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Avi.
The True Confessions
of Charlotte Doyle. New York: Avon Books, 1990. According to Booklist,
this tale includes "riveting . . . nonstop action on the high seas,"
and I completely agree; it was hard to put this book down. Charlotte Doyle agrees to follow her family
back to America several months after they have gone so that she may finish the
school year. She was supposed to have
two families also on board the Seahawk, but somehow they have been mysteriously
deterred. She has no choice but to be
the only woman on an enormous sailing vessel with rough and tumble crew and a
violent captain. How will she survive
the long and turbulent voyage to America? |
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Babbitt, Natalie.
Tuck
Everlasting. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1975. Young Winnie Foster feel restless in her current
life, and she is surprisingly grateful when she is kidnapped by the strange
Tuck family. Why did they need to
kidnap her? How does Winnie end up in
jail, if she was the one kidnapped?
Will Winnie choose to do what 17-year old Jessie asks her, or will she
decide that life is not for her?
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Banks, Lynne Reid.
The
Indian in the Cupboard. New York: Doubleday, 1980. In this fantastic tale about a boy whose cupboard
magically turns plastic figures into real live people, young readers will be
introduced to proud Native American Little Bull. Although the book relies on stereotypes of cowboys and Indians,
Omri the narrator grows and matures as he considers others' feelings and best
interests. |
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Blume, Judy.
Tales of a
Fourth Grade Nothing. New York: Puffin Books, 1972. Anyone who has a little brother or sister will
recognize the frustration and jealousy Peter experiences regarding his toddler
brother, "Fudge." The
humorous antics of the toddler will make anyone chuckle. |
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Brown, Marc.
Arthur Meets
the President. Boston: Joy Street Books, 1991. This installment in the Arthur Adventure series shows
the reader Arthur's class taking a field trip to Washington, D.C., where the
main character has to perform for the president. This, of course, makes Arthur very nervous! The illustrations are
humorous extensions of the text. |
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Cameron, Ann.
The Stories
Julian Tells. New York: Dell Yearling, 1981. Julian loves to tell humorous, imaginative stories,
about catalog cats, fig trees, and his "very strange teeth." He and his younger brother Huey often get
into trouble together, particularly if their father has just cooked up
something scrumptious. (The first of
several books about this family.) |
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Clearly, Beverly.
Ramona
Forever. New York: Avon Books, 1984. A third grader now, Ramona and older sister prove how
grown up they can be but still worry about questions like -- Will Mr. Quimby
find a teaching job? Is Mrs. Quimby
getting larger around the middle? Why
is Uncle Hobart so annoying? And can a
wedding be planned in such a short amount of time? A humorous addition to the series. |
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Clearly, Beverly.
Ramona the Pest.
New York: Avon Books, 1968. Ramona loves Kindergarten and her teacher Miss
Binney. How does she get in
trouble? Will she become a kindergarten
dropout? This second installment in the
Ramona series will be sure to have young readers grinning. |
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Cole, Joanna, and Bruce
Degnen.
The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System. New York:
Scholastic, 1990. This is just one of many trips Mrs. Frizzle's class
takes. This time, we learn many
interesting answers to questions about outer space and the planets, such as,
"What are asteroids?" and "Is there Life on Mars?" and
"What is Jupiter's Great Red Spot?" through the form of short student
reports. The illustrations are
wonderfully complex, and though a bit cluttered, the text is always set apart
in boxes or a unique font. |
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Colfer, Eoin.
Artemis
Fowl. New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 2001. Artemis Fowl is a twelve-year-old genius, but he was
born into a family of crime. Determined
to make even more money than his family ever had, he devises a plan to capture
a fairy who will lead him to her people's gold. A humorous adventure combining fantasy and science fiction, this
is a great first book in a series for anyone who enjoyed
the Harry Potter books. |
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Creech, Sharon.
Walk Two
Moons. New York: HarperTrophy, 1994. Readers will be moved by this sweet yet sad story
(winner of the 1995 Newberry Medal) about thirteen-year-old Sal who wishes
desperately that her mother would come back.
At the same time as we learn about her, she tells an "extensively
strange" and humorous story about Phoebe Winterbottom, a new friend who
views the world in a rather paranoid way. |
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Danziger, Paula.
Amber
Brown Is Not a Crayon. New York: Scholastic, 1994. Amber Brown, now in third grade, has to deal with the
sadness over her best friend Justin Daniels having to move away. Who will be her new best friend? This book (one of many about Amber Brown)
will readers to smile and sigh. |
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D'aulaire, Ingri, and Edgar
Parin D'aulaire.
D'aulaires' Book of Greek Myths. New York: Bantam Doubleday
Dell, 1962. A wonderfully complete compilation of myths on Zeus
and his family, minor gods, and mortal descendants of Zeus. Because it's told in a way that weaves the
relationship of one character into the next, the book could be read straight
through, or one chapter at a time as the reader needs background on various
Greek figures. A complete index and
table of contents helps make the navigating easy, yet there are no source
notes. Also, the size of the book would
make it unyieldy in small hands. Many
full page pencil illustrations, some in color, accompany the tales. |
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DiCamillo, Kate.
Because
of Winn-Dixie. Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 2000. India Opal Buloni is a lonely little girl who moves
to a new town with her father, whom she refers to as "the
preacher." India Opal adopts
Winn-Dixie, a stray dog with an unusual smile, and because of their
relationship, India's adventures begin.
She befriends several unique people in town while struggling to come to
terms with her mother's disappearance from her family in this heartwarming,
memorable book. If looking for a good
read-aloud, try the unabridged audio book read by Cherry Jones--an excellent
reader with a great flair for accents. |
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Duncan, Lois.
A Gift of
Magic. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1999. Nancy knows she has a gift, a gift that allows her to
predict who is calling before the telephone rings and what other people are
thinking. As she practices, her
extrasensory perception becomes stronger, and she becomes scared at her mind's
potential. Will she be able to control
it? |
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Fitzhugh, Louise.
Harriet
the Spy. New York: Delacorte Press, 2000. Although originally published in 1964, this book
hasn't gone out of style! Harriet M.
Welsh is a young girl who fancies herself a spy, and she writes all her
observations in her notebook.
Unfortunately, one day her notebook is read by some of her friends, and
they are NOT happy with what she wrote about them! How will Harriet ever regain their friendship? |
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Freedman, Russell.
Immigrant
Kids. New York: Puffin Books, 1980. Collected photographs of immigrant kids during the
late 1800s and early 1900s demonstrate vividly what life was like for newcomers
in America: at home, school, work, and at play. Freedman gives a list of sources from which he's quoted from real
immigrants' own narratives. A
fascinating look into history. |
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Juster, Norton. The
Phantom Tollbooth. New York: Bullseye Books, 1989. Milo is bored, bored, bored because there is nothing
to do! Suddenly, he sees a tollbooth
which has mysteriously appeared in his bedroom, and when he drives through it,
he enters a magical world with many unique communities he explores with his
trusty sidekick, a watchdog named Tock.
A fun read for all ages. |
Lowry, Lois. Anastasia
Krupnik. New York: Yearling Books, 1984. The protagonist in this book is 10 year old only
child about to become a big sister, and she's not sure she's thrilled about it!
Anastasia loves to make lists, and it's fun to watch the items on her list of
"Things I Love" and "Hate" flip-flop around as the book
progresses. In an attempt to make her
like her would-be brother, her parents tell her she can name the baby. What horrible name will Anastasia pick for
her future brother? |
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MacDonald, Betty. Mrs.
Piggle-Wiggle. New York: Harper Collins, 1947. Adults and children will smile with recognition at
the ailments that Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle cures, including the Won't-Pick-Up-Toys
illness, the Slow-Eater-Tiny-Bite-Taker syndrome, and the Selfishness disease. |
McKay, Sindy. The Emperor's
New Clothes. Redwood City, CA: Treasure Bay, 1997. This adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson's story is
a cute, rhythmic romp of rhyme through the famous story of an emperor made a
fool by his own pride. This edition is
part of a We Both Read series, Level 1-2, designed for parents and children to
read together, alternating between harder and easier text. |
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Park, Barbara. Junie B.
Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus. New York: Random House, 1992. Kindergartner Junie B. Jones isn't sure she wants to
ride the school bus at all, and especially not home after what she hears
happens to you on the way! How will she
ever get home from school if she doesn't take the bus?? Many humorous illustrations accompany the
text in this short chapter book. A
First Stepping Stone Book, a good transitional book (RL 2.0 006-009) like the
Amber Brown series. |
Perrault, Charles. The
Glass Slipper. New York: Four Winds Press, 1981. A collection of the "world's best-loved fairy
tales," including Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Ridinghood, Bluebeard, Puss
in Boots, Cinderella, and others. Also,
an afterword, appendix, and bibliography give additional information regarding
the origins of these tales, plus a list of Perrault's morals. |
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Pilkey, Dav. Captain
Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets: The Second Epic Novel.
New York: Scholastic, 1999. In this second installment in the hilarious Captain
Underpants series, George and Harold, are up to their old tricks again. How will they defeat the army of talking
toilets they accidentally allowed come to life?? The illustrations and the cheesy animation add to the fun of the
clever story. (RL 3 Ages 007-010) |
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter
and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: A.A. Levine, 2003.
Now fifteen in his fifth year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter finds himself upset most
of the time.
The new dark arts teacher seems to have a personal vendetta against him
and the nightmares he's having are extremely troubling, especially when what he
dreams comes true! |
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Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer's Stone. New York: Scholastic, 1997. Fying on a broomstick, using an invisibility cloak,
and having friends who understand him are just a few of the many exciting
discoveries Harry Potter makes at his first year at Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry. |
Ryan, Pam Munoz. Esperanza
Rising. New York: Scholastic, 2000. Esperanza has had a blessed life so far, living on
her wealthy father's ranch in Mexico, but the luck soon runs out and she is
forced to move to California where she and her family become migrant
workers. When her mother gets sick,
Esperanza must grow up and accept their new way of life. A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. (4th-5th grade) |
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Rylant, Cynthia. Henry
and Mudge and the Sneaky Crackers: The Sixteenth Book of Their Adventures.
New York: Simon & Schuster Books
for Young Readers, 1998. Henry and Mudge continue their adventures by delving
into the world of spies and cracking codes.
This humorous tale will introduce some new words and phrases to the
youngest detectives. (Ready to
Read--Level 2) |
Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge: The
First Book of Their Adventures. New York: Alladdin Paperbacks, 1987. The youngest readers will fall in love with Henry and
his big dog Mudge. Their relationship
begins in this story about a lost dog found.
(Ready to Read--Level 2) |
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Sachar, Louis. Holes.
New York: Dell Yearling, 1998. Will the curse on Stanley Yelnats ever be
lifted? Will he survive Camp Green
Lake? This is not a typical summer
camp! Shifts between past and present
may confuse younger readers, but this darkly humorous mystery keeps readers
turning pages until they learn the truth. |
Schwartz, Alvin. Scary
Stories to Tell in the Dark. New York: HarperTrophy, 1981. Alvin Schwartz has adapted a series of fun stories
for children in this collection. ALA Booklist says these stories are
"sure to provoke chills along the spine." Of particular significance in this anthology are the source
notes, and a bibliography of books and articles with stars to indicate which would
be of interest to young readers. |
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Schwartz, Alvin. A Twister of Twists,
a Tangler of Tongues. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1972. Children and adults will be delighted with this
collection of familiar and unfamiliar tongue twisters. Alvin Schwartz explains in his
introduction that tongue twisters aren't just fun, they are also good warm-ups
for performers. His sources, notes, and
bibliography at the end of this collection are particulary helpful. |
Simon, Seymour. Animals
Nobody Loves. New York: Sea Star Books, 2001. The author's introduction explains, "You may
never love a rattlesnake, a cockroach, or an octopus--but this book may help
you begin to understand and respect them for what they are." Though each of the twenty animals receives
only one page of text, the way Simon dispels misconceptions and negative
stereotypes of the various unlovable animals is heartening. The accompanying full-page color photographs
range from beautiful, realistic, haunting, and sometimes gross--sure to have lots
of kid appeal! |
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Simon, Seymour. Gorillas. New
York: Harper Collins, 2000. Just one installment in Simon's 200+ award-winning
books about animals, anatomy, astronomy, earth science, and vehicles. In this book, we learn about gorillas'
noises, families, personalities, and maturation. Wonderful pictures make the reader fall in love with gorillas! |
Simon, Seymour. Tornados. New
York: Harper Collins, 1999. This fascinating book describes the history and
science of tornados, and it also assures young readers that they can be safe
from the destruction by knowing how to protect themselves and taking
precaution. Amazing photographs
accompany clearly written text. |
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Snicket, Lemony. The Bad
Beginning. A Series of Unfortunate Events. New York: Harper Collins, 1999. The first book in this series is, as the author
states, "extremely unpleasant," but also humorous in a very dark
way. The Baudelaire siblings are
introduced in this book, and their love for one another and their clever
planning makes us root for them and hope for a happy ending, though we know
they are doomed to be "magnets for misfortune." That's part of the fun of this book,
however, trying to predict what the next unfortunate event will be. Also, Lemony Snicket has a clever way of
introducing new words to his readers, by defining the word in context after
using it. (4th grade+) |
Spinelli, Jerry. Loser.
New York: HarperTrophy, 2002. Donald Zinkoff is a memorable kid, as his
kindergarten teacher realizes the first day he shows up to school with a
bizarre giraffe hat. As Zinkoff ages to
middle school, he begins to realize he's different from his peers--he's not
athletic, he's not good at school, he's not anyone's best friend. Despite his clumsiness--literal and
figurative--Zinkoff never gets down on himself, demonstrating an inner strength
that someday maybe his peers will recognize. |
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Wells, Rosemary. The
Halloween Parade. Yoko & Friends School Days. New York: Hyperion Books
for Children, 2001. For the youngest readers, this book demonstrates the
anticipation and frights of Halloween.
Who will win the prize for best costume? |
Wells, Rosemary. Read Me a Story.
Yoko & Friends School Days. New York: Hyperion Books for Children, 2002. For the youngest readers, this story exposes a secret
Yoko has but does not want to share.
She can read, but she is afraid that if her mother knows, she will stop
reading a bedtime story to Yoko every night. |
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White, E.B. Charlotte's
Web. New York: Harper & Row, 1952. Do animals really talk to one another? What's life like for the animals on a
farm? This sweet tale about a radiant
young pig named Wilbur, teaches the reader to appreciate the meaning of true
friendship. |
