CONTEMPORARY FICTION
Adderson, Caroline. Star of the Week (book 1 in a series). Jasper
John Dooley's turn to be Star of the Week at school gets ruined when
a new baby at Ori's house takes attention away from Jasper's Show
and Tell, prompting him to build himself a baby brother out of wood.
Bruchac, Joseph. Eagle Song. After moving from a Mohawk
reservation to Brooklyn, New York, eight-year-old Danny Bigtree
encounters stereotypes about his Native American heritage.
Clements, Andrew. Lost and Found. Twin brothers Jay and Ray
Grayson learn about friendship, honesty, and themselves after taking
advantage of a clerical oversight in which their new school thinks
there is only one Grayson boy. [C]
DiSalvo, DyAnne. The Sloppy Copy Slipup. Fourth-grader Brian
Higman worries about how his teacher Miss Fromme, nicknamed
The General, will react when he fails to hand in a writing assignment,
but he ends up being able to tell his story, after all.
Fitzhugh, Louise. Harriet the Spy. Harriet M. Welsch, aspiring
writer and neighborhood spy, records everything she sees in a secret
notebook. When some of her classmates discover and read her book,
Harriet must deal with the consequences.
Fleischman, Paul. The Half-A-Moon Inn. While searching for his
mother, a mute boy uses his skills and ingenuity to outwit the strange
proprietress of a mysterious inn.
Fleming, Candace. The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop
Elementary School. An unlikely teacher takes over the disorderly
fourth-grade class of Aesop Elementary School with surprising
results.
Gale, Eric Kahn. The Bully Book. Eric Haskins feels like everyone
is picking on him, but when he discovers a conspiracy theory about a
bully book that reveals a framework for gaining power in the school
by turning everyone against one kid known as a grunt, Eric finds
himself on the trail of huge secrets at Arborland Elementary School.
Gifford, Peggy. Moxy Maxwell Does (ot Love Practicing the Piano
(But She Does Love Being in Recitals). On the day of her recital,
ten-year-old Moxy prepares in her usual flamboyant way, which
creates chaos at home.
Harris, R. P., Tua and the Elephant. In Chiang Mai, Thailand, nineyear-old Tua releases an abused elephant from its chains, but it will
be a challenge to get the elephant to refuge without getting caught.
[C]
Jackson, Alison. Eggs Over Evie. Evie feels unsettled and sad after
her parents divorce, her father remarries and takes the family dog,
and his new wife becomes pregnant, but a cooking class and helping
the elderly lady next door with her cat give Evie a way to cope with
the changes in her life. Includes recipes.
Lin, Grace. Dumpling Days. Pacy and her family go to Taiwan to
celebrate Grandma's sixtieth birthday. Pacy is excited when her
parents sign her up for a Chinese painting class, but she cannot speak
the language and struggles to make friends and understand the
teacher's instructions.
MacLachlan, Patricia. Kindred Souls. Ten-year-old Jake shares a
special bond with his grandfather, Billy, but when Billy asks Jake to
build him a sod house, Jake is not sure he wants to do it.
McKay, Hilary. The Amber Cat. While recovering from illness,
Robin and his friends are drawn into his mother’s story about the
adventure she and her friends had years ago with an unusual girl who
mysteriously appeared on the nearby beach.
Morpurgo, Michael. Shadow. Teenager Aman and his mother lose
their loyal spaniel Shadow while escaping Afghanistan to flee to
England, and they must depend on a friend and his grandfather to
enable Shadow's return. [C]
O’Connor, Barbara. On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s. Sherman, a onelegged pigeon, sets everyone aflutter in a small southern town.
Paulsen, Jim and Gary. Road Trip. A father and son embark on a
road trip to a distant animal shelter to save a homeless border collie
puppy.
Perkins, Mitali. Rickshaw Girl. In her Bangladesh village, ten-yearold Naima excels at painting designs called alpanas, but to help her
impoverished family financially she would have to be a boy--or
disguise herself as one. [C]
FANTASY, SCI-FI, AND MYSTERY
Angleberger, Tom. Fake Mustache or How Jodie O’Rodeo and her
Wonder Horse (and Some (erdy Kid) Saved the U.S. Presidential
Election from a Mad Genius Criminal Mastermind. Lenny Flem Jr.
is the only one standing between his evil-genius best friend Casper
and world domination as Casper uses a spectacularly convincing fake
mustache and the ability to hypnotize to rob banks, amass a vast
fortune, and run for president.
Bernstein, Nina. Magic by the Book. After returning from a trip to
the library, three children discover a magic book which sends them
on adventures in which they meet Robin Hood and a sinister man.
Birney, Betty G. Mysteries According to Humphrey (series). After
learning about Sherlock Holmes, Humphrey the classroom hamster
follows clues to try to discover why Mrs. Brisbane is gone and Mr. E,
a fun but not very educational substitute, is taking her place in Room
26 at Longfellow School.
Eager, Edward. Half-Magic. A classic tale in which Jane finds a
magic charm which will grant half of any wish.
Farber, Erica. Seagulls Don’t Eat Pickles. Fish Finelli and his
friends set out to find Captain Kidd's treasure, rumored to be buried
on nearby Lyons Island, but it seems like the local library director is
looking for it as well--and finding the treasure may be the key to
saving the island from developers.
Harrison, Michelle. 13 Treasures. Bedeviled by evil fairies that
only she can see, thirteen-year-old Tanya is sent to stay with her cold
and distant grandmother at Elvesden Manor, where she and the
caretaker's son solve a disturbing mystery that leads them to the
discovery that Tanya's life is in danger. [C]
Juster, Norton. The Phantom Tollbooth. Milo, a young boy with
little interest in anything, takes a trip through the Phantom Tollbooth
to the Lands Beyond where he meets an enchanting cast of characters
that teaches him the importance of words, numbers, ideas, creativity,
and enthusiasm for life.
Klimo, Kate. The Dragon in the Sock Drawer (bk. 1 of Dragon
Keepers series). 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.
Levy, Elizabeth. Danger & Diamonds: A Mystery at Sea. Elevenyear-old Philippa Bath, who loves mysteries, lives aboard a cruise
ship where her parents are employees, and when the new captain and
his son arrive, along with some royal guests, she is sure that
something is wrong.
Martin, Ann M. A Dog’s Life: The Autobiography of a Stray.
Squirrel, a stray puppy, tells her life story, from her nurturing mother
and brother to making her own way in the world, facing busy
highways, changing seasons, and humans, both gentle and unkind.
Mould, Chris. Pip and the Wood Witch Curse (book 1 in a series).
After running away from an orphanage, Pip arrives in the walled city
of Hangman's Hollow, where children must hide to avoid
imprisonment by citizens or danger from evil creatures in the
surrounding forest, but new friend Toad asks his help in finding a
lone girl.
Napoli, Donna Jo. The Prince of the Pond. Having been turned into
a frog by a hag, a frog-prince makes the best of his new life and
instills a new kind of thinking into his frog family.
Russell, Christine & Christopher. The Quest of the Warrior Sheep
(bk 1 in a series). When a silvery object falls from the sky, the five
sheep of Eppingham Farm decide they must save the sheep god and
all of the sheeply nation, despite what dangers may lay ahead on their
quest.
Seidler, Tor. A Rat’s Tale. Montague, an artistic young rat living
beneath the streets of New York City, is convinced he can do nothing
to save his friends from extermination until he achieves a better
understanding of both himself and his ne'er-do-well uncle.
Stewart, Paul. Fergus Crane. Nine-year-old Fergus Crane’s life is
filled with classes on the school ship Betty Jeanne, interesting
neighbors, and helping with his mother’s work until a mysterious box
flies into his window and leads him toward adventure.
Trewellard, J.M. Butterfingers. Ned, a clumsy stable boy who
spends a lot of time daydreaming about Princess Bella, takes a
chance on becoming a hero when she is snatched from her secret
garden by a fire-breathing monster.
Voigt, Cynthia. Young Fredle. Fredle, a young mouse cast out of
his home, faces dangers and predators outside, makes some important
discoveries and allies, and learns the meaning of freedom as he
struggles to return home.
Wilson, N.D. 100 Cupboards (series). Twelve-year-old Henry York
and his cousin Henrietta discover 100 hidden portals to other worlds
in the bedroom wall of his aunt and uncle's house. [C]
HISTORICAL FICTION
Ayres, Katherine. Under Copp’s Hill. In 1908, 11-year-old Innie
joins the library club at a settlement house that serves immigrant
families of Boston. When items and money disappear, Innie’s past
as a troublemaker places her under suspicion.
Bunting, Eve. Spying on Miss Muller. At a boarding school in
Belfast at the start of WWII, Jessie and her friends must deal with
their suspicions about a teacher.
DeAngeli, Marguerite. The Door in the Wall. Robin, a handicapped
boy in 14th century England, proves his courage and earns recognition
from the King.
Estes, Eleanor. The Hundred Dresses. In winning a medal she is no
longer there to receive, a tight-lipped little Polish girl teaches her
classmates a lesson. Includes a note from the author's daughter,
Helena Estes.
Fleischmann, Sid. The Whipping Boy. A spoiled prince and his
whipping boy have some remarkable adventures when they
inadvertently trade places within the kingdom.
Giff, Patricia Reilly. R My (ame is Rachel. Three city siblings,
now living on a farm during the Great Depression, must survive on
their own when their father takes a construction job miles away.
Hunt, L.J. The Abernathy Boys. A fictionalized account of the
perilous journey of two young boys, who traveled alone, mostly on
horseback, from their home in Oklahoma to Santa Fe, New Mexico,
crossing the vast, desert-like Texas panhandle.
Hunter, Sara Hoagland. The Unbreakable Code. Because John is
afraid to leave the Navajo Reservation, his grandfather explains to
him how the Navajo language, faith, and ingenuity helped win World
War II.
Nichol, Barbara. Beethoven Lives Upstairs. A portrait of the
composer as depicted in letters between Christoph and his uncle
illustrate how the boy’s feelings for Mr. Beethoven, the eccentric
boarder that shares his home.
Ryan, Pam Munroz. Riding Freedom. A fictionalized account of
Charley (Charlotte) Parkhurst, a girl with a love for horses, who ran
away from an orphanage, posed as a boy, moved to California, and
became the first woman to vote.
Tarshis, Lauren. The Battle of Gettysburg, 1863 (series). In 1863,
child slave Thomas and his sister Birdie journey north and meet up
with Union soldiers who have orders to fight at Gettysburg.
Wells, Rosemary. Ivy Takes Care. Brokenhearted when her best
friend departs for the summer, Ivy spends her own summer caring for
animals in the mid-century Southwest, sharing her season of
discovery with a stubborn pony, a mischievous puppy, and a scarred
racehorse.
Yep, Laurence. Dragon’s Child: a Story of Angel Island. Ten-yearold Gim Lew Yep immigrates from China to America with his father,
whom Gim barely knows, and fears he will be a disappointment to
his family when he arrives at Angel Island.
Corwin, Jeff. A Wild Life: the Authorized Biography. Presents a
biography of television host and wildlife biologist Jeff Corwin,
covering his upbringing, early interest in nature, and devotion to
conservation organizations, such as Defenders of Wildlife.
Hodgman, Ann. The House of a Million Pets. Ann Hodgman
describes what it is like to live in a house full of all kinds of pets
(autobiographical).
Fourth Grade
Jackson, Donna M. Extreme Scientists: Exploring (ature’s
Mysteries from Perilous Places. Profiles three extreme scientists
who risk their lives to conduct research in some of the world’s most
intense environments, describing the experiences of scientists
studying hurricanes, cave microbes, and forest canopies.
Kupesic, Rajka. The White Ballets. Presents the stories behind three
ballets: Swan Lake, Giselle, and La Bayadere.
Older, Jules. Snowmobile: Bombardier’s Dream Machine.
Chronicles the true story of Joseph-Armand Bombardier’s journey to
invent the snowmobile, with historical photographs. [C]
Rohmer, Harriet. Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of
People Who are Helping to Protect Our Planet. Profiles the lives
and accomplishments of twelve environmentalists from United
States, Canada, and Mexico; and describes a teenage girl who sought
to remove an industrial pollutant from the Ohio River, a Mexican
wrestler who acts as an advocate for turtles and whales, and more.
[C]
Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk. Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan’s
Rescue from War. Tells Tuyet's story of when she was an orphan in
Vietnam during the war and, when Saigon was taken over, orphans
were airlifted and brought to Canada. Recounts her first few days
with her new family. [C]
GRAPHIC NOVEL
Medley, Linda. Castle Waiting (series). A series of linked stories,
presented in graphic novel form, that follow the adventures of the
people who take refuge in the castle vacated by Sleeping Beauty after
she leaves with the prince. [C]
Tan, Shaun. The Arrival. In this wordless graphic novel, a man
leaves his homeland and sets off for a new country, where he must
build a new life for himself and his family.
Wyckoff, Edwin Brit. The Guy Who Invented Home Video Games:
Ralph Baer and His Awesome Invention. Introduces the life and
accomplishments of Ralph Baer, dubbed the "father of video games"
by President George W. Bush, and describes the development of the
Magnavox Odyssey, the first home video game console.
Recommended
Summer
Reading
NON-FICTION
Burgan, Michael. World War II Spies: An Interactive History
Adventure (series). " Describes the role spies played during World
War II. Readers' choices reveal various historical details"--Provided
by publisher.
Carson, Mary Kay. Far-Out Guide to the Icy Dwarf Planets (Series:
Far-Out Guide to the Solar System). Presents information about icy
dwarf planets, including fast facts, history, and technology used to
study them.
Compiled by Catherine Becker Lanni
Marion Hutchins Library, 2013
[C] = Challenging
Annotations courtesy of Follett Software—Alliance Plus
2013
Required Summer Reading:
(1) Andrew Clements. Frindle
(2) free choice from classroom list