HEBREW ACADEMY OF TIDEWATER
SUGGESTED SUMMER READING LIST
Grade 5
Clements: We the Children series c2010 mystery
Sixth-grader Ben Pratt's life is full of changes that he does not like but when the
school janitor gives him a tarnished coin with some old engravings and then dies,
Ben is drawn into an effort to keep the school from being destroyed.
Collins: Gregor the Overlander c2003 fantasy
Gregor and his two-year sister fall down a shaft in the basement and find a world of
giant insects and rats. They become part of a huge battle.
DiCamillo: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane c2006 fantasy
Edward Tulane is a selfish, thoughtless toy rabbit until he loses the little girl who
loves him.
Giff: Storyteller c2010 families, historical fiction
Forced to spend months at an aunt's house, Elizabeth feel a connection to her
ancestor Zee, whose picture hangs on the wall, and who reveals her story of hardships
during the Revolutionary War as Elizabeth comes to terms with her own troubles.
Going: The Liberation of Gabriel King c2005 race relations, friendship
Gabriel, a white boy who is being bullied, and Frita, an African-American girl facing
prejudice, decide to overcome their many fears together as they enter fifth grade in
Georgia in 1976.
Hahn: All the Lovely Bad Ones c2008 ghost stories
Travis and his sister Corey decide to boost business at their grandmother's Vermont
inn by staging a few "hauntings" that soon draw tourists from across the country, but
when their antics awaken a dark force, they must find a way to put to rest the ghosts
they have disturbed.
Hawkins: The Year the Money Grew on Trees c2008 farm life, fiction
In early 1980s New Mexico, thirteen-year-old Jackson Jones recruits his cousins and
sisters to help tend an elderly neighbor's neglected apple orchard for the chance to
make big money and, perhaps, to own the orchard.
Lowry: The Willoughbys c2008 family life, humorous stories
A tongue-in-cheek take on classic themes in children's literature, in which the four
Willoughby children set out to become "deserving orphans" after their neglectful
parents embark on a treacherous around-the-world adventure, leaving them in the
care of an odious nanny.
Lupica: Two-Minute Drill c2007 dyslexia, football stories
Brainy Scott, a great kicker who otherwise struggles with football, and star
quarterback Chris, who has dyslexia, team up to help each other succeed in both
football and school.
Maya Angelou c2007 poetry
A brief profile of African American poet Maya Angelou accompanies some of her
better known poems.
Nelson: Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, US Marshal
c2009 biography, ethnic diversity
An illustrated biography of Bass Reeves, a former slave who was recruited as a
deputy United States marshal, based on his ability to communicate with the Native
Americans in the area that was to become Oklahoma.
Paulsen: Hatchet c1987 survival, fiction
After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the Canadian
wilderness, learning to survive initially with only the aid of a hatchet given to him by
his mother and learning also to survive his parents' divorce.
Pearson: Kingdom Keepers series suspense fiction
When Disney comes looking for five teenagers to serve as actors for a new
technology-Daylight Hologram Images (DHIs), there is more to it than
meets the eye.
Peck: A Year Down Yonder c2000 humor, historical fiction
In 1937, during the Great Depression, Mary Alice lives with her very unusual
grandmother in rural Illinois.
Smith: Bone c2004 graphic novel
Three cousins leave their home of Boneville. On their journey they meet royalty,
dragons, and monsters as they try to return home.
Stewart: The Mysterious Benedict Society c2007 fiction, adventure
Four children are secretly spies as students in the Learning Institute for the
Enlightened. They have to avoid being brainwashed by Mr. Curtain, one of the
owners of the school. This is a mystery you will be eager to see unfold.
Thomas: The Kids Guide to Money Cent$ c2004 , personal finance, nonfiction
Text and cartoon illustrations introduce kids to the concept of money.
Various authors: 39 Clues series mystery
Follow Amy Cahill and her brother, Dan, as they travel the world
to hunt for the 39 Clues.
Various authors: Dear America series historical
fiction
Angelberger: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda c2010 realistic fiction
Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger
puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out
whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for
making Origami Yoda.
Cushman: The Ballad of Lucy Whipple c1996 historical fiction
In 1849, twelve-year-old California Morning, who renames herself Lucy, is distraught
when her mother moves the family from Massachusetts to a rough California mining
town.
Di Camillo: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some
Soup and a Spool of Thread c2003 fantasy
The adventures of Despereaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess
that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess and a devious rat
determined to bring them all to ruin.
DuPrau: City of Ember c2003 science fiction
In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a
Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to
glimpse Unknown Regions.
Fleischman: Escape! The Story of the Great Houdini c2006 biography
A biography of the magician, ghost chaser, aviator and king of escape artists whose
amazing feats are remembered long after his death in 1926. Profiling his early years,
personal life and great accomplishments in show business, the story of the famous
magician, Harry Houdini, comes to life through a review of his greatest tricks and
most amazing feats, complete with index, photos and author's notes.
Friedman: Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott c2006
narrative nonfiction Covers the events surrounding and including the Montgomery
Bus Boycott, the end of segregation on buses.
Giff: Nory Ryan’s Song c2000 historical fiction
When a terrible blight attacks Ireland's potato crop in 1845, twelve-year-old Nory
Ryan's courage and ingenuity help her family and neighbors survive.
Golding: The Secret Within c2002 realistic fiction
Carly Chambers spends her summer days delivering mysterious packages for her
harsh father but when she sneaks out at night to find some freedom, she faces
danger from all sides.
Isaacs: Torn Thread c2000 historical fiction
In an attempt to save his daughter's life, Eva's father sends her from Poland to a
labor camp in Czechoslovakia where she and her sister survive the war.
Kehret: Abduction! c2004 realistic fiction
Thirteen-year-old Bonnie has a feeling of foreboding on the very day that her sixyear-old brother Matt and their dog Pookie are abducted, and she becomes involved
in a major search effort as well as a frightening adventure.
Levine: Hana’s Suitcase: A True Story c2002 biography, narrative nonfiction
A biography of a Czech girl who died in the Holocaust, told in alternating chapters
with an account of how the curator of a Japanese Holocaust center learned about
her life after Hana's suitcase was sent to her.
Lourie: The Manatee Scientist: Saving Vulnerable Species c2011 nonfiction
Scientists in Florida, West Africa and the Amazon Basin share information with
the goal of protecting the docile and sometimes elusive manatee.
Potter: Slob c2009 mystery, realistic fiction
Picked on, overweight genius Owen tries to invent a television that can see the past
to find out what happened the day his parents were killed.
Rhodes: Ninth Ward c2010 realistic fiction
In New Orleans' Ninth Ward, twelve-year-old Lanesha, who can see spirits, and her
adopted grandmother have no choice but to stay and weather the storm as
Hurricane Katrina bears down upon them.
Ryan: Esperanza Rising c2000 realistic fiction
Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and privilege in
Mexico to go work in the labor camps of Southern California, where they must adapt
to the harsh circumstances facing Mexican farm workers on the eve of the Great
Depression.
Sachar: Holes c1998 realistic fiction
Stanley is falsely accused of a crime and ends up in a juvenile detention center where
he is forced to dig holes everyday. It is supposed to build his character, but he
suspects there are ulterior motives.
Selznick: The Invention of Hugo Cabret: A Novel in Words and Pictures c2007
historical fiction When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks
within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toyseller and his
goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.
Smith: Peak c2007 realistic fiction, adventure A fourteen-year-old boy attempts to be
the youngest person to reach the top of Mount Everest.
Spinelli: Stargirl c2000 realistic fiction
In this story about the perils of popularity, the courage of nonconformity and the
thrill of first love, an eccentric student named Stargirl changes Mica High School
forever.
Vanderpool: Moon over Manifest c2010 historical fiction
Twelve-year-old Abilene Tucker is the daughter of a drifter who, in the summer of
1936, sends her to stay with an old friend in Manifest, Kansas, where he grew up and
where she hopes to find out some things about his past.
Angleberger, Tom. Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book. Amulet Books, 2011. Harvey,
upset when his Darth Paper finger puppet brings humiliation, gets Dwight suspended – but Origami Yoda
asks Tommy and Kellan, now in seventh grade, to make a new case file to persuade the School Board to
reinstate Dwight. Series
Appelt, Kathi. The Underneath. Atheneum, 2008. An old hound that has been chained up at his hateful
owner's run-down shack and two kittens born underneath the house endure separation, danger, and
many other tribulations in their quest to be reunited and free. Newbery Honor 2009. National Book
Award Finalist 2008
Bolden, Tonya. George Washington Carver. Abrams Books, 2008. Born a slave during the Civil War and
raised by his mother’s owners, George Washington Carver, also known as the “Peanut Man,” became an
important African American conservationist, scientist, researcher, and teacher.
Broach, Elise. Masterpiece. Holt/Christy Ottaviano, 2008. Marvin, a beetle, and his family live in the
home of eleven-year-old James and his family. When James’ birthday party fails miserably, Marvin
surprises James with an elaborately intricate pen and ink drawing Marvin has created. Trouble begins
when the drawing is mistaken for James’ work, which sets off action that leads to a fast-paced mystery
featuring an unlikely friendship, the discovery of art forgery, and thievery.
Buyea, Rob. Because of Mr. Terupt. Delacorte, 2010. Over the course of a school year, seven kids in the
fifth grade narrate their experiences in the classroom with an energetic first-time teacher. Series
Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Shines My Shoes. Dial Books, 2009. Moose Flanagan, who lives on
Alcatraz along with his family and the families of the other prison guards, is frightened when he
discovers that noted gangster Al Capone, a prisoner there, wants a favor in return for the help that he
secretly gave Moose. Sequel
Colfer, Eoin. The Atlantis Complex. Disney-Hyperion, 2010. When an army of fairy space probes
programmed to destroy Atlantis returns to Earth, Artemis Fowl attempts to stop the destruction of the
city while dealing with his own delusional and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Series
Connor, Leslie. Crunch. Katherine Tegen, 2010. With their parents stuck in New England during a
gasoline crisis, Dewey and his siblings struggle to keep open the family bicycle business and solve the
mystery of missing bicycle parts.
Delano, Marfe Ferguson. Helen’s Eyes: A Photobiography of Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller's Teacher.
National Geographic, 2008. Annie Sullivan grew up in extreme poverty with her own eye problems. Her
first and only job was teaching Helen Keller how to “see” despite the fact that she was blind, deaf, and
mute.
DiTerlizzi, Tony. The Search For WondLa. Simon & Schuster, 2010. Living in isolation with a robot on
what appears to be an alien world populated with bizarre life forms, a twelve-year-old human girl called
Eva Nine sets out on a journey to find others like her. Features “augmented reality” pages in which
readers can access additional information online about Eva Nine’s world. Series
Feldman, Jody. The Gollywhopper Games. Greenwillow, 2008. When the Golly Toy & Game Company
announces the Gollywhopper Games, Gil Goodson wants to be the lucky winner; this could be the
perfect opportunity for his family to move away from Orchard Heights. Can he solve the puzzles and
complete the stunts? This may remind you of a modern day Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!
Flanagan, John. The Emperor of Nihon-Ja. Philomel, 2011. In a faraway land, a young warrior must
protect an emperor from an uprising and train an inexperienced army, with assistance from his Ranger
friends. Series
Forester, Victoria. The Girl Who Could Fly. Feiwel and Friends, 2008. “Piper decided to jump off the roof.
It wasn’t a rash decision on her part.” And so we meet a strong-willed, generous girl with extraordinary
talents.
Gourlay, Candy. Tall Story. David Fickling Books, 2010. Sixteen-year-old Bernardo, who is eight feet tall
and suffers from a condition called Gigantism, leaves the Philippines to live with his mother's family in
London, much to the delight of his thirteen-year-old half-sister Andi, a passionate basketball player.
Grant, Michael. The Magnificent Twelve, Book One: The Call. Katherine Tegen, 2010. Mack MacAvoy, a
seriously average twelve-year-old boy, is faced with a difficult decision when a three-thousand-year-old
man appears in the boys' bathroom and informs him that he is one of the Magnificent Twelve and is
needed to find his eleven teammates and save the world. Series
Hale, Shannon. Rapunzel’s Revenge. Bloomsbury, 2008. In this graphic novel, Rapunzel, having grown up
in a lovely castle with the woman she thought was her mother, is placed in a very tall hollow tree as
punishment after her curiosity prompts her to climb the castle wall and look at the ruin of the world
beyond her home. She is able to escape and, with the help of Jack, embarks on a plan to free the land
and find her true mother.
Hannigan, Katherine. True (…Sort Of). Greenwillow, 2011. For most of her eleven years, Delly has been
in trouble without knowing why. Her little brother, R.B., and a strange, silent new friend, Ferris, help her
find a way to be good -- and happy -- again.
Holm, Jennifer L. Turtle in Paradise. Random House, 2010. A girl named Turtle moves to the Florida Keys
where she meets her extended family and makes new friends.
Kehret, Peg . Ghost Dog Secrets. Dutton, 2010. Sixth-grader Rusty is determined to help an injured dog
that is chained outdoors in frigid weather with no food, water, or shelter. He calls animal control and
takes matters into his own hands, aided by his best friend and a ghost collie that leads Rusty to an even
deeper secret.
Kelly, Lynne. Chained. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. To work off a family debt, ten-year-old Hastin
leaves his desert village in India to work as a circus elephant keeper; but many challenges await him,
including trying to keep Nandita, a sweet elephant, safe from the cruel circus owner.
Kerley, Barbara. Walt Whitman: Words for America. Scholastic, 2004. A biography of the American poet
whose compassion led him to nurse soldiers during the Civil War, to give voice to the nation’s grief after
Lincoln’s assassination, and to capture the true American spirit in verse.
Leal, Ann. Also Known as Harper. Holt, 2009. Harper Lee Morgan’s family is struggling, but she holds
close to her passion for writing poetry and this provides her with an opportunity to express her feelings,
even as she must skip school to take care of her younger brother Hemingway.
Lin, Grace. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Little, Brown, 2009. A magical story of a young girl
who wishes for fortune and happiness for her village and leaves her family to find the mysterious Old
Man of the Moon. Newbery Honor 2010
Malone, Marianne. The Sixty-Eight Rooms. Random House, 2010. An adventure about the Thorne
Rooms, sixty-eight miniature rooms made by Mrs. James Ward Thorne in the 1930s, and a magic key
that allows a person to shrink down small enough to explore the rooms' secrets.
Marino, Nan. Neil Armstrong is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me. Roaring Brook,
2009. Set in 1969, Tammy has a difficult summer when her best friend suddenly moves away and a new,
know-it-all boy moves into the neighborhood.
Mass, Wendy. 11 Birthdays. Scholastic, 2009. Best friends since their mothers met at the hospital when
they were born, Amanda and Leo always celebrate their birthdays together. However, now that they are
turning 11, they are no longer speaking to each other and everything is not as normal as it may appear.
This is one birthday that does not seem to end!
Nelson, Peter & Rohitash Rao. Herbert’s Wormhole. Harper, 2009. While Alex is getting to know his
inventive neighbor Herbert, they unexpectedly travel to the twenty-second century through a spacetime wormhole where they encounter aliens, jet packs, and their future selves.
O’Connell, Caitlin and Donna M. Jackson. The Elephant Scientist. Houghton Mifflin, 2011. While on
assignment to study elephants in Nambia, scientist Caitlin O’Connell uncovers fascinating new
information about elephant communication. Beautiful photographs of the African landscape and
elephants along with the story of a woman’s journey to find her professional calling make this a
fascinating read.
O’Connor, Barbara. On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. Sherman, a onelegged pigeon, sets everyone aflutter in a small southern town.
O’Connor, George. Hera, the Goddess and Her Glory. First Second, 2011. Recounts the stories of the
many heroes who sought and won the approval and patronage of Hera, the Queen of the Gods,
including the story of Heracles. Series
Oliver, Lauren. Liesl & Po. Harper, 2011. A mix-up involving the greatest magic in the world has
tremendous consequences for Liesl, an orphan who has been locked away in the attic by her
stepmother, Will, an alchemist’s apprentice, and Po, a disarming ghost, as they are pursued by friend
and foe while making an important journey to set things right.
Paterson, Katherine and John. The Flint Heart: A Fairy Story. Candlewick, 2011. A magical amulet,
created by a Stone Age magic man for an ambitious individual wishing to take control of his tribe, brings
power and despair to those who touch it. When the amulet reemerges, Charles and his sister Unity must
find a way to rescue the humans, fairies, and animals from the mysterious object.
Peck, Richard. On the Wings of Heroes. Dial Books, 2007. Set in the time period of World War II, Davy
Bowman has two heroes: his dad who fought in World War I and his brother who is currently in the Air
Force.
Philbrick, Rodman. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg. Blue Sky Press, 2009. Homer P. Figg
escapes from his wretched foster home in Pine Swamp, Maine, and sets out to find his beloved older
brother, Harold, who has been illegally sold into the Union Army. Newbery Honor, 2010
Riordan, Rick. The Lost Hero. Disney-Hyperion, 2010. Jason, Piper, and Leo, three students from a school
for "bad kids," find themselves at Camp Half-Blood, where they learn that they are demigods and begin
a quest to free Hera, who has been imprisoned by Mother Earth herself. Series
Ross, Stewart. Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way By Land, Sea, and Air.
Candlewick, 2011. Fourteen amazing journeys by explorers throughout history and the methods they
used by land, sea, and sky to find their way. Includes unfolding cross sections of vessels.
Rutkoski, Marie. The Cabinet of Wonders. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008. Twelve-year-old Petra,
accompanied by her magical tin spider, goes to Prague hoping to retrieve the enchanted eyes the Prince
of Bohemia took from her father. Series
Say, Allen. Drawing from Memory. Scholastic, 2011. Using watercolor paintings, original cartoons,
vintage photographs, and maps, Caldecott medalist Allen Say chronicles his experiences as an artist
during World War II and describes his relationship with his mentor Noro Shinpei, Japan's leading
cartoonist.
Scattergood, Augusta. Glory Be. Scholastic, 2012. In the summer of 1964 as she is about to turn twelve,
Glory’s town of Hanging Moss, Mississippi, is beset by racial tension when town leaders close her
beloved public pool rather than desegregate it. Based on real-life events, this is a story of family,
friendship, and some of life’s tough choices.
St. John, Lauren. The White Giraffe. Dial Books, 2006. After losing her parents in a tragic fire, elevenyear-old Martine must live with a grandmother she has never met on a wildlife preserve in Africa where
she learns about a mystical white giraffe.
Standiford, Natalie. The Secret Tree. Scholastic, 2012. Sixth-graders Minty and her new friend Raymond
discover a tree with a hollow trunk that holds the secrets of the people in their neighborhood. While
watching their neighbors to solve the mysteries of the secrets and break a curse, the friends will have to
work through some of their own secrets as well.
Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. Wendy Lamb, 2009. As her mother prepares to be a contestant
on the 1980’s television game show “The $20,000 Pyramid,” a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to
make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seem to defy laws
of time and space. Newbery Award, 2010
Stewart, Trenton Lee. The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict. Little, Brown, 2012. Nine-yearold Nicholas Benedict is moved to one more orphanage: this one filled with nasty bullies who target him,
a suspicious orphanage director, and a mystery about lost treasure. Using his superior intellect and
fierce determination, Nicholas strives to solve the mystery and makes a couple of fast friends in the
process. Series
Stone, Jeff. Eagle. Random House, 2008. After attacking and killing his former grandmaster, sixteenyear-old Ying realizes he has been betrayed. In addition to being wanted for treason now, Ying is forced
to turn to Hok, his old temple sister, for help. Series
VanHecke, Susan. Raggin’ Jazzin’ Rockin’: A History of American Musical Instrument Makers. Boyds
Mills, 2011. A history of American musical instrument makers and the contributions they made to the
changing sound of music.
Walker, Alice. Langston Hughes: American Poet. HarperCollins, 2002. An illustrated biography of the
Harlem poet whose works gave voice to the joy and pain of the black experience in America.
Weeks, Sarah. Pie. Scholastic, 2011. Alice's Aunt Polly passes away and entrusts the recipe for her worldfamous pie crust to her cat, which she leaves in Alice's care. As everyone, including Alice, tries to
discover the secret ingredients, Alice learns some important lessons about faith, love, and family.
Wells, Rosemary. On the Blue Comet. Candlewick, 2010. Searching for his father, Oscar boards a train
that takes him on an adventure that crosses the country both forward and backward in time.
Weston, Robert Paul. Zorgamazoo. Razorbill, 2008. Imaginative and adventurous Katrina eludes her
maniacal guardian to help Morty, a member of a vanishing breed of zorgles, with his quest to uncover
the fate of the fabled zorgles of Zorgamazoo as well as of other creatures that seem to have disappeared
from the Earth.
Wood, Maryrose. The Mysterious Howling. Balzer + Bray, 2010. Three wild children who were raised by
wolves and their young governess, Penelope, are caught up in the mysteries of Ashton Place and the
people who live there. Series
Reading List Sources:
List 1: 2013 Parkway Summer Reading List
List 2: Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network (HAISLN)
Suggested reading with Jewish content for Fifth Grade
All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor. 188 pages. The adventures of five sisters growing up in a Jewish
family in New York in the early twentieth century
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry – A 10-year-old girl describes life as her family tries to save their best
friends – a Jewish family – by smuggling them out of Nazi-controlled Denmark.
Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan - An exciting, suspenseful tale of Norwegian children and their
contributions to protecting their town's gold during the German occupation in 1940. Convinced that the
Germans will try to steal their town's considerable wealth of gold bouillon from the banks, the
townsmen decide that it must be removed. Since a group of adults can't remove the gold without the
Germans finding out, the townsmen develop a daring plan involving the children. In teams, the children
will carry the bouillon on their sleds down to the river where one of the townsmen will load them onto
his ship to take to the United States. Various problems arise as the children begin to carry out this plan,
but they are resolved.
The Harmonica by Tony Johnston- When the Nazis invaded Poland, a family is split apart. The parents
are sent to one concentration camp, their son to another. Only his father's gift, a harmonica, keeps the
boy's hopes alive and, miraculously, ensures his survival.
Stories for Children Paperback by Isaac Bashevis Singer- This superb collection of stories by Singer
brings together both old favorites and tales less familiar to American children...Singer writes with wit
and imagination; his tales glow with color, wisdom and a deep appreciation of God and the natural
world. . .Perfect for reading aloud or for snuggling up with.
The Wise Men of Helm and Their Merry Tales by Solomon Simon- The collection of Jewish folk tales
that the New York Times called "a delightful little book . . . a classic of its kind . . . full of merriment and
wisdom." Illustrated with whimsical drawings, these humorous stories are just right for children.
While Standing on One Foot: Puzzle Stories and Wisdom Tales from the Jewish Tradition by Nina JaffeHere are eighteen stories from the Jewish tradition that challenge you to answer a question or solve a
puzzle. When you've done your best, the authors give you answers that have come down through time.
Can you outthink the sages, or will they help you out of a tight spot?
Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword by Barry Deutsch- Welcome to Hereville, home of the first-ever
wisecracking, adventure-loving, sword-wielding Orthodox Jewish heroine. A delightful mix of fantasy,
adventure, cultural traditions, and preteen commotion, this fun, quirky graphic novel series will
captivate middle-school readers with its exciting visuals and entertaining new heroine.Spunky, strongwilled eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg isn't interested in knitting lessons from her stepmother, or
how-to-find-a-husband advice from her sister, or you-better-not warnings from her brother. There's
only one thing she "does" want: to fight dragons!Granted, no dragons have been breathing fire around
Hereville, the Orthodox Jewish community where Mirka lives, but that doesn't stop the plucky girl from
honing her skills. She fearlessly stands up to local bullies. She battles a very large, very menacing pig.
And she boldly accepts a challenge from a mysterious witch, a challenge that could bring Mirka her
heart's desire: a dragon-slaying sword! All she has to do is find--and outwit--the giant troll who's got it!
Other suggestions include:
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbi –by Judith Kerr
The Circlemaker- Maxime Rose Sehur
Journey to America – By Sonia Levitin
Jewish Fairy Tales Paperback – by Gerald Friedlander