spelling bees

Zaila shares what motivates her and gives advice on living authentically.

A memoir from Zaila Avant-garde, the first African-American contestant to win the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee, as well as a two-time Guinness World Record holder for her basketball skills. Offers advice for young readers on following their dreams and embracing the things that make them unique, promising that it is okay to brag about themselves if they really have accomplished great things.

A young boy bonds with his beloved abuela over a love of the Spanish language.

A young boy bonds with his beloved abuela over a love of the Spanish language.

A true story of determination and groundbreaking achievement follows eighth grade African American spelling champion MacNolia Cox, who left Akron, Ohio, in 1936 to compete in the prestigious National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., only to be met with prejudice and discrimination.

"If there's one thing ten-year-old Texan Sophie Washington is good at, it's spelling. She's earned straight 100s on all her spelling tests to prove it. Her parents want her to compete in the Xavier Academy spelling bee, but Sophie wishes they would buzz off. Her life in the Houston suburbs is full of adventures, and she doesn't want to slow down the action. Studying spelling words seems as fun as getting stung by a hornet. That's until her irritating classmate, Nathan Jones, challengers her"--Adapted from publisher description.

Despite his shyness, Henry Heckelbeck enters a spelling bee at Brewster Elementary. To help him remain calm, he decides to cast a magic spell, but the spell has unexpected side effects and Henry must figure out a way to make things right.

When she is chosen to compete in the local spelling bee, Stacey learns that, win or lose, her words are powerful, and sometimes perseverance is the most important word of all.

"Cherry Hill Elementary has always had two baseball fields, one for Sylvie Scruggs's fourth grade-and-under friends, and one for Jamie Redmond's fifth-grade crew. When Jamie's field is demolished for a kindergarten playground, the fifth graders want to take over the fourth-grade space. Finally, Sylvie and Jamie make a bet: Whoever wins the school spelling bee wins the baseball diamond too. Sylvie knows her friend Miranda will be the champion, no question, and the field will be safe for her team"--Provided by publisher.