Books for young explorers

Our book list this month is brought to us by the Iva Jane Peek Public library in Decatur, Arkansas. Reading is a great way to explore other worlds, and these books will help young readers explore worlds of creativity, nature, outer space, civil rights and history.

The Iva Jane Peek Library is a small library that aims to serve the community and provide as many resources as possible. One of their main goals is to help children, teens and adults learn, be a part of the community and grow through reading, play, and programs.

PRESCHOOL TO LOWER ELEMENTARY (LEVEL 1) I Have an Idea! by Hervé Tullet

One little idea—chase it, find it, lose it, and catch it! A book about creative thinking that is full of color and helps young ones learn to process and possibly put their ideas to use. Sparkling with visual wit and bubbling with imagination, I Have an Idea! Is a richly emotional exploration of the creative process.

Hike by Pete Oswald

In the cool and quiet early light of morning, a father and child wake up. Today they’re going on a hike. Follow the duo into the mountains as they witness the magic of the wilderness and overcome challenges. By the time they return home, closer than ever. A touching tribute to the bond between father ther and child.

Alistair: in Outer space by Marilyn Sadler

Alistair is always serious and sensible. Come along as he sets out to return his library books, is swept away by a spaceship, and has some difficulties sorting things out for himself.

Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Alexander

Ruth was so excited to take a trip in her family’s new car! In the early 1950s, few African Americans could afford to buy cars, so this would be an adventure. But she soon found out that Black travelers weren’t treated well in some towns and were even refused service. Finally, a friendly attendant at a gas station showed Ruth’s family The Green Book. It listed all of the places that would welcome Black travelers. With this guidebook and the kindness of strangers Ruth could finally make a safe journey from Chicago to her grandma’s house in Alabama.

Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rappaport

Martin Luther King, Jr., was one of the most influential and gifted speakers of all time. Doreen Rappaport uses quotes from some of his most beloved speeches to tell the story of his life and his work in a simple, direct way. Bryan Collier’s stunning collage art combines remarkable watercolor paintings with vibrant patterns and textures. A timeline and a list of additional books and web sites help make this a standout biography of Dr. King.

UPPER ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE SCHOOL (LEVEL 2) Space Dumpling by Craig Thompson

For Violet Marlocke, family is the most important thing in the whole galaxy. So when her father goes missing while on a hazardous job, she can’t just sit around and do nothing. To get him back, Violet throws caution to the stars and sets out with a group of misfit friends on a quest to find him. Set in a distant yet familiar future, Space Dumpling weaves themes of family, friendship, and loyalty into a grand space adventure filled with quirky aliens, awesome spaceships, and commentary on our environmentally challenged world.

The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier

Ever since the monster apocalypse hit town, average 13-year-old Jack Sullivan has been living in his tree house, which he’s armed to the teeth with catapults and a moat, not to

mention video games and an endless supply of Oreos and Mountain Dew. But Jack alone is no match for the hordes of Zombies, Winged Wretches, Vine Thingies, and especially not for the eerily intelligent monster known only as Blarg. So Jack builds a team: his dorky best friend, Quint; the reformed bully, Dirk; Jack’s pet monster, Rover; and the fiercest girl Jack knows, June. Can they defeat Blarg?

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Can a robot survive in the wilderness? When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is—but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a violent storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island’s unwelcoming animal inhabitants.

Gravity Falls Lost Legends by Alex Hirsch

The first story, Face It, is about Pacifica summoning a monster who steals Mabel’s face. The second story, Comix Up, is about Stan getting trapped in a world of comics. In Don’t Dimension It, Mabel gets pulled into a multi-verse filled with many different Mabels. And in Pines Brothers: The Jersey Devil’s in the Details, a young Stan and Ford attempt to catch a supernatural jewel thief.

Stuck in the Stone Age by Geoff Rodkey

Tom Edison (no, not that Tom Edison) is a hopeful janitor who dreams of becoming a scientist—and Dr. Morice is a shy scientist who dreams of making friends. When an accident at the lab sends them back in time to the stone age, Tom and Dr. Morice must work together to face down cavemen, saber-tooth tigers, and other prehistoric hazards, with only one problem: Tom isn’t very good at science, and Dr. Morice isn’t very good with people.

Civil Rights: Uncovering the Past by Hilarie Staton

The Civil Rights Movement was an organized protest by Black Americans against their government and the refusal to obey unjust laws during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Readers will discover how evidence from both sides of the Civil Rights struggle was used to change and create laws, and how, even today, our opinion of the Civil Rights Movement is still changing. Teacher’s guide available.

Freedom Riders by Ann Bausum

Freedom Riders compares and contrasts the childhoods of John Lewis and James Zwerg in a way that helps young readers understand the segregated experience of our nation’s past. It shows how a common interest in justice created the convergent path that enabled these young men to meet as Freedom Riders on a bus journey south. The journey they shared as freedom riders changed not only their own lives, but our nation’s history.

Iva Jane Peek Public Library 121 N. Main St. Decatur, AR 72722 479-752-7323 www.decaturarkansas.com/library