May 2026 Selections
Asian/Pacific-American Heritage Month
To access the books on our monthly MPS Reads book lists, visit your school library or local library. You can also go online to Sora* (formerly OverDrive) and log in with your MPS student ID number.
*Not all titles are available through Sora.
This page has been specially formatted for printing. To request a one-page, print-only version of these book selections for home or classroom printing, please contact webmaster@milwaukee.k12.wi.us.
Primary (Preschool–Grade 2)
Astrid and Apollo and the Soccer Celebration
by V.T. Bidania, illustrated by Dara Lashia Lee
At the Hmong July Fourth Soccer Festival, Astrid and Apollo join their dad as he watches his favorite soccer team. When they babysit their little sister, they don't know what snack she is asking for. They buy almost everything they see. Will they end up with too much food?
The Name Jar
by Yangsook Choi
Being the new kid in school is hard. Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious about fitting in. She chooses an American name, but when Unhei thinks of being a Suzy, Laura, or Amanda, nothing feels right. With the help of a friend, Unhei learns that the best name is her own.
Intermediate (Grades 3–5)
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
by Grace Lin
A girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut, and her father tells old folktales of the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all questions. Minli goes to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She meets magical creatures, including a dragon.
The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang
by Stan Yan
Eugenia Wang has never celebrated her birthday on April 4 because her mom believes the number 4 is unlucky. And her mom won’t let her go to a comic art camp. Eugenia decides to apply for the camp and have her party on her actual birthday. Then a head injury gives her visions that make her question everything.
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
The Dreamer
by Pam Muñoz Ryan, illustrated by Peter Sís
Neftalí hears the call of a mysterious voice. When other children taunt him and his father ridicules him, Neftalí cannot ignore the call. It leads him through the rain forest and into the sea on an inspiring voyage of self-discovery that will transform his life to become the poet Pablo Neruda.
Squished
by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter
Avery Lee is tired of feeling squished by her six siblings! All Avery wants is her own room. She's furious when her grumpy older brother gets his own room, and her wild baby brother, Max, moves into the room she already shares. Avery hatches a plan to get her own room.
High School (Grades 9–12)
A Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return
by Zeina Abirached
The civil war in Lebanon means East Beirut is for Christians, and West Beirut is for Muslims. When Zeina’s parents don’t return, and the bombing grows closer, the neighbors create a world indoors for Zeina and her brother where they share cooking lessons and games to make it through a dramatic evening.
A Most Perilous World: The True Story of the Young Abolitionists and Their Crusade Against Slavery
by Kristina R. Gaddy
This is the story of America’s tumultuous Civil War from the viewpoints of four children of famous abolitionists, including Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison. Each of these four young people—two white, two Black—was strongly committed to the anti-slavery cause but felt just as keenly a need to make their own names, away from the often over-protective or disapproving shadows of the famous adults in their lives. This is a true story of how a torch of resistance is passed and how a new generation makes its mark.
Manga
Wonder Cat Kyuu-chan Vol. 1
by Sasami Nitori
Kyuu-chan loves snacks, cuddles, and bow ties, but most of all, loves Hinata, the young man who adopted this mischievous wonder cat into his home. As the two adjust to life together, they discover that they have a lot to learn from each other.
Books in Spanish
Cultivado en Harlem: Cómo una gran idea transformó a un vecindario
by Tony Hillery, illustrated by Jessie Hartland, translated by Alexis Romaya
Cultivado en Harlem cuenta la inspiradora historia real de cómo un hombre marcó la diferencia en un vecindario. Luego de ver lo inquietos que estaban los estudiantes de una escuela mal financiada, y la falta de opciones de comida saludable, Tony Hillery los invitó a convertir un terreno vacío en una hermosa y útil granja. Al ensuciarse las manos, estos niños hicieron de un espacio abandonado algo hermoso y productivo, a la vez que tuvieron la oportunidad de colaborar y aprender acerca de la comida saludable y sostenible.
Cinco años después, los niños y sus padres, con la ayuda del personal de Cultivado en Harlem, cultivan y consumen miles de libras de frutas y vegetales cada año.
MPS Reads Archive
If you have any questions about MPS Reads or the selected books, learn who to contact.