The purpose of the BEE Amazing book list is to promote books to elementary readers that MISD's librarians think are engaging in a way that will make them excited about reading and eager to read more. These books easily align with the district and state curriculum in many ways, but the primary purpose is to engage and excite our students about books and reading.

The Books Everyone Enjoys (BEE) Amazing book list is a compilation of books recommended by McKinney Elementary Library Media Specialists. Each campus LMS is invited to recommend books, and a committee of elementary LMSs makes the final determination as to which books make the list each year. At least one LMS has read each book, and the book has positive professional reviews. Student participation is optional, and parents may help students select the books their child will read to complete the challenge. 

Participating students are not required to read every book on the list. This allows students and parents to select which books are best for their student to read. Families are welcome to read through the list together.

Most of the books on the current BEE Amazing list can be accessed digitally via Sora.

Getting Started with Sora

2026-2027 BEE Amazing Books

FICTION CHAPTER BOOKS

The Academy by T.Z. Layton

Amina Banana and the Formula for Friendship by Shifa Saltagi Safadi and Aaliya Jaleel

Liars Society by Alyson Gerber

Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate

A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall by Jasemine Warga

They Call Me No Sam! by Drew Daywalt and Mike Lowery

Troubling Tonsils! by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown

INFORMATIONAL BOOKS

Hello, I'm a Pangolin by Hayley Rocco and John Rocco

Stalactite and Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave by Drew Beckmeyer

Stranded!: A Mostly True Story from Iceland by Ævar Þór Benediktsson and Anne Wilson

What's Inside a Caterpillar Cocoon?: And Other Questions about Moths & Butterflies by Rachel Ignotofsky

EVERYBODY PICTURE BOOKS

The Day the Books Disappeared by Joanna Ho, Caroline Kusin Pritchard, and Dan Santat

Don't Eat Eustace by Lian Cho

The Everything Trail by Meg Fleming and Chuck Groenink

Exactly as Planned by Tao Nyeu

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess and Cátia Chien

I am Ingrid: The Adventures of the World's Greatest Guide Dog by Aria Mia Loberti and Vivienne To

I am Not Happy! by Caroline L. Perry and Sydney Hanson

The Interpreter by Olivia Abtahi and Monica Arnaldo

Island Storm by Brian Floca and Sydney Smith

Just One Wave by Travis Jonker

Millie Fleur Saves the Night by Christy Mandin

Ready, Set, Roll! by Alessandro Montagnana

To Catch a Ghost by Rachel Michelle Wilson

The Wild Robot on the Island by Peter Brown