Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System Executive Director, Gabriel Morley

Morley’s list offers something for all age groups, whether they are preschoolers, elementary school age or fall into the Young Adult readers category.

Duck on a Tractor by David Shannon. “Another adventure of Duck but this time on a tractor riding through town as the lunch goers look on in amazement. David Shannon writes another smashing read aloud for the storytime audience.”
Riding Chance by Christine Kendall. “A wonderful story of perseverance and turning personal tragedy into triumph.”
Acoustic Rooster and his Backyard Band by Kwame Alexander.  “A great introduction to music and a fun play on names of real jazz legends.”
Dog Man by Dav Pilkey. “This chapter book is the latest series from beloved children’s book author.” Pilkey is the author of the Captain Underpants books and was recently named the 2016 Milner Award Winner.
Ghosts by Reina Telgemeier. Two sisters who move to the coast of California, and find out about a ghostly secret as they explore their new home.  “This middle grade graphic novel will keep young readers engaged in Telgemeier’s vivid storytelling.”

“Reading is the most important thing you can do for yourself. No one can ever take away from you what you learn from reading books.”
– Gabriel Morley

Cobb County Library Director, Helen Poyer

Poyer chose some classics she read with her children, some books she loved as a child and one book that brought back memories of her pre-teen years.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. “To me, this story is about unconditional love and I read this to my three children many, many times and gave copies to my daughters and son.”
Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White: “As a child, I wanted to be in this book, a favorite of my childhood in Ohio. I wanted to be on that farm and be a friend of Charlotte, Wilbur and Fern.”
The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis. “I was a young teen during the turbulent time this historical fiction covers, a tween, and it was a journey for me going back in history and reflecting on the life of the book’s narrator Kenny, a 10-year-old African American learning about perseverance in a tragic time.”
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. “One of our favorites, and our kids were delighted with learning the rhymes, and we read it aloud over and over until they were repeating the words, too.”
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats: “I could relate, growing up in the Midwest, to the beauty and magic of that first snow fall.”

“Witnessing children and parents sharing books, words and discovering the wonders of the world is rewarding. … It’s about developing lifelong readers.”
– Helen Poyer

DeKalb County Library Director, Alison Weissinger

Weissinger selected these new picture books, which have appeared on many “best of” lists and have a Georgia connection – the authors or illustrators live or work in Georgia.

These three are 2016-2017 Georgia Children’s Picturebook Award Finalists:
If You Plant a Seed  by Kadir Nelson
My Pen by Christopher Myers
Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova by Laurel Snyder

The 2016 “Books All Young Georgians Should Read” list selected by the Georgia Center for the Book included these two:
More-igami by Dori Kleber
The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk by Kabir Sehgal

“As a child, I visited my hometown library once a month. My mom would let me check out whatever I wanted. … There is no better place than the public library to get access to all the best books.”
– Alison Weissinger

Gwinnett County Library Director, Charles Pace

Pace and his youth librarians chose these “history through story” books, which bring historical events to life.

Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music by Margarita Engle (grades K-3). “In this story inspired by a real musician, a young girl in 1930s Cuba dreams of playing the drums. But girls can’t be drummers, can they?”
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick (grades K-3). “This tale is the surprising true story of a WWI soldier and the bear who inspired A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh.
Gingerbread for Liberty! How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution by Mara Rockliff (grades 1-4). “This rollicking tale is of an unsung hero of the American Revolution who changed history one loaf at a time.”
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca (grades 2-5). “A beautifully illustrated book that will inspire future astronauts to dream of what lies beyond the sky.”
Bomb: The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin (grades 5 and older). “Thoroughly researched but as gripping as any spy thriller, this story details an international race between scientists, soldiers, countries and time.”

“As a child I liked adventure stories and science fiction. The idea of traveling to exotic and distant locations or exploring strange new worlds helped expand my mind and open me up to a world of possibilities.”
– Charles Pace

– Amanda Allen

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