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DAV
The Lemonade War Series (age 8-11)
by Jacqueline Davies
friendship ... brilliant protagonist ... enterprise ... math/science/technology
Evan Treski is people-smart. He is good at talking with people, even grownups. His younger sister, Jessie, on the other hand, is math-smart...but not especially good at understanding people. She knows that feelings are her weakest subject. So when their lemonade war begins, there really is no telling who will win...and even more important, if their fight will ever end.
title: The Lemonade War
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FIT
The Great Brain Series (age 8-11)
by John D. Fitzgerald
adventure ... humor ... brilliant protagonist ... enterprise
The best con man in the Midwest is only ten years old. Tom, a.k.a., the Great Brain, is a silver-tongued genius with a knack for turning a profit. When the Jenkins boys get lost in Skeleton Cave, the Great Brain saves the day. Whether it's saving the kids at school, or helping out Peg-leg Andy, or Basil, the new kid at school, the Great Brain always manages to come out on top ... and line his pockets in the process.
title: The Great Brain
title: More Adventures of the Great Brain
title: Me and My Little Brain
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CAR
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (age 8-11)
by Lewis Carroll
math/science/technology ... brilliant protagonist ... poetry ... fantasy
The Mad Hatter, the Ugly Duchess, the Mock Turtle, the Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat-characters each more eccentric than the last. In these two brilliant novels Lewis Carroll created the most famous and fantastic novels of all time, that not only stirred our imagination but revolutionized literature.
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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.
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KIN
Babe: The Gallant Pig (age 8-11)
by Dick King-Smith
brilliant protagonist ... enterprise ... humor
A piglet destined for eventual butchering arrives at the farmyard, is adopted by an old sheep dog, and discovers a special secret to success.
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DAH
Matilda (age 8-11)
by Roald Dahl
identity ... brilliant protagonist ... school ... humor
Publisher comments: Matilda is a genius. Unfortunately, her family treats her like a dolt. Her crooked car-salesman father and loud, bingo-obsessed mother think Matilda's only talent is as a scapegoat for everything that goes wrong in their miserable lives. But it's not long before the sweet and sensitive child decides to fight back. Faced with practical jokes of sheer brilliance, her parents don't stand a chance.
F
CLE
The School Story (age 8-11)
by Andrew Clements
authorship ... school ... brilliant protagonist
Publisher comments: Twelve-year-old Natalie Nelson has written a powerful school story. It's a short novel called "The Cheater," and her best friend Zoe is certain it should be published. All Natalie has to do is give the manuscript to her mom, an editor at a big publishing house. However Natalie doesn't want any favors from her mom. Spurred into action, Natalie invents a pen name for herself and Zoe becomes a self-styled literary agent. Will the girls succeed?
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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.
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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.

Escondido Elementary School, Sat Aug 25 11:55:29 2012
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