September Picks

1. 2030: A Day in the Life of Tomorrow's Kids by Amy Zuckerman
   A talking dog, a housecleaning robot and a three-dimensional “data orb” are among the many cool features that kids might enjoy in the future. Fanciful cartoon drawings show a lively and appealing world full of new and intriguing activities that correspond neatly to modern equivalents.

2. The Whispers by Greg Howard
   Riley believes in the Whispers, small beings that grant wishes if you offer a tribute. He is bullied, and his crush, Dylan, does not seem to like him, and he also still wets the bed. But his true motivation for finally setting out and finding the Whispers is the disappearance of his mother. But he does not realize the true consequences of the things he is doing.

3. The Real McCoys by Matthew Swanson
   The world's greatest fourth-grade detective, Moxie McCoy, is on the hunt for the person who's kidnapped the school's beloved mascot... but without her best friend/crime-solving partner, who's moved away, things just don't feel right. So her interrogations now serve a double purpose: searching for clues, and interviewing for a new partner. Nobody quite seems to suit, and Moxie can't solve the case on her own. But when her quiet, tentative, boring little brother Milton proves he's an excellent listener, maybe the pair can form an unexpected alliance.

4. My Dad's a Birdman by David Almond
   My Dad’s a Birdman, originally a play, is a chapter book that is whimsically illustrated and darkly comic in a very British way.

5. Ira Sleeps Over by Bernard Waber
   When Reggie invites Ira for his first sleepover, the boy is over the moon — until his sister asks (with older sisterly malice) if he plans to bring his teddy bear.