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. |
LAI |
Inside Out and Back Again
(age 8-11) by Thanhha Lai historical ... identity ... war Publisher comments: No one would believe me but at times I would choose wartime in Saigon over peacetime in Alabama. For all the ten years of her life, Ha has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, the warmth of her friends close by, and the beauty of her very own papaya tree. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Ha and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Ha discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food, the strange shape of its landscape, and the strength of her very own family. This is the moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing as she journeys from one country to another, one life to the next. |
CLE |
Troublemaker
(age 8-11) by Andrew Clements identity ... humor ... school Publisher comments: There's a folder in Principal Kelling's office that's as thick as a phonebook and it's growing daily. It's filled with the incident reports of every time Clayton Hensley broke the rules. There's the minor stuff like running in the hallways and not being where he was suppose to be when he was supposed to be there. But then there are also reports that show Clay's own brand of troublemaking, like the most recent addition: the art teacher has said that the class should spend the period drawing anything they want and Clay decides to be extra "creative" and draw a spot-on portrait of Principal Kellings, as a donkey. It's a pretty funny joke, but really, Clay is coming to realize that the biggest joke of all may be on him. When his big brother, Mitchell, gets in some serious trouble, Clay decides to change his own mischief making ways, but he can't seem to shake his reputation as a troublemaker. |
MUR |
Pearl Versus the World
(age 8-11) by Sally Murphy growing up ... identity ... authorship Publisher comments: Pearl likes to write poems, but despite the insistence of her teacher, Ms. Bruff, Pearl's poems don't rhyme, and neither does she. She wishes she could grow gills so she could stay underwater in swim class without drowning. And she hasn't a clue why perfect Prudence bumps her desk and sends her pencils flying. Pearl thinks there's no nicer sound than the bell at the end of the day, even though back at home, Granny, always a crucial part of their family of three, sometimes doesn't recognize Pearl, and Mom is tired from providing constant care. In a lyrical novel told with clear-eyed sympathy, humor, and heart, Sally Murphy follows a girl who holds fast to her individuality even as she learns to let go-- and in daring to share her voice, discovers that maybe she's not a group of one after all. |
KES |
Philippa Fisher Series (age 8-11) by Liz Kessler humor ... identity ... fantasy Publisher comments: Philippa Fisher would like nothing more than to summon a fairy. Still, she is taken aback when Daisy, the new girl at school, announces that she is Philippa's fairy godmother — or godsister, since they're both the same age. Though the fairy is none too pleased with her mission, she is obliged to see it through and grant her human charge the customary three wishes. Now, if only Philippa would wish for something that makes her life better, not worse! With warmth and whimsy, the creator of Emily Windsnap whisks a traditional theme into a contemporary setting to tell a story of friendship, luck, and how we decide what we really want. title: Philippa Fisher's Fairy Godsister title: Philippa Fisher and the Fairy's Promise title: Philippa Fisher and the Dreammaker's Daughter |
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. |
MAR |
Stage Fright
(age 8-11) by Ann M. Martin identity ... school ... the arts Catalog: Shy Sara panics when her fourth-grade teacher announces that her class is to perform a play before the entire school, but eventually learns that stage fright can sometimes be healthy. |
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. |
PET |
The Sub
(age 8-11) by P. J. Petersen humor ... identity ... school Catalog: Two friends switch seats when their class has a substitute teacher and find that it isn't so easy to be someone else. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
COS |
Fire Mate
(age 8-11) by Olga Cossi friendship ... identity ... historical ... animals An Indian girl develops a special relationship with the St. Bernard puppy she finds abandoned by dognappers in the forest. The two are inseparable until the dog's owners show up to claim him. |
ARO |
Romeo and Juliet
(age 8-11) by Billy Aronson identity ... family A retelling of Shakespeare's most romantic tragedy. |
ARN |
Golden and Grey: an Unremarkable Boy and a Rather Remarkable Ghost
(age 8-11) by Louise Arnold humor ... identity ... friendship ... school When a downhearted ghost becomes the "invisible friend" of an eleven-year-old boy who is an outcast in his new school, the two help each other find their place in their respective worlds. sequel: Golden and Grey, the Nightmares that Ghosts Have |
ALE |
The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man
(age 8-11) by Lloyd Alexander identity ... magic When he begins dealing with humanity, Lionel the cat begins to understand why his wizard master was reluctant to change him into a man. |
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. |
BAR |
Tree Girl
(age 8-11) by T. A. Barron survival ... identity ... spooky ... fantasy Nine-year-old Anna lives by the sea with a grumpy old fisherman. She yearns to discover the truth about her past. If only she could get to the far side of the forest where she was found as a baby. However, she's been told the forest is haunted by tree ghouls--the same ghouls that probably killed her mother. |
FER |
Born to Fly
(age 8-11) by Michael Ferrari adventure ... identity ... historical Publisher comments: Born to Fly tells the story of eleven-year-old tomboy Bird McGill. Ever since she can remember, Bird has loved flying in small propeller airplanes with her mechanic dad. When the local airstrip is turned into a military flight school, Bird is in heaven. But when a young Japanese American student named Kenji Fujita joins Birds class, the entire school seems to be convinced that hes a spy, or at the very least, that he and his uncle want the Japanese to win. Bird is wary of Kenji, not just because hes Japanese, but because he steals her flight-related topic for a school report and leaves her to write about the deadly boring local marsh weed. But on Birds first trip to the marsh, she and Kenji accidentally discover real spy activity in the area. Bird realizes that Kenji is actually a stand-up guy and she and Kenji begin an adventure that will shake the town and may even change the future of the United States. |
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. |
ALV |
Return to Sender
(age 8-11) by Julia Alvarez identity ... friendship Publisher comments: After Tyler's father is injured in a tractor accident, his family is forced to hire migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure. Tyler isnt sure what to make of these workers. Are they undocumented? And what about the three daughters, particularly Mari, the oldest, who is proud of her Mexican heritage but also increasingly connected her American life. Her family lives in constant fear of being discovered by the authorities and sent back to the poverty they left behind in Mexico. Can Tyler and Mari find a way to be friends despite their differences? In a novel full of hope, but no easy answers, Julia Alvarez weaves a beautiful and timely story that will stay with readers long after they finish it. |
CLE |
Lost and Found
(age 8-11) by Andrew Clements humor ... identity ... school Publisher comments: Although it's a drag to be constantly mistaken for each other, in truth, during those first days at a new school, there's nothing better than having a twin brother there with you. But on day one of sixth grade, Ray stays home sick, and Jay is on his own. No big deal. It's a pretty nice school, good kids, too. But Jay quickly discovers a major mistake: No one seems to know a thing about his brother. Ray's not on the attendance lists, doesn't have a locker, doesn't even have a student folder. Jay almost tells the school (almost) but then decides that this lost information could be very...useful. And fun. As Ray and Jay exploit a clerical oversight, they each find new views on friendship, honesty, what it means to be a twin, and what it means to be yourself. Entertaining, thought-provoking, and true-to-life, this clever novel is classic Andrew Clements times two: twins! |
GRA |
The Thing About Georgie: A Novel
(age 8-11) by Lisa Graff realistic ... humor ... identity ... school ... friendship Publisher comments: The thing about poodles is that Georgie Bishop hates to walk them. The thing about Jeanie the Meanie is that she would rather write on her shoe than help Georgie with their Abraham Lincoln project. The thing about Georgie's mom is that she's having a baby, a baby who will probably be taller than Georgie very, very soon. The thing about Georgie . . . well, what is the thing about Georgie? In this poignant story peppered with comedy, newcomer Lisa Graff creates an unforgettable character in nine-year-old Georgie Bishop, who struggles to grow up when he isn't getting any taller. |
DUF |
Hey, New Kid!
(age 8-11) by Betsy Duffey friendship ... identity ... school Cody's father is an F.B.I. agent, he's got a pet emu, and he's an ace on Rollerblades. At least, that's what Cody tells his class on the first day at his new school. Being Super Deluxe Cody is great, until someone throws a skating party. And suddenly, the game may be up! |
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. |
PRY |
Vinegar Pancakes and Vanishing Cream
(age 8-11) by Bonnie Pryor family ... identity ... school Surrounded by siblings who are either athletic, smart, or cute, Martin wonders who he is while enduring a wild camping trip, disasters in the kitchen, and other family escapades. |
WEA |
Barkbelly
(age 8-11) by Cat Weatherill fantasy ... adventure ... family ... identity One silver-starry night, a shiny, wooden egg falls from a flying machine high in the air . . . down, down, down through the midnight sky . . . down to the small village of Pumbleditch, where Barkbelly is born. Where he's the only wooden boy. And where he's the cause of a tragic accident. Suddenly, Barkbelly's only choice is to flee for his life--to run. As he tries to escape his haunting past, he faces extraordinary adventures and dangers. Every wooden step leads Barkbelly toward the dark and startling truth about where he comes from and the burning question of where he really belongs. sequel: Snowbone |
UMA |
Solomon Snow and the Stolen Jewel
(age 8-11) by Kaye Umansky identity ... adventure ... humor Solomon Snow and his stalwart friends return in a mock-Victorian extravaganza! In their second adventure, the intrepid trio becomes ensnared in a plot to steal a priceless ruby. But what do a stubborn donkey, a shady dwarf, and Mr. Skippy the rabbit have to do with it all? |
UMA |
Solomon Snow and the Silver Spoon
(age 8-11) by Kaye Umansky identity ... adventure ... humor Prepare, dear reader, for the tale of Solomon Snow, his bossy friend Prudence, and the insufferable Infant Prodigy as they set out in search of Solly's rightful inheritance, despite some woeful misadventures along the way. |
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. |
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. |
LIN |
Dumpling Days
(age 8-11) by Grace Lin realistic ... growing up ... humor ... identity Publisher comments: This summer, Pacy's family is going to Taiwan for an entire month to visit family and prepare for their grandmother's 60th birthday celebration. Pacy's parents have signed her up for a Chinese painting class, and at first she's excited. This is a new way to explore her art talent! But everything about the trip is harder than she thought it would be--she looks like everyone else but can't speak the language, she has trouble following the art teacher's instructions, and it's difficult to make friends in her class. At least the dumplings are delicious. As the month passes by, Pacy eats chicken feet (by accident!), gets blessed by a fortune teller, searches for her true identity, and grows closer to those who matter most. |
LIN |
The Year of the Dog
(age 8-11) by Grace Lin realistic ... growing up ... humor ... identity This funny and profound novel tells the story of young Pacy who, as she celebrates the Chinese New Year with her family, discovers this is the year she is supposed to "find herself." sequel: The Year of the Rat |
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 |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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 |
KIN |
Three Terrible Trins
(age 8-11) by Dick King-Smith action ... identity Three mice brothers, ignoring the class system separating the four clans of rodents in their farmhouse, befriend a lower class mouse and form a team to fight cats. |
FRI |
Homesick, My Own Story
(age 8-11) by Jean Fritz identity ... historical This fictionalized autobiography tells the heartwarming story of a little girl growing up in an unfamiliar place. While other girls her age were enjoying their childhood in America, Jean Fritz was in China in the midst of political unrest. Jean Fritz tells her captivating story of the difficulties of living in a unfamiliar country at such a difficult time. |
MAC |
No More Nice
(age 8-11) by Amy MacDonald humor ... identity Eleven-year-old Simon has been raised to be extremely well-behaved, but when he goes to visit his unconventional great-aunt he discovers that not everyone has the same ideas about good manners. |
STR |
Skating Shoes
(age 8-11) by Noel Streatfeild friendship ... sports ... identity ... school ... the arts Publisher comments: It's a stroke of great luck when Harriet Johnsons doctor prescribes skating after an illness that has left her feeling frail and listless. For on her very first day at the rink, Harriet meets orphaned Lalla Moore, who is being brought up by her wealthy aunt Claudia to be a skating champion. Although they have little in common, the girls form a fast friendship. Harriet is energized by talented, funny Lalla, and Lalla in turn blossoms under the affection of openhearted Harriet. The girls skate together more and more. But just as Lallas interest in skating starts to fade, Harriets natural talent begins to emerge. Suddenly Lalla and Harriet seem headed in two very different directions. Can their friendship survive? |
STR |
Party Shoes
(age 8-11) by Noel Streatfeild identity ... school ... the arts Publisher comments: Set during and after the second World War, this classic novel tells the story of Selina, who has been sent to live with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in the country. When Selina receives a parcel from her godmother in America it causes much excitement among her and her cousins, and, to Selina's delight, the parcel contains a beautiful party dress and a pair of party shoes. But delight turns to dismay when she realizes that she may never have an occasion to wear such a wonderful outfit - until, that is, she and her cousins come up with an idea of organizing a pageant... |
STR |
Theatre Shoes
(age 8-11) by Noel Streatfeild identity ... school ... the arts Publisher comments: Three orphans are forced to enter a theater school by their grandmother, a famous actress. Unable to pay the tuition, they are given scholarships from the now-grown orphans from Ballet Shoes. Will they be able to live up to their patrons' legacies? The children are ready to run away until they discover their hidden talents. |
STR |
Ballet Shoes
(age 8-11) by Noel Streatfeild identity ... the arts Publisher comments: In this story, three orphan girls vow to make a name for themselves and find their own special talents. With hard work, fame just may be in the stars! |
STR |
Dancing Shoes
(age 8-11) by Noel Streatfeild identity ... the arts Publisher comments: Aunt Cora is determined to turn two orphans, perky Hilary and sullen Rachel, into members of her dance troupe. But Rachel wants to keep Hilary from being one of Wintle's Little Wonders ... is it selfishness or something else? Misunderstandings create a tale full of high drama. |
COL |
The Adventures of Pinocchio
(age 8-11) by Carlo Collodi identity ... adventure ... folklore Catalog: Pinocchio, a wooden puppet full of tricks and mischief, with a talent for getting into and out of trouble, wants more than anything else to become a real boy. |
BRA |
One-of-a-kind Mallie
(age 8-11) by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley war ... identity ... historical Living in Indiana during World War I, ten-year-old Mallie longs to be seen as different from her identical twin and finds an example of individuality in the gypsies who moved into her community. |
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. sequel: Magical Melons |
BAN |
A Prairie Year
(age 8-11) by Jo Bannatyne-Cugnet short stories ... identity ... growing up The year begins with hockey, icefishing, and a snowmobile race. Spring brings renewal: the arrival of piglets, baby chicks in the farm kitchen; and outside, the fields are seeded. In summer, there's a dinosaur park to be visited; a calf is groomed for the fair and wheat tested between grandfather's fingers. In fall, a farm auction becomes a party, trick-or-treating is done by pick-up truck, and Clydesdales are driven by teams competing at the world's great farm fair. The glorious year ends with the arrival of Santa on the main street at night in a pickup truck, while beyond in the dark is the infinite mystery of the prairies. |
My Name Is America Series (age 8-11) war ... identity ... letters/journal ... historical Each volume in the My Name is America series recounts an exciting slice of life from America's history, told in the voice of a boy living in that time and place. title: The Journal of Douglas Allen Deeds: Donner Party Expedition, 1846 by W. R. Philbrick F PHI title: The Journal of Otto Peltonenk: a Finnish Immigrant, Minnesota, 1905 by William Durbin F DUR title: The Journal of Biddy Owens: the Negro Leagues, Birmingham, Alabama, 1948 by Walter Dean Myers F MYE title: The Journal of Ben Uchida: Citizen 13559, Mirror Lake Internment Camp, California, 1942 by Barry Denenberg F DEN title: The Journal of Jedediah Barstow: an Emigrant on the Oregon Trail, Overland, 1845 by Ellen Levine F LEV title: The Journal of James Edmond Pease: a Civil War Union Soldier, Virginia, 1863 by Jim Murphy F MUR title: The Journal of Sean Sullivan: a Transcontinental Railroad Worker, Nebraska and Points West, 1867 by William Durbin F DUR title: The Journal of Augustus Pelletier: the Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804 by Kathryn Lasky F LAS title: The Journal of C. J. Jackson: a Dust Bowl Migrant, Oklahoma to California, 1935 by William Durbin F DUR title: The Journal of Jasper Jonathan Pierce: a Pilgrim Boy, Plymouth 1620 by Ann Rinaldi F RIN title: The Journal of Jesse Smoke: a Cherokee Boy, Trail of Tears, 1838 by Joseph Bruchac F BRU title: The Journal of Joshua Loper: a Black Cowboy, The Chisholm Trail, 1871 by Walter Dean Myers F MYE title: The Journal of Patrick Seamus Flaherty: United States Marine Corps, Khe Sanh, Vietnam, 1968 by Ellen Emerson White F WHI title: The Journal of William Thomas Emerson: a Revolutionary War Patriot, Boston, Massachusetts, 1774 by Barry Denenberg F DEN title: The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung: a Chinese Miner, California, 1852 by Laurence Yep F YEP title: The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: a World War II Soldier, Normandy, France, 1944 by Walter Dean Myers F MYE title: The Journal of Rufus Rowe: Witness to the Battle of Fredricksburg, Bowling Green Virginia, 1862 by Sid Hite F HIT title: The Journal of Brian Doyle: a Greenhorn on an Alaskan Whaling Ship, The Florence, 1874 by Jim Murphy F MUR title: The Journal of Douglas Allen Deeds: the Donner Party Expedition by Rodman Philbrick F PHI | |
Dear Canada Series (age 8-11) identity ... letters/journal ... historical Each volume in the Dear Canada series recounts an exciting slice of life from Canada's history, told in the voice of a girl living in that time and place. title: A Trail of Broken Dreams: the Gold Rush Diary of Harriet Palmer by Barbara Haworth-Attard F HAW | |
Dear America Series (age 8-11) war ... identity ... letters/journal ... historical Each volume in the Dear America series recounts an exciting slice of life from America's history, told in the voice of a girl living in that time and place. title: A Line in the Sand: the Alamo Diary of Lucinda Lawrence, Gonzales, Texas, 1835 by Sherry Garland F GAR title: A Coal Miner's Bride: the Diary of Annetka Kaminski, Lattimer, Pennsylvania, 1896 by Susan Campbell Bartoletti F BAR title: A Light in the Storm: the Civil War Diary of Amelia Martin, Fenwick Island, Delaware, 1861 by Karen Hesse F HES title: A Picture of Freedom: the Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl, Belmont Plantation, Virginia, 1859 by Patricia C. McKissack F MCK title: A Time for Courage: the Suffragette Diary of Kathleen Bowen, Washington, D.C., 1917 by Kathryn Lasky F LAS title: Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: the Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell, Booneville, Missouri, 1847 by Kristiana Gregory F GRE title: Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: the Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell, Booneville, Missoura, 1847 by Kristiana Gregory F GRE title: Color Me Dark: the Diary of Nellie Lee Love, the Great Migration North, Chicago, Illinois, 1919 by Patricia C. McKissack F MCK title: Early Sunday Morning: the Pearl Harbor Diary of Amber Billows, Hawaii, 1941 by Barry Denenberg F DEN title: My Heart is on the Ground: the Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl, Carlisle Indian School, Pennsylvania, 1880 by Ann Rinaldi F RIN title: Valley of the Moon: the Diary of Maria Rosalia de Milagros, Sonoma Valley, Alta California, 1846 by Sherry Garland F GAR title: All the Stars in the Sky: the Santa Fe Trail Diary of Florrie Mack Rider, The Santa Fe Trail, 1848 by Megan McDonald F MCD title: Christmas After All: the Great Depression Diary of Minnie Swift, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1932 by Kathryn Lasky F LAS title: Christmas After All: the Diary of Minnie Swift by Kathryn Lasky F LAS title: Seeds of Hope: the Gold Rush Diary of Susanna Fairchild, California Territory, 1849 by Kristiana Gregory F GRE title: Dreams in the Golden Country: the Diary of Zipporah Feldman, a Jewish Immigrant Girl, New York City, 1903 by Kathryn Lasky F LAS title: Hear My Sorrow: the Diary of Angela Denoto, a Shirtwaist Worker, New York City, 1909 by Deborah Hopkinson F HOP title: I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly: the Diary of Patsy, a Freed Girl, Mars Bluff, South Carolina, 1865 by Joyce Hansen F HAN title: I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly: the Diary of Patsy,a Freed Girl, Mars Bluff, South Carolina, 1865 by Joyce Hansen F HAN title: I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly: the Diary of Patsy,a Freed Girl by Joyce Hansen F HAN title: I Walk in Dread: the Diary of Deliverance Trembley, Witness to the Salem Witch Trials, Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1691 by Lisa Rowe Fraustino F FRA title: A Journey to the New World: the Diary of Remember Patience Whipple, Mayflower, Plimoth Colony, 1620 by Kathryn Lasky F LAS title: Land of the Buffalo Bones: the Diary of Mary Elizabeth Rodgers, an English Girl in Minnesota, New Yeovil, Minnesota, 1873 by Marion Dane Bauer F BAU title: Look to the Hills: the Diary of Lozette Moreau, a French Slave Girl, New York Colony, 1763 by Patricia C. McKissack F MCK title: Love Thy Neighbor: the Tory Diary of Prudence Emerson, Greenmarsh, Massachusetts, 1774 by Ann Turner F TUR title: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: the Diary of Bess Brennan, The Perkins School for the Blind, 1932 by Barry Denenberg F DEN title: My Face to the Wind: the Diary of Sarah Jane Price, a Prairie Teacher, Broken Bow, Nebraska, 1881 by Jim Murphy F MUR title: My Secret War: the World War II Diary of Madeline Beck, Long Island, New York, 1941 by Mary Pope Osborne F OSB title: One Eye Laughing, the Other Weeping: the Diary of Julie Weiss, Vienna, Austria to New York, 1938 by Barry Denenberg F DEN title: So Far from Home: the Diary of Mary Driscoll, an Irish Mill Girl, Lowell, Massachusetts, 1847 by Barry Denenberg F DEN title: Standing in the Light: the Captive Diary of Catherine Carey Logan, Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania, 1763 by Mary Pope Osborne F OSB title: Survival in the Storm: the Dust Bowl Diary of Grace Edwards, Dalhart, Texas, 1935 by Katelan Janke F JAN title: The Girl Who Chased Away Sorrow: the Diary of Sarah Nita, a Navajo Girl, New Mexico, 1864 by Ann Turner F TUR title: The Great Railroad Race: the Diary of Libby West, Utah Territory, 1868 by Kristiana Gregory F GRE title: Voyage on the Great Titanic: the Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, R.M.S. Titanic, 1912 by Ellen Emerson White F WHI title: When Christmas Comes Again: the World War I Diary of Simone Spencer, New York City to the Western Front, 1917 by Beth Seidel Levine F LEV title: When Will This Cruel War Be Over?: the Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson, Gordonsville, Virginia, 1864 by Barry Denenberg F DEN title: Where Have All the Flowers Gone?: the Diary of Molly MacKenzie Flaherty, Boston, Massachusetts, 1968 by Ellen Emerson White F WHI title: The Winter of Red Snow: the Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1777 by Kristiana Gregory F GRE title: The Winter of Red Snow: the Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 1777-1778 by Kristiana Gregory F GRE title: West to a Land of Plenty: the Diary of Teresa Angelino Viscardi, New York to Idaho Territory, 1883 by Jim Murphy F MUR | |
WAL |
Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World
(age 8-11) by Mildred Pitts Walter identity ... family ... growing up Suffering in a family full of females, ten-year-old Justin feels that cleaning and keeping house are women's work until he spends time on his beloved grandfather's ranch. |
SOT |
The Pool Party
(age 8-11) by Gary Soto humor ... identity ... family While helping his father and grandfather work as gardeners in Fresno, California, ten-year-old Rudy sees some differences between his Mexican-American family and the wealthy families that live nearby. |
SHR |
The Formerly Great Alexander Family
(age 8-11) by Susan Shreve identity ... family Ten-year-old Liam is stunned to learn that his perfect family is about to be ruined when his parents announce that they are getting a divorce. |
AVI |
Tom, Babette, and Simon
(age 8-11) by Avi princesses ... identity ... growing up ... short stories Three original stories in which a boy and a cat change places, a young man learns the price of selfishness, and an invisible princess finds herself. |
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. |
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. sequel: The Best Bad Thing |
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. |
STA |
Donuthead
(age 8-11) by Sue Stauffacher identity ... friendship ... humor Franklin Delano Donuthead, a fifth-grader obsessed with hygiene and safety, finds an unlikely friend and protector in Sarah Kervick, the tough new student who lives in a dirty trailer, bonds with his mother, and is as ``irregular'' as he is. |
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. |
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.'' |
LOT |
Wings to Fly
(age 8-11) by Celia Barker Lottridge identity ... adventure ... historical ... growing up The Ferrier family moved from the United States to Curlew, Alberta, and built a homestead in the middle of the vast prairie. Now 11-year-old Josie has settled into her new home and she dreams about the future. Will Josie be a teacher like Miss Barnett? Will she be like her new friend Margaret's sad mother, who can't bear to unpack her fine English china in the crude sod house that is her prairie home? Or could she learn to fly airplanes like her heroine, Katherine Stinson? As Josie searches for answers, she learns, all too frighteningly, how brutal a prairie winter can be. See also the prequel, Ticket to Canada. |
LOT |
Ticket to Canada
(age 8-11) by Celia Barker Lottridge identity ... adventure ... historical ... growing up It is 1915. Endless stretches of grassland against a boundless sky are all Sam Ferrier sees when he and his father arrive in Curlew, Alberta, to build a new house for their family. He wonders why his restless father would move them to this lonely, barren place, so different from Iowa. But after the house gets built and the family joins them, Sam gradually discovers that there is much more to the prairie than he realized. The tall grasses hide a mysterious collection of gleaming white skulls. Torrential thunderstorms appear with startling swiftness out of a clear-blue sky. And when one day he finds that his little brother has suddenly disappeared, Sam discovers that this new land can be both awesome and terrifying. Also published as Ticket to Curlew. See also the sequel, Wings to Fly. |
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. |
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. |
SAC |
Call Me Ruth
(age 8-11) by Marilyn Sachs identity ... family ... historical The daughter of a Russian immigrant family, newly arrived in Manhattan in 1908, has conflicting feelings about her mother's increasingly radical union involvement. |
EAG |
Full Moon Stories: Thirteen Native American Legends
(age 8-11) by EagleWalkingTurtle identity ... family ... historical ... short stories Grandpa Iron tells thirteen stories, one for each full moon of the year, that convey some of the traditions and beliefs of Native Americans, particularly his Arapaho people. |
DAH |
Matilda
(age 8-11) by Roald Dahl identity ... brilliant protagonist ... school ... humor Publisher comments: Matilda is a genius. Unfortunately, her family treats her like a dolt. Her crooked car-salesman father and loud, bingo-obsessed mother think Matilda's only talent is as a scapegoat for everything that goes wrong in their miserable lives. But it's not long before the sweet and sensitive child decides to fight back. Faced with practical jokes of sheer brilliance, her parents don't stand a chance. |