Intermediate Fiction
** MY FAVORITES **
Ready to move on? Listed below are some of our all-time favorite authors and titles. You and your child need
to evaluate what is appropriate for his/her skills and or interests. Encourage them to try different authors
and genres. This list is just a start. See what’s new and old at the library and at bookstores.
Continue to read aloud to your children! Sometimes the best way to encourage a child to read a story on their
own is to start reading it aloud to each other. They may decide to leave you behind and keep READING.
**Alexander, Lloyd. The Book of Three.
Taran, the Assistant Pig Keeper in the mythical kingdom of Prydain, sets out with the warrior Gwydion to save his
country from evil. Series.
Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan.
When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant
that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life.
**Avi. Poppy
Poppy the deer mouse urges her family to move next to a field of corn big enough to feed them all forever, but Mr.
Ocax, a terrifying owl, has other ideas. Series.
Balliett, Blue. The Wright 3.
In the midst of a series of unexplained accidents and mysterious coincidences, sixth-graders Calder, Petra, and
Tommy lead their classmates in an attempt to keep Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Robie House from being
demolished. Series.
Barden, Stephanie. Cinderella Smith.
Cast off by her old friends, Cinderella agrees to help a new student deal with the stepsisters she will soon have, and
meantime, a former friend tries to prevent Cinderella from dancing the lead in their tap recital.
**Barnett, Mac. It happened on a train #3.
Seventh-grader Steve Brixton finds himself pulled back into sleuthing when, during a train trip down the California
coast, he uncovers a mystery involving a fleet of priceless automobiles, an assassin, and a private rail car. This is the
third mystery about the Brixton brothers. Very popular.
Banks, Lynne Reid. Harry the poisonous centipede goes to sea.
The further adventures of Harry and George, two young poisonous centipedes, as they travel across the sea to a
mysterious new land filled with dangerous hoo-mins. Series.
**Barrows, Annie. The Magic Half.
Eleven-year-old Miri Gill feels left out in her family, which has two sets of twins and her, until she travels back in
time to 1935 and discovers Molly, her own lost twin, and brings her back to the present day. Barrows is the author
of the Ivy + Bean series.
**Barry, Dave. Peter and the Starcatchers.
Peter, an orphan boy, and his friend Molly fight off thieves and pirates in order to keep the secret safe away from the
diabolical Black Stache and his evil associate Mister Grin. (quartet) Plus the new companion book - The Bridge
to Never Land.
**Baum, L. Frank. The Wizard of Oz.
All time classic fantasy. Series.
Bearn, Emily. Tumtum & Nutmeg : adventures beyond Nutmouse Hall.
Wealthy, married mice Tumtum and Nutmeg find adventure when they secretly try to help two human siblings who
live in a tumbledown cottage with their absent-minded inventor father. Tumtum & Nutmeg : the rose cottage tales
is the new one.
**Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks.
While vacationing with their widowed father in the Berkshire Mountains, four lovable sisters, ages four through
twelve, share adventures with a local boy, much to the dismay of his snobbish mother. **The Penderwicks on
Gardam Street is even better and I loved The Penderwicks at Point Mouette #3.
Blume, Judy. Double Fudge.
His younger brother's obsession with money and the discovery of long-lost cousins Flora and Fauna provide many
embarrassing moments for twelve-year-old Peter. Series.
**Boniface, William. The hero revealed #1.
Ordinary Boy, the only resident of Superopolis without a superpower, uncovers and foils a sinister plot to destroy
the town. Series.
Bosch, Pseudonymous. The name of this book is secret.
Cassandra and Max find a missing magician's notebook and start to investigate the fire which burnt down his house
and his mysterious "symphony of smells." Series.
Boyce, Frank. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang flies again.
The Tooting family fits an old engine they find into their camper van, unaware that the engine once belonged to an
extraordinary car and sends the family on an adventure across the world to rebuild the original Chitty. This is an
authorized sequel to Ian Fleming's classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
**Brink, Carol Ryrie. Caddie Woodlawn.
The adventures of an eleven-year-old tomboy growing up on the Wisconsin frontier in the mid-nineteenth century.
**Broach, Elise. Masterpiece.
Conn's life is forever changed when he tries to pick the pocket of the wizard Nevery and instead gets a strong jolt of
magic, but, instead of punishing the boy, Nevery takes Conn under his wing, teaches him magic, and enlists his help
in finding the person responsible for stealing the city's dwindling magic supply.
Missing on Superstition Mountain. Simon, Henry, and Jack Barker decide to ignore their parents' warning to stay
away from Superstition Mountain in order to search for their missing cat Josie, but they begin to see the wisdom of
their mom and dad's advice when they find three human skulls.
Bryant, Annie. The great scavenger hunt #15. The girls of Beacon Street share an adventurous weekend on Cape
Cod, and when they team up for a scavenger hunt, no one knows who will win. Beacon Street Girls – series.
Buckley, Michael. The Fairy-tale detectives #1
Orphans Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are sent to live with an eccentric grandmother that they have always believed
to be dead. “Sisters Grimm” series - brand new one is now available.
Carman, Patrick. Floors.
Leo, the son of the maintenance man of the Whippet Hotel, opens a series of cryptic boxes which reveals hidden
floors, strange puzzles, and unexpected alliances and lead him on an adventure to save the building and his future.
**Byng, Georgia. Molly Moon’s Incredible.Book of Hypnotism.
Unlucky and unloved, Molly Moon, living in a dreary orphanage in a small English town, discovers a hidden talent
for hypnotism and hypnotizes her way to stardom in New York City. Series.
Cabot, Meg. Moving Day #1
Nine-year-old Allie Finkle has rules for everything and is even writing her own rule book, but her world is turned
upside-down when she learns that her family is moving across town, which will mean a new house, school, best
friend, and plenty of new rules. Series.
**Cleary, Beverly. From “Ramona” to Henry Huggins” to the “Mouse and the Motorcycle” – read them all!
Clements, Andrew. The Report Card.
Fifth-grader Nora Rowley has always hidden the fact that she is a genius from everyone because all she wants is to
be normal, but when she comes up with a plan to prove that grades are not important, things begin to get out of
control. No Talking, School Story and Frindle are other great Clements titles.
Colfer, Eoin. Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code.
Discovering a way to build a super-computer using stolen fairy technology, young criminal mastermind Artemis sets
out to blackmail a Chicago businessman but runs into a trap that leaves Butler mortally injured. Series. Latest in the
series is coming this summer.
**Collins, Suzanne. Gregor the Overlander. and now Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane.
In his second adventure, eleven-year-old Gregor returns to the world beneath New York City to rescue his
kidnapped sister, Boots, and fulfill a prophecy that will restore peace to the people, bats, rats, cockroaches, and
spiders who populate the underworld. Gregor and the Code of Claw #5 is the final book in the series.
Conly, Jane Leslie. The Rudest Alien on Earth.
Having landed on a dairy farm in Vermont, an alien from another galaxy befriends two human children and uses her
ability to change into animals to learn about Earth society.
Corder, Zizou. Lion Boy : The First Book in a Trilogy.
In the near future, a boy with the ability to speak the language of cats sets out from London to seek his kidnapped
parents and finds himself on a Paris-bound circus ship learning to train lions. Lion Boy : The Truth : The Last
Book in a Trilogy.
**Cotler, Stephen L. Cheesie Mack is not a genius or anything.
Ronald "Cheesie" Mack shares memories, thoughts, and drawings about everything that happened before, during,
and after fifth grade graduation.
Coville, Bruce. Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher and all the other “Magic Shop” books. Into the Land of the
Unicorns is another “first” in a series.
**Creech, Sharon. Ruby Holler.
Thirteen-year-old fraternal twins Dallas and Florida have grown up in a terrible orphanage but their lives change
forever when an eccentric but sweet older couple invites them each on an adventure, beginning in an almost magical
place called Ruby Holler. Great author.
Crilley, Mark. Akiko : pieces of Gax.
Sixth-grader Akiko and her friends from the planet Smoo travel to the upside-down city of Gollarondo where an
accident befalls Gax the robot and a search begins for all his missing pieces. Series.
**Curtis, Christopher Paul. The Watsons go to Birmingham – 1963.
The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African-American family living in Flint,
Michigan, are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963.
Bud, Not Buddy.
Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster
home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father--the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of
Grand Rapids.
**Dahl, Roald. The BFG.
Kidsnatched from her orphanage by a BFG (Big Friendly Giant), who spends his life blowing happy dreams to
children, Sophie concocts with him a plan to save the world from nine other man-gobbling cannybull giants. Read
everything by Roald Dahl.
Danziger, Paula. PS Longer letter later.
Twelve-year-old best friends Elizabeth and Tara-Starr continue their friendship through letter-writing after TaraStarr's family moves to another state. Sequel is Snail Mail No More.
DeVillers, Julia. Liberty Porter, first daughter.
On her first day at the White House, nine-year-old Liberty exuberantly explores her new home while making new
friends and giving unique tours of her own. Series.
**DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie.
Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good things
that happen to her because of her big ugly dog Winn-Dixie.
The Tale of Despereaux.
The adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl
who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.
The miraculous journey of Edward Tulane. Edward Tulane, a cold-hearted and proud toy rabbit, loves only
himself until he is separated from the little girl who adores him and travels across the country, acquiring new owners
and listening to their hopes, dreams, and histories.
DiTerlizzi, Tony. The Field Guide.
When the Grace children go to stay at their Great Aunt Lucinda's worn Victorian house, they discover a field guide
to fairies and other creatures and begin to have some unusual experiences. The Spiderwick Chronicles series.
Doyle, Roddy. The Meanwhile Adventures.
When Mister Mack gets arrested for supposedly robbing the bank, it is up to Rover the dog and the Mack children to
rescue him and find their Guinness-record-breaking mother who is running around the world.
Edwards, Julie Andrews. The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles.
With help from an eccentric professor in giving their imaginations special intensive training, three children succeed
in locating the last of the great Whangdoodles and granting his heart's desire.
**Epstein, Adam Jay. The familiars.
Three young wizards-in-training are kidnapped by an evil queen and their familiars--Aldwyn the alley cat, Skylar, a
know-it-all blue jay, and Gilbert a tree frog who can see the future--set out on a dangerous journey to rescue the
boys. + Sequel.
Finney, Patricia. I, Jack..
Jack, a Labrador Retriever, tells about his daily life of food, walks, and the "apedogs" and
"funny-looking dogs" (cats) in his pack, as well as how everything changes when a pretty girl dog moves into the
neighborhood. Includes explanatory footnotes written by the cats.
**Flanagan, John. The outcasts #1.
Hal, Stig, and the other outcasts do not have the size and strength of the Skandians, but when they face off
against the Wolves and the Sharks in an ultimate race for survival, they hope that their courage and cunning
are enough to help them win in a game that everyone seems to think is a matter of life and death. If you like
adventure stories Johan Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series is fabulous! The Outcasts is the first in The
Brotherband Chronicles series and is just as good.
Friedman, Laurie B.Mallory's Super Sleepover /#16.
When Mallory plans a sleepover to celebrate her tenth birthday, she has a hard time pleasing both her friends and her
parents. Very popular series.
**Funke, Cornelia. Dragon rider.
After learning that humans are headed toward his hidden home, Firedrake, a silver dragon, is joined by a brownie
and an orphan boy in a quest to find the legendary valley known as the Rim of Heaven, encountering friendly and
unfriendly creatures along the way, and struggling to evade the relentless pursuit of an old enemy. Also try her
“Ghosthunters” series.
Galante, Cecilia. Willowood.
Eleven-year-old Lily has trouble leaving her best friend behind and moving to the city when her mother changes
jobs, but she makes some very unlikely friends that soon become like family members.
Gantos, Jack. Jack Adrift: Fourth Grade Without a Clue.
When his father rejoins the Navy and moves the family to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, ten-year-old Jack becomes
confused by a crush on his teacher, contradictory advice from his parents, and a very strange neighbor.
George, Jean Craighead, The cats of Roxville Station.
Thrown into a river by a cruel human, a young tiger-striped cat fights to survive amid feral cats and other creatures
near Roxville train station, aided by Mike, an eleven-year-old foster boy who is not allowed to have a pet.
Gleitzman, Morris. Toad Rage.
Determined to understand why humans hate cane toads and to improve relations between the species, Limpy
embarks on a dangerous trek from his swamp to the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Toad Heaven and
Toad Away follow.
Green, Tim. Pinch hit.
Trevor, an actor in a major film who lives in a Bel Aire mansion, and Sam, a boy who enjoys baseball and barely
has enough to survive on, each have very different lives but look exactly alike. When they realize that they are
twins, the boys decide to switch places. Good sports stories - baseball and football.
Gutman, Dan. Mickey & Me: A Baseball Card Adventure.
When Joe travels back to1944, he meets the Milwaukee Chicks, one of the only all-female professional baseball
teams in the history of the game. Series.
**Gutman, Dan. Mission unstoppable #1.
On a cross-country vacation with their parents, twins Coke and Pepsi, soon to be thirteen, fend off strange assassins
as they try to come to terms with their being part of a top-secret government organization known as The Genius
Files. Sequel.
Hale, Bruce. The Hamster of the Baskervilles: From the Tattered Casebook of Chet Gecko, Private Eye.
Something is trashing the classrooms at Emerson Hicky Elementary School, and sixth-grade private eye Chet Gecko
sets out to find the creature that's responsible. Series.
**Hannigan, Katherine. Ida B-- : and her plans to maximize fun, avoid disaster, and (possibly) save the world.
In Wisconsin, fourth-grader Ida B spends happy hours being home-schooled and playing in her family's apple
orchard, until her mother begins treatment for breast cancer and her parents must sell part of the orchard and send
her to public school.
Emmaline and the bunny.
Everyone and everything in the town of Neatasapin is tidy, except Emmaline who likes to dig dirt and jump in
puddles, and wants to adopt an untidy bunny.
Harris, R. P. Tua and the elephant.
In Chiang Mai, Thailand, nine-year-old Tua releases an abused elephant from its chains--can she complete the
rescue by getting it to an elephant refuge without being caught herself?
Hennesy, Carolyn. Pandora gets angry.
Mysterious sandstorms and frightening strangers are hindering Pandora and her friends' attempts to get to Persia and
recover the fifth evil, rage, but they are helped by a cute Persian boy who leads Pandy and crew to the Garden of Jin
where a genie is hiding their prize. Series.
**Hiaasen, Carl. Flush.
With their father jailed for sinking a river boat, Noah Underwood and his younger sister, Abbey, must gather
evidence that the owner of this floating casino is emptying his bilge tanks into the protected waters around their
Florida Keys home. Chomp is his new title. Great mysteries.
Hoeye, Michael. The Sands of Time.
Despite fierce opposition from mouse supremacists and other residents of
Pinchester, three mice team up with an old chipmunk to prove that there existed, long before the time of mice, a Cat
Kingdom. Series. No time like show time is the latest.
**Holm, Jennifer L. Our Only May Amelia.
As the only girl in a Finnish American family of seven brothers, May Amelia Jackson resents being expected to act
like a lady while growing up in Washington state in 1899.
Turtle in paradise.
In 1935, when her mother gets a job housekeeping for a woman who does not like children, eleven-year-old Turtle is
sent to stay with relatives she has never met in far away Key West, Florida.
Horvath, Polly. Everything on a Waffle.
Eleven-year-old Primrose, who lives in a small fishing village in British Columbia, recounts her experiences and all
that she learns about human nature and the unpredictability of life in the months after her parents are lost at sea.
Hunter, Erin. The darkest hour #6.
ThunderClan's darkest hour is upon them and Fireheart, the warrior cat, must protect his clan from a threat unlike
any the forest has ever seen, as the time comes for prophecies to unfold and heroes to rise. Warriors series. Very
popular with girls and boys!!
**Ibbotson, Eva. One dog and his boy.
When lonely, ten-year-old Hal learns that his wealthy but neglectful parents only rented Fleck, the dog he always
wanted, he and new friend Pippa take Fleck and four other dogs from the rental agency on a trek from London to
Scotland, where Hal's grandparents live.
Ignatow, Amy. The popularity papers : research for the social improvement and general betterment of Lydia
Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang.
Two best friends embark on a project to study the behavior and taste of the popular girls at their elementary school
so that by the time they get to middle school they too will be in the right crowd and record their findings in the form
of a scrapbook. Series.
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.
Jacques, Brian. Triss: A Tale from Redwall.
Triss, Shogg, and Welfo escape from slavery at Riftgard and are pursued across the sea toward Redwall by Princess
Kurdah, Prince Bladd, and a band of freebooters who seek the rumored treasure of Brockhall. Redwall series.
Jennings, Patrick. Guinea dog.
When his mother brings home a guinea pig instead of the dog he has always wanted, fifth-grader Rufus is not happy-until the rodent starts acting exactly like a dog.
Jones, Diana Wynne. Witch's Business.
Frank and Jess's scheme to earn money by hiring themselves out as revenge seekers seems like a good one until they
discover they are in competition with a witch.
**Juster, Norton. The Phantom Tollbooth.
A journey through a land where Milo learns the importance of words and numbers provides a cure for his boredom.
Must read for all kids!
Kehret, Peg. Spy Cat.
A series of burglaries in their quiet community upsets Alex's family, particularly his younger brother Benjie, but the
bad guys are no match for the very protective family cat and Benjie's "spy" skills. Lots of good mysteries.
Kelly, Jacqueline. The evolution of Calpurnia Tate.
In central Texas in 1899, eleven-year-old Callie Vee Tate is instructed to be a lady by her mother, learns about love
from the older three of her six brothers, and studies the natural world with her grandfather, the latter of which leads
to an important discovery.
Kelly, Katy, Lucy Rose, Here's the Thing About Me.
Eight-year-old Lucy Rose keeps a diary of her first year in Washington, D.C., her home since her parents separation,
where she spends time with her grandparents, makes new friends, and longs to convince her teacher to let her take
care of the class pet during a holiday. Melonhead is her new book.
**Kerr, Philip. The Akhenaten Adventure.
When twelve-year-old twins Philippa and John discover that they are descended from a long line of djinn, their
mother sends them away to their Uncle Nimrod, who takes them to Cairo where he starts to teach them about their
extraordinary powers. Children of the Lamp series.
**Kessler, Liz. The Tail of Emily Windsnap.
After finally convincing her mother that she should take swimming lessons, twelve-year-old Emily discovers a
terrible and wonderful secret about herself that opens up a whole new world. Series.
Kessler, Liz. Philippa Fisher and the dream-maker's daughter.
Philippa Fisher learns that friendships can be tricky when she finds herself trying to deal with the odd behaviors of
her old friend and fairy godsister Daisy, and her new friend Robyn, a sad and secretive girl. Series.
King-Smith, Dick. A Mouse Called Wolf.
A mouse with an unusual name shares his musical gift with a widowed concert pianist. Wonderful animal stories.
Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Our longest waiting lists this year were for the five books in this series!! They are very funny.
Klages, Ellen. The green glass sea.
While her father works on the Manhattan Project, eleven-year-old gadget lover and outcast Dewey Kerrigan lives in
Los Alamos Camp, and becomes friends with Suze, another young girl who is shunned by her peers. White Sands,
Red Menace is the sequel.
Klimo, Kate. The dragon in the sea #5.
Jesse and Daisy and their dragon friend, Emmy, try to recover a Thunder Egg from merpeople who stole it from
Daisy near the Inn of the Barking Seal, where the cousins are visiting their grandmother Polly. Series.
Korman, Gordon. Showoff.
After acting out at a mall dog show, Luthor is accused of ruining the career of a three-time best-in-show beagle, and
Griffin springs him from the pound with a plan involving the dog, New York City, and a sinister saboteur.
**Lasky, Kathryn. The Capture.
Four owls band together to save the owl world from an unimaginable evil. Series.
Lone wolf #1.
Abandoned by his pack, a baby wolf with a mysterious mark on his deformed paw survives and embarks on a
journey that will change the world of the wolves of the Beyond. New series related to the Guardians of G'hoole.
**Konigsburg, E L. From the Mixed up Files …..
Newbery winner, great mystery and the Metropolitan Museum of Art – what could be better.
Larson, Kirby. The friendship doll.
Follows the adventures of Miss Kanagawa, a doll made to serve as an ambassadors from Japan to the United States,
as she makes friends and learns about love during the twentieth century.
Lawrence, Caroline. The case of the deadly desperados #1.
In 1862 Nevada Territory, after finding his foster parents murdered and scalped, twelve-year-old Pinky Pinkerton,
son of a railroad detective and a Sioux Indian, inherits a valuable deed and must hide from dangerous Whittlin Walt
and his gang of desperados.
**L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time.
Another Newbery winner. Classic.
Leonard, Elmore. A Coyote's in the House.
Antwan, a coyote, befriends Buddy, an aging movie-star pooch, poses as a dog to move in with a human family, and
finds himself giving him new pal advice when Buddy decides toeschew humans and take a walk on the wild side..
Levine, Gail Carson. Ella Enchanted.
In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any
order given to her.
A tale of Two Castles.
Twelve-year-old Elodie journeys to Two Castles in hopes of studying acting but instead becomes apprentice to a
dragon, who teaches her to be observant and use reasoning, thus helping her to uncover who is poisoning the king.
Lin, Grace. The year of the dog : a novel.
Frustrated at her seeming lack oftalent for anything, a young Taiwanese American girl sets out to apply the lessons
of the Chinese Year of the Dog, those of making best friends and finding oneself, to her own life. Series.
Dumpling days : a novel.
Pacy and her family go to Taiwan to celebrate Grandma's sixtieth birthday, and 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.
Where the mountain meets the moon.
Minli, an adventurous girl from a poor village, buys a magical goldfish, and then joins a dragon who cannot fly on a
quest to find the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of bringing life to Fruitless Mountain and freshness to Jade River.
Newbery winner.
Look, Lenore. Alvin Ho : allergic to camping, hiking, and other natural disasters.
Alvin makes a new friend and learns that he can be brave despite his fear of everything when his father takes him
camping, hoping to install a love of nature like that of their hometown hero, Henry David Thoreau. Series.
Lord, Cynthis. Rules.
Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is
further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic.
Lowry, Lois. Anastasia Krupnik.
Anastasia's 10th year has some good things like falling in love and really getting to know her grandmother and some
bad things like finding out about an impending baby brother. Series.
Lowry, Lois. The Willoughbys.
A tongue-in-cheek take on classic themes in children's literature, in which the four Willoughby children set out to
become "deserving orphans" after their neglectful parents embark on a treacherous around-the-world adventure,
leaving them in the care of an odious nanny.
Lubar, David. My rotten life #1.
Tired of continually having his feelings hurt by popular students and bullies, fifth-grader Nathan agrees to try an
experimental formula, Hurt-Be-Gone, and becomes a half-dead zombie, a condition which, he soon discovers, has
some real advantages. Series.
**Lupica, Mike. Summer ball.
Thirteen-year-old Danny must prove himself all over again for a disapproving coach and against new rivals at a
summer basketball camp. My favorite sports writer. Try lots of his books.
MacDonald, Amy. No More Nice.
Eleven-year-old Simon has been raised to be extremely well-behaved, but when he goes to visit his unconventional
great-aunt he discovers that not everyone has the same ideas about good manners.
MacHale, D.J. The Merchant of Death.
Fourteen-year-old Bobby Pendragon, having learned he is a Traveler--someone who can ride "flumes" through time
and space, is soon off to the alternative dimension of Denduron where he teams up with Loor, a girl his age from the
warrior-territory of Zadaa, in an attempt to save the gentle Milago people from slavery. Pendragon series.
Mackel, Kathy. Can of Worms.
Bullied and unhappy at school, thirteen-year-old Mike, who has always thought that he might be an alien, sends a
distress call into space asking to be rescued from the ignorance and cruelty of his life on Earth.
**Martin, Ann M. The Doll People, The Meanest Doll in the World and now The Runaway Dolls.
Annabelle and Tiffany, dolls who are best friends living in the Palmer house, have an adventure when they hide in
Kate Palmer's backpack, are carried to school, mistakenly go to another house, and try to stop Princess Mimi, a doll
who threatens all dollkind. Series.
**Mass, Wendy. The candymakers.
Four gifted twelve-year-olds, including Logan, the candymaker's son, are set to be contestants in the Confectionary
Association's national competition to determine the nation's tastiest sweet, but nobody anticipates that a friendship
will form between them.
Mazer, Anne. Everything New Under the Sun.
Abby looks forward to visiting her grandmother, but her cousin will also be there, and they do not get along. Can
working on the same project bring them closer together? Abby Hayes series.
McAllister, Margaret. Urchin of the Riding Stars.
A group of animals, led by an orphaned squirrel, learns about friendship and loyalty when they band together to
defend their island kingdom against evil forces. Series.
**McDonald, Megan. Judy Moody, girl detective.
When a puppy who is being trained as a police dog goes missing, third-grader Judy forms a detective agency to
solve the mystery, imitating her literary heroine, Nancy Drew. Series.
Stink and the ultimate thumb-wrestling smackdown.
Second-grader Stink's parents tell him he must play a sport after he gets an unsatisfactory grade in physical
education, and so he masters thumb wrestling, as seen on a sports channel. Series. Also try The Sister's Club
series.
Moss, Marissa. Daphne's diary of daily disasters : the name game! In her diary, Daphne Davis doodles, draws,
and documents a series of disasters on her first two days of fourth grade, most of which result from her new teacher
accidentally calling her Daffy.
Mould, Chris. The wooden mile #1.
Eleven-year-old Stanley Buggle, happily anticipating a long summer vacation in the house he inherits from his
great-uncle, discovers, soon after arriving in the seemingly peaceful village of Crampton Rock, that along with the
house he has also inherited some sinister neighbors, a talking stuffed fish, and a host of mysteries surrounding his
great-uncle's death.
**Mull, Brandon. Fablehaven #1.
Kendra and Seth find themselves in the midst of a battle between good and evil when they visit their grandparents'
estate and discover that it is a sanctuary for magical creatures. Series.
Myracle, Lauren. Ten.
Winnie Perry is certain that she will gain more courage and responsibilities with her tenth birthday and, with her
best friend Amanda by her side, Winnie is determined to make the most of her last year of elementary school.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Starting with Alice.
After she, her older brother, and their father move from Chicago to Maryland, Alice has trouble fitting into her new
third grade class, but with the help of some new friends and her own unique outlook, she survives. Series.
The Girls Take Over. The Malloy girls and the Hatford boys continue to get in trouble as they try to outdo each
other in bottle racing, spelling, and baseball. Series.
Neff, Henry H. The fiend and the forge #3.
The world is reduced to a preindustrial nightmare when the villainous Astaroth uses the Book of Origins to reshape
history, and it is up to Max McDaniels to oppose the new order and restore mankind to its former glory. Series.
Nesbo, Jo. Doctor Proctor's fart powder.
New friends Nilly and Lisa help eccentric professor Doctor Proctor to develop his latest invention, a powder that
makes one fart, making them very popular at school, but someone is planning to steal the industrial-strength formula
for evil purposes. Series.
**Nimmo, Jenny. Midnight for Charlie Bone.
Charlie Bone's life with his widowed mother and two grandmothers undergoes a dramatic change when he discovers
that he can hear people in photographs talking. Series.
Nix, Garth. Mister Monday.
Arthur's life is saved by a key shaped like the minute hand of a clock, but bizarre creatures from another realm are
determined to take the key even if it means killing him. Series.
O’Brien, Robert C. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.
Having no one to help her with her problems, a widowed mouse visits the rats whose former imprisonment in a
laboratory made them wise and long lived. Series is continued by O'Brien's daughter Jane Leslie Conly.
**O'Connor, Barbara. The small adventure of Popeye and Elvis.
In Fayette, South Carolina, the highlight of Popeye's summer is learning vocabulary words with his grandmother
until a motor home gets stuck nearby and Elvis, the oldest boy living inside, joins Popeye in finding the source of
strange boats floating down the creek.
The fantastic secret of Owen Jester.
After Owen captures an enormous bullfrog, names it Tooley Graham, then has to release it, he and two friends try to
use a small submarine that fell from a passing train to search for Tooley in the Carter, Georgia, pond it came from,
while avoiding nosy neighbor Viola.
O'Dell, Kathleen. Ophie out of Oz.
Fourth-grader Ophelia Peeler has always felt that she was just like Dorothy in Oz, skipping down the yellow brick
road, until a move to Oregon, away from her best friend, sends her on a different path.
**Oppel, Kenneth. Silverwing.
When a newborn bat named Shade but sometimes called "Runt" becomes separated from his colony during
migration, he grows in ways that prepare him for even greater journeys. Series.
**Palacio, R. J. Wonder.
Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive,
goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails
enduring the taunts and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student.
Paolini, Christopher. Eragon. In Alagaesia, a fifteen-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Erogon finds a
mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons,
elves, and monsters. Eldest is the sequel. Brisingr, #3. Inheritance #4.
**Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet
Great survival story. Also the “Tucket” books.
**Peck, Richard. Secrets at sea : a novel.
In 1887, the social-climbing Cranstons voyage from New York to London, where they hope to find a husband for
their awkward older daughter, secretly accompanied by Helena and her mouse siblings, for whom the journey is
both terrifying and wondrous as they meet an array of titled humans despite their best efforts at remaining hidden.
One of my favorite authors!
Peirce, Lincoln. Big Nate #1 : in a class by himself.
Supremely confident middle school student Nate Wright manages to make getting detention from every one of his
teachers in the same day seem like an achievement. Series. Very Popular!
Pennypacker, Sara. Clementine.
While sorting through difficulties in her friendship with her neighbor Margaret,
eight-year-old Clementine gains several unique hairstyles while also helping her father in his efforts to banish
pigeons from the front of their apartment building. Series.
**Pinkwater, Daniel Manus. Looking for Bobowicz : a Hoboken Chicken Story.
Upon moving to Hoboken, New Jersey, a boy convinces his two new friends to help him track down the mysterious
phantom who stole his bicycle, as well as Arthur Bobowicz, owner of a giant chicken that once terrorized local
citizens. Such an amazing writer.
Primavera, Elise. The Secret Order of the Gumm Street Girls.
In order to save the town of Sherbet, four girls with very little in common involved with some people and events that
seem to bear a resemblance to "The Wizard of Oz.".
Prineas, Sarah. The magic Thief.
Conn's life is forever changed when he tries to pick the pocket of the wizard Nevery and instead gets a strong jolt of
magic, but, instead of punishing the boy, Nevery takes Conn under his wing, teaches him magic, and enlists his help
in finding the person responsible for stealing the city's dwindling magic supply. Series.
Reisman, Michael. Simon Bloom, the octopus effect. #2
When twelve-year-old Simon becomes the official Keeper of the Order of Physics, he and his friends Owen and
Alysha face extreme danger as they try to protect the Universe from destruction by evil forces.
Rex, Adam. Cold cereal.
A boy who may be part changeling, twins involved in a bizarre secret experiment, and a clurichaun in a red tracksuit
try to save the world from an evil cereal company whose ultimate goal is world domination.
**Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. #1
Percy, expelled from six schools for being unable to control his temper, learns the truth from his mother that his
father is the Greek god Poseidon, and is sent to Camp Half Blood, a special camp to prepare him to stop a war
among the gods. “Percy Jackson” series.
Riordan, Rick. The maze of bones #1.
Amy and Dan, members of the powerful Cahill family, try to uncover the thirty-nine clues which will reveal the
secrets of their lineage and find out what really happened to their parents. This is the first “39 Clues” book. Others
in the series are written by different authors.
**Riordan, Rick. The lost hero #1.
Jason, Piper, and Leo, three students from a school for "bad kids," find themselves at Camp Half-Blood, where they
learn that they are demigods and begin a quest to free Hera, who has been imprisoned by Mother Earth herself.
Series!
**Riordan, Rick. The red pyramid #1.
Brilliant Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane accidentally unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes the doctor to
oblivion and forces his two children to embark on a dangerous journey, bringing them closer to the truth about their
family and its links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs. Series!
Rodda, Emily. Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal.
Destiny leads Rowan of Rin to make choices, which could save a powerful crystal, thereby ensuring the safety of his
people and his people's shore-dwelling allies. . Series.
**Rowling, J.K. “Harry Potter” - Read all of them!
**Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Becoming Naomi León.
When Naomi's absent mother resurfaces to claim her, Naomi runs away to Mexico with her great-grandmother and
younger brother in search of her father. Wonderful writer. Also read “Riding Freedom”
Rylant, Cynthia. Old Town in the Green Groves: The Lost Little House Years.
After grasshoppers ruin the crops, eight-year-old Laura Ingalls and her family leave Plum Creek and move to Burr
Oak, Iowa, where they experience life in a small town and help manage a hotel.
.
Sage, Angie. Magyk. #1
After learning that she is the Princess, Jenna is whisked from her home and carried toward safety by the
Extraordinary Wizard, those she always believed were her father and brother, and a young guard known only as Boy
412--pursued by agents of those who killed her mother ten years earlier. Septimus Heap series.
Salisbury, Graham. Calvin Coconut : dog heaven.
Fourth-grader Calvin creates a unique way to express his desire for a dog after his teacher asks him to write a
persuasive argument about something he really wants. Series.
Santat, Dan. Sidekicks.
Captain Amazing tries to hire a new sidekick when he feels he is getting too old to be a reliable superhero, but his
pets have different ideas.
**Schade, Susan. Travels of Thelonius.
At a time when animals only know myths about the talking humans who once dominated and nearly destroyed the
world, a young chipmunk escapes danger in the City of Ruins and, with new friends, finds the Fog Mound, where all
creatures live in peace and harmony. “Fog Mound” series. Very popular!
Schroeder, Lisa. Sprinkles and secrets.
Twelve-year-old Sophie is excited to have the opportunity to audition for a television commercial until she learns
the company is Beatrice's Brownies, the biggest competitor to her best friend's family's cupcake shop. Includes
recipes for chocolate treats. Sequel to It's Raining Cupcakes.
Scieszka, Jon. Spaceheadz.
Michael moves to a new school and learns that some of his friends are really aliens who have come to Earth in order
to convince millions of kids to be Space Heads. Series.
**Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret : a novel in words and pictures.
When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931,
meets a mysterious toy seller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.
Winner of the Caldecott Medal for illustration.
Snicket, Lemony. The Carnivorous Carnival.
On the run as suspected murderers, the unlucky Baudelaire orphans find themselves trapped in the Caligari Carnival,
where they must masquerade as freaks in order to hide from the evil Count Olaf. Series of Unfortunate Events.
**Snyder, Laurel. Penny Dreadful.
When her father suddenly quits his job, the almost-ten-year-old, friendless Penny and her neglectful parents leave
their privileged life in the city for a ramshackle property in the eccentric town of Thrush Junction, Tennessee.
**Spratt, R. A. The adventures of Nanny Piggins.
Nanny Piggins answers stingy Mr. Green's ad for a nanny and takes on his three children, filling their days with fun,
adventure, sweets, and love.
Steig, William. Abel’s Island. Castaway on an uninhabited island, Abel, a very civilized mouse, finds his
resourcefulness and endurance tested to the limit as he struggles to survive and return to his home.
Stewart, Paul. Beyond the Deep Woods.
Thirteen-year-old Twig, having always looked and felt different from his woodtroll family, learns that he is adopted
and travels out of his Deepwoods home to find the place where he belongs. Edge Chronicles series.
**Stewart, Trent Lee. The Mysterious Benedict Society.
After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go
undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. Series.
Stone, Jeffrey S. Tiger #1.
Five young warrior-monk brothers survive an insurrection and must use the ancient arts to avenge their
Grandmaster. “Five Ancestors” series.
**Streatfield, Noel. Ballet Shoes.
Relates the fortunes of three adopted sisters who take dancing and stage training, one to become an actress, the
second a ballerina, and the third an aviatrix. Lots of other titles as well.
Tashjian, Janet. My life as a stuntboy.
Twelve-year-old Derek Fallon has the opportunity of a lifetime--to perform stunts in a movie featuring a popular
twelve-year-old star--but complications arise involving his best friend, a capuchin monkey, and Derek's chronic
inability to concentrate on schoolwork. Sequel to My Life as a Book.
Tracy, Kristen, Camille McPhee fell under the bus
Ten-year-old Camille McPhee relates the ups and downs of her fourth-grade year at her Idaho elementary school as
she tries to adjust to the absence of her best friend, maintain control of her low-blood sugar, cope with the
intensifying conflict between her parents, and understand the importance of honesty and fairness.
Vail, Rachel. Justin Case : school, drool, and other daily disasters.
Justin is very nervous about starting third grade and must make the best of things when he does not get the teacher
he wanted, his best friend is in another class, and his favorite stuffed animal disappears.
Van Draanen, Wendelin. Secret Identity #1.
Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, tired of being called names by the class bully, has a secret identity--Shredderman!.
Shredderman 1 - 4
Van Draanen, Wendelin. The Gecko & Sticky: villain's lair #1.
Thirteen-year-old Dave and his sidekick, a talking gecko named Sticky, try to retrieve an ancient Aztec power band
and its magic ingots from the evil villain, Damien Black. Series.
Vernon, Ursula. Dragonbreath #6 : revenge of the horned bunnies.
Danny Dragonbreath is excited about going to camp with his best friend Wendell and classmate Christiana even
though his obnoxious, seven-year-old cousin Spencer is going too, but things change when Spencer finds a real
jackalope. Very popular series.
**Wallace, Rich. The ball hogs #1.
Nine-year-old Ben, a natural athlete and member of the Bobcats co-ed soccer team, wants to overcome his
inexperience and prove himself on the field, but his obnoxious teammate, Mark, keeps hogging the ball. Series.
Weeks, Sarah. Pie.
Alice's Aunt Polly passes away and entrusts the recipe for her world-famous pie crust to her cat, which she leaves in
Alice's care, and as everyone, including Alice, tries to discover the secret ingredients, Alice learns some important
lessons about faith, love, and family..
**Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House in the Big Woods.
A year in the life of two young girls growing up on the Wisconsin frontier, as they help their mother with the daily
chores, enjoy their father's stories and singing, and share special occasions when they get together with relatives or
neighbors. Classic series.
Wiles, Deborah. The Aurora County All-Stars.
Twelve-year-old House Jackson, team captain and star pitcher of the Aurora County All-Stars, is finally ready to
play again after being sidelined for a year with a broken elbow, but a standoff ensues when the team's big game is
scheduled for the same day as Aurora County's two-hundredth anniversary pageant--an event directed by the very
girl who caused Jackson's injury.
Wood, Maryrose. The mysterious howling #1.
Fifteen-year-old Miss Penelope Lumley, a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, is
hired as governess to three young children who have been raised by wolves and must teach them to behave in a
civilized manner quickly, in preparation for a Christmas ball. Series.
Yep, Laurence. The earth dragon awakes : the San Francisco earthquake of 1906
Eight-year-old Henry and nine-year-old Chin love to read about heroes in popular "penny dreadful" novels, until
they both witness real courage while trying to survive the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Yep also has a very good
book set on Angel Island.