When Lainey’s father can not buy her the horse he promised for her thirteenth birthday, Lainey works out a deal with  the owner of a dude ranch to train the horse Whiskey. Whiskey has a mind of his own, as all great horses do, which causes a different ending than one might expect. (JHP)

Adler, David. The Many Troubles of Andy Russell. New York: Gulliver Books, 1998. 133 pages. 

Life is challenging for fourth grader Andy Russell.  His gerbils and snake are on the loose, and his friend wants to move in. He can't pay attention in class. He has family secrets and friend secrets to keep. How can he keep this all straight? (MJG) 

Alexander, Lloyd.  The Black Cauldron.  New York: Bantam, 1965.

Taran and his companions are on a mission to recover the Black Cauldron before it can be used to create any more deathless warriors.  Their travels take them to the Marshes of Morva where they buy the Cauldron for a terrible price.  Through twists and turns of plot, Taran witnesses the ultimate act of bravery when someone sacrifices his life.  Will Arawn recover from this great defeat? (MP)

Alexander, Lloyd.  The Book of Three.  New York: Bantam, 1964.

Taran, an Assistant Pig-Keeper, longs to be a hero.  He impetuously and rather arrogantly involves himself in the political and military life of Prydain by beginning a quest with Prince Gwydion to warn the High King Math that Arawn, the Death-Lord, is planning an attack on the Sons of Don. (MP)

Alexander, Lloyd.  The Castle of Llyr.  New York: Bantam, 1966.

Dallben, the great enchanter, has announced that Eilonwy must travel to the Isle of Mona to learn to behave as a lady and as a princess.  Taran, finally recognizing his feelings for Eilonwy, is heart broken at the news.  He and Gurgi escort Eilonwy to Mona where the Prince Gwydion of Don greets them with the news that she is in danger.  Will Taran, Fflewddur Fflam, Gurgi, and Prince Gwydion be able to protect Princess Eilonwy? (MP)

Alexander, Lloyd.  The High King.  New York: Holt, 1968.

The climax of the Prydain Chronicles finds Taran, Eilonwy, Fflewddur Fflam and Gurgi faced with a battle of epic proportions.  Arawn, the Death-Lord, has set in motion the final challenge for the leadership of Prydain and Prince Gwydion has launched a futile counter-attack.  Will Arawn truly be defeated or will his magic lead him to victory? (MP)

Alexander, Lloyd.  The Marvelous Misadventures of Sebastian.  New York: Bantam, 1970.

Sebastian is a fiddler by trade and a prankster by personality.  Unfortunately, one of his pranks goes too far and he is dismissed from his fiddling job.  While on the road, he meets the mysterious Nicholas and the run-away Princess Isabel.  Trouble happens, and in an effort to save the Princess, Sebastian is given a magical fiddle. (MP)

Alexander, Lloyd.  Taran Wanderer.  New York: Bantam, 1967.

Eilonwy is still on the Isle of Mona and Taran misses her terribly.  He uses their time apart to explore his parentage.  Taran and Gurgi begin a mission that exposes them to terrible danger beginning with the Marshes of Morva and ending with a battle with the bandit, Dorath.  During his travels, Taran learns that his worth is not determined by the rank of his parents, but in the goodness of his heart.  For the first time Taran realizes that he has the potential to be a true hero. (MP)

Aliki. Marianthe’s Story of Painted Words. New York: Greenwillow, 1998, 60 pgs.

Marianthe is struggling to understand and to be understood now that she lives in America.  Her teacher, Mr. Petrie, is patient and kind and he finds a way for Marianthe to express herself and tell her story. (DAH)

Atwater, Richard & Florence.  Mr. Popper's Penguins.  New York: Dell, 1966. 

Mr. Popper, a house painter, does not work when it is cold.  His love for polar exploration gives him an interest during the winter months.  When he writes to an Admiral on an Antarctic expedition, the Popper family gets a surprise in the mail—straight from the South Pole.   (JD) 

Avi.  Beyond the Western Sea. Book One: The Escape From Home.  New York: Orchard, 1996. 

Evicted from their home in Ireland. Patrick, Maura, and their mother must sail to America and join their father.   Because of his brother’s beatings, Laurence has run away.  All the travelers must escape shady Mr. Toggs. It's a race against time and a battle of wits to see if they can make it to America.  Avi brings 1851 Ireland and England to life again!   (AB) 

Avi.   Fighting Ground.   New York: Lippincott, 1984. 

The year was 1778.  America was involved in the Revolutionary War. Jonathan is working on his father's farm, but he can only think of one thing.  He wants to fight.  Before the day is over, he gets his wish and his life is forever changed. (JP)

Avi.  Poppy and Rye.  New York: Avon Camelot, 1998. 

In this sequel to Poppy, Poppy and her grumpy friend Ereth go off in search of Ragweed’s family to give them sad news.  Poppy finds herself in danger and must face down the cheerful, but cold-hearted Caster P. Canad, the building beaver.  Hilarious characters.  Great story.  (MK) 

Avi.  Romeo and Juliet: Together (And Alive!) At Last.  New York:  Avon, 1987. 

Now Saltz has done it!  He told his friend Ed that he likes Anabell Stackpoole.  Ed thinks that Anabell likes Saltz, too.  They are both so shy, though.  They won't even make eye contact.  Not to worry!  Ed has already thought of a plan.  They are reading Romeo and Juliet in Language class.  “We'll just put on a production and get Saltz and Anabell to play Romeo and Juliet,” says Ed.  Will it be a disaster or a romantic success? (DH) 

Avi.  Who Was That Masked Man, Anyway?  New York: Avon, 1992. 

Frankie and Mario plot the radio episodes of Captain Midnight, The Shadow, The Lone Ranger, Sky King, The Green Hornet, and Buck Rogers.  Frankie’s Mom and Dad are “Wild Goosed.”  Tom and Esmerelda get the gold ring.  But Frankie is still in the 6th grade! (MR) 

In the village of Instep, at the base of a large cliff called Knee-Knock Rise, lives a town in fear of the “Megrimum.”  The Megrimum is a supposedly fierce yet undiscovered creature that lives at the top of the cliff.  His moans and groans have been heard on rainy nights for thousands of years.  After reading this fable-ish adventure, will you believe in the Megrimum?  Newbery Honor 1971. (SR) 

Babbitt, Natalie.  Tuck Everlasting.  New York: Sunburst Books, 1975. 

If swallowing a sip of water could make you live forever, would you drink it?  That’s the decision Winnie Foster has to face when she stumbles upon the Tuck family’s secret.  What will her decision be and can she help them keep their secret? (SR) 

Banks, Sara Harrell. Abraham’s Battle. New York:  Atheneum, 1999. 88 pgs.

Abraham, an ex-slave from Georgia, lives in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  On the back roads of Gettysburg, he meets Lamar, a young rebel soldier from Georgia.  When they talk about war, Abraham realizes Lamar is indifferent to slavery.  The old black man then understands he must contribute to the Union war effort to end slavery. (DR)

Barrett, Tracy.  Anna of Byzantium.  New York: Delacorte, 1999.

Anna of Byzantium was raised to be the Empress of the Byzantine Empire.   Unfortunately, her powerful grandmother recognized that Anna had a mind of her own, and as a result,  Anna lost her place as the heir to the thrown.  This story is a prime example of pride coming before a fall.  Anna never became the ruler of Byzantium and was forced to live the rest of her life in a convent. (MP)

Bartoletti, Susan.  No Man’s Land- A Young Soldier’s Story. New York: Blue Sky, 1999. 168 p.

Fourteen year-old Thrasher Magee joins the Confederate Army because he wants to prove that he is a man.  Desperate to get into battle, Thrasher learns that the enemy soldiers are not all that different from his friends; many times they  play cards and ball with the Yankee soldiers.  When the Okefinokee Rifles head to Virginia, will Thrasher have the courage to face battle? (KG)

Bauer, Marion Dane.  On My Honor.  Boston: Houghton, 1986. 
. 
Tony and Joel headed for Starved Rock State Park.  Sunshine and adventure were calling the boys.  To climb or to swim?  Which dare would mean disaster? (MR) 

Blume, Judy.  Superfudge.  New York:  Bantam, 1980.

Could twelve-year-old Peter Hatcher’s life get any worse?  His younger brother, Fudge, is the biggest brat ever.  And to top things off, Peter finds out that his mother is pregnant and the whole family is moving to Princeton for a year.  Peter must cope with starting sixth grade at a new school and dealing with a new baby Fudge! (MJ)

Brittain, Bill.  The Wish Giver.  New York: HarperCollins, 1983. 181p. 

When Thaddeus Blinn blows into town, three lives are never the same. In this Newbery Honor book, Mr. Blinn promises one wish, anything your heart desires, for just fifty cents! What a bargain! Rowena wishes for the attention of a young, handsome man, Polly wishes that others would like her, and Adam wishes for water to fall on his farm. What they get in return is more than they bargained for! Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it! (TD) 

Bunting, Eve.  The In-Between Days.  New York.  HarperCollins, 1994.

Life for George has always been the same.  And he likes it that way.  George enjoys his time living on Dove Island with only his father and brother, James.  Suddenly, things change when George’s dad starts paying attention to Caroline, his new girlfriend.  George does not like this, and he is bound to come up with a plan to trick Caroline into leaving the family.  Soon he realizes what he has done, but could it be too late to change Caroline’s mind?  (MJ)

Bunting, Eve.  Is Anybody There?  New York: Lippinincott, 1988. 

Marcus is a latchkey kid. His father is dead and his mother works long hours. He doesn't mind being alone, except lately he's had the feeling that someone is watching him. Small items begin disappearing from his house.  To make matters worse, Angelica, a girl who wears green lipstick, has a crush on Marcus. Is she the one who has been spying and stealing—or is there someone else? (AB)

Bunting, Eve.  Nasty, Stinky Sneakers.  New York:  HarperCollins, 1994. 

Colin is determined to win The Stinkiest Sneakers in the World Contest, but his tennis shoes are stolen.  Colin thinks Kyle did it so he steals Kyle’s tennis shoes.  This was a stinky mistake! (DLM) 

Bunting, Eve.   Such Nice Kids.  New York: Clarion, 1990.

Pidge, Meeker and Jason are good kids just looking for a nice night out on the town.  One wrong move leads to another, until the lives of all three are changed forever. (JP)

Butler, Susan. The Hermit Thrush Sings. New York: DK Publishing, Inc., 1999. 282 pgs.

One hundred years after a meteor strikes Earth, a young girl named Leora is living in Village Three with her stepmother and stepsister.  People call her “defective” because she has a webbed left hand.  She fears being placed in an institution.  Curiosity and a need for survival take her beyond Village Three to the forbidden Outside. (DR)

Byars, Betsy.  Bingo Brown's Guide to Romance.  New York: Viking, 1992. 115p. 

Meet Bingo Brown, a boy searching for the answers to the baffling issues of love. When his old girlfriend, Melissa, comes back to town she doesn't even seem to notice him, much less be interested in him. Could it be because of the Xeroxed letter he sent her? His friend, Billy Wentworth, isn't much help either. Will their flame ever burn bright again? (TD) 

Byars, Betsy.   The Dark Stairs.   New York: Scholastic, 1994.

Herculeah Jones, the daughter of a private investigator and a police detective, is naturally curious.  What is going on in the house now known as "Dead Oaks"?   Who is the Moloch and what is his connection to the house? Herculeah aims to find out. (JP)

Byars, Betsy.  Disappearing Acts.  New York: Viking, 1998. 

Herculeah Jones and her best friend, Meat, each have a mystery to solve.  Meat finds a dead body, and feels compelled to figure out whose body it is, while Herculeah is busy trying to find Meat’s father, who disappeared ten years earlier.  They both get a little help from Herculeah’s crazy hair, which frizzes when she feels danger nearby.  Fans of Herculeah Jones will enjoy reading this book. (JS) 

Byars, Betsy. The Night Swimmers. New York: Delacorte, 1980.

After their mother dies, Retta has to take care of her brothers because her father is too busy with his music career.  Things are changing though, Johnny has found a friend and little Roy wants to tag along.  Retta feels like she is losing control. Will her brothers’ struggle for independence cause a tragedy?  (SH)

Byars, Betsy.   The Pinballs.   New York: Harper and Row, 1977.

Life in a foster home can be pretty tough, life in several foster homes can make you feel like a pinball.  That's how Harvey, Thomas J. and Carlie feel until they get to the Masons.  Can they really be a family?  Can they really be happy?  See how things change when Harvey, Thomas J and Carlie realize they can make choices about their own lives. (JP) 

Seven year-old Julian loves to use his imagination to tell stories, but with a younger brother sometimes those stories get out off hand. (SH)  

Christopher, Matt. Olympic Dream.  Boston:  Little, Brown, 1996.  171p. 

Doug is a regular kid.  He likes video games and is a little heavy.  Most of the kids he knows make fun of his size.  His sister, Kate, comes home from college and announces she is getting married.  Oh no!  He'll look like a penguin in his tuxedo.  Then he meets the other usher in the wedding.  A guy who is into cycling.  Soon Doug is learning the correct way to cycle and losing weight.  He is even participating in bike races.  Can an Olympic dream be too outrageous for him? (DH) 

Cleary, Beverly.  Ellen Tebbits.  New York: Morrow, 1951.

Woolen underwear—that’s what Austine and Ellen have in common.  Friendship found and friendship lost casts a long shadow in the 4th grade.  Red monkeys are always a palm tree of laughter.  Torn sashes and Otis Spofford make a monkey out of friendship. (MR)

Cleary, Beverly. The Mouse and the Motorcycle.  New York: Morrow, 1965.

A mouse on a motorcyle?  Ralph has always wanted to explore the Mountain View Inn where he lives.  Now Keith and his family have checked into Room 215, and Keith has a little red motorcycle that is just Ralph's size.  Ralph and Keith become friends and Keith lets Ralph use the motorcyle whenever he wants.  But can Ralph be trusted to stay away from the guests, the bell boy, the maid--and her powerful vacuum cleaner?  (AB)

Cleary, Beverly.  Ramona and Her Mother.  New York: Morrow, 1979.

Ramona so much wants to hear that she is "mother's little girl" and that her mother "couldn't do without her." But other things get in the way--like Willa Jean, who throws tissues all over Ramona's living room and doesn't even get into trouble. There's Beezus, who seems to get more than her share of attention, especially after she gets a weird hair cut.  Then there are those irresistible urges Ramona has--like how good it would feel to squeeze out a whole tube of toothpaste!  How will she ever get her mother to love her best?  (AB)

Cleary, Beverly.  Ramona the Pest.  New York: Morrow, 1968.

Ramona loves her teacher and school, but she can't stop chasing Davy to kiss him and she can't resist pulling Susan's boing- boing curls. She rides a tricycle with one back wheel removed so she can have a two wheeler. She longs for new red boots but wanders into a construction site and gets them stuck in the mud. When Henry Huggins rescues her, she tells him she will marry him—and has an earthworm engagement ring to prove it! (AB)

Cleary, Beverly.  Ramona Quimby, Age 8.  New York: Morrow, 1981.

Poor Ramona! Her mother forgot to hard-boil her egg and-- SPLAT! Ramona's hair is slimed in the school cafeteria. Then her teachers say that she is a show off and a nuisance.  She's trying to be extra good so her teacher won't hate her when--SPLARF! She throws up in the classroom, right in front of everyone!  How can Ramona ever return to school after such humiliation? (AB)

Cleary, Beverly.  Ramona’s World. New York: Morrow, 1999.

Ramona’s back!  It’s a busy year in fourth grade—she has a teacher who makes her spell correctly, she has a secret crush on Yard Ape, she makes a new friend, she babysits Roberta, she watches Beezus learn to dance, and Ramona even falls through the ceiling! (MK) 

Cleary, Beverly.  Strider.  New York: Morrow, 1991.

In this sequel to the Newbery Dear Mr. Henshaw, Leigh Botts is growing up.  He's making new friends and taking on new responsibilities, including a dog who has been abandoned on the beach. But his landlady won't allow pets, and he has to share Strider with his best friend. How can the boys manage joint custody of their dog?  (AB)

Clements, Andrew.  Frindle. New York: Simon & Schuster. 1996. 

Ten-year old, Nick Allen, is a champion time-waster and always one step ahead of his teachers.  However, he meets his match in fifth grade language-arts class.  Nick challenges Mrs. Granger, whose favorite book is the dictionary, by inventing a new word for pen: “frindle”. He convinces his classmates to use it and soon the whole school, the city, the nation, and the world are involved in this enterprise.  Where will it all end? (LB)

Clements, Andrew.  Jake Drake, Bully Buster.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001.

“How come when it comes to bullies, kids are mostly on their own?”  Jake Drake is not the smallest kid in fourth grade, but he’s figured out a way to handle Nose Boy, Destructo, King Bump, The Fist, and SuperBully. (MK)

Clements, Andrew.  The Janitor’s Boy.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000.

The other boys are teasing Jack because his dad is the janitor.  So Jack decides to make a big mess for his father, only he winds up in the big mess instead.  Terrific book!  (MK)

Clements, Andrew. The Landry News. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999. 123 p.

Fifth grader, Cara Landry posts an editorial about a burned-out (Mr. Larson) teacher’s poor teaching and really gets his attention.  He challenges his class to create a real newspaper. Cara makes new friends by accepting their help on the paper, and Mr. Larson gets the boost he needs. But, will the newspaper lose Mr. Larson his job? (KG)

Cohen, Barbara. Molly’s Pilgrim. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1983, 41 pgs.

Molly wants to go home, she hates living in Winter Hill, but returning to Russia is not an option. Momma tries to help but only makes things worse when she helps Molly with her Pilgrim doll for the class Thanksgiving display. The lesson Molly receives and gives her class on the true meaning of thanksgiving will touch your heart. (DAH) 

Conford, Ellen.  Annabel the Actress: Starring in Gorilla My Dreams.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.  64 pages (grades 1-3) 

Annabel wants to be an actress.  Her first job is tough—pretending to be a gorilla at a five-year-old boy’s birthday party.  She finds her costume in the basement—the furry lining of a raincoat. All week, she practices her gorilla moves.  And wouldn’t you know it, something goes wrong.  Fun! (MK) 

Cooper, Susan.  The Dark Is Rising.  New York: Atheneum, 1973. 

Will finds out that he is the last Old One, a mystical group battling for the Light against the Dark.  He must find five symbols of the Light, small rings with two crossbars intersecting in the center, and banish the Dark from its advance on the earth.  He travels through time and across the planet to find the symbols and bring all of the Old Ones together for the final battle. (MA) 

Cooper, Susan.  The Grey King.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 1975. 

Will Stanton has come to the Welsh highlands to recover from an illness.  He begins to remember a legend about a golden harp that will be used to wake those who must battle the Dark ones. Will must get the harp even though the forces of the dark are against him.  In the tradition of great fantasy writing, Susan Cooper gives us a saga about the fight between good and evil.  (TB) 

Coville, Bruce.  Into the Land of the Unicorns.  New York: Scholastic, 1994. 

Cara is transported to a mystical land when her grandmother sends her off telling her to find the unicorn queen.  She travels with Dimblethum, the Squijum, and a young, rebellious unicorn named Lightfoot.  Together they journey to find the queen and tell her that hunters are about to invade their world in an effort to rid the world of unicorns once and for all. (MA) 

Coville, Bruce. Skull of Truth. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1997. 

Charlie is a sixth-grader with a compulsion to tell lies.  One day he acquires a skull from a mysterious shop.  Much to his dismay, he finds that he can only tell the truth while the skull is in his possession.  You should always tell the truth, you say? How much trouble would you get into if you always told the absolute truth? (BD) 

Creech, Sharon.  Bloomability.  New York: HarperCollins, 1998. 

Dinnie doesn’t think it’s such a “great opportunity” but nobody asks for her opinion.  She is whisked away from her family and emerged in the American School in Switzerland where she meets kids her age from all over the world.  Her new friendships and the beauty of Switzerland open her up and she discovers that life is full of wonderful “bloomabilities.” (CS) 

Creech, Sharon.  Chasing Redbird.  New York: Scholastic, 1997. 

Haunted by the memories of her past, Zinny seeks her peace as she cleans the hiking trail between her home of Bybanks to Choctan.  It is on the trail that all of the answers lie to her need for understanding.  Will Zinny’s mind finally be at ease—read to find out! (SR) 

Crowe, Carole.  Sharp Horns on the Moon.  Pennsylvania, Caroline House, 1998. 

Ivy Marie Bell lives on an island with her fisherman father and her aunt. She is lonely and wishes really hard for a friend. The next thing she knows – “In the center of the light, I saw the shimmering image of a girl’s face.” This is a really good ghost story with a terrific twist to the ending. (DS) 

Cummings, Priscilla.  Autumn Journey.  New York: Cobblehill Books/ Dutton, 1997. p. 128. 

Life is not going smoothly for eleven year old, Will Newcomb. A year after his dad lost his job, their house in Baltimore is sold and his family moves to his Grampa’s farm in Pennsylvania.  When Grandpa suggests a hunting trip to take Will’s mind off his family problems no one expects it to turn out so tragically. (LB)

Curtis, Christopher Paul.  The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963.  New York:  Delacorte, 1995. 

Because Byron causes so much trouble, his parents decide that he will live with his grandmother in Birmingham.  After the family travels from Michigan to Alabama, something happens that will change the “Weird” Watsons’s insight on life forever. (DLM) 

Cushman, Karen.  The Ballad of Lucy Whipple.  New York: Clarion, 1996. 

Named California because that's where her mother wanted to go, Lucy Whipple and the family head out from Massachusetts to seek their fortune in the gold fields of California.  It’s a hard life setting up a boarding house in the mining town of Lucky Diggins.  No schools, no books, only cooking, washing, and baking pies.  Lucy is very unhappy and dreams of the day she can head back to Massachusetts. (JP) 

Cushman, Karen.  Catherine, Called Birdy.  New York: Clarion, 1994. 

Catherine is the daughter of a minor nobleman in eleventh century England.  She despises the idea of being a lady and being married off to some awful, ugly landowner, and she fantasizes about running off to be a crusader...or a monk...or a royal companion.  Eventually, Catherine gives in to the 
inevitable but is saved quite unexpectedly from the life she seemed doomed for. (MA) 

Cushman, Karen.  Matilda Bone.  New York: Clarion, 2000. 167p.

Set in medieval England, with lots of details.  Fourteen-year-old Matilda finds herself on Blood and Bone Alley.  She can pray and read Latin, but these skills are virtually useless in helping Red Peg, the Bonesetter.  But Nathaniel can't see any better after Master Theobald's advice to drink bull urine.  What can Matilda do?  (MK)

Cushman, Karen.  The Midwife's Apprentice. New York: Clarion, 1995. 

Beetle lived in a dung heap until the mean, old midwife took her to help her with the menial labor of gathering herbs and other medicines.  Beetle is not really an apprentice, but when she delivers a baby successfully in the midwife's absence, she has a brief moment of triumph.  However, when she later fails, she runs away and must learn to trust and believe in herself before she can return. (MA)

James hates living with his wicked Aunts.  In the yard a strange little man gives him magic crystals.  When he drops them, he thinks his chance to escape is lost forever.  But is it?  Strange things begin to happen to the peach tree, and soon the peach becomes gigantic.  That night James goes over to the peach and sees a hole.  As he climbs into the hole, things get even stranger! (DH)

Dahl, Roald.  The Vicar of Nibbleswicke.  New York: Puffin, 1991.

Robert Lee grew up to be Reverend. God, dog, Prewt, Twerp, knit, stink—these were such simple mistakes for a dyslexic.  But to ask the parish folk to krap by the side of the road was just a bit much.  Walking backwards made him an endearing figure in Nibbleswicke.  (This book was written for the Dyslexia Institute of Great Britain.) (MR)

Dahl, Roald.  The Witches.  Illustrated by Quentin Blake.  New York: Puffin, 1983. 

A boy and his grandmother discover England’s secret society of witches and single-handedly set out to destroy them.  Once accomplished, they set out to destroy all of the witches of the world! (SR)

DeFelice, Cynthia.  The Apprenticeship of Lucas Whitaker.  New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1996.

Lucas Whitaker’s family is dead.  They all died of consumption.  He wanders into the town of Southwick, Connecticut.  Here, Lucas becomes an apprentice to Doctor Beecher.  While learning the art of helping people, Lucas learns of a “cure” for consumption.  He doesn’t understand why Doc Beecher isn’t using it. (HF)

DeFelice, Cynthia.  The Ghost of Fossil Glen.  New York:  Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998. 

Allie begins to hear a voice.   She sees a girl with black, curly hair descend to death in her dreams.  Someone is writing in her journal.  Allie is known for having a vivid imagination.  Could it be her imagination or a ghost looking for her help? (DLM) 

Dickinson, Peter.  The Kin Suth’s Story.  New York: Putnam, 1998.

200,000 years ago, scientists believe new humans, who seemed to be like us in many ways, spread out and moved to new areas. They might have lived the way Suth, a ten-year-old, does in this story, the first in a series about a group of early humans called the Kin. (DS)

Doyle,  Roddy. The Giggler Treatment.  New York: Scholastic, 2000.

Mr. Mack is about to step in poo!  The gigglers left it there.  It's their way of punishing grown-ups whenever they are rude to children.  But Mr. Mack is innocent.  Will his family get to the scene of the crime in time?(MK)

Hank the Cowdog is Head of Ranch Security.  One night a hen on the ranch is murdered.  Hank and his partner, Drover, are determined to find the killer, but when Hank becomes a suspect in the case, the ranch is never the same.  (JD) 

Erickson, John R.  Hank the Cowdog:  The Curse of the Incredible Priceless Corncob. Houston:  Gulf, 1986. 

Hank is proud of himself for tricking Pete, the Barn Cat, into giving him two priceless corncobs that were thrown out with the scraps.  These corncobs soon create mistrust between Hank and his assistant, Drover. Hank is convinced that his corncob has made him rich so he quits his job and takes off.  It’s not long before he has an encounter with some coyotes who not only want his corncob, but intend to eat Drover as well.  Hank must chose between his priceless corncob and his friend.  After a daring rescue, they return home, only to find more corncobs in the scraps!  And so it begins again... (CG) 

Erickson, John.  The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog.  New York: Gulf, 1988. 

Hank is the head of security at the ranch but he has to works with Drover who is not the bravest dog.  Hank ends up getting framed for a chicken murder he didn’t commit, so he’s off to find a new life.  Written in the dog’s point of view, this story is full of funny things only a dog would know about.  (RC) 

Fenner, Carol.  The King of Dragons.  New York: McElderry Books, 1998. 

When a museum staff takes over an unused courthouse to establish an exhibit,  11-year old Ian's home is invaded.  Ian's father has disappeared, and Ian is eventually discovered.  He manages to hide his identify by volunteering his services, but how long can he carry on? (LK) 

Fleischman, Paul. Mind’s Eye. New York: Holt, 1999. 108 pgs.

Sixteen-year-old Courtney is paralyzed from the waist down and is brought to Briarwood Convalescent Home.  Her elderly roommate, Elva, is losing her sight and would like Courtney to read to her.  Elva slowly draws Courtney out of her depression by introducing her to a 1910 guidebook of Italy.  As Courtney reads aloud, the two imagine themselves touring Italy. (DR)

Fleischman, Sid.  Bandit’s Moon.  Illustrations by Jos. A. Smith.  New York:  Greenwillow, 1998. 

Annyrose, an orphan, takes a ride from a bandit to escape a mean O. O. Mary and to find her brother.  Annyrose, however, has to disguise herself as a boy!  Will she survive the adventures and find her brother? (DLM) 

Gantos, Jack.  Joey Pigza Loses Control.  New York: Farrar, 2000.

Joey is going to spend the summer with his dad—for the first time.  What’s Dad like, asks Joey?  Just like you, only bigger.  Uh-oh.  Joey is on medication because he’s hyper. Dad likes storybook land, encourages Joey to get an earring, and yells at him to win the baseball game so that he (Dad, not Joey) can be a winner.  Add a weird grandma who rides in a grocery cart and a Chihuahua—and get ready to laugh at this very believable story.  (MK)

  Giff, Patricia Reilly.  The Beast in Ms. Rooney's Room.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1984.  76p. 

The first book in a series of The Kids of the Polk Street School, we meet Richard “Beast” Best.  He is a left-back, still in second grade and getting in trouble.  He gets teased by his old friends.  This year he has to be in a special reading class with “babies.”  But his teacher him to read.  He might even help the second grade win the school banner for the best class.  (DH) 

Giff, Patricia Reilly.  The Candy Corn Contest.  New York:  Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1984. 

Ms. Rooney’s third grade class is having a contest to see who can guess the number of candy corns in a jar.  Richard, goes back into the classroom after school one day and examines the jar of candy.  Carefully he opens the jar...and eats three, fat candy corn pieces! (DLM) 

Giff, Patricia Reilly.  Lily's Crossing.  New York: Bantam Doubleday, 1997. 

In 1944, Lily's world is turning upside down.  Her best friend has to move away, her father has to go to war and she is left with her grandmother in Rockaway.  There is no one else Lily's age until Albert comes, a refuge from Hungary.  They both have secrets and tell lies, but Lily's lie may cost Albert his life. (BD) 

Goodman, Joan Elizabeth.  Hope’s Crossing.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. 

A thirteen-year-old, Hope Wakeman was kidnapped from her Connecticut home by a Torie officer and turned into a slave for his irritable wife. The man’s mother, ashamed of her son’s behavior, takes pity on Hope and together they escape through revolutionary war-torn New York. This is a very exciting historical adventure story. (DS)

Luke shouldn’t be here.  After all, the Population Police forbid families from having more than two children.  He’s the third child.  He manages to get a fake ID and go into hiding at Hendricks School for Boys.  But he’s alone, with no friends, until he discovers an unlocked door leading to the outside.  A riveting sequel to Among the Hidden. (MK)

Haddix, Margaret Peterson.  Just Ella.  New York:  Simon & Schuster, 1999.

Cinders-Ella has found her Prince Charming, but life in the castle is not what she imagined.  When she speaks her mind, she is thrown in the dungeon.  She must take matters in her own hands.  (MK)

Hahn, Mary Downing.  Anna All Year Round.  New York:  Clarion, 1999. 133 pages.

People often debate about whether life today is better than it was in the earlier part of this century.  Hahn uses her own mother’s experiences as the basis for this story about a young girl’s trials and tribulations growing up in Baltimore, in 1914.  Readers can sympathize with young Anna as she rebels against her mother or when she hopes her friend Charlie will kiss her during a game of spin the bottle.  This story seeks to remind us that perhaps life in 1914 was not much different than life today. (SD)

Hahn, Mary Downing.  As Ever Gordy.  New York: Clarion, 1998. 

The untimely death of his beloved grandmother forces Gordy to return to College Hill, where he had the reputation as the troublesome, semi-delinquent, son of a drunken abuser. This is the third book in a series that includes Stepping on the Cracks and Following in My Footsteps. (DS) 

  Hahn, Mary Downing. The Gentleman Outlaw and Me - Eli: A Story of the Old West. New York: Clarion, 1996.

In 1887, after the death of her mother and cruel treatment by relatives, Eliza leaves Kansas in search of her father in Colorado. Disguised as a boy, she meets the Gentleman Outlaw and helps with his money-making scams. What is the connection between the Gentleman Outlaw and her father that leads her to meet Doc Holiday? This is a good western adventure for both boys and girls. (JHP) 

Hahn, Mary Downing.  Look for Me by Moonlight.  New York: Avon, 1995. 

Underhill Inn is haunted by the ghost of a girl who was murdered in 1934.  When a mysterious stranger comes to stay at the Inn, the ghost seems to be trying to warn Cynda to stay away from the man. But Cynda cannot resist the stranger. Too late, Cynda realizes the stranger's evil secret and she struggles to save her own life. (AB) 

Hahn, Mary Downing.    Time For Andrew.  New York: Clarion, 1994. 

Andrew and Drew are related and look like twins.  The only problem is Andrew is really Drew's great-great-uncle.  When Andrew appears one night, sick with diphtheria, he convinces Drew to switch places.  How these boys fit into their new place in time makes an intriguing story. (JP) 

Hahn, Mary Downing.  Wait Till Helen Comes.  New York: Avon, 1986. 

Molly and her brother, Michael, don't want to live in a church in Holwell. They would rather stay in Baltimore.  Their step-sister, Heather, isn't helping.  She is always getting the two of them in trouble for things they don't do.  She will only let her Dad get close to her until she meets Helen.   (JD) 

Hamilton, Virginia.  Bluish.  New York: The Blue Sky Press, 1999. 127 pages.

Natalie comes to school in a wheelchair.  She always wears a hat and is even allowed to bring her puppy.  The kids call her Bluish because of the color of her skin.  Even though Dreenie is a little scared, she would like to get to know Bluish better.  So starts a compassionate and loving story of friendship. (DA) 

Hamilton, Virginia. Cousins. New York: Scholastic, 1990.

Cammy loves everyone in her family, except for her too perfect cousin Patty Ann. She always has the nicest clothes and the best grades. But then a tragedy happens and Cammy realizes how important family is.  (SH)

Hamilton, Virginia.  The House of Dies Drear.  New York: MacMillan, 1968. 

Thomas Small and his family move to Ohio to an old mansion that used to be a station on the Underground Railroad.  The house is surrounded by legends of its being haunted, and the walls are riddled with secret passages.  This all excites Thomas at first, but when the "ghosts" destroy the kitchen, he feels more invaded and determined to do something about it. (MA) 

Hamilton, Virginia. Second Cousins. New York: The Blue Sky Press, 1998.

It’s been a year since Patty Ann’s accident and Cammy is looking forward to the Upcoming family reunion. Little does she realize that her family has some secrets and they are about to be revealed.  (SH)

Hansen, Joyce.I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly.(Dear America Series.) New York: Scholastic, 1997. 

Patsy, a slave girl freed at the end of the Civil War, journals her life and times on the Davis plantation in Mars Bluff, South Carolina.  She proves that she can read and write—an unusual privilege for a young black girl in the deep south.  This book has won the Coretta Scott King Award for its historical perceptions. (SR) 

Henry, Marguerite. Brown Sunshine of Sawdust Valley. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996.78p 

Molly wants a horse of her own.  When she and her father bring home an old mare named Della, they get a two for one bargain that changes everyone in delightful ways. (JM) 

Hesse, Karen.  just Juice.   Illustrated Robert Andrew Parker.  New York:  Scholastic Press, 1998. 

Juice doesn’t go to school regularly because she is not successful in school and she would rather help her family at home.  She finds, however, that life isn’t so easy.  The truant officer is on to her, the family’s at risk of loosing their home, and her mother is pregnant with a sixth child! (DLM)

Hobbs, Will.  Far North.  New York: Avon Books, 1996. 

Gabe Rogers has just arrived in Canada to live with his father, who lives in the Northwest Territories.  At school, Gabe meets Raymond.  They have nothing in common, until they find themselves fighting for their lives in Deadmen Valley.  With temperatures below zero and the fast-approaching winter season, Gabe and Raymond aren’t sure they will make it out alive. (HF) 

Hobbs, Will.  Kokopelli's Flute.  New York: Avon, 1995. 

Tepary Jones lives in Arizona where there are plenty of old Indian sites.  He interrupts a couple of pot-hunters, men who steal artifacts for illegal sale, and they leave behind a small flute.  Tep cannot resist taking it home with him, but when he plays it, it causes him to transform into a packrat every successive night.  It is a nuisance at first, but then he must use his packrat form to save his mother's life and remove his own curse as well. (MA) 

Hurwitz, Johanna.  Busybody Nora.  New York: Morrow, 1976.

Is it possible to meet everyone in an apartment building with two hundred families?  Six-year-old  Nora thinks its a great idea.  After all, she already knows the seven dogs that live in the building.  She'll just have a party and invite everyone.  Henry the doorman tells her that's too many people but Nora proves him wrong. (JP)

Hurwitz, Johanna.   A Llama in the Family.   New York: Morrow, 1994.

When Adam's mother tells him there will be a big surprise when he gets home from school that day, he is sure it's a bike.  What a surprise when he discovers the surprise is really a llama!  The new family pet causes lots of excitement as Adam's mother starts her new llama trekking business. (JP)

Hurwitz, Johanna.  Russell Sprouts.  New York: Penguin, 1987.  68p. 

Russell is a rambunctious first grader.  First grade is filled with saying bad words, planning costume parties, getting lost at the movies, growing a potato plant, and getting a report card.  (DH) 

Hurwitz, Johanna.  Teacher's Pet.  New York: Morrow, 1988. 

Cricket is always the teacher's pet.  She thinks fourth grade will be no different until her teacher, Mrs. Schraalenburgh, says she does not have favorites.  Cricket tries everything to make her teacher like her, but no matter what she tries to do, it seems Zoe, the new girl, does it better.   (JD) 

After seven-year-old Johnnie is killed, his entire family sinks into a seemingly endless winter of deep grief. Affected worst of all, his twin sister Susie hasn’t spoken a word since the accident. Then eighty-two year old Cousin Ruth comes to live next door and the healing begins. (DS) 

Kurtz, Jane.  The Storyteller’s Beads.  New York: Harcourt and Brace, 1998. 

“But she had walked this whole way with her hand on her brother’s shoulder!” Suddenly, Sahay could not stand one more bit of cruelty. What did she care if the (blind ‘Falasha’) girl put the evil eye on her? War, drought, and the resulting famine had made it necessary to escape from the devastated Ethiopia of the early 1980’s. This is an incredibly powerful story about two girls from cultures that have traditionally feared and hated one another and how they find strength and hope from each other. (DS) 

Kerby, Mona.  38 Weeks Till Summer Vacation.  New York: Viking, 1989.

If it's not a bully named Jimmy Lee stealing Nora Jean's soap dog, it's a black snake in the girl's room toilet--anything can happen at school!  Nora Jean, who admires Thomasina for her beauty and for the way she sweats, has more trials and tribulations than a ten-year-old should have to bear-- defending a fat best friend, choking at a most embarrassing moment and tripping in her corrective shoes.  "Hallelujah Hiawatha!"  Can Nora Jean survive the 4th grade?  (AB)

Kline, Suzy.  Herbie Jones.  New York:  Putnam, 1985.  95p. 

Herbie is in 3rd grade and in the “Apples”—the lowest reading group in class.  Finally he gets the chance to do something great.  “If you get your name and address correct on Friday's spelling test, I will send you a postcard in the mail with the good news,” says his teacher.  Herbie knows his Dad will be proud.  But Raymond isn't getting any better at reading or spelling.  Herbie has to do some fast thinking to help his friend out. (DH) 

Kline, Suzy.  Horrible Harry in Room 2B.  New York: Viking, 1988. 56p. 

Doug's best friend is known as Horrible Harry and for good reason! Harry scares girls with garter snakes and gets revenge on enemies by making them yell, "I love girls!"  But when Harry does the unthinkable and dumps his friend, Doug, to become Song Lee's field trip partner, Doug sees that his friend really is Horrible Harry. Will Doug ever forgive him? (TD) 

Kline, Suzy. Mary Marony and the Chocolate Surprise. New York: Putnam, 1995. 86 pgs.

Miss Bird brings chocolate bars to school, and five of them have gold tickets hidden inside.  The students who receive the gold tickets will eat lunch with the teacher.  When Mary Marony finds she doesn’t have a gold ticket, she switches her candy bar with Marvin when no one is looking.  (DR)

Konigsburg, E. L.  Throwing Shadows.  New York: Atheneum, 1979. 

This short story collection has the common theme of children improving their lives and the lives of others.  One story tells of a boy who is always getting caught doing things wrong, but his brother teaches him how to change all that.  A young tour guide in Ecuador improves the life of a young singing weaver boy from a small village.  A boy with a broken arm spends his rehabilitation 
taping the stories of people in an old folks home. (MA) 

Konigsburg, E. L.  The View from Saturday.  New York: Atheneum, 1996.

Mrs. Olinski, the new sixth grade teacher, just might have assembled the best academic team in the school’s history.  The four members are not only bound by their common knowledge; they are also bound by a mutual respect for their differences.  Each has a special story to tell and they learn from one another.  They are more than team mates - they are soul mates.  This meeting of the minds and spirits just might take them all the way to a state championship. (CG)

Lasky, Kathryn.  A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple. New York: Scholastic, 1996. 

Remember, a twelve-year old, is traveling on the Mayflower to the New World for religious freedom.   She tells about the excitement and the dangers of the trip to Plymouth and the hard work it takes to start the settlement. (DLM) 

Levy, Elizabeth.  My Life As A Fifth Grade Comedian. New York: HarperCollins, 1997. 

Bobby Garrick is the classroom clown.  When he starts making the people around him laugh, he doesn’t want to stop.  However, his constant misbehavior is about to get him sent to the School for Intervention – two steps from reform school.  How will he manage to convince the principal, teachers, and his parents that he’s more than a cut-up? (LB)

Love, D. Anne.  I Remember the Alamo.  New York: Holiday House, 2000.

A fictional account of the battle of the Alamo and the Runaway Scrape.  (MK)

Lowry, Lois.  Stay!  Keeper’s Story.  Illustrated by True Kelly.  Boston:  Houghton, 1997. 

Our hero is a dog with a glorious tail, a sharp mind, and an ear for poetry.  He tells the story of how he came to be known as Keeper.  Abandoned by his mother in a back alley, he befriends a homeless man before stumbling on a career as a fashion star. Fame and fortune do not satisfy his longing for love and soon he walks away from it all in search of a loving child and his beloved sister, Wispy. (CG) 

When Emma and Zach’s parents go to an eyeball doctor convention,  Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Elliott come to stay.  At first Emma is not at all happy being left with two grown-ups who know nothing about important things like grapefruit with cherries and seven kisses in a row,  but soon they are having fun and learning a lot from each other and she doesn’t want them to leave.  (BMD) 

MacLachlan, Patricia.  Skylark.  New York:  Harper Collins Publishers,  1994. 

Picking up where Sarah, Plain and Tall left off,  in Skylark the new family’s happiness is quickly overshadowed by a drought which threatens their life on the prairie.  When water becomes scarce and the barn burns down,  Sarah, Anna and Caleb must pack up and stay with the aunts in Maine, leaving Papa behind to tend the land.  As they write letters back and forth and pray for rain,  their future is frightening and uncertain. (BMD) 

  Manes, Stephen.  Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days.  New York: Clarion, 1982. 

Milo is far from perfect; he is not good at baseball and gets yelled at by his sister and parents. When he accidentally finds a book that promises him perfection in just three short days, Milo believes his luck has changed and follows the three easy steps that will bring him closer to perfection. Will Milo go through with it even if it means wearing broccoli for an entire day? (TD) 

Mackel, Kathy.  A Season of Comebacks.  New York:  Putnam, 1997. 

Allie, coached by her father, is a fast-pitch superstar on a major league team.  An accident occurs.  Her younger sister Molly wants join Allie in the major leagues to receive more of her father’s attention.  Will she be good enough? (DLM) 

Matas, Carol.  In My Enemy’s House.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999. 

The Nazis are in Poland, shooting Jews and taking prisoners.  Marisa, with her blond hair and blue eyes, gets a chance to live.  But to survive, she must take the papers of a Polish Catholic girl, go to Germany and live with a Nazi family.  Powerful story.  (MK) 

McKissack, Patricia.  A Picture of Freedom:  The Diary of Clotee, A Slave Girl.  New York:  Scholastic, Inc.  1997. 

Although the story of Clotee is fiction,  all of what she writes in her diary is based on what we know to be true about slavery in the 1850’s.  You may be shocked and saddened by much of what you read,  but you’ll also be inspired by Clotee’s courage and quick-thinking.  You’ll definitely gain a new appreciation for the word F-R-E-E-D-O-M. (BMD) 

Miller, William.  Night Golf. Illustrated by Cedric Lucas. New York: Lee & Low, 1999. (32 p.)

Finding an old bag of golf balls and a club, James, a young African American boy, wants to learn how to play, but he is told it is a “rich white man’s game.” When he decides to become a caddie, a fellow caddie, teaches him to play golf at night. This story is based on the experiences of real caddies who played golf by moonlight prior to 1962. (KG)

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. The Agony of Alice.  New York: Dell, 1985. 

Alice McKinley, a sixth grader, has just moved to Silver Spring, Maryland.  On the first day of school she finds out she does not have the teacher she wants.  She tries everything to get out of Mrs. Plotkin's class and into Miss Cole's class.  Her journal, The Agony of Alice, gets her through the rough times as she lives through sixth grade.  First book in Alice series.   (JD) 

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.  Alice in April.  New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1993. 

Alice will be thirteen soon.  Her Aunt Sally tells her she will become the Woman of the House then.  Alice starts to worry because it means she has to plan her Dad's fiftieth birthday party and make sure everyone has their physical.  To top it all off, the boys at school give each girl the name of a state depending on whether it has mountains or not.  Fifth book in Alice series.   (JD) 

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.  Alice In-Between.  New York: Atheneum, 1994. 

During the summer after seventh grade, Alice doesn't feel like a girl or a woman.  She feels in-between.  She turns thirteen—getting a night out on the town with her brother, Lester, and a trip to Chicago with her two best friends for a week.  Maybe it's not so bad being in-between.  Sixth book in Alice series.  (JD) 

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.  Alice in Lace.  New York: Atheneum, 1996. 

So much can happen in eighth grade.  You have to take health class, buy a car, get married, and get pregnant all in one semester. Alice, Pamela, Elizabeth, and Patrick sound like they are up to no good until their teacher, doesn't show up at school one day.  Eighth book in Alice series.   (JD) 

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.  Alice in Rapture, Sort of.  New York: Atheneum, 1989. 

Summer is a time of fun.  Well, it is supposed to be fun unless it’s the summer between elementary school and junior high.  Alice has so much to learn about how to survive in seventh grade.  It is also the summer of her first boyfriend, Patrick, so Alice has to learn how to act around him too.  Second book in Alice series.  (JD) 

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.  Alice the Brave.  New York: Atheneum, 1995. 

It’s the month before eighth grade and every day everyone goes over to Mark Stedmeister’s swimming pool.  Alice sits at the shallow end of the pool or plays badminton, but she knows she’s going to have to face something she's afraid of.  Something no else knows about.  Deep water!  Seventh book in Alice series. (JD) 

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.  All but Alice.  New York: Dell, 1992. 

Alice wants a bulletin board just like all her friends have.  She puts all her keepsakes on it, but they only fill one corner.  She decides to join clubs at school to get more stuff to put up.  But which clubs should she choose?  Fourth book in Alice series. (JD) 

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. The Boys Start the War. New York: BDD, 1993.

When a new family rents the house near the Hatford’s, they expect boys to replace their friends who moved away. Unfortunately they get three girls instead. The Hatford boys decide to make the Malloy girls miserable so that they’ll leave, but they don’t count on the girls retaliating.  (SH)

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.  The Fear Place.  New York: Atheneum, 1994.

Doug really doesn't like his brother, Gordon.  He's always giving Doug a hard time especially about whether he's going to go to "the fear place", that spot in the Rocky Mountains where Doug thought he was going to die.  When their parents are called away for a family emergency, Gordie takes off, leaving Doug alone for days.  Where is everyone?  What should Doug do? (JP)

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. The Girls Get Even. New York: BDD, 1993.

It is October and the Malloys are still there. Now Halloween is coming up and the Hatfords and Malloys have made a bet over who will win the school’s costume contest. The girls desperately want to even, but what plans do the boys have?  (SH)

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.  Reluctantly Alice.  New York: Dell, 1991. 

Alice says you grow backwards in seventh grade because you're at the bottom of the ladder again.  She thinks of at least seven things that stink in seventh grade.  Her dad tells her there has to be one good thing.  Will Alice and her lists survive seventh grade?  Third book in Alice series.   (JD) 

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.  Sang Spell.  New York: Atheneum, 1998. 

When his mother is killed, Josh is heartbroken and lonely.  He decides to hitchhike from Boston to Dallas, and somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains, a guy gives him a ride.  The guy beats him and leaves him in a place called Sang Hollow.  The people are friendly enough; but Josh wants to go, only to find that he is trapped.  (MK)

Norton, Mary. The Borrowers. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1981, 180 pgs.

Have you ever wondered what happens to all the little things we “misplace” everyday. Things like paperclips, buttons, shoelaces, crochet hooks, sewing needles, the list is endless. Elderly Miss May tells Kate a “story” about the Borrowers who live right under our noses, most of the time unseen. (DAH)

O’Dell, Scott. The Spanish Smile. Boston: Houghton, 1982.

Lucinda lives in a castle on the beautiful Isla del Oro with her father Don Enrique de Cabrillo y Benivides. He has kept her isolated from the 20th century, allowing her to read  only older books and never taking her to the mainland. Then a visitor comes to the island and Lucinda discovers her father’s secrets.  (SH)

On her 13th birthday, Lillian Iris Pinkerton makes three wishes: (1) to get a bra, (2) to dance with a boy, and (3) to make the PomPom Squad.  One of the candles doesn't go out, though.  Will one of her wishes not come true?  The first two wishes come true, except the boy who asked her to dance was doing it as a bet.  Will her last wish come true or not?  DH) 

Park, Barbara.  Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business.  New York: Random  House, 1993. 

Junie B is not pleased about the arrival of her new baby brother until she learns that her mother has given birth to an actual monkey!  This belief gets Junie B into some hot water at school until everyone realizes that Junie B's grandmother had used a figure of speech to describe "the little monkey."  Yeah, only can't grown-ups just say what they mean? (MA) 

Park, Barbara.  Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth.  New York: Random House, 1993. 

Junie B.Jones finds out that Monday will be Job Day in kindergarten.  She has no idea what she is going to wear because she does not know what she wants to be when she grows up.  Junie B. tells her class that she has the “bestest job in the whole wide world,” only she does not know what it is.  Her and her big fat mouth.  (JD) 

Park, Barbara.  Junie B. Jones and That Meanie Jim's Birthday Party.  NewYork: Random House, 1996.

Poor Junie B. Jones! Everybody in Room Nine is invited to that meanie Jim's birthday party, except for Junie B.  This just can't be happening to her and she's going to have to something about it!  Junie is up to her usual tricks which will keep kids laughing as well as teach a lesson.  (JP)

Park, Barbara.  Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying.  New York: Random House, 1994. 

Junie B. Jones is the "bestest spier in the whole world" cause she has sneaky feet and her nose doesn't even whistle when she breathes! She is so quiet that she can hide in the clothes hamper and spy on her grandfather while he takes out his false teeth!  But, sometimes sneaky peeky spiers see things they wish they hadn't seen.  Junie B. spies on her teacher and sees her doing something wrong.  Can Junie B. keep her secret from slipping out from between her "squeezy lips"! (AB)

Park, Barbara.  Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus.   New York: Random House, 1992.

Junie B. Jones is ready for kindergarten, but she’s not sure about riding that big yellow bus.  The bus was stupid and smelly and had meanies on it.  What she does instead will keep you in stitches! (JP)

Park, Barbara.  Junie B. Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake.  New York: Random House, 1995. 

Junie B. Jones is a kindergartener whose misfortune at a school carnival will make any middle school child laugh. This story will evoke personal memories for readers.  Why a fruitcake is considered dangerous is one of many things Junie B. will lead readers to discover. (JHP) 

Park, Barbara.  Junie B. Jones Is a Party Animal.  New York:  Random House, 1997.

Junie B. Jones could not be happier.  Her best friend Lucille is having a slumber party!  And to make the party even better, she is having it at her rich nanna’s giant house.  Once again, Junie B. Jones can not go ANYWHERE without making herself noticed!  (MJ)

Park, Barbara.  Junie B. Jones Is Not a Crook.  New York: Random House, 1997.

A terrible thing happened to Junie B. Jones and it’s called somebody "stoled" her new furry mittens.  When she goes to check the lost and found, no mittens.  On her way back to class she finds a really neat pen.  "Finders keepers, right? Or not? Does Junie B. get her mittens back?  What does she do about the wonderful pen? (JP)

Park, Barbara. The Kid in the Red Jacket. New York: Knopf, 1987.

When Howard’s father gets a promotion, they have to move from Arizona to Massachusetts. Now Howard has to make all new friends at his new school and deal with his pesky younger neighbor from across the street.  (SH)

Park, Barbara.  Mick Harte Was Here.  New York: Random House, 1995. 

Mick dies because he didn’t wear his bicycle helmet. Mick was a mischief-maker and a really neat kid from the word “go.”  Some memories are funny, some are not.  Phoebe retells the memories of her brother. (MR) 

Park, Barbara.  Operation Dump the Chump.  New York:  Random House, 1982. 

Who needs him anyway, right?  Poor Oscar Winkle is so sick of his stupid younger brother.  Oscar has just about had it!  Until, he comes up with Operation:  Dump the chump, a grand plan to get rid of his annoying brother.  Barbara Park does it again, creating another hilarious story.  (MJ) 

Park, Barbara.  Psssst!  It’s Me … the Bogeyman.  New York:  Simon and Schuster, 1998. 

The bogeyman has quite a reputation.  But he claims that all the crazy stuff we’ve heard about him is not true.  He doesn’t say BOO, he doesn’t BELLOW, and he does not stop to have his picture taken.  He keeps trying to clear his name, but if you just don’t believe him, and he still scares you, read this book.  There is a way to get rid of him.  Sh-h-h!  (RC) 

Park, Barbara.  Skinnybones.  New York: Knopf, 1982. 

Alex has always had the gift to make others laugh.  But this crazy guy does not have what is takes to be a good baseball player.  He should have known there was no way to beat T.J, the best baseball player in the league, in a pitching contest.  But Alex won’t give in.  This “little” contest ends up a disaster that Alex can’t even talk himself out of! (MJ) 

Paterson, Katherine. Come Sing, Jimmy Jo.   New York: Avon, 1985.

In the Johnson family, you always join the family singing act.  Jimmy Jo has the gift.  Grandma knows it, and James knows it, and the fans love him.  Why are his uncle and mother so upset?  How will being famous affect the kids at school?  Maybe being a star is not what Jimmy Jo really wants.  (JP)

Paterson, Katherine.  Flip-Flop Girl.  New York: Lodestar, 1994.

When Vinnie Matthew’s father dies, she and mother and little brother must move to their grandmother's in Brownsville, Virginia.  This means a new school where everyone has pretty clothes and thinks that Vinnie's little brother is weird.  Another loner teaches Vinnie about friendship and helping others. (JP)

Paterson, Katherine. The Great Gilly Hopkins.  New York: HarperCollins, 1978. 

When Gilly Hopkins finds herself in, yet, another ugly foster home, she is bound and determined to scare this new family away.  Gilly longs to be with her mother and to have a place to call home.  Instead, Mrs. Ellis, her social worker places her with an almost illiterate Maime Trotter and a strange foster brother.  Gilly is not going to put up with this family.  When Gilly’s tries to escape and fails, she realizes that maybe she doesn’t want to be rescued after all.  (MJ)

Paterson, Katherine.  Jip, His Story.   New York: Lodestar, 1996.

Jip thinks his parents were gypsies and that he fell off a truck and was left to grow up on the poor farm.  When a stranger comes to town asking questions, Jip becomes nervous and soon uncovers the truth. (JP)

Paulsen, Gary.  Call Me Francis Tucket.  New York: Delacorte, 1995.

In a western adventure that boys will love, fifteen-year-old Francis Tucket, with only the help of a mule, learns from his brushes with buffalo, desperate men, and Indians how to survive in the mid-19th century west. (JHP) 

Paulsen, Gary.  Hatchet.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 1987. 

Brian Robeson must fly to Canada to visit his father. It is his first plane ride and he is alone with the pilot.  He is thinking about his divorced parents, when suddenly the pilot suffers a fatal heart attack and Brian is left alone in the small plane. He loses radio contact with the ground and he must make a crash landing. Brian finds himself in the wilderness, injured and without food or shelter. (AB) 

Paulsen, Gary. The Treasure of El Patrón. New York: BDD, 1996. 70 pgs.

Tag and his friend, Cowboy, are looking for sunken treasure.  When two unsavory men hire the boys to recover a suspicious package in the water, the boys wonder if it’s an illegal drug drop. (DR) 

Paulsen, Gary.  The Winter Room.  New York: Bantam, 1989. 

Life on a farm is as varied as the seasons.  Spring, summer, fall and winter all bring unique flavors and chores to farm life.  But it is in the winter, when the chores are all done that the family sits around the fire in the winter room and the stories are told.  Until one night, the story changes and so too the lives of the entire family. (JP)

Paulsen, Gary.  Woodsong.  New York:  Viking, 1990.

Battling the cold Minnesota wilderness is a feat for anyone.  But Gary Paulsen is determined to win the battle.   He takes the ultimate challenge of making the thousand-mile trek through the frozen Alaska Iditrod.  Although this journey may cost him his life, Paulsen is willing to make the risk with the companionship of his sled dogs.  Paulsen’s arctic adventure is a suspenseful drama that keeps the readers turning the pages.  (MJ)

Pullman, Phillip. Clockwork. New York: Scholastic, 1996.

A writer, a clockmaker and his apprentice, an unexpected visitor, a young Prince, and murder. The story is all wound up, how will it end?  (SH)

Pullman, Philip.  The Golden Compass.  New York: Knopf, 1996.

Lyra must find her Uncle Asriel and discover who is kidnapping all of the children in her London town.  She encounters roving bands of gyptians, talking armored bears, witches, and even a strange American.  In the end comes a betrayal that Lyra could not have predicted her own. (MA)

Pullman, Philip.  The Subtle Knife.  New York: Knopf, 1997.

Lyra has broken through to another world similar to her own but also very different.  This world is filled with Specters, who devour the spirits of adults only.  She meets Will, a boy from yet another world, one that the readers recognize as their own.  Lyra and Will must find the subtle knife and use it to save all three worlds. (MA)

Buddy is really Amy Kate, and while it’s a dumb name for a girl, it's the least of her worries.  Her dad has disappeared, her brother takes off in search of him, and Buddy, takes the bus to Montana, to stay with relatives she has never met and who are in the middle of their own family crisis.  (MK)

Rodowsky, Colby. Not My Dog. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1999. 

Who would want a full grown, sort of square, brown dog with sticking-up ears and a long, skinny tail?  Not Ellie Martin, an eight year old who desperately desires a puppy to cuddle and train.  Will Ellie change her mind when Preston unexpectedly comes to live with her family? (LB)

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic, 1998.

Harry is starting his second year at Hogwarts, but things keep going wrong. There’s the house-elf Dobby who is trying to keep him away from the school and the mysterious attacks on students. Unfortunately the students suspect Harry of the attacks. Will he be able to stop the perpetrator before it’s too late?  (SH)

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. New York: Scholastic, 1999. 

Right before Harry starts his third year at Hogwarts, something horrible happens. Sirius Black escapes from Azkaban, the prison for witches and wizards. Even worse, he had a part in the murder of Harry’s parents and he is coming to Hogwarts!  (SH) 

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. New York: Scholastic, 1997.

Harry Potter has had a horrible childhood with the Dursleys, his aunt, uncle and piggy cousin, because his parents died in an accident. One day everything changes when he receives a message from an owl. He is a wizard and new student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!  (SH)

  Rylant, Cynthia.  A Blue-Eyed Daisy.  New York: Bradbury, 1985.

Eleven-year-old Ellie lives in a coal-mining town in West Virginia with her five sisters, their father who was crippled in a mining accident and their mother who doesn’t hug her as much as she used to. A rifle, a hunting dog, and a near fatal accident help them rediscover better times. (JHP)

Rylant, Cynthia.  The Cobble Street Cousins:  In Aunt Lucy’s Kitchen (Book 1).  New York:  Simon & Schuster,  1998. 

Meet Lily, Tess and Rosie, three nine-year-old cousins who have moved into their Aunt Lucy’s cozy attic for the year.  Together  they start a cookie company, put on a show of poetry and music, and play match-maker for their aunt and Michael (a cookie customer).  After reading this first book in the series,  you’ll wish you could be a part of this friendly trio!  (BMD) 

Rylant, Cynthia.  The Cobble Street Cousins:  A Little Shopping (Book 2).  New York:  Simon & Schuster, 1998. 

Lily, Rosie and Tess are still living with their Aunt Lucy on Cobble Street...  and they’re busy making plans again.  In the process of  creating a surprise for Aunt Lucy,  the girls encounter a runaway parrot,  find a great new shop,  and manage to have ice cream twice with Aunt Lucy’s boyfriend, Michael.  Cobble Street sounds like a great place to live, doesn’t it?  (BMD) 

Rylant, Cynthia.  The Cobble Street Cousins:  Special Gifts (Book 3).  New York:  Simon & Schuster,  1999. 

This is my favorite book in the Cobble Street Cousins series so far!  Lily, Rosie and Tess,  still living with Aunt Lucy,  don’t waste a minute of their winter break...  they learn to sew from old Mrs. White,  help her to sort through a trunk full of memories,  and put on another of their wonderful artistic shows for Aunt Lucy and Michael.  (BMD) 

Rylant, Cynthia.  The Cobble Street Cousins:  Some Good News (Book 4).  New York:  Simon & Schuster, 1999. 

Another fun-filled week on Cobble Street with Lily, Rosie and Tess.  This time the cousins are busy creating their first issue of The Cobble Street Courier, complete with jokes, recipes and interviews.  But making the paper is only half the fun - soon they are sharing it with Aunt Lucy and all of their friends.  (BMD) 

Rylant, Cynthia.  Every Living Thing.  New York: Bradbury, 1985.

This collection of twelve short stories describes the love shared between people and animals. The love given by animals in the form of understanding to the young and old characters, will stir emotions in every reader. This is a good quick read that is written in the true short story style. (JHP)

Rylant, Cynthia. Thimbleberry Stories. Illustrated by Maggie Keen. New York: Harcourt, 2000.

Stories about Nigel Chipmunk and his friends and neighbors on and around Thimbleberry Lane.  (SH)

Rylant, Cynthia.  The Van Gogh Cafe.  San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1995.

Mark and his daughter Clara run The Van Gogh Cafe in Flowers, Kansas, where magic happens to strangers and townspeople alike. This is an interesting story of people’s search for happiness, with a twist at the end that deals with writers, whales, and Oregon.  (JHP)

Rylant, Cynthia.  Waiting to Waltz, A Childhood.  New York: Bradbury, 1984.

These thirty short poems tell the story of Cynthia Rylant’s childhood in Beaver, West Virginia. Rylant’s poetry paints the picture of the emotions of a child with a single parent in a small town. This is an excellent narrative history of Cynthia Rylant’s childhood. (JHP)

Gary Boone, also known as “Goon”, is always telling jokes, but no one seems to laugh except his friend Angeline. Then a talent show is announced at his school and he knows just what to do, tell jokes! But what if no one laughs?  (SH)

 Sachar, Louis. Holes.  New York: Farrar, 1998. 

Stanley Yelnats didn’t steal the shoes.  Really.  But the judge doesn’t believe him.  So Stanley winds up in Camp Green Lake, Texas.  It’s not a camp.  It’s not green.  It’s not a lake. It’s a place for bad boys.  Stanley is forced to dig holes.  And by digging holes, he discovers himself.  Crazy.  1998 National Book Award Winner. (MK) 

Sachar, Louis. Marvin Redpost: Class President. New York: Random House, 1999. 67 pgs.

Today is “hole day” at Marvin’s school.  Everyone has on something with a hole in it, even the principal.  That would be okay, except the school finds out in the morning that the President of the United States is coming for a visit that day. (DR) 

Sachar, Louis. Marvin Redpost: A Flying Birthday Cake. New York: Random House, 1999. 

While Marvin was sleeping out one night, he sees what looks like a flying birthday cake go across the sky. On Monday a strange new kid is in his class. Coincidence?  (SH)

Sachar, Louis. Marvin Redpost: Alone in His Teacher’s House. New York: Random House, 1994.

Marvin’s teacher is going on a trip and he gets to take her dog while she’s gone. He’ll even get a bonus if nothing goes wrong. Unfortunately something does go Wrong. Can he fix it in time?  (SH)

Sachar, Louis. Marvin Redpost: Is He a Girl? New York: Random House, 1993.

Casey tells Marvin that if he kisses his elbow, he’ll turn into a girl. Well he does and now strange things are happening to him. Is he really a girl? Can he get back to normal?  (SH)

Sachar, Louis. Marvin Redpost: Kidnapped at Birth? New York: Random House, 1992.

 Marvin doesn’t look like the rest of his family. They all have brown hair and brown eyes and he has red hair and blue eyes. Now he knows why, he’s the lost Prince of Shampoon!  (SH)

Sachar, Louis. Monkey Soup. Illustrated by Cat Bowman Smith. New York: Knopf, 1992.

A little girl’s father is sick in bed, so she makes him a soup with all the things that make people feel better.  (SH)

Sachar, Louis. Marvin Redpost: Why Pick on Me? New York: Random House, 1993.

Marvin’s third grade class is getting material to put into a time capsule, but one lie has Marvin at a loss. What can he do to show everyone that he didn’t pick his nose?  (SH)

Sachar, Louis. Sideways Arithmetic From Wayside School. New York: Scholastic, 1989.

Logic problems and brainteasers involving the wacky inhabitants of Wayside School.  (SH)

Sachar, Louis. Sideways Stories From Wayside School. New York: Avon, 1978.

Meet the students of the 30th floor of Wayside School. They may seem a little strange to you, but what do you expect from a school that was mixed up the day it was built.  (SH)

Sachar, Louis. Sixth Grade Secrets. New York: Scholastic, 1987.

There are no clubs allowed at Laura’s school, so she decides to make a secret one, Pig City. To make sure that none of the members tells, she collects embarrassing “insurance”. Little does she know a rival club is being formed, and that’s when the fun starts.  (SH)

Sachar, Louis. Someday Angeline. New York: Avon, 1983.

Everyone knows that Angeline is smart, maybe even a genius. She even knows more than her teacher, but she’s not happy. Then she makes friends with “Goon” and gets the chance to be normal.  (SH)

Sachar, Louis. There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom. New York: Random House, 1987. 

Bradley Chalkers is the oldest boy in 5th grade and no one likes him. He doesn’t do his work, he lies, and he gets intro fights. Then he meets Carla, the new school counselor, who sees past his bad behavior. She helps him realize that he can be likable, he only has to be himself.  (SH)

Sachar, Louis. Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1995.

When Mrs. Jewls leaves to have her baby, a string of strange substitutes comes to replace her. Will the kids of the 30th floor of Wayside School survive? The sequel to Wayside School is Falling Down.  (SH)

Sachar, Louis. Wayside School is Falling Down. New York: Avon Books, 1989.

From birthday tattoos to magic dogs, more wacky stories from the 30th floor of Wayside School. The sequel to Sideways Stories From Wayside School.  (SH)

Scieszka, Jon.  Summer Reading is Killing Me!  Illustrated by Lane Smith.  New York:  Viking, 1998.

One day Joe, Sam and Fred, also known as the Time Warp Trio, are trying to figure out how to spend summer vacation.  The one thing they all agree on is that they don’t want to open The Book.  The Book is a time-warping book, and every time the boys open it they get taken to another time and place, and always manage to get into trouble.  Well, The Book does get opened, and the boys go on the strangest adventure yet, involving characters out of the books from their summer reading list.  My advice to you:  read this book to find out why summer reading really could kill you! (JS) 

Scieszka, Jon.  Tut Tut.  New York: Viking, 1996. 74p. 

Whatever you do, DON'T open "The Book"! Well, Joe's sister, Anna, innocently does and sends the Time Warp Trio off again, this time to Ancient Egypt. Join the wise-cracking Trio in a once-in-a-lifetime adventure of fighting off crocodiles, meeting the mysterious and disappearing Goddess Isis, and escaping the evil Hatsnat. (TD) 

Skurzynski. Gloria.  Spider’s Voice.  New York: Atheneum, 1999. 

It’s the twelfth century, and the famous scholar, Abelard, is in love with the beautiful Heloise.  Abelard rescues a small boy from slavery.  Spider hears, but he can’t talk, and so, he begins to stand guard whenever the lovers are behind closed doors.  Adventure, love, history--terrific.  (MK) 

  Speare, Elizabeth George.  The Sign of the Beaver. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1983. 

Matt is left alone on the Maine homestead he has helped his father build, while his father goes to retrieve the remaining family members that stayed in Massachusetts.  He is to guard the cabin home, but in his inexperienced state and loneliness he continues to make mistakes.  Eventually Indians befriend him.  But what will Matt do when the date for his father’s return has passed? (SN) 

Spinelli, Jerry. The Bathwater Gang.  Boston: Little, Brown, 1990. 

Bertie Kidd is bored, so her grandmother suggests getting a gang together.  The problem is, who could she get to join her?  And what will the gang do?  And how will she answer the boys who say her gang is discriminates?  Grammy comes to the rescue again, becoming the leader of the coolest neighborhood gang around. (MA) 

Spinelli, Jerry.  Blue Ribbon Blues.  New York: Random House, 1998.  69p. 

Tooter's family now lives at Aunt Sally's farm.  Tooter is turning into a real farmer!  Her aunt has a three part plan to make her into real farmer.  Part one is meeting Jack, the neighbor boy who is her age.  He wins all kinds of awards at the fair with his goat and now Tooter wants to enter her goat!  She knows it's a lot of work, but she does a fine job until her pesky brother gets his paintbrush near her prize goat! (DH) 

Spinelli, Jerry.  Crash.  New York:  Knopf, 1996. 

Crash Coogan is not your typical jock.  Yes, he is big, strong, the star of the football team, but he comes to realize that he is more than just that.  After spending many poking fun at Penn Webb, the puny dorky kid that moved onto Crash’s block when they were little, something happens to change Crash’s feelings towards Penn.  Crash must go out on his own, go against what his best buddy Mike Deluca wants to do, and fight for what he believes in.  (MJ) 

Spinelli, Jerry.  Dump Days.  Boston: Little, Brown, 1988. 

J. D. Kidd and Duke Pickwell have the whole summer ahead of them.  They begin planning "The Perfect Day," filled with hoagies, ice cream, and video games.  After many failed enterprises, the boys finally hold a kind of festival, but they end up using the money for something they never could've predicted. (MA) 

Spinelli, Jerry. Fourth Grade Rats.  New York: Scholastic, 1991. 

Third graders are known as "angels;" fourth graders are misbehaving, rebellious "rats."  Suds doesn't want to be a rat, but his friend Joey makes it look so cool and grown-up.  And when Joey starts to impress the girl Suds has a crush on, Suds goes on a rampage.  But being a rat has its consequences... (MA) 

Spinelli, Jerry.  The Library Card.  New York: Scholastic, 1997. 

These four short stories follow children with a problem.  One is a shoplifter and vandal; one is not allowed to watch her beloved TV; one is homeless and living in a car; and one is in a hijacked bookmobile.  A blank, blue library card mysteriously appears somewhere in each story, and it manages to make things better every time. (MA) 

Spinelli, Jerry.  Maniac Magee.  Boston: Little, Brown, 1990. 

Jeffrey Magee is a legend in Two Mills, Pennsylvania.  He's only twelve, but he can run touchdowns with the high schoolers, hit the best pitcher's fastballs, untie impossible knots, and run faster than anyone.  The kids in town call him "Maniac," but the craziest thing he does is try to unite the racially-divided town of Two Mills. (MA) 

Spinelli, Jerry. Space Station Seventh Grade.  Boston: Little, Brown, 1982. 

Jason Herkimer is trying desperately to survive the social scene of junior high school.  The ninth graders torture him, and the girl he admires is unattainable.  But Jason grows up quickly, especially when a friend's brother is killed and Jason feels responsible. (MA) 

Spinelli, Jerry.  Tooter Pepperday.  New York: Random House, 1995. 

Tooter is not happy about moving to her aunt's farm with her family, and she is determined to be miserable the entire time they are there.  When she is asked to care for an egg from a hen that keeps smashing her nest, Tooter sees it as just another dumb farm chore.  But when the hatching time arrives, Tooter is transformed by the miracle of birth. (MA)

Spinelli, Jerry. Wringer.  New York: HarperCollins, 1997. 

Palmer LaRue lives in fear of his tenth birthday.  At the town "Family Fest," a pigeon shooting contest ends the festivities, and boys ten and above must wring the necks of pigeons who are not killed.  Palmer does not want to become a wringer, but he also doesn't want to alienate his friends, who consider it a rite of passage.  Then one day, a pigeon lands outside Palmer's bedroom window, ...and Palmer lets it in. (MA) 

Spires, Elizabeth. The Mouse of Amherst.  New York: Foster, 1999. 64 p.

Emmaline, a white mouse, moves into Emily Dickinson’s bedroom and begins a writing adventure. Told from the mouse’s point of view, this is the story of her friendship with Emily as they “correspond” through poetry. At the end of the story, one must guess who wrote the last poem, Emily or Emmaline. (KG)

  Stainer, M.L. The Lyon’s Cub.  Circleville, NY: Chicken Soup Press, 1997. 

(Book 2 of 5)  It is 1588, and there is no sign of Captain White.  Jess and part of the settlers are living with the Croatoan Indians, but the others have set out for the Chesapeake Bay.  John White’s son-in-law leaves his wife and young daughter to search for the others.  When something terrible happens, Jess promises to help, only to find herself in danger.  (MK)

Stainer, M. L.  The Lyon’s Pride.  Circleville, NY: Chicken Soup Press, 1998. 

(Book 3 of 5)  Eleanor Dare goes off to search for the English colonists from the Roanoke Colony, and Jess leads them part of the way, but she turns back to her Indian home.  This book continues the fun story.  There is danger, adventure, heartache and love. (MK) 

Stainer, M.L.  The Lyon’s Roar.  Circleville, NY: Chicken Soup Press, 1997.

(Book 1 of 5)  It is 1587, and Jess and her family are on a ship sailing for America.  They are supposed to settle near the Chesapeake Bay, but when Captain John White and the ship’s pilot argue, the English settlers find themselves stranded on Roanoke Island in North Carolina.  John White returns to England for supplies, promising to return in one year.  Will he? (MK) 

Stainer, M.L. The Lyon’s Throne.  Circleville, NY: Chicken Soup Press, 1999. 150 p. (Grades 4-8) 

(Book 4 of 5)  In this fourth book, Jess and some of the Indians are kidnapped.  Eventually, they arrive in England, but they are held prisoners, and it looks as if they will never be free.  A fun adventure!  (MK) 

Strauss, Linda Leopold.  A Fairy Called Hilary.  Illustrated by Sue Truesdell.  New York: Holiday House, 1999.  113 pages (grades 3-4) 

Caroline and her parents were on their way to the museum when a fairy appeared in the back seat.  Hilary didn’t look like a fairy.  She looked like a little girl with a wise little face and ordinary wispy brown hair.  She wore a blue jumper, red tights, and brown shoes that were scuffed at the toes. But life with a fairy isn’t ordinary, and in this easy chapter book with 9 chapters, you’ll find out why.  (MK) 

Taylor, Mildred.  The Gold Cadillac.  New York: Dial,  1987.

Just think, a brand new gold Cadillac!  Quite a proud moment for Lois and Wilma’s family in Ohio.  As they drive deeper into the South towards Mississippi to visit family, they quickly realize that people there are suspicious of the black family’s “luck.” (SR)

Ever since Ricky was attacked by a mad dog, he's been terrified of all dogs. But a stray pup finds his way to Ricky's farm and he's starving.  As tiny and weak as the puppy is, Ricky is afraid of him. This story will make you smile and make you cry. (AB) 

Wallace, Bill.  Ferret in the Bedroom, Lizards in the Fridge.  New York: Holiday House, 1986. 

Can you imagine having a zoologist for a father and a collection of orphaned animals at home? When Liz runs for sixth grade class president she makes the decision to get rid of the animals in order to win the election. She learns that friendship and personal strength are more important than being politically correct. (JHP) 

Wallace, Bill.  Totally Disgusting.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 1991.  111p. 

How can "Mewkiss" be a brave name for a kitten?  Why did Jessica have to give me such a dumb name?  And now I have to be brave to protect Jessica from the rats!  I also have to share my living space with a whiney puppy named Barkus.  How can I get the courage protect my person? (DH) 

Wallace, Bill.  Upchuck and Rotten Willy.  New York:  Pocket Books,  1998. 

Upchuck is a cat who spends his time tormenting dogs and eating spaghetti at Luigi’s with his best friend Tom.  Rotten Willy is a huge black beast who claims to be a dog...  but he doesn’t chase or eat cats?!  When Tom moves away, Upchuck and Rotten Willy find they have lots in common - but can a cat and a dog be friends? (BMD) 

Wardlaw, Lee. 101 Ways to Bug Your Parents. New York: BDD, 1996.

When Sneeze (Stephen) finds out that he’s going to summer book writing course instead of the Invention Convention, he is devastated. Then he comes up with a plan to make the money. Will it work, or will his parents kill him first?  (SH)

Wells, Rosemary.  Rachel Field’s Hitty: Her First Hundred Years.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.  Illustrated by Susan Jeffers.  106 pages.

Hitty, the 1930 Newbery Award winner, is the perfect book for doll lovers.  This new edition has been rewritten and illustrated by two friends—Jeffers and Wells. (MK)

White, E.B.  Stuart Little.  New York: Harper, 1945. 

Stuart is a diminutive, resourceful mouse who loves a challenge and enjoys adventure. He sails a tiny boat across a turbulent pond, acts as a substitute teacher and travels across the country in a model car with a "five drop" gas tank!  But being so tiny has it's risks—like being accidentally rolled up inside a window shade or getting thrown into the back of a garbage truck!  (AB) 

Wright, Betty Ren.  The Ghost Comes Calling.   New York: Scholastic, 1994.

Chad can't wait to tell his best friend Jeannie that his family has bought a cabin  on Perch Lake.  That is, until she tells him he's not only bought a cabin, he's also bought a ghost!  Can she be right?  (JP)

Wright, Betty Ren.  A Ghost in the House.  New York: Scholastic, 1991. 

Life is great for Sarah. Her father has landed a high paying job enabling her family to move into their picturesque old house. But, things start to go wrong when elderly Aunt Margaret moves in with them—singing, mysterious footsteps and a painting that seems to be getting darker. Aunt Margaret is terrified. She knows what the evil ghost wants to do!  (AB)

Wright, Betty Ren.  A Ghost in the Window.  New York: Holiday House, 1987. 

In this sequel to A Secret Window, Meg starts the summer by giving up her part in a play to live with her father for three weeks in Michigan while her mother goes to New York City for a family reunion. The suspense builds as Meg tries to connect the meaning of her recurring dreams of a $500,000 bank robbery. How is her future intertwined with her father’s friends in Michigan? (JHP)

Wright, Betty Ren. The Ghost of Popcorn Hill.  New York:  Holiday House, 1993. 

When Martin and Peter Tracy’s dad lost his job, they moved to the cabin on Popcorn Hill and gained a dog named Rosie.  They heard laughter in the night and no one was there.  They saw a large sheepdog that was a ghost.  A reuniting of the laughter of Tom Buffle and the sheepdog make this a memorable story. (MR)

Yep, Laurence. Dragonwings. New York: Scholastic, 1975.

Eight year-old Moon Shadow lives with his mother and grandmother in China, but one day a visitor comes with news. Moon Shadow’s father wants him to come to America to be with him. He has never left China or seen his father as he sets out on an adventure that will change his life.  (SH)

Yolen, Jane. The Devil's Arithmetic.  New York: Puffin, 1990. 170 pages. 

It's Passover again and 12 year old Hannah is bored of having to spend the day with relatives.  But all of the sudden something strange happens, and she is transported back in time to Germany during World War II.  Hannah becomes Chaya and tries to warn the villagers about the dangers of the Nazi's, but her memory is fading fast. (JM) 

Yolen, Jane. Hobby. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1996. 

Young Merlin is all alone after a fire destroys his only home in this 2nd installment of the Young Merlin Trilogy. He ventures out and picks up with a traveling magician.  While he is careful to conceal his real name, his ability to dream of the future puts him in danger. (JM) 

Yolen, Jane. Wizard's Hall. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1991.  133 pages. 

Henry mentions in passing that he might want to become a wizard, and the next minute his mother is packing his bags.  Wizard's Hall is his destination where he becomes the 113th student. Fortunately the school needs the 113th student to defeat a horrible smelly monster.  But Henry nicknamed "Thornmallow" just doesn't seem to be to bright even though he does "try very hard".  (JM) 

Zindel, Paul.  Loch.  New York: HarperCollins, 1994. 

Loch was named for the famous deep lake that housed the legendary monster, Nessie, but the lake near Loch's home has monsters of its own.  His father works for a local monster hunter, and the encounters they have with the monsters are very real.  Loch, however, has first contact with a baby monster, and suddenly his mission must be to stop the hunt and save an endangered creature. (MA)