Lola Levine likes writing in her diario, sipping her mom's cafe con leche, eating her dad's matzo ball soup, and playing soccer with her team, the Orange Smoothies. So what if she doesn't always fit in? Lola is fierce on the field, but when a soccer game during recess gets too competitive, she accidentally hurts her classmate Juan Gomez. Now everyone is calling her Mean Lola Levine! Lola feels terrible, but with the help of her family, her super best friend, Josh Blot, and a little "pencil power," she just might be able to turn it all around. In this first book in a series, young readers will be inspired by Lola's big heart and creative spirit as she learns to navigate the second grade in true Lola style!

Seven-year-old Lola Levine is fierce on the soccer field. She can do a slide tackle (although she's not supposed to) and even likes gooey worms. Nothing scares Lola! That is, until she is auditioning in front of EVERYONE for her class play. After Lola is overcome with stage fright, she's cast as Squirrel #2, a non-speaking part! Lola is more than a little disappointed, and she looks to her bubbe for advice and comfort. But on opening night, the curtain rises, and she finds herself smack in the middle of an exasperating turn of events. In this fun and heartfelt chapter book, can Lola give Squirrel #2 her own special stamp and make it a play to remember?

The Levines are jetting off on a family vacation to Peru in the fifth book in this heartwarming chapter book series by acclaimed author Monica Brown. Lola is named after her tía Lola, who lives in Lima, Peru. Lola misses her aunt and dreams of visiting her. After Lola's dad has a successful art show, Lola's dream comes true. The Levines are going to Peru! Thousands of miles from home, Lola and Ben discover all the new adventures Lima has to offer. But will Lola and Ben manage to stay out of trouble? With Lola's and Ben's wit and talent for mischief, we can expect some international trouble in this adorable chapter book.

When new classmate Bella, a ballet dancer, walks into Lola's class at Northland Elementary, all Lola can see is pink everywhere--pink ribbons, a pink sweatshirt, and pink tennis shoes. Yuck! Pink is Lola's least favorite color. Plus, Ballet isn't nearly as hard as soccer, is it? Lola and Bella can't seem to stop squabbling. But when a mishap during class lands them in Principal Blot's office, Lola's mom comes up with a scheme--a ballet scheme--that just might make these classroom rivals realize that ballerinas and soccer players have more in common than they ever thought possible. But is it too late for Lola to make a new friend?

Books, books, books! Judy’s got books on the brain as she prepares for a totally RARE trivia competition. Has reading always been this exciting? Judy Moody is in it to win it. Win the Book Quiz Blowout, that is. Judy and her brother, Stink, are two-fifths of the Virginia Dare Bookworms, and they’ve been reading up a storm to prepare for Saturday’s face-off against second- and third-grade readers from the next town. Judy’s trying out all kinds of tactics, from hanging upside down like Pippi Longstocking to teaching herself to speed read The Princess in Black, and Stink has fashioned a cape of book trivia sticky notes to help him remember all the penguins in Mr. Popper’s Penguins. But when Judy, Stink, and their fellow teammates discover the other group has a fourth-grader (no lie!), they get a bit nervous. Are the Bookworms up to the challenge?

Lola Levine is ready to celebrate her favorite holiday in the sixth book in this charming chapter book series by acclaimed author Monica Brown. It's Halloween--Lola and Ben's favorite holiday. She loves pumpkins, scary costumes, monsters, and ghosts--and she likes to scare people, too. But when Lola plays a scary joke on her super best friends, Josh Blot and Bella Benitez, it doesn't go as planned. Can Lola learn from her mistake and still have a happy Halloween?

Inner city middle school student Kenny Wright imagines himself as a superhero-but when he faces peer pressure and bullying, can he find his strength in real life? Kenny Wright is a kid with a secret identity. In his mind, he's Stainlezz Steel, super-powered defender of the weak. In reality, he's a chess club devotee known as a "Grandma's Boy," a label that makes him an easy target for bullies. Kenny wants to bring a little more Steel to the real world, but the question is: can he recognize the real strength and goodness inside himself? Or will peer pressure force him to make the worst choice of his life? Interspersed with fantastic illustrations and comic-book panels, this book aims to both entertain and to provoke dialogue about identity, belonging, and doing the right thing.

Lola can't wait for it to snow. 'Snow is my favourite and my best,' she says. It snows all through the night and in the morning everything is extremely, completely white! Charlie and Lola play in the snowy park with their friends - they make snow angels, go sledging and Lola even makes a snow dog - just like Sizzles! But by the very next day all the snow has completely disappeared. Lola wishes it would snow every day,but Charlie compares snow to birthdays - they wouldn't be special if they happened every day. He takes Lola on an imaginary adventure to see penguins and polar bears living in their snowy homes and soon Lola realizes that it would be absolutely too cold to swim or wear her stripy party dress if it snowed all the time. Another winning story that perfectly captures a child's anticipation of the first snow of winter.

Gabriela Mistral, a teacher, poet, and the first Latina woman to win the Nobel Prize.