Adler, David. Cam Jansen and the First Day of School Mystery.* On the first day of fifth grade, Cam Jansen uses her photographic memory to help the police find a car thief.
Barrows. Ivy and Bean.* When seven-year-old Bean plays a mean trick on her older sister, she finds unexpected support for her antics from Ivy, her new neighbor, who is less boring than Bean first suspected.
Bauer, Marione Dane. The Blue Ghost.* While visiting her grandmother’s log cabin, Liz encounters the ghost of an ancestor, and is transported back in time.
Brock, Betty. No Flying in the House. Annabele Tippens is anything but ordinary. She doesn't have any parents and instead of a human gaurdian, she's taken care of by a tiny white dog, named Gloria, who happens to be able to talk. Annabele has always been curious about why she is different. But, when she learns that she might be half-fairy, Annabele is determined to find out the truth about who, or what, she really is.
Carris, Joan. Welcome to the Bed and Biscuit.* The family animals at the Bed and Biscuit begin to feel slighted when their veterinarian-owner, Dr. Bender, returns from a fire with something that occupies the time he usually reserved for them.
Clements, Andrew. No T alking. The noisy fifth grade boys of Laketon Elementary School challenge the equally loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking" contest.
Clements, Andrew. The School Story. After twelve-year-old Natalie writes a wonderful novel, her friend Zoe helps her devise a scheme to get it accepted at the publishing house where Natalie’s mother works as an editor.
{ *Look for other books in this series! }
Dowell, Frances O'Roark. Phineas L. Macguire—Erupts!.* Fourth grade science whiz Phineas MacGuire is forced to team up with the new boy in class on a science fair project, but the boy's quirky personality causes Phineas to wonder if they have any chance of winning.
Draper , Sharon M. The Buried Bones Mystery . * After the neighborhood basketball court is vandalized, Ziggy and his friends decide to form a club called the Black Dinosaurs and build their clubhouse in Ziggy's backyard where they find a mysterious cache of buried bones.
Gardiner, John Reynolds. Stone Fox. Little Willie hopes to pay the back taxes on his grandfather’s farm with the prize money from a dog sled contest he enters.
Grindley, Sally. Dear Max.* As Max, who is almost ten, and his favorite author, D.J. Lucas, exchange letters, the two writers help each other with their new books and develop a special friendship.
Goldberg, Whoppi. Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Plum Fantastic.* Alexandrea is forced to leave her friends in Apple Creek when she and her mother move back to her mother’s Harlem neighborhood. She is even more dismayed when her mother enrolls her at Harlem's Nutcracker School of Ballet. Al is already aware that she lacks dance skills, but things get worse when she is chosen to be the Sugar Plum fairy in the school recital.
Han, Jenny. Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream. Korean American fourth-grader Clara Lee longs to be Little Miss Apple Pie. It seems like an impossible dream, but when Clara’s luck suddenly changes for the better, she overcomes her fear of public speaking and finds the courage to enter the competition.
Hicks, Betty. Scardey-cat Catcher.* When Rocky, a talented catcher who was injured during the previous baseball season by an out-of-control runner, develops a reflex that keeps him from tagging the runner out, Rocky's Friends—and his dog Chops—help him overcome his fear.
Howe, James. Bunnicula.* Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a vampire.
Jennings, Patrick. Guinea Dog. When his mother brings home a guinea pig instead of the dog he has always wanted, fifth-grader Rufus is not happy—until the rodent starts acting exactly like a dog.
Jonell, Lynn. Hamster Magic. When the Willows move into a new house, Celia, the youngest of four children, traps an enchanted hamster, who reluctantly agrees to grant the children one wish in exchange for his freedom.
King-Smith, Dick. Lady Lollipop.* A quick-witted swineherd and a pig named Lollipop are royally rewarded after they reform a very spoiled princess.
Klimo, Kate. Dragon in the Sock Drawer.* Cousins Jesse and Daisy always knew they would have a magical adventure, but they are not prepared when the "thunder egg" Jesse has found turns out to be a dragon egg that is about to hatch.
Knudson, Mike. Raymond and Graham Rule the School.* Best friends Raymond and Graham have looked forward to being the oldest and toughest boys at East Millcreek Elementary School, but nothing goes as planned, including a run-in with a very scary teacher.
LaFevers, R.L. Flight of the Phoenix.* Nathaniel Fludd’s life has taken a turn for the worst. With his parents lost at sea, he lands on the doorstep of a distant cousin who also happens to be the world’s last remaining Beastologist. Soon Nate is whisked off on his first expedition, to Arabia, where the world’s only phoenix prepares to lay its new egg. When disaster strikes, Nate must ensure that the phoenix safely hatches, keep his accidental pet gremlin out of trouble, and rescue his guardian, all on his own.
Martin, Ann M. The Doll People.* A family of porcelain dolls that has lived in the same house for one hundred years is taken aback when a new family of plastic dolls arrives and doesn't follow The Doll Code of Honor.
McDonald, Megan. Judy Moody.* Third grader Judy Moody is in a first-day-of-school bad mood until she gets an assignment to create a collage all about herself and begins her masterpiece, the Me collage.
Montgomery, Lewis. The Case of the Stinky Socks.* Detectives-in-training Milo and Jazz join forces to tackle their first big case—finding out who stole the lucky socks from the high school
baseball team's star pitcher.
Pennypacker, Sara. Clementine.* While sorting through difficulties in her friendship with her neighbor Margaret, eight-year-old Clementine gains several unique hairstyles while also helping her father in his efforts to banish pigeons from the front of their apartment building.
Reiche, Dietlof. I, Freddy: Book One in the Golden Hamster Saga.* Freddy, a remarkably intelligent golden hamster, learns how to read and write on a computer and escapes captivity to become an independent, civilized creature.
Scieszka, Jon. Summer Reading is Killing Me.* At the beginning of summer vacation Joe, Sam, and Fred, find themselves trapped inside their summer reading list and become involved in a battle between good and evil characters from well-known children’s books.
Selznick, Brian. The Houdini Box. A chance encounter with the famous magician, Harry Houdini, leaves a boy in possession of a mysterious box—one that might hold the secrets to the greatest magic tricks ever performed.
Smith, Alexander McCall. Five Lost Aunts of Harriet Bean.* When her absent-minded inventor father suddenly remembers that he has five sisters, nine-year-old Harriet Bean, who has never heard of them before, determines to find her unknown aunts so that the unfinished family portrait can be completed.
Smith, Robert Kimmel. Bobby Baseball. Ten-year-old Bobby is passionate about baseball and convinced that he is a great player. The only problem is to get a chance to prove his skill, especially to his father.
Smith, Robert Kimmel. Chocolate Fever. From eating too much chocolate, Henry breaks out in brown bumps, an experience that help him foil a carjacking, and teaches him a valuable lesson about self-indulgence.
Stuchner, Joan Betty. Honey Cake. It’s 1943, and David Nathan and his family live in Denmark during the Nazi occupation. David’s father is a baker, and since the war began, butter and cream are hard to find. So David is amazed when his father makes a “special order” of cream-filled chocolate éclairs. When no one comes to pick up the éclairs, David is asked to run a very special errand that could save the lives of many people. Stuckner’s story brings an important time period to life in a way that is compelling, inspirational, and age-appropriate for young readers.
Van Draanen, Wendelin. Shredderman: Secret Idenity.* Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, tired of being called names by the class bully, invents a secret identity—Shredderman!
Books to Read Together
Birdseye, Jeanne. The P enderwicks. * While vacationing with their widowed father in the Berkshire Mountains, four very different sisters, ages four through twelve, share adventures with a local boy, much to the dismay of his snobby mother.
DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie. Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good things that happen to her because of her dog, Winn-Dixie.
Creech, Sharon. The Castle Corona. Two orphaned peasant children discover a mysterious pouch, the contents of which lead them to the majestic Castle Corona, where their lives may be transformed.
Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach. Young James’ life is changed forever when he encounters a huge magical peach.
Delany, Michael. Obi. Obi the gerbil must fend for herself when her owner goes away, and the neighbor feeding the pets has forgotten all about her. Obi breaks out of her cage to find find food and water. But she has a bigger adventure than she bargained for when she meets her fellow pets: a dog, three cats, and a parrot,
DiCamillo, Kate. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Edward Tulane, a cold-hearted and proud toy rabbit, loves only himself until he is separated from the little girl who adores him and travels across the country acquiring new owners and listening to their hopes, dreams, and histories.
Edwards, Julie. The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles. The Whangdoodle was once the wisest, kindest, and most extraordinary creature in the world. Then he disappeared and created a wonderful land for himself and other remarkable animals, such as the ten-legged Sidewinders and the furry Flukes. With help from an eccentric professor, three siblings embark on a quest to track down the last of the great Whangdoodles.
Eager, Edward. Half Magic.* Four siblings looking forward to an ordinary summer enjoy a series of fantastic adventures by double-wishing on an ancient coin.
{ *Look for other books in this series! }
Epstein, Adam Jay and Jacobson, Andrew. The Familiars.* When three young wizards-in-training are kidnapped by an Evil Queen, their familiars—
Aldwyn the alley cat, Skylar, a know-it-all blue jay, and Gilbert a tree frog who can see the future—set out on a dangerous journey to rescue the boys.
Fitzgerald, John. The Great Brain. * The exploits of the Great Brain of Andenville, Utah are described by his younger brother, frequently the victim of the Great Brain’s schemes for gaining prestige or money.
Hovarth, P olly . The T rolls. Eccentric Aunt Sally comes from Canada to babysit the Anderson children while their parents are on a trip to Paris and every night the bedtime story adds another piece to a very unusual family history.
L'Engle, Madeline. A Wrinkle in Time.* When Meg’s father disappears, three extra-terrestrial beings take her and her friends on a strange and dangerous mission to another world.
Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret. When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toy seller and his goddaughter, Hugo’s biggest secrets are jeopardized. This innovative Caldecott medal winning work, ingeniously combines written and graphic novel formats.
Spratt, R.A. The Adventures of Nanny Piggins. Nanny Piggins answers stingy Mr. Green's ad for a nanny and takes on his three children, filling their days with fun, adventure, sweets, and love.
Tooke, Wes. Lucky: Maris, Mantle, and My Best Summer Ever. Louis, who loves baseball despite being the worst stickball player in White Plains, New York, sees his opportunity to be bat boy for the 1961 Yankees team as the perfect way to escape the problems of his father's remarriage and moving to the suburbs.
Non-fiction Books
Arnosky, Jim. Wild Tracks!: A Guide to Nature’s Footsteps. When children learn to recognize and read animal tracks they’re actually mastering an ancient language of shapes and patterns—and gaining knowledge of the natural world. Artist and naturalist Jim Arnosky has created a beautiful and informative reference , filled with intricately drawn prints from creatures, both wild and domestic. Many of the tracks are true to size, so kids can compare the trace left by a big-footed polar bear (whose paws act as snowshoes in its icy environment) with that of a small bird.
Benoit, Peter. The Titanic Disaster. Provides a brief overview of the sinking of the RMS "Titanic," in 1912, describing the ship's collision with an iceberg, the safety precautions the ship had for passengers in the event of an emergency, and the rescue efforts to save the surviving passengers.
Bishop, Nic. Nic Bishop: Lizards. Smaller than dinosaurs, and a bit less scary, lizards lead lives that are full of surprises. Join acclaimed author, photographer, and biologist Nic Bishop as he introduces young readers to the beauty and diversity of these amazing animals with breathtaking full-page images. The simple, engaging text presents basic information and fun, quirky facts about lizards' appearance, habits, and life cycle, while eye-catching photographs are sure to intrigue readers.
Dunham, Montrew. Childhood of Famous Americans: Langston Hughes. Focuses on the childhood of poet, Langston Hughes, whose widely appreciated writings reflect the everyday experiences of African-Americans. Using simple language, this lively, inspiring, and believable biography looks at the early years in the life of one of America’s great writers. One of many enjoyable and informative titles in the Childhood of Famous Americans and Childhood of World Figures series.
Jenkins, Steve. Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea. Vast schools of plankton, bizarre jellyfish, 2,000 pound grouper, and schools of squid that rise and fall through the water as the sun rises and sets. Fascinating creatures lie in wait at every level of the ocean. Steve Jenkins takes the reader on a level-by -level tour of one of the most mysterious ecosystems on earth with his signature stunning collage illustrations.
Jenkins, Steve. Sisters & Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World. Discussion about animal families often focuses on the parent-child relationship, but in this book Jenkins’ shares amazing facts about how young animal siblings nurture one another, compete for survival, and play.
Katz, Susan. The President’s Stuck in the Bathtub: Poems About the Presidents. In The President's Stuck in the Bathtub, the lives of the presidents are served up as fact-filled and fanciful poems that will make you laugh, cringe, and gasp with amazement at the colorful cast of
men and women who have lived in the White House. Includes notes relating the facts behind each poem, and a section called Presidential Notes and Quotes.
Martin, Bill. The Bill Martin Jr. Big Book of Poetry. An illustrated collection of poems, featuring the writings of a wide variety of poets, selected as favorites by acclaimed writer Bill Martin, Jr. This anthology is accompanied by illustrations by a number of award-winning artists, and is organized into themes such as Family and Homes, Nonsense, Animals, World of Nature, and School Time. This big, beautiful book is destined to become a classic.
Pinkney, Andrea. Sit-in: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down. A celebration of the 50th anniversary of the momentous Woolworth's lunch counter sit-in, when four college students staged a peaceful protest that became a defining moment in the struggle for racial equality and the growing civil rights movement. Pinkney tells the story of the four young men, who followed Dr. King’s words of peaceful protest and dared to sit at the "whites only" lunch counter.
Venezia, Mike. Mary Leakey: Archeologist Who Really Dug Her Work. An amusingly ilustrated introduction to Mary Leakey, the twentieth-century British archaeologist who discovered a fossilized skull that linked humans to apes. Without the backbreaking work of Leakey and her family, the story of human evolution would still be a mystery. Join her on Africa’s Serengeti, and see how her prehistoric discoveries shaped our understanding of humankind.
Winter , Jonah. Y ou Never Heard of Sandy K oufax?. In this striking picture book biography, readers learn about the life of unsung baseball great Sandy Koufax. At the beginning of his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Sandy was shy with his teammates, and experienced discrimination as one of the only Jews in the game. Later, he quit the game only to return the next season firing one rocket after another over the plate.
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