Johanna Hurwitz
5) Mostly Monty
A shy boy with asthma starts first grade — and comes into his own — in this appealing story for early chapter book readers.
Six-year-old Monty doesn't have a brother, a sister, or a pet. What he does have is asthma, which sometimes makes it hard to breathe and often makes him feel like he'd rather be somebody else. And now that he's starting first grade, he's very nervous about being with all those kids he won't know. Luckily,
"Crybaby, Crybaby!" That's what Russell calls Elisa whenever she gets upset, and she hates it. Elisa does get frustrated sometimes, like when she can't wear her favorite red shirt to school. But that doesn't mean she can't do other things—like trade her mittens for a tooth so that the tooth fairy will come sooner, or have a beach party in the middle of winter—whenever and however she wants!"
