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ROB
Wendy and the Bullies (age 8-11)
by Nancy Robinson
friendship ... school ... humor
Publisher comments: Wendy and Karen are so afraid of bullies that they have a Bully Log which charts bullies' descriptions and behavior patterns, a Bully Map which shows where the bullies hang out, and a Strategic War Room where they dream up fanciful plans to rid themselves of bullies forever.
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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.
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VAN
Smart Dog (age 8-11)
by Vivian Vande Velde
brilliant protagonist ... friendship ... school ... animals
Fifth grader Amy Prochenko is wildly unpopular. Then one day Amy meets Sherlock, a dog on the run from a university lab. Sherlock is not like other dogs: He can talk, he's smarter than most of Amy's classmates--and he needs Amy's help. Suddenly Amy's life is full of danger and excitement, and she finds she is becoming, of all things, popular. Best of all, she discovers in Sherlock the sort of friend she's always longed for--and one she must protect no matter what the cost.
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ASC
Pearl's Promise (age 8-11)
by Frank Asch
friendship ... adventure ... mystery
With her brother in the clutches of a python in a pet shop, Pearl, a mouse, goes through hair-raising adventures to rescue him.
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CLE
Extra Credit (age 8-11)
by Andrew Clements
school ... friendship ... identity
Publisher comments: It isn't that Abby Carson can't do her schoolwork. She just doesn't like doing it. And consequently, Abby will have to repeat sixth grade, unless she meets some specific conditions, including taking on an extra credit project: find a pen pal in a distant country. But when Abby's first letter arrives at a small school in Afghanistan, complications arise. The elders agree that any letters going back to America must be written well, but the only qualified English-speaking student is a boy. And in this village, it's not proper for a boy to correspond with a girl. So, Sadeed's sister will dictate and sign the letters for him. But what about the villagers who believe that girls should not be anywhere near a school? And what about those who believe that any contact with Americans is...unhealthy? As letters flow back and forth between the prairies of Illinois and the mountains of central Asia, across cultural and religious divides, through the minefields of different lifestyles and traditions, a small group of children begin to speak and listen to each other. And in just a few short weeks, they make important discoveries about their communities, about their world, and most of all, about themselves.
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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
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LOO
Alvin Ho Series (age 8-11)
by Lenore Look
friendship ... growing up ... school
Publisher comments: Alvin Ho is an Asian American second grader who is afraid of everything--elevators, tunnels, girls, and, most of all, school. He's so afraid of school that, while he's there, he never, ever, says a word. But at home he's a very loud superhero named Firecracker Man, a brother to Calvin and Anibelly, and a gentleman-in-training, so he can be just like his dad.
title: Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things
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MAS
Princess School Series (age 8-11)
by Jane B. Mason
princesses ... friendship ... school ... fantasy ... humor
Publisher comments: With her feet bare (those glass slippers don't fit) and her second-hand gown splattered with mud (thanks, evil stepsisters), Ella's first day of Princess School is off to a lousy start. If she can only find her fairy godmother before the first class begins, Ella is sure she'll put things right. But her FG is off at a convention and Ella is on her own--she'll have to get through the first weeks of Princess School without any bobbity-boo. Ella is terrified--until she meets silly Snow, spunky Rapunzel, and beautiful, sheltered Rose. She begins to realize that with these friends, Princess School could be a LOT of fun.
title: If the Shoe Fits
title: Let Down Your Hair
title: Apple-y Ever After
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GIF
Have You Seen Hyacinth Macaw (age 8-11)
by Patricia Reilly Giff
humor ... friendship ... mystery
Abby and her friend Potsie work on several mysteries: a mysterious new neighbor, a missing person, a theft, and the unusual actions of Abby's brother.
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KIN
The Merman (age 8-11)
by Dick King-Smith
friendship ... fantasy
While vacationing in Scotland, Zeta meets a rather unusual fellow. He's a terrific swimmer. He chats with seals. And he has a fish tail. Marinus is a merman, definitely not your average summer friend. Who else could teach Zeta everything from swimming to astronomy to French? Everything's an adventure when Marinus is around, and as the summer ends, Zeta knows she'll miss her new friend terribly. Luckily, Marinus has one last surprise in store for her, one that will last a lifetime.
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ROB
Veronica Meets Her Match (age 8-11)
by Nancy Robinson
school ... friendship
Veronica's fervent attempts to gain peer acceptance continue as she claims the new girl as her own special friend.
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ROB
Veronica the Show-off (age 8-11)
by Nancy Robinson
school ... friendship
Although lonely and desperately in need of friends, Veronica overwhelms her new classmates with her outrageous behavior in a bid for attention.
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BRO
Tangles (age 8-11)
by Errol Broome
growing up ... friendship
When she takes money from her neighbor's wallet in order to buy a kitten, Sophie finds that she cannot live with the guilt.
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HAL
Megan's Mare (age 8-11)
by Lynn Hall
friendship ... animals
Eleven-year-old Megan, daughter of a Yorkshire horse trainer, finding she has a special bond with the beautiful problem mare Berry, determines to help her overcome her fear of wooden bridges.
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NAY
Eddie, Incorporated (age 8-11)
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
friendship ... enterprise
Twelve-year-old Eddie decides to go into business for himself with two friends and soon discovers that a business is not a simple thing.
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EIS
The Lexie Series (age 8-11)
by Lisa Eisenberg
friendship ... humor
Whether she's figuring out what to do for the girl scout talent show or planning a birthday party, Lexie is a fourth grader dealing with all the problems and fascinations of everyday life.
title: Leave it to Lexie
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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.
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TAC
Misadventures of Millicent Madding Series (age 8-11)
by Brian Tacang
math/science/technology ... friendship ... humor
As an inventor, Millicent knows this formula by heart. But a series of failures, like the Ever-Juicy Gum Enhancer Pellet (a bit too juicy) and the Retractable Ponytail Holder (a hairy mess), have left her a few beakers short on faith. Even Millicent's best friends in The Wunderkind Club are ready to give up on her inventions. Bully-Be-Gone, her latest creation, should be the breakthrough Millicent needs. After all, her formula for thwarting the enemies of overachievers everywhere is foolproof. Almostfoolproof. Before long, Millicent has a disaster of monumental proportions on her hands. With only days to concoct an antidote, her friendships, and her future as an inventor, hang in the balance.
title: Bully-Be-Gone
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MAR
The Jade Dragon (age 8-11)
by Carolyn Marsden
identity ... friendship
A Chinese-American girl longs for friendship with a classmate adopted from China in this subtle, insightful middle-grade novel. Ginny is sure the new girl in her second-grade class will be her best friend. After all, Stephanie is Chinese, just like Ginny. But Ginny soon discovers some puzzling things about Stephanie: she doesn't like Chinese food, she hates her straight black hair, and even more surprisingly, her parents are not Chinese. At Ginny's house, MaMa cooks delicious Chinese dishes as the family prepares for their big holiday party and Stephanie spies Ginny's most prized possession, a hand-carved jade dragon, and asks to take it home. Much as Ginny yearns for a best friend, is it worth the risk of losing her special keepsake and angering MaMa? Drawing on Virginia Loh's real life story, the authors poignantly capture Ginny's dilemma as she navigates with difficulty between her culture and her friendship.
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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
title: Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep
title: Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist
title: Emily Windsnap and the Siren's Secret
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JON
Emmy and the Home for Troubled Girls (age 8-11)
by Lynne Jonell
adventure ... fantasy ... friendship ... humor
Publisher comments: Emmy Addison is an ordinary girl...almost. If you don't count the fact that her parents are rich (very), her best friend is a boy (and a soccer star), and she can talk to rodents (and they talk back), she's very ordinary indeed. But she hasn't been that way for long. It was only a few weeks ago that Emmy and her friends Ratty and Joe got rid of the evil Miss Barmy, the nanny who had nearly ruined Emmy's life, and the lives of five other girls who went missing. Miss Barmy is now a rat. How much harm can she do?
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JON
Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat (age 8-11)
by Lynne Jonell
adventure ... fantasy ... friendship ... humor
Publisher comments: Emmy was a good girl. At least she tried very hard to be good. She did her homework without being told. She ate all her vegetables, even the slimy ones. And she never talked back to her nanny, Miss Barmy, although it was almost impossible to keep quiet, some days. She really was a little too good. Which is why she liked to sit by the Rat. The Rat was not good at all . . . Hilarious, inventive, and irresistably rodent-friendly, this is a fantastic first novel from acclaimed picture book author Lynne Jonell.
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JON
Champ (age 8-11)
by Marcia Thornton Jones
friendship ... animals ... sports
Riley is awful at sports. He wants to quit the baseball team, but his dad won't let him give up. So when one bad swing brings a three-legged dog into his life, Riley feels like he's been thrown a curveball. How can he take care of a dog and make his dad proud? Champ is a former champion show dog. But when the accident that leaves him with Riley also leaves him with three legs, this dog has to learn some new tricks. Can Champ show Riley that winning doesn't always mean coming in first? Together, Riley and Champ make a great team, but not everyone thinks so. Could they be separated?
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DOW
From the Highly Scientific Notebooks of Phineas L. Macguire (age 8-11)
by Frances O'Roark Dowell
humor ... friendship ... math/science/technology
Here's what you need to know about Phineas L. MacGuire, boy-scientist extraordinaire, aka Mac: 1. He's allergic to purple, telephone calls, and girls, and can prove it. 2. He's probably the world's expert on mold, including which has the highest stink potential. 3. He does not have a best friend. He does, however, have an un-best friend, who he does not ... repeat, not ... want to upgrade to best friend status. But disaster strikes when his teacher pairs Mac and his un-best friend together for the upcoming science fair. Worse, this un-best friend wants the project to be on dinosaurs, which is so third grade. Worse still, it seems as though everyone else in his class finds the un-best friend as unlikeable as Mac does. But, being a boy-scientist, once Mac notices this, he just might have to do some investigating....
title: Phineas L. Macguire -- Erupts! The First Experiment
title: Phineas L. Macguire Gets Slimed
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CAR
Sarah and the Naked Truth (age 8-11)
by Elisa Lynn Carbone
identity ... friendship
While ten-year-old Sarah faces some challenges after losing most of her hair in a bubble gum accident, her closest friends Christina and Olivia deal with identity issues of their own, and in the end all learn to stand up to others in order to be true to themselves.
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BYA
The Cybil War (age 8-11)
by Betsy Cromer Byars
friendship ... humor
Simon learns some hard lessons about good and bad friendships when his good friend Tony's stories involve him in some very troublesome and complicated situations.
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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.
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TOL
Darci and the Dance Contest (age 8-11)
by Martha Tolles
school ... friendship
Anxious to make friends in her new school, sixth-grader Darci finds herself drawn into an uneasy relationship with the capricious Lisa and her circle of friends.
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YOL
The Mermaid's Three Wisdoms (age 8-11)
by Jane Yolen
friendship
A mermaid who cannot speak is banished from her undersea home and sent to live on land as a human where she is found by a 12-year-old girl with a hearing impairment.
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KRE
The Wilder Summer (age 8-11)
by Stephen Krensky
school ... friendship
Charlie Wilder is unenthusiastic about summer camp until he sets eyes on Lydia Travers, but getting to know Lydia turns out to be far more complicated than he had ever anticipated.
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LOV
The Betsy-Tacy Series (age 8-11)
by Maud Hart Lovelace
adventure ... friendship
After Betsy Ray moves into the house across the street from Tacy Kelly, the girls become inseparable livelong friends.
title: Betsy-Tacy
title: Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill
title: Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown
title: Betsy in Spite of Herself
title: Betsy was a Junior
title: Heaven to Betsy
title: Betsy's Wedding
title: Betsy and the Great World
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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.
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KIN
Martin's Mice (age 8-11)
by Dick King-Smith
friendship ... humor
A farm cat who doesn't want to catch mice keeps a family of them as pets in the barn; but then he is given away to a townswoman and acquires a new perspective.
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KIN
Harriet's Hare (age 8-11)
by Dick King-Smith
friendship ... science fiction
A young girl's life with her father on their farm in England is changed when she befriends a talking hare that is really a shape-changing alien.
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GIL
Thirteen Ways to Sink a Sub (age 8-11)
by Jamie Gilson
friendship ... school
The boys and girls in the fourth grade devise a contest to "sink their substitute teacher by making her cry.
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GIL
Sticks and Stones and Skeleton Bones (age 8-11)
by Jamie Gilson
friendship ... school
Hobie, whose fifth grade class is meeting in a shopping mall because the school was devastated by a flood, has a disagreement with his best friend Nick that escalates into a big fight as the day continues.
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GIL
Hello, My Name Is Scrambled Eggs (age 8-11)
by Jamie Gilson
friendship ... identity
When his folks host a Vietnamese family that has come to settle in their town, Harvey enjoys Americanizing twelve-year-old Tuan.
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FLE
Bandit's Moon (age 8-11)
by Sid Fleischman
bigotry ... friendship ... adventure ... historical
Newly orphaned, young Annyrose escapes from the villainous O.O. Mary and falls under the protection of a proud and fearless Mexican bandit, regarded as the Robin Hood of the California Gold Rush. Annyrose wants only to search for her older brother who had run off to the gold diggings, but she finds herself galloping beside the celebrated outlaw in his own quest. He is hunting down the last of a band of "Yankee" riffraff who wronged him, an event that turned the innocent young Mexican into an avenging terror of the roads.
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DEF
The Light on Hogback Hill (age 8-11)
by Cynthia DeFelice
friendship ... mystery
When she investigates the mysterious light up on Hogback Hill, eleven-year-old Hadley finds and befriends a hunchbacked old woman with a tragic past.
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HUR
Aldo Applesauce (age 8-11)
by Johanna Hurwitz
identity ... friendship
When he and his family move to the suburbs, shy Aldo has difficulty finding new friends, but he soon finds his own way.
sequel: Aldo Ice Cream
sequel: Aldo Peanut Butter
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WIN
Hank Zipzer Series (age 8-11)
by Henry Winkler
school ... friendship ... humor
Life (and school) isn't easy for Hank, but he always finds a way out of the hilarious situations he finds himself in.
title: Niagara Falls, Or Does It?
title: I Got a D in Salami
title: Day of the Iguana
title: The Zippity Zinger
title: The Night I Flunked My Field Trip
title: Holy Enchilada!
title: Help! Somebody Get Me Out of Fourth Grade!
title: Summer School! What Genius Thought That Up?
title: My Dog's a Scaredy-Cat: a Halloween Tail
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CLE
Room One: a Mystery or Two (age 8-11)
by Andrew Clements
friendship ... mystery ... school
Catalog: A young boy living in rural western Nebraska investigates the connection between a mysterious face in the window of an empty house and the possible closing of the one-room school he attends.
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CLE
The Report Card (age 8-11)
by Andrew Clements
friendship ... brilliant protagonist ... school
catalog: Fifth-grader Nora Rowley has always hidden the fact that she is a genius from everyone because all she wants is to be normal, but when she comes up with a plan to prove that grades are not important, things begin to get out of control.
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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.
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DEC
Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade (age 8-11)
by Barthe DeClements
friendship ... school ... humor
It isn't easy to be the new kid, as the fifth graders soon discover.
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WIS
Christopher Mouse: the Tale of a Small Traveler (age 8-11)
by William Wise
adventure ... friendship ... animals
After being sold to an unscrupulous pet store owner, a young mouse lives with several owners and has many adventures, before ending up with an appreciative family.
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WIL
The Velveteen Rabbit: or, How Toys Become Real (age 8-11)
by Margery Williams
friendship ... magic
By the time the velveteen rabbit is dirty, worn out, and about to be burned, he has almost given up hope of ever finding the magic called Real.
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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.
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WHI
Charlotte's Web (age 8-11)
by E. B. White
friendship ... animals ... enterprise
Wilbur the pig is desolate when he discovers he is destined to be the farmer's Christmas dinner, until his spider friend Charlotte comes up with a plan to save him.
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WHI
The Trumpet of the Swan (age 8-11)
by E. B. White
friendship ... growing up ... the arts
A voiceless trumpeter swan named Louis, attempting to win the love of a beautiful swan named Serena, learns to play a trumpet stolen for him by his father, and then finds himself far from his wilderness home when he sets out to become a trumpeter and pay his father back.
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RYL
Gooseberry Park (age 8-11)
by Cynthia Rylant
friendship ... humor
When a storm separates Stumpy the squirrel from her newborn babies, her animal friends come to the rescue.
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SPI
Fourth Grade Rats (age 8-11)
by Jerry Spinelli
school ... humor ... realistic ... friendship
Suds faces the transition to fourth grade with a bit of uncertainty, but soon finds that he has what it takes in this funny and touching school story.
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DIC
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (age 8-11)
by Kate Dicamillo
adventure ... friendship ... voyages/journeys
Someone will come for you, but first you must open your heart. Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who treated him with the utmost care and adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost. Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the top of a garbage heap to the fireside of a hoboes' camp, from the bedside of an ailing child to the bustling streets of Memphis. And along the way, we are shown a true miracle, that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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BIR
The Penderwicks Series (age 8-11)
by Jeanne Birdsall
friendship ... adventure
This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel's sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel's owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures. The icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is not as pleased with the Penderwicks as Jeffrey is, though, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. One thing's for sure: it will be a summer the Penderwicks will never forget.
title: The Penderwicks: a Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
title: The Penderwicks on Gardam Street
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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.
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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.
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KVA
One Lucky Summer (age 8-11)
by Laura McGee Kvasnosky
realistic ... friendship ... sports
Moving from Santa Cruz, California, to Sacramento, Steven, a ten-year-old baseball player, spends the summer trying to make friends with his next-door neighbor, ballet-loving Lucinda. Will this unlikely pair find common ground? The outcome will surprise them both.
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GIF
Lily's Crossing (age 8-11)
by Patricia Reilly Giff
war ... illness/loss ... friendship ... historical
Every summer Lily and her father go to her family's house in Rockaway, near the Atlantic Ocean. But the summer of 1944 is different. World War II has called Lily's father overseas, Lily's best friend Margaret had to move with her family to a wartime factory town, and Lily is forced to live with her grandmother. But then a boy named Albert, a refugee from Hungary, comes to live in Rockaway. He has lost most of his family to the war. Soon he and Lily form a special friendship, and they have secrets to share. But they have both told lies, and Lily's lie may cost Albert his life.
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COV
Magic Shop Series (age 8-11)
by Bruce Coville
fantasy ... friendship ... magic ... humor
Problems of the real world are nothing compared to the problems stirred up in Mr. Elives' Magic Shop, where young customers leave with more than they bargained for.
title: Jennifer Murdley's Toad
title: The Skull of Truth
title: Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
title: The Monster's Ring
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MAR
The Doll People (age 8-11)
by Ann Matthews Martin
friendship ... adventure ... fantasy
Annabelle Doll is eight years old; she has been for more than a hundred years. Not a lot has happened to her, cooped up in the dollhouse, with the same doll people, day after day, year after year...until one day the Funcrafts move in.
title: The Doll People
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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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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.
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SEL
The Cricket in Times Square Series (age 8-11)
by George Selden
friendship ... enterprise
The adventures of a country cricket who unintentionally arrives in New York and is befriended by Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat.
title: The Cricket in Times Square
title: Harry Cat's Pet Puppy
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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.
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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: A Gift for Amy
title: A Gift for Meg
title: Portraits of Little Women. A Gift for Beth
title: Portraits of Little Women. A Gift for Jo
title: Portraits of Little Women. Jo's Story
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MAZ
The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes Series (age 8-11)
by Anne Mazer
friendship ... school
This series follows the friendships and foibles of fifth-grader Abby Hayes.
title: The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword
title: The Declaration of Independence
title: Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
title: Everything New Under the Sun
title: Good Things Come in Small Packages
title: The More, the Merrier
title: Out of Sight, Out of Mind
title: Reach for the Stars
title: Some Things Never Change
title: Too Close for Comfort
title: Two Heads Are Better Than One
title: Look Before You Leap
title: Have Wheels, Will Travel
title: The Best is Yet to Come
title: Knowledge is Power
title: That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles
title: Now You See It, Now You Don't
title: It's Music To My Ears
title: Home is Where the Heart Is
title: All That Glitters Isn't Gold
F
MAR
The Baby-Sitters Little Sister Series (age 8-11)
by Ann Matthews Martin
friendship ... mystery
Members of the Babysitter's Club solve mysteries, repair friendships, and look after their young charges with care and determination.
title: Karen's Big Weekend
title: Karen's Doll Hospital
title: Karen's Kite
title: Karen's Lucky Penny
title: Karen's School Bus
title: Karen's Tuba
title: Karen's Twin
title: Karen's Two Families
title: Karen's Wedding
F
MAR
The Babysitters Club Series (age 8-11)
by Ann Matthews Martin
friendship ... mystery
Members of the Babysitter's Club solve mysteries, repair friendships, and look after their young charges with care and determination.
title: Mallory and the Ghost Cat
title: Jessi's Baby-Sitter
title: Mary Anne Saves the Day
title: Mary Anne's Bad-Luck Mystery
title: Stacey and the Mystery of Stoneybrook
title: Stacey's Mistake
title: Welcome Back, Stacey!
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 Not a Crayon
title: Amber Brown Sees Red
title: You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber Brown
F
DAH
The BFG (age 8-11)
by Roald Dahl
humor ... fantasy ... friendship
Publisher comments: When orphan Sophie is snatched from her bed by a Giant, she fears that he is going to eat her. But as he explains in his unique way of talking, "I is the only nice and jumbly Giant in Giant Country! I is THE BIG FRIENDLY GIANT! I is the BFG." The BFG tells Sophie how he mixes up dreams to blow through a trumpet into the ears of children.
F
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: Catch That Pass!
title: Catcher With a Glass Arm
title: Centerfield Ballhawk
title: Crackerjack Halfback
title: The Diamond Champs
title: Dirt Bike Racer
title: Dirt Bike Runaway
title: The Fox Steals Home
title: Glue Fingers
title: Ice Magic
title: The Kid Who Only Hit Homers
title: Man Out at First
title: No Arm in Left Field
title: Skateboard Tough
title: Soccer Halfback
title: The Spy on Third Base
title: Tough to Tackle
title: Wild Pitch
title: The Winning Stroke
title: Football Fugitive
F
MIL
Winnie-the-Pooh Series (age 8-11)
by A. A. Milne
friendship
Catalog: The adventures of Christopher Robin and his friends, in which Pooh Bear uses a balloon to get honey, Piglet meets a Heffalump, and Eeyore has a birthday.
title: The World of Pooh: the Complete Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner

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