Pete the Cat Saves Christmas by James Dean is a cute book, but not particularly memorable. I loved seeing Santa and his elves as cats, but otherwise there is nothing groundbreaking. I would recommend this as a read-aloud for preschoolers through second grade.

Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses by Kimberly and James Dean drew my interest because like the authors, I am a cat lover. Pete is having a bad day until his friend Grumpy Toad gives him some cool, blue, magic sunglasses. Pete shares his glasses with different animal friends, and they all become happy. This book has a positive message despite Pete's initially disappointment at the end. Great read-aloud for preschoolers to third grade, with wonderful illustrations.

The Legend of Diamon Lil: A J.J. Tully Mystery by Doreen Cronin is a book written from the perspective of J.J. the dog, and his interaction with the environment and other animals (among them his friends Moosh, Vince, Poppy, Sugar, and Sweetie). A new dog, Lillian (Lil) moves in, and J.J. is immediately suspicious, but gets to know Diamond Lil. This book has short chapters, and is an extremely fast read. I would recommend this book to a boy or girl in third though sixth grade.

Doll Bones by Holly Black is a reviting story about three friends, Alice, Poppy, and Zach, and their discovery and connection to one special doll named Eleanor. The theme of this book is extremely chilling and dark, especially when we find out about the fate of the "Queen." Although the characters are 12, I would recommend this book for ages 13 to adult.

Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book by Tom Angleberger is an extremely quick read that would especially appeals to boy readers in fifth, sixth, and seventh grade. Unlike Battle Bunny, which I did not care for, I found Darth Paper Strikes Back an enjoyable read, even though it is written from the perspective of a seventh grade boy.

A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue by Julia Cook is a creative means of teaching young children how to decipher the difference between tattling and letting an adult know when someone is in danger. This is a book with humor, which wold keep the attention of boys who frequently need more motivation to read. The illustrations are sure to catch any reader's attention.