Patch Picks: 5 Great Reads

The National Education Association is building a nation of readers through its signature program, NEA's Read Across America. This year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events and reading resources.

Northeast Cobb Patch is dedicated to participating in NEA's Read Across America Day with thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers across the country. You can, too!

We asked local librarians for their top choices in kids books. Here are the top five picks:

1. Kids ages 10 to 12 will enjoy The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo; illustrated by Yoko Tanaka. Ten-year-old Peter meets a fortune teller in the market. She tells him that his sister, who is presumed dead, is alive. He begins a series of adventures in a desperate attempt to find her.

2. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters
by Lenore Look; illustrations by LeUyen Pham is ideal for ages 6 to 9. Alvin is, well, afraid of everything. When his dad takes him camping to instill a love of nature, like that of their hometown hero Henry David Thoreau, Alvin makes a new friend and learns he can be brave.

3. This children's classic is perfect for ages 3 to 5. The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf; illustrated by Robert Lawson. Ferdinand, a big and strong bull with a peaceful and gentle nature, is stung by a bumblebee. He reacts by snorting and pawing the ground. People think he is a ferocious bull perfect for bull fighting. They soon learn they are mistaken.

4.  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is ideal for Grade 7 and up. In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed. The country is weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, and is replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing.

5. Preschool children through Grade 2 will adore We Are in a Book! by Mo Willems. Elephant and Piggie discover that someone, the reader, is looking at them in this hilarious, interactive story about the joys of reading and being read. Geisel Honor Book.

Check out the Read Across America Pledge site. Look and see if anyone you know has listed a pledge. Don't forget to add your own, whether it's a school, library, classroom or home.