Special Collections
California Department of Education Recommended Literature List 2023
Description: The California Department of Education (CDE) coordinates the development of Recommended Literature List with the assistance of teachers, teacher librarians employed by schools and public libraries, administrators, curriculum planners, and parents.#CDE
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A Seed Grows
by Antoinette PortisThe transformative life cycle of a sunflower plays out in this bold read-aloud by Sibert honoree Antoinette Portis.
To understand how a seed becomes a sunflower, you have to peek beneath the soil and wait patiently as winding roots grow, a stalk inches out of the earth, and new seeds emerge among blooming petals.
"A seed falls, And settles into the ground, And the Sun shines, And the rain comes down, And the seed grows…" Leading up to a striking fold-out spread of a full-grown sunflower, the lively, bold illustrations in A Seed Grows offer a close-up view of each step of the growth cycle. Additional material in the back of the book explains the science of plant life cycles, and goes into more detail on the ways in which flowers and seeds depend on other creatures.
Advisory: Bookshare has learned that this book offers only partial accessibility. We have kept it in the collection because it is useful for some of our members. Benetech is actively working on projects to improve accessibility issues such as these.
A Grandma's Magic
by Charlotte OffsayA picture book celebrating grandmas and all that makes them "magic", ideal for fans of How to Babysit a Grandma."When a child is born, a grandma is born too. Grandmas aren't like regular grown-ups. Grandmas are filled with magic."In this charming picture book tribute to grandmas, a grandma's magic bursts through the door as soon as she comes to visit and can be seen in every wonderful thing she does: playing, exploring, baking, gardening, and in all the many ways a grandma and grandchild connect.Filled with adorable scenes featuring a diversity of grandmas and their grandkids, this is a book that will families can enjoy together. Grandmas will love snuggling with their grandchildren as they share their love and "magic" through cuddles, kisses, and many repeat readings.
Srta. Quinces (Miss Quinces)
by Kat FajardoRising star Kat Fajardo's debut middle-grade graphic novel about a girl who would rather do anything other than celebrate her quinceañera! A funny and heartfelt coming-of-age story about navigating the expectations of family and cultural tradition.Sue solo quiere pasar el verano leyendo y haciendo cómics en el campamento con sus amigos, pero en lugar de eso se embarca con sus padres y sus dos hermanas en un viaje a Honduras a visitar a la familia, que vive en medio del campo, ¡así que no podrá mandar mensajes y no tendrá cable ni internet! Las cosas empeoran cuando la mamá de Sue anuncia que le harán una quinceañera sorpresa a la chica, aunque esto es lo último que ella desearía. ¡No se imagina vistiendo un vestido enorme, abultado y colorido! ¿Qué podrá hacer? ¿Cómo sobrevivirá todo este tiempo "en familia" con sus revoltosos familiares?Sue just wants to spend the summer reading and making comics at sleepaway camp with her friends, but instead she gets stuck going to Honduras to visit relatives with her parents and two sisters. They live way out in the country, which means no texting, no cable, and no Internet! The trip takes a turn for the worse when Sue's mother announces that they'll be having a surprise quinceañera for Sue, which is the last thing she wants. She can't imagine wearing a big, floofy, colorful dress! What is Sue going to do? And how will she survive all this "quality" time with her rambunctious family?