Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl
Parent Interest Meeting
Elementary Booklist 2013-2014
The Apothecary
Maile Meloy
It’s 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from
Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old
Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son,
Benjamin Burrows—a fascinating boy who’s not
afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of
becoming a spy. When Benjamin’s father is
kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the
secrets of the apothecary’s sacred book, the
Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while
keeping it out of the hands of their enemies—
Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons.
Discovering and testing potions they never believed
could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a
dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent
impending disaster.
Because of Mr. Terupt
Rob Buyea
Features seven narrators, each with a unique story, and each
with a different perspective on what makes their teacher so
special.
It’s the start of fifth grade for seven kids at Snow Hill
School. There’s . . . Jessica, the new girl, smart and
perceptive, who’s having a hard time fitting in; Alexia, a
bully, your friend one second, your enemy the next; Peter,
class prankster and troublemaker; Luke, the brain; Danielle,
who never stands up for herself; shy Anna, whose home
situation makes her an outcast; and Jeffrey, who hates
school.
Only Mr. Terupt, their new and energetic teacher, seems to
know how to deal with them all. He makes the classroom a
fun place, even if he doesn’t let them get away with much . .
. until the snowy winter day when an accident changes
everything—and everyone.
Better Than Weird
Anna Kerz
In this stand-alone sequel to "The Mealworm
Diaries," Aaron is anxiously waiting for his father to
return for the first time since Aaron's mother's
death eight years earlier. Aaron works hard with a
counselor at school, but he still has problems getting
along with and understanding other kids, and he's
worried that his dad will think he's weird. As well as
having to confront Tufan, the class bully, Aaron
must find ways to cope with the fact that his dad
now has a pregnant wife and his beloved Gran needs
surgery. In the end, his greatest strength is not his
intelligence or his sense of humor, but the openness
and warmth of his heart.
Breadcrumbs
Anne Ursu
Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. They had
been best friends since they were six, spending hot Minneapolis
summers and cold Minneapolis winters together, dreaming of
Hogwarts and Oz, superheroes and baseball. Now that they
were eleven, it was weird for a boy and a girl to be best friends.
But they couldn't help it - Hazel and Jack fit, in that way you
only read about in books. And they didn't fit anywhere else.
And then, one day, it was over. Jack just stopped talking to
Hazel. And while her mom tried to tell her that this sometimes
happens to boys and girls at this age, Hazel had read enough
stories to know that it's never that simple. And it turns out, she
was right. Jack's heart had been frozen, and he was taken into
the woods by a woman dressed in white to live in a palace made
of ice. Now, it's up to Hazel to venture into the woods after
him. Hazel finds, however, that these woods are nothing like
what she's read about, and the Jack that Hazel went in to save
isn't the same Jack that will emerge. Or even the same Hazel.
Dancing Home
Alma Flor Ada & Gabriel M. Zubizarreta
Mexico may be her parents’ home, but it’s certainly not Margie’s. She
has finally convinced the other kids at school she is one-hundred
percent American—just like them. But when her Mexican cousin
Lupe visits, the image she’s created for herself crumbles.
Things aren’t easy for Lupe, either. Mexico hadn’t felt like home since
her father went North to find work. Lupe’s hope of seeing him in the
United States comforts her some, but learning a new language in a
new school is tough. Lupe, as much as Margie, is in need of a friend.
Little by little, the girls’ individual steps find the rhythm of one
shared dance, and they learn what “home” really means. In the
tradition of My Name is Maria Isabel—and simultaneously
published in English and in Spanish—Alma Flor Ada and her son
Gabriel M. Zubizarreta offer an honest story of family, friendship,
and the classic immigrant experience: becoming part of something
new, while straying true to who you are.
A Dog’s Way Home
Bobbie Pyron
It’s 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from
Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old
Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son,
Benjamin Burrows—a fascinating boy who’s not
afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of
becoming a spy. When Benjamin’s father is
kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the
secrets of the apothecary’s sacred book, the
Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while
keeping it out of the hands of their enemies—
Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons.
Discovering and testing potions they never believed
could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a
dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent
impending disaster.
The Familliars
Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson
A curse befalls Vastia, eliminating
human magic. Only animals are able
to cast spells, and it is up to Aldwyn,
Skylar, and Gilbert to save the
queendom from the evil threatening
it. In addition, Aldwyn discovers the
truth about his past, embarking on a
journey that brings him closer to the
father he never knew.
Hidden
Helen Frost
When Wren Abbott and Darra Monson are eight
years old, Darra's father steals a minivan. He doesn't
know that Wren is hiding in the back. The hours
and days that follow change the lives of both girls.
Darra is left with a question that only Wren can
answer. Wren has questions, too.
Years later, in a chance encounter at camp, the girls
face each other for the first time. They can finally
learn the truth—that is, if they’re willing to reveal
to each other the stories that they’ve hidden for so
long. Told from alternating viewpoints, this novelin-poems reveals the complexities of memory and
the strength of a friendship that can overcome pain.
Maximillian: The Mystery
of the Guardian Angel: A billingual lucha libre
Xavier Garza
Margarito acts like any other eleven-year-old
aficionado of lucha libre. He worships all the
players. But in the summer just before sixth grade,
he tumbles over the railing at a match in San
Antonio and makes a connection to the world of
Mexican wrestling that will ultimately connect
him—maybe by blood!—to the greatest hero of all
time: the Guardian Angel.
thriller
Pie
Sarah Weeks
When Alice's Aunt Polly, the Pie Queen of Ipswitch, passes
away, she takes with her the secret to her world-famous piecrust recipe. Or does she? In her will, Polly leaves the recipe
to her extraordinarily fat, remarkably disagreeable cat,
Lardo . . . and then leaves Lardo in the care of Alice.
Suddenly, the whole town is wondering how you leave a
recipe to a cat. Everyone wants to be the next big piecontest winner, and it's making them pie-crazy. It's up to
Alice and her friend Charlie to put the pieces together and
discover the not-so-secret recipe for happiness: Friendship.
Family. And the pleasure of donig something for the right
reason.
With Pie, acclaimed author Sarah Weeks has baked up a
sweet and satisfying delight, as inviting as warm pie on a
cold day. You'll enjoy every last bite.
Small as an Elephant
Jennifer Richard Jacobson
Ever since Jack can remember, his mom has been
unpredictable, sometimes loving and fun, other times
caught in a whirlwind of energy and "spinning" wildly
until it’s over. But Jack never thought his mom would
take off during the night and leave him at a
campground in Acadia National Park, with no way to
reach her and barely enough money for food. Any other
kid would report his mom gone, but Jack knows by now
that he needs to figure things out for himself - starting
with how to get from the backwoods of Maine to his
home in Boston before DSS catches on. With nothing
but a small toy elephant to keep him company, Jack
begins the long journey south, a journey that will test
his wits and his loyalties - and his trust that he may be
part of a larger herd after all.
A Tale Dark and Grimm
Adam Gidwitz
Follows Hansel and Gretel as they walk out of their
own story and into eight more tales, encouraging
such wicked creatures as witches, along with kindly
strangers and other helpful folk. Based in part on
the Grimm’s fairy tales Faithful Johannes, Hansel
and Gretel, The seven ravens, Brother and sister, The
robber bridegroom, and The devil and his three
golden hairs
Tuesdays at the Castle
Jessica Day George
Tuesdays at Castle Glower are Princess Celie's
favorite days. That's because on Tuesdays the castle
adds a new room, a turret, or sometimes even an
entire wing. No one ever knows what the castle will
do next, and no one-other than Celie, that is-takes
the time to map out the new additions. But when
King and Queen Glower are ambushed and their
fate is unknown, it's up to Celie, with her secret
knowledge of the castle's never-ending twists and
turns, to protect their home and save their kingdom.
This delightful book from a fan- and bookseller-
favorite kicks off a brand-new series sure to become
a modern classic
.
Wonder
R. J. Palacio
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity
that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—
until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep,
and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how
hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid,
with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new
classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?
R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that
will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away
tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions
(flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short
chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.