F
AVI
The End of the Beginning, Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant) (age 8-11)
by Avi
adventure ... voyages/journeys ... authorship
Avon the snail has never had an adventure. And adventure, he has heard, is the key to a happy life. So with his new friend Edward the ant, Avon sets out on a journey to find the excitement his life has been missing.
F
GRE
Give Us a Great Big Smile, Rosy Cole (age 8-11)
by Sheila Greenwald
humor ... the arts ... authorship
Uncle Ralph's books about Rosy's two older sisters, a dancer and an equestrian, made them famous. Now it is untalented, 10-year-old Rosy's turn, and when Uncle Ralph gets out his camera determined to make Rosy and her violin his next book, Rosy's troubles begin.
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
CLE
Lunch Money (age 8-11)
by Andrew Clements
humor ... friendship ... authorship ... school ... enterprise
Catalog: Twelve-year-old Greg, who has always been good at moneymaking projects, is surprised to find himself teaming up with his lifelong rival, Maura, to create a series of comic books to sell at school.
F
CRE
Love That Dog (age 8-11)
by Sharon Creech
illness/loss ... animals ... authorship ... school ... poetry
Jack hate poetry. Only girls write it and every time he tries to, his brain feels empty. But his teacher, Ms. Stretchberry, won't stop giving her class poetry assignments, and Jack can't avoid them. But then something amazing happens. The more he writes, the more he learns he does have something to say.
sequel: Hate That Cat
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?
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.

LM Nixon Elementary School, Sat Aug 25 11:55:32 2012
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