Trixie Belden Mysteries (age 8-11)
realistic ... mystery
Trixie and her friends team up to investigate.
title: The Gatehouse Mystery by Julie Campbell F CAM
F
KOR
Everest Series (age 8-11)
by Gordon Korman
realistic ... survival ... adventure ... action
Publisher comments: Four kids. One mountain. They come from all across America to be the youngest kid ever to climb Everest. But only one will reach the top first. The competition is fierce. The preparation is intense. The challenge is breathtaking. When the final four reach the higher peaks, disaster strikes—and all that separates the living from the dead is chance, bravery, and action.
title: The Climb
title: The Summit
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OCO
The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis (age 8-11)
by Barbara Oconnor
realistic ... adventure ... humor
Publisher comments: Nothing ever happens in Fayette, South Carolina. That's what Popeye thinks, anyway. His whole life, everything has just been boring, boring, boring. But things start to look up when the Jewell's Holiday Rambler makes a wrong turn and gets stuck in the mud, trapping Elvis and his five rowdy siblings in Fayette for who knows how long. Popeye has never met anyone like Elvis Jewell. Hes so good at swearing he makes Uncle Dooley look like a harp-strumming angel, and he says "So what?" like he really means it. Then something curious comes floating down the creek, a series of boats with secret messages, and it sends Popeye and Elvis into the big world on the hunt for a small adventure.
F
CLE
No Talking (age 8-11)
by Andrew Clements
friendship ... realistic ... humor ... school
The fifth-grade girls and the fifth-grade boys at Laketon Elementary don't get along very well. But the real problem is that these kids are loud and disorderly. That's why the principal uses her red plastic bullhorn. A lot. Then one day Dave Packer, a certified loudmouth, bumps into an idea ... a big one that makes him try to keep quiet for a whole day. But what does Dave hear during lunch? A girl, Lynsey Burgess, jabbering away. So Dave breaks his silence and lobs an insult. And those words spark a contest: Which team can say the fewest words during two whole days? And it's the boys against the girls. How do the teachers react to the silence? What happens when the principal feels she's losing control? And will Dave and Lynsey plunge the whole school into chaos? This funny and surprising book is about language and thought, about words unspoken, words spoken in anger, and especially about the power of words spoken in kindness...with or without a bullhorn.
F
MCK
Fourth Grade Is a Jinx (age 8-11)
by Colleen O'Shaughnessy McKenna
realistic ... school ... family
When fourth grader Collette sees her own mother take over the job of teaching her class, life becomes more embarrassing and chaotic than she can stand.
F
HIL
The McGurk Mystery Series (age 8-11)
by E.W. Hildick
realistic ... mystery
The McGurk Detective Organization is on the case! It's up to Willie, Wanda, and Joey to step in, and when they do, you can be sure that trouble is just around the corner.
title: The Case of the Phantom Frog
title: The Case of the Secret Scribbler
F
CLE
Socks (age 8-11)
by Beverly Cleary
humor ... realistic ... friendship ... family ... animals
Socks is one happy cat. He lives with a nice young couple called Brickers who play with him, pet him, feed him treats, and always have a warm lap for him to sit in. Then a new baby joins the family Suddenly, the Brickers are sharing their laps and love with Charles William, and Socks is getting into trouble. He runs from a phantom dog, wrestles with Nana's best wig, and fights Old Taylor the tomcat for his territory. But as Charles William grows, Socks discovers that he has a new friend and a new way to be a part of the family.
F
CLE
Otis Spofford (age 8-11)
by Beverly Cleary
humor ... school ... realistic ... friendship
There was nothing Otis Spofford liked better than stirring up a little excitement, particularly at school. A less resourceful teacher than Mrs. Gitler would have found him pretty hard to take. But even Mrs. Gitler did not entirely relish the bullfight at the fiesta arranged for the P.T.A. meeting. Otis was disappointed at not being the toreador, but as the front half of the bull he managed to steal the whole show, to the annoyance of his classmates and his teacher. It was then that Mrs. Gitler suggested that Otis might someday get his comeuppance.
F
CLE
Ellen Tebbits (age 8-11)
by Beverly Cleary
the arts ... school ... realistic ... friendship
Ellen was eight years old and wore bands on her teeth. Her best friend had just moved away and she missed her. Still, as she walked to the Spofford School of the Dance one Saturday, she was almost glad she had no best friend. Best friends do not have secrets from each other, and Ellen had a secret she did not want to share with anyone. But by the time the dancing lesson was over (surely the most devastating dancing lesson on record), Ellen had found a best friend and shared her secret. The best friend was Austine, and the secret was that Ellen was wearing woolen underwear. So was Austine!
F
BLU
Blubber (age 8-11)
by Judy Blume
realistic ... friendship ... school
Blubber is a good name for her, the note said about Linda. Jill crumpled it up and left it on her desk. But Robby grabbed the note and before long it had gone halfway around the room. That's where it all started.
F
FEI
A Room With a Zoo (age 8-11)
by Jules Feiffer
humor ... realistic ... animals
Nine-year-old Julie loves animals, and she's assembling a zoo in her bedroom. She collects a sick cat, a hamster, a big, ugly fish, six smaller fish that start to disappear, a turtle, a strong-minded kitten, an unresponsive hermit crab, and a borrowed classroom rabbit who appears to be dying. Julie's passion takes over her life and her family's life. The more she gets, the more she desires; but what she wants most of all, she can't have.
F
LOW
Sam Krupnik Series (age 8-11)
by Lois Lowry
growing up ... realistic ... humor ... family
Sam Krupnik enters school with some very strong ideas about what he wants to be and how. Fans of this series will enjoy the same author's books about Anastasia, his big sister, as well.
title: All About Sam
title: Attaboy, Sam!
F
SPI
Loser (age 8-11)
by Jerry Spinelli
identity ... realistic ... school ... family
Just like other kids, Zinkoff rides his bike, hopes for snow days, and wants to be like his dad when he grows up. But Zinkoff also raises his hand with all the wrong answers, trips over his own feet, and falls down with laughter over a word like ``Jabip.'' Other kids have their own word to describe him, but Zinkoff is too busy to hear it. He doesn't know he's not like everyone else. And one winter night, Zinkoff's differences show that any name can someday become ``hero.''
F
MOS
The Amelia Series (age 8-11)
by Marissa Moss
realistic ... humor ... letters/journal ... growing up
Like spending recess with your best friend, Marissa Moss keeps us up to date with everything that's going on in Amelia's life.
title: Amelia Writes Again
title: Amelia's Notebook
title: Amelia's Boredom Survival Guide: First Aid for Rainy Days, Boring Errands, Waiting Rooms, Whatever!
title: Amelia's Bully Survival Guide
F
JAR
Slump (age 8-11)
by Dave Jarzyna
growing up ... realistic ... family ... school
When thirteen-year-old Mitch finds himself at odds with everyone in his life: brother, sister, friends, teachers, and coach, he worries that the situation will never change.
F
HES
Just Juice (age 8-11)
by Karen Hesse
realistic ... school ... family
Letters and numbers still don't make sense to Juice Faulstich. She'd rather skip school and spend the day at home in the North Carolina hills. But when the bank threatens to repossess her family's home, Juice faces her first life-sized problem.
F
KON
The View From Saturday (age 8-11)
by E. L. Konigsburg
realistic ... identity ... friendship ... brilliant protagonist
Four students, with their own individual stories, develop a special bond and attract the attention of their teacher, who chooses them to represent their sixth-grade class in the Academic Bowl competition.
F
ROC
How to Eat Fried Worms (age 8-11)
by Thomas Rockwell
realistic ... friendship ... school ... humor
Billy makes a bet, then has to make good on it...fifteen worms in fifteen days. As hilarious as it is disgusting, Billy stands up for what's right in his own way.
F
DAN
Amber Brown Series (age 8-11)
by Paula Danziger
realistic ... family ... friendship ... growing up
Amber Brown faces complications at school, with her friends, and with her family.
title: Amber Brown Goes Fourth
title: Amber Brown Is Feeling Blue
title: Amber Brown Is Green With Envy
title: Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon
title: Amber Brown Sees Red
title: Amber Brown Wants Extra Credit
title: Forever Amber Brown
title: I, Amber Brown
title: You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber Brown
F
CLE
The Landry News (age 8-11)
by Andrew Clements
authorship ... realistic ... school ... brilliant protagonist
Publisher comments: Cara Landry is a budding journalist. When she posts a scathing editorial about her burned-out teacher on the bulletin board one afternoon, everything changes. Prodded into action for the first time in years, Mr. Larson challenges his fifth-grade students to create a real newspaper. Soon The Landry News gets more attention than either Cara or her teacher bargained for.
F
CLE
Frindle (age 8-11)
by Andrew Clements
brilliant protagonist ... realistic ... school
Catalog: 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.
F
CLE
Henry Huggins (age 8-11)
by Beverly Cleary
adventure ... animals ... realistic
Publisher comments: Henry Huggins feels that nothing very interesting ever happens to him. But from the moment a stray dog in the drugstore begs for a taste of his ice-cream cone and downs it in one gulp, everything is different. Henry names the dog Ribsy and decides to keep him. Before Henry even reaches home with Ribsy he spends all of his money, gets kicked off three buses, and enjoys a hair-raising ride in a police car. And that's only the beginning of Henry's exciting new life! See also the rest of the Henry Huggins series.
sequel: Henry and Beezus
sequel: Henry and Ribsy
sequel: Ribsy
sequel: Henry and the Paper Route
sequel: Henry and the Clubhouse
F
CLE
Beezus and Ramona (age 8-11)
by Beverly Cleary
humor ... realistic ... family
Publisher comments: It is not that Ramona deliberately sets out to make trouble for other people. She simply has more imagination than is healthy for any one person. In this first book of the Ramona series, our heroine establishes herself as one of the strongest and funniest characters in print.
sequel: Ramona the Pest
sequel: Ramona the Brave
sequel: Ramona and Her Father
sequel: Ramona and Her Mother
sequel: Ramona Forever
sequel: Ramona Quimby, Age 8
sequel: Ramona's World
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PET
Matt Christopher's Sports Series (age 8-11)
by Stephanie Peters
realistic ... friendship ... sports
The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, the importance of good sportsmanship and playing as part of a team. You'll find all this and more in Matt Christopher's exciting books.
title: Soccer Hero
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CHR
Matt Christopher's Sports Series (age 8-11)
by Matt Christopher
realistic ... friendship ... sports
The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, the importance of good sportsmanship and playing as part of a team. You'll find all this and more in Matt Christopher's exciting books.
title: The Lucky Baseball Bat
title: Catcher With a Glass Arm
title: Center Court Sting
title: Centerfield Ballhawk
title: Challenge at Second Base
title: The Comeback Challenge
title: The Diamond Champs
title: Dirt Bike Racer
title: Dirt Bike Runaway
title: Glue Fingers
title: Ice Magic
title: Johnny Long Legs
title: The Kid Who Only Hit Homers
title: Man Out at First
title: Mountain Bike Mania
title: Skateboard Tough
title: Snowboard Maverick
title: Soccer Halfback
title: Top Wing
title: Tough to Tackle
title: The Submarine Pitch
title: Lacrosse Face-Off
title: Football Fugitive

Duveneck Elementary School, Sat Aug 25 11:55:27 2012
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