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
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
SEI
The Wainscott Weasel (age 8-11)
by Tor Seidler
nature ... friendship
All sorts of creatures live near the Wainscott woods on the South Fork of Long Island, but the most remarkable citizens of this seaside community are the weasels, including Zeke Whitebelly and his boisterous brothers, Bagley Brown, Jr., and Wendy Blackish. This whimsical story about nature and friendship is beautifully illustrated.
F
HEN
Mustang: Wild Spirit of the West (age 8-11)
by Marguerite Henry
historical ... animals ... nature
A fictional retelling, from the point of view of Annie Bronn Johnston, of how she fought to protect the American wild horse, the mustang, from extinction because of professional killers who chased the horses for personal gain.
F
HIL
Toughboy and Sister (age 8-11)
by Kirkpatrick Hill
nature ... adventure ... survival
The death of their father strands ten-year-old Toughboy and his younger sister at a remote fishing cabin on the Yukon River near Ruby, Alaska, where they spend a summer trying to cope with dwindling food supplies and hostile wildlife.
sequel: Winter Camp
F
GEO
Who Really Killed Cock Robin? (age 8-11)
by Jean Craighead George
nature ... mystery
Citizens of Saddleboro are proud to say that theirs is the cleanest town around. So they can't ignore the mysterious death of their mascot, Cock Robin. Some people would like to blame the citizens themselves, but one boy, Tony Isidoro, suspects there's more to the story.
F
GLE
Toad Heaven (age 8-11)
by Morris Gleitzman
humor ... nature ... adventure
Limpy is on a quest to find toad heaven. A place where cane toads won't be blown up with bike pumps or bashed over the head with folding chairs. Limpy's determined to find this place if it takes him the rest of his life, but his plans are waylaid when he's kidnapped by some sinister-looking humans and tossed into a bucket. Will Limpy be able to save cane toads? Will he be able to find toad heaven? First he has to get out of the bucket . . . in this hysterically funny sequel to Toad Rage.
sequel: Toad Away
F
GLE
Toad Rage (age 8-11)
by Morris Gleitzman
humor ... nature ... adventure
Limpy's family reckons humans don't hate cane toads, but Limpy knows otherwise. He's spotted the signs: the cross looks, the unkind comments, the way they squash cane toads with their cars. Limpy is desperate to save his species from ending up as pancakes. Somehow he must make humans see how fabulous cane toads really are. Risking everything, he sets off on a wart-tinglingly dangerous and daring journey to . . . the Olympics?
F
SPI
Wringer (age 8-11)
by Jerry Spinelli
identity ... friendship ... nature ... growing up
For as long as he can remember, Palmer LaRue has dreaded the day he turns ten, the day he'll take his place beside all the other ten-year-old boys in town, the day he'll be a wringer. But Palmer doesn't want to be a wringer. It's one of the first things he learned about himself and it's one of the biggest things he has to hide.
F
MOR
Kavik the Wolf Dog (age 8-11)
by Walt Morey
friendship ... nature ... survival ... adventure ... animals
Following instinct alone, a wolf-dog embarks on a fantastic journey over 2000 miles from Washington to Alaska to return to the boy who once saved his life.
F
LAW
Rabbit Hill (age 8-11)
by Robert Lawson
friendship ... nature
When humans move to the hill, the families already in residence worry about whether they will be good neighbors or not.

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