Teacher Appreciation Week is May 7-11th. Penguin understands how hard educators work to foster a love of learning. Here are a few titles that illustrate how much we love you back!

A child realizes just how many gifts a teacher gives—whether it’s encouraging writing, listening to different types of music, or helping out in the neighborhood—in this celebration of dedicated teachers everywhere.

Trisha wants to be an artist and is thrilled when she gets into Miss Chew’s special art class at the high school. A substitute teacher tells her she's wasting time on art when she should be studying—but fortunately, this is one battle that Miss Chew and Trisha are up for!

This true story shows just how important a teacher can be in a child's life—and celebrates the power of art itself.

This summer, get kids to your library with Flanagan Frenzy!

Turn your library into the world of Ranger's Apprentice and Brotherband Chronicles with this five week interactive program designed to bring kids to your library. Click here for more information about the program and how you can win a school visit with author John Flanagan!

Email schoolandlibrary[at]us.penguingroup.com for a FREE activity kit with all the supplies you need. Please write “Flanagan Frenzy” in the subject line and include your address in the message.

We keep adding more titles to our leveled reader program so your students will continue to have great Penguin titles to read on the road to literacy.

Click here to hear what educators are already saying about the program!

Check out these new favorites for each level.

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

How are you using Penguin Young Readers in your classroom?
Email schoolandlibrary[at]us.penguingroup.com with "PYR" in the subject headline.
We'd love to hear from you!

Summer is coming, so time to get your summer reading programs organized! Penguin Young Readers Group can help. Download or request our 2012 Summer Reading Brochure for the best guide to the books your students will love.

This guide provides book recommendations by grade, reading level, and theme that teachers and librarians across the country can use to help their students participate in (and actually look forward to summer reading). All titles featured are excellent choices for independent reading selections and also fit well into national standard curriculums, making them perfect for required and suggested summer reading lists and back-to-school assignments.

To request a copy of the brochure, please email schoolandlibrary[at]us.penguingroup.com. Include “Summer Reading Brochure” in the subject and you’re address in the body of the email. Enjoy reading away the summer!

Bitterblue
by Kristen Cashore
Ages 14 up | Grades 9 up
4 starred reviews!

"A story that transcends the genre with its emotional and philosophical weight." —BCCB, starred review

"Devastating and heartbreaking…but those willing to take the risk will—like Bitterblue—achieve something even more precious: a hopeful beginning." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Cashore’s imagined world is brilliantly detailed and brimming with vibrant and dynamic characters" —School Library Journal, starred review

"Fans of…political fantasies will relish this novel of palace intrique." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

Three Times Lucky
by Sheila Turnage
Ages 10 up | Grades 5 up
3 starred reviews!

"An engaging, spirit-lifting and unforgettable debut for young readers." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Mo's wry humor that makes this first novel completely memorable." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Turnage's lively novel features a distinctive voice and a community of idiosyncratic characters." —Booklist, starred review

Remarkable
by Lizzy K. Foley
Ages 10 up | Grades 5 up
2 starred reviews!

"Filled with clever wordplay, wholly unique situations, [and] outlandish characters… a remarkable middle-grade gem." —Booklist, starred review

"Foley tightly weaves the outlandish threads into a rich, unforgettable story that's quite simply—amazing." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A clever conceit in the cultural obsession with above-averageness."—The New York Times

Keeping the Castle
by Patrice Kindl
Ages 12 up | Grades 6 up
2 starred reviews!

"This witty take on classic Regency romances is frothy fun for YA Anglophiles." —Booklist, starred review

"A sharp-witted comedy of manners set in 19th-century England…Abundantly entertaining." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

Hi everyone! Although I'm new to the team at Penguin, I'm not necessarily a stranger — having worked for PYRG 4 years ago, I remember fondly the books I was lucky enough to return to (who says you can't go home?!). One of the stand-outs for me was Madeleine George’s debut novel, Looks. It’s the story of two girls — one, severely anorexic and the other, extremely overweight — who are both outcasts in high school for different reasons. In fact, they share an extreme dislike for a popular girl who has bullied them both in different ways. When they are able to recognize a friend in one another, they team up for one of the best revenge adventures I've read to date. I’d recommend Looks for any high school book club, and/or summer reading list. Madeleine’s second book The Difference Between You and Me, is now available--and I can’t wait to read more of what she’s written! Enjoy!
—Kathryn Bhirud, School and Library Marketing Manager

Translated from the German, the award-winning novel My Family for the War is familiar yet unlike any piece of Holocaust fiction I've ever read. It is a coming-of-age story of Franziska, a German Jew sent to England during World War II as part of the Kindertransport. What makes this novel different is that Franziska is Protestant but has Jewish roots. Once in England, Frances (as she is now known) is taken in by a Jewish family. What culminates is a not just a slice of what life was like for Kindertransport children while also an exploration of differences, religion, family, and growing up. This novel is a book club's dream and is a perfect fit for English and Social Studies or History courses. Read it!
—Marie Kent, School and Library Marketing Coordinator

Sheila Turnage grew up on a farm in eastern North Carolina. A graduate of East Carolina University, she is the author of two nonfiction books and one picture book, but Three Times Lucky is her first middle grade novel. Today Sheila lives on a farm with her husband, a smart dog, an ill-tempered cat, a dozen chickens, and a flock of guineas.

Learn more about Sheila Turnage here.

If you are interested in hosting a Skype appearance by Sheila Turnage at your school, library, or conference, please use the online request form or send an email to authorvisits[at]us.penguingroup.com with possible dates, your school name, location, details about the day, and your contact information

Think Twice, Play Nice—Using the Power of Children’s Literature to Take a Stand Against Bullying.

Think Twice, Play Nice is an anti-bullying resource for teachers, librarians, educators, and students. The books included in this guide feature thought-provoking plots and unforgettable characters that will facilitate classroom discussions about the roles we can all play to reduce bullying and its negative influence on building community.

Download the Discussion Guide »