Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate

 

This is a special book and a must read in my opinion! This is the book that I hope wins the Newbery Gold Medal for 2026!

Born during WWI, Pocket Bear was designed to fit into the pocket of a soldier's jacket, eyes sewn a bit higher than normal so that he always looked upward. That way his soldier could always see his good luck charm from home. Now, over a century later, Pocket serves as unofficial leader of Second Chances Home for the Tossed and Treasured, where stuffed toy animals are refurbished and given a fresh opportunity to be loved. Zephyrina is a cat and a thief and Pocket's best friend. This is an unforgettable tale of bravery, loyalty and kindness, Pocket Bear reminds us all that love comes in many forms (sometimes filled with fluff), and that second chances are always possible. 

~this was taken, in part, from the inside cover of the book

The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

 The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

The letter waits in a box, in an attic, in an old house in Lambert, South Carolina. It's waiting for Candice Miller. The letter talks about an injustice that happened decades ago, a mystery and the fortune that awaits the person who solves the puzzle! 

Off the Map by Meika Hashimoto

 

Amos and Marlo were best friends. Then something awful happened between them, but Marlo doesn't know what that was. They've not spoken to each other in months. Then Amos shows up on the special adventure that was supposed to be a trip with just her mom. Marlo decides to keep her distance from Amos as much as possible and just survive the week. It's a fine plan, except once they're stuck in a canoe together , the start arguing so much that they don't realize they've taken a wrong turn. They're LOST! Surviving this trip is going to be much harder than Marlo ever could have expected!

Bad Badger by Maryrose Wood

 Bad Badger by Maryrose Wood

Septimus is not good at being a badger. At least, that's what he thinks. There are times when badger wonders if he's even a badger at all. When a gull of a few words lands on his windowsill, Septimus hopes they can be friends. Will the gull be his friend? 

Will's Race For Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes

 

COMING SOON to Angling Road's Library!!!

It's 1889 , barely 25 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, and a young black family is tired of working as share-croppers on land they don't get to own. Will and his father set out on a journey from Texas to Oklahoma, racing 1000s of others to the place where land is free - if they can get there fast enough. 

Ms. Arnold ~ This book started out slow for me, but then got SO good that I couldn't put it down! It became very fast paced and exciting!

Big Tree by Brian Selznick

 Big Tree by Brian Selznick

Don't let the thickness of this book scare  you - it's a novel in pictures and words so many pages are all pictures!!! "Hello, stars. I thought I heard you calling me." A mysterious voice has been speaking to Louise in her dreams. She and her brother Merwin are Sycamore seeds, who hope one day to set down roots and become big trees. 

This is a fantastic novel told in words and pictures. The two main characters are seeds, which makes this book very unique! A must read! Ms. Arnold

The Turtle of Michigan by Naomi Shihab Nye

 The Turtle of Michigan by Naomi Shihab Nye

Here are some things Aref discovers about his new home in the United States: they have pizza, the dog next door can hum, snow is softer than a pillow, his mother likes barbeque, there are no palm trees at all, the yogurt isn't as good, school is fun, the turtles of Michigan!