Suggested Books for Talented Readers This List Was Compiled By
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Suggested Books for Talented Readers This list was compiled by teachers in the Talent Development Department. I have added the ―classics‖. Classics are great because they have high reading levels, but the content is usually appropriate for many age groups. The popular literature is arranged by grade level based on interest and book level. Be careful, a lower book level does not always mean the content is appropriate for younger students. Every child is different, and I have not read every book on this list. To decide if a book is right for your child, consider reading it first. Happy reading and have a great summer! ~ Mrs. Kollar *- Denotes mature content. - One of Mrs. Kollar’s favorites. Classics Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. AR: 4.4, Lexile: 680. A yound girl attempts to save the life of Wilbur, the pig on farm. An unlikely friendship forms between Wilbur and a spider named Charlotte. A heart-warming classic. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. AR: 3.9, Lexile: 490. Series. Four resourceful, independent orphans find inventive ways to stick together through all kinds of exciting mysteries and adventures, including living in a boxcar! Wind in the Willows (Unabridged) by Kenneth Grahame. AR: 6.1, Lexile: 1140. Four friends — Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger — are always having exciting adventures. While each has their own distinctive personality — Mole is cautious, Rat is sweet, Toad is a braggart, and Badger can't stand society — their friendship is only enhanced by their differences. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. AR: 4.9, Lexile: 940. This is the first installment of C.S. Lewis' renowned series, "The Chronicles of Narnia." The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, first published in 1950, has been enchanting the hearts and imaginations of millions for generations, with its story of four siblings who, with the help of a Lion named Aslan, must overcome their own failings to become heroes of a better world. The Devil’s Arithmetic* by Jane Yolen. AR: 4.6, Lexile: 730. Hannah is tired of hearing about the Nazis during the Holocaust, but when she opens the door for Elijah at the Passover Seder, she is transported in time to 1940s Poland, where she is captured and put in a death camp. A girl named Rivka befriends her, teaching her how to fight the dehumanization of the camp and hold onto her identity. The Hobbit (Unabridged) by J.R.R. Tolkien. AR: 6.6, Lexile: 1000. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. AR: 5.9, Lexile: 990. Series. In the first volume of L.M. Montgomery's classic series, a skinny, precocious, red-headed orphan named Anne Shirley arrives on Prince Edward Island in Canada where she is to live with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert on their farm, Green Gables. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. AR: 6.7, Lexile: 1000. This quirky fantasy story reveals how a restless and precocious ten-year-old boy learns to appreciate the ordinary things in life after he embarks on a wondrous journey. The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene DuBois. AR: 6.8, Lexile: 1070. When Professor Sherman sets sail in a giant balloon, determined to circumnavigate the globe, his adventure takes a wild turn in a crash-landing on a notorious, volcanic island! From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. AR: 4.7, Lexile: 700. Bored with her life, twelve-year-old Claudia Kincaid is ready for a big change. In fact, she wants to run away from home. Instead of running from somewhere, she decides to run to somewhere — some place comfortable, and preferably beautiful. Where else, but the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City? But she and Jamie's vacation from their "real" life turns into an adventure when Angel, a sculpture rumored to have been carved by Michelangelo, arrives. Will they solve a mystery that even the experts can't solve? Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. AR: 8.3, Lexile: 1100. Billy Bones' old map shows a small island with a red cross marking a dead pirate's buried treasure. Young Jim Hawkins knows that a fortune in gold lies waiting for him. Aboard the Hispaniola with his friends Dr. Livesey and Squire Trelawney, Jim sails toward Treasure Island. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. AR: 6.5, Lexile: 1080. Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank's remarkable diary has since become a world classic — a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit. The Call of the Wild by Jack London. AR: 8.0, Lexile: 1120. Buck, a dog that has been forced into the harsh life of a sled dog, befriends a man seeking his fortune in the Klondike gold fields, and must ultimately decide whether to stay with his master or obey his instinct to join the wolves Little Women (Unabridged) by Louisa May Alcott. AR: 7.9, Lexile: 1300. Growing up in New England during the Civil War, the March sisters share everything — their joys and troubles, their loves and secrets. But the four girls couldn't be more different. Meg, the oldest, is the well-mannered beauty. Jo is a tomboy and a writer. Beth is the shy, dreamy one, and Amy is pretty and artistic. 5th graders Bartimaeus : Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud. AR: 5.9, Lexile: 800. Series. A rising young magician becomes caught in a web of magical espionage, murder and rebellion with the help of a dginni named Bartimaeus. Boy in the Striped Pajamas* by John Boyne. AR: 5.8, Lexile: 1080. This book portrays Nazi Germany from the point of view of two small boys, one a prisoner, the other the son of the commandant of the prisoner camp. Suggested for more mature students who have a prior knowledge of the Holocaust. The Boy on the Porch by Sharon Creech. AR: N/A, Lexile: N/A. When a young couple finds a boy asleep on their porch, their lives take a surprising turn. Unable to speak, the boy Jacob can't explain his history. All John and Marta know is that they have been chosen to care for him. And, as their connection and friendship with Jacob grow, they embrace his exuberant spirit and talents. The three of them blossom into an unlikely family and begin to see the world in brand-new ways. Countdown by Deborah Wiles. AR: 4.4, Lexile: 800. Series. A wonderful documentary novel filled with photographs and memorabilia from the mid-60’s. This is a powerful picture of the two weeks known as the Cuban Missile Crisis and the nuclear fear that existed during the Cold War during the 1960’s. Students in this grade may have better background knowledge of the history to comprehend this novel. The Shadow Project by Herbie Brennan. AR: 5.2, Lexile: 730. Series. Danny Lipman is a young thief who stumbles upon an operation he doesn’t immediately understand. He soon learns the project is a joint MI6/CIA venture that makes use of teen operatives as spies. Danny is brought in to rescue Opal, the director’s daughter. Full of action and suspense. Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks. AR: 4.9, Lexile: 720. Series. A child prodigy who is being trained to be a master criminal. This is an entertaining and nature series that has several themes represented that make it a read for fifth grade and up. Similar to the Artemis Fowl series. Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly. AR: 5.3, Lexile: 830. Newbery Honor book 2009. A wonderful book with a very bright girl who learns about love from her brothers and sisters and the natural world from her reclusive grandfather. There is a realistic portrayal of scientific observation of nature leading to an important discovery. Hunger Games* by Suzanne Collins. AR: 5.3, Lexile: 810. Series. In a not-too-distant future, the USA has collapsed to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. Due to strong themes and mature content, I recommend parents read the series first to determine appropriateness for your child. Divergent* by Veronica Roth. AR: 4.8, Lexile: HL700L. Series. In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group. Due to strong themes and mature content, I recommend parents read the series first to determine appropriateness for your child. Delirium* by Lauren Oliver. AR: 6.1 , Lexile: 920L. Series. Lena looks forward to receiving the government- mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, happy life, until she falls in love days before her 18th birthday and her treatment.