Animal/Non-Human Protagonists

Home , Ivan (gorilla)

KEY: ◉ - especially popular with students ♞ - this book is challenging ☛ - this book is a quick or easy read ❂ - Ms. Smith’s special favorites! ✢ - series book ☊ - awesome on audio ▞ - best for mature Grade 7 and Grade 8 readers

A Very Small and Ever-changing Sampling of Ms. Smith’s Favorite Books for Middle School Wolfhounds

This list is sorted by genre. If a book falls into multiple genres, I put it in the one I thought “best” described it. You can use the key to get more info on each book.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate- Ivan, also known as “The One and Only Ivan,” is a silverback gorilla who only vaguely remembers his life in the wild, as he was captured very young and has lived in captivity ever since. His “domain,” which he comes to realize is just a cage, is in a shopping mall, and he shares this space with his friends, an elephant named Stella, a homeless dog named Bob. When a new animal is added to this small ‘zoo,’ Ivan’s world is turned upside down as his protective instincts take over and he must figure out how to use his strength and his talents to make a better life for her, and ultimately for himself. You will love Ivan’s simple but poetic voice and his beautiful story. ◉☛❂

Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo- A squirrel is vacuumed and gains the power of poetry (and flight). A boy, who may or may not be blind and knows of the ever-expanding universe and quarks, holds hands with a heroine. A lamp shaped like a shepherdess may or may not have replaced a daughter in her mother’s affections. A woman who knows of trolls and who comes from Blundermeceen provides a seat for wayward souls on her horsehair couch, which is quite slippery. This quirky and delightful book by Kate DiCamillo (of Mercy Watson, Desperaux, and Winn-Dixie fame) is a tale of comics, heroes, and squirrels- none of which are mutually exclusive. Holy bagumba! ❂◉

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown- Roz, a robot built by a warlike human civilization, is accidentally marooned on an island populated with only animals. How will she, a creation of technology, react to the “wild,” and what will happen when her creators return to reclaim her? ❂◉✢

Watership Down by Richard Adams- This classic survival and adventure novel tells the story of a group of rabbits forced to leave their home and journey far to find safety. Long, complex, and rife with epic themes of heroism, exile, survival, and perseverence, this gripping tale applies well as an allegory for many aspects of the human experience. ❂▞ ♞

Creepy/Scary

Doll Bones by Holly Black- Zach, Poppy, and Alice have a secret. Even though they’re twelve, they still play with dolls. Pirate dolls, soldier dolls, mermaids- they battle, quest, and face innumerable obstacles in a rich world of imagination the three create together. One doll rules over the whole game from her place in a glass cabinet, but she is a doll none of them dares to touch- the Queen. But when Poppy tells Zach and Alice that the Queen may indeed be haunted by a restless spirit and proposes a quest that will put the ghost to rest, these three friends must travel to a graveyard in another town, over water, through woods, in a race against the clock. The cracks in their friendship need mending, too, if they are to succeed. ◉

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland- When the dead begin to rise and walk the battlefield at Gettysburg, the Civil War grinds to a halt while the people of America scramble to protect themselves against the walking dead. But not everything changes: the social structures in place in the country persist despite this new threat, and Native and African American children are forced into battle schools and sent to the front lines to stop the “shamblers.” Jane McKeen is almost finished with Ms. Preston’s School of Combat when an old acquaintance shows up to ask her help with a quest. From School Library Journal: “This is a fictional exploration of the chattel slavery and American Indian boarding school systems. Ireland skillfully works in the different forms of enslavement, mental and physical, into a complex and engaging story.” ♞☊▞

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman- Bod is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place—he's the only living resident of a graveyard. Raised from infancy by the ghosts, werewolves, and other cemetery citizens, Bod has learned the customs of his guardians' time as well as their ghostly teachings—such as the ability to Fade so mere mortals cannot see him. ☊

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier- Two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. ◉

A Tale Dark and Grimm and others in the series by Adam Gidwitz- This series, immensely popular with Grade 6 readers, re-infuses the old Grimm’s fairy tales with their original darkness. Squeamish readers beware- but not too ‘ware- the grotesque exists right alongside the humorous. This is one of those books, like those in A Series of Unfortunate Events, wherein the author speaks directly to the reader, which can be really fun! This first volume stars Hansel and Gretel, who run away from home and encounter witches, monsters, curses, quests, and even the devil himself before resolving their “story” in an ending that is both fresh and very traditional-fairy-tale. ◉❂✢

Sabriel by Garth Nix- Since childhood, Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who refuse to stay dead. But now her father, the Abhorson, is missing, and Sabriel must cross into that world to find him. ✢♞❂

Today’s News

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes- Twelve year-old Jerome Parker is shot by a white police officer who mistakes his toy for a gun. He narrates the rest of the book as a ghost, witness to the aftermath and its effects on his own family and the family of the officer. ❂◉

Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh- 14 year-old Ahmed fled a burning Aleppo with his father, but heavy seas claim the man and Ahmed finds himself alone in Brussels, Belgium. When living in a public park with other refugees becomes impossible, Ahmed is left without safe choices and finds shelter hiding in an unlikely place. At the same time Max, a boy from Washington, DC, moves to Brussels against his wishes with his family because his father works for the UN. Feeling powerless and like a fish out of water, Max encounters Ahmed and a friendship begins to grow. ❂◉

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas- Starr and her friend Khalil are on their way home from a party when they are pulled over by a policeman, who shoots and kills Khalil during the traffic stop. As Starr struggles to come to terms with her grief, she finds herself swept up into a nationwide discussion about policing and the black community, and gradually finds her voice within that discussion. ❂▞

Fantasy KEY: ◉ - especially popular with students ♞ - this book is challenging ☛ - this book is a quick or easy read ❂ - Ms. Smith’s special favorites! ✢ - series book ☊ - awesome on audio ▞ - best for mature Grade 7 and Grade 8 readers

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor- Sunny was born in the United States but lives in Nigeria, where her albino features stand out. A soccer star, she cannot go out to play because of the sun’s effect on her skin. However, when she makes new friends and discovers her latent magic, she is set on a dangerous mission to catch a criminal... This book has been called “the Nigerian Harry Potter.” Need I say more? ✢◉

The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by MT Anderson- An elf historian is catapaulted across the Bonecruel Mountains into the rival kingdom of goblins, bearing a peace offering that might be more than meets the eye. This wacky and hilarious story is told from multiple points of view, in pictures and in text, and savvy readers will sense that some narrators are less than reliable. A National Book Award honor book. ❂♞ (vocabulary)

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley- Micah’s beloved grandfather, Ephraim, is gravely ill and his horrid Aunt Gertrudis seems to think visits from Micah just make him worse. Missing his grandfather’s incredible stories about the Circus Mirandus, a magical circus he visited as a boy, Micah takes to living in the treehouse outside his grandfather’s window. He strikes up a friendship with Jenny, the smartest girl in his class (who doesn’t seem to believe in magic) and the two undertake a journey to find the circus and retrieve a promise from one of its most magical performers, the Lightbender, who once told Ephraim he would give him a miracle. Can the Lightbender’s miracle save Micah’s grandfather? ◉

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm- Ellie Cruz’z mother goes to pick up her grandfather...at the police station...and he comes home...thirteen years old. Yes, it’s true, Ellie’s 70-something year-old scientist grandpa has discovered a way to become young again. Now Ellie must deal with the oddness of having a grumpy 13 year-old grandpa living with her disguised as a long-lost teenaged cousin, helping him break into his old lab to grab the jellyfish that is the key to his youth serum, a first crush, and a best friend who seems to be losing interest in her? That’s...a lot to deal with. What a fun book! ☛❂◉

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill- The witch in the woods has been frightening the people of the town for generations. She demands a baby as a sacrifice each year! But everything is not what it seems when you see things from the witch’s point of view... ❂◉♞

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman- Lyra lives in Oxford, England with her mysterious uncle. When her best friend Roger is kidnapped by the “Gobblers” and she overhears a mysterious meeting, she takes off with her daemon companion Pantalaimon on an epic adventure involving witches, hot air balloons, and armored, battling polar bears. (I encourage the young reader to push through the opening pages, which can be confusing- the reward is worth it!) ❂◉♞✸✢

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke- What if you had the power to read characters right out of books and into real life? What if you read a terrible villain into existence? Meggie’s father, who has this power, is kidnapped by a horrible villain determined to make him read the worst out of his beloved books. Can she save him? ❂◉♞✢ KEY: ◉ - especially popular with students ♞ - this book is challenging ☛ - this book is a quick or easy read ❂ - Ms. Smith’s special favorites! ✢ - series book ☊ - awesome on audio ▞ - best for mature Grade 7 and Grade 8 readers

The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz- Three marvelous children and their saintly dog travel through medieval France, pursued by those who would kill them for their powers. Told in a style somewhat like Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, this text is illuminated like a medieval manuscript! ❂◉♞ (NB: This book is currently a Grade 6 class book.)

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke- Prosper and Bo are orphan runaways when they happen upon a band of street kids led by “the thief lord” and undertake a life of crime. I’ve never had a student dislike this title! ◉

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead- The story is grounded in regular kid stuff- friendships made and broken, the power of kindness (and, conversely, of unkindness), relationships between parents and their children- but as Miranda begins receiving letters (and writing back) from a mysterious figure who seems to know the future, the book takes a step into fantasy with a fantastic puzzle that will make you want to reread once you find the answer. ◉

Historical Fiction

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein- This compelling book interweaves the voices and stories of two narrators: Verity, a captured spy and member of the French resistence being interrogated by the Gestapo, and her best friend Maddie, a pilot whose job it is to ferry planes and human cargo from Britain into enemy territory. I listened to this book on audio and literally gasped at its conclusion. A tremendous story of bravery, strength, and friendship for older readers. ♞▞☊

Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan- With fairy tale framing, this amazing book tells three main stories: that of Friedrich, who witnesses the rise of Nazi Germany, Mike, an orphan living during the Great Depression, and Ivy, displaced by the internment of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor. The thread that unites these three young people is magical, musical, and incredibly memorable. ◉❂☊

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Septys- It is winter 1945, and four refugees are among thousands fleeing to the coast ahead of a Soviet advance: Joana, a Lithuanian nurse; Emilia, a Polish girl fleeing horrors; Alfred, a loyal Nazi member of the Kriegsmarine; and Florian, a Prussian. Each has secrets. Each is desperate to survive. The Wilhelm Gustloff awaits to take them across the Baltic to safety...but nothing is as it seems. ◉♞▞

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley- Born with a clubfoot and to an abusive mother, Ada finds a new life when she and her little brother are evacuated to the countryside from London during World War II. This book (and its sequel) has been wildly popular with Grades 6 & 7 students. ◉ ✢

When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park- Sun-hee and her older brother, Tae-yul, live in Korea with their parents under Japanese occupation. When World War II comes to Korea, Sun-hee is surprised that the Japanese expect their Korean subjects to fight on their side. But the greatest shock of all comes when Tae-yul enlists in the Japanese army in an attempt to protect Uncle, who is suspected of aiding the Korean resistance. Sun-hee stays behind, entrusted with the life-and-death secrets of a family at war. ❂◉

Mystery Greenglass House by Kate Milford- Milo is looking forward to a quiet Christmas with his mom and dad at their inn. However, fate has other plans, as one frigid night one mysterious guest after another arrives to fill the rooms. Each guest seems to be harboring a secret, and the air is tense. Then things start to go missing. Milo strikes up a friendship with the inn’s cook’s daughter, Meddy, an eccentric girl who convinces him that together they will solve the mystery using personas they invent for themselves as part of a role-playing game. This book is full of surprises and I loved this book to pieces- read it in front of a roaring fire with a mug of cocoa! ♞❂

I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest- Two young girls and best friends, Libby and May, create their own artwork and story about Princess X. May writes the stories and Libby draws the pictures. Years later, Libby dies in a car accident. But when pictures of Princess X begin appearing around town, it’s clear no one else could be making that artwork... ◉❂

One Came Home by Amy Timberlake- It is 1871 Wisconsin, and Georgie Burkhardt is riddled with guilt after she opens her big mouth and says something she shouldn’t...causing her big sister Agatha to run off the very next day with a pack of pigeoners--people following the great migration of passenger pigeons across the country. When the sherrif returns with an unidentifiable body wearing Agatha’s distinctive gown, Georgie’s parents are ready to put Agatha to rest, but Georgie refuses to believe the body is Agatha’s and takes off on a wild journey to track down what really happened to her sister. ◉❂

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson- Stevie Bell is beginning her first year at Ellingham Academy, where every student is gifted and mysteries abound. For example, the wife and daughter of the school’s founder, Albert Ellingham, were both kidnapped and never heard from again. The only clue was a mocking letter signed “Truly Devious.” Now Truly Devious seems to be back...and for Stevie, who idolized Sherlock Holmes, this is a must-solve. This book has MacArthur students and teachers raving! ◉❂✢

Nonfiction

Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller by Joseph Lambert- This Eisner Award-winning graphic novel tells the more nuanced, thorough tale of Helen Keller’s life story than is typically taught and remembered. The powerful bond between this teacher and her pupil is one for the ages. ❂

Chasing King’s Killer & Chasing Lincoln’s Killer by James L Swanson- These two titles have been wildly popular with middle school students, even those who do not consider themselves history buffs. The backstories of these men and those who would eventually murder them is fascinating stuff, and Swanson is a master at weaving these stories in gripping form. ◉❂

The Life and Death of Crazy Horse, Eleanor Roosevelt: a Life of Discovery, Martha Graham: a Dancer’s Life, and Babe Didriksen Zaharias: Making of a Champion by Russell Freedman- Freedman has made quite a name for himself as a biographer for middle school students, and these four titles are amazing in their accessibility and how they tackle the hard history. Highly recommended--I taught them for years! ◉❂

Unbroken: an Olympian’s Journey from Airman to Castaway to Captive (Young Reader’s Edition) by Lauren Hillenbrand "This captivating book emphasizes the importance of determination, the will to survive against impossible odds, and support from family and friends. A strong, well-written work."- School Library Journal ◉

Realistic Fiction

Better Nate than Ever by Tim Federle Nate’s parents won’t let him go to New York City to audition for E.T., the Musical...so he hops and bus and runs away to pursue his dream. ❂✢✸

Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty- This is one of the funniest, most enjoyable books for teens that I have ever read. Elizabeth Clary is dealing with mother who seems to communicate to her only through Post-it notes on the fridge, a father with a secret, a best friend who keeps running away, and a crush on a boy who may or may not be crushing back. All of it is told in letters and Post-Its, and some of the letters are hilariously written from made-up organizations like “THE COLD HARD TRUTH ASSOCIATION,” representing Elizabeth’s insecurities. ❂ ▞

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick- 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. ❂☛

Goodbye, Stranger by Rebecca Stead- Long ago, best friends Bridge, Emily, and Tab made a pact: no fighting. But it’s the start of seventh grade, and everything is changing. By the time Valentine’s Day approaches, the girls have begun to question the bonds—and the limits—of friendship. Can they grow up without growing apart? (This is a great book to read if you’re interested in ways social media affects friendships, too.) ❂◉

Ms. Bixby’s Last Day by John David Anderson- When beloved teacher Ms. Bixby gets sick and has to leave in the middle of the school year, three of her students skip school to undertake an epic cross-town adventure to bring her a perfect “last day” in the hospital. ❂◉

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper - “Words have always swirled around me like snowflakes-each one delicate and different, each one melting untouched in my hands.”This book tells the story of Melody, a typical 10 year-old girl who goes to school, argues with her parents, likes clothes and books and puppies...and has never spoken a word. Born with cerebral palsy, Melody is, to a degree, trapped in her own body and mind, with limited ability to communicate her thoughts to the outside world. Over the course of her story her family changes, new technology helps her communicate more clearly, and she struggles to find inclusion in fifth grade where kids can be cruel and she is often underestimated by kids and adults alike. I listened to this as an audiobook and highly recommend the narrator- I loved her voice; she really brought Melody to life. ◉☊

Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson- High school junior Jade, an artist, is considered an “at-risk” student at her wealthy private school due to the neighborhood in which she lives. Instead of an invitation to a coveted school trip abroad, she is invited to join Woman to Woman, a mentorship program for poor and black young women. This quiet coming-of-age story beautifully depicts a young teen struggling to find her voice. ❂

Summerlost by Ally Condie- It's the first real summer since the accident that killed Cedar's father and younger brother, Ben. Cedar and what’s left of her family are returning to the town of Iron Creek for the summer. They’re just settling into their new house when a boy named Leo, dressed in costume, rides by on his bike. Intrigued, Cedar follows him to the renowned Summerlost theatre festival. Soon, she not only has a new friend in Leo and a job working concessions at the festival, she finds herself surrounded by mystery. ❂

The Moves Make the Man by Bruce Brooks- Jerome Foxworthy (Jayfox) meets a mysterious white kid, Bix Rivers, and decides to teach him how to play his game--basketball. But Bix’s troubled past may be too much for the two of them to handle. ❂▞

The Only Road by Alexandra Dimas- A small group of teens and preteens tries to make their way from their hometown in Guatemala, which has been overtaken by gangs, to the safety of the United States. ❂◉▞✢

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo- This novel in verse is told from the perspective of Xiomara Batista, a high school sophomore who simultaneously wishes she could hide (unwanted attention from men in her life) and at other times wishes she could be more seen (as she questions limiting messages sent her by her church, family, and society). A gorgeous gem of a book that just garnered the National Book Award for young people’s literature. ▞◉

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon- This story is told from two points of view. Natasha is practical, to-the-point, and the daughter of undocumented Jamaican immigrants. Daniel is a poet, a dreamer, and the son of Korean immigrants who very much want him to be a doctor. They meet on a day that is crucial for both: Natasha plans to fight her family’s deportation and has made a meeting with an immigration lawyer, and Daniel has his Yale interview. Sparks fly, mistakes are made, and the reader will never forget this whirlwind romance. ❂▞◉☊

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin- When Suzy, a bright, science-minded misfit, learns that her best friend has died in a drowning accident, she looks for answers she can understand by organizing a project to research a rare jellyfish she is convinced must have caused the drowning. Her complicated emotions are rendered so beautifully (she and her friend had a falling out, her parents have just divorced, she doesn’t seem to fit into middle school). I haven’t been this immediately drawn into a book in a while. A thick book, but a quick and compelling read. ❂◉

Train I Ride by Paul Mosier- Ryder is a green-haired girl with a very tough past, traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago to start a new life with a relative she’s never met. The train she rides is full of odd characters (including a boy with the impossible name of Tenderchunks) who help her on her way. One of Ms. Smith’s very favorite books. ❂☛◉

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech- Sal and her wacky grandparents take off on a cross-country journey to find her mother, who left her family under mysterious circumstances and is in Idaho. At the same time, Sal tells her grandparents the wild story of her friend Phoebe Winterbottom, whose mother may or may not have been kidnapped by a lunatic. ❂◉

Sci-Fi

The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer- In 2174 Zimbabwe, when the powerful General Matsika’s children are lost in the city filled with mutants, criminals, and evil blue monkeys, he turns to three mutant detectives (the Ear, the Eye, and the Arm) to find them. ❂◉♞✸

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card- Ender is just a little kid when he is taken off to battle school. There he deals with his induction into what seems like a military for kids...and learns he is a gifted fighter. But of course there’s a twist... ❂◉♞✸▞✢

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer- His DNA came from El Patrón, lord of a country called Opium -- a strip of poppy fields lying between the United States and what was once called Mexico. Matt's first cell split and divided inside a petri dish. Then he was placed in the womb of a cow, where he continued the miraculous journey from embryo to fetus to baby. He is a boy now, but most consider him a monster -- except for El Patrón. El Patrón loves Matt as he loves himself, because Matt is himself. ❂◉♞✸✢

Cinder by Marissa Meyer- Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one cyborg mechanic. . . .❂◉♞✢

Series Favorites

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede The Funjungle, Space Station Alpha, and Spy School series by Stuart Gibbs (mystery) Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan (fantasy/mythology) Carl Hiassen’s mystery series, starting with Hoot

...AND A FEW PODCASTS

How I Built This with Guy Raz- This podcast delves into the origins of companies we all know well, and the “innovators, entrepreneurs, and idealists” who worked to make their visions a reality. A sampling: “Five Guys: Jerry Murrell,” “SoulCycle: Julie Rice and Elizabeth Cutler,” and “Burton Snowboards: Jake Carpenter.”

Retropod - This podcast, produced by the Washington Post, tells snippets of history, perfect for digesting one or two at a time. I go through and select what I think my boys will be interested in. Recent topics included: “Benjamin Franklin’s complicated relationship with turkeys,” The unstoppable Fannie Lou Hammer,” “The story of the read Charlotte of ‘Charlotte’s Web,’” and “Don’t mess with Harriet Tubman.”

Six Minutes - This podcast is a serial story told, yes, in six-minute installments. It tells the story of a mysterious girl fished out of the water by the Anders family. Who is Holiday and where did she come from? Why does she have the ability to learn anything super quickly? And what will happen if the child-catchers get to her? A great lesson in dialogue, suspense, and character-building.

Stuff You Should Know - A treasure trove of background knowledge with something for everyone! A very small sampling of episodes: “How Airbags Work,” “How Igloos Work,” “How Space Stations Work,” “How the March on Washington Worked,” and “(Approximately) Ten Things that Vanished Mysteriously.”

The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel - This serialized mystery podcast is performed by middle grade kids for middle grade kids, and won a Peabody Award! Great for making predictions, talking about character, and opening up dialogue about middle school relationships.