ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA
RECOMMENDED SUMMER READING 2016
(Please Note: This is a “recommended” list from the Archdiocese if you would like
additional reading after you complete Saints Simon and Jude School’s “required” reading.)
Pre K Entering Kindergarten
Adding with Ants (Animal Math) - Tracey Steffora ©2014 It's time for some math "ant-ics"! Illustrated with cut-out
photos on striking, colorful backgrounds to retain reluctant mathematician's interest, this book looks at adding with ants!
Age Range: 4 - 6 Years Grade Level: Preschool - 1
Ava’s Poppy - Marcus Pfister ©2012 Ava is delighted when she discovers a red poppy in the field of her house. She sits
with the flower in the sunny days of summer and shields it in the rain until one day the petals start to drop and the
beautiful flower fades. But when spring comes again, Ava is surprised anew. Age Range: 3 - 8 Years Grade Level:
Preschool - 3
Blue Chicken – Deborah Freedman ©2011 In this deceptively simple picture book, author-illustrator Deborah Freedman
has created an irresistible character that springs to life and wreaks havoc in a farmyard with a pot of blue paint. Age
Range: 3 - 5 Years Grade Level: Preschool - Kindergarten
Centipede's 100 Shoes - Tony Ross ©2004 But when are one hundred shoes too many shoes? And what do you do with
too many shoes? Why, you give them away! Find out who gets them in this delightfully silly story about a centipede with
sore feet. Age Range: 4 - 7 Years Grade Level: Preschool - 1
The Cow Loves Cookies Rhyming - Karma Wilson ©2010 While all the other animals on the farm enjoy eating their
regular food, the cow chooses to eat the one thing that she loves best. Age Range: 3 - 7 Years Grade Level:
Preschool - 1
Duck and Goose at the Beach - Tad Hills ©2014 Beloved Duck and Goose star in yet another adventure that cements
their friendship. Goose is cautious and less adventuresome than Duck. "Let's go away," says Duck. "Sounds like a fine
way to twist your ankle," replies Goose. Yet because they are friends, they both hike to the beach. Age Range: 3 – 7
Years Grade Level: Preschool – 2
The Duckling Gets a Cookie - Mo Willems ©2012 The Pigeon is back (hooray!) and this time the drama centers on an
adorable little duckling who gets a cookie just by asking--politely. Just by asking?! Politely reminds the duckling, but the
Pigeon is already off on a hilarious rant about all the things he asks for--many of which readers of the earlier Pigeon
books will remember--ending with the all-too-familiar refrain, “It’s not fair.” Age Range: 2 – 6 Years Grade Level:
Preschool – Kindergarten
The Gift Box – Rohan Henry ©2012 One day Ollie’s mother tells him that he is “a beautiful gift.” Delighted with this
new “identity,” Ollie invites his friend Benjamin to guess what it is. When poor Benjamin cannot guess, despite many
hints, Ollie refuses to play with him. Age Range: 2 – 6 Grade Level: Preschool - Kindergarten
Glasswings a Butterflys Story - Elisa Kelven ©2013 Claire, a glasswing butterfly whose transparent wings reflect her
lush home, finds herself lost in the city after being separated from her family. She doesn’t know how they will ever see
her, but she finds new city friends, a pigeon, an ant, and a ladybug, who search for the flowers Claire needs to live. Age
Range: 3 - 5 Years Grade Level: Kinder – 1
Out of the Ballpark - Alex Rodriguez © 2012 features the familiar story of a young boy who achieves his ballpark
dreams through hard work and determination. His team is in the playoffs, but he is having a terrible game. The Caribes
win, nonetheless, and they're on their way to the championship. Alex, however, wants to improve, and practices
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constantly with a friend (even going so far as to get up at 5:00 a.m. to practice before school). Age Range: 4 – 8 Years
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Pete the Cat: Scuba-Cat © 2016 Pete the Cat is going scuba diving! Before he hits the water, Captain Joe tells him about
all the sea creatures he can encounter, and Pete is super excited to see a seahorse. Age Range: 4 - 8 Years Grade:
Preschool – 1
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole - Mac Barnett © 2014 Sam and Dave, who are either identical twin boys or friends who look
astonishingly alike and share a sartorial sensibility, set out to dig a hole in the hopes of finding "something spectacular."
With shovels in hand, the boys (with an eager terrier looking on) begin to tunnel into the soil, but they just can't seem to
find anything of interest. What works spectacularly is the clever play between words and pictures. Age Range: 4 – 8
Years Grade Level: Preschool – 3
Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature - Joyce Sidman © 2011 What makes the tiny snail shell so beautiful? Why does that
shape occur in nature over and over again—in rushing rivers, in a flower bud, even inside your ear? Age Range: 4 – 8
Years Grade Level: Kindergarten – 3
This Is Not My Hat - Jon Klassen © 2012 A little fish thinks he can get away with stealing a hat. Caldecott Medal Book
Age Range: 4 - 8 Years Grade Level: Preschool – 3
Waiting – Kevin Henkes ©2015 What are you waiting for? An owl, a puppy, a bear, a rabbit, and a pig—all toys
arranged on a child’s windowsill—wait for marvelous things to happen. Caldecott Honor Book and Geisel Honor Book
Age Range: 4 – 8 Years Grade: Preschool -- 1
Where are My Books – Debbie Ridpath Ohi ©2015 Spencer loves to read. He reads a book every night. But one
morning his favorite book goes missing, and in its place is a tulip. Spencer loves, but he can’t find his book. Age Range:
4 - 8 Years Grade: Preschool - 1
Kindergarten Entering First Grade
All the World – Liz Garton Scanlon illus. by Marla Frazee ©2009 Frazee's small vignettes and sweeping double-page
spreads invite readers to share a joyful day with a diverse, multigenerational community. Caldecott Honor Book Age
Range: 3 - 7 Years Grade Level: Kindergarten – 1
Bear and Hare Go Fishing – Emily Gravett ©2015 Friends Bear and Hare are going fishing. While Hare is putting
together a picnic, Bear enthusiastically fishes…a hat. Then…a roller skate. Will Bear ever hook an actual fish? Age
Range: 4 - 8 Years Grade Level: Kindergarten – 2
Blackout - John Rocco ©2011 One hot summer night in the city, all the power goes out. The TV shuts off and a boy
wails, "Mommm!" His sister can no longer use the phone, Mom can't work on her computer, and Dad can't finish cooking
dinner. What's a family to do? Caldecott Honor Book Age Range: 5 – 8 Years Grade Level: Kindergarten - 2
Hero Mom – Melinda Hardin ©2013 The moms in the book are superheroes. They may not leap over tall buildings, and
they may not have super-human speed. But these moms construct buildings, fly planes, and make tanks roll. Age Range:
6 – 9 Years Grade Level: 1 – 3
Ivy and Bean – Annie Barrows ©2007 The moment they saw each other, Bean and Ivy knew they wouldn't be friends.
But when Bean plays a joke on her sister, Nancy, and has to hide quick Ivy comes to the rescue, proving that sometimes
the best of friends are people never meant to like each other. Age Range: 6 – 10 Years Grade Level: 1 – 4
Larry Gets Lost in Philadelphia – John Skewes ©2013 In Larry the adorable pooch's latest adventure, he goes on
vacation with Pete and the family to Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell and other great American historical
landmarks. Age Range: 5 – 7 Years Grade Level: Kindergarten - 2
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Let’s Go for a Drive - Mo Willems ©2012 Elephant Gerald and Piggie want to go for a drive, but as Gerald thinks of one
thing after another that they will have to take along, they come to realize that they lack the most important thing of all.
Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor Book Age Range: 4 - 8 Years Grade Level: Kindergarten – 2
Library Book for Bear – Bonny Becker ©2014 Curmudgeonly Bear succumbs to Mouse’s entreaties and discovers the
joy of books in a hilarious story that fans will covet for their own library. Age Range: 4 – 7 Years Grade Level:
Kindergarten - 2
Library Mouse - Daniel Kirk ©2010 One night in the library, Sam meets fellow mouse Sarah. Sam learns that Sarah is
quite the explorer. She loves to scurry to the tops of shelves and explore the darkest corners of the building. Sam never
climbs far up—he’s too afraid! He prefers to research subjects—such as exploration—and write about them. Age Range:
6 – 9 Grade Level: 1 - 4
Lots of Ladybugs! : Counting by Fives - Michael Dahl ©2005 Teaches young children to count to fifty by fives using
the spots on the ladybug. Age Range: 4 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 – 2
Madeline in the White House – John Bemelmans Marciano ©2011 Madeline takes a midnight sightseeing tour on a
magic carpet of cherry blossoms. Invited to the White House by Candle, the president's lonely only daughter, for the
annual Easter Egg hunt and roll, Madeline and the other little girls have a rollicking good time, and introduce Candle to
the joys of occasionally breaking the rules. Age Range: 4 – 7 Years Grade Level: Kindergarten - 2
Monster Musical Chairs - Stuart J. Murphy ©2000 In this book about subtraction, written in couplets with a beat as
definite as that of the rock band supplying the music, six smiling monsters are engaged in an animated game of musical
chairs. The action begins when the little creatures forcefully throw chairs across the room, telling everybody to "duck."
The game proceeds with chairs and monsters being eliminated one by one. Age Range: 5 – 8 Grade Level: 1 – 2
Mortimer’s First Garden - Karma Wilson ©2009 Little Mortimer Mouse, longing to see something green at winter's
end, follows the lead of the big people and plants, waters, and weeds his last sunflower seed until; finally, with God's
help and a lot of patience, he harvests his crop. Age Range: 5 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 – 2
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild – Peter Brown ©2013 Are you bored with being so proper? Do you want to have more fun? Mr. Tiger
knows exactly how you feel. Age Range: 4 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 – 2
Nothing but Trouble: The Story of Althea Gibson - Sue Stauffacher ©2011 Althea is nothing but trouble! Everyone
agrees: her mama, her daddy, her teacher, even the policeman. But when Buddy Walker, the play leader on Althea's street
in Harlem, watches her play paddle tennis, he sees something more: pure possibility. Buddy buys Althea her very own
stringed tennis racket, and before long, she's on her way to becoming a great athlete—and to proving that she's more than
just trouble. Age Range: 5 - 7 Years Grade Level: 2 - 4
Oops! - Alan Katz ©2008 Puns and parodies are part of the raucous wordplay in these nonsense rhymes, with sly, blackand-white drawings by New Yorker cartoonist Koren extending the fun. In “The Rear Wiper,” Dad talks about getting a
new wiper for the back window of the car, but the kid gets a different picture from his father’s words. With gross puns
about gas, “Macbath” (“To pee or not to pee”), and “’snot where you start,” the look and sound of words are lots of fun
(“Why doesn’t cough / rhyme with rough . . . ridiculous stough”). Age Range: 7 - 10 Years Grade Level: 1 - 4
Pop’s Cookie Duster – Don and Lee Doyle ©2016 Rainy afternoons aren't much fun for two lively little girls who love to
play outside. But a hands-on kitchen activity with their visiting Pop might just save the day from being a washout! Age
Range: 2 - 9 Years Grade Level: K – 3
Puppy is Lost – Harriet Ziefert ©2011 Max's dog, Puppy, is lost! She was here, and now she's gone. Where can Puppy
be? Max can't sleep! Max can't eat! He calls for her, plasters posters all over town, and searches everywhere for his
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beloved pet. It's not until both Max and Puppy have the same idea that they finally find each other. Age Range: 4 - 8
Years Grade Level: 1 - 3
A Sick Day for Amos McGee – Philip C. Stead ©2010 Every day he spends a little bit of time with each of his friends at
the zoo, running races with the tortoise, keeping the shy penguin company, and even reading bedtime stories to the owl.
But when Amos is too sick to make it to the zoo, his animal friends decide it’s time they returned the favor. Caldecott
Medal Book Age Range: 5 – 6 Years Grade Level: 1 - 2
Something to Tell the Grand Cows – Eileen Spinelli ©2004 What kind of exciting stories could Emmadine the cow tell
her grand cows? About the time she swatted seventeen horseflies? Right. Or the time she chased a crow from the corn?
Whoop-dee-doo. So when Emmadine learned that Admiral Richard E. Byrd was looking for a few good cows to take to
the South Pole, she volunteered--boldly going where no cow had gone before. Loosely based on a historical event, Eileen
Spinellis humorous tale of Emmadines adventures will delight young readers, while Bill Slavins bold acrylic illustrations
bring this unique and heroic cow to life. Age Range: 6 – 9 Years Grade Level: 1 - 4
Take me out to the Yakyu - Aaron Meshon ©2013 You may know that baseball is the Great American Pastime, but did
you know that it is also a beloved sport in Japan? Come along with one little boy and his grandfathers, one in America and
one in Japan, as he learns about baseball and its rich, varying cultural traditions. Age Range: 5 - 8 Years Grade Level:
1–3
The Turnip – Jan Brett ©2015 In a rollicking, cumulative tale, a badger family and their friends–Hedgie, Mr. Ram and
Vanya, the horse–struggle to pull up a giant turnip. Age Range: 4 - 6 Years Grade Level: Kindergarten – 1
Water is Water – Miranda Paul ©2015 This spare, poetic picture book follows a group of kids as they move through all
the different phases of the water cycle. Age Range: 5 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 – 3
What Pet Should I Get? – Dr. Seuss ©2015 What happens when a brother and sister visit a pet store to pick a pet?
Naturally, they can’t choose just one! Age Range: 5 – 7 Years Grade Level: Kindergarten – 2
First Grade Entering Second Grade
Alligator and Crocodile – Gail Gibbons ©2010 Humans have always been frightened of and intrigued by alligators and
crocodiles. With her acclaimed style combining accessible text and detailed pictures, Gail Gibbons shares fascinating
facts about these magnificent cold-blooded reptiles: how they live, how they hunt, and the differences between them. Age
Range: 6 – 10 Years Grade Level: 3 – 5
Annie and Snowball and the Teacup Club - Cynthia Rylant ©2009 Annie loves her cousin Henry and his dog Mudge,
but she also loves dainty things like teacups--and with a dog the size of Mudge, there's nothing dainty in Henry's room.
Annie wishes she knew someone who loved teacups as much as she does. Annie needs some teacup friends. Age Range:
6 – 7 Years Grade Level: 1 - 2
Born in the Wild: Baby Mammals and Their Parents – Lita Judge ©2014 What do grizzly bear cubs eat? Where do
baby raccoons sleep? And how does a baby otter learn to swim? Every baby mammal, from a tiny harvest mouse "pinky"
to a fierce lion cub, needs food, shelter, love, and a family. Age Range: 6 – 8 Years Grade Level: 1 - 3
Boy, Were We Wrong about Dinosaurs - Kathleen V. Kudlinski ©2005 The ancient Chinese thought they were magical
dragons. Some old-time scientists thought that because they were so big, all they could do was float in water. Boy, were
they wrong! CCS Age Range: 6 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 – 3
Buy My Hats - Dave Horowitz ©2010 Frank and Carl have plenty of hats to sell, and their booth is open for
business…but no one is buying! Story can be used for a math lesson. Age range: 6 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 - 3
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Dodsworth in New York - Tim Egan ©2009 Dodsworth wanted adventure. He wanted to see the world. He especially
wanted to visit New York City. What he didn’t want was to be joined by a duck. A crazy duck. A duck that misbehaves.
Age Range: 6 - 9 Years Grade Level: 1 – 4
Finding Winnie – Lindsay Mann Malaspina ©2015 In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian on his way to tend horses
in World War I, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and
he took the bear to war. Age Range: 5 – 7 Years Grade Level: 1 – 2
Flight School – Lita Judge ©2014 Although little Penguin has the soul of an eagle, his body wasn’t built to soar. But
Penguin has an irrepressible spirit, and he adamantly follows his dreams to flip, flap, fly! Age range: 6 - 8 Years
Grade Level: 1 - 3
Have I Got a Book for You – Melanie Watt ©2013 Scaredy Squirrel presents a character you just can't say "no" to:
salesman Mr. Al Foxword. Al can sell anything. You can't help but be impressed by his lineup of satisfied customers: he's
sold an icebox to a penguin, an umbrella to a fish and a dirt vacuum to a mole. Al knows you're looking for a great book,
and this is your lucky day. Age Range: 6 – 9 Years Grade Level: 2 – 4
I Am Trying to Love Spiders – Bethany Barton ©2015 I’m Trying to Love Spiders will help you see these amazing
arachnids in a whole new light, from their awesomely excessive eight eyes, to the seventyfive pounds of bugs a spider can
eat in a single year! Age range: 5 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 – 3
Noah Webster and His Words – Jeri Chase Ferris ©2012 A portrait of the man who wrote the first U.S. dictionary traces
his youth as a bookish Connecticut farm boy and his twenty-year effort to write the allAmerican dictionary that was
published in 1828 when he was seventy years old. Biography Age Range: 6 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 - 2
The Little Red Pen - Jannett Stevens ©2011 When a little red pen accidentally falls into the waste basket while trying to
correct papers all by herself, the other classroom supplies must cooperate to rescue her. Age Range: 6 - 9 Years Grade
Level: 1 - 3
Penny and her Marble – Kevin Henkes ©2012 Penny finds a beautiful marble on her neighbor's lawn and must decide
whether or not to keep it. 2014 Geisel Honor Book Age Range: 5 – 8 Years Grade Level: Kindergarten – 3
Red Sings from Treetops – Joyce Sidman ©2009 With original and spot-on perceptions, Joyce Sidman's poetry brings
the colors of the seasons to life in a fresh light, combining the senses of sight, sound, smell and taste. Age Range 5 – 7
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 3
That Is Not a Good Idea! – Mo Willems ©2013 One day, a very hungry fox meets a very plump goose.
A dinner invitation is offered. Will he outfox her, or will her goose be cooked? Age Range: 5 – 8 Years Grade Level:
Kindergarten – 3
The Unforgettable Season: Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams and the Record-Setting Summer of 1941 –
Phil Bildner ©2011 At the start of the 1941 baseball season, neither Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees nor Ted
Williams of the Boston Red Sox were beloved by baseball fans. But all that changed when Joe started a 56-game hitting
streak and Ted’s batting average rose to over .400. Age Range: 7 – 9 Years Grade Level: 2 - 4
What’s it Like to Be the President – Kathleen Connors ©2014 Some people say the US president is the most powerful
leader in the world. Its got to be a stressful job! Readers will learn the powers given to the president by the US
Constitution and the presidential duties that have developed over time. Age Range: 6 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 - 3
Xander's panda party – Linda Sue Park ©2013 Xander's plan to host a panda party falls through, since he is the only
panda at the zoo, but when he extends the invitation to all of the bears, complications ensue. Includes author's note on the
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wonders of the animal kingdom and the international effort to save pandas from extinction. Age Range: 6 - 8 Years
Grade Level: 1 - 3
Second Grade Entering Third Grade
Ah, Music! – Aliki @2005 Surveys the history and components of music, concentrating on Western musical traditions.
Age Range: 6 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 - 3
Almost Zero – Nikki Grimes ©2010 Dyamonde really wants red high-top sneakers. Too bad they're so expensive! A
classmate tells her it's her mom's job to give her what she needs, but when Dyamonde tries that argument, her mom
teaches her a lesson by literally only giving her what she needs. Age Range: 7 – 9 Years Grade Level: 2 – 4
The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man - Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's
Parade - Melissa Sweet ©2011 Everyone’s a New Yorker on Thanksgiving Day, when young and old rise early to see
what giant new balloons will fill the skies for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Who first invented these "upside-down
puppets"? Meet Tony Sarg, puppeteer extraordinaire! In brilliant collage illustrations, Caldecott Honor artist Melissa
Sweet tells the story of the puppeteer Tony Sarg, capturing his genius, his dedication, his zest for play, and his longlasting gift to America—the inspired helium balloons that would become the trademark of Macy’s Parade. Robert F.
Sibert Medal and the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award Age Range: 6 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 - 3
The Case of the Lost Boy – Dori Hillestad Butler ©2010 "My name is King. I am a dog. I am also a detective." King
has a very big mystery to solve. His family is missing, and he's been put in the P-O-UN-D. Why doesn't his beloved
human (Kayla) come to get him? When King is adopted by Connor and his mom, things get more confusing. The new
family calls him Buddy!
Christian the Lion – Anthony Bourke ©2009 As Ace and John, two friends, are searching for holiday gifts in London,
they come across a lion cub for sale in Harrods, the famous department store! Unable to bear the thought of leaving the
cub, Ace and John take him home and name him Christian. Age Range: 9 - 11 Years Grade Level: 3 - 5
Dear Primo a Letter to My Cousin – Duncan Tonatiuh ©2010 Two cousins, one in Mexico and one in New York City,
write to each other and learn that even though their daily lives differ, at heart the boys are very similar. Age Range: 6 - 8
Years Grade Level: 1 - 3
How I Learned Geography - Uri Shulevitz ©2008 Recounting memories of his family's flight from the Warsaw Blitz and
his years as a refugee during World War II, Shulevitz employs watercolor and ink to depict a boy liberated from his
dreary existence. Caldecott Honor Book Age Range: 6 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 – 3
The Iridescence of Birds: A Book About Henri Matisse - Patricia MacLachlan ©2014 If you were a boy named Henri
Matisse who lived in a dreary town in northern France, what would your life be like? Would it be full of color and art?
Full of lines and dancing figures? Age Range: 6 – 8 Years Grade Level: 1 - 3
It's Probably Penny - Loreen Leedy ©2007 Lisa’s class is learning about probability. For part of her homework, she has
to think of an event that will happen, one that might happen, and one that can’t happen. Who is that Boston terrier that
keeps popping into Lisa’s imagination? It’s probably Penny! Age Range: 6 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 - 3
Just Grace Goes Green - Charise Mericle ©2009 Grace can do a lot of things ... but can she save the planet? Or at the
very least, can she help her best friend Mimi get her favorite stuffed animal back? Age Range: 6 - 9 Years Grade
Level: 1 - 4
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Libby of High Hopes – Elise Primavera ©2012 Ten-year-old Libby Thump loves two things: her dog Margaret and
horses. She dreams about them, draws them all the time, and more than anything she wants to take lessons and learn to
ride like a real horsewoman. Age Range 7 – 10 Years Grade Level: 2 - 4
Minette's Feast: The Delicious Story of Julia Child and Her Cat - Susanna Reich ©2012 While Julia is in the kitchen
learning to cook up elaborate, delicious dishes; the only feast Minette is truly interested in
is that of fresh mouse. Age Range: 5 - 8 Years Grade Level: 1 - 3
My Senator and Me: A Dog's Eye View of Washington, D.C. – Edward Kennedy ©2010 There's an old saying: "If you
want a friend in Washington, get a dog." Senator Ted Kennedy decided to do just that. His beloved Portuguese Water Dog
Champion Amigo's Seventh Wave (nicknamed Splash) is one of the most famous canines on Capitol Hill. Here we follow
Senator Kennedy and Splash through a busy day in D.C., from press conferences to meetings with school groups to
committee discussions to a floor vote. Age Range: 6 – 8 Grade Level: 1 - 3
We the Children (Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School) - Andrew Clements ©2011 Benjamin Pratt’s school is
about to become the site of a new amusement park. It sounds like a dream come true! But lately, Ben has been wondering
if he’s going to like an amusement park in the middle of his town—with all the buses and traffic and eight dollar slices of
pizza. Age Range: 7 - 10 Years Grade Level: 2 – 4
The Year of the Baby – Andrea Cheng @2014 Last year, Anna learned how to be a good friend. Now that her family has
adopted a baby girl from China, she wants to learn how to be a good sister. Age Range: 6 – 9 Grade Level: 1 - 4
Year of Billy Miller - Kevin Henkes @2013 Seven-year-old Billy Miller starts second grade with a bump on his head and
a lot of worries, but by the end of the year he has developed good relationships with his teacher, his little sister, and his
parents and learned many important lessons. Newbery Honor Book Age Range: 8 – 10 Years Grade Level: 2 - 4
Third Grade Entering Fourth Grade
Adventure According to Humphrey - Betty G. Birney ©2010 The students in Room 26 are learning about boats and
building their own for a race on Potter's Pond. Humphrey the hamster loves dreaming about being a pirate
and watching his friends build ships. Age Range: 8 - 11 Years Grade Level: 3 – 6
The Adventures of South Pole Pig: A Novel of Snow and Courage – Chris Kurtz ©2013 Flora the pig was born for
adventure: “If it’s unexplored and needs to get dug up, call me. I’m your pig,” she says. The day Flora spots a team of sled
dogs is the day she sets her heart on becoming a sled pig. Age Range: 10 - 12 Years Grade Level: 3 – 7
Almost Home – Joan Bauer ©2013 When twelve-year-old Sugar's grandfather dies and her gambling father takes off yet
again, Sugar and her mother lose their home in Missouri. They head to Chicago for a fresh start, only to discover that
fresh starts aren't so easy to come by for the homeless. Age Range: 10 – Up Years Grade Level: 5 and Up
Because of Winn Dixie - Kate DiCamillo ©2009 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. Newbery Honor
Book Age Range: 9 - 12 Years Grade Level: 3 - 7
Duke – Kirby Larson ©2013 With World War II raging and his father fighting overseas in Europe, eleven-year-old
Hobie Hanson is determined to do his part to help his family and his country, even if it means giving up his beloved
German shepherd, Duke. Hoping to help end the war and bring his dad home faster, Hobie decides to donate Duke to
Dogs for Defense, an organization that urges Americans to "loan" their pets to the military to act as sentries, mine sniffers,
and patrol dogs. Age Range: 8 - 12 Years Grade Level: 3 – 7
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Framed – Frank Cottrell Boyce ©2008 The story is told by a young boy who is endearingly naive and who understands
less than the reader about what is really going on. He is missing a parent and doing the best he can with his limited
understanding to make things better for everyone. And his well-meaning but clueless actions change not only his family,
but his town. Age Range: 8 – 12 Years Grade Level: 3 - Up
Hooper Finds a Family: A Hurricane Katrina Dog's Survival Tale – Jane Paley ©2011 Here comes Hooper, one
plucky, spunky dog whose warm spirit and goofy personality are irresistible. Hooper tells his own dramatic rescue tale
after being left homeless in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and taking a daring trip from New Orleans to New York to
meet his new family. Age Range: 8 - 12 Years Grade Level: 3 – 7
I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 – Lauren Tarshis ©2010 Ten-year-old George Calder can't believe his luck - he and his little sister, Phoebe, are on the famous Titanic, crossing the ocean with their Aunt Daisy. Age Range: 7 – 10
Years Grade Level: 3 - 5
Jake Drake, Bully Buster – Andrew Clements ©2007 When Jake was three years old at Miss Lulu's Dainty Diaper Day
Care Center, what did he know about bullies? Nothing! But he learned fast! Why? Because Jake was kind of smart and
not a tattletale, and he had no big brother to protect him. He was a perfect bully magnet. Age Range: 7 - 11 Years Grade
Level: 1 - 5
Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little – Peggy Gifford ©2008 It wasn't as if Moxy hadn't tried to do her summer
reading. She and Stuart Little had been inseparable all summer, like best friends. If Stuart Little wasn't in her backpack, it
was in her lap . . . or holding up the coffee table . . . or getting splashed when Moxy went swimming. Age Range: 9 – 12
Years Grade Level: 4 - 7
Queen of the Falls – Chris Van Allsburg ©2011 The story of Annie Edson Taylor, who in 1901 decided to go over
Niagara Falls in a barrel. Age Range: 7 – 11 Years Grade Level: 2 - 5
Rain Reign – Ann M. Martin ©2014 Rose Howard is obsessed with homonyms. She's thrilled that her own name is a
homonym, and she purposely gave her dog Rain a name with two homonyms (Reign, Rein), which, according to Rose's
rules of homonyms, is very special. Not everyone understands Rose's obsessions, her rules, and the other things that make
her different – not her teachers, not other kids, and not her single father. Age Range: 9 – 12 Years Grade Level: 4 - 7
The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus – Jen Bryant ©2014 For shy young Peter Mark Roget, books were the best
companions -- and it wasn’t long before Peter began writing his own book. But he didn’t write stories; he wrote lists.
Peter took his love for words and turned it to organizing ideas and finding exactly the right word to express just what he
thought. Caldecott Honor Book, Sibert Medal Winner Age Range: 8 – 11 Years Grade Level: 2 – 5
Rumf: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin – Liesl Shurtliff ©2014 This funny fractured fairy tale goes behind the
scenes of Rumpelstiltskin. "A most magical feat," writes Newbery Honor-winner Kirby Larson, "Liesl Shurtliff spins
words into gold." Age Range: 9 – 12 Years Grade Level: 4 – 7
The Volcano of Fire - Geronimo Stilton ©2011 After receiving a mysterious message summoning him to a meeting,
Geronimo Stilton finds himself back in the Kingdom of Fantasy, summoned by the Elves, who want him to travel to the
Great Explanatorium to find an answer to the earthquakes that are threatening the Kingdom. Age Range: 7 - 11 Years
Grade Level: 1 - 5
Fourth Grade Entering Fifth Grade
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library – Chris Grabenstein ©2014 Kyle Keeley is the class clown and a huge fan of all
games—board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and
creative game maker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the construction of the new town library. Age
Range: 10 - 12 Years Grade Level: 5 – 7
8
El Deafo – Cece Bell ©2014 Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new
friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant
graphic novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent
experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful—and very awkward—hearing aid. Newbery Honor Book Age
Range: 8 - 12 Years Grade Level: 3 – 7
Extra Credit – Andrew Clements ©2011 It isn’t that Abby Carson can’t do her schoolwork. She just doesn’t like doing
it. And consequently, Abby will have to repeat sixth grade—unless she meets some specific conditions, including taking
on an extra credit project: find a pen pal in a distant country. But when Abby’s first letter arrives at a small school in
Afghanistan, complications arise. The elders agree that any letters going back to America must be written well, but the
only qualified English-speaking student is a boy. Age Range: 9 - 12 Years Grade Level: 4 – 7
George Washington's Spy (Time Travel Adventure) – Elvira Woodruff ©2012 Ten-year-old Matt Carlton and six
friends are accidentally swept back in time--to Boston in 1776! The British now occupy the city, and redcoat guards are
everywhere! While the boys are being held captive by a den of Patriot spies, the girls have been taken in by a wealthy
Tory family. Age Range: 9 - 12 Years Grade Level: 4 – 7
Go Figure! A Totally Cool Book About Numbers - Johnny Ball ©2005 Experience the mysterious and magical world of
numbers as never before. This unique book investigates mathematical marvels such as why daisies always have 34, 55, or
89 petals, why the world's phone numbers appear in pi, and other patterns and paradoxes that will make readers look at
numbers in a whole new way. (Math) Age Range: 10 - 12 Years Grade Level: 4 - 8
Henry Knox: Bookseller, Soldier, Patriot - Anita Silvey ©2010 A hearty eater, dapper dresser, bookseller to Loyalists
and Patriots a like, and married into a staunch Loyalist family, Henry Knox may seem an unlikely hero. But his
fascination with warfare and strategy and his support of the Patriot cause prepared him to do what no one else thought was
possible: transport heavy artillery from Fort Ticonderoga, up and down snow-covered hills and across frozen lakes, to
relieve the siege of Boston. Age Range: 10 - 11 Years Grade Level: 4 - 6
Jake and Lily – Jerry Spinelli ©2013 Jake and Lily are twins. Despite their slightly different interests and temperaments,
they feel exactly the same—like two halves of one person. But the year they turn eleven, everything changes. Their
parents announce it’s time for separate bedrooms. Jake starts hanging out with a pack of boys on the block. And Lily is
devastated, not to mention angry. Who is she without Jake? And as her brother falls under the influence of the
neighborhood bully, he also must ask himself— who is the real Jake? Age Range: 10- 12 Years Grade Level: 5 – 7
King of the Mound: My Summer with Satchel Paige – Wes Tooke ©2012 When Nick is released from the hospital after
suffering from polio, he is sure that his father will never look at him in the same way again. Once the best pitcher in youth
league, Nick now walks with a limp and is dependent on a heavy leg brace. He isn’t sure he will ever return to the mound,
never mind be the star he once was. Age Range: 10 - 12 Years Grade Level: 5 – 7
The Liberation of Gabriel King – K. L. Going ©2007 Gabriel King was a born chicken. He’s afraid of spiders, corpses,
loose cows, and just about everything related to the fifth grade. Gabe’s best friend, Frita Wilson, thinks Gabe needs some
liberating from his fears. Age Range: 10 - 12 Years Grade Level: 5 – 7
The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius - Jan Greenberg ©2013 When George Ohr's trove of pottery was
discovered in 1967, years after his death, his true genius was discovered with it. The world could finally see how unique
this artist really was! Born in 1856 in Biloxi, Mississippi, George grew up to the sounds of the civil war and political
unrest. When he was 22, his boyhood friend introduced him to the pottery wheel. The lost young man suddenly found his
calling. Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Age Range: 10 - 12 Years Grade Level: 4 – 7
9
Masterpiece – Elise Broach ©2010 Marvin lives with his family under the kitchen sink in the Pompadays' apartment. He
is very much a beetle. James Pompaday lives with his family in New York City. He is very much an eleven-year-old boy.
Age Range: 10- 12 Years Grade Level: 5 – 7
Maze of Bones (39 Clues, No. 1) – Rick Riordon ©2008 Grace is the last matriarch of the Cahills, the world's most
powerful family. Everyone from Napoleon to Houdini is related to the Cahills, yet the source of the family power is lost.
39 Clues hidden around the world will reveal the family's secret, but no one has been able to assemble them. Age Range:
10 - 12 years Grade Level: 4 – 7
The Might Miss Mallone - Christopher Paul Curtis ©2012 "We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful"
is the motto of Deza Malone's family. Deza is the smartest girl in her class in Gary, Indiana, singled out by teachers for a
special path in life. Age Range: 9 - 12 Years Grade Level: 4 – 7
A Nest for Celeste – Henry Cole ©2012 Celeste is a mouse who is looking for a home. Is it nestled in the toe of a warm
boot? In the shirt pocket of Celeste’s new friend Joseph, who is Audubon’s apprentice? Age Range: 10 - 12 years Grade
Level: 4 – 7
Never Blame the Umpire - Gene Fehler ©2012 Eleven-year-old Kate is having a wonderful summer, playing baseball
and taking a poetry class, until her mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, causing Kate to struggle to keep her faith
and trust in God. Age Range: 9 - 12 Years Grade Level: 4 – 7
The Tale of Despereaux - Kate DiCamillo ©2003 He has big dreams and gets out of the world of mice and into the
world of people and rats. Newbery Medal Book Age Range: 9 - 12 Years Grade Level: 4 – 7
Turtle in Paradise – Jennifer L. Holm ©2013 When Nick is released from the hospital after suffering from polio, he is
sure that his father will never look at him in the same way again. Once the best pitcher in youth league, Nick now walks
with a limp and is dependent on a heavy leg brace. He isn’t sure he will ever return to the mound, never mind be the star
he once was. Age Range: 10 - 12 Years Grade Level: 4 - 7
Two Minute Drill - Mike Lupica ©2009 Chris Conlan is the coolest kid in sixth grade? The goldenarmed quarterback of
the football team and the boy all the others look up to. Scott Parry is the new kid, the boy with the huge brain, but with
feet that trip over themselves. Age Range: 10 - 12 Years Grade Level: 4- 7
Young Fredle – Cynthia Voight ©2011 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. Age Range: 10 12 Years Grade Level: 4 - 7
Fifth Grade Entering Sixth Grade
Abby Carnelia’s One and Only Magical Power – David Pogue ©2014 One day, Abby Carnelia, ordinary sixth grader,
realizes she has a magical power. Okay, it’s not a fancy one: she can make a hard-boiled egg spin by tugging on her ears.
But it’s the only one she has, and it’s enough to launch her into an adventure where she meets a host of kids with similarly
silly powers, becomes a potential guinea pig for a drug company, and hatches a daring plan for escape. Age Range: 9 - 12
Years Grade Level: 4 - 7
Around the World - Matt Phelan ©2011 Challenged with circling the world at the end of the nineteenth century, three
very different adventurers--avid bicyclist Thomas Stevens, fearless reporter Nellie Bly, and retired sea captain Joshua
Slocum--embark on epic journeys. Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction Age Range: 9 - 12 Years Grade
Level: 4 - 7
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Because of Anya – Margaret Peterson Haddix ©2002 While ten-year-old Anya faces the difficulties of losing her hair
to alopecia, her classmate Keely learns how to stand up for what she knows is right. Age Range: 9 - 12 Years Grade
Level: 4 – 7
Because of Mr. Terupt – Rob Buyea ©2011 It’s the start of fifth grade for seven kids at Snow Hill School. There’s . . .
Jessica, the new girl, smart and perceptive, who’s having a hard time fitting in; Alexia, a bully, your friend one second,
your enemy the next; Peter, class prankster and troublemaker; Luke, the brain; Danielle, who never stands up for herself;
shy Anna, whose home situation makes her an outcast; and Jeffrey, who hates school. Age Range: 9 - 12 Years Grade
Level: 4 – 7
The Boy at the End of the World – Greg Van Eekhout ©2011 In a future world, Fisher is the last boy on earth. But
evidence suggests there may be a far-away survival bunk with other humans. In order to get there, he'll need to rely on a
ragtag team he assembles, including a robot, a mammoth, and a prairie dog with basic English skills. Readers will be
riveted as this unlikely team races toward survival. Age Range: 10 - 14 Years Grade Level: 5 - 8
Close to Famous – Joan Bauer ©2011 Twelve-year-old Foster dreams of growing up to become a celebrity chef despite
her reading disability. Can the quirky townsfolk of tiny Culpepper help Foster succeed? Age Range: 10 - 14 Years
Grade Level: 5 - 8
Dead End in Norvelt – Jack Gantos ©2011 In the historic town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelve-yearold Jack Gantos
spends the summer of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he is assigned to help an elderly neighbor with a most
unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax, twisted promises, Girl Scout cookies, underage driving, lessons
from history, typewriting, and countless bloody noses. Newbery Medal Book Age Range: 10 - 14 Years Grade Level:
5–8
Dorko the Magnificent – Andrea Beaty ©2013 Robbie Darko is a magician. An old-school, pull-arabbit-out-of-your-hatstyle magician. Robbie loves magic and he’s good at it—sort of. Despite his best efforts, passion, and practice, something
always goes wrong with his tricks, landing Robbie in trouble. Enter crotchety Grandma Melvyn, who calls everyone
“Trixie” and complains about everything. Age Range: 8 - 12 Years Grade Level: 3 - 7
Double Identity – Margaret Peterson Haddix ©2007 As Bethany approaches her thirteenth birthday, her parents act
more oddly than usual. Her mother cries constantly, and her father barely lets Bethany out of his sight. Then one morning
he hustles the entire family into the car, drives across several state lines -- and leaves Bethany with an aunt she never
knew existed. Age Range: 10 - 14 Years Grade Level: 5 – 8
The False Prince – Jennifer A. Nielsen ©2013 In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided
people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king's long-lost son and
install him as a puppet prince. Age Range: 9 - 14 Years Grade Level: 4 - 8
The Manatee Scientists: Saving Vulnerable Species – Peter Lourie ©2011 In The Manatee Scientists, John Reynolds
does an aerial count of manatees from the Florida sky; Lucy Keith spends a weekend rescuing manatees trapped in a dam
in Senegal; and Fernando Rosas takes the author on an Amazonian boat trip, looking for a young manatee he released
back into the wild, with emotional results. Age Range: 10 – 12 Years Grade Level: 5 – 7
Moon over Manifest - Clare Vanderpool ©2010 The town of Manifest is based on Frontenac, Kan., the home of author
Clare Vanderpool’s maternal grandparents. Newbery Medal Book Age Range: 8 - 12 Years Grade Level: 3 – 7
Savvy - Ingrid Law ©2012 Thirteen is when a Beaumont’s savvy hits—and with one brother who causes hurricanes and
another who creates electricity, Mibs Beaumont is eager to see what she gets. But just before the big day, Poppa is in a
terrible accident. And now all Mibs wants is a savvy that will save him. Newbery Honor Book Age Range: 8 - 12 Years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
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Waiting for Normal – Leslie Connor ©2010 Addie is waiting for normal. But Addie's mother has an all-or-nothing
approach to life: a food fiesta or an empty pantry, her way or no way. All-or-nothing never adds up to normal, and it can't
bring Addie all to home, where she wants to be with her half sisters. But Addie never stops hoping that one day, maybe,
she'll find normal. Schneider Family Book Award Age Range: 8 - 12 Years Grade Level: 5 – Up
Water Castle – Megan Frazer Blakemore ©2014 Ephraim Appledore-Smith is an ordinary boy, and up until his father's
stroke he lived an ordinary life. But all that changes when his family moves to the Water Castle―their ancestral home in
the small town of Crystal Springs. Age Range: 9 – 12 Years Years Grade Level: 4 - 8
SIXTH GRADE ENTERING SEVENTH GRADE
Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie – Jordan Sonnenblick ©2005 When his younger brother is diagnosed with leukemia,
thirteen-year-old Steven tries to deal with his complicated emotions, his school life, and his desire to support his family.
Age Range: 12 – 14 Years Grade Level: 7 – 9
Feathers – Jacqueline Woodson ©2010 “Hope is the thing with feathers” starts the poem Frannie is reading in school.
Frannie hasn’t thought much about hope. There are so many other things to think about. Each day, her friend Samantha
seems a bit more “holy.” There is a new boy in class everyone is calling the Jesus Boy. And although the new boy looks
like a white kid, he says he’s not white. Who is he?” Age Range: 11 – 13 Years Grade Level: 6 - 8
Football Genius – Tim Green ©2008 Troy White can predict any football play before it happens. And when his single
mom gets a job with the Atlanta Falcons, Troy knows it's his big chance to help them out of their slump—and finally
prove his football genius. Age Range: 11 – 12 Years Grade Level: 6 – 7
Freak the Mighty – Rodman Philbrick ©2001 Two boys – a slow learner stuck in the body of a teenage giant and a tiny
Einstein in leg braces – forge a unique friendship when they pair up to create one formidable human force. Age Range:
10 – 12 Years Grade Level: 5 – 7
Freshman Phenom: The Will Stover Sports Series – CE Butler ©2014 Fourteen-year-old Will Stover has it all: great
friends, supportive parents, a ton of athletic ability, and a bright future. He also has a problem. Age Range: 12 - 14 Years
Grade Level: 7 - 9
Jesse Bowman: A Union Boy's War Story – Tom McGowen ©2008 In this action-packed historical fiction novel, Jesse
Bowman joins the Union Army in hopes of finding adventure. However, this teenage soldier learns that victory comes at a
great cost. He discovers the hardships of war, the horror of battle, and the loss of friendship on his journey through the
Civil War. Age Range: 10 – 12 Years Grade Level: 5 – 7
Navigating Early – Clare Vanderpool ©2014 When Jack Baker’s father sends him from his home in Kansas to attend a
boys’ boarding school in Maine, Jack doesn’t know what to expect. Certainly not Early Auden, the strangest of boys.
Early keeps to himself, reads the number pi as a story, and refuses to accept truths others take for granted. Jack, feeling
lonely and out of place, connects with Early, and the two become friends. Age Range: 10 – Up Years Grade Level: 5 –
Up Michael L. Printz Honor Winner
Notes from the Dog – Gary Paulsen ©2009 When Johanna shows up at the beginning of summer to house-sit next door
to Finn, he has no idea of the profound effect she will have on his life by the time summer vacation is over. Age Range:
12 - 14 Years Grade Level: 7 - 9
The Outsiders – S. E. Hinton ©1988 Ponyboy can count on his brothers and his friends, but not on much else besides
trouble with the Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids who get away with everything, including beating up greasers like
Ponyboy. Age Range: 12 - 14 Years Grade Level: 7 - 9
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Powerless – Matthew Cody ©2009 Twelve-year-old Daniel, the new kid in town, soon learns the truth about his nice—
but odd—new friends: one can fly, another can turn invisible, yet another controls electricity. Incredible. The superkids
use their powers to secretly do good in the town, but they’re haunted by the fact that the moment they turn thirteen, their
abilities will disappear—along with any memory that they ever had them. Is a memory-stealing supervillain sapping their
powers? Age Range: 10- 12 years Grade Level: 5 - 7
Ranger’s Apprentice Book One: The Ruins of Gorlan – John Flanagan ©2006 He had always wanted to be a warrior.
The Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways, made him nervous. The villagers believe the Rangers practice
magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now fifteen yearold Will, always small for his age, has been
chosen as a Ranger’s apprentice. Age Range: 12 - 14 Years Grade Level: 7 - 9
The Shakespeare Stealer – Gary Blacwood ©2000 Widge is an orphan with a rare talent for shorthand. His fearsome
master has just one demand: steal Shakespeare's play "Hamlet"--or else. Widge has no choice but to follow orders, so he
works his way into the heart of the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare's players perform. Age Range: 12 - 14 Years
Grade Level: 7 - 9
Shooting the Moon – Frances O’Roark Dowell ©2009 When twelve-year-old Jamie Dexter's brother joins the Army and
is sent to Vietnam, Jamie is plum thrilled. She can't wait to get letters from the front lines describing the excitement of
real-life combat: the sound of helicopters, the smell of gunpowder, the exhilaration of being right in the thick of it. Age
Range: 12 - 14 Years Grade Level: 7 – 9
Voices from the March on Washington – J. Patrick Lewis ©2014 The powerful poems in this poignant collection weave
together multiple voices to tell the story of the March on Washington, DC, in 1963. From the woman singing through a
terrifying bus ride to DC, to the teenager who came partly because his father told him, “Don’t you dare go to that march,”
to the young child riding above the crowd on her father’s shoulders, each voice brings a unique perspective to this tale.
Age Range 12 – Up Grade Level: 7 - Up
Witch & Wizard – James Patterson ©2011 The world is changing: the government has seized control of every aspect of
society, and now, kids are disappearing. For 15-year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit, life turns upside down when
they are torn from their parents one night and slammed into a secret prison for no reason they can comprehend. Age
Range: 12 - 14 Years Grade Level: 7 - 9
Wonder - R. J. Palacio ©2007 August Pullman was born with a facial deformity that, up until now, has prevented him
from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an
ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. Age Range: 10 - 12 years Grade
Level: 5 - 7
SEVENTH GRADE ENTERING EIGHTH GRADE
Be: The Journey of Rol – Ric Colegrove ©2014 In a time and place different than our own, a fourteenyear-old boy
named Rol sets out on a journey, alone. He faces incredible challenges and makes lifelong friends. Rol learns what it takes
to be who he is truly meant to be, with help from those he encounters along the way. Website for downloading Free
Companion Guide http://thejourneyofrol.com/guide/ Age Range: 12 - 15 Years Grade Level: 7 - 10
Because They Marched – Russell Freedman ©2014 In the early 1960s, tensions in the segregated South intensified.
Tired of reprisals for attempting to register to vote, Selma's black community began to protest. Age Range: 12 – Up
Years Grade Level: 7 – Up
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas – John Boyne ©2007 Berlin, 1942: When Bruno returns home from school one day, he
discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move to
a new house far, far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. Age Range: 12 – Up Years Grade
Level: 7 – Up
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Code Talker: A Novel About The Navajo Marines Of World War Two - Joseph Bruchac ©2005 After being taught in a
boarding school run by whites that Navajo is a useless language, Ned Begay is recruited by the Marines to become a Code
Talker, sending urgent messages during WW2 in his native tongue. Age Range: 12 – 13 Years Grade Level: 7 – 8
Countdown (Sixties Trilogy) – Deborah Wiles ©2013 Franny Chapman just wants some peace. But that's hard to get
when her best friend is feuding with her, her sister has disappeared, and her uncle is fighting an old war in his head. Her
saintly younger brother is no help, and the cute boy across the street only complicates things. Worst of all, everyone is
walking around just waiting for a bomb to fall. Age Range: 12 – 13 Years Grade Level: 7 – 8
Do the Math: Secrets, Lies, and Algebra – Wendy Lichtman ©2007 Tess has always loved math, and she uses
mathematical concepts to help her understand things in her life, so she is dismayed to find out how much math--and life-can change in eighth grade. (Math) Age Range: 12 - 15 Years Grade Level: 7 - 10
Down the Rabbit Hole: An Echo Falls Mystery – Peter Abrahams ©2006 Eighth grader Ingrid LevinHill idolizes
Sherlock Holmes, so it is not surprising when, stumbling across a murder, she opts to keep what she knows a secret and
tries to solve the crime herself. Age Range 12 – 13 Years Grade Level: 7 – 8
Fly Girl – Sherri L. Smith ©2010 All Ida Mae Jones wants to do is fly. Her daddy was a pilot, and years after his death
she feels closest to him when she’s in the air. But as a young black woman in 1940s Louisiana, she knows the sky is off
limits to her, until America enters World War II, and the Army forms the WASP-Women Airforce Service Pilots. Ida has
a chance to fulfill her dream if she’s willing to use her light skin to pass as a white girl. Age Range: 12 - 15 Years Grade
Level: 7 - 10
The Good Fight: How World War II was Won – Stephen Ambrose ©2005 Stephen E. Ambrose, one of the finest
historians of our time, has written an extraordinary chronicle of World War II for young readers. From Japanese
warplanes soaring over Pearl Harbor, dropping devastation from the sky, to the against-all-odds Allied victory at Midway,
to the Battle of the Bulge during one of the coldest winters in Europe's modern history, to the tormenting decision to bomb
Nagasaki and Hiroshima with atomic weapons, The Good Fight brings the most horrific -- and most heroic -- war in
history to a new generation in a way that's never been done before. Age Range: 12 – 13 Years Grade Level: 7 - 8
Leap of Faith - Kimberly Brubaker Bradley ©2007 Forced to attend a Catholic middle school because of her conduct,
Abigail discovers a talent for theater and develops a true religious faith. Age Range: 12 – 13 Years Grade Level: 7 – 8
Legend – Marie Lu ©2013 June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic—and each other—and
now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the
government's elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. Age Range: 12 –
Up Years Grade Level: 7 - Up
Million Dollar Throw – Mike Lupica ©2005 Nate Brodie is nicknamed “Brady” not only for his arm, but also because
he’s the biggest Tom Brady fan. He’s even saved up to buy an autographed football. Age Range: 12 – Up Years Grade
Level: 7 - Up
Navy Seal Dogs-My Tale of Training Canines for Combat – Mike Ritland ©2015 Trident K9 Warriors gave readers an
inside look at the SEAL teams' elite K9 warriors--who they are, how they are trained, and the extreme missions they
undertake to save lives. From detecting explosives to eliminating the bad guys, these powerful dogs are also some of the
smartest and highest skilled working animals on the planet. Mike Ritland's job is to train them. Age Range: 13 to 18
Years Grade Level: 8 – 12
Sign Language – Amy Ackley ©2011 Sign Language tells the story of twelve-year-old Abby North. Her first hint that
something is wrong with her dad is the scar that appears on his stomach after he goes in for kidney surgery. Age Range:
12 - 15 Years Grade Level: 7 - 10
14
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer - John Grisham ©2011 In the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and
though he’s only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he’s one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court
clerk—and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom. National Book Award
Winner Age Range: 12 – 13 Years Grade Level: 7 - 8
Terror at Bottle Creek – Watt Key ©2016 In this gritty, realistic wilderness adventure, thirteen-year-old Cort is caught in
a battle against a Gulf Coast hurricane. Cort's father is a local expert on hunting and swamp lore in lower Alabama who
has been teaching his son everything he knows. But when a deadly Category 3 storm makes landfall, Cort must
unexpectedly put his all skills-and bravery-to the test. Age Range: 13 - 14 Years Grade Level: 6 - 9
The Thing About Luck – Cuthnia Kadohata ©2014 Summer knows that kouun means "good luck" in Japanese, and this
year her family has none of it. Just when she thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong, an emergency whisks her parents
away to Japan--right before harvest season. Summer and her little brother are left in the care of their grandparents -Obaachan and Jiichan -- who come out of retirement in order to harvest wheat and help pay the bills. Age Range: 13 - 14
Years Grade Level: 6 - 9
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