Lower School Reading Guide
Table of Contents
Picture Books
Easy Readers
Realistic Fiction
Mysteries
Historical Fiction
Fantasy
Adventure
Science Fiction
Animal Stories
Humor
Non-Fiction
Biographies
Caldecott Award Winners
Newbery Award Winners
Coretta Scott Award Winners
5
16
18
21
23
26
29
30
31
32
PICTURE BOOKS
Aardema, Verna. Bringing The Rain To Kapiti Plain
A colorful African Tale describing in rhyme how Ki-pat brought rain to the droughtstricken Kapiti Plain.
Allard, Harry. Miss Nelson Is Missing
When the students in Miss Nelson’s class have difficulty following the rules, she turns
herself into the dreadful substitute, Viola Swamp. The students then realize how good they had it
when Miss Nelson was there.
Archambault, John. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
With vivid colors and simple motion filled illustrations each letter of the alphabet is
running to the top of the coconut tree with the repeated chorus “Chicka, chicka, Boom, boom,
will there be enough room.?
Barrett, Judith. Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs
What is for dinner? Look up at the sky and see what comes down.
Bemelmans, Ludwig. Madeline
A classic that puts the reader in authentic Paris using rhymes that children will love
repeating time after time.
Brett, Jan. The Hat
One by one Lisa’s winter clothes disappear from the clothes line as each animal tries to
outdo the next in this delightful tale.
Bloom, Becky. Wolf
A farm for educated animals! That fact got the big, bad wolf thinking ~ maybe he should
start reading and join the group.
Bridwell, Norman. Clifford, The Big Red Dog
A series of stories about a dog who is bright red, bigger than a two story house and
beloved by children the world over.
Brown, Margaret Wise. Good Night, Moon
A classic bedtime story to be enjoyed by all.
Burningham, John. Hey, Get Off Our Train
At bedtime a small boy takes a ride on his toy train and rescues several endangered
animals.
Burton, Virginia. The Little House
This story tells of a little house in the country that is soon overshadowed by change.
Cannon, Janell. Crickwing
An artistic cockroach with a crooked wing helps save the leafcutter ants from their
ferocious enemies. Includes annotations about the insects and is wonderfully illustrated.
Carle, Eric. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
In this modern classic, a tiny, hungry caterpillar eats his way through the week and after
spinning a cocoon emerges as a beautiful butterfly.
Cazet, Denys. Never Spit On Your Shoes
Arnie has just returned from the first day of first grade and has lots to tell.
Child, Lauren. I Will Never Not Ever Eat A Tomato
The story of Charlie and his little sister, Lola, who is a very fussy eater until Charlie
comes up with some very clever ideas.
Collier, Bryan. Uptown
A beautifully illustrated book depicting one boy’s childhood images of his beloved
Harlem.
Cooney, Barbara. Miss Rumphius
This beautiful book tells of the author’s great-aunt Alice whose grandfather told her she
must do something to make the world a more beautiful place.
Creech, Sharon. A Fine, Fine School
A principal thinks his school is so “fine” that he extends classes to seven days a week.
Finally the children convince him that learning takes place everywhere, not just in the classroom,
and he relents.
Cronin, Doreen. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type
Farmer Brown’s cows type notes demanding changes in the barn, turning the entire farm
upside down.
DaCosta, Deborah. Snow In Jersalem
A beautiful, white stray cat brings two boys, one Jewish and one Muslim together in a
timely, heart warming story.
Dahl, Roald. The Enormous Crocodile
The enormous crocodile devises devious plans to capture his lunch only to have them
foiled by his neighbors.
DePaola, Tomi. Strega Nona
Funny old Italian tale about a magical witch’s humorous solutions to every day problems.
Falcomer, Ian. Olivia Saves The Circus
Olivia, the fantastic pig, goes to the circus and takes the place of all the ailing animals, or
so she tells all her school friends.
Flack, Marjorie. The Story Of Ping
Ping is a Peking duckling on a houseboat on the Yangtze River in China. His adventures
with all his siblings keep children enchanted.
Fleishman, Paul. Westlandia
School is over for the summer and having learned that every civilization has a staple food
crop, Wesley decides to plant a garden and start his own civilization.
Fleming, Candace. Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!
After completing his much anticipated vegetable garden, Mr. McGreeley has to figure out
how to keep those persistent rabbits out. The surprise ending will keep you giggling!
Freeman, Don. Corduroy
One of the world’s most beloved children’s books. Every child who meets him loves him
~ the toy bear who can’t wait to be taken home from the department store by some little boy or
girl who will love him forever.
Gag, Wanda. Millions of Cats
Enchanting tale of a very old man who sets of in search of a kitten and returns with “
hundreds of cats, thousands of cats, millions and billions of cats” ~ an American classic.
George, Jean Craighead. Nutik, The Wolf Pup
When his older sister brings Amaroq, a wolf pup, to take care of, she warns him not to
get too attached. He learns that letting go can be very difficult.
Henkes, Kevin. Wemberly Worried
A mouse named Wemberly, worries about everything, especially the first day of school.
Heyward, Dubose. Country Bunny And The Little Gold Shoes
A timeless classic of the country bunny ~ the mother of 21 little bunnies ~ who attains the
position of Easter Bunny. A gem of a fantasy in which kindness and cleverness win out over size
and brawn.
Hoban, Russell. Baby Sister For Frances
With the arrival of baby Gloria in the house, Frances feels that…. After all being a big
sister means she has lots of grown up things to do.
Hoffman, Mary. Amazing Grace
A young African American girl wants to be Peter Pan in a school performance. Despite
all obstacles she succeeds and is chosen to be the star.
Hutchins, Pat. The Doorbell Rang
Ma has made cookies for her two children and they think they look and smell as good as
Grandma’s. This book is full of visual and verbal patterns and involves problem solving in a fun
way.
Howe, James. Horace and Morris But Mostly Delores
When two of a friendship triumvirate are boys and one is a girl, the ties of that friendship
are strained when Delores is excluded from the “boys only” club.
Keats, Ezra Jack. A Snowy Day.
A story about a boy named Peter and a snowy day. He proves that even though he played
in the snow all be himself, he is still able to have lots of fun.
Keller, Laurie.
The Scrambled States Of America
The states have a party and decide to change places with one another. They eventually
decide to return home, but not before a lot of fun is had and a lot of geography is learned.
Kellogg, Steven. A Peguin Pup For Pinkerton
Pinkerton, that lovable Great Dane, is back for another adventure. This time he decided to
father a penguin egg, resulting in chaos all over.
Kimmel, Eric. Anansi And The Magic Stick
Anansi, our favorite lazy spider, finds a magic stick to do all his work. As usual things
get out of hand and chaos reigns.
LaMarche, Jim. The Raft
A heart warming story of a boy and his summer of self-discovery with his grandmother.
Lester, Helen. Tacky
The Penguin Tacky is definitely a different sort of penguin but the story shows that this
odd bird saves the day.
Lester Julius. Sam And The Tigers
A humorous version of the classic tale in which a young boy outsmarts five tigers.
Lord, John Vernon. Giant Jam Sandwich
When four million wasps fly into their village, the citizens of Itching Down devise a way
to get rid of them.
Lionni, Leo. Frederick
An aspiring poet mouse stored away memories of colors and verse to sustain his family
throughout a winter of cold and hunger.
McCully, Emily. Beautiful Warrior:The Legend Of The Nun’s Kung Fu
A young Chinese girl masters the skill of kung fu and becomes a legend. A wonderful
tale of courage and persistence.
McCloskey, Robert. Make Way For Ducklings
It’s not easy for duck parents to find a safe place to raise their ducklings. Read this
enchanting tale to see how they succeed.
McKissack, Patricia. Goin’ Someplace Special
Based on her own childhood in segregated Nashville, this book tells the tale of Trisha
Ann going “someplace special” ~ the integrated public library.
Mahy, Margaret. Seven Chinese Brothers
A Chinese folktale about seven brothers with very special talents.
Marshall, James. George And Martha (series)
Best hippo friends teach some valuable lessons about friendship with lots of humor.
Martin, Bill. Brown Bear, Brown
The repetition and colorful illustrations in this classic picture book make it a favorite of
many children.
Meddaugh, Susan. Martha Walks The Dog (series)
A talking dog finds that words can be powerful, even with a neighborhood bully.
Miller, Edna. Mousekin’s Lost Woodland
Mousekin’s woodland home is threatened by developers. Read how he finds a new home
near a cabin whose owners believe in protecting natural resources.
Munsch, Robert. Paperbag Princess
A terrific read-aloud fairy tale where the princess does the rescuing instead of being
rescued all the time.
Munson, Derek. Enemy Pie
Dad has a surefire way to get rid of enemies: Enemy Pie. But one of the ingredients is
living with the enemy.
Numeroff, Laura. If You Take A Mouse To The Movies
Taking a mouse to the movies around Christmas time can lead to many other activities.
Osborne, Mary Pope. Kate And The Beanstalk
A new twist on the old tale with Kate as the heroine who outsmarts the giant and wins his
treasures.
Park, Frances. My Freedom Trip
An inspirational tale, realistically depicting the dangers of war and a cautionary one that
may plant the priceless seed of peace in a child’s mind.
Pinckney, Jerry. Aesop’s Fables
All the favorite tales with exceptional illustrations.
Pinkwater, Daniel. The Big Orange Splot
Let your dreams become your reality! Make waves! Be who you are, not who everyone
thinks you are. You will smile as you read how Mr. Plumbean liberates his whole “neat street.”
Piper, Wally. The Little Engine That Could
A celebration of positive thinking.
Polacco, Patricia. Thank You, Mr.Falker
The author shares her childhood triumph over dyslexia and discovery of reading and the
reason for her monumental turning point ~ her fifth grade teacher, Mr. Falker.
Rey, Margaret. Curious George (series)
Many adventures of a beloved but mischievous monkey.
Rylant, Cynthia. The Relatives Came
This is more a description than a story of a wonderful family reunion ~ who celebrate
being together with not much in the way of material things but with a great deal of love.
SanSouci, Robert. The Talking Eggs
One sister is magically rewarded for her goodness, while her mean mother and sister are
punished in this Afro-American folk tale.
Say, Allan. The Lost Lake
Luke and his father, who are alarmed at what tourists have done to the once secluded lake
of his father’s childhood, hike deeper into the wilderness to find a “lost lake” of their own.
*Scieszka, Jon. Squids Will Be Squids
Contempory fables with tongue-in-cheeck morals addressing topics like homework,
curfews, etc. Very funny!!
*Seuss, Dr.
The Cat In The Hat, The Cat In The Hat Comes Back, Green Eggs and Ham.
Many more titles ~ classics all.
*Shannon, David. No, David
When award winning writer and illustrator David Shannon was five years old, he wrote
and illustrated his first picture book. On every page were these words “No, David.” Now David
is all grown up ~ but some things never change.
*Sendak, Maurice. Where The Wild Things Are
The story takes place in a familiar space, the bedroom, which creates a safe environment
for the child’s fantasizing. With this book, the picture book came of age.
Silverstein, Shel. The Giving Tree
This story is a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affective interpretation
of the gift of giving
Slobodkin, Esphr. Caps For Sale
The Story of a cap salesman and a treeful of monkeys.
Stanley, Diane. Saving Sweetness
A small-town sheriff saves Sweetness, a very resourceful young girl, from a terrible
orphanage and gives her a home.
Steig, William. Brave Irene
Despite a raging snowstorm, Irene, a dressmaker’s daughter offers to deliver the duchess’
newly finished ballgown. It has the timeless quality of a classic fairy tale .
Steptoe, John. Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters
Two pretty sisters wish to marry the Prince: one is sweet, the other sour. An African tale
with a lesson.
Stevenson, James. Don’t Make Me Laugh
A simple interactive book that has fun with art of reading and makes the audience a
subversive part of the story. A giggly masterpiece.
Teague, Mark. How I Spent My Summer Vacation
A funny, imaginative twist on this traditional beginning of a school compositional
subject.
Trivizas, Eugene. The Three Little Wolves & The Big, Bad Pig
A very funny fractured of the original fairy tale.
*Van Allsburg, Chris. Polar Express
A holiday classic that finds a boy boarding a mysterious train that waits for him bound
for the North Pole.
*Viorst, Judith. Alexander and The Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
This story shows that bad days can happen to everyone.
*Waber, Bernard. Lyle, Lyle
A cranky neighbor puts Lyle in the zoo but experiences a change of heart when the
crocodile saves him from a fire.
*Williams, Vera. A Chair For My Mother
A heartwarming story of a family coming together after a fire destroys their home.
Collecting money for a new chair represents unselfishness and family love.
*Wood, Audrey. Sweet Dream Pie
When Ma bakes her sweet dream pie, the whole neighborhood is affected in interesting
ways.
Woodson, Jacqueline. The Other Side
Before the Civil Rights movement, people of all colors longed for the fence between
them to be torn down. Living on opposites sides of the fence,Annie Rose and Clover find their
own way of tearing down the giant that stands between them.
Yashima, Taro. Crow Boy
Poignant tale of a Japanese boy who is misunderstood and mistreated.
*Zelinsky, Paul. Rapunzel
A retelling, with beautiful illustrations, of the fairy tale classic.
*Zion, Gene Harry, The Dirty Dog
Harry was a white dog with black spots who liked everything except getting a bath.
Youngsters will completely relate to this book, the thrill of getting dirty and finally the
reassurance of family.
EASY READER BOOKS
Adler, David. Cam Jansen (series)
Follow the adventure of Cam Jansen, the girl with the photographic memory, as she
solves all sorts of cases.
Byars, Betsy. The Golly Sisters
Was there ever a more hilarious pair? Their sisterly relationship will make any beginning
reader laugh.
Dadey, Debbie. The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids
This best selling children’s chapter book series will delight all young children. There are
some pretty weird grown-ups in Bailey City. Meet them all in this fun series.
Griff, Patricia Reilly. Polk Street Kids
This series of easy chapter books follow the kids at Polk Street School through field trips,
holiday celebrations and the evry day ‘goings-on’ in an elementary school.
Hoban. Lillian. Arthur
An I Can Read series of books about Arthur and his little sister, Violet.
Howe, James. Pinkey and Rex
These short and easy chapter books center on the adventures of Pinkey, a boy whose
favorite color is pink, and a girl whose passion is dinosaurs.
Kline, Suzy. Horrible Harry (series)
Harry, a typical young boy, and his friends and the mischief they always manage to get
into at school.
Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad
An enchanting series of early chapter books about the adventures of two friends.
Minarik, Else. Little Bear
A classic series designed for beginning readers. The gentle teasing between Little Bear
and his mother will delight young readers and the spacious layout type will encourage them to
keep on reading.
Osborne, Mary Pope. Magic Tree House (series)
Written for children making the transition to their first real chapter books. They chronicle
the fantastic adventures of a brother/sister duo.
Preller, James. Jig Saw Jones Mysteries
The author, James Preller and Jigsaw Jones both love jig saw puzzles, baseball, grape
juice and mysteries. Jigsaw and his partner Mila are always searching for clues and putting
together the mysteries.
Parish, Peggy. Amelia Bedelia
Amelia Bedelia does everything people tell her to do literally. So, when she is told to “put
the lights out”, she does just that ~ unscrews every light buld in the house. It is so much fun
reading about Amelia’s strange adventures.
Roy, Ron. A to Z Mysteries
Fast, paced, collectible mysteries for beginning chapter book readers.
*Sharmat, Marjorie. Nate the Great
A series of easy to read mysteries whose language is deliberately kept clear and simple
yet varied enough to captivate children’s imagination.
*Yolen, Jane. Commander Toad (series)
Brave Commander Toad and the crew of the spaceship, Star Warts, have a mission to go
where no spaceship has gone before and to bring a little bit of Earth to alien stars.
Realistic Fiction
Buck, Pearl S. The Big Wave
Adventurous story describing Jiya’s, a Japanese boy, coming to terms with a tidal wave
that destroys his whole fishing village.
Byars, Betsy. The Pinballs
Three battered children meet and share a foster home that provides warmth and caring.
Cleary, Beverly. Dear Mr. Henshaw.
Leigh writes to his favorite author to sort out his feelings about his new school and his
parent’s new divorce.
Clements, Andrew. Frindle
Chaos erupts in Mrs. Granger’s class when Nicholas decides to replace the word “pen”
with the word “frindle”.
Deans, Sis. Racing the Past
Eleven-year-old Ricky learns that running can help him deal with angry feelings toward
his abusive father and with a class bully.
DeClements, Barthe. Nothing’s Fair in Fifth Grade
A fifth grade class repelled by an overweight, new student learns compassion and
acceptance.
DiCamilla, Kate. A Tiger Rising
Rob discovers a tiger in a cage while walking through the Florida woods and comes to
realize that tigers, heartaches and memories can not be locked away forever.
Edwards, Julie. Mandy
Ten-year-old Mandy finds a home of her own when she climbs over the wall surrounding
the orphanage to discover an abandoned stone cottage.
Estes, Eleanor. The Hundred Dresses
Wanda, a Polish immigrant, claims to own one hundred dresses and is teased by her
classmates until they realize the truth.
Fenner, Carol. Yolonda’s Genius
Yolonda, a fifth grader, is determined to prove that her younger brother is not a slow
learner but rather a musical genius.
Fitzhugh, Louise. Harriet the Spy
Harriet M. Welsch is a spy who gets into trouble with friends and family when she
records all her observations into a journal.
Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key
Joey frustrates his parents and teachers when he is unable to pay attention or control his
mood swings.
Henkes, Kevin. The Birthday Room
Twelve-year-old Ben uncovers the reason behind the strained relationship between his
mother and her brother and discovers his talent as an artist while visiting his uncle in Oregon.
Hesse, Karen. Music of the Dolphins
A fifteen-year-old girl raised by dolphins is reintroduced to the human world.
Holt, Kimberly Willis. When Zachary Beaver Came to Town
During the summer of 1971 Toby and Cal meet 600 pound Zachary, the star of a
sideshow act.
Lisle, Janet Taylor. Afternoon of the Elves
Sara-Kate claims that the miniature village in her backyard was built by elves but Hillary
is more intrigued with her mysterious, silent mother.
Lowry, Lois. Anastasia Krupnik
Anastasia’s tenth year has its ups and downs when she falls in love and also learns she
will become a big sister.
MacLachlan, Patricia. Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt
An eleven-year-old cellists learns about life from her boyfriend, her eccentric family and
Mozart.
Martin, Ann M. and Danziger, Paula. P.S. Longer Letter Later
Elizabeth and Tara*Starr are best friends with completely opposite personalities but the
challenge begins when Tara*Starr moves away and they must continue their friendship through
correspondence.
Mathis, Sharon Bell. The Hundred Penny Box
Michael protests when his mother wants to discard the memorabilia from his beloved
great-great aunt.
Montgomery, L. M. Anne of Green Gables
Red-haired Anne wants a family of her own and wins the hearts of the Cuthberts even
though they wished to adopt a boy.
Paterson, Katherine. The Great Gilly Hopkins
Gilly, an eleven-year-old foster child, has trouble trusting relationships.
Peck, Richard. A Long Way From Chicago
Joey and Mary Alice visit their grandmother in sleepy Illinois, however, they learn that
the town is far from sleepy and their grandmother is far from normal.
Peck, Robert Newton. Soup
Discover rural Vermont in the 1920’s with the funny antics of Rob and his best friend
Soup.
Wright, Betty Ren. The Wish Master
Corby is unhappy that he will have to spend his summer taking care of his ailing
grandmother but is surprised when a local boy takes him to the Wish Master.
MYSTERIES
Avi. Windcatcher
Sunken treasure involves Tony in a dangerous mystery the summer he visits his
grandmother on the Connecticut shore.
Bellairs, John. Curse of the Blue Figurine
Johnny Dixon is plunged into a terrifying adventure when he takes a blue figurine from
the church basement.
Hamilton, Virginia. The House of Dies Drear
The mysterious events that occur in Thomas’s new house relate back to the murdered
occupants of this former, Underground Railroad station.
Roberts, Willow Davis. Twisted Summer
Cici’s summer spins out of control when a girl is murdered and Cici’s investigations of
the culprit lead her to someone very close to her.
Van Draanen, Wendelin. Sammy Keyes Series
Sammy Keyes, a wise-cracking seventh grader, finds herself in the middle of mystery
after mystery.
HISTORICAL FICTION
Conrad, Pam. Prairie Songs
The beauty and isolation of the Nebraska prairie provides the backdrop for this novel of
frontier life.
Cushman, Karen. The Ballad of Lucy Whipple
Lucy is stuck in Lucky Diggins, California when her mom decides to follow her dream of
fortune during the Gold Rush.
DeFelice, Cynthia. Weasel
Eleven-year-old Nathan helps to protect his family from Weasel, a former Indian fighter,
in this story set in Ohio in the 1800’s.
Erdrich, Louise. Birchbark House
Daily life is threatened for Omakayas and her Ojibwa family when small pox is
introduced into their village.
Fleischman, Paul. Bull Run
Sixteen participants of the Civil War’s first battle tell their point of view about the glory
and destruction of war.
Gates, Dorris. Blue Willow
Janey Larkin, daughter of a migrant worker, longs for a permanent home.
Giff, Patricia Reilly. Nory Ryan’s Song
Nory refuses to give in to desperation as she and her family try to survive the Irish Potato
Famine.
Hesse, Karen. Witness
The Ku Klux Klan slowly infiltrates a 1924 Vermont town and the residents are forced to
take action.
Holm, Jennifer. Our Only May Amelia
May Amelia Jackson has trouble being a proper young lady in an 1899 Washington
settlement especially when she is the only female ever born in town and is the sibling of seven
older brothers.
Kirkpatrick, Katherine. Trouble’s Daughter
Susanna Hutchinson is taken captive after a raid by the Lenape Indians on her Long
Island home.
Lasky, Kathryn. True North
Two adolescent girls, one a Boston socialite the other a runaway slave, meet and begin a
treacherous journey to the Canadian border.
Levine, Gail Carson. Dave At Night
Dave learns of the Harlem Renaissance as he escapes the orphanage life during nightly
excursions into the neighborhood.
Lord, Bette Bao. In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
Shirley Temple Wong learns about the American dream through baseball and a man
named Jackie Robinson.
MacLachlan, Patricia. Skylark
In this sequel to Sarah, Plain and Tall, Sarah, Anna and Caleb move to Maine to escape
the drought on the prairie.
Montgomery, L. M. Anne of Green Gables
The timeless story of high-spirited Anne who comes to live with Marilla and Matthew
Cuthbert.
Paterson, Katherine. Lyddie
Lyddie learns about life as a mill girl in Lowell, Massachusetts. Jip by Katherine Paterson
is a must read after Lyddie.
Reeder, Carolyn. Shades of Gray
Will Page loses his entire family in the Civil War and is forced to live on a Virginia farm
with his relatives who refused to fight in the war.
Speare, Elizabeth. The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Kit Tyler’s only hope of adjusting to her new life in a Connecticut colony is by
befriending a Quaker woman known as the “witch of Blackbird Pond”.
Taylor, Sydney. All-of-a-Kind Family
Five sisters enjoy family life in this turn of the century novel.
Yolen, Jane. Odysseus in the Serpent Maze
Follow the antics of Odysseus in this Ancient Greek tale.
FANTASY
Barron, T. A. The Lost Years of Merlin (series)
Read about the childhood adventures of Merlin from his early days in ancient Wales to
young adulthood.
Babbitt, Natalie. The Search for Delicious
Vaungaylen embarks on a journey to locate a meaning for “delicious” that all can agree
upon.
Banks, Lynn Reid. The Fairy Rebel
Tiki, a rebellious fairy, works her magic when she is “earthed” into the lives of Jan and
Charles who are unable to have children of their own.
Billingsley, Franny. The Folk Keeper
Meet Corinna, the Folk Keeper, whose job is to keep the underground Folk happy and at
bay from the human world.
Catling, Patrick. The Chocolate Touch
Enjoy this parody of the King Midas story when John, a chocolate-lover, begins to
experience his world through the taste of only chocolate.
Cooper, Susan. The Boggart
Emily and Jess inherit a crumbling, Scottish castle and a mischievous spirit and their
lives will never be the same.
Coville, Bruce. Into the Land of the Unicorns
Join Cara and Lightfoot, a feisty unicorn, in their adventures in Luster to reach the
Unicorn Queen.
Dahl, Roald. Magic Finger
A little girl’s Magic Finger turns her animal-hunting neighbors into birds with disastrous
results.
Eager, Edward. Half Magic
On a boring summer day, Jane and her siblings find a coin and wish the boredom away
only to find their wish is granted – half as much!
Ende, Michael. The Neverending Story
Bastian, through the pages of an old book, encounters a decaying world of sprites,
unicorns and dragons.
Grahame, Kenneth. Wind in the Willows
Mole, once content in his static world, happens upon a river alive with possibilities and
enters a world of adventure.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Just Ella
In this realistic look at the Cinderella story, Ella decides she does not want an emptyheaded prince charming.
Ibbotson, Eve. Secret of Platform 13
What magic lies under Platform 13 in London’s busiest train station?
King-Smith, Dick. The Terrible Trins
Join the widowed Mrs. Gray as she rears her three clever mice-children.
Levine, Gail Carson. Ella Enchanted
Ella receives a gift of obedience from her fairy godmother in this Cinderella spin-off.
Lindgren, Astrid. Pippi Longstocking
Pippi is a high-spirited girl living an adventurous life at Villa Villekulla.
Mahy, Margaret. Dangerous Spaces
After becoming an orphan, Anthea longs to enjoy personal space within a crowded family
unit and begins to explore a place called Viridian.
Norton, Mary. The Borrowers
Join Pod, Homily and Arrietty Clock in their miniature world under the kitchen
floorboards in the house they share with the “human beans”.
Peterson, John. The Littles
Being the size of a thumbnail doesn’t mean you can’t overcome obstacles bigger than
yourself and ultimately make friends with them.
Pullman, Philip. I Was a Rat
Roger insists that he was once a rat and the media believes that indeed he may be the
“Monster of the Sewers”.
Rodgers, Mary. Freaky Friday
Annabel, tired of being bossed by her parents, wakes up on a freaky, Friday morning in
her mother’s body forced to live the life of an adult.
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter (series)
Harry, a wizard extraordinaire, and his companions lead readers through magical
adventures.
Waugh, Sylvia. The Mennyms
What is a life-sized, doll family to do when the seamstress who created them dies? Well,
they will just have to carry on the normal activities of daily life.
Yolen, Jane. Dragon’s Blood
Fifteen-year-old Jakkin Stewart, a bond servant in Master Sarkkan’s dragon barn,
secretly trains a dragon to fight in order to gain his freedom.
Adventure
Aiken, Joan. Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Cruel Miss Slighcarp takes over as governess to Bonnie when her parents leave on an
ocean voyage and a once happy home is taken away, but not forever if Bonnie can help it.
Cunningham, Julia. Dorp Dead
??
Orphaned Gilly and Mash, her dog and only friend, are apprenticed to the town eccentric
Mr.Kobalt.
Fleischman, Paul. Half-A-Moon Inn
Aaaron awaits his mother’s return from town until a blizzard hits delaying her return; he
sets out to find her and lands at the Half-A-Moon Inn with crafty Miss. Grackle.
George, Jean Craighead. My Side of the Mountain
Sam Gribley, unhappy in New York City, leaves for a year of survival in the Catskill
Mountains with only penknife, a ball of cord, forty dollars and some flint and steel.
Snickett, Lemony. Series of Unfortunate Events
The clever and charming Baudelaire siblings are orphaned at the start of the story and
things just get worse from there.
Biography
Cleary, Beverly. Girl From Yamhill.
From the creator of Henry Huggins and Ramona and intimate and personal look at the life
Beverly Cleary and her less than content upbringing.
Dahl, Roald. Boy: Tales of Childhood.
Read about the adventures and antics of Roald Dahl’s childhood to understand the plots and
persuasion of his fiction stories.
Fleischman, Sid. Abracadabra Kid.
Discover the journey of Sid Fleischman from magician to writer.
Fritz, Jean. Homecoming: My Own Story.
Journey with Jean Fritz as she tells of her childhood in China, an unwelcome intruder, loving the
country and secretly desiring to go to her true home in America.
Gilbreth, Frank. Cheaper By the Dozen.
Family life is portrayed in this turn of the Twentieth Century story.
Hautzig, Esther. The Endless Steppe.
It’s 1941 and the Rudomin family of Poland are considered enemies of the state; endure their
five-year exile to the steppes in Russia.
Hoose, Philip M. We Were There Too!
Discover history through the eyes of young people as they participated in momentous events.
Szabo, Corrine. Sky Pioneer, Amelia Earhart.
Enjoy meeting this extraordinary woman through carefully selected photographs and welldocumented text.
Warren, Andrea. Orphan Train Rider; One Boy’s True Story.
A personal account of Lee Nailling and his siblings as they ride the orphan train from New York
out west hoping to be adopted and eventually one day reunite.
Non-Fiction
Armstrong, Jennifer. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: Shackleton’s Amazing Voyage.
Journey with Ernest Shackleton and his crew during the perilous 1914 voyage to Antarctica.
Blumberg, Rhoda. Shipwrecked! : the True Adventures of a Japanese Boy.
Fourteen-year-old Manjiro is shipwrecked during a fishing trip and learns the forbidden ways of
foreigners before returning home to Japan.
Dahl, Roald. Revolting Recipes.
Cook up some favorite Roald Dahl recipes such as Willie Wonka’s Hot Ice Cream for Cold
Days.
Dahl, Roald. Revolting Rhymes.
Check out this satirical spin on “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, “The Three Little Pigs”
and other classic fairy tales.
Fleischman, Paul. Joyful Noise: A Poem for Two Voices.
Funny and sad, these poems celebrate the world of insects and are meant to be read by two
voices.
Freedman, Russell. Indian Chiefs.
Discover the integration of Native Americans with European/American cultures through the
biographies of Santana, Red Cloud and Sitting Bull.
Holling, Holling C. Paddle-to-the-Sea.
Follow a Native American boy as he journeys from Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean in his
canoe.
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. My America: A Poetry Atlas of the U. S.
Discover the regions of the United States through a collection of poetry.
Jenkins, Steve. The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest.
Text and collage illustrations address the would-be Everest climber.
Lavies, Bianca. A Gathering of Garter Snakes.
Follow photojournalist, Bianca Lavies, as she documents the life cycle of the red-sided garter
snake in Manitoba,Canada.
McCaughrean, Geraldine. Stories From Shakespeare.
The author retells the adventure, irony and message contained in many of Shakespeare’s tales.
McKissack, Patricia. The Dark Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural.
Ten spine-tinglers depict racism through ghost stories and eerie tales.