Globlet regale the group with sometimes outrageous, often hilarious details of their action-packed escapades during the monster-zombie apocalypse.   Featuring original art by Anoosha Syed, Xavier Bonet, Lorena Alvarez, Jay Cooper, Christopher Mitten and The Last Kids on Earth series illustrator Douglas Holgate!

Eleven-year-old Peter Lee has one goal in life: to become a paleontologist. But in one summer, that all falls apart. Told in short, accessible journal entries and combining the humor of Timmy Failure with the poignant family dynamics of Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Peter Lee will win readers' hearts. Eleven year-old Peter Lee has one goal in life: to become a paleontologist. Okay, maybe two: to get his genius kid-sister, L.B., to leave him alone. But his summer falls apart when his real-life dinosaur expedition turns out to be a bust, and he watches his dreams go up in a cloud of asthma-inducing dust.      Even worse, his grandmother, Hammy, is sick, and no one will talk to Peter or L.B. about it. Perhaps his days as a scientist aren't quite behind him yet. Armed with notebooks and pens, Peter puts his observation and experimental skills to the test to see what he can do for Hammy. If only he can get his sister to be quiet for once -- he needs time to sketch out a plan.     

Discover the strange - and sometimes familiar - ways animals settle down for bed While you brush your teeth and turn out the light, animals all over the world are getting ready for bed in their own unique ways. Otters snuggle under seaweed blankets, plump walruses use their throat pouches as pillows, and just like putting on pajamas, parrotfish cover themselves with a coat of slime before bed. Drawing on scientific research, this nonfiction book for young readers playfully compares the ways humans and animals prepare for a good night's sleep. On one page, a child dozes during a car ride or cuddles up to their parents in bed. Flip the page, and readers will delight in discovering how other creatures catch some z's. Vibrant collage illustrations bring color and humor to the fascinating facts about animals both familiar and unusual. With lively descriptions of each animal's bedtime routine, Snooze-O-Ramais a playful introduction to STEM--and an invitation to sleep!

Jorge, Elena, and Amy need to find a poltergeist before it reveals itself to the world. The only catch? It's in Seattle--and it's in the 1990s. Join the gang as they travel back to the rainy "Emerald City" in 1996. There, they will chase the poltergeist, racing against the clock to lay it to rest before it lays waste to historic Pioneer Square. Readers will learn about the history, culture, and fashion of the late 1990s, and meet someone very special along the way!

Siblings Emma and Alex tumble into a secret world where magic is real and skilled illusionists can perform actual tricks--for better or worse. Perfect for fans of the Magic Misfits and the Land of Stories series. After their parents vanished, Alex and Emma are sent to live with strict Uncle Mordo. Only Emma's pet rabbit, Pimawa, keeps them company. But when flying skeletons called Rag-o-Rocs storm their once-quiet home, the kids escape just in time with Pimawa leading the way. The rabbit takes the siblings to the Conjurian, a land where magic exists and Pimawa can talk. But the Conjurian is in trouble. Magic has been disappearing, and the Shadow Conjurer, the most mysterious sorcerer of all, is on the hunt for the Eye of Dedi, an object so powerful it could destroy the Conjurian and human worlds. The battle to control all magic has begun. There's only one problem: Alex and Emma don't have any! Masterful storytelling and dozens of captivating illustrations fill author-illustrator Brian Anderson's world with charm and intrigue. Fall under the spell of the Conjurers.

Tom and his friends attend a science camp in this fourth novel in Tom Swift Inventors' Academy--perfect for fans of The Hardy Boys or Alex Rider. Every year, Swift Academy students go to a nearby summer camp to field-test their inventions. Tom and his friends have been working hard on all their projects, but they're most thrilled about Noah's new virtual reality simulation. They can't wait for it to go live, and everyone is looking forward to running tests at the camp. Nothing dulls their excitement, not even when a mysterious prankster starts messing with people's inventions. But things take a nosedive when the pranks turn into vandalism. To make matters worse, clues point to Tom's friend, Sam, as the one responsible. With Sam's reputation and student projects on the line, it's up to Tom and his friends to unmask the true vandal. And when Noah's simulation enters the arena, they quickly discover they're not the only ones meeting in virtual reality...

A 2021 Oregon Book Award Winner An NPR Best Book of 2020 A Finalist for the 2021-22 Maine Student Book Award A 2021 Mythopoeic Awards Finalist Andre Norton Award finalist Jenn Reese explores the often thin line between magic and reality, light and darkness in her enchanting middle grade standalone. "Brings to life, viscerally, what it is like to live in fear of abuse--even after the abuse itself is over. But there is magic here too, and the promise of a better future that comes with learning to let people who care about you into your world." --Alan Gratz,New York Times-bestselling author of Refugee "A captivating and touching story... both whimsical and emotionally--sometimes frighteningly--compelling." --Ingrid Law, Newbery Honor-winning author ofSavvy "Magically creative and deeply honest,A Game of Fox & Squirrelsmerges games and grimness in a fantasy tale that tells the truth." --Elana K. Arnold, Printz Honor-winning author ofDamselandA Boy Called Bat After an incident shatters their family, eleven-year old Samantha and her older sister Caitlin are sent to live in rural Oregon with an aunt they've never met. Sam wants nothing more than to go back to the way things were... before she spoke up about their father's anger. When Aunt Vicky gives Sam a mysterious card game called "A Game of Fox & Squirrels," Sam falls in love with the animal characters, especially the charming trickster fox, Ashander. Then one day Ashander shows up in Sam's room and offers her an adventure and a promise: find the Golden Acorn, and Sam can have anything she desires. But the fox is hiding rules that Sam isn't prepared for, and her new home feels more tempting than she'd ever expected. As Sam is swept up in the dangerous quest, the line between magic and reality grows thin. If she makes the wrong move, she'll lose far more than just a game. Perfect for fans of Barbara O'Connor, Lauren Wolk, and Ali Benjamin,A Game of Fox & Squirrels is a stunning, heartbreaking novel about a girl who finds the light in the darkness... and ultimately discovers the true meaning of home.