Tashi and the Giants by Anna Fienberg. Allen & unwin, 1995. 63 Pages.

Recommended by a young patron- a first grader who reads well above his grade level-- but is still a first grader--this is a good choice. It reads to me like Roald Dahl  (which is another good choice for this patron.) Unlike other series, this one appears to be sequential.

Penny and Her Doll by Kevin Henkes. Greenwillow Books, 2012, 32 pages.

Easy reader-- very early chapter book. A sweet family story very much akin to his picture books. A little girl has a decision to make about her new doll's name. Her family tries to help but she comes up with the perfect name herself. Sounds very much like several of his picture books, but this very very early chapter book is great for kids (and parents) who loved the picture books and are now just reading on their own. Of course, i loved the story.

Summer of the Mariposas by Guadalupe Garcia McCall. Tu Books, 2012. 355 pages.

How Tia Lola Learned to Teach by Julia Alvarez. Yearling Books, 2011, 135 pages

This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz. Riverhead, 2012. 224 pages.

Yunior from Drown grows up.

The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl. Puffin Books, 2009. 63 pages

Recommended to me years ago by an excited 3rd grader who loved funny books, I have been recommending it myself, but only read it now. Great book for many kids-- especially as a first chapter book-- slim and sprinkled with illustrations, it is funny and full of themes kids can identify with- family, emotions, underdogs, justice, animals, magic, etc. And it is VERY British-- think EB White, Dick King-Smith, LeGuin's CatWings. An oldie but goodie, i will be recommending with renewed vigor.

Dragonwings by Lawrence Yep. HarperTrophy, 1975, 248 pages.

Recommended to me by both an 8th grader (who reads for assignments but not for pleasure) and another librarian, I loved it. My first Laurence Yep since Spring Pearl of the American Girls -girls of many lands-series. Wonderful historic fiction, San Francisco, 1904, Chinese immigrants. Little known on this coast, great storytelling and a real sense of what was true for many many families. I love historic fiction.