th Summer Reading 4 G​ rade ​

Realistic Fiction ● The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John ​ ​ ● Red Zone by Tiki Barber ​ ​ ● My Last Best Friend (Friends for Keeps series) by Julie Bowe ​ ​ ​ ● Soar by Marion Dane Bauer ​ ● Nasty, Stinky Sneakers by Eve Bunting ​ ​ ● Moving Day (Allie Finlkle’s Rules for Girls series) by Meg Cabot ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Clarice Bean Spells Trouble by Lauren Child ​ ​ ● The Kid Who Only Hit Homers by Matt Christopher ​ ​ ● Frindle by Andrew Clements ​ Also by this author: Lunch Money, No Talking, and A School Story ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The Legend of Spud Murphy (Spud Murphy series) by Eoin Colfer ​ ​ ​ ● The Lemonade War (series) by Jacqueline Davies ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo ​ Also by this author: The Flora & Ulysses: the Illuminated Adventures, The Magician’s ​ ​ ​ ​ Elephant, The Tale of Despereaux and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane ​ ​ ● The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary by Candace Fleming ​ ​ ● There’s an Owl in the Shower by Jean Craighead George ​ ● Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff ​ ​ ● Happy Birthday, Sophie Hartley (Sophie Hartley series) by Stephanie Greene ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel (Dyamonde Daniel series) by Nikki Grimes ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Travels with my Family by David Homel ​ ​ ● Saving Arm Pit by Natalie Hyde ​ ​ ● Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones ​ ● Lucy Rose: Here’s the Thing About Me by Katy Kelly ​ ● Me and the Pumpkin Queen by Marlene Kennedy ​ ● Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney ​ ● The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy ​ ​ ● Hot Hand by Mike Lupica (Comeback Kids series) ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Waiting for the Magic by Patricia MacLachlan ​ ​ ● 100 days 99 Nights by Alan Madison ​ ​ ● Akimbo and the Elephants (Akimbo series) by Alexander McCall Smith ​ ​ ​ ​ Also by this author: The Great Cake Mystery and Max and Maddy Mysteries ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Judy Moody (Judy Moody series) by Megan McDonald ​ ​ ​ ● Kelsey Green: Reading Queen (Franklin School Friends series) by Claudia Mills ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Mason Dixon Pet Disasters (Mason Dixon series) Claudia Mills ​ ​ ​ Also by this author: How Oliver Olson Changed the World and Fractions = Trouble. ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The Worry Tree by Marianne Musgrove ​ ​ ● The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O’Connor ​ ​ Also by this author: How to Steal a Dog and The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester. ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made (series) by Stephan Pastis ​ ​ ● Waylon: One Awesome Thing by Sarah Pennypacker ​ ​ ​ ● Wild River by P.J. Peterson ​ ● Big Nate: In a Class by Himself by Lincoln Peirce ​ ● Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco ​ ​ ● The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson ​ ​ ● Quinny & Hopper by Adrianna Schanen ​ ​ ● Justin Case: Shells, Smells and the Horrible Flip-flops of Doom (Justin ​ ​ ​ Case series) by Rachel Vail ​ ● Secret Identity (Shredderman series) by Van Draanen ​ ​ ​ ● The Roar of the Crowd by Rich Wallace (Winning Season series) ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Oggie Cooder by Sarah Weeks ​ ​ ● Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles ​ ​

Mystery ● The Hundred-Year-Old Secret by Tracy Barrett (Sherlock Files series) ​ ​ ​ ● Annie's Adventures (The Sisters Eight series) by Lauren Baratz-Logsted ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Saxsby Smart: Private Detective by Simon Cheshire (series) ​ ● The Trouble with Chickens (A J. J. Tully Mystery) by Doreen Cronin ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The Ghost of Fossil Glen (series) by Cynthia DeFelice ​ ​ ● Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania Del Rio ​ ​ ● The Doll in the Garden by Mary Downing Hahn ​ ​ ● The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse: from the Tattered Casebook of Chet ​ Gecko (Chet Gecko Mysteries) by Bruce Hale ​ ​ ​ ● Just Grace by Charise Mericle Harper ​ ​ ● Junonia by Kevin Henkes ​ ​ ● Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery by James Howe ​ ​ ● The Lost Flower Children by Janet Taylor Lisle ​ ​ ● Mudshark by Gary Paulsen ​ ​ Also by this author: Lawn Boy and Molly McGinty Had a Really Bad Day ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The Case of the Stolen Sixpence (Mysteries of Maisie Hitchins) by Holly Webb ​ ​ ​

Historical Fiction ● The Secret School by Avi ​ Also by this author: Ragweed (Poppy and Friends series, The Good Dog, and Who Stole ​ ​ ​ ​ the Wizard of Oz? ● The Fighting Ground by Avi ​ ● The Many Reflections of Miss Jane Deming by J. Anderson Coats ​ ● Westward to Home: Joshua's Diary by Patricia Hermes (My America series) ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirpatrick Hill ​ ● Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm ​ ● Full of Beans by Jennifer Holm ​ ● Skunked (Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet) by Jacqueline Kelly ​ ​ ​ ​ Also by this author: Return to the Willows, and Evolution of Calpurnia Tate ​ ​ ​ ​ ● American Girl Today: Lanie by Jane Kurtz (American Girl series) ​ ​ ​ ● Never Forgotten by Patricia McKissack ​ ​ ● When Mischief Came to Town by Katrina Nannestad ​ ​ ● Emily’s Fortune by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor ​ ​ Also by this author: Roxy and the Hooligans, Shiloh and Bernie Magruder and the Bats ​ ​ ​ ​ in the Belfry ● Soup (Peck) ​ ​ ● I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916 (I Survived series) by Lauren Tarshis ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Also in this series: I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, I Survived the San Francisco ​ ​ Earthquake of 1906, The Shark Attacks of 1916, The Bombing of Pearl Harbor 1941 and ​ The Japanese Tsunami 2011 ● Pie by Sarah Weeks ​ ​ ● Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder ​ ​

Fantasy ● The Battle Begins (Underworld series) by Tony Abbott ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater ​ ​ ● Jack Plank Tells Tales by Natalie Babbitt ​ ​ ● The Magic Half by Annie Barrows ​ Also by this author: The Ivy and Bean series ​ ​ ​ ● The Very Little Princess by Marion Dane Bauer ​ ​ ● Summer According to Humphrey by Betty Birney (Humphrey series) ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Bad Kitty by Nick Breul ​ ​ ● Star Wars (Jedi Academy series) by Jeffrey Brown ​ ​ ​ ● The Wild Robot by Peter Brown ​ ​ ​ ● NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael ​ ​ Buckley Also by this author: The Fairy-tale Detectives ​ ​ ● The Bolds by Julian Clary ​ ​ ● Fenway and Hattie by Victoria Coe ​ ​ ​ ● Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville ​ ​ ● How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell ​ ​ ● The Field Guide (Spiderwick Chronicles) by Tony Diterlizzi ​ ​ ​ ​ ● James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl ​ ​ ​ ​ Also by this author: The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Fantastic Mr. ​ ​ ​ ​ Fox ● The Half a Moon Inn by Paul Fleischman ​ ● Odd and the Frost Giant by Neil Gaiman ​ ​ ● Witch Baby and Me (Glioro) ​ ​ ● The Onts (The Secrets of Dripping Fang series) by Dan Greenburg ​ ​ ​ ​ ● My Dog Is Better than Yours (Crimebiters series) by Tom Greenwald ​ ​ ​ ● The 13 Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths ​ ​ ● The Lincoln Project by Dan Gutman ​ ​ ● The Trolls by Polly Horvath ​ ​ ● The Iron Giant by Ted Hughes ​ ​ ● Into the Wild (The Warriors series) by Erin Hunter ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The Invisible Day by Marthe Jocelyn ​ ● The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye ​ ​ ● Babe: The Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith ​ ​ ● Dying to Meet You (43 Old Cemetery Road series) by Kate Klise ​ ​ ​ ● The Adventures of a South Pole Pig: A Novel of Snow and Courage by ​ Chris Kurtz ● Flight of the Phoenix (Nathaniel Fludd: Beastologist series) by R.L.LaFevers ​ ​ ● The Capture (Guardian of Ga’Hoole series) Kathryn Lasky ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Attack of the Growling Eyeballs by Lin Oliver ​ ​ ● Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The Birthday Ball by Lois Lowry ​ ​ Also by this author: The Willoughbys ​ ​ ● The Doll People Ann M. Martin ​ ​ ● Missy Piggle Wiggle and the Whatever Cure by Ann M. Martin ​ ​ ● The Ice Dragon by George R. R. Martin ​ ​ ● Rapunzel, the One with All the Hair (Twice Upon a Time series) by Wendy Mass ​ ​ ​ ​ Other books in this series: Sleeping Beauty: the One that Took a really Long Nap and ​ ​ ​ Beauty and the Beast: The Only One that Didn’t Run Away ● Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynoski ​ ​ Other books in this series: Genie in a Bottle, Dream On, If the Shoe Fits and Sink or ​ ​ ​ ​ Swim ● Upside Down Magic (series) by Sarah Mlynoski ​ ​ ​ ● Herbert’s Wormhole by Peter Nelson ​ ​ ● The Adventures of Henry Whiskers by Gigi Priebe ​ ● I Was a Rat by Philip Pullman ​ ​ ● The Forests of Silence (Deltora Quest series) by Emily Rodda ​ ​ ​ ● The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz ​ ​ ● Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka ​ ​ Also by this author: Frank Einstein series and The Time Warp Trio series ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick ​ ​ ● The Adventures of Benny by Steve Shreve ​ ​ ● The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events series) by Lemony Snicket ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Abel's Island by William Steig ​ ● Lost Treasure of the Emerald Island (Geronimo Stilton series) by Geronimo ​ ​ ​ ​ Stilton ● Letters to Anyone and Everyone by Toon Tellegen ​ ​ ● Good Neighbors (The Floods) by Colin Thompson ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invisible by Ursula Vernon ​ ​ Also by this author: Dragonbreath Attack of the Ninja Frogs ​ ​ ● Stick Dog (Stick Dog series) by Tom Watson ​ ​ ​

Classics ● Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume ​ ​ ● A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond ​ ● Ramona and Beezus (Ramona Quimby series) by Beverly Cleary ​ ​ ​ ​ ● A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle ​ ● From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg ​ ​ ● Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren ​ ● Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle Won’t-Take-a-Bath Cure (Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series) by ​ ​ ​ Betty Bard MacDonald ●The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne ​ ​ ● Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat ​ ● Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats or NIMH (O'Brien) ​ ​ ● Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls ​ ● The Cricket in Times Square (Selden) ​ ​ ● Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield ​ ​ ● The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White ​ ​ Also by this author: Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little ​ ​ ​ ​

Non-fiction ● 13 Planets: The Latest View of the Solar System by David Aguilar ​ ​ ​ ● Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls ​ of the American Revolution by Laurie Halse Anderson ​ ● Frozen Wild: How Animals Survive in the Coldest Places on Earth by Jim ​ ​ Arnosky Also by this author: Thunderbirds ​ ​ ​ ● Fifty Cents and a Dream: Young Booker T. Washington by Jabari Asim ​ ​ ● What Was the Alamo? (What Was? series) by Meg Belviso ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Marsupials by Nic Bishop ​ ​ Also by this author: Snakes, Lizards, Spiders, Butterflies and Frogs ​ ​ ​ ​ ● No Easy Way: The Story of Ted Williams and the Last .400 Season by Fred ​ ​ Bowen

● Gold! Gold from the American River!: January 24, 1848: The Day the ​ Gold Rush Began (Actual Times series) by Don Brown ​ ​ ​ ● Henry and the Cannons: And Extraordinary True Story of the American ​ Revolution by Don Brown ​ ● Aaron and Alexander, The Most Famous Duel in American History by Don ​ ​ ​ Brown ● Crazy Horse’s Vision by Robert Bruchac ​ ​ ● The Girl Who Helped Thunder and Other Native American Folk Tales by ​ ​ ​ Joseph Bruchac ● The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant ​ ​ ● The Secret Lives of Backyard Bugs: Discover Amazing Butterflies, Moths, ​ Spiders, Dragonflies, and Other Insects! By Judy Burris ​ ● The Star Wars Craft Book by Bonnie Burton ​ ​ ● Jason and the Argonauts by Robert Byrd ​ ​ ● Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LaBlach Cate ​ ​ ● Island: the Story of the Galapagos by Jason Chin ​ ​ Also by this author: The Grand Canyon and The Redwoods ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Hanging Off Jefferson’s Nose: Growing Up on Mount Rushmore by Tina ​ ​ Nichols Coury ● Harness Horses, Bucking Broncos & Pit Ponies: A History of Horse ​ Breeds by Jeff Crosby ​ ● Brooklyn Bridge by Lynn Curlee ​ ​ ● Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little by Nicola Davies ​ ● 14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy ​ ​ ● Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle by Brian Dennis ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Koala Hospital by Suzi Eszterhas ​ ​ Also in this series: Orangutan Orphanage ​ ​ ● Do Not Open by John Farndon ​ ​ ● Moonshot: the Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca ​ ​ ● Poem Depot: Aisles of Smiles by Douglas Florian ​ ​ ● Locomotive by Brian Floca ​ ​ ​ ● The Wolves Are Back by Jean Craighead George ​ ​ ● The Great Migration: Journey to the North by Eloise Greenfield ​ ​ ● Saving the Baghdad Zoo: A True Story of Hope and Heroes by Kelly Milner ​ ​ Halls ● Winter’s Tale: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again by Julianna ​ ​ Hatkoff ● Worst of Friends: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and the True Story of ​ an American Feud by Suzanne Tripp Jurmain ​ ● The Story of the H. L. Hunley and Queenie's Coin by Fran Hawk ​ ​ ● Who Was Wayne Gretzky? (Who Was series) by Gail Herman ​ ​ ​ ​ Also in this series: Who Was Roberto Clemente?, Who Was Henry Ford?, Who Was ​ ​ Walt Disney?, Who Was Eleanor Roosevelt?, and Who Was Malala Yousafzai? And ​ many more by various authors ● Can We save the Tiger? By Martin Jenkins ​ ​ ● How to Clean a Hippopotamus: A Look at Unusual Animal Partnerships ​ by Steve Jenkins ● The Animal Book: A Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest--and Most Surprising--Animals on Earth by Steve Jenkins ​ ● Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Smith by Charles Johnson ​ ​ ● Those Rebels, Tom and John by Barbara Kerley ​ ​ ● What To Do About Alice? How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed ​ the World, and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy! By Barbara Kerley ​ ● The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According To Susy) by Barbara Kerley ​ ​ ● World Without Fish by Mark Kurlansky ​ ​ ● John Muir: America’s First Environmentalist (Candlewick Biographies) by ​ ​ ​ ​ Kathryn Lasky Also in this series: One Beetle Too Many: Extraordinary Adventures of Charles ​ ​ Darwin, Vision of Beauty: Sarah Breedlove Walker and Electrical Wizard: How Nikola ​ ​ Tesla Lit Up the World ● Gifts from the Gods: Ancient Words and Wisdom for Greek and Roman ​ Mythology by Lise Lunge-Larson ​ Lunge-Larsen and Hinds explain what words like echo, grace, hypnotize, and janitor have in common, tracing the origins of common words and expressions to Greek and Roman myths (PW) ● Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor by Emily ​ ​ Arnold McCully ● Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero by ​ Marissa Moss ● Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss ​ ● We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League baseball by Kadir Nelson ​ ​ ● Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. ​ Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson ​ ● Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxanne Orgill ​ ​ ● A Voyage in the Clouds: The (Mostly) True Story of the First ​ International Flight by Balloon in 1785 by Matthew Olshan ​ ● Saving Audie: A Pit-bull Puppy Gets a Second Chance (Patent) ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Red Bird Sings: The Story of Zitkala-Sa, Native American Author, ​ Musician, and Activist by O. L. Pearce ​ ● Celebritrees: Historic and Famous Trees of the World by Margi Preus ​ ​ ● Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word (Raczka) ​ ​ ● Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Ramsey ​ ​ ● Abe’s Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln by Doreen Rappaport ​ ​ ● The Dreadful, Smelly Colonies: The Disgusting Details About Life in ​ Colonial America (Disgusting History series) by Elizabeth Raum ​ ● Dinosaur Mountain: Digging into the Jurassic Age by Deborah Cogan Ray ​ ​ ● Mesmerized: How Benjamin Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All ​ of France by Mara Rockliff ​ ● Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, ​ and Air by Stewart Ross ​ ● Volcano Rising by Susan Rusch ​ ​ ● The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families (Roth) ​ ​ ● So You Want to Be an Inventor by Judith St. George ​ ​ ● More True Lies: 18 Tales for You to Judge by George Shannon ​ ● Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman ​ ​ (Booklist) Also by this author: Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow, Red ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Sings from the Treetops and Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors. ​ ​ ● Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein ​ ​ ● Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Smith by Charles Smith ​ ​ ● Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer ​ ​ ● Some Writer: The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweet ​ ​ ● Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan ​ ​ Tonatiuh ● Parrots Over Puerto Rico by Cindy Trumbore ​ ● The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families by Cindy Trumbore ​ ​ ● Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford ​ ​ ● Harry Houdini the Legend of the World’s Greatest Escape Artist by Janice ​ ​ ​ ​ Weaver ● My Season with Penguins: An Antarctic Journal by Sophie Webb ​ ​ ● Who Was series (George Washington, Walt Disney, The Beatles, etc…) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The Secret knowledge of Grown-Ups by David Wisniewski ​ ● How to Build your own Country by Valerie Wyatt ​ ● Westward Expansion of the United States: 1801 - 1861 (The Story of the ​ ​ United States series) by Anita Yasuda ​ ​ ​

Graphic Novels ● Tower of Treasure (Three Thieves) by Scott Chandler ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Fashion Kitty (Fashion Kitty series) by Cherise Mericle Harper ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Zita the Spacegirl: Far from Home by Ben Hatke ​ ​ ● Chi’s Sweet Home by Kanata Konami ​ ​ ● Lunch Lady graphic novels by Jarrett Krosoczka (series) ​ ● Pokemon Adventures vol. 1 by Hidenori Kusaka ​ ​ ● Nursery Rhyme Comics: 50 Timeless Rhymes from 50 Celebrated ​ Cartoonists intro by Leonard Marcus ​ ● Around the World by Matt Phelan ​ ● To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel by Siena Cherson Siegel and Mark Siegel ​ ​ ● The Discovery of America (Geronimo Stilton) ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Lost & Found by Shaun Tan ​ ​ ● Kristy’s Great Idea (Baby-sitter’s Club Graphic Novel) by Raina Telgemeier) ​ ​ Also by this author: Ghosts, Smile) ​ ​ ​ ● Robot Dreams by Sara Varon ​ ​ ● Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom by Eric Wight ​ ​ ● Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth (Winick) ​ ​ ● Scratch 9 by Rob Worley ​ ​ * all summaries borrowed from NoveList unless indicated otherwise ​ ​

Additional Resources

● Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh- Kids Link for digital books using Tumble Books and Bookflix http://www.carnegielibrary.org/kids/ ● Cooper Siegel Library http://www.coopersiegelcommunitylibrary.org/ ​ ● ALASC Summer Reading List: http://www.ala.org/alsc/publications-resources/book-lists/2017-summer-reading-list ● ALSC 2015 Notable Books http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists ● Hoopla: Digital Books, audio books, movies and more (available through clpgh.org) https://www.hoopladigital.com/

th Summer Reading 4 Grade​ (annotated) ​

Realistic Fiction ● The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett and Jory John ​ ​ When master prankster Miles Murphy moves to sleepy Yawnee Valley, he challenges the local, mystery prankster in an epic battle of tricks but soon the two join forces to pull off the biggest prank ever seen. ● Red Zone by Tiki Barber ​ ​ Identical twins Ronde and Tiki Barber's excitement over the approaching state championship football game turns to worry when there is a chickenpox outbreak at Hidden Valley Junior High. ● My Last Best Friend (Friends for Keeps series) by Julie Bowe ​ ​ ​ After her best friend moves away, fourth-grader Ida May is determined not to make another best friend, despite the efforts of a new girl in her class. ● Soar by Marion Dane Bauer ​ Moving to Hillcrest, Ohio, when his adoptive father accepts a temporary job, twelve-year-old Jeremiah, a heart transplant recipient, has sixty days to find a baseball team to coach. ● Nasty, Stinky Sneakers by Eve Bunting ​ ​ Will ten-year-old Colin find his missing stinky sneakers in time to enter The Stinkiest Sneakers in the World contest? ● Moving Day (Allie Finlkle’s Rules for Girls series) by Meg Cabot ​ ​ ​ ​ Nine-year-old Allie Finkle has rules for everything and is even writing her own rule book, but her world is turned upside-down when she learns that her family is moving across town, which will mean a new house, school, best friend, and plenty of new rules. ● Clarice Bean Spells Trouble by Lauren Child ​ ​ Clarice Bean, aspiring actress and author, unsuccessfully tries to avoid getting into trouble as she attempts to help a friend in need by following the rules of the fictional, "exceptionordinarily" spy, Ruby Redfort. ● The Kid Who Only Hit Homers by Matt Christopher ​ ​ A boy becomes a phenomenal baseball player one summer when a mysterious stranger resembling Babe Ruth befriends him. ● Frindle by Andrew Clements ​ When he decides to turn his fifth grade teacher's love of the dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his control. Also by this author: Lunch Money, No Talking, and A School Story ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The Legend of Spud Murphy (Spud Murphy series) by Eoin Colfer ​ ​ ​ When their mother starts dropping them off at the library several afternoons a week, nine-year-old William and his brother dread boredom and the overbearing librarian, but they are surprised at how things turn out. ● The Lemonade War (series) by Jacqueline Davies ​ ​ ​ ​ Evan and his younger sister, Jesse, react very differently to the news that they will be in the same class for fourth grade and as the end of summer approaches, they battle it out through lemonade stands, each trying to be the first to earn 100 dollars. Includes mathematical calculations and tips for running a successful lemonade stand. ● Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo ​ 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. Also by this author: The Flora & Ulysses: the Illuminated Adventures, The ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Magician’s Elephant, The Tale of Despereaux and The Miraculous Journey of Edward ​ ​ Tulane ● The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary by Candace Fleming ​ ​ An unlikely teacher takes over the disorderly fourth-grade class of Aesop Elementary School with surprising results. ● There’s an Owl in the Shower by Jean Craighead George ​ Because protecting spotted owls has cost Borden's father his job as a logger in the old growth forest of northern California, Borden intends to kill any spotted owl he sees, until he and his father find themselves taking care of a young owlet. ● Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff ​ ​ After her brother Jared dies, ten-year-old Annie worries about the hidden dangers of everything, from bug bites to bicycle riding, until she is befriended by a new neighbor who is grieving her own loss. ● Happy Birthday, Sophie Hartley (Sophie Hartley series) by Stephanie Greene ​ ​ ​ ​ A girl in a large family is looking forward to her first "double digit" birthday, but soon discovers that growing up brings some unwanted changes. ● Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel (Dyamonde Daniel series) by Nikki Grimes ​ ​ ​ ​ Spunky third-grader Dyamonde Daniel misses her old neighborhood, but when she befriends a boy named Free, another new student at school, she finally starts to feel at home. ● Travels with my Family by David Homel ​ ​ A child reveals the exciting vacations his parents insist upon, including a trip to Maine that ends up in a hurricane, a visit to a Florida swamp and the alligators that live there, and a New Year's in Mexico. ● Saving Arm Pit by Natalie Hyde ​ ​ With the Harmony Point Post Office in danger of closing, the baseball team comes up with a plan to save the post office and their first coach who knows what he's doing. ● Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones ​ Through a series of letters, Sophie Brown, age twelve, tells of her family's move to her Great Uncle Jim's farm, where she begins taking care of some unusual chickens with help from neighbors and friends. ● Lucy Rose: Here’s the Thing About Me by Katy Kelly ​ Eight-year-old Lucy Rose keeps a diary of her first year in Washington, D.C., her home since her parents separation, where she spends time with her grandparents, makes new friends, and longs to convince her teacher to let her take care of the class pet during a holiday. ● Me and the Pumpkin Queen by Marlene Kennedy ​ Although Aunt Arlene tries to interest her in clothing and growing up, ten-year-old Mildred is entirely focused on growing a pumpkin big enough to win the annual Circleville, Ohio, contest, as her mother dreamed of doing before she died. ● Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney ​ Greg records his sixth grade experiences in a middle school where he and his best friend, Rowley, undersized weaklings amid boys who need to shave twice daily, hope just to survive, but when Rowley grows more popular, Greg must take drastic measures to save their friendship. ● The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy ​ ​ Relates the adventures of a family with two fathers, four adopted boys, and a variety of pets as they make their way through a school year, Kindergarten through sixth grade, and deal with a grumpy new neighbor. ● Hot Hand by Mike Lupica (Comeback Kids series) ​ ​ ​ ​ In the wake of his parents' separation, ten-year-old Billy seems to have continual conflicts with his father, who is also his basketball coach, but his quiet, younger brother Ben, a piano prodigy, is having even more trouble adjusting, and only Billy seems to notice. ● Waiting for the Magic by Patricia MacLachlan ​ ​ When Papa goes away for a little while, his family tries to cope with the separation by adopting four dogs and a cat. ● 100 days 99 Nights by Alan Madison ​ ​ As Esme introduces her stuffed animal collection that is alphabetically arranged from Alvin the aardvark to Zelda the zebra she also relates her family's military life and her father's deployment. ● Akimbo and the Elephants (Akimbo series) by Alexander McCall Smith ​ ​ ​ ​ On the African game preserve where his father works, Akimbo devises a dangerous plan to capture a ring of elephant poachers. Also by this author: The Great Cake Mystery ​ ​ ​ ● Judy Moody (Judy Moody series) by Megan McDonald ​ ​ ​ Third grader Judy Moody is in a first day of school bad mood until she gets an assignment to create a collage all about herself and begins creating her masterpiece, the Me collage. ● Kelsey Green: Reading Queen (Kelsey Green series) by Claudia Mills ​ ​ ​ ​ Kelsey is the best reader in her third grade class, and she is determined to lead her class to victory in the all-school reading contest. ● Mason Dixon Pet Disasters (series) Claudia Mills ​ Nine-year-old Mason's parents keep trying to get him a pet, but until he and his best friend Brody adopt a three-legged dog, he is not interested. Also by this author: How ​ ​ ​ Oliver Olson Changed the World and Fractions = Trouble. ​ ​ ● The Worry Tree by Marianne Musgrove ​ ​ Juliet’s a worrywart, and no wonder! Her little sister, Oaf, follows her around taking notes and singing “The Irritating Song” all day long. Her parents are always arguing about Dad’s clutter. And Juliet’s friends Lindsay and Gemma are competing to see which of them is her best friend. Juliet can’t fit in any more worries! ● The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis by Barbara O’Connor ​ ​ In Fayette, South Carolina, the highlight of Popeye's summer is learning vocabulary words with his grandmother until a motor home gets stuck nearby and Elvis, the oldest boy living inside, joins Popeye in finding the source of strange boats floating down the creek. Also by this author: How to Steal a Dog and The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made (series) by Stephan Pastis ​ ​ Resolving to earn so much money that his mother will no longer stress out over the bills, eleven-year-old Timmy Failure launches a detective business with a lazy polar bear partner named Total but finds their enterprise "Total Failure, Inc." challenged by a college-bound spy and a four-foot-tall girl whom Timmy refuses to acknowledge. ● Waylon: One Awesome Thing by Sarah Pennypacker ​ ​ ​ Waylon has lots of ideas for making life more awesome through science, like teleportation, human gills, and attracting cupcakes by controlling gravity. But it's impossible for him to concentrate on his inventions when he's experiencing his own personal Big Bang. ● Wild River by P.J. Peterson ​ Considered lazy and un-athletic, twelve-year-old Ryan discovers a heroic side of himself when a kayak trip with his older brother goes horribly awry. ● Big Nate: In a Class by Himself by Lincoln Peirce ​ Supremely confident middle-school student Nate Wright manages to make getting detention from every one of his teachers in the same day seem like an achievement. ● Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco ​ ​ Inspired by a teacher who believes each of them is a genius, a class of special-needs students invents something that could convince the whole school they are justifiably proud to be "Junkyard Wonders." ● The Best School Year Ever by Barbara Robinson ​ ​ The six horrible Herdmans, the worst kids in the history of the world, cause mayhem throughout the school year. ● Quinny & Hopper by Adrianna Schanen ​ ​ Two polar-opposite eight year olds who become summer best friends find their friendship threatened by the uncertainties of a new school year. ● Justin Case: Shells, Smells and the Horrible Flip-flops of Doom (Justin ​ ​ ​ Case series) by Rachel Vail ​ Justin worries his way through summer camp, where the requirements of the mess hall, swimming, and getting picked for teams are shaped by old and new friendships as well as a first crush. ● Secret Identity (Shredderman series) by Van Draanen ​ ​ ​ Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, tired of being called names by the class bully, has a secret identity--Shredderman! ● The Roar of the Crowd by Rich Wallace (Winning Season series) ​ ​ ​ ​ After years of playing nothing but soccer in Hudson City, New Jersey, Manny has to work very hard to play on the middle school football team, using determination, speed, and smarts to make up for being small and inexperienced. ● Oggie Cooder by Sarah Weeks ​ ​ Quirky fourth-grader Oggie Cooder goes from being shunned to everyone's best friend when his uncanny ability to chew slices of cheese into the shapes of states wins him a slot on a popular television talent show, but he soon learns the perils of being a celebrity--and having a neighbor girl as his manager. ● Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles ​ ​ When her quirky grandmother goes to Hawaii for the summer, nine-year-old Ruby learns to survive on her own in Mississippi by writing letters, befriending chickens as well as the new girl in town, and finally coping with her grandfather's death.

Mystery ● The Hundred-Year-Old Secret by Tracy Barrett (Sherlock Files series) ​ ​ ​ Xena and Xander Holmes, an American brother and sister living in London for a year, discover that Sherlock Holmes was their great-great-great grandfather when they are inducted into the Society for the Preservation of Famous Detectives and given his unsolved casebook, from which they attempt to solve the case of a famous missing painting. ● Annie's Adventures (The Sisters Eight series) by Lauren Baratz-Logsted ​ ​ ​ ​ On New Year's Eve, the octuplets Huit--Annie, Durinda, Georgia, Jackie, Marcia, Petal, Rebecca, and Zinnia--discover that their parents are missing, and then uncover a mysterious note instructing them that each must find her power and her gift if they want to know what happened to their parents. ● Saxsby Smart: Private Detective by Simon Cheshire (series) ​ Within three mystery stories, ten-year-old Saxby Smart--the best detective in the world--tries to solve three cases, while the reader can peek at his casebook and search for clues alongside Saxby. ● The Trouble with Chickens (A J. J. Tully Mystery) by Doreen Cronin ​ ​ ​ ​ A hard-bitten former search-and-rescue dog helps solve a complicated missing chicken case. ● The Ghost of Fossil Glen (series) by Cynthia DeFelice ​ ​ Allie Nichols' friend Karen doesn't want to hear the story of a ghost calling for Allie's help and then falling to her death. As Allie discovers that her role is to avenge a murder, she also learns something about friendship, false and true. ● Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania Del Rio ​ ​ Twelve-year-old orphan Warren's pride and joy is his family's hotel, but he's been miserable ever since his evil Aunt Anaconda took over the management. Anaconda believes a mysterious treasure known as the All-Seeing-Eye is hidden somewhere on the grounds, and she'll do anything to find it ● The Doll in the Garden by Mary Downing Hahn ​ ​ After Ashley and Kristi find an antique doll buried in old Miss Cooper's garden, they discover that they can enter a ghostly turn-of-the-century world by going through a hole in the hedge. ● The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse: from the Tattered Casebook of Chet ​ Gecko (Chet Gecko Mysteries) by Bruce Hale ​ ​ ​ Chet Gecko is hired by a fellow fourth-grader to find her missing brother, and uncovers a plot involving a Gila monster's revenge upon the school football team. ● Just Grace by Charise Mericle Harper ​ ​ Misnamed by her teacher, seven-year-old Just Grace prides herself on being empathetic, but when she tries to help a neighbor feel better, her good intentions backfire. ● Junonia by Kevin Henkes ​ ​ The week of her tenth birthday, Alice and her parents go to Sanibel Island, Florida, just as they do every year, but this time some of the people who are always there are missing and some new people have come, which unsettles Alice, who wants things to be exactly the same as they always are. ● Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery by James Howe ​ ​ Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a vampire. ● The Lost Flower Children by Janet Taylor Lisle ​ ​ After their mother's death, Olivia and Nellie go to live with their great aunt, where they slowly bring her overgrown and weedy old garden back to life, enabling them to adjust to a new life as well. ● Mudshark by Gary Paulsen ​ ​ Principal Wagner confidently deals with a faculty washroom crisis, a psychic parrot, and a terrorizing gerbil, but when sixty-five erasers go missing, he enlists the help of the school's best problem solver and locator of lost items, twelve-year-old Lyle Williams, aka Mudshark. Also by this author: Lawn Boy and Molly McGinty Had a Really Bad Day ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ● The Case of the Stolen Sixpence (Mysteries of Maisie Hitchins) by Holly Webb ​ ​ ​ Junior sleuth Maisie Hitchins, who lives in her grandmother's boarding house in Victorian London, uncovers an intriguing plot involving stolen sausages, pilfered halfpennies, and a fast-paced bicycle chase.

Historical Fiction ● The Secret School by Avi ​ In 1925, fourteen-year-old Ida Bidson secretly takes over as the teacher when the one-room schoolhouse in her remote Colorado area closes unexpectedly. Also by this ​ author: Ragweed (Poppy and Friends series, The Good Dog, and Who Stole the Wizard ​ ​ ​ ​ of Oz? ● The Fighting Ground by Avi ​ Thirteen-year-old Jonathan goes off to fight in the Revolutionary War and discovers the real war is being fought within himself. ● The Many Reflections of Miss Jane Deming by J. Anderson Coats ​ Jane is excited to be part of Mr. Mercer's expedition to bring orphans and Civil War widows to Washington Territory, but life out west isn't at all what she expected. ● Westward to Home: Joshua's Diary by Patricia Hermes (My America series) ​ ​ ​ ​ In 1848, nine-year-old Joshua Martin McCullough writes a journal of his family's journey from Missouri to Oregon in a covered wagon. Includes a historical note about westward migration. ● The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirpatrick Hill ​ Ten-year-old Fred (short for Frederika) narrates the story of school and village life ​ among the Athapascans in Alaska during 1948 when Miss Agnes arrived as the new teacher. ● Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm ​ In 1935, when her mother gets a job housekeeping for a woman who does not like children, eleven-year-old Turtle is sent to stay with relatives she has never met in far away Key West, Florida. ● Full of Beans by Jennifer Holm ​ Ten-year-old Beans Curry, a member of the Keepsies, the best marble playing gang in Depression-era Key West, Florida, engages in various schemes to earn money while "New Dealers" from Washington, D.C., arrive to turn run down Key West into a tourist resort. ● Skunked (Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet) by Jacqueline Kelly ​ ​ ​ ​ When Travis discovers an abandoned baby skunk, he can't help but bring it home and take care of it. Stinky, as Travis names him, settles in pretty well. But when Travis discovers Stinky's litter-mate, Winky, who is in need of some help, things get complicated around the Tate house. Also by this author: Return to the Willows, and ​ ​ ​ ​ Evolution of Calpurnia Tate ● American Girl Today: Lanie by Jane Kurtz (American Girl series) ​ ​ ​ Lanie Holland loves science and nature, and so she wants to go camping and have adventures in the wilderness, while her family wants to stay home, but Lanie finds someone else who loves the outdoors when her Aunt Hannah visits. ● Never Forgotten by Patricia McKissack ​ ​ In eighteenth-century West Africa, a boy raised by his blacksmith father and the Mother Elements--Wind, Fire, Water, and Earth--is captured and taken to America as a slave. ● When Mischief Came to Town by Katrina Nannestad ​ ​ In 1911, when orphaned ten-year-old Inge comes to live with her stern grandmother in a remote island village in Bornholm, Denmark, she ends up changing the climate of the town, bringing joy and laughter to her grandmother's life and finding a new family for herself to help assuage her grief over losing her mother. ● Emily’s Fortune by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor ​ ​ While traveling to her aunt's home in Redbud by train and stagecoach, quiet young Emily and her turtle, Rufus, team up with Jackson, fellow orphan and troublemaker extraordinaire, to outsmart mean Uncle Victor, who is after Emily's inheritance. Also by ​ this author: Roxy and the Hooligans, Shiloh and Bernie Magruder and the Bats in the ​ ​ ​ ​ Belfry ● Soup (Peck) ​ ​ The adventures and misadventures of two boys growing up in a small Vermont town. ● I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916 (I Survived series) by Lauren Tarshis ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ In July, 1916, Chet Roscow is fascinated by news accounts of the great white shark said to be attacking people along the New Jersey shore not far from his home, but when he goes swimming in Matawan Creek he discovers the truth of the stories. Also in this ​ series: I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, I Survived the San Francisco Earthquake ​ ​ of 1906, The Shark Attacks of 1916, The Bombing of Pearl Harbor 1941 and The ​ ​ Japanese Tsunami 2011 ● Pie by Sarah Weeks ​ ​ When Alice's Aunt Polly, the Pie Queen of Ipswitch, passes away, she takes with her the secret to her world-famous pie-crust recipe. Or does she? In her will, Polly leaves the recipe to her extraordinarily fat, remarkably disagreeable cat, Lardo . . . and then leaves Lardo in the care of Alice. ● Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder ​ ​ A year in the life of two young girls growing up on the Wisconsin frontier, as they help their mother with the daily chores, enjoy their father's stories and singing, and share special occasions when they get together with relatives or neighbors.

Fantasy ● The Battle Begins (Underworld series) by Tony Abbott ​ ​ ​ ​ Fourth-grader Owen, whose everyday world is forever changed when he witnesses the disappearance of a classmate through the floor of their school, embarks on a daring rescue mission with friends Jon and Sydney. ● Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater ​ ​ The unexpected delivery of a large crate containing an Antarctic penguin changes the life and fortunes of Mr. Popper, a house painter obsessed by dreams of the Polar regions ● Jack Plank Tells Tales by Natalie Babbitt ​ ​ Jack Plank decides that he is not cut out to be a pirate and searches the town of Saltwash for another profession, but he finds something wrong with every suggested job. ● The Magic Half by Annie Barrows ​ Lanie Holland loves science and nature, and so she wants to go camping and have adventures in the wilderness, while her family wants to stay home, but Lanie finds someone else who loves the outdoors when her Aunt Hannah visits. Also by this author: ​ The Ivy and Bean series ​ ● The Very Little Princess by Marion Dane Bauer ​ ​ When she goes to her grandmother's house for the first time, Zoey finds a tiny china doll that comes alive in her hands and believes that she is a princess and that Zoey is her servant. ● Summer According to Humphrey by Betty Birney (Humphrey series) ​ ​ ​ ​ When summer arrives, Humphrey, the pet hamster of Longfellow School's Room 26, is surprised and pleased to learn that he will be going to Camp Happy Hollow. ● Bad Kitty by Nick Breul ​ ​ When a kitty discovers there is no cat food in the house, she decides to become very, very bad. ● Star Wars (Jedi Academy series) by Jeffrey Brown ​ ​ ​ When Roan's application to pilot school is rejected, he finds he has been invited to study under Master Yoda at the Jedi Academy. ● The Wild Robot by Peter Brown ​ ​ ​ Roz the robot discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island with no memory of where she is from or why she is there, and her only hope of survival is to try to learn about her new environment from the island's hostile inhabitants. ● NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael ​ ​ Buckley While running a spy network from their elementary school, five unpopular misfits combine their talents and use cutting-edge gadgetry to fight evil around the world. Also ​ by this author: The Fairy-tale Detectives ​ ​ ● The Bolds by Julian Clary ​ ​ Two hyenas from Africa find a pair of passports (memo: do not go swimming in a crocodile pool), and move to Teddington, England, where they live suburban lives, hold jobs, and raise their children to hide their tails and act human--the only trouble is old Mr. McNumpty, their nosy neighbor, who is hiding a secret of his own. ● Fenway and Hattie by Victoria Coe ​ ​ ​ Fenway is an excitable and endlessly energetic Jack Russell terrier. He lives in the city with Food Lady, Fetch Man, and—of course—his beloved short human and best-friend-in-the-world, Hattie. But when his family moves to the suburbs, Fenway faces a world of changes. ● Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville ​ ​ Small for his age but artistically talented, twelve-year-old Jeremy Thatcher unknowingly buys a dragon's egg. ● How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell ​ ​ Enjoy the adventures and misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third as he tries to pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan, the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, by catching and training a dragon. ● The Field Guide (Spiderwick Chronicles) by Tony Diterlizzi ​ ​ ​ ​ When the Grace children go to stay at their Great Aunt Lucinda's worn Victorian house, they discover a field guide to fairies and other creatures and begin to have some unusual experiences. ● James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl ​ ​ ​ ​ A young boy escapes from two wicked aunts and embarks on a series of adventures with six giant insects he meets inside a giant peach. Also by this author: The BFG, Charlie ​ ​ ​ and the Chocolate Factory and The Fantastic Mr. Fox ​ ​ ● The Half a Moon Inn by Paul Fleischman ​ A mute boy is held captive by the strange proprietress of an inn. ● Odd and the Frost Giant by Neil Gaiman ​ ​ An unlucky twelve-year-old Norwegian boy named Odd leads the Norse gods Loki, Thor, and Odin in an attempt to outwit evil Frost Giants who have taken over Asgard. ● Witch Baby and Me (Glioro) ​ ​ Lily is convinced her baby sister Daisy is a witch who can change into a dragon and summon invisible pets, and her life becomes even more complicated when her family decides to move to North Scotland. ● The Onts (The Secrets of Dripping Fang series) by Dan Greenburg ​ ​ ​ ​ Ten-year-old orphan twins Wally and Cheyenne Shluffmuffin have had it bad at Cincinnati's Jolly Days Orphanage, but things get much worse when the Mandible sisters offer to share their home in the Dripping Fang Forest. ● My Dog Is Better than Yours (Crimebiters series) by Tom Greenwald ​ ​ ​ Spending reclusive days doing the same three things for fun until his father lets him get a puppy, Jimmy begins to suspect his puppy has superpowers, including a potential for solving crimes and helping Jimmy make human friends. ● The 13 Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths ​ ​ Follows the efforts of Andy and Terry to meet a latest book deadline despite numerous distractions in their sophisticated tree house home, including flying cats, giant bananas, and sea monsters pretending to be mermaids. ● The Lincoln Project by Dan Gutman ​ ​ Miss Z, a mysterious billionaire and a collector of rare photographs, is sending her four recruits back in time on a mission to capture, for the first time, one of the most important moments in American history--Abraham Lincoln giving his famous Gettysburg address ● The Trolls by Polly Horvath ​ ​ Eccentric Aunt Sally comes from Canada to babysit the Anderson children while their parents are on a trip to Paris and every night the bedtime story adds another piece to a very suspect family history. ● The Iron Giant by Ted Hughes ​ ​ The fearsome iron giant becomes a hero when he challenges a huge space monster. ● Into the Wild (The Warriors series) by Erin Hunter ​ ​ ​ ​ For generations, four clans of wild cats have shared the forest. When their warrior code is threatened by mysterious deaths, a house cat named Rusty may turn out to be the bravest warrior of all. ● The Invisible Day by Marthe Jocelyn ​ Ten-year-old Billie finds a bag of makeup in Central Park whose contents render her invisible. ● The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye ​ ​ At her christening, a princess is given the gift of "ordinariness" by a fairy and the consequences of that eventually take her to a nearby palace where, having run away to become a fourteenth assistant kitchen maid, she meets the prince for her. ● Babe: The Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith ​ ​ A piglet destined for eventual butchering arrives at the farmyard, is adopted by an old sheep dog, and discovers a special secret to success. ● Dying to Meet You (43 Old Cemetery Road series) by Kate Klise ​ ​ ​ In this story told mostly through letters, children's book author I. B. Grumply gets more than he bargained for when he rents a quiet place to write for the summer. ● The Adventures of a South Pole Pig: A Novel of Snow and Courage by ​ Chris Kurtz Flora the pig ditches the sedentary life on the farm for an adventure in Antarctica, where she escapes the knife and lives her dream of pulling a sled with a team of dogs. ● Flight of the Phoenix (Nathaniel Fludd: Beastologist series) by R.L.LaFevers ​ ​ After his parents are lost at sea and further disaster strikes, Nathaniel Fludd is tasked with ensuring that a phoenix's egg is safely hatched, but he also must keep his pet gremlin out of trouble and rescue his cousin and guardian from the Bedouin or risk the extinction of all the world's mythical creatures. ● The Capture (Guardian of Ga’Hoole series) Kathryn Lasky ​ ​ ​ ​ When Soren, a barn owl, arrives at St. Aggie's, a school for orphaned owls, he suspects trouble and with his new friend, a clever elf owl named Gylfie, embarks on a perilous journey to save all owls from the danger at St. Aggie's. ● Attack of the Growling Eyeballs by Lin Oliver ​ ​ Daniel Funk, who lives with three sisters, his mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, has always wanted a brother, and when he suddenly shrinks to the size of a toe, he discovers that he has a twin brother who is the same size. ● Bless This Mouse by Lois Lowry ​ ​ ​ ​ Mouse Mistress Hildegarde musters all her ingenuity to keep a large colony of church mice safe from the exterminator and to see that they make it through the dangerous Blessing of the Animals. ● The Birthday Ball by Lois Lowry ​ ​ When a bored Princess Patricia Priscilla makes her chambermaid switch identities with her so she can attend the village school, her attitude changes and she plans a new way to celebrate her sixteenth birthday. Also by this author: The Willoughbys ​ ​ ​ ● The Doll People Ann M. Martin ​ ​ A family of porcelain dolls that has lived in the same house for one hundred years is taken aback when a new family of plastic dolls arrives and doesn't follow The Doll Code of Honor. ● Missy Piggle Wiggle and the Whatever Cure by Ann M. Martin ​ ​ Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has left her Upside-Down House and the animals that live there in the care of her twenty-something niece, Missy. Luckily for the town's families, Missy Piggle-Wiggle is capable of concocting the same sort of inventive cures for bad behavior that made her aunt an indispensable community resource ● The Ice Dragon by George R. R. Martin ​ ​ Leaving in its wake desolate cold and frozen land, the legendary ice dragon has never been tamed until it meets Adara, a winter child who looks to the creature to help save her world from destruction. ● Rapunzel, the One with All the Hair (Twice Upon a Time series) by Wendy Mass ​ ​ ​ ​ Rapunzel and Prince Benjamin are both trapped, one in a tower by an evil witch, the other by his royal duties, but when their paths cross, aided by friends and a little luck, conditions change for them both. Other books in this series: Sleeping Beauty: the One ​ ​ ​ that Took a really Long Nap and Beauty and the Beast: The Only One that Didn’t Run ​ ​ Away ● Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynoski ​ ​ After moving to a new house, ten-year-old Abby and her younger brother Jonah discover an antique mirror that transports them into the Snow White fairy tale. Other books in ​ this series: Genie in a Bottle, Dream On, If the Shoe Fits and Sink or Swim ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Upside Down Magic (series) by Sarah Mlynoski ​ ​ ​ With their magic being unpredictable, Nory, Elliott, Andres, and Bax are sent to the upside-down magic room at Dunwiddle Magic School. ● Herbert’s Wormhole by Peter Nelson ​ ​ When almost-sixth-grader Alex, a video game fanatic, is forced on a "playdate" with his neighbor Herbert, an inventor, the two travel to the twenty-second century and face off against aliens, who are not as beneficent as most people think. ● The Adventures of Henry Whiskers by Gigi Priebe ​ Henry Whiskers' family lives peacefully in the dollhouse in Windsor Castle, but when his younger sister Isabel goes missing, he faces scary rats, evil cats, and a tail-curling car ride in order to bring his sister back home. ● I Was a Rat by Philip Pullman ​ ​ A little boy turns life in London upside down when he appears at the house of a lonely old couple and insists he was a rat. ● The Forests of Silence (Deltora Quest series) by Emily Rodda ​ ​ ​ When George and Harold hypnotize their principal into thinking that he is the superhero Captain Underpants, he leads them to the lair of the nefarious Dr. Diaper, where they must defeat his evil robot henchmen. ● The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz ​ ​ When Flory the night fairy's wings are accidentally broken and she cannot fly, she has to learn to do everything differently. ● Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka ​ ​ On his first day at Brooklyn's P.S. 858, fifth-grader Michael K. is teamed with two very strange students, and while he gradually comes to believe they are aliens who need his help, he has trouble convincing anyone else of the truth. Also by this author: Frank ​ ​ ​ Einstein series and The Time Warp Trio series ​ ​ ​ ● The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick ​ ​ When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toy seller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized. ● The Adventures of Benny by Steve Shreve ​ ​ A resourceful young boy's adventures introduce him to a host of characters, including Bigfoot, a mummy, pirates, monkeys, and his very own Booger-Man. ● The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events series) by Lemony Snicket ​ ​ ​ ​ After the sudden death of their parents, the three Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their wits when it turns out that the distant relative who is appointed their guardian is determined to use any means necessary to get their fortune. ● Abel's Island by William Steig ​ Castaway on an uninhabited island, Abel, a very civilized mouse, finds his resourcefulness and endurance tested to the limit as he struggles to survive and return to his home. ● Lost Treasure of the Emerald Island (Geronimo Stilton series) by Geronimo ​ ​ ​ ​ Stilton The discovery of an old map by his sister Thea leads Geronimo and his family to search for buried treasure on a faraway island. ● Letters to Anyone and Everyone by Toon Tellegen ​ ​ Presents a collection of strange and fantastic stories featuring or consisting of letters and notes exchanged between elephants, squirrels, snails, ants, and other animals and objects. ● Good Neighbors (The Floods) by Colin Thompson ​ ​ ​ ​ A family of wizards and witches living in an ordinary neighborhood in an ordinary town decides that they have had enough of the noisy family living next-door and makes them disappear. ● Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invisible by Ursula Vernon ​ ​ Sleeping Beauty gets a feisty, furry twist in this hilarious new comic series from the creator of Dragonbreath Also by this author: Dragonbreath Attack of the Ninja Frogs ​ ​ ● Stick Dog (Stick Dog series) by Tom Watson ​ ​ ​ Stick Dog and his four friends - Stripes, Mutt, Poo-Poo and Karen - will do anything to steal some sweet-smelling hamburgers from a family at Picasso Park!

Classics ● Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume ​ ​ A fourth grade boy tries to deal with his very active brother ● A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond ​ A very small bear found by Mr. and Mrs. Brown at Paddington station becomes one of the family. ● Ramona and Beezus (Ramona Quimby series) by Beverly Cleary ​ ​ ​ ​ Beezus worries because sometimes she doesn't like her little sister Ramona, but then her mother and Aunt Beatrice tell Beezus what they were like while growing up. ● From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg ​ ​ Claudia and her brother run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she sees a statue so beautiful, she must identify its sculptor. To find out, she must visit the statue's former owner, the elderly Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. ● Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren ​ Escapades of a lucky little girl who lives with a horse and a monkey--but without any parents--at the edge of a Swedish village. ● Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle Won’t-Take-a-Bath Cure (Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series) by ​ ​ ​ Betty Bard MacDonald Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle suggests the radish cure for Patsy's bad habit of not taking a bath. ●The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne ​ ​ Ten adventures featuring Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, Piglet, Owl and other animal friends of Christopher Robin. ● Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat ​ Adventures of two owls who are family pets. ● Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats or NIMH (O'Brien) ​ ​ When a little field mouse falls ill, his mother, Mrs. Frisby, seeks help from the other animals and discovers a secret laboratory. ● Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls ​ A young boy living in the Ozarks achieves his heart's desire when he becomes the owner of two redbone hounds and teaches them to be champion hunters. ● The Cricket in Times Square (Selden) ​ ​ A country cricket falls into a picnic basket and ends up in New York City. ● Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield ​ ​ In this story, three orphan girls vow to make a name for themselves and find their own special talents. With hard work, fame just may be in the stars! ● The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White ​ ​ Knowing how to read and write is not enough for Louis, a voiceless Trumpeter Swan; his determination to learn to play a stolen trumpet takes him far from his wilderness home. Also by this author: Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little ​ ​ ​ ​

Non-fiction ● 13 Planets: The Latest View of the Solar System by David Aguilar ​ ​ ​ Using simple text and spectacular photorealistic computer art by the author, this book profiles all 13 planets in their newly created categories—plus the sun, the Oort Cloud, comets, and other worlds being discovered. Back-of-the-book activities offer hands-on fun for budding astronomers. ● Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls ​ of the American Revolution by Laurie Halse Anderson ​ The stories of 22 "Revolutionary Grandmothers" take center stage in this well-illustrated volume. A few of the names are familiar—Phillis Wheatley, Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Deborah Sampson—but as the author establishes, there are many women and girls whose large and small contributions to the cause of independence have been largely ignored. (SLJ) ​ ​ ● Frozen Wild: How Animals Survive in the Coldest Places on Earth by Jim ​ ​ Arnosky Describes how some animals survive in frigid regions, including muskrats, walruses, and the Arctic fox. Also by this author: Thunderbirds ​ ​ ​ ● Fifty Cents and a Dream: Young Booker T. Washington by Jabari Asim ​ ​ Born into slavery, young Booker T. Washington could only dream of learning to read and write. After emancipation, Booker began a five-hundred-mile journey, mostly on foot, to Hampton Institute, taking his first of many steps towards a college degree. When he arrived, he had just fifty cents in his pocket and a dream about to come true. ● What Was the Alamo? (What Was? series) by Meg Belviso ​ ​ ​ ​ Remember the Alamo! is still a rallying cry more than 175 years after the siege in Texas, where a small band of men held off about two thousand soldiers of the Mexican Army for twelve days. ● Marsupials by Nic Bishop ​ ​ Most people know about lions, zebras, monkeys, and bears, but what about bettongs and bilbies? Or quolls and quokkas? And potoroos and pademelons? These animals live on the continent of Australia, along with kangaroos, koalas, and many other marsupials. Also by this author: Snakes, Lizards, Spiders, Butterflies and Frogs ​ ​ ​ ​ ● No Easy Way: The Story of Ted Williams and the Last .400 Season by Fred ​ ​ Bowen Usually, only a handful of Major League baseball players hit .300 or better for a full season, making the fact that Boston Red Sox slugger Ted Williams hit more than .400 in 1941 seem all the more incredible. (Booklist) ​ ​ ● Gold! Gold from the American River!: January 24, 1848: The Day the ​ Gold Rush Began (Actual Times series) by Don Brown ​ ​ ​ When James Marshall found a small, soft shiny stone in a California stream, he knew it could only be one thing: Gold! His cry of discovery would be heard around the world. ● Henry and the Cannons: And Extraordinary True Story of the American ​ Revolution by Don Brown ​ As the American Revolution was getting underway, George Washington knew he needed cannons to defeat the British. Unfortunately, he was camped outside British-held Boston, and the nearest big guns were 300 miles away at Fort Ticonderoga, New York. (SLJ) ​ ​ ● Aaron and Alexander, The Most Famous Duel in American History by Don ​ ​ ​ Brown Explains how political differences between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton escalated their Revolutionary War-era rivalry and culminated in the most famous duel in American history. ● Crazy Horse’s Vision by Robert Bruchac ​ ​ Joseph Bruchac's excellent picture book about the brave Lakota warrior presents information about his youth (SLJ) ​ ​ ● The Girl Who Helped Thunder and Other Native American Folk Tales by ​ ​ ​ Joseph Bruchac The Bruchacs retell Native North American folktales in a clear yet bold voice. ● The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant ​ ​ 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. ● The Secret Lives of Backyard Bugs: Discover Amazing Butterflies, Moths, ​ Spiders, Dragonflies, and Other Insects! By Judy Burris ​ ● The Star Wars Craft Book by Bonnie Burton ​ ​ Chewbacca Sock Puppets. Ewok Flower Vases. AT-AT Herb Gardens. With The Star Wars Craft Book, fans of all ages and skill levels can bring the best of the galaxy far, far away right into their own homes. Fully illustrated, this guide features a variety of fun and original projects. ● Jason and the Argonauts by Robert Byrd ​ ​ Retells the story of Jason and his quest for the golden fleece, from his training as a child by Chiron the centaur and his gathering of famous Greek heroes for his journey to his battles with harpies, Stymphalian birds, and the sirens. ● Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LaBlach Cate ​ ​ You don’t have to own binoculars and know a bunch of fancy Latin names to watch birds! No matter where you live, they’re in your neighborhood — just look up. ● Island: the Story of the Galapagos by Jason Chin ​ ​ A fine introduction to the Galápagos will surely stimulate readers’ interest. (SLJ) Also by ​ ​ ​ this author: The Grand Canyon and The Redwoods ​ ​ ​ ​ ● Hanging Off Jefferson’s Nose: Growing Up on Mount Rushmore by Tina ​ ​ Nichols Coury Lincoln Borglum was a young boy when his father, the great sculptor Gutzon Borglum, suggested to a group of South Dakota businessmen that he should carve the faces of four presidents into a side of a mountain as an attraction for tourists. But Mount Rushmore would never be finished by Gutzon. It would be his son who would complete the fourteen-year task and present America with one of its most iconic symbols. ● Harness Horses, Bucking Broncos & Pit Ponies: A History of Horse ​ Breeds by Jeff Crosby ​ ● Brooklyn Bridge by Lynn Curlee ​ ​ Curlee celebrates a monumental feat of engineering and craftsmanship, and makes clear the human contributions behind it. Completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge's "stone towers were the most massive structures on the continent, its span was by far the longest in the world." (PW) ​ ​ ● Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little by Nicola Davies ​ Find out what keeps big animals (like us) from engaging in astonishing feats of strength and agility, and yet why being tiny and all-powerful might have a downside. What if you could lift fifty times your weight (hello, ant), but getting wet could kill you? Or you could soar like a bird, but a cold breeze would do you in? Whether big or small, our size defines more about us than we could ever imagine. ● 14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy ​ ​ Kimeli Naiyomah returned home to his Maasai village from New York City with news of 9/11 terrorist attacks. His story prompted the villagers to give a heartfelt gift to help America heal. (SLJ) ● Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle by Brian Dennis ​ ​ ​ ​ Nubs, an Iraqi dog of war, never had a home or a person of his own. He was the leader of a pack of wild dogs living off the land and barely surviving. But Nubs's life changed when he met Marine Major Brian Dennis. ● Koala Hospital by Suzi Eszterhas ​ ​ Koala Hospital features a koala rescue center in Australia. It shows why koalas are in ​ danger, how they come to be in the sanctuary, and the process of healing and rehabilitating koalas for return to the wild. Also in this series: Orangutan Orphanage ​ ​ ​ ● Do Not Open by John Farndon ​ ​ A colorful book filled with unexplained mysteries, bizarre anecdotes through the ages, great escapes, codes, optical illusions, hoaxes, and explanations of secret systems and complexes. (Wall Street Journal) ​ ​ ● Moonshot: the Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca ​ ​ Large in trim size as well as topic, this stirring account retraces Apollo 11's historic mission in brief but precise detail, and also brilliantly captures the mighty scope and drama of the achievement. (SLJ) ​ ​ ● Poem Depot: Aisles of Smiles by Douglas Florian ​ ​ An illustrated collection of silly nonsense poems about topics kids care about: talents, avoiding homework, friends, and more. ● Locomotive by Brian Floca ​ ​ ​ Traces the advent of cross-country train travel, focusing on an early trip from Omaha to Sacramento. (SLJ) ​ ​ ● The Wolves Are Back by Jean Craighead George ​ ​ In 1995, wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone Park—first time they had been part of the park’s ecosystem for many years. Although George follows one wolf’s growth from pup to adult, the emphasis here is not as much on the wolves and their habits, but on how their presence has changed the ecosystem and returned its natural balance. ● The Great Migration: Journey to the North by Eloise Greenfield ​ ​ Between 1915 and 1930, more than a million African Americans left their homes in the South and moved to the North, says Greenfield in an introduction to this stirring collection of poems that honors those who took part in the Great Migration, including the poet herself. (Booklist) ​ ​ ● Saving the Baghdad Zoo: A True Story of Hope and Heroes by Kelly Milner ​ ​ Halls Bolstered with large, beautiful color photos and informative sidebars, this dramatic picture-book-size photo-essay tells of the U.S. army rescue of zoo animals in the Iraqi war zone. (Booklist) ​ ​ ● Winter’s Tale: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again by Julianna ​ ​ Hatkoff A touching story about a dolphin named Winter who loses her tail but is given a prosthetic one. ● Worst of Friends: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and the True Story of ​ an American Feud by Suzanne Tripp Jurmain ​ John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were good friends with very different personalities. But their differing views on how to run the newly created United States turned them into the worst of friends. ● The Story of the H. L. Hunley and Queenie's Coin by Fran Hawk ​ ​ The story of the Confederate submarine is told from its conception to its sinking and eventual recovery. ● Who Was Wayne Gretzky? (Who Was series) by Gail Herman ​ ​ ​ ​ Known for his love for family and as a truly decent human being, Wayne Gretzky is revealed as more than a sports legend in this easy-to-read biography. Also in this series: ​ Who Was Roberto Clemente?, Who Was Henry Ford?, Who Was Walt Disney?, Who Was Eleanor Roosevelt?, and Who Was Malala Yousafzai? And many more by various ​ authors ● Can We save the Tiger? By Martin Jenkins ​ ​ Using the experiences of a few endangered species as examples, Martin Jenkins highlights the ways human behavior can either threaten or conserve the amazing animals that share our planet. ● How to Clean a Hippopotamus: A Look at Unusual Animal Partnerships ​ by Steve Jenkins In this fascinating picture book, Steve Jenkins and Robin Page explore these and many other instances of mutualism: the mutually beneficial symbiotic relationships that can be found everywhere in the animal kingdom. ● The Animal Book: A Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest--and Most Surprising--Animals on Earth by Steve Jenkins ​ The author of more than 30 books about the natural world offers here a compendium of the animal kingdom arranged in thematic chapters touching on family, senses, predators, defenses, extremes, and evolution. (Booklist) ​ ​ ● Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Smith by Charles Johnson ​ ​ Tells the story of the first black heavyweight champion of the world, Jack Johnson, who rose through the ranks in the early twentieth century. ● Those Rebels, Tom and John by Barbara Kerley ​ ​ A Blend of biography and history to create a brilliant portrait of two American heroes who bravely set aside their differences to join forces in the fight for our country’s freedom. ● What To Do About Alice? How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed ​ the World, and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy! By Barbara Kerley ​ Theodore Roosevelt had a small problem. Her name was Alice. Brimming with affection and wit, this spirited biography gives readers a peek family life inside the White House. ● The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According To Susy) by Barbara Kerley ​ ​ Kerley and Fotheringham again craft a masterfully perceptive and largely visual biography, this time about the iconic 19th-century American writer. In pursuit of truth, Susy Clemens, age 13, vows to set the record straight about her beloved (and misunderstood) father and becomes his secret biographer. (SLJ) ​ ​ ● World Without Fish by Mark Kurlansky ​ ​ A riveting new book for kids about what’s happening to fish, the oceans, and our environment, and what, armed with knowledge, kids can do about it. ● John Muir: America’s First Environmentalist (Candlewick Biographies) by ​ ​ ​ ​ Kathryn Lasky Quoting from John Muir's diaries, Kathryn Lasky tells the inspiring tale of one of America's most dedicated environmentalists, aided by Stan Fellows's evocative, dramatic acrylic paintings. Also in this series: One Beetle Too Many: Extraordinary ​ ​ ​ Adventures of Charles Darwin, Vision of Beauty: Sarah Breedlove Walker and ​ Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World ● Gifts from the Gods: Ancient Words and Wisdom for Greek and Roman ​ Mythology by Lise Lunge-Larson ​ Lunge-Larsen and Hinds explain what words like echo, grace, hypnotize, and janitor have in common, tracing the origins of common words and expressions to Greek and Roman myths (PW) ● Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor by Emily ​ ​ Arnold McCully With her sketchbook labeled My Inventions and her father’s toolbox, Mattie could make ​ ​ almost anything – toys, sleds, and a foot warmer. When she was just twelve years old, Mattie designed a metal guard to prevent shuttles from shooting off textile looms and injuring workers. As an adult, Mattie invented the machine that makes the square-bottom paper bags we still use today. ● Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero by ​ Marissa Moss The true story of Sarah Emma Edmonds, who at age nineteen disguised herself as a man in order to fight in the Civil War. ● Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss ​ As a boy, Kenichi “Zeni” Zenimura dreams of playing professional baseball, but everyone tells him he is too small. Yet he grows up to be a successful player, playing with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig! When the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor in 1941, Zeni and his family are sent to one of ten internment camps where more than 110,000 people of Japanese ancestry are imprisoned without trials. ● We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League baseball by Kadir Nelson ​ ​ A lost piece of American history comes to life in Kadir Nelson's elegant and eloquent history (Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, 2008) of the Negro Leagues and its gifted baseball players. (SLJ) ​ ​ ● Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. ​ Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson ​ Tales of the Wild West don't get any better than the life and times of Bass Reeves, the first African-American deputy U.S. marshal and the most successful in American history. ● Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxanne Orgill ​ ​ A collection of poems recounts the efforts of Esquire magazine graphic designer Art Kane to photograph a group of famous jazz artists in front of a Harlem brownstone. ● A Voyage in the Clouds: The (Mostly) True Story of the First ​ International Flight by Balloon in 1785 by Matthew Olshan ​ A picture book inspired by the true story of how the first international flight was an Englishman and a French man who rode in a balloon across the English Channel ● Saving Audie: A Pit-bull Puppy Gets a Second Chance (Patent) ​ ​ ​ ​ When Michael Vick's dog fighting ring was discovered, more than forty dogs were rescued. But their struggle was far from over. Most animal advocates believed the former fighting dogs were too damaged to save, but Audie and his kennel mates would prove them wrong when public outcry and the publicity surrounding Michael Vick's punishment won them a chance at a happy life. ● Red Bird Sings: The Story of Zitkala-Sa, Native American Author, ​ Musician, and Activist by O. L. Pearce ​ Born in 1876 on the Yankton Sioux reservation in South Dakota, Zitkala-Sa willingly left her home at age eight to go to a boarding school in Indiana. But she soon found herself caught between two worlds--white and Native American. ● Celebritrees: Historic and Famous Trees of the World by Margi Preus ​ ​ “This picture book gallery of impressive trees, illustrated in friendly folk-art style, offers substantive information on what makes each specimen unique.” (Hornbook) ​ ​ ● Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word (Raczka) ​ ​ An accessible, playful poetry collection. (SLJ) ​ ​ ● Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Ramsey ​ ​ When Ruth and her parents take a motor trip from Chicago to Alabama to visit her grandma, they rely on a pamphlet called "The Negro Motorist Green Book" to find places that will serve them. Includes facts about "The Green Book." ● Abe’s Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln by Doreen Rappaport ​ ​ Written in prose as elegant and spare as that of its subject, this distinguished book takes readers from Abe's backwoods boyhood in Kentucky to his first harrowing witnessing of slavery in New Orleans, on to the Illinois legislature and the presidency. (SLJ) ​ ● The Dreadful, Smelly Colonies: The Disgusting Details About Life in ​ Colonial America (Disgusting History series) by Elizabeth Raum ​ From moldy food and dirt covered clothes to poisonous pests and extreme weather, American colonists had a dreadful time in the New World. Get ready to explore the nasty side of life in the 13 American Colonies. ● Dinosaur Mountain: Digging into the Jurassic Age by Deborah Cogan Ray ​ ​ When 165,000 people flocked to see the first exhibited dinosaur, in 1868, it commenced the “Bone Wars”—a race by rival paleontologists to turn up and identify the most spectacular of extinct giants (Booklist) ​ ​ ● Mesmerized: How Benjamin Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All ​ of France by Mara Rockliff ​ Discover how Benjamin Franklin’s scientific method challenged a certain Dr. Mesmer’s mysterious powers in a whimsical look at a true moment in history. ● Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, ​ and Air by Stewart Ross ​ Open this dynamic book and discover how the greatest explorers in history — from Marco Polo to Neil Armstrong- plunged into the unknown and boldly pieced together the picture of the world we have today. ● Volcano Rising by Susan Rusch ​ ​ Rusch offers a twin-sided look at the power of volcanoes–their capability for destruction, and, surprisingly, of creation. (SLJ) ​ ​ ● The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families (Roth) ​ ​ ● So You Want to Be an Inventor by Judith St. George ​ ​ The creators of the Caldecott Medalist So You Want to Be President? mirror that ​ ​ successful format in this enthusiastic, fact-filled picture-book tribute to predominantly American and European inventors. Kids may be inspired to make history themselves when they learn that Benjamin Franklin was concocting new inventions by age 12 (SLJ) ​ ​ ● More True Lies: 18 Tales for You to Judge by George Shannon ​ 18 brief tales drawn from world folklore in which the protagonists obscure the truth by clever manipulations or omissions. For each selection, readers are given an opportunity to untangle the word puzzle before the author presents the solution in a section called "The Whole Truth." The combination of brevity, humor, and accessible language should attract reluctant readers (SLJ) ​ ​ ● Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman ​ ​ This picture book combines lyrical poetry and compelling art with science concepts. Here, poems about the woods at night reveal exciting biology facts that are explained in long notes on each double-page spread. (Booklist) Also by this author: Butterfly Eyes ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and Other Secrets of the Meadow, Red Sings from the Treetops and Ubiquitous: ​ ​ Celebrating Nature’s Survivors. ● Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein ​ ​ A boy who turns into a TV set and a girl who eats a whale are only two of the characters in a collection of humorous poetry illustrated with the author's own drawings. ● Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Smith by Charles Smith ​ ​ Tells the story of the first black heavyweight champion of the world, Jack Johnson, who rose through the ranks in the early twentieth century. ● Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer ​ ​ This appealing collection based on fairy tales is a marvel to read. It is particularly noteworthy because the poems are read in two ways: up and down. They are reverse images of themselves and work equally well in both directions. ● Some Writer: The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweet ​ ​ In this stunning, first-ever fully-illustrated biography of legendary author E.B. White, Sibert medalist and Caldecott Honor winner Melissa Sweet uses White's letters, photos, and mementos, as well as her original collaged art, to tell the true story of one of the most beloved authors of all time. ● Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan ​ ​ Tonatiuh Presents the life of the Mexican artist, who became famous for his drawings of skeletons in multiple everyday poses which have become identified with the Mexican Day of the Dead. ● Parrots Over Puerto Rico by Cindy Trumbore ​ Above the treetops of Puerto Rico flies a flock of parrots as green as their island home. . . . These are Puerto Rican parrots. They lived on this island for millions of years, and then they nearly vanished from the earth forever. (Amazon) ● The Mangrove Tree: Planting Trees to Feed Families by Cindy Trumbore ​ ​ This moving depiction of ecological innovation centers on a project spearheaded by Dr. Gordon Sato to plant mangrove trees, which grow easily in salt water, in the village of Hargigo in the impoverished African nation of Eritrea. ● Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford ​ ​ A poetic tribute to a lesser-known event in African-American history describes how after working relentlessly for more than six days, slaves in 19th-century New Orleans were permitted to congregate in Congo Square to sing, dance and put aside their troubles for a few hours. ● Harry Houdini the Legend of the World’s Greatest Escape Artist by Janice ​ ​ ​ ​ Weaver A beautifully illustrated biography of this most fascinating man…With entertaining sidebars on metamorphosis tricks and dime bars, Harry Houdini is sure to enchant aspiring magicians, offbeat history buffs and anyone who, in our own straitened times, appreciates a good rag-to-riches tale. (New York Times) ​ ● My Season with Penguins: An Antarctic Journal by Sophie Webb ​ ​ ● Who Was series (George Washington, Walt Disney, The Beatles, etc…) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Accessible biographies about interesting people. ● The Secret knowledge of Grown-Ups by David Wisniewski ​ A humorous revelation of the real reasons why adults tell children to do things, such as "Eat your vegetables," "Comb your hair," and "Don't blow bubbles in your milk." ● How to Build your own Country by Valerie Wyatt ​ How to Build Your Own Country is an interactive and totally original learning experience that shows kids how to build their very own country from scratch. ● Westward Expansion of the United States: 1801 - 1861 (The Story of the ​ ​ United States series) by Anita Yasuda ​ ​ ​ Step back in time and experience the Westward expansion of the United States.

Graphic Novels ● Tower of Treasure (Three Thieves) by Scott Chandler ​ ​ ​ ​ Fourteen-year-old orphaned acrobat Dessa, who is searching for her long-lost twin brother, reluctantly agrees to help Topper, the juggler of the circus she works for, and Fisk, the strongman, rob the royal treasury. ● Fashion Kitty (Fashion Kitty series) by Cherise Mericle Harper ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ After a stack of fashion magazines falls on Kiki Kitty's head while she is blowing out the candles on her birthday cake, Kiki turns into Fashion Kitty, a feline superhero who saves other kitties from fashion disaster. ● Zita the Spacegirl: Far from Home by Ben Hatke ​ ​ When young Zita discovers a device that opens a portal to another place, and her best friend is abducted, she is compelled to set out on a strange journey from star to star in order to get back home. ● Chi’s Sweet Home by Kanata Konami ​ ​ Follows the adventures of Chi, a mischievous kitten who is adopted by Yohei and his family, the Yamadas, even though their lease explicitly states pets are not allowed in their building. ● Lunch Lady graphic novels by Jarrett Krosoczka (series) ​ Hector, Terrence, and Dee have always wondered about their school lunch lady, but little do they know, Lunch Lady doesn't just serve sloppy joes -- she serves justice -- and whatever danger lies ahead, it is no match for her. ● Pokemon Adventures vol. 1 by Hidenori Kusaka ​ ​ Red doesn't want to train Pokemon, he wants to be their friend too. Bulbasaur and Poliwhirl seem game, but independent Pikachu won't be so easy to win over! And watch out for Team Rocket, Red! ● Nursery Rhyme Comics: 50 Timeless Rhymes from 50 Celebrated ​ Cartoonists intro by Leonard Marcus ​ Presents fifty traditional nursery rhymes in comic book format, with illustrations by well-known cartoonists. ● Around the World by Matt Phelan ​ The stories encompass such national ideals as dogged can-do spirit, exploration, enterprise, and commercialism...the very essence of determination and adventure. (Booklist) ​ ​ ● To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel by Siena Cherson Siegel and Mark Siegel ​ ​ A husband and wife team up to provide an insightful, accessible, and aesthetically engaging graphic novel that follows the latter's dance career. ● The Discovery of America (Geronimo Stilton) ​ ​ ​ ​ Traveling through time to defend history from his arch nemeses, the Pirate Cats, Geronimo and friends join Christopher Columbus on his voyage from Italy to the New World in 1492 in order to stop the Pirate Cats and save all of the mice on Mouse Island. ● Lost & Found by Shaun Tan ​ ​ Three stories explore how we lose and find what matters most to us, as a girl finds a bright spot in a dark world, a boy leads a strange, lost being home, and a group of peaceful creatures loses its home to cruel invaders. ● Kristy’s Great Idea (Baby-sitter’s Club Graphic Novel) by Raina Telgemeier) ​ ​ Follows the adventures of Kristy and the other members of the Baby-sitters Club as they deal with crank calls, uncontrollable two-year-olds, wild pets, and parents who do not always tell the truth. A graphic novel based on the 1988 book by the same name. Also by this author: Ghosts, Smile) ​ ​ ● Robot Dreams by Sara Varon ​ ​ The enduring friendship between a dog and a robot is portrayed in this wordless graphic novel. ● Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom by Eric Wight ​ ​ Fourth-grader Frankie Piccolini has a vivid imagination when it comes to cleaning his disastrously messy room, but eventually even he decides that it is just too dirty. ● Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth (Winick) When a mysterious boy falls ​ ​ from the sky, friends D.J. and Gina must discover the secrets of his identity and help him save the world. ● Scratch 9 by Rob Worley ​ ​ Mad science gives an ordinary cat named Scratch the ability to summon any of his nine lives. He must use his powers to save his pet friends from the Cruel corporation.

* all summaries borrowed from NoveList unless indicated otherwise ​ ​

Additional Resources

● Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh- Kids Link for digital books using Tumble Books and Bookflix http://www.carnegielibrary.org/kids/ ● Cooper Siegel Library http://www.coopersiegelcommunitylibrary.org/ ​ ● ALASC Summer Reading List: http://www.ala.org/alsc/publications-resources/book-lists/2017-summer-reading-list ● ALSC 2015 Notable Books http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists ● Hoopla: Digital Books, audio books, movies and more (available through clpgh.org) https://www.hoopladigital.com/