The Dalton School
4th Into 5th Grade
2007 Summer Reading List

Dear Fourth-into-Fifth Graders,

NEW FAVORITES

Anderson, M.T.
THE CLUE OF THE LINOLEUM LEDERHOSEN
Lily, Jasper, and Katie find their peaceful vacation to a distant mountain lodge disrupted when the Hooper Quints and a priceless diamond necklace suddenly go missing and no one else will take the case. This is a second adventure of these three children in WHALES ON STILTS.

Collins, Suzanne.
GREGOR AND THE CODE OF CLAW
In this fifth and final book in the GREGOR THE OVERLANDER series, Gregor must face the fear of the prophecy that foretells his own death and still strives to defend his friends and protect his family.

Hiaasen, Carl
FLUSH
Teenager Noah and his sister Abbey try to help clear their father's name and rescue him from jail by catching the casino owner Dusty in his illegal actions. This action-packed mystery possesses the quirkiness and the concerns for the environment that so many readers have loved in Hiaasen's previous book, HOOT.

Lowry, Lois
GOSSAMER
The Littlest One, a young dream-giver, while learning to bestow dreams from loving memories, tries to save an eight-year-old boy from the effects of both his abusive past and the nightmares inflicted on him by the frightening Sinisteeds.

Patron, Susan
THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY
Afraid that her legal guardian is to abandon her, ten-year-old Lucky Trimble decides to run away while also seeking the Higher Power that will finally make her life whole. A group of lovable characters and a sweet and happy ending makes this 2007 Newbery Winner an engrossing and delightful read.

Riordan, Rick
TITAN'S CURSE (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)
Readers will continue to be delighted and thrilled by Percy Jackson's (half-human, half-Greek God) adventures in present day America.


Rowling, J.K.
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS
The 7th and final volume in this international best selling series. It is to be released on July 21st, 2007. Get your copy, now!

Selznick, Brian
THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET
Hugo Cabret, a young boy in 1931 Paris, holds many secrets and has suffered many losses. In this beautifully told, both in words and pictures, story, Hugo finds his self-worth and a warm place in the world. This story is part-mystery and part-historical fiction and entirely charming.

Realistic Fiction | Science Fiction | Fantasy | Humorous Stories | Historical Fiction
| Suspenseful, Adventure or Scary Stories | Classics and Award Winners
Poetry | Biography and Memoir

SERIES TO LOSE YOURSELF IN (click to get the complete listing)

REALISTIC FICTION

Bauer, Marion Dane.
ON MY HONOR
Joe’s best friend Tony drowns in the dangerous river Vermillion. Joel has to find a way of telling his parents and Tony’s parents the awful truth of the drowning. ON MY HONOR draws you in and makes you read on. It is a short but powerful read.

Byars, Betsy. 
SUMMER OF THE SWANS 
Sara's retarded younger brother is missing; now all her other problems seem less important. Also: HOUSE OF WINGS, stories about BINGO BROWN, THE PINBALLS. 

Curtis, Christopher Paul.
BUD, NOT BUDDY
Bud, 10, is on the run from the orphanage and from yet another mean foster family. His mother died when he was 6, and he wants to find his father. Set in Michigan during the Great Depression, this story is told with a lot of humor and warmth. This is the 2000 Newbery Award winner for its excellence in literary achievement.

DiCamillo, Kate.
BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE
Winn-Dixie, the stray dog, who is adopted by 10-year-old India Opal, brings various townspeople together in its mysterious way in this short and heartwarming tale.

Feiffer, Jules. 
THE MAN IN THE CEILING 
The failures, triumphs, and family of a young cartoonist, changing a life with a small piece of paper. 

Fitzhugh, Louise. 
HARRIET THE SPY 
The thoughts and notebooks of a young "spy" who lives in New York City girl and is unhappy when her nurse leaves. Also: SPORT, THE LONG SECRET. 

Gutman, Dan.
HOMEWORK MACHINE
Four fifth-grade students--a geek, a class clown, a teacher's pet, and a slacker--as well as their teacher and mothers, each relate events surrounding a computer programmed to complete homework assignments.

Konigsburg, E.L. 
THE VIEW FROM SATURDAY 
This is a comic novel about four students who develop a special bond and attract the attention of their teacher, a paraplegic. She chooses them to represent their sixth-grade class and compete in the Academic Bowl. The 1997 Newbery Winner. 

Levine, Gail Carson.
DAVE AT NIGHT
Dave becomes an orphan at the beginning of the story and is sent to the Hebrew Home for Boys (or Hell Hole of Brats, or any other combination of words that make up the abbreviation HHB.) He never stops trying to escape and sneaks out at night – when he meets a mysterious old man who introduces him to a different life and world. He also becomes best buddies with other orphan boys. This is a heart-warming and exciting story, based loosely on Levine’s only father.

Lin, Grace.
YEAR OF THE DOG
Frustrated at her seeming lack of talent for anything, a young Taiwanese American girl sets out to apply the lessons of the Chinese Year of the Dog, those of making best friends and finding oneself, to her own life.

MacLachlan, Patricia.
JOURNEY
Journey is 11 the summer his mother leaves him and his sister Cat with their grandparents. Journey finds that the camera is a means of finding things that his naked eye has missed – things like the love that still binds his family together even though his mother has left.

Martin, Anne & Danziger, Paula.
P.S. LONGER LETTER LATER: A NOVEL IN LETTERS
Elizabeth and Tara*Starr are best friends. When Elizabeth moves away before their junior high years, they start corresponding and reporting to each other their respective lives in detail via letters. Written by two well-known children’s authors, this story is light and rings with a realistic tone. Its sequel is SNAIL MAIL NO MORE, as their correspondence continues in e-mail form.

Mercado, Nancy, editor
TRIPPING OVER THE LUNCH LADY: AND OTHER SCHOOL STORIES
This is an anthology of ten humorous short stories about life in school, written by well-known authors of children's books.

Morgenstern, Susie Hoch
SECRET LETTERS FROM 0 TO 10
Ten-year-old Ernest lives a boring existence in Paris with his grandmother until a lively girl named Victoria enters his class at school.

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. 
ALICE IN RAPTURE SORT-Of (sequel to The Agony of Alice)
The Summer of 12 year old Alice is filled with excitement, including to go on a first date with her best friend. Always entertaining and enlightening, these two ALICE books and their many many sequels have been the favorites of middle school students.

Paterson, Katherine. 
BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA
Jess meets a neighbor girl named Leslie who leads him to the magical world of imagination. This power of imagination also helps him get through one of the most terrible things that will happen to him.

Paterson, Katherine. 
THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS 
Eleven-year-old Gilly lives in a foster home and tries to cope with life. Can she learn to accept friendship? 

Ryan, Pam Muñoz
ESPERANZA RISING
Esperanza, 13, immigrated from Mexico to California with her mother after her father's death. Her luxurious life before she came to the States was a stark contrast to her life as a migrant-worker in the 1930's. Esperanza's spirit helped her overcome all the harship and find hope and human dignity again. Inspired by the author's grandmother's stories, this lyrical novel won The Pura Belpre Author Medal in 2002. Another book on immigrant experience by her is BECOMING NAOMI LEON.

Sachar, Louis.
HOLES
Stanley Yelnats (his name is a palindrome) is accused of stealing a baseball player’s sneakers so he is sent to a "camp" in the middle of the desert where he has to dig holes five-foot by five-foot by five-foot every day. He meets a boy named Zero. Together they try to escape the sinister warden and her cronies. This book is both hilarious and profound. Everyone should read it!

Spinelli, Jerry. 
MANIAC MAGEE 
Funny and fantastic, Maniac Magee is the fastest runner in town. He's even better at showing people how to get along with one another. 

Spinelli, Jerry. 
WRINGER 
Not all birthdays are welcome. Find out why a boy is hiding from turning 10-years-old. 

Weeks, Sarah.
SO B. IT!
Heidi's identity has always been a mystery -- she and her mother simply showed up one rainy night in the apartment building and they stay on, cared for by their neighbor. Heidi's mother suffers from severe mental illness and only knows 23 words. By chance, Heidi finds a clue in the drawer one day and that sets off her quest for her mother's and her own true history.

White, Ruth.
BELLE PRATER'S BOY 
In this 1997 Newbery Honor book, twelve-year old Gypsy wants to know the facts about the sudden and unsolved disappearance of her Aunt Belle. With the help and friendship of her cousin Woodrow (Belle's son), she comes to understand that there are different truths.

Wiles, Deborah.
LOVE, RUBY LAVENDER
Nine-year-old Ruby Lavender corresponds with her grandmother by leaving notes and letters in the hollow of a tree in town. Ruby Lavender is full of life and excitement, but what happened in the accident last summer cast a dark shadow over her life and makes her and Melba Jane arch-enemies. In this poignant, sometimes very comical, story, readers see how mis-understanding and misinformation can lead to bigger divide amongst people and how truth and facts make it possible for people to forgive each other.

Wilson, Jacqueline
DOUBLE ACT
Written in two but entertwined voices of a pair of identical twins, this is an amusing story about how Ruby and Garnet learn to grow apart but still remain best friends with each other. Some of the capers they get themselves into (going to London to be auditioned for a TV show, for example) are funny and memorable. Other titles by this witty author you might enjoy are: BAD GIRLS, THE LOTTIE PROJECT, THE SUITCASE KID, and ELSA, STAR OF THE SHELTER.

SCIENCE FICTION

Christopher, John.  
THE WHITE MOUNTAINS  
Can Will, Henry and Beanpole escape the dominion of the extraterrestrial tripods to reach the White Mountains? This is a suspenseful science fiction tale for the adventurous reader.  

Farmer, Nancy.
THE EAR, THE EYE, AND THE ARM 
Tendai is a boy who lives in Zimbabwe, Africa, in the year 2194. His father General Matsika forbids him to leave his house. However, Tendai steals away with his brother and sister. In the city he is kidnapped by gangsters and wakes up in the land of the Ear, the Eye, and the Arm – three mutants with super powers who will help Tendai to avoid evils of the past and technology of the future to return home.   This is a fabulous 1995 Newbery Honor book. 

DuPrau, Jeanne
THE CITY OF EMBER
It is the year 241 in the City of Ember. People are getting really desperate: the canned food supply which was believed to be endless is shrinking rapidly; the generator for electricity that is the only source of light for the entire city is faltering; the potatoes in the Greenhouse are suffering from a strange disease. In addition, no one has ever discovered what is beyond the Edge of the City, except for endless darkness. Twelve-year-old Lina and Doon are determined to find a way out of Ember and save the citizens of their beloved City. This adventurous story will keep you on the edge of your seat until the exhilarating end. The sequels are THE PEOPLE OF SPARKS and THE PROPHET OF YONWOOD.

Haddix, Margaret.
AMONG THE HIDDEN
At a future U.S. when every family can only have two children, Luke, 12, the third boy in his farming family, has been hidden since birth, safe for the time being from the Population Police. Will Luke be able to change his world with the help of an underground organization? The series continues with AMONG THE IMPOSTERS, AMONG THE BARRONS and several more.

Kurzweil, Allen.
LEON AND THE SPITTING IMAGE and LEON AND THE CHAMPIION CHIP
Leon, a fourth grader at The Ethical School, tries to outwit the school bully and learn to sew for fanatical teacher Miss Cronheim, with unexpected help from his final project-- a doll with magical powers. And in the second book of the series, Leon, now in fifth grade, competes in a potato chip tasting contest and takes revenge against Lumpkin the bully.

O'Brien, Robert C. 
MRS. FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH
Mrs. Frisby, the widowed mouse, has a terrible situation and she has nowhere to turn to but the rats who keep to themselves.  Those rats once were the Lab Rats in the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and they possess intelligence and power beyond your everyday farm residences.  A 1972 Newbery Winner.

Oppel, Kenneth
AIRBORN and SKYBREAKER
The search for mysterious winged creatures takes the character and the readers on breathtaking adventures aboard the hot-aired balloons.

Sleator, William.
INTO THE DREAM
Two children discover a strange link in their dreams caused by being near a UFO. This book is suspenseful, mysterious, and good for all readers.

Sleator, William.
INTERSTELLAR PIG
Barney's strange new neighbors invite him to play a bizarre board game called Interstellar Pig, which actually spans the universe and destroys worlds. Sleator's other titles you will enjoy are: THE BOY WHO REVERSED HIMSELF; THE GREEN FUTURE OF TYCON.

Thompson, Kate.
SWITCHERS
Tess, a 13-year-old girl & half-stranger Kevin, have the supernatural power to "switch" into any animal form – from sewer rats to mythical beings. Together they have to save the world from an ecological and economical disaster.

FANTASY

Alexander, Lloyd. 
PRYDAIN CHRONICLES (five books) 
The first title in the Chronicles of Prydain is THE BOOK OF THREE, in which Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper of Prydain becomes involved in a hazardous mission to save his country from the forces of evil.   The other titles in this series are THE BLACK CAULDRON, THE CASTLE OF LLYR, TARAN WANDERER, and THE HIGH KING.

Barron, T.A.
THE LOST YEARS OF MERLIN
A boy named Emrys finds himself washed up from the sea, almost dead. He doesn’t remember his name, his family, or anything else about himself. He is raised by the mysterious woman Branwen who says that she’s his mother. He learns of all kinds of myths. When he finally decides to seek his fortune far way, he lands in Fincayra. He meets the forest girl, Rhia, and the tiny giant Shim. Emrys has to solve the riddle of the Land of the Giants and eventually learns his true identity and his true power. The sequels to this book are THE SEVEN SONGS OF MERLIN, THE FIRES OF MERLIN, and the MIRROR OF MERLIN. This is a wonderful new fantasy series.

Barry, Dave.
PETER AND THE STARCATCHERS
This adventurous story tells how Peter Pan became the boy-who-never-dies and how he and Captain Hook became mortal enemies.

Collins, Suzanne.
GREGOR THE OVERLANDER
Gregor, a New York City boy, and his toddler sister, Boots, encounter a world of unlikely creatures: humans who have been underground for six hundred years and have become pale and purple-eyed; gigantic roaches who are helpers and enormous rats who will destroy their enemies at all cost! This series (five books altogether, eventually) offers both thrilling adventures and a thoughtful look at wars and relationships between different peoples. The series continues with GREGOR AND THE PROPHECY OF BANE, GREGOR AND THE CURSE OF THE WARMBLOOD, and the newest, GREGOR AND THE MARKS OF SECRET.

Cooper, Susan.  
THE BOGGART 
By mistake, Emily and her brother, Jessup, carry a mischievous old spirit with them from Castle Keep in Scotland to their home in Canada, where it creates havoc in their lives. By the author of THE DARK IS RISING Sequence. THE BOGGART AND THE MONSTER is its sequel.

Cottrell Boyce, Frank.
MILLIONS
In this sweet, fast-paced, funny novel set in England, fourth-grader Damien Cunningham and his older brother, Anthony, ponder what to do after a big bag of furnace-bound, pre-Euro pound notes is hurled from a train and lands at Damien’s feet.

DiCamillo, Kate. Illus. by Timothy Basil Ering.
THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX: BEING THE STORY OF A MOUSE, A PRINCESS, SOME SOUP, AND A SPOOL OF THREAD.
This is the 2004 Newbery Award Winner and most deserving! The long title sums up the basic plot line but the story of Despereaux, a weak and unusual mouse, and his quest to combat evil and death to rescue his beloved Princess Pea, offers so much more. The story is at once dark and full of light - innocent as a little child's bedtime tale and frightening as a horror story.

Ende, Michael.
THE NEVER ENDING STORY
Bastien steals a book and when he arrives at school late, he decides to read the book in the spooky school attic. Before he knows it, he goes inside the book himself and is having many many fantastic adventures: riding a dragon and discovering the secrets of the various inhabitants in the story. But he needs to get back to his own world before he will never be able to get back again. The hardcover book is filled with beautiful pictures and different colored prints. A GREAT book!

Farmer, Nancy.
THE SEA OF TROLLS
Jack's quest and wild adventures in Northern lands will satisfy readers who want a fast and exciting read. The outrageous characters include looting pirates, trolls, dragons, giant spiders, and fierce boars.

Ferris, Jean.
ONCE UPON A MARIGOLD
This delightful fairy tale's main characters are Marigold, a princess, and Christian, a forest foundling, who form a great friendship because they both love reading and writing. In fact, they send p-mail (mail carried by pigeons) to each other before they even met in person. Lots of actions and funny scenes.

Funke, Cornelia. Inkheart. Translated by Anthea Bell. (Fantasy/Adventure)
INKHEART
Meggie, 12-year-old, goes on a dangerous adventure in which she and her father are pursued by a group of sinister bandits, led by a man named Scorpio. Most intriguing are the identities of the bandits (who were fictional characters from story books) and the magical ability of Meggie's father who can "read" people, animals, and objects OUT of and IN to books! Read the sequel, INKSPELL, too if you feel spell-bound by the first one.

Hunter, Molly.
MERMAID SUMMER
With the help of her brother, Jon, nine-year-old Anna daringly seeks to discover the secret means to undo a mermaid's curse upon their grandfather.

James, Mary.
SHOEBAG
A young cockroach turns into a human boy, meets the young actress, and goes on all sorts of adventures before trying to turn back into a cockroach.

Juster, Norton.  
THE PHANTOM TOLL BOOTH 
A story about a boy who goes through a toll booth and finds himself in a magical new world where he saves the day.  

Levine, Gail Carson.  
ELLA ENCHANTED  
A story about a noble girl, Ella, who suffers from a terrible curse from birth: the curse that forces her to obey anybody’s command. This is a humorous and well-crafted retelling of the Cinderella story with a really likable main character. Another light fantasy by Carson is TWO PRINCESSES OF BAMARRE.

Lewis, C.S.  
THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE  
A magic wardrobe allows three children to enter a perpetual wintry land ruled by the white witch. They embark on adventures that lead them through a commitment involving trust and sacrifice to find the only creature who can turn winter into spring. Part of the NARNIA series. 

Martin, Ann M. and Laura Godwin.
THE DOLL PEOPLE
Annabelle Doll has been eight-years-old for over one hundred years. Being cooped up in the same dollhouse with the same people is boring--until the pink plastic Funcrafts arrive.

Nimmo, Jenny.
MIDNIGHT FOR CHARLIE BONE
In Midnight for Charlie Bone, readers will meet Charlie Bone, who is 11 and has a special talent. He can look at a photo and "hear" what happened when the picture was taken. After discovering his magical talent, Charlie encounters some strange people and circumstances and finally has to face down his adversery in a final battle at his new witchcraft school. The series is called Children of the Red King.

Norton, Mary.  
THE BORROWERS 
This book is about tiny people who live under the floorboards of a house and they borrow the big peoples things they do not steal they just borrow. until a little boy sees one of them.  

Pearce, Philippa.  
TOM'S MIDNIGHT GARDEN  
When the grandfather clock strikes thirteen, Tom is released from ordinary time. The boredom and loneliness of his summer vacation fade away as he escapes to nightly adventures in the midnight garden. 

Pierce, Tamora.  
ALANNA: THE FIRST ADVENTURE  
Eleven year old Alanna, who wishes to be a Knight, disguises herself as a boy and has exciting adventures. This is the first book in the Song of the Lioness Quartet. 

Paolini, Christopher.
ERAGON
At the beginning of the story, fifteen-year-old farm boy Eragon encounters magic and magical objects and quickly realizes that he is a gifted Dragon Rider. He takes on the dangerous and exciting task in fighting the evil powers that will destroy his Empire. This is Book One in the Inheritance series. ELDEST came out this year, a much anticipated sequel to ERAGON.

Pullman, Philip.
THE GOLDEN COMPASS
Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon live in Jordan College, Oxford. Like other daemons of young children, Pantalaimon can change shapes and turn into any animal he wants to. One day Lyra hides in a wardrobe and hears a lecture about "dust" from her uncle Lord Asriel. She is intrigued. At the dinner after the lecture, Lyra decides to move in with what Lyra thinks charming and smart Mrs. Coulter (but you’ll find out that she is not as nice as she seems to be.) Lyra runs away and learns how to read the Alethiometer (an instrument allowing Lyra to foretell the future and see the truth.) She uncovers horrifying secrets about Mrs. Coulter’s operation and embarks on many breathtaking adventures. Its sequel, THE SUBTLE KNIFE, is as exciting, complex, and satisfying.

Riordan, Rick
THE LIGHTENING THIEF
Set in present day with a cast of characters (gods and monsters) from the Greek Mythology, this first story of a series is fast moving and full of actions and magic.

Rowling, J.K.
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE
Until he turns age 11, Harry Potter lives the horrible life as an orphaned "muggle" but this all changes magically when he’s invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is famous and he is clueless about why he is so famous – until he starts exploring and discovering all sorts of incredible powers he has. This is the first book of a popular series.

Sage, Angie.
MAGYK
After learning that she is the Princess, Jenna is whisked from her home and carried toward safety by the Extraordinary Wizard, those she always believed were her father and brother, and a young guard known only as Boy 412--pursued by agents of those who killed her mother ten years earlier.

Thurber, James.  
THE 13 CLOCKS  
A masterpiece written as a fairy tale with a delightful yet sinister quality. 

Wrede, Patricia.  
DEALING WITH DRAGONS  series
Cimorene hates being a princess so she runs away to live with dragons. This is a fun read about Cimorene’s adventures with the dragons. These adventures continue in SEARCHING FOR DRAGONS, CALLING ON DRAGONS and TALKING TO DRAGONS. 

HUMOROUS STORIES

Brooke, William.
A IS FOR AARRGH!
Mog, a young boy living during the Stone Age, discovers words and language and teaches his fellow cave dwellers how to talk, thus altering the course of history.

Dahl, Roald.
ROALD DAHL’S REVOLTING RHYMES
Dahl changes your view of fairy tales in this collection of short twisted tales/rhymes by making them funnier, odder, and definitely more gruesome.

Babbit, Natalie.
DEVIL’S STORYBOOK.
A humorous book of stories about the Devil. Each short story is very funny and has a moral. I suggest this book for readers over the age of 8. The sequel is DEVIL’S OTHER STORYBOOK.

Enzensberger, Hans Magnus; translated by Michael Henry Heim.
THE NUMBER DEVIL: A MATHEMATICAL ADVENTURE
12-year-old Robert is bored with math and can’t stand his math teacher whose main interest in life is to secretly eat pretzels when his students are solving math problems. When the Number Devil starts to visit Robert in his dreams, however, Robert is intrigued and inspired by the funky things numbers can do! This is for both math lovers and people who dislike math with a passion.

Gantos, Jack.
JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL
A sequel to JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWS THE KEY, this story tells of Joey's out-of-control experience when he spends a summer with his eccentric grandmother and his father who has been absent for most of Joey's life. The third installment of the Joey Pigza Trilogy is WHAT WOULD JOEY DO? Everything in Joey's life gets even wackier. Joey's parents are fighting big time (with motorcycle stunts and other disasters to show for it,) his grandma is getting weaker, and he is sent to be home-schooled by a preachy woman whose daughter is blind and mean. Joey has to try extra hard to keep his sanity!

Horvath, Polly.
EVERYTHING ON A WAFFLE
Primrose's dire predicment -- losing her parents in a storm, combined with her humorous observations of the adults surrounding her, make this a quirky tale of faith, friendship, and growth. At the end of each chapter, there is a recipe that fits into the story. A Newbery Honor book of 2002.

Klise, Kate.
REGARDING THE FOUNTAIN: A TALE, IN LETTERS, OF LIARS AND LEAKS
This short, beautifully illustrated "watery" story has so many twists and turns and so many word plays that it will amuse you on a hot summer day. Another highly entertaining book by the same author is LETTERS FROM CAMP.

Morgenstern, Susie, translated by Gill Rosner.
A BOOK OF COUPONS
The weird new (but very old) teacher Messiure Noel wins his students' hearts by giving them strange coupons (for being late to school, for forgetting your homework, for dancing wherever you want...) and precious life lessons.

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.
THE GRAND ESCAPE
Marco and Polo might have been content to stay housecats forever. But Marco has been "reading" about ranches and wants to find one, while Polo longs to meet the mother he barely remembers. Together they set out on a journey and meet up with a gang of alley cats. They have to solve 3 mysteries of life in order to join the club.

Peck, Richard.
A YEAR DOWN YONDER
A rip-roaring story set against the backdrop of the Depression Era, features a grandmother who is a sharp shooter, bakes the most delicious pies, steals pumpkins from her neighbor's garden, plays tricks on Halloween pranksters, and is truely kind-hearted. This year's Newbery winner, this book is the sequel to A LONG WAY FROM CHICAGO.

Sachar, Louis.
DOGS DON’T TELL JOKES
A boy named Goon wants to be a professional comedian. When a talent show comes around, he figures that it’s his lucky day to make his dream come true. But it is not so easy to become a star, as he realizes. This is a very funny book that also has a few great football scenes.

Scieszka, John, illustrated by Lane Smith.
SQUIDS WILL BE SQUIDS: FRESH MORALS, BEASTLY FABLES
This pair of wacky author/illustrator of THE STINKY CHEESEMAN once again produced a fun-packed collection of silly fables.

Sleator, William.
ODD BALLS
This is a collection of short stories of an odd ball family. In one story, a boy is hypnotized by his brother’s friend and actually drinks out of the toilet bowl! Another time the children throw water balloons out of a window at people and are not even punished. This is a great funny book.

Snicket, Lemony.
THE VILE VILLAGE
In this 7th installment of the Baudelaire orphans' A Series of Unfortunate Events, they siblings are sent to a strange, crow-infested village where they have to perform all sorts of chores and have a chance to save their friends, the Quagmire triplets. This is a hugely popular series where gloomy and desparate situations is oddly mixed with delightful, intelligent, and humorous word plays. You should start your adventure the first book called THE BAD BEGINNING, then go on to THE REPTILE ROOM.. and work your way all the way to the 13th book this coming fall!

HISTORICAL FICTION

Avi.
CRISPIN: THE CROSS OF LEAD
When after his mother's death, Asta's son, the nameless boy, found out that he not only had a name, but a noble name. He also found that his life is in danger, being wanted for dead of a crime he did not commit. While running for his life, he encounters Bear, a juggler with a secret and dangerous mission. This exciting, fast paced story set in 14th century England is the 2003 Newbery Winner.

Choldenko, Gennifer.
AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS.
12-year-old Moose just moved to Alkatraz, a high security prsion, where his father works. Set in the 1930s when Al Capone, the famous mobster, was imprisoned there. Moose's "adventures" are both hilarious and heart-warming, especially when he has to protect his older sister who has autism. This book was named a Newbery Honor book of 2005.

Curtis, Christopher Paul.
THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM-1963 
The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African-American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they go visit Grandma in Alabama in 1963. A Newbery Honor Book.

Fleischman, Sid.
BANDIT'S MOON
This is an exciting adventure story set during the California Gold Rush time. Outlaw Joaquin Murieta rescues the orphaned Annyrose, who generously repays his kindness.

Giff, Patricia.
LILY’S CROSSING
This story is about a girl during World War II whose friendship with Albert, a young Hungarian refugee, makes her see the war and her own world from a different perspective. This story has a sad ending.

Levoy, Myron. 
ALAN AND NAOMI 
In New York of the 1940's a boy tries to befriend a girl traumatized by Nazi brutality in France.

Lyons, Mary. 
LETTERS FROM A SLAVE GIRL 
A fictionalized version of the life of Harriet Jacobs, told in the form of letters that she might have written during her slavery in North Carolina and as she prepared for escape to the North in1842.

Osborne, Mary Pope.
STANDING IN THE LIGHT
This is a fictional diary of Katherine Carey Logan, a Quaker girl who grew up in the Delaware River Valley in 1760’s. She was captured along with her brother by Wamponog??? Indians. Readers can find romance, adventures, and a lot more in this dramatic book. (One of the Dear America titles.)

Pope, Elizabeth. 
THE SHERWOOD RING 
The location is Orange County, New York during the Revolutionary War. Peggy has to adjust to a new life at her uncle's house during a time of guerrilla warfare.

SUSPENSEFUL, ADVENTURE OR SCARY STORIES

Anderson, M.T.
WHALES ON STILTS
Three resourceful children attempt to save the world from a mad scientist’s evil plan involving mind-controlled whales-on-stilts. First in a series.

Avi.
THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF CHARLOTTE DOYLE
Charlotte leaves England in 1832 to rejoin her family and finds herself aboard a troubled ship sailing to Rhode Island under the brutal Captain Jaggery.

Bellairs, John.
THE GHOST IN THE MIRROR
Strange things have been happening to Mrs. Zimmerman. It all started when she first saw the images in the mirror the old dead witchcraft teacher. Now she and Rose Rita must go back in time and save the wise family from "the great wrong" and discover a big secret. Other excellent books by John Bellairs include THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS, T HE MASION IN THE MIST, and THE EYES OF THE KILLER ROBOT, and more.

Brooks, Walter R.
FREDDY THE DETECTIVE
Freddy the Pig wants to be a detective and here’s his chance. Someone has stolen Evert’s train and Freddy is going to find the thief. Along the way he has other mini-cases to solve. A good read!

Cameron, Eleanor.  
THE COURT OF THE STONE CHILDREN  
In this fantasy-mystery-ghost story, Nina meets Domi, a girl from the French Revolution, at a museum. Can Nina help Domi prove the innocence of her father, who was executed as a traitor? 

Conrad, Pam. 
STONE WORDS -- A GHOST STORY 
Zoe always knows that something is not quite right with the friend she has, another little girl also named Zoe -- no one else seems to notice this Zoe's existence. In this ghost/time-travel story, the Zoe of the present has to find a way to rescue the ghostly Zoe from the past. 

Cooney, Caroline B.
THE FACE ON THE MILK CARTON
A photograph of a missing girl from long time ago on a milk carton leads Janie on a search for her real identity. This suspenseful story continues in WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JANIE and THE VOICE ON THE RADIO.

Corder, Zizou.
LIONBOY
A mother/daughter team co-wrote this fast-paced thrilling tale. Charlie Ashanti's runs away from his kidnapper and goes on a grand adventure trying to rescue his parents who were also kidnapped. On his way, Charlie, who can speak Cat, joins a floating grand circus and receives help from a host of alley cats, as well as lions and humans. This is the first part of a longer story. The second book LIONBOY: THE CHASE is every bit as fun and exciting!

Draanen, Wendelin Van.
SAMMY KEYES AND THE HOTEL THIEF series
Sammy Keyes spies a thief stealing money in the hotel across the street and tries to help the police solve the case. Until one day she finds out who the thief is and has to figure out how to prove it to the police. This is a great mystery that keeps you turning the pages. There are more Sammy Keyes mystery stories including: SAMMY KEYES AND THE RUNAWAY ELF, SAMMY KEYES AND THE SKELETON MAN.

Funke, Cornelia. (Translated by Oliver Lastch)
THE THIEF LORD
Prosper and Bo (12 and 5) are newly orphaned brothers who run away from their aunt and uncle because they plan to adopt the angelic-looking Bo but to send Prosper away to boarding school. They run to Venice, the magical city in their mother's view. The Thief Lord (a masked young man who acts like a Robin Hood) take these two and some other street urchins under his wing. They live, like a family, in an abandoned movie theater. But the aunt has hired a detective to track the boys down. Will they be captured? Will the Thief Lord's identity be exposed? And is the legendary Carousel really magical? This is a suspenseful, entertaining, and inspiring read! This is the Betchelder Award winner for best translated children's book of the year in 2003.

Hahn, Mary Downing.
TIME FOR ANDREW: A GHOST STORY
When he goes to spend the summer with his great-aunt in the family's old house, Drew is drawn eighty years into the past to trade places with his great-great-uncle who is dying of diphtheria

Hahn, Mary Downing.
WAIT TILL HELEN COMES
Molly saves her strange stepsister from the ghost of a child who haunts the cemetery behind their new home.

Jacques, Brian.  
REDWALL  series
Small animals such as mice, shrews, weasels, and stoats are in their own world having adventures, battles, and great feasts (no guns involved!) There are 12 books in the series so far. Look for the newest additions to the batch – THE LEGEND OF LUKE and LORD BROCKTREE.

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.
BERNIE AND THE BESSELDORF GHOST
Bernie Magruder's father manages the Besseldorf, a 125-year old hotel with a ghost a guest.

Potter, Ellen.
OLIVIA KIDNEY
Olivia Kidney is a 12-year-old girl who lives in an apartment building in New York City. That sounds quite normal, doesn't it? But this one day in November, Olivia's life changes from the ordinary to the complete bizarre: visiting several strange apartments (one completely made out of glass, the other resembling a tropical jungle,) Olivia encounters a murderous ex-pirate, a world renowned psychic, and even a ghost. The imaginative plot and the surprising yet satisfying ending make this a truly pleasurable, although weird, read.

Raskin, Ellen.
THE WESTING GAME
Sam Westing has died. 16 people came to hear his will. It turns out that they are all related. The will says that some one has murdered Westing and the heirs have to solve a puzzle game in order to inherit the huge amount of money left by him. This is a fun-filled mystery. Highly recommended.

Steig, William.
ABEL'S ISLAND
A mouse gets stuck on an island after going on a picnic with his fiancée.

Yolen, Jane, ed.
THE HAUNTED HOUSE
This is an anthology of short stories featuring ghosts, haunting and curses. 

CLASSICS AND AWARD WINNERS 

Barrie, J.M.  
PETER PAN  
The favorite tale about Wendy and Peter, the boy who just won't grow up, is told in several new, beautifully illustrated editions.  

Armstrong, William.
SOUNDER
Sounder the great coon dog can not save his master from the problems of racism. This is a powerful book set in the time of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Baum, L. Frank. 
THE WIZARD OF OZ 
The adventure of a girl in a magical new world called OZ you have probably seen the movie but you don't know the book.  

Brink, Carol R.  
CADDIE WOODLAWN  
This is the story of a tomboy pioneer girl and her exciting adventures on the Wisconsin frontier. If you liked THE LITTLE HOUSE series, you'll also like this popular classic.  

Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan.  
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES  
You and Dr. Watson can attempt to figure out all the clues which Sherlock Holmes finds so simple.  

George, Jean Craighead.  
JULIE OF THE WOLVES  
Alone and lost in the Alaskan wilderness without food or a compass, Julie is accepted by a pack of wolves who help her struggle to survive.  

Konigsburg, E.L.  
FROM THE MIXED-UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER 
Claudia knows she has to run away, but grubby hideouts are not her style. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has all the elegance she wants - and much, much more.   

Lawson, Robert.
RABBIT HILL
Rabbits and other are happy about new FOLKS (people) moving into Rabbit Hill. But they are also worried if these new people will be their friends or enemies. I think this is a good book because it is both humorous and sad at the same time.

Lofting, Hugh.
THE STORY OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE  
This is the story of the kind-hearted Doctor Doolittle, who is fond of animals and understands their language. He travels to Africa with some of his favorite pets to cure the monkeys of a terrible sickness.

Nesbit, E.  
FIVE CHILDREN AND IT  
When five brothers and sisters discover a Psammead (a sand fairy who is obliged to grant wishes that last a whole day) while digging in the quarry near their summer cottage, the stage is set for wondrous adventures. Also THE RAILWAY CHILDREN.  

O'Dell, Scott.  
ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS  
This is the fascinating story of Karan, a young Indian girl who lived alone for 18 years on an island off the coast of California.  

Park, Linda Sue.
A SINGLE SHARD
Set in 12th Century Korea, orphaned boy Tree-ear's set out on quests to become accepted into a family, as a budding artist, and as an adopted son. This is a touching story about striving to be both a fine craftsman and a fine human being. 2002 Newbery Medal Winner.

Stevenson, Robert Lois.
KIDNAPPED
It is the 1800's, a young man volunteers to travel with an old seaman. little does he know what lies ahead.

Twain, Mark.  
ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER  
Tom's adventures involve Aunt Polly and her church-going friends on the one hand and Huck and his disreputable father on the other. Absurd and hilarious episodes have kept this book a favorite through the years.  

Webster, Jean. 
DADDY LONG LEGS  
Jerusha Abot is an orphan who has lived her whole life at the John Grier Home when she is unexpectedly sent to college by one of the orphanages trustees. Only she is not to know his name and she must write to him every month without expecting an answer. This endearing story of the relationship between a young orphan girl and her philanthropist friend is told in letter format.  This book is continued in Dear Enemy. 

Wells, H. G. 
THE INVISIBLE MAN, THE TIME MACHINE and THE WAR OF THE WORLDS Three great suspense and Science Fiction novels.  THE WAR OF THE WORLDS is about aliens taking over Earth, and the other two titles are self-explanatory. 

POETRY

Adoff, Arnold, ed. 
MY BLACK ME: BEGINNING BOOK OF BLACK POETRY 
A compilation of poems reflecting thoughts on being Black by such authors as Langston Hughes and Nikki Giovanni. Poet Adoff and his wife Virginia Hamilton have published many other worthwhile anthologies. 

Creech, Sharon.
LOVE THAT DOG
Told in short verses that model after many famous poems, this story is about a boy, his teacher, his dog, and the inspiration poetry has on him.

Demi, selec. & illus. 
IN THE EYES OF THE CAT: JAPANESE POETRY FOR ALL SEASONS 
A selection of mostly haiku organized by season with corresponding illustrations. 

Eliot, T.S. 
OLD POSSUM'S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS 
"The naming of cats is a difficult matter..." So starts this classic which was turned into a musical. 

Gollub, Matthew. Illustrated by Kazuko G. Stone.
COOL MELONS -- TURN TO FROGS: THE LIFE AND POEMS OF ISSA
This is a collection of 33 haikus by an eighteenth-century Japanese. Both the English and the Japanese versions of each poem are presented.

Hall, Donald, ed. 
THE OXFORD BOOK OF CHILDREN'S VERSE IN AMERICA 
From the Bay Psalm Book to Jack Prelutsky, this collection brings together over 250 perennial favorites and some delightful surprises. 

Hopkins, Lee Bennett 
BEEN TO YESTERDAY: POEMS OF A LIFE 
Spare poems capture shifting family circumstances as experienced by the author at age 13. 

Koch, Kenneth and Kate Farrell, selec. 
TALKING TO THE SUN: AN ILLUSTRATED ANTHOLOGY OF POEMS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 
Poems from many countries organized by themes and illustrated by works from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Janeczko, Paul (editor)
A POKE IN THE I: A COLLECTION OF CONCRETE POEMS
A collection of thirty "concrete poems." With stunning and wacky collage illustrations, this is a most enjoyable introduction to visual poetry.

Janeczko, Paul, selec. 
POCKET POEMS 
This pocket-sized collection of 120 small poems by American poets is ideal for travel. Any of Janeczko's other collections are worthwhile. 

Larrick, Nancy, ed. 
PIPING DOWN THE VALLEYS WILD 
A merry mix of verses for all ages." 

Lear, Edward 
A BOOK OF NONSENSE 
The Metropolitan Museum reprint captures all the nonsense and absurdity in verse and illustration of this master of the limerick. There are many other editions. 

Opie, Iona.
I SAW ESAU: The School Child's Pocket Book
The rhymes and word plays collected by renown folklorists Iona and Peter Opie are even more endearing when matched seamlessly with Maurice Sendak's color drawings.

Prelutsky, Jack. 
PIZZA THE SIZE OF THE SUN 
A collection of whimsical short poems illustrated by James Stevenson.  If you like Shel Silverstein, you will enjoy this collection, too.  Also other collections by Prelutsky, including THE DRAGONS ARE SINGING TONIGHT, A. NONNY MOUSE WRITES AGAIN, MONDAY'S TROLL.

Scieszka, Jon.
SCIENCE VERSE
The power duo of humorous writings for children did it again -- Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith created this collection of poetry and song parodies that actually deliver reliable scientific facts!

Silverstein, Shel. 
FALLING UP 
The latest collection from the ingenious poet Shel Silverstein (who brought us THE LIGHT IN THE ATTIC, WHER THE SIDEWALK ENDS, and THE GIVING TREE.) 

Stevenson, Robert Louis.
A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES
There are many different editions of this collection -- pick out one with great illustrations and enjoy the rich flavor of these timeless poems.

BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIRS

Blumberg, Rhoda.
SHIPWRECKED
A true and dramatic account of the very first Japanese man who came to the United States after his fishing boat was shipwrecked in the 1800's.

Fleming, Candace.
BEN FRANKLIN'S ALMANAC: BEING A TRUE ACCOUNT OF THE GOOD GENTLEMAN'S LIFE.
Presented in the style of Franklin’s own original almanac, Fleming’s fascinating biography is chock full of information that makes history jump right out of the page.*

Freedman, Russell.  
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT  
A lively and inspiring portrait of perhaps our most influential First Lady. Excellent photographs and numerous quotations add to this well researched biography. 

Freedman, Russell.  
THE WRIGHT BROTHERS  
The Newbery author has filled this photo-biography, which follows the lives of the Wright brothers and describes how they developed the first airplane with original photographs by Wilbur and Orville Wright. 

Fritz, Jean.  
HOMESICK, MY OWN STORY  
This is the author's fictionalized version, though all events are true, of her childhood in China in the 1920's. Also: YOU WANT WOMEN TO VOTE, LIZZY STANTON? 

Jiang, Ji Li
RED SCARF GIRL
Jiang writes about her difficult times during the Cultural Revolution. This powerful book makes you laugh and cry at the same time.

Krull, Kathleen
LIVES OF THE WRITERS: COMEDIES, TRAGEDIES, AND WHAT THE NEIGHBORS THOUGHT
This is a collection of biographies of some of the most famous writers ever, such as Mark Twain and William Shakespeare. Also look for LIVES OF THE MUSICIANS, LIVES OF THE ATHLETES, and LIVES OF THE ARTISTS by the same author.

Lowry, Lois
LOOKING BACK: A BOOK OF MEMORIES
Using family photographs and quotes from her books, the very popular author (of THE GIVER and the ANASTASIA KRUPNIC stories) provides glimpses into her life.

Marcus, Leonard
SIDE BY SIDE
Five author-artist teams of picture books are interviewed and their stories of collaboration are documented in this informative and delightful collection.

Spinelli, Jerry
KNOTS IN MY YO-YO STRING
Spinelli, author of MANIAC MAGEE and WRINGER, turns regular happenings in his life like sidewalk races and his first kiss hilarious in this autobiography.

Paulsen, Gary.
HOW ANGEL PETERSON GOT HIS NAME: AND OTHER OUTRAGEOUS TALES OF EXTREME SPORTS
Author Gary Paulsen (HATCHET, DOGWOOD, TRANSAL SAGA, etc.) remembers his childhood in his hometown in Minnesota filled with amusing incidents of attempting "extreme sporting" such as jumping three barrels on a bicycle and hang gliding from an Army surplus target kite.

Sis, Peter.
THE TREE OF LIFE: A BOOK DEPICTING THE LIFE OF CHARLES DARWIN NATURALIST, GEOLOGIST AND THINKER. (Biography)
Darwin's unique Life and work is presented in a vsually stunning, complex and appealing manner that begs multiple readings.

Uchida, Yoshido.  
THE INVISIBLE THREAD 
Author tells her true story of feeling American, but being treated differently, as she describes her early life and incarceration in a prison camp for Japanese-Americans during World War II.

Last updated
05/29/2007