Aldabra / Sylvana Gandolfi -
In Venice, Italy, ten-year-old Elisa finds she must deal with all the
unexpected consequences of her beloved eccentric grandmother's
transformation into a giant Aldabra tortoise, native to a small
group of coral islands in the Seychelles.
Alone in the Universe / Lynne Rae Perkins
Debbie is dismayed when her best friend Maureen starts spending time with
ordinary, boring Glenna.
Amelia's War / Ann Rinaldi
When a Confederate general threatens to burn Hagerstown, Maryland, unless it
pays an exorbitant ransom, twelve year-old Amelia and her friend find a way
to save the town.
Amisted: A Long Road to Freedom / Walter Dean Myers
A history of the 1839 uprising of African captives aboard the slave ship
Amistad, telling of their three-year imprisonment in the United States and
their eventual acquittal by the Supreme Court.
Angus Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging / Louise Rennison
Presents the humorous journal of a year in the life of a fourteen-year-old
British girl who tries to reduce the size of her nose, stop her mad cat from
terrorizing the neighborhood animals, and win the love of handsome hunk
Robbie.
Artemis Fowl / Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl creates an extraordinarily powerful computer with stolen fairy
technology, but his business deal hopes go sour when a Chicago businessman
steals his invention and mortally wounds Artemis's loyal bodyguard.
Because of Winn-Dixie / 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.
The Big Wander / Will Hobbs.
As he searches for his uncle through the rugged Southwest canyon country,
fourteen-year-old Clay becomes involved with a group of Navajo Indians who
are trying to save some of the last wild mustangs.
Blue Jasmine / Kashmira Sheth - When twelve-year-old Seema moves to Iowa
City with her parents and younger sister, she leaves friends and family
behind in her native India but gradually begins to feel at home in her new
country.
Brian's Winter / Gary Paulsen
Instead of being rescued from a plane crash, as in the author's book
Hatchet, this story portrays what would have happened to Brian had he been
forced to survive a winter in the wilderness with only his survival pack and
hatchet.
Bud, Not Buddy / Christopher Paul Curtis
Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the
Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the
man he believes to be his father--the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of
Grand Rapids.
Catherine Called Birdy / Karen Cushman
The daughter of an English country knight keeps a journal in which she
records the events of her life, particularly her longing for adventures
beyond the usual role of women and her efforts to avoid being married off.
Charlie Bone and the Time Twister / Jenny Nimmo
While at Bloor's Academy, Charlie Bone gets a surprise when Henry Yewbeam
arrives from the year 1916 and needs Charlie's help to stay alive.
Chasing Vermeer / Blue Balliett
Outsiders Petra and Calder become friends as they try to find out what
happened to a missing Vermeer painting.
Children of the Wolves / Jane Yolen
In 1920 India two children that have been raised by wolves are discovered
and brought to an orphanage to be taught human behavior again.
The City of Ember / Jeanne DuPrau
In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a
Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps
even to glimpse Unknown Regions.
Clover / Dori Sanders
After her father dies within hours of being married to a white woman, a ten-
year-old black girl learns with her new mother to overcome grief and to
adjust to a new place in their rural African-American South Carolina
community.
Crispin / Avi
Falsely accused of theft and murder, an orphaned peasant boy in fourteenth-
century England flees his village and meets a larger-than-life juggler who
holds a dangerous secret.
The Crow-Girl / Bodil Bredsdorff
After the death of her grandmother, a young orphaned girl leaves her house by
the cove and begins a journey which leads her to people and experiences that
exemplify the wisdom her grandmother had shared with her.
Ella Enchanted / Gail Carson Levine
In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the
childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her.
Esperanza Rising / Pam Munoz Ryan
Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and
privilege in Mexico to go work in the labor camps of Southern California,
where they must adapt to the harsh circumstances facing Mexican farm workers
on the eve of the Great Depression.
Fair Weather / Richard Peck
In 1893, thirteen-year-old Rosie and members of her family travel from their
Illinois farm to Chicago to visit Aunt Euterpe and attend the World's
Columbian Exposition which, along with an encounter with Buffalo Bill and
Lillian Russell, turns out to be a life-changing experience for everyone.
Far North / Will Hobbs
After the destruction of their floatplane, sixteen-year-old Gabe and his
Dene friend, Raymond, struggle to survive a winter in the wilderness of the
Northwest Territories of Canada.
Fever 1793 / Laurie HalseAnderson
In 1793 Philadelphia, sixteen-year-old Matilda Cook, separated from her sick
mother, learns about perseverance and self-reliance when she is forced to
cope with the horrors of a yellow fever epidemic.
Fish / L. S. Matthews
As fighting closes in on the village where Tiger's parents have been
working, the three of them and a mysterious guide set out on a difficult
journey to safety.
The Folk Keeper / Franny Billingsley
Orphaned Corinna disguises herself as a boy to pose as a Folk Keeper, one
who keeps the Evil Folk at bay, and discovers her heritage as a seal maiden
when she is taken to live with a wealthy family in their manor by the sea.
Ghost Canoe / Will Hobbs
Fourteen-year-old Nathan, fishing with the Makah in the Pacific Northwest,
finds himself holding a vital clue when a mysterious stranger comes to town
looking for Spanish treasure.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone / J.K. Rowling
Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with
a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Hatchet / Gary Paulsen
After a plane crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the
wilderness, learning to survive initially with only the aid of a hatchet
given him by his mother, and learning also to survive his parents' divorce.
How Angel Peterson Got His Name: and Other Outrageous Tales about Extreme
Sports /Gary Paulsen
Author Gary Paulsen relates tales from his youth in a small town in
northwestern Minnesota in the late 1940s and early 1950s, such as skiing
behind a souped-up car and imitating daredevil Evel Knievel.
Ida B. / Katherine Hannigan
In Wisconsin, fourth-grader Ida B spends happy hours being home-schooled and
playing in her family's apple orchard, until her mother begins treatment for
breast cancer and her parents must sell part of the orchard and send her to
public school.
Island of the Blue Dolphins / Scott O’Dell
Records the courage and self-reliance of an Indian girl who lived alone for
eighteen years on an isolated island off the California coast when her tribe
emigrated and she was left behind.
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key / Jack Gantos
To the constant disappointment of his mother and his teachers, Joey
has trouble paying attention or controlling his mood swings when his
prescription meds wear off and he starts getting worked up and acting wired.
The Journal of Biddy Owens: the Negro Leagues / Walter Dean Myers
Teenager Biddy Owens' 1948 journal about working for the Birmingham Black
Barons includes the games and the players, racism the team faces from New
Orleans to Chicago, and his family's resistance to his becoming a
professional baseball player. Includes a historical note about the evolution
of the Negro Leagues.
Julius Caesar / Samuel Willard Crompton
A biography of the Roman general and statesman whose brilliant military
leadership helped make Rome the center of a vast empire.
Just Ella / Margaret P. Haddix
In this continuation of the Cinderella story, fifteen-year-old Ella finds
that accepting Prince Charming's proposal ensnares her in a suffocating
tangle of palace rules and royal etiquette, so she plots to escape.
The Kite Rider: A Novel / Geraldine McCaughrean
In thirteenth-century China, after trying to save his widowed mother from a
horrendous second marriage, twelve year-old Haoyou has life-changing
adventures when he takes to the sky as a circus kite rider and ends up
meeting the great Mongol ruler Kublai Khan.
The Legend of Luke / Brian Jacques
When Martin the Warrior leaves Redwall Abbey and embarks upon a journey to
the place of his birth, he learns about the brave and noble deeds of his
father Luke, a real Warrior Chieftain.
The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Rick Riordan
Percy, expelled from six schools for being unable to control his temper,
learns the truth from his mother that his father is the Greek god Poseidon,
and is sent to Camp Half Blood where he is befriended by a satyr and the
demigod daughter of Athena who join him in a journey to the Underworld to
retrieve Zeus's lightning bolt and prevent a catastrophic war.
Locomotion / Jacqueline Woodson
Inspired by his teacher, eleven-year-old Lonnie begins to write about his
life in a series of poems in which he discusses his feelings about his
friends, his foster mom, his little sister Lili, and the death of his
parents.
Love That Dog / Sharon Creech
A young student, who comes to love poetry through a personal understanding
of what different famous poems mean to him, surprises himself by writing his
own inspired poem.
Matilda Bone / Karen Cushman
Fourteen-year-old Matilda, an apprentice bonesetter and practitioner of
medicine in a medieval English village, tries to reconcile the spiritual and
practical aspects of her life.
Mick Harte Was Here / Barbara Park
Thirteen-year-old Phoebe recalls the death of her younger brother Mick in a
bicycle accident, which might not have been fatal had he been wearing his
helmet, and how she and her family reacted to the tragedy.
Midnight for Charlie Bone / Jenny Nimmo
Seemingly ordinary Charlie Bone suddenly discovers that he can hear the
thoughts of people in photographs, a talent that dour Grandma Bone and her
three baleful sisters work to bend to their own ends by sending him to
Bloor's and to its sinister headmaster. It's not an easy year for Charlie
despite the friends he makes. Too many people have it in for him as
he's swept into an age-old battle being waged by descendants of a powerful
king of long ago.
The Midwife’s Apprentice / Karen Cushman
In medieval England, a nameless, homeless girl is taken in by a sharp-
tempered midwife, and in spite of obstacles and hardship, eventually gains
the three things she most wants: a full belly, a contented heart, and a
place in this world.
The Million Dollar Kick / Dan Gutman.
Thirteen-year-old Whisper, who hates sports, is torn when she gets a chance
to win a million dollars by kicking a goal against a local soccer hero.
Miracle Boys / Jacqueline Woodson
Twelve-year-old Lafayette's close relationship with his older brother
Charlie changes after Charlie is released from a detention home and blames
Lafayette for the death of their mother.
Mossflower / Brian Jacques
Martin the warrior mouse and Gonff the mousethief set out to find the
missing ruler of Mossflower, while the other animal inhabitants of the
woodland prepare to rebel against the evil wildcat who has seized power.
The Other Side: Shorter Poems
A collection of poems reminiscent of growing up as an African-American girl
in Shorter, Alabama.
Park’s Quest / Katherine Patterson
Eleven-year-old Park makes some startling discoveries when he travels to his
grandfather's farm in Virginia to learn about his father who died in the
Vietnam War.
Pictures of Hollis Woods / Patricia Reilly Giff
A troublesome twelve-year-old orphan, staying with an elderly artist who
needs her, remembers the only other time she was happy in a foster home,
with a family that truly seemed to care about her.
Red Kayak / Priscilla Cummings
Living near the water on Maryland's Eastern Shore, thirteen-year-old Brady
and his best friends J.T. and Digger become entangled in a tragedy which
tests their friendship and their ideas about right and wrong.
Revenge of the Whale: The True Story of the Whaleship Essex /
Nathaniel Philbrick
Recounts the 1820 sinking of the whaleship "Essex" by an enraged sperm whale
and how the crew of young men survived against impossible odds. Based on the
author's adult book "In the Heart of the Sea."
Rodzina / Karen Cushman
A twelve-year-old Polish American girl is boarded onto an orphan train in
Chicago with fears about traveling to the West and a life of unpaid slavery.
The Roman Army / Dyan Blacklock
Presents an illustrated history of the Roman Army, including information
about its composition, organization, training, methods, weapons, and
campaigns.
The Silent Boy / Lois Lowry
Katy, the precocious ten-year-old daughter of the town doctor, befriends a
retarded boy.
Silent to the Bone / E.L. Konigsburg
When he is wrongly accused of gravely injuring his baby half-sister,
thirteen-year-old Branwell loses his power of speech and only his friend
Connor is able to reach him and uncover the truth about what really happened.
So B. It / Sarah Weeks
After spending her life with her mentally retarded mother and agoraphobic
neighbor, twelve-year-old Heidi sets out from Reno, Nevada, to New York to
find out who she is.
Stargirl / Jerry Spinelli
In this story about the perils of popularity, the courage of nonconformity,
and the thrill of first love, an eccentric student named Stargirl changes
Mica High School forever.
Tonight, by Sea / Frances Temple
As governmental brutality and poverty become unbearable, Paulie joins with
others in her small Haitian village to help her uncle secretly build a boat
they will use to try to escape to the United States.
Under the Same Sky / Cynthia DeFelice.
While trying to earn money for a motor bike, fourteen-year-old Joe Pederson
becomes involved with the Mexicans who work on his family's farm and
develops a better relationship with his father.
Walk Two Moons / Sharon Creech
After her mother leaves home suddenly, thirteen-year-old Sal and her
grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother's route. Along the way,
Sal recounts the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left.
The Wanderer / Sharon Creech
Thirteen-year-old Sophie and her cousin Cody record their transatlantic
crossing aboard the Wanderer, a fortyfive foot sailboat, which, along with
uncles and another cousin, is en route to visit their grandfather in England.
The Waterstone / Rebecca Rupp
Twelve-year-old Tad, finding that he holds an ancient wisdom and the power
to draw beings together, embarks on a quest to seek a powerful crystal
which, when retrieved from the evil Nixie, will restore balance to the world.
A Year Down Yonder / Richard Peck
During the recession of 1937, fifteen-year-old Mary Alice is sent to live
with her feisty, larger-than-life grandmother in rural Illinois and comes to
a better understanding of this fearsome woman.
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town / Kimberly Willis Holt
During the summer of 1971 in a small Texas town, thirteen-year-old Toby and
his best friend Cal meet the star of a sideshow act, 600-pound Zachary, the
fattest boy in the world.
Witness / Karen Hesse
A history-inspired novel, told in the voices of eleven characters, about two
young girls, one Jewish and the other African-American, who come to the
attention of the newly formed Ku Klux Klan in a small Vermont town in
1924.
The Wolves in the Walls / Neil Gaiman - Lucy is sure there are wolves living
in the walls of her house, although others in her family disagree, and when
the wolves come out, the adventure begins.
