F YLV	The Luck of the Buttons (age 8-11) by Anne Ylvisaker mystery ... family ... identity Publisher comments: Tugs Esther Button was born to a luckless family. Buttons don't presume to be singers or dancers. They aren't athletes or artists, good listeners, or model citizens. The one time a Button ever made the late Goodhue Gazette - before Harvey Moore came along with his talk of launching a new paper - was when Great Grandaddy Ike accidentally set Town Hall ablaze. Tomboy Tugs looks at her hapless family and sees her own reflection looking back until she befriends popular Aggie Millhouse, wins a new camera in the Independence Day raffle, and stumbles into a mystery only she can solve. Suddenly this is a summer of change - and by its end, being a Button may just turn out to be what one clumsy, funny, spirited, and very observant young heroine decides to make of it.
F PER	When Life Gives You OJ (age 8-11) by Erica S. Perl animals ... humor ... family Publisher comments: For years, 10-year-old Zelly Fried has tried to convince her parents to let her have a dog. After all, practically everyone in Vermont owns a dog, and it sure could go a long way helping Zelly fit in since moving there from Brooklyn. But when her eccentric grandfather Ace hatches a ridiculous plan involving a "practice dog" named OJ, Zelly's not so sure how far she's willing to go to win a dog of her own. Is Ace's plan so crazy it just might work . . . or is it just plain crazy?
F GER	Little Women (age 8-11) by Jane Gerver historical ... growing up ... family This retelling of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel chronicles the joys and sorrows of the four March sisters as they grow into young ladies in nineteenth-century New England.
F MAR	Me and Katie (the Pest) (age 8-11) by Ann M. Martin identity ... family Catalog: Wendy struggles to adjust to life with her occasionally irritating younger sister.
F MCD	Mail-Order Kid (age 8-11) by Joyce McDonald identity ... family Catalog: When ten-year-old Flip orders a fox through the mail, his experiences in attempting to tame it help him to better understand his newly adopted brother from Korea.
F HOR	The Trolls (age 8-11) by Polly Horvath family ... fantasy ... humor Publisher comments: Aunt Sally is beyond any of Melissa, Amanda, and Pee Wee's expectations. She has come all the way from Vancouver Island, Canada, to take care of the children while their parents are away, and right from the start Aunt Sally enchants them with tales of her childhood with their father. Odd characters figure largely in the stories, like Maud, a hunter rumored to have killed eighty cougars; Great-uncle Louis, a health nut who insists everyone should gnaw on sticks for extra fiber; and Fat Little Mean Girl, the star of a cautionary tale involving witchcraft and candy. All of Aunt Sally's reminiscences lead up to a crucial story about trolls, sinister creatures who supposedly lurked along the shore at night. The trolls had the power to change Aunt Sally's life forever, and their legacy may change the lives of the three present-day children as well.
F RYA	Becoming Naomi Le n (age 8-11) by Pam Munoz Ryan identity ... family Publisher comments: Naomi Soledad Leon Outlaw has had a lot to contend with in her young life, her name for one. Then there are her clothes (sewn in polyester by Gram), her difficulty speaking up, and her status at school as "nobody special." But according to Gram, most problems can be overcome with positive thinking. And with Gram and her little brother, Owen, Naomi's life at Avocado Acres Trailer Rancho in California is happy and peaceful...until their mother reappears after seven years of being gone, stirring up all sorts of questions and challenging Naomi to discover and proclaim who she really is.
F BIR	Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs (age 8-11) by Betty Birney family ... identity ... adventure When Eben McAllister reads about the Seven Wonders of the World, he longs to escape the small farming community of Sassafras Springs and do some exploring o his own. No one else ever seems to want to leave Sassafras even his best pal, Jeb...and so, for now, Eben figures he's stuck on the farm with Pa and Aunt Pretty until he grows up. All that changes when his pa, tired of Eben's moping, challenges him to find Seven Wonders in Sassafras Springs that can stang up to the real Seven Wonders of the World. And if he does? Then Eben will get the adventure he's been craving for ... a trip out West. Eben doesn't reckon he'll have any luck ... he can't think of even one thing that would be called interesting, let alone wonderous, in Sassafras, but he figures he'll give it a try; there's nothing else to do in Sassafras anyway. But what he finds will take him on the adventure of his life.
F CRE	Pleasing the Ghost (age 8-11) by Sharon Creech illness/loss ... humor ... spooky ... family Ever since his father died, Dennis has been seeing ghosts. Lots of ghosts. They blow in on the breeze, visit for a while, and fly off again. But one night the ghost of his Uncle Arvie floats in the window. And Arvie wants to do more than chat. Together, they find a lost love letter, finish a special painting, and dig up buried treasure...all for Arvie's widow, Julia. Dennis loves having his uncle around again, but there's still one ghost he's longing to see. Perhaps on the next ghost wind . . .
F CRE	Heartbeat (age 8-11) by Sharon Creech poetry ... growing up ... identity ... friendship ... family Twelve-year-old Annie ponders the many rhythms of life the year that her mother becomes pregnant, her grandfather begins to falter, and her best friend and running partner grows distant.
F CRE	Bloomability (age 8-11) by Sharon Creech identity ... growing up ... family ... school Thirteen-year-old Domenica Santolina Doone, better known as Dinnie, is accustomed to change. Her family is constantly moving from town to town as her father searches for ``opportunity''. But when her aunt and uncle whisk her far away to an international school in Switzerland, she's not sure she's ready to face this ``opportunity'' alone.
F SLO	Matt Gargan's Boy (age 8-11) by Alfred Slote growing up ... family ... sports Catalog: A major leaguer's son feels threatened when a girl tries out for his baseball team and his divorced mother becomes interested in the girl's father.
	Samantha: an American Girl Series (age 8-11) growing up ... family ... historical Stories of Samantha, an orphan living with her grandmother in 1904. title: Meet Samantha: an American Girl by Susan S. Adler F ADL title: Samantha Learns a Lesson: a School Story by Susan S. Adler F ADL title: Changes for Samantha: a Winter Story by Valerie Tripp F TRI title: Happy Birthday, Samantha!: a Springtime Story by Valerie Tripp F TRI title: Samantha Saves the Day: a Summer Story by Valerie Tripp F TRI title: Samantha's Surprise: a Christmas Story by Maxine Rose Schur F SCH title: Samantha's Winter Party by Valerie Tripp F TRI
F TRI	Molly: an American Girl Series (age 8-11) by Valerie Tripp growing up ... family ... historical Stories of Molly and her family during World War II. title: Meet Molly: an American Girl title: Changes for Molly: a Winter Story title: Happy Birthday, Molly!: a Springtime Story title: Molly Learns a Lesson: a School Story title: Molly Saves the Day: a Summer Story title: Molly Takes Flight title: Molly's Surprise: a Christmas Story
F TRI	Kit: an American Girl Series (age 8-11) by Valerie Tripp growing up ... family ... historical Stories about Kit and her family, running a boardinghouse during the Great Depression. title: Meet Kit: an American Girl title: Changes for Kit!: a Winter Story, 1934 title: Happy Birthday, Kit!: a Springtime Story, 1934 title: Kit Learns a Lesson: a School Story title: Kit Saves the Day!: a Summer Story, 1934 title: Kit's Surprise: a Christmas Story
F SHA	Kirsten: an American Girl Series (age 8-11) by Janet Shaw growing up ... family ... historical Stories about Kirsten and her family, settling the frontier in Minnesota. title: Meet Kirsten: an American Girl title: Changes for Kirsten: a Winter Story title: Happy Birthday, Kirsten!: a Springtime Story title: Kirsten Learns a Lesson: a School Story title: Kirsten on the Trail title: Kirsten Saves the Day title: Kirsten's Surprise: a Christmas Story
F TRI	Felicity: an American Girl Series (age 8-11) by Valerie Tripp growing up ... family ... historical Stories about Felicity and her family, living in Williamsburg during the revolutionary war. title: Meet Felicity: an American Girl title: Felicity Learns a Lesson: a School Story title: Felicity Saves the Day: a Summer Story title: Felicity's New Sister title: Felicity's Surprise: a Christmas Story title: Happy Birthday, Felicity!: a Springtime Story
F POR	Addy: an American Girl Series (age 8-11) by Connie Porter growing up ... family ... historical Stories about Addy and her mother, freed slaves living in Philadelphia during the Civil War. title: High Hopes for Addy
F TRI	Josefina: an American Girl Series (age 8-11) by Valerie Tripp growing up ... family ... historical Stories about Josefina and her sisters, in New Mexico before the Mexicn-American War. title: Meet Josefina: an American Girl title: Changes for Josefina: a Winter Story title: Happy Birthday, Josefina!: a Springtime Story title: Josefina Learns a Lesson: a School Story title: Josefina Saves the Day: a Summer Story title: Josefina's Surprise: a Christmas Story title: A Reward for Josefina
F ARO	Romeo and Juliet (age 8-11) by Billy Aronson identity ... family A retelling of Shakespeare's most romantic tragedy.
F ANG	Dear Lola: or, How to Build Your Own Family: a Tale (age 8-11) by Judie Angell enterprise ... friendship ... family Six parentless kids ranging in age from 5 to 18 run away from the orphanage and, as a family, successfully establish a household miles away until local do-gooders begin investigating.
F ANG	A Word From Our Sponsor: or, My Friend Alfred (age 8-11) by Judie Angell humor ... family ... enterprise When a 12-year-old boy tries to protect consumers from a dangerous drinking mug, he discovers he must challenge his father's advertising agency.
F AYR	Family Tree (age 8-11) by Katherine Ayres family ... identity Eleven-year-old Tyler Stoudt starts sixth grade off on the wrong foot. She has Ms. Custer, the toughest teacher in school, who has announced that the schoolwork for the year will revolve around one project: a family tree. Tyler doesn't have a family tree--she has only Papa. As Papa said, her family tree was "chop down and burnt up." But when Tyler decides to do her best on the family tree project, she discovers secrets she could not have imagined.
F BAU	A Bear Named Trouble (age 8-11) by Marion Dane Bauer adventure ... family ... animals ... nature Based on a true story, this novel is the story of a young boy in Alaska who sets out to get even with the wily bear cub that has accidentally killed the boy's favorite animal.
F BLE	The Big Bike Race (age 8-11) by Lucy Jane Bledsoe family ... sports Publisher comments: Ernie was hoping for a sleek new racing bike for his tenth birthday, not a big, secondhand, yellow clunker. He knew it was all his grandmother could afford, yet he was still disappointed ... and embarrassed to show it to his friends. But the laughter of the other kids doesn't stop Ernie from racingk, or proving that it's determination, not the bike, that makes the winner!
F CAB	Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls Series (age 8-11) by Meg Cabot realistic ... family ... humor ... friendship Publisher comments: When nine-year-old Allie Finkle's parents announce that they are moving her and her brothers from their suburban split-level into an ancient Victorian in town, Allie's sure her life is over. She's not at all happy about having to give up her pretty pink wall-to-wall carpeting for creaky floorboards and creepy secret passageways-not to mention leaving her modern, state-of-the-art suburban school for a rundown, old-fashioned school just two blocks from her new house. With a room she's half-scared to go into, the burden of being "the new girl," and her old friends all a half-hour car ride away, how will Allie ever learn to fit in? title: Moving Day
F YEP	The Dragon's Child: a Story of Angel Island (age 8-11) by Laurence Yep family ... historical ... voyages/journeys Ten-year-old Gim Lew Yep knows that he must leave his home in China and travel to America with the father who is a stranger to him. Gim Lew doesn't want to leave behind everything that he's ever known. But he is even more scared of disappointing his father. He uses his left hand, rather than the "correct" right hand; he stutters; and most of all, he worries about not passing the strict immigration test administered at Angel Island. The Dragon's Child is a touching portrait of a father and son and their unforgettable journey from China to the land of the Golden Mountain.
F GIL	Can't Catch Me, I'm the Gingerbread Man (age 8-11) by Jamie Gilson family ... enterprise When the family health food store burns down, 12-year-old-Mitch is even more determined to win first prize in a Bakeathon with his special gingerbread.
F PEL	First Farm in the Valley: Anna's Story (age 8-11) by Anne Pellowski historical ... family Anna, the American-born daughter of Polish immigrants, longs to escape to rigors of Wisconsin farm life to visit the romanticized Poland of her dreams.
F PEL	Willow Wind Farm: Betsy's Story (age 8-11) by Anne Pellowski historical ... family Follows a year in the life of seven-year-old Betsy and her large family on their Wisconsin farm.
F WOO	The Secret Life of Hilary Thorne (age 8-11) by Marcia Wood family ... authorship ... fantasy As Hilary's home life deteriorates after her family's move to the country, her adventures with the book characters she reads about increases to the point where she knows she must learn to control her talents and involve herself more in the real world.
F LIT	Different Dragons (age 8-11) by Jean Little family ... animals Ben is apprehensive about staying over at his Aunt Rose's house while his parents are away. But with the promise of a big surprise, Ben reluctantly agrees to at least give it a try. Only, when the surprise arrives, it is not what Ben expects at all. At the door is a labrador retriever named Gully. The only problem is that Ben is afraid of dogs. Dogs jump at people, bite people, and even kill people! And even though Gully seems friendly, Ben decides he will never be friends with a dog. But when Ben finds himself alone with Gully in a scary situation, he starts to rethink his fear. Perhaps he will be able to survive the whole weekend at Aunt Rose's with Gully running around after all.
F PEV	Me, My Goat and My Sister's Wedding (age 8-11) by Stella Pevsner family ... humor ... animals Doug and his friends keep their pet goat a secret from their families, but before long, sightings of the high-spirited animal occur at very inappropriate places.
F PRY	Poison Ivy and Eyebrow Wigs (age 8-11) by Bonnie Pryor family ... identity ... school Nine-year-old Martin has a busy year in the fourth grade as he tries to find his own identity both at school and among his large and busy family.
F ROB	Angela, Private Citizen (age 8-11) by Nancy K. Robinson family Six-year-old Angela's faith in order and fairness is frequently shaken as she tries to cope with all the mysteries of life that keep turning up in her busy family.
F YEE	Good Luck, Ivy (age 8-11) by Lisa Yee growing up ... sports ... family Ivy Ling feels invisible. The middle child in a busy Chinese-American household, Ivy's mother has gone back to school to become a lawyer and her father has two jobs to keep the family afloat. And if that's not enough, Ivy's best friend Julie Albright has moved to another part of San Francisco. The only place Ivy feels at home is at gymnastics. But when she learns that the big gymnastics tournament is scheduled for the same day as the annual Ling family reunion, Ivy wrestles with a difficult choice. Gradually, with her brother Andrew's help, Ivy realizes that she can take charge of her life--and make her own luck.
F WIL	The Aurora County All-Stars (age 8-11) by Deborah Wiles friendship ... family ... bigotry ... sports Twelve-year-old House Jackson--star pitcher and team captain of the Aurora County All-Stars--has been sidelined for a whole sorry year with a broken elbow. He's finally ready to play, but wouldn't you know that the team's only game of the year has been scheduled for the exact same time as the town's 200th-anniversary pageant. Now House must face the pageant's director, full-of-herself Frances Shotz (his nemesis and perpetrator of the elbow break), and get his team out of this mess. There's also the matter of a mysterious old recluse who has died and left House a wheezy old dog named Eudora Welty--and a puzzling book of poetry by someone named Walt Whitman. Through the long, hot month of June, House makes surprising and valuable discoveries about family, friendship, poetry . . . and baseball.
F WEN	Elizabeth's Song (age 8-11) by Michael Wenberg historical ... family ... the arts In a small yellow house by the railroad tracks in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a ten-year-old girl named Elizabeth fuels her passion for music by playing her brother's guitar--Left-handed and upside down. After her brother moves, a determined Elizabeth works at odd jobs to buy her own guitar. The first night she has it, she spends hours writing a song for her brother. She calls it "Freight Train."
F MAR	When Heaven Fell (age 8-11) by Carolyn Marsden identity ... historical ... family When a Vietnamese girl receives a visit from her half-American aunt, brimming curiosity (and cultural misperceptions) come to the fore. Every day nine-year-old Binh sells fruit and sodas to the girls whose families can afford to send them to school, and every night she returns to her one-room home to share a simple meal with her family. Everything changes, however, when her grandmother tells Binh she had a daughter during the war, a child who was sent away to America as a little girl. Now Di Hai (Binh's aunt, a teacher) is coming to visit, and Binh can't help but wonder what luxurious gifts she will bring. Yet when Di Hai arrives, there are so many confusing things about her: she's taller than the men, she's not married, and her presents are mere trinkets that could have come from Third Aunt's tourist shop. Still, Binh secretly hopes Di Hai will take her to live in America. Can her aunt live up to her expectations? Carolyn Marsden tells Binh's story with warmth and sensitivity as she ushers readers into the life and dreams of a young Vietnamese girl.
F MAC	Edward's Eyes (age 8-11) by Patricia Maclachlan illness/loss ... family ... sports Jake is a part of an extraordinary family. He has a life filled with art, music, and long summer nights on the Cape. He has hours and days and months of baseball. But, more than anything in this world, Jake knows he has Edward. From the moment he was born, Jake knew Edward was destined for something. Edward could make anyone laugh and everyone think. During one special year, he became the only one in the neighborhood who could throw a perfect knuckleball. It was a pitch you could not hit. That same year, Jake learned there are also some things you cannot hold.
F KES	The Emily Windsnap Series (age 8-11) by Liz Kessler identity ... friendship ... family ... fantasy This story about a girl who learns she is half mermaid lures readers into a glorious undersea world--an enchanting fantasy about family secrets, loyal friendship, and the power of love. . title: The Tail of Emily Windsnap
F KEN	Me and the Pumpkin Queen (age 8-11) by Marlane Kennedy family ... illness/loss ... enterprise Mildred's Guide to Growing a Giant Pumpkin 1. Get the right seeds. These days, no one grows a Pumpkin Show winner without Howard Dill's Atlantic Giant seeds. 2. Convince your dad that having a pumpkin patch in your backyard is a good idea. 3. Make sure that your dogs stay far, far away from your seedlings. 4. Don't let your busybody aunt interfere with your "pumpkin obsession," no matter how much she wishes you were interested in boys or clothes or anything other than pumpkins. 5. Find a best friend who can help out in a pinch. 6. Never, ever, ever give up.
F HOL	Piper Reed: Navy Brat (age 8-11) by Kimberly Willis Holt humor ... family It’s not easy being the middle child, especially when your dad is a Navy Chief. Meet Piper Reed, a spunky nine-year-old who has moved more times than she can count on one hand. From Texas to Guam, wherever Piper goes, adventure follows, inspired by her active imagination, free-wheeling spirit, and a bit of sister magic. Unlike her older sister, Tori, Piper loves being part of a Navy family, and unlike her little sister, Sam, Piper is no prodigy genius. Piper is Piper, fearless and full of life.
F CAM	Julia's Magic (age 8-11) by Eleanor Cameron magic ... family A broken perfume bottle and the threat of losing their home cause a crisis in the Redfern family that shakes Julia's belief in magic.
F BYA	The Night Swimmers (age 8-11) by Betsy Cromer Byars adventure ... family With their mother dead and their father working nights, Retta tries to be mother to her two younger brothers but somehow things just don't seem to be working right.
F BYA	The Midnight Fox (age 8-11) by Betsy Cromer Byars family ... animals Tom is horrified when his parents tell him he is to stay on Aunt Millie's farm while they are away on a trip. When he arrives, he finds the farm every bit as strange and uncomfortable as he feared - that is, until the appearance of the black fox.
F BYA	The House of Wings (age 8-11) by Betsy Cromer Byars nature ... animals ... family Left with his grandfather until his parents are settled in Detroit, Sammy learns to respect and love the old man as they care for an injured crane together.
F CHR	The Pigeon With the Tennis Elbow (age 8-11) by Matt Christopher family ... sports Kevin O'Toole, playing in a tennis tournament, meets a talking pigeon who turns out to be his great uncle ... and gives him tennis tips.
F CRE	The Castle Corona (age 8-11) by Sharon Creech fantasy ... knights/castles/dragons ... family Long ago and far away . . . There was a castle. But not just any castle. This was a castle that glittered and sparkled and rose majestically above the banks of the winding Winono River: the Castle Corona. And in this castle lived a family. But not just any family. This was the family of King Guido: rich and royal and . . . spoiled. And King Guido was so spoiled that neither jewels nor gold nor splendid finery could please him, for what he longed for most was . . . a nap and a gown that didn't itch. Far below this grand, glittering castle lived two peasants. But not just any peasants. These peasants, though poor and pitiful, were plucky and proud. And in possession of a stolen pouch. But not just any pouch. A pouch whose very contents had the power to unlock secrets and transform lives . . .
F BAR	The Magic Half (age 8-11) by Annie Barrows adventure ... magic ... family Magic is just a way of setting things right... Miri is the non-twin child in a family with two sets of them ... older brothers and younger sisters. The family has just moved to an old farmhouse in a new town, where the only good thing seems to be Miri's ten-sided attic bedroom. But when Miri gets sent to her room after accidentally bashing her big brother on the head with a shovel, she finds herself in the same room...only not quite. Without meaning to, she has found a way to travel back in time to 1935 where she discovers Molly, a girl her own age very much in need of a loving family.
F LIN	Ronia, the Robber's Daughter (age 8-11) by Astrid Lindgren family ... adventure ... action ... folklore Ronia, who lives with her father and his band of robbers in a castle in the woods, causes trouble when she befriends the son of a rival robber chieftain.
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 WRI	Rosie and the Dance of the Dinosaurs (age 8-11) by Betty Ren Wright mystery ... the arts ... family Catalog: Rosie discovers that having nine fingers can be an asset as she faces the challenges of an upcoming piano recital and the absence of her father who moved away to find a new job.
F WRI	Nothing But Trouble (age 8-11) by Betty Ren Wright mystery ... family Catalog: Vannie tries to make the best of things when she and her dog Muffy are left with her cranky great-aunt on a spooky old farm in Ohio while Vannie's parents go to California to look for work.
F WAL	Peppermints in the Parlor (age 8-11) by Barbara Brooks Wallace family ... adventure ... mystery Emily Luccock is looking forward to living at Sugar Hill Hall....She remembers her aunt and uncle's grand old mansion well, with its enormous, elegant parlor, marble fireplace, and white china cups filled with hot chocolate. But this time things are different. Her aunt's once bright and lively home is now dead with silence. Evil lurks in every corner, and the dark, shadowed walls watch and whisper late at night. And no one ever speaks. Everything's changed at Sugar Hill Hall, and Emily knows something awful is happening there. What's become of Uncle Twice? Why is Aunt Twice a prisoner in her own home? Emily is desperate to uncover the truth. Time is running out, and she must find a way to save the people and home she cares so much about. sequel: The Perils of Peppermints
F WAL	Beauty (age 8-11) by Bill Wallace animals ... family Unhappy about his parents splitting up and moving with his mother to Grandpa's farm, eleven-year-old Luke finds comfort in riding and caring for a horse named Beauty.
F WRI	Too Many Secrets (age 8-11) by Betty Ren Wright family ... mystery Nine-year-old Chad and his friend Jeannie try to discover who is breaking into their neighbor's house, while Chad also deals with his suspicions about why is father has been spending so much time away from home.
F SMI	The War With Grandpa (age 8-11) by Robert Kimmel Smith family ... humor Peter is thrilled that Grandpa is coming to live with his family. That is, until Grandpa moves right into Peter's room, forcing him upstairs. Peter loves Grandpa but wants his room back and has no choice except to declare war.
F NIX	The Gift (age 8-11) by Joan Lowery Nixon family ... folklore ... authorship Brian, visiting his Irish relatives for the first time, tries to prove to his skeptical great-aunt that his great-grandfather's tales of Irish lore and leprechauns are true.
F LOV	Bess's Log Cabin Quilt (age 8-11) by D. Anne Love family ... historical ... the arts With her father away and her mother ill with fever, ten-year-old Bess works hard on a log cabin quilt to save the family farm.
F LER	The Peanut Butter Poltergeist (age 8-11) by Ellen Leroe spooky ... family Eleven-year-old M.J. seeks revenge on his obnoxious stepsister by faking evidence of a poltergeist in their summer cottage, only to face the horror of what seems to be more real than he imagined.
F LAF	Worth (age 8-11) by A. LaFaye family ... historical After breaking his leg, eleven-year-old Nate feels useless because he cannot work on the family farm in nineteenth-century Nebraska, so when his father brings home an orphan boy to help with the chores, Nate feels even worse.
F KAS	My First Nowruz (age 8-11) by Riahi Kashani family ... identity ... folklore ... letters/journal My First Nowruz chronicles an 8-year-old girl's first celebration of the Persian New Year. These joyous traditions might be unfamiliar to many of us.
F HUR	The Law of Gravity: a Story by Johanna Hurwitz (age 8-11) by Johanna Hurwitz family Margot's determination to get her obese mother to leave their fifth-floor walk-up takes her into emotionally deep waters.
F HIC	The Peter Potts Book of World Records: a True Account of the Astounding Feats of Peter Potts and Joey Gootz as Witnessed and Sworn to by Me, Peter Potts (age 8-11) by Clifford B. Hicks humor ... enterprise ... family Although he is angry and confused because of the impending arrival of his older sister's baby in a family he thinks is already perfect, twelve-year-old Pete finds a welcome distraction in his best friend's disastrous attempts to set several new world records.
F GRE	Sister (age 8-11) by Eloise Greenfield letters/journal ... family ... identity Doretha is thirteen, black, and confused by her ambivalence about herself. . . . Leafing through her diary, Doretha remembers, and each memory of the past four years reveals something about her and about the people she has loved. The book is strong in perception, in its sensitivity, in its realism.
F GRE	Queen Sophie Hartley (age 8-11) by Stephanie Greene family ... friendship It's not easy being a nine-year-old kid in the middle of a busy, gifted family. Especially when the list of things you're good at includes only two items ... "Crying" and "Stopping crying" ... and the list of things you're not good at seems to be getting longer every day. When Sophie's mom suggests that she's good at being kind and just needs a little more practice, Sophie feels hopeful. But being kind to a grouchy old lady or her big sister, Nora, or the weird new girl at school isn't as easy as it sounds. If only Sophie were a queen, she could practice being kind to commoners instead. It would be much more dignified and elegant. And she would finally get to wear her very own diamond tiara. . . .
F MAC	Mary Margaret and the Perfect Pet Plan (age 8-11) by Christine Kole MacLean family ... humor ... animals Mary Margaret is desperate for a pet. But her father is allergic to almost everything, and her mother is too busy with the new baby coming to focus on finding a hypoallergenic pet for her precocious, nearly-nine-year-old daughter. So Mary Margaret takes matters into her own hands and comes up with some very interesting ideas about how to get a pet.
F NAY	The Fear Place (age 8-11) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor family ... action ... adventure For Doug's brother, Gordie, the ridge with its spectacular view is a magical, special place, but for Doug, it's The Fear Place. Two years ago, Doug hiked to the ridge during his family's annual camping trip, and he vowed never again to cross the narrow ledge from which the earth dropped away six hundred feet to the canyon below. But now Doug and Gordie are alone in the wilderness. After one of their seemingly endless fights, Gordie has stomped away from their campsite. When Girdle doesn't return, Doug fears the worst. Doug knows he has to go after his brother, and he knows where he will find him. What he can't imagine is the surprising source of the courage to overcome his fears.
F O'C	How to Steal a Dog (age 8-11) by Barbara O'Connor growing up ... family ... enterprise Georgina Hayes is desperate. Ever since her father left and they were evicted from their apartment, her family has been living in their car. With her mama juggling two jobs and trying to make enough money to find a place to live, Georgina is stuck looking after her younger brother, Toby. And she has her heart set on improving their situation. When Georgina spots a missing-dog poster with a reward of five hundred dollars, the solution to all her problems suddenly seems within reach. All she has to do is ``borrow'' the right dog and its owners are sure to offer a reward. What happens next is the last thing she expected.
F GIF	Rat Teeth (age 8-11) by Patricia Reilly Giff illness/loss ... growing up ... family It's bad enough that his parents are divorced and his two front teeth stick out a mile, but when he loses a baseball game to the fourth graders, even a "toughie" like Cliffie feels he has no choice but to run away.
F LOV	A Year Without Rain (age 8-11) by D. Anne Love illness/loss ... family Her mother's death and a year-long drought has made life difficult for twelve-year-old Rachel and her family on their farm in the Dakotas, but when she learns that her father plans to get married again, it is almost more than Rachel can bear.
F MEA	Junebug (age 8-11) by Alice Mead family ... growing up An inquisitive young boy who lives with his mother and younger sister in a rough housing project in New Haven, Connecticut, approaches his tenth birthday with a mixture of anticipation and worry.
F CUT	Family Dinner (age 8-11) by Jane Cutler realistic ... growing up ... family Great-Uncle Benson prepares exotic food dishes in order to lure Rachel's family to eat meals together.
F COH	The Orphan Game (age 8-11) by Barbara Cohen adventure ... family Catalog: Vacationing at Long Beach Island, four cousins engage in a variety of activities, including pretending to be orphans, raising money for a trip to Atlantic City, and avoiding a whiny cousin named Miranda.
F CLI	Harvey's Mystifying Raccoon Mixup (age 8-11) by Eth Clifford family ... mystery Catalog: Twelve-year-old Harvey and his bossy cousin Nora get involved with counterfeiters, imposters, and a pet raccoon when they find a prowler outside the house one night.
F CLI	Harvey's Horrible Snake Disaster (age 8-11) by Eth Clifford animals ... family Catalog: When ten-year-old Harvey is visited by his cousin Nora, trouble is bound to ensue, and this year's episode with snakes is no exception.
F CLA	Barney and the UFO (age 8-11) by Margaret Goff Clark humor ... family ... science fiction Catalog: Barney is afraid to tell his foster parents that he has seen a UFO behind the house even when a hasty promise to a space boy leads him into trouble.
F BYA	Good-bye, Chicken Little (age 8-11) by Betsy Cromer Byars family ... illness/loss Publisher comments: Jimmie Little's life has been frightening and unpredictable, so much that he has begun to define himself by his fears. He learns, though, that with the help of his family he can let his fears go forever.
F DEL	Angel Series (age 8-11) by Judy Delton growing up ... family Although Angel loves her little brother, Rags, dearly, the constant responsibility of caring for him weighs heavily on her young shoulders title: Back Yard Angel title: Angel in Charge title: Angel's Mother's Baby title: Angel's Mother's Wedding
F BRI	Caddie Woodlawn (age 8-11) by Carol Ryrie Brink family ... identity ... adventure ... historical Caddie Woodlawn is a real adventurer. She'd rather hunt than sew and plow than bake, and tries to beat her brothers' dares every chance she gets. Caddie is friends with Indians, who scare most of the neighbors...neighbors who, like her mother and sisters, don't understand her at all.
F YAR	Tamika and the Wisdom Rings (age 8-11) by Camille Yarbrough family ... illness/loss Tamika finds strength in her family, her friends, and herself as she copes with the murder of her father.
F WIL	Each Little Bird that Sings (age 8-11) by Deborah Wiles friendship ... family ... illness/loss Comfort Snowberger is well acquainted with death since her family runs the funeral parlor in their small southern town, but even so the ten-year-old is unprepared for the series of heart-wrenching events that begins on the first day of Easter vacation with the sudden death of her beloved great-uncle Edisto.
F RUS	First Apple (age 8-11) by Ching Yeung Russell family ... historical A young girl living in a Chinese village in the 1940s tries to find a way to buy an apple, the fruit of rich people, to share with her grandmother.
F ROB	Don't Hurt Laurie! (age 8-11) by Willo Davis Roberts family Laurie's mother is hurting her. Can she escape? Will anyone believe her story?
F PAT	Flip-flop Girl (age 8-11) by Katherine Paterson family ... friendship ... illness/loss Uprooted following the death of their father, nine-year-old Vinnie and her five-year-old brother, Mason, cope in different ways--one in silence--but both with the help of Lupe, the flip-flop girl.
F JOH	The Spoon in the Bathroom Wall (age 8-11) by Tony Johnston humor ... family ... fantasy ... magic ... school Living in the Bloggins School boiler room isn't glamorous, but that's life for Martha Snapdragon, daughter of the beleaguered janitor. Life only gets weirder when Martha realizes bizarre events are afoot at the school. There's the dastardly dealings of evil principal Dr. Klunk and school bully Rufus. There's the dozen dancing eggs and the misbehaving dragons, property of the mysterious science teacher. And then there's the strangest thing of all: a giant golden spoon that simply appears one day, stuck in the wall of the school bathroom. Although everyone tries, only Martha is able to extract the spoon from the wall--an act that leads her to a destiny far beyond her meager life in the boiler room.
F JEN	Out Standing in My Field (age 8-11) by Patrick Jennings family ... friendship ... sports Ty has been named for baseball legend Ty Cobb, but the hero of Jennings' wonderful new novel isn't living up to his namesake's reputation when it comes to The Game. He loves baseball; he just isn't great at it, despite all the efforts of his coach and father, who himself once dreamed of playing in the majors. To complicate matters, Ty's younger sister Daisy is a baseball whiz (as well as the school genius). In this sharply witty, deeply poignant all-American novel, Ty has to figure out just who he's trying to please: his father, his teammates, or himself.
F WIL	Love, Ruby Lavender (age 8-11) by Deborah Wiles letters/journal ... illness/loss ... family When Ruby's grandmother, Miss Eula goes to visit her new grandbaby in Hawaii, Ruby is sure that she will have a lonely, empty, horrible summer without her in boring old Halleluia, Mississippi. What happens instead? She makes a new friend, saves the school play, writes plenty of letters to her favorite (and only) grandmother . . . and finally learns to stop blaming herself for her grandfather's death. Not too bad, for a nine-year-old.
F WRI	The Ghosts of Mercy Manor (age 8-11) by Betty Ren Wright family ... spooky Catalog: Gwen goes to stay with a foster family, and sees the ghost of a young girl who hides a terrible secret.
F HEN	Sun and Spoon (age 8-11) by Kevin Henkes family ... illness/loss It had been only two months since Spoon Gilmore's grandmother died, but already he was worried that he would forget her. That's why he needed something of Gram's - something special that had belonged to her, something to remember her by. Spoon wasn't quite sure what the something was, though he knew he would know it when he saw it. But Spoon's little sister, Joanie, did not leave him much time to look. She was always following him, demanding attention. Spoon didn't have the time he needed to think, or perhaps he wouldn't have done what he did.
F FLE	Mr. Mysterious and Company (age 8-11) by Sid Fleischman humor ... family ... voyages/journeys ... magic The adventures of a family of magicians traveling across the western deserts and plains in the 1880s.
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 BYA	The Summer of the Swans (age 8-11) by Betsy Cromer Byars growing up ... family A teen-age girl gains new insight into herself and her family when her mentally handicapped brother gets lost.
F AVI	The Barn (age 8-11) by Avi family ... historical In an effort to fulfill their dying father's last request, nine-year-old Ben and his brother and sister construct a barn on their land in the Oregon Territory.
F KEL	Lucy Rose Series (age 8-11) by Katy Kelly growing up ... friendship ... family ... school ... letters/journal Here's the thing about Lucy Rose: she has an extremely interesting take on life, and has an extremely lot to do to keep things together. This series is a good friend to have. title: Lucy Rose: Here's the Thing About Me title: Lucy Rose: Big on Plans title: Lucy Rose: Working Myself to Pieces and Bits
F CHE	Shanghai Messenger (age 8-11) by Andrea Cheng identity ... voyages/journeys ... family ... poetry A free-verse novel about eleven-year-old Xiao Mei's visit with her extended family in China, where the Chinese-American girl finds many differences but also the similarities that bind a family together.
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! title: See You Around, Sam! title: Zooman Sam
F UCH	A Jar of Dreams (age 8-11) by Yoshiko Uchida bigotry ... identity ... historical ... family Eleven-year-old Rinko grows up in a closely-knit Japanese American family in Northern California during the Depression, a time of great prejudice.
F TES	Some Kind of Pride (age 8-11) by Maria Testa identity ... family ... sports Eleven-year-old Ruth is the star shortstop in her small Maine town, and now a reporter is coming to interview her for Sports Illustrated magazine. She's at the top of her game. Then she overhears her father in the crowd: ``Real major-league talent. But I can't help thinking what a shame it is that it's all wasted on a girl.'' Suddenly Ruth is doubting herself, her dream, and the game she loves. In search of answers, she looks to those closest to her: her best friend, Ellie, a self-proclaimed feminist; her father, a famous sportswriter; and her mother, a firefighter hero, who died eight years ago. But Ruth knows the truth lies within herself.
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 PEN	Dumbstruck (age 8-11) by Sara Pennypacker adventure ... family ... humor When ten-year-old Ivy's parents disappear on the darkest night of the year, she tries to find them with the help of an orphan and her eccentric Aunt Zilpa.
F PEC	The Teacher's Funeral: a Comedy in Three Parts (age 8-11) by Richard Peck family ... humor ... school In 1904 Indiana, 15-year-old Russell Culver is raring to leave his small town. But he has a particularly eventful season of school ahead of him, led by a teacher he never expected--his sister, Tansy.
F PAU	Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day (age 8-11) by Gary Paulsen survival ... humor ... family ... school Molly learns her wacky grandma was coming to spend the day at school with her. Now she's lost her notebook with everything that matters in it, including her homework; has a black eye; has torn her skirt. And it's only 9 a.m. Can things get any worse?
F KEN	Circle of Doom (age 8-11) by Tim Kennemore family ... humor ... magic One day, Lizzie Sharp decides to concoct a potion to cast a spell on her family's only neighbors, the unbearable, ancient Potwards. The very next day, Mrs. Potward breaks her hip and the couple disappear forever. It could be just a coincidence, but Lizzie is convinced of her own magical powers, and the temptation to involve both her younger brothers in her ambitious spellmaking plans is irresistible. As one potion leads to another, all three Sharp children become ridiculously entangled in a web of secrets, conspiracies, and misunderstandings.
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 HUR	Faraway Summer (age 8-11) by Johanna Hurwitz identity ... friendship ... letters/journal ... family In the summer of 1910, Dossi is surprised and terrified to discover that her sister is sending her to a Vermont farm on a charity-sponsored vacation. The landscape and the people of Vermont are very different from her urban Jewish tenement, but Dossi is enchanted by the big blue sky and the peaceful countryside. She longs to make the daughter of her Christian host family her friend, and she fills a journal with her thoughts, fears, and impressions of a universe very different from her own. And soon Dossi begins to realize that, sometimes, worlds apart are not so far away from each other after all.
F HEN	Words of Stone (age 8-11) by Kevin Henkes illness/loss ... friendship ... family Blaze Werla is having a routine summer. He spends his days alone, wandering around the hill next door, and his nights awake, avoiding the dreams that haunt him. Then a message appears on the side of the hill and Blaze's predictable summer suddenly takes a turn toward the mysterious. By the time he meets outgoing Joselle Stark, Blaze finds himself in entirely new territory, where the unexpected seems almost normal.
F CRE	Ruby Holler (age 8-11) by Sharon Creech voyages/journeys ... family Dallas and Florida have been dubbed the ``trouble twins.'' They have been shuffled between foster families and orphanages all their lives, longing only for a loving place to call home, though mistrustful that one exists for the likes of them. Tiller and Sairy are an eccentric, older couple whose children are grown and long gone, and they're each restless for one more big adventure while their bodies are still spry enough to paddle a river or climb a mountain. Ruby Holler is the beautiful, mysterious place that changes all of their lives forever.
F GIF	Pictures of Hollis Woods (age 8-11) by Patricia Reilly Giff the arts ... friendship ... family 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.
F WIL	Little House on the Prairie Series (age 8-11) by Laura Ingalls Wilder family ... historical A family travels from the big woods of Wisconsin to a new home on the prairie, where they build a new life, hewn from the rough prairie and supported by their hopes, dreams, and heart. title: Little House on the Prairie title: Little House in the Big Woods title: By the Shores of Silver Lake title: Farmer Boy title: On the Banks of Plum Creek title: The First Four Years title: The Long Winter title: Little Town on the Prairie title: These Happy Golden Years
F PFE	Portraits of Little Women Series (age 8-11) by Susan Beth Pfeffer family ... friendship ... historical Based on Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, this charming series shares stories of friendship and sisterhood. title: Portraits of Little Women. A Gift for Beth title: Portraits of Little Women. A Gift for Jo
F MAC	Arthur, For the Very First Time (age 8-11) by Patricia MacLachlan family ... humor Arthur Rasby is ten years old and having the worst summer of his life. But when he goes to stay with his eccentric Great Aunt Elda and Great Uncle Wrisby on their farm, his world is turned upside down. Arthur's aunt and uncle do things his parents would never do, like singing to their pet pig, and speaking French to a pet chicken. Arthur soon realizes there's a whole world just waiting to be discovered.
F KLI	Letters From Camp (age 8-11) by Kate Klise mystery ... humor ... family ... letters/journal Sent to Camp Happy Harmony to learn how to get along with each other, pairs of brothers and sisters chronicle in letters home how they come to suspect the intentions of the singing family running the camp.
F EST	The Moffats (age 8-11) by Eleanor Estes humor ... family Meet the Moffats. There is Sylvie, the oldest, the cleverest, and-most days at least-the responsible one; Joey, who though only twelve is the man of the house...sometimes; Janey, who has a terrific upside-down way of looking at the world; and Rufus, who may be the littlest but always gets in the biggest trouble. sequel: The Middle Moffat sequel: Rufus M
F BLA	The Spiderwick Chronicles (age 8-11) by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi adventure ... family ... fantasy Publisher comments: The Grace kids (twins Jared and Simon and their older sister, Mallory) move into their great-aunt's creepy old mansion with their mother. Strange goings-on lead them to an old book filled with pictures of fanstastic creatures. It holds clues to recent odd events, and the key to an even bigger mystery: the disappearance of the children's great-uncle Arthur Spiderwick generations before... title: The Field Guide title: The Seeing Stone title: Lucinda's Secret title: The Ironwood Tree title: The Wrath of Mulgarath
F DIT	The Spiderwick Chronicles (age 8-11) by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black adventure ... family ... fantasy Publisher comments: The Grace kids (twins Jared and Simon and their older sister, Mallory) move into their great-aunt's creepy old mansion with their mother. Strange goings-on lead them to an old book filled with pictures of fanstastic creatures. It holds clues to recent odd events, and the key to an even bigger mystery: the disappearance of the children's great-uncle Arthur Spiderwick generations before... title: The Field Guide title: The Seeing Stone title: Lucinda's Secret title: The Ironwood Tree title: The Wrath of Mulgarath title: The Nixies Song title: Care and Feeding of Sprites title: Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You
F DIC	Because of Winn-Dixie (age 8-11) by Kate Dicamillo growing up ... family ... friendship ... animals Publisher comments: Opal spends all one sweet summer collecting stories about her new friends and thinking about her mother. But because of her dog, Winn-Dixie, or perhaps because she has grown, Opal learns to let go, just a little, and that friendship and forgiveness can sneak up on you like a sudden summer storm.
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: Forever Amber Brown title: I, Amber Brown title: You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber Brown
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

Juana Briones Elementary School, Sat Aug 25 11:55:27 2012 Other themes and genres