The Year of the Book / Andrea Cheng / 146 pages

I was surprised when I read Anna's mom say that "In China they don't even have Halloween."  When we were in China several years ago, Halloween was a very big deal with decorations everywhere.  Aside from this, The Year of the Book is awesome and would be a welcome addition to any elementary school library.  Sprinkled throughout the heartwarming story are illustrations, titles, and excerpts from books the main character, Anna, is currently reading.  "Anna looks to her books to provide what real life cannot - constant companionship and insight into her changing world.  Anna discovers "on her own what it takes to make friends and what it means to be one."