F LUD	Confessions of a Former Bully (age 8-11) by Trudy Ludwig school ... friendship Publisher comments: After Katie gets caught teasing a schoolmate, she's told to meet with Mrs. Petrowski, the school counselor, so she can make right her wrong and learn to be a better friend. Bothered at first, it doesn't take long before Katie realizes that bullying has hurt not only the people around her, but her, too. Told from the unusual point of view of the bullier rather than the bullied, Confessions of a Former Bully provides kids with real life tools they can use to identify and stop relational aggression.
F COT	Cheesie Mack Is Not a Genius of Anything (age 8-11) by Steve Cotler letters/journal ... school ... humor Publisher comments: Ronald "Cheesie" Mack is not a genius or anything, but he remembers everything that happened before, during, and after fifth-grade graduation, and he's written it all down in his own unique and hilarious way—with lots of lists, drawings, and splenderful (that's splendid plus wonderful!) made-up words.
F 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.
F MCE	Benjamin Franklinstein Lives! (age 8-11) by Matthew McElligott humor ... school ... spooky ... science fiction Publisher comments: Victor Godwin's orderly life is upended when he discovers that Benjamin Franklin never actually died-- he was put into suspended animation and hidden away for more than 200 years in Victor's basement! After an accident reawakens Ben, Victor must not only help him adjust to the modern world but also help him overcome a slight flaw--when Ben runs low on energy, he turns into a rampaging monster desperately hungry for electricity! All this while trying to take first place in the school science fair. With one of history's preeminent scientists helping out, what could go wrong?
F MIL	Fractions = Trouble! (age 8-11) by Claudia Mills humor ... friendship ... school Publisher comments: If Wilson Williams thought multiplication was difficult, he is finding fractions impossible. And when his parents hire a math tutor for him, he is sure hes the only kid in the history of Hill Elementary to have one. Wilson is determined to make sure that no one finds out, not even his best friend, Josh. At least his pet hamster, Pip, is sympathetic. Pip is going to be part of Wilsons science fair project, because any project with hamsters in it is bound to be wonderful. But Josh has the coolest project of all: at what temperature does a pickle explode? Unfortunately, it looks as if Wilsons secret may end up exploding their friendship.
F ROB	The Amazing Valvano and the Mystery of the Hooded Rat (age 8-11) by Mary Robinson mystery ... school ... the arts Catalog: Maria is excited about her plans to perform a magic act in the school talent show until her pet rat, an integral part of the act, is kidnapped.
F ROY	Max Quigley: Technically Not a Bully (age 8-11) by James Roy humor ... school ... friendship ... brilliant protagonist Catalog: After playing a prank on one of his "geeky" classmates, sixth-grader Max Quigley's punishment is to be tutored by him.
F SCI	Spaceheadz Series (age 8-11) by Jon Scieszka school ... science fiction ... humor Publisher comments: Michael K. just started fifth grade at a new school. As if that wasn't hard enough, the kids he seems to have made friends with apparently aren't kids at all. They are aliens. Real aliens who have invaded our planet in the form of school children and a hamster. They have a mission to complete: to convince 3,140,001 kids to BE SPHDZ. But with a hamster as their leader, "kids" who talk like walking advertisements, and Michael K as their first convert, will the SPHDZ be able to keep their cover and pull off their assignment? title: Spaceheadz title: SPHDZ Book 2
F FRE	Fourth Grade Weirdo (age 8-11) by Martha Freeman humor ... mystery ... school Publisher comments: Dexter is like a square peg in a round hole: he just can't fit in. All the kids in his class enjoy the zany things their teacher Mr. Ditzwinkle does to make learning fun. All except Dexter, the weirdo who prefers the same routine. But when things start disappearing from school, Dexter is surprised that his teacher is suspected. Dexter thinks Mr. Ditzwinkle is odd, but he knows he's not a crook. Can Dexter the weirdo prove it by catching the real thief?
F KOR	Radio Fifth Grade (age 8-11) by Gordon Korman authorship ... school ... humor Catalog: Mayhem breaks out in the fifth grade when the Venice Menace bullies his classmates into letting him become a regular guest on "Kidsview," the school's radio program.
F 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.
F 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.
F 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.
F WEE	Oggie Cooder (age 8-11) by Sarah Weeks school ... humor Publisher comments: Oggie Cooder has a talent — he can charve better than anyone else in Truman Elementary School. (Charving, for the uninitiated, is the carving of a piece of cheese with one's teeth.) Oggie doesn't think this is anything special — but his whole school will soon be disagreeing with him. Because after he inadvertantly charves during a nationwide hunt for unusual talents, his charving puts him on the path to fame and forture. Suddenly, he's the star of the school . . . but he's not sure that he wants to shine that way. sequel: Oggie Cooder, Party Animal
F TAS	My Life As a Book (age 8-11) by Janet Tashjian humor ... mystery ... school Publisher comments: Summer's finally here, and Derek Fallon is looking forward to pelting the UPS truck with water balloons, climbing onto the garage roof, and conducting silly investigations. But when his parents decide to send him to Learning Camp, Derek's dreams of fun come to an end. Ever since hes been labeled a "reluctant reader," his mom has pushed him to read "real" books; something other than his beloved Calvin & Hobbes. As Derek forges unexpected friendships and uncovers a family secret involving himself (in diapers! no less), he realizes that adventures and surprises are around the corner, complete with curve balls.
F VER	Dragonbreath Series (age 8-11) by Ursula Vernon humor ... fantasy ... school Publisher comments: It's not easy for Danny Dragonbreath to be the sole mythical creature in a school for reptiles and amphibians - especially because he can't breathe fire like other dragons (as the school bully loves to remind him). But having a unique family comes in handy sometimes, like when his sea-serpent cousin takes Danny and his best iguana friend on a mindboggling underwater tour, complete with vomiting sea cucumbers and giant squid. It sure beats reading the encyclopedia to research his ocean report. title: Dragonbreath title: Attack of the Ninja Frogs title: Curse of the Were-Wiener title: Lair of the Bat Monster title: No Such Thing as Ghosts title: Revenge of the Horned Bunnies
F PEI	Big Nate Series (age 8-11) by Lincoln Peirce humor ... school Publisher comments: Aspiring cartoonist Nate Wright is the star of Big Nate, the daily and Sunday comic strip distributed by Newspaper Enterprise Association since 1991. Nate is eleven years old, four-and-a-half feet tall, and the all-time record holder for detentions in school history. He's a self-described genius and sixth grade Renaissance Man. Equipped with only a #2 pencil and the unshakable belief that he is #1, Nate fights a daily battle against overzealous teachers, undercooked cafeteria food and all-around conventionality. He's the original rebel without a clue, alternately abrasive and endearing to classmates and teachers alike. Nate blazes an unforgettable trail through the sixth grade at P.S. 38, earning straight A's in laughs along the way. title: Big Nate Strikes Again title: Big Nate and Friends title: Big Nate on a Roll title: Big Nate in a Class by Himself
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 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.
F 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
F AMA	The Riot Brothers Series (age 8-11) by Mary Amato short stories ... adventure ... humor ... school Orville and Wilbur Riot have no shortage of daily adventures. Sometimes they are undercover detectives. Other times they challenge each other to see who can get the most underwear on his head in exactly thirty seconds. Having trouble keeping up with Wilbur and Orville? Follow the Riot Brother Rule Number 4: Run, do not walk, whenever possible. title: Snarf Attack, Underfoodle, and the Secret of Life: The Riot Brothers Tell All title: Drooling and Dangerous: the Riot Brothers Return! title: Stinky and Successful: The Riot Brothers Never Strop title: Take the Mummy and Run: The Riot Brothers Are on a Roll
F CLE	Keepers of the School (age 8-11) by Andrew Clements friendship ... mystery ... school Publisher comments: Benjamin Pratt's school is about to become the site of a new amusement park. It sounds like a dream come true But lately, Ben has been wondering if he's going to like an amusement park in the middle of his town - with all the buses and traffic and eight dollar slices of pizza. It's going to change everything. And, Ben is not so big on all the new changes in his life, like how his dad has moved out and started living in the marina on what used to be the family sailboat. Maybe it would be nice if the school just stayed as it is. He likes the school. Loves it, actually. It's over 200 years old and sits right on the harbor. The playground has ocean breezes and the classrooms have million dollar views. MILLION DOLLAR views. And after a chance — and final — run-in with the school janitor, Ben starts to discover that these MILLION DOLLAR views have a lot to do with the deal to sell the school property. But, as much as the town wants to believe it, the school does not belong to the local government. It belongs to the CHILDREN and these children have the right to defend it Don't think Ben, his friend Jill (and the tag-along Robert) can ruin a multimillion dollar real estate deal? Then you don't know the history and the power of the Keepers of the School. A suspenseful six book series, book one, We the Children, starts the battle on land and on sea. It's a race to keep the school from turning into a ticket booth and these kids are about to discover just how threatening a little knowledge can be. title: We the Children title: Fear Itself title: The Whites of Their Eyes
F 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.
F BEC	The Magical Ms. Plum (age 8-11) by Bonny Becker school ... magic ... fantasy ... humor Publisher comments: Ms. Plum is the magical teacher every schoolkid wishes for. Everybody wants to be in Ms. Plum's class. It's not just that she teaches the usual things in unusual ways. There's something more, something about Ms. Plum herself, and her mysterious supply closet. Whenever she asks her students to get her an eraser or a pencil or some paper clips, they come back with something . . . unusual. Who'd have thought a pinky-sized alligator, a big-mouth parrot, or a tiny wolf could teach kids a thing or two about life? Each year, Ms. Plum is certain she's had her best class ever. And it looks like this year . . . she's right.
F AVI	Don't You Know There's a War On? (age 8-11) by Avi growing up ... school ... historical ... war ... humor Publisher comments: World War II is on everyone's mind and in every headline, and Howie Crispers has a hunch that his school principal is a spy. With a little snooping around, Howie finds out something even more alarming. Principal Lomister may not be a spy, but he is plotting to get rid of Howie's favorite teacher. Howie's dad is fighting Nazis overseas, and his mom is working hard to support the war effort, so Miss Gossim is the only person Howie can depend on. With the help of his friends, and a plan worthy of radio show superhero Captain Midnight, Howie intends to save Miss Gossim!
F BUR	Queenie Peavy (age 8-11) by Robert Burch growing up ... school Publisher comments: The biggest troublemaker at school and the best shot in Georgia, Queenie Peavey feels she has a right to be angry when her father is thrown in jail. But what would happen if Queenie tried to behave for just one day?
F BEN	Dear Dumb Diary Series (age 8-11) by Jim Benton letters/journal ... school ... humor Publisher comments: Read the hilarious, candid (& sometimes mean) diaries of Jamie Kelly, who promises that everything in her diary is true...or at least as true as it needs to be. In the first book, Jamie contends with Angeline, the school's prettiest, most popular girl (who Jamie thinks is a goon!) and the impending visit of her troll-like little cousin. Will Jamie survive? Will she go mad? Will she send her mom's nasty casserole to starving children in Wheretheheckistan? You'll just have to read the first installment of Dear Dumb Diary to find out! title: Let's Pretend This Never Happened: By Jamie Kelly title: My Pants Are Haunted: By Jamie Kelly title: Am I the Princess or the Frog?: Jim Benton's Tales From Mackerel Middle School title: Never Do Anything, Ever: By Jamie Kelly title: Can Adults Become Human? title: The Problem With Here is That it's Where I'm From: By Jamie Kelly title: Never Underestimate Your Dumbness: By Jamie Kelly title: It's Not My Fault I Know Everything: By Jamie Kelly
F 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!
F 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.
F 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 title: Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters title: Alvin Ho: Allergic to Birthday Parties, Scinece Projects, and Other Manmade Catastrophes title: Alvin Ho: Allergic to Dead Bodies, Funerals, and other Fatal Circumstances
F 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: Who's the Fairest title: Let Down Your Hair title: Beauty is a Beast title: Princess Charming title: Apple-y Ever After title: Thorn in Her Side title: Wake Up Beauty
F SAN	Alec Flint, Super Sleuth Series (age 8-11) by Jill Santopolo school ... mystery Alec Flint is practicing to be a super sleuth. He's even got a pair of super sleuth pants with lots of pockets to hide his detective tools and a sidekick, Gina, who's a bit bossy, but a really great sleuth and friend. When his dad, a local police officer, tells Alec the Christopher Columbus exhibit has gone missing from the town museum, Alec is on the case! Who would steal the Columbus exhibit? With the help of Gina and his 3rd grade history class, Alec is determined to uncover the truth! title: The Nina, the Pinta and the Vanishing Treasure title: The Ransom Note Blues
F YEP	Cockroach Cooties (age 8-11) by Laurence Yep school ... humor ... action ... realistic Teddy and his little brother Bobby devise strategies using bugs to defeat the school bully.
F HAD	Dexter the Tough (age 8-11) by Margaret Peterson Haddix illness/loss ... authorship ... friendship ... school It's only the first day of school for Dexter, but he's already mad at the principal, and the secretary, and the janitor, and the kids who laugh at him. When his teacher tells the class to write a story, Dexter writes about how tough he is, and how he's already gotten into a fight. Is any of Dexter's story true? Why was the other boy crying before Dexter hit him? And why would the other boy still want to be Dexter's friend? Even Dexter doesn't know the answers to some of those questions. But as he deals with family problems, a persistent teacher, and a boy who's strangely interested in floor wax, he discovers many surprises hidden in his own tale.
F 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!
F 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.
F 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.
F GRE	Rosy Cole's Great American Guilt Club (age 8-11) by Sheila Greenwald friendship ... school Convinced that she doesn't have any of the things that matter, i.e. trendy clothes and a house in the country, Rosy Cole decides to form a club which will allow her rich friends to give her their surplus clothes, sports gear, and jewelry.
F HUT	Follow That Bus! (age 8-11) by Pat Hutchins adventure ... school ... mystery Two bank robbers find that a group of second graders visiting a farm are more than they bargained for.
F MIL	After Fifth Grade, the World (age 8-11) by Claudia Mills friendship ... school Heidi tries a succession of ways to make her fifth-grade teacher less mean.
F PEC	Hub (age 8-11) by Robert Newton Peck school ... sports When their teacher enters the annual Chump's Landing Overland Obstacle Bicycle Race, Horrace Hubert and his best friend Spooner Jitwell do everything they can to make sure she wins the silver trophy.
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 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.
F WAR	The Emma Series (age 8-11) by Sally Warner humor ... friendship ... school Emma Mcgraw is slowly making friends at her new school. But when Cynthia calls her weird, emma is shocked. They are supposed to be best friends! In response, Emma decides that Cynthia's new name should be bossy pants, and she tells everyone in the class. Now the entire third grade is trading nicknames. And while it starts out being funny, Emma begins to see the downside of name-calling. But just when she decides it's time for apologies, her teacher makes the most dreaded call of all, the one to everyone's parents. title: Best Friend Emma title: Not-So-Weird Emma title: Only Emma title: Super Emma
F STI	Rotten School Series (age 8-11) by R. L. Stine humor ... school Welcome to the Rotten School. We are proud of our school, founded 100 years ago by I. B. Rotten. If you follow the rules, we know your time here will be happy. RULE NUMBER ONE: Watch out for Bernie Bridges. Bernie is trouble! That is my important message. Enjoy your stay. I know that after a short while, you will all truly deserve the name Rotten Students. title: The Big Blueberry Barf-off! title: The Great Smelling Bee
F ROB	The Best Halloween Ever (age 8-11) by Barbara Robinson traditions ... school ... humor The Herdmans plus Halloween have always spelled disaster. Every Halloween, the six Herdman kids steal candy, spray-paint other kids, and take everything that isn't nailed down. And this year promises to be the same, until the Mayor decides to up and cancel Halloween. True, that means there'd be no Herdman trouble to contend with, but that also means no candy, no costumes, and no trick-or-treating! Is it possible that the Herdmans themselves could make what looks like a horrible Halloween into the best one ever?
F MYE	Surviving Brick Johnson (age 8-11) by Laurie Myers humor ... friendship ... school Alex is running for his life. After making fun of the notorious bully Brick Johnson, he's now convinced that Brick is out to get him. There is only one way to survive Brick Johnson, take karate lessons and become a powerful sensei. But after Brick shows up in karate class and treats Alex with respect, Alex's picture of him begins to change. How can Brick be a bully and a nice guy at the same time?
F LAY	Missing Magic (age 8-11) by Emma Laybourn fantasy ... magic ... school In a world where everyone has magical abilities, eleven-year-old Ned has none, but when the world turns upside down his lack of powers turns out to be his best asset.
F KUR	Leon and the Champion Chip (age 8-11) by Allen Kurzwell school ... humor ... math/science/technology Leon arrives in fifth grade armed with a backpack full of pens and pencils, binders and notebooks . . . plus a rag doll that's the spitting image of Henry Lumpkin, the bully who has Leon in his sights. If the doll works the way it's supposed to, Leon (and his buddies P.W. and Lily-Matisse) won't have to worry about Lumpkin the Pumpkin! Better still, Leon has a fabulous new teacher, Mr. Sparks, who conducts science experiments using that most miraculous of research materials: the potato chip. And a good thing, too. Mr. Sparks's lab work will come in handy when Leon is forced to take on Alphonse "The Chippopotamus" Cipollini at the annual Chipapalooza! Chip-Off. Sequel to Leon and the Spitting Image
F KUR	Leon and the Spitting Image (age 8-11) by Allen Kurzwell magic ... humor ... school "Leon and the Spitting Image" is about a hotel full of animals. It's about an evil ice maker. It's about glass eyeballs and human catapults. It's about really old panty hose and Possibly Fake Hair. But mostly it's about Leon Zeisel and his epic quest to survive fourth grade. What's stopping him? Two things. First, there's Miss Hagmeyer. She's a supernaturally strict teacher with ears that resemble giant rotting mushrooms. And then there is Leon's archenemy, Lumpkin the Pumpkin, a human tank with a deadly dodgeball throw known to all as the sidewinder. Luckily, Leon has two friends, Lily-Matisse and P.W., who will stand by him no matter what, even if his magical, mysterious plans for rescue and revenge involve . . . SPIT!
F KIM	Kaline Klattermaster's Tree House (age 8-11) by Haven Kimmel school ... humor ... family ... illness/loss Kaline Klattermaster LOVES his mom. ADORES his mom. But his mom can be, well, a bit forgetful sometimes. A bit lax. A bit...CRAZY. For instance, she's a bit crazy when she leaves him in the tub for THREE HOURS. Or gives him a chicken leg for breakfast...or forgets that he needs to go to school. AND he's not completely sure his mother understands how time works. She's been even a bit MORE CRAZY since his dad left. So it's a very good thing that the folks in Kaline's tree house are not so crazy. They understand him. They don't mind that he sometimes HAS to play his pretend bugle, and, of course, they are FULL of good advice on how to handle bullies. His mom hints that the tree house is imaginary. Kaline is UNCONVINCED.
F HAR	Anna's Blizzard (age 8-11) by Alison Hart school ... survival ... historical Having never excelled at schoolwork, twelve-year-old Anna discovers that she may know a few things about survival when she and her classmates become trapped in their Nebraska schoolhouse in a storm that comes to be known as the Children's Blizzard of 1888.
F GIF	Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little (age 8-11) by Peggy Gifford school ... authorship ... humor It wasn't as if Moxy Maxwell hadn't tried to do her summer reading. She and Stuart Little had been inseparable all summer, like best friends. If Stuart Little wasn't in her backpack, it was in her lap . . . or holding up the coffee table . . . or getting splashed when Moxy went swimming. But now it's the end of August, the day before fourth grade. And if Moxy doesn't read all of Stuart Little immediately, there are going to be "consequences." It may look like Moxy is doing nothing, but actually she is very busy with a zillion highly crucial things, like cleaning up her room (sort of) and training her dog and taking a much-needed rest in the hammock. Just look at the pictures her twin brother Mark takes to document it all (they're scattered throughout) and you'll see why it's so difficult to make time for a book about a mouse. Of course our heroine does manage to finish her book, falling so in love with it that she finds herself reading under the covers with a flashlight, late into the night. sequel: Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-You Notes sequel: Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Practicing the Piano (but She Does Love Being in Recitals)
F FLE	The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School (age 8-11) by Candace Fleming humor ... school An unlikely teacher takes over the disorderly fourth-grade class of Aesop Elementary School with surprising results.
F DIS	The Sloppy Copy Slipup (age 8-11) by DyAnne DiSalvo authorship ... humor ... school Brian does not have his sloppy copywriting assignment ready to turn in, and it takes all of his imaginative powers and storytelling techniques to prevent him from getting a zero.
F CHR	Johnny No Hit (age 8-11) by Matt Christopher school ... sports Threatened by a beating if he hits against Roy's pitching, Johnny almost loses a ballgame for his team.
F 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.
F CHO	A Very Special Kwanzaa (age 8-11) by Debbi Chocolate traditions ... school ... folklore Charlie, an African-American fourth-grader, is embarrassed when his class is asked to organize a school-wide Kwanzaa celebration, but as everyone prepares for the festivities, Charlie comes to understand what the holiday is all about.
F AMA	Please Write in this Book (age 8-11) by Mary Amato friendship ... authorship ... school When Ms. Wurtz leaves a blank book in the Writer's Corner with a note encouraging those who find it to "talk to each other" in its pages, the students' entries spark a classroom-wide battle.
F 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.
F SOT	Off and Running (age 8-11) by Gary Soto humor ... school When they learn that Rudy Herrera and Alex Garcia, two fifth-grade class clowns, plan to run against them in the school elections, Miata and her friend Ana know that they face a difficult race.
F 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.
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	The Ghost in Room 11 (age 8-11) by Betty Ren Wright school ... mystery ... spooky Catalog: When his family moves to a small town near Milwaukee, Matt's efforts to fit into his new fourth-grade class are complicated by his poor spelling and his encounter with the ghost of one of the school's former teachers.
F WAL	The Trouble With Miss Switch (age 8-11) by Barbara Brooks Wallace school ... science fiction ... magic Rupert Brown can tell from day one that Miss Switch is no ordinary fifth-grade teacher. Her whole look is about as comfortable as a steel knitting needle! Plus, she's in some serious trouble. It seems that Miss Switch has been condemned by a crazy contraption called a computowitch, and she must come up with some original witchcraft ... or she will be doomed to sweep Witch's Mountain for l50 years. Can great scientist Rupert Brown and his friend Amelia Daley face the computowitch and the Witches' Council, and get their favorite teacher of all time out of this mess?
F WOO	Awfully Short for the Fourth Grade (age 8-11) by Elvira Woodruff magic ... fantasy ... adventure ... school Noah Murphy carries his plastic "little guys" everywhere. One day, while sitting on the school bus with his younger brother, Jess, Noah makes a wish using magic powder from the toy machine. Noah looks at his little guys--Commander Falcon and Sergeant Gordy and three headless green aliens. "Let them all come to life, all my guys. And let me be their size, so I can have an adventure with them." That's when the bus hits a bump and strange things start to happen. Will the fourth grade at Roosevelt School ever be the same again?
F VAN	Benjy in Business (age 8-11) by Jean Van Leeuwen enterprise ... sports ... school Benjy needs a new catcher's mit, and decides to go into business to earn the money to buy it. He tries everything from lemonade stands to dog-washing operations, and learns more than the value of a dollar along the way.
F VAN	Benjy the Football Hero (age 8-11) by Jean Van Leeuwen school ... sports Benjy discovers that brains work better than brawn when it comes to beating the other fourth grade class's football team.
F 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.
F 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.
F GIL	Do Bananas Chew Gum? (age 8-11) by Jamie Gilson humor ... school Able to read and write at only a second grade level, sixth-grader Sam Mott considers himself dumb until he is prompted to cooperate with those who think something can be done about his problem.
F GIF	Casey, Tracy and Company Series (age 8-11) by Patricia Reilly Giff friendship ... school Casey Valentine, and her sometimes best friend Tracy, navigate the bumpy road to popularity in this fun series. title: Fourth-Grade Celebrity title: Love, From the Fifth-Grade Celebrity title: The Girl Who Knew It All
F LIT	Mine for Keeps (age 8-11) by Jean Little school ... illness/loss ... family Sarah Jane Copeland expects special treatment when she returns home after spending five years at a cerebral palsy center, but her family treats her as an able member.
F MAS	Libby Bloom (age 8-11) by Susan Rowan Masters school ... the arts When Libby, a fourth-grader who envies the accomplishments of her older sister, begins tuba lesson with a perceptive band teacher, she discovers that she has hidden talents of her own.
F MCK	Valentine's Day Can Be Murder (age 8-11) by Colleen O'Shaughnessy McKenna friendship ... school Roger and Marsha are school enemies and then he accidentally put a mushy poem in Marsha's valentine box. She thinks she has a secret admirer, but what will happen when Marsha finds out the truth?
F WHE	Hannah (age 8-11) by Gloria Whelan historical ... school Hannah, a nine-year-old in the American West in 1887, would do almost anything to go to school with all the other children in town. But Hannah is blind and her parents keep her at home where she is "safe." Then Lydia Robbin comes to town. She's a strong-willed teacher who accomplishes a small miracle: she convinces Hannah's parents to send her to school. At first Hannah is overjoyed. But she soon learns that there are many obstacles--and people-- that stand in the way of her education. Hannah will need tremendous courage to prove to her classmates, her parents and herself that Miss Robbin was right to believe in her.
F WIL	The Worry Web Site (age 8-11) by Jacqueline Wilson growing up ... school ... short stories Six wonderful short stories about the members of Mr Speed's primary school class and their special Worry Website. The website allows everyone in the class to type in their worries anonymously and receive advice from their classmates ... whether they want it or not!
F 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 Secret Life of a Ping-Pong Wizard title: My Dog's a Scaredy-Cat: a Halloween Tail title: The Curtain Went Up, My Pants Fell Down title: Barfing in the Backseat title: Who Ordered This Baby? Definitely Not Me! title: The Life of Me: Enter at Your Own Risk
F STE	Fergus Crane (age 8-11) by Paul Stewart voyages/journeys ... science fiction ... school ... humor ... adventure Fergus Crane has an almost ordinary life, having lessons taught by rather odd teachers on the school ship Betty Jeanne and helping his mother in the bakery. But then a mysterious flying box appears at the window of his waterfront home and Fergus is plunged headlong into an exciting adventure! The box is followed by a winged mechanical horse that whisks him off to meet his long-lost uncle and his penguin helpers, Finn, Bill, and Jackson. Fergus finds out that his teachers are not quite what they seem ... they're actually pirates! Can Fergus and his winged horse save his schoolmates on the far-off Fire Island? And who else will he find there?
F COV	I Was a Sixth Grade Alien (age 8-11) by Bruce Coville science fiction ... school ... humor The aliens have finally made contact! But when the first ambassador from another planet arrives, he insists that his son, Pleskit Meenom, be treated like any other citizen on Earth. Which is why Pleskit has become the first purple kid in Ms. Weintraub's sixth grade class. For Tim Tompkins, who has been waiting his entire life to meet an alien, this is like a dream come true. But when Pleskit invites Tim back to the embassy and they stumble across a plan to sabotage the alien mission, Tim's dream becomes a life-threatening nightmare.
F 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?
F 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...
F 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.
F 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.
F 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.
F CLE	The Last Holiday Concert (age 8-11) by Andrew Clements enterprise ... the arts ... school Publisher comments: It all started when Hart Evans zinged a rubber band that hit Mr. Meinert, the chorus director. Actually, it started before that, when Mr. Meinert learned he was out of a job because the town budget couldn't afford music and art teachers. Mr. Meinert got so mad at Hart that he told the sixth graders he'd had it ... they could produce the big holiday concert on their own. Or not. It was all up to them. What happens when a teacher steps aside and lets the kids run the show? Not what Mr. Meinert would have predicted. And not what Hart Evans would have guessed, not at all.
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 CUT	Spaceman (age 8-11) by Jane Cutler family ... school Gary just can't seem to fit in. He doesn't have any friends, his school work is always sloppy, and his teachers endlessly criticize him. But Gary has a way to escape ... he spaces out. Then one day Gary accidentally hurts someone, and now he's being sent to a new school for kids with different learning styles. Will Gary finally be able to catch up and fit in, or will he remain the Spaceman forever?
F COU	Frankenbug (age 8-11) by Steven Cousins science fiction ... humor ... animals ... school Inspired by the movie Frankenstein, bug-lover Adam Cricklestein decides to create a monster bug that will protect him from the school bully, Jeb McAllister.
F DEL	Kitty From the Start (age 8-11) by Judy Delton humor ... friendship ... school Kitty moves to a new neighborhood and eventually makes a successful transition into her new third grade. sequel: Kitty in the Summer sequel: Kitty in High School
F CAS	Dorothy's Darkest Days (age 8-11) by Judith Caseley illness/loss ... school ... friendship ... family Dorothy's boisterous life with her parents, two brothers, and sister is suddenly changed when something tragic happens to a classmate of hers, but she finds that things eventually do return to normal.
F 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.
F TOD	Pig and the Shrink (age 8-11) by Pamela Todd math/science/technology ... friendship ... school Tucker Harrison has a big problem. The principal has nixed his handwriting analysis project for the science fair--can he help it if his teacher's handwriting shows a criminal mind? Now he quickly must come up with a project that's sure to dazzle the judges and get him into the State Math and Science Academy, something his father is counting on. Tucker is desperately searching for an idea when he runs smack into Pig. Angelo Pighetti is the fat kid in class, the one who always gets picked on. Suddenly Tucker has a brainstorm--why not make Pig his science fair project? If he can get Pig to lose weight he'll have a living, breathing, successful experiment. What could be more perfect? But Tucker soon learns that Pig has his own ideas of how to live his life. What is there to do when your subject won't cooperate?
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 HER	Kevin Corbett Eats Flies (age 8-11) by Patricia Hermes friendship ... school ... family Kevin and his friend Bailey conspire to prevent Kevin's father from moving himself and Kevin once again. sequel: Heads, I Win
F GIL	Hobie Hanson, You're Weird (age 8-11) by Jamie Gilson humor ... friendship ... school With his best friend away at computer camp, Hobie reluctantly shares adventures with a girl classmate the summer after fourth grade. sequel: Hobie Hanson: Greatest Hero of the Mall sequel: Soccer Circus
F 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.
F COD	Vive La Paris (age 8-11) by Esme Raji Codell growing up ... humor ... school Paris has come for piano lessons, not chopped-liver sandwiches or French lessons or free advice. But when old Mrs. Rosen gives her a little bit more than she can handle, it might be just what Paris needs to understand the bully in her brother's life, and the bullies of the world. This companion novel to the award-winning Sahara Special is an affecting look at what it means to be your brother's keeper, and how we hold onto hope when the world seems dark. (Rose-colored glasses optional.)
F COD	Sahara Special (age 8-11) by Esme Raji Codell growing up ... humor ... authorship ... school Struggling with school and her feelings since her father left, Sahara gets a fresh start with a new and unique teacher who supports her writing talents and the individuality of each of her classmates.
F 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.
F 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!
F BLU	Blubber (age 8-11) by Judy Blume realistic ... friendship ... school Blubber is a good name for her, the note said about Linda. Jill crumpled it up and left it on her desk. But Robby grabbed the note and before long it had gone halfway around the room. That's where it all started.
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: Here is the Thing About Me title: Lucy Rose: Big on Plans title: Lucy Rose: Busy Like You Can't Believe title: Lucy Rose: Working Myself to Pieces and Bits
F CHI	Utterly Me, Clarice Bean (age 8-11) by Lauren Child mystery ... school ... humor It's not easy to concentrate at school when mysterious things are happening all around you. In fact, Clarice Bean is starting to feel just like her favorite heroine: Ruby Redforr, schoolgirl detective. Clarice and her utterly best friend, Betty Moody, are planning to ace their book project about Ruby and win the class prize, until Betty disappears into thin air, and horrible teacher Mrs. Wilberton teams Clarice up with the naughtiest boy in school. Will her new partner ruin everything? Will Betty ever come back? And what on earth happened to the silver trophy everyone's hoping to win? sequel: Clarice Bean Spells Trouble sequel: Clarice Bean, Don't Look Now
F WU	The Abacus Contest (age 8-11) by Priscilla Wu enterprise ... short stories ... school In a small city in southern Taiwan, six children experience hopes and fears as they enter the school contest.
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 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 MAC	Can of Worms (age 8-11) by Kathy Mackel humor ... science fiction ... friendship ... school ``Fellow citizens of the galaxy: I do not belong on this planet. I am being held against my will, trapped by ignorance and cruelty. You must save me. Take me away from this. I am desperately in need of your assistance. Please help me. Mike Pillsbury.'' When a frustrated plea to the universe attracts a motley crew of aliens determined to rescue him, Mike Pillsbury decides he isn't quite ready to relinquish life on Earth. Will his visitors, who all have something at stake, let him stay?
F LEV	Keep Ms. Sugarman in the Fourth Grade (age 8-11) by Elizabeth Levy humor ... school Jackie, who has always had trouble in school, begins to develop more self-confidence under the guidance of her fourth-grade teacher but is crushed when Ms. Sugarman is promoted to principal in the middle of the school year. What will she do now?
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 HIL	The Year of Miss Agnes (age 8-11) by Kirkpatrick Hill humor ... school Ten-year-old Frederika (Fred for short) doesn't have much faith that the new teacher in town will last very long. After all, they never do. Most teachers who come to their one-room schoolhouse in remote, Alaska leave at the first smell of fish, claiming that life there is just too hard. But Miss Agnes is different. For the first time, Fred and her classmates begin to enjoy their lessons and learn to read and write, but will Miss Agnes be like all the rest and leave as quickly as she came?
F HES	Just Juice (age 8-11) by Karen Hesse realistic ... school ... family Letters and numbers still don't make sense to Juice Faulstich. She'd rather skip school and spend the day at home in the North Carolina hills. But when the bank threatens to repossess her family's home, Juice faces her first life-sized problem.
F VAN	Shredderman Series (age 8-11) by Wendelin Van Draanen math/science/technology ... school ... humor ... mystery Bubba has been the bane of Nolan's existence for five long years. So when Mr. Green asks the class to become reporters, Nolan decides he'll write an expose... on Bubba. He doesn't want to sign his name to it (that'd be suicidal), so Nolan creates a secret identity for himself... on the Internet. He launches Shredderman.com as a place where truth and justice prevail... and bullies get what's coming to them. This hilariously triumphant story is for any kid who's ever dreamed of unleashing their own inner superhero! title: Secret Identity title: Attack of the Tagger title: Meet the Gecko title: Enemy Spy
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 SAC	Sideways Arithmetic from Wayside School (age 8-11) by Louis Sachar humor ... short stories ... school ... math/science/technology Sideways math teasers are Buried in this hilarious collection of stories from Wayside School. sequel: More Sideways Arithmetic from Wayside School
F SAC	Sideways Stories From Wayside School (age 8-11) by Louis Sachar humor ... school Humorous episodes from the classroom on the thirtieth floor of Wayside School, which was accidentally built sideways. sequel: Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger sequel: Wayside School is Falling Down
F 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.
F ROB	The Best School Year Ever (age 8-11) by Barbara Robinson humor ... school The Worst Kids in the History of the World! When anything goes wrong at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, from the hexing of Bus Six to the mysterious disappearance of the kindergarten gerbil, it's sure to have a Herdman behind it. The Herdmans are more than famous-they're outlaws. They smoke cigars, lie, and set fire to things, and that's only when they bother to come to school! Then a school project forces the students to think of compliments for all their classmates-including the Herdmans. Is it possible that behind their outrageous pranks there may be something good about this crazy clan after all?
F 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 MAC	Eggs in One Basket (age 8-11) by Kathy Mackel science fiction ... sports ... school With the help of two middle school classmates and a bear-like talking ``dog'' from the planet Sirius, seventh-grader Scott Schreiber discovers that he can be a hero in other ways than on the football field.
F LEV	My Life As a Fifth-Grade Comedian (age 8-11) by Elizabeth Levy enterprise ... school ... humor Bobby's constant clowning has the principal threatening to send him to the School for Intervention, just one step away from reform school. Luckily, Bobby's teacher gives him one last chance: to organize a schoolwide laugh-off and get teachers and students to compete. Bobby knows he's got to make the contest a success. Will he be able to prove to everybody that he's finally got his act together?
F KLI	Regarding the Fountain (age 8-11) by Kate Klise mystery ... letters/journal ... humor ... school The Dry Creek Middle School drinking fountain has sprung a leak, so principal Walter Russ dashes off a request to Flowing Waters Fountains, Etc. We need a new drinking fountain. Please send a catalog. Designer Flo Waters responds: ``I'd be delighted...but please understand that all of my fountains are custom-made.'' Soon the fountain project takes on a life of its own, one chronicled in letters, postcards, memos, transcripts, and official documents. sequel: Regarding the Sink: Where, Oh Where, Did Waters Go? sequel: Regarding the Trees: a Splintered Saga Rooted in Secrets sequel: Regarding the Bathrooms: a Privy to the Past sequel: Regarding the Bees: a Lesson, in Letters, on Honey, Dating, and Other Sticky Subjects
F GAR	Follow My Leader (age 8-11) by James Garfield realistic ... animals ... school After being accidentally blinded by a firecracker, Jimmy learns to live a normal life with the help of Leader, his seeing eye dog.
F GAR	Top Secret (age 8-11) by John Reynolds Gardiner science fiction ... humor ... school Despite the disapproval of his parents and his formidable science teacher, nine-year-old Allen determines to do his science project on human photosynthesis.
F 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.
F COV	My Teacher is an Alien (age 8-11) by Bruce Coville humor ... fantasy ... school ... science fiction Publisher comments: Susan Simmons can tell that her new substitute teacher is really weird. But she doesn't know how weird until she catches him peeling off his face ... and she realizes that "Mr. Smith" is really an alien! sequel: My Teacher Flunked the Planet sequel: My Teacher Fried My Brains sequel: My Teacher Glows in the Dark
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.
F CLE	Frindle (age 8-11) by Andrew Clements brilliant protagonist ... realistic ... school Catalog: When he decides to turn his fifth grade teacher's love of the dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his control.
F AVI	The Secret School (age 8-11) by Avi enterprise ... school Publisher comments: More than anything, Ida Bidson wants to become a teacher. To do that, she must finish eighth grade, then go on to high school. But her dream falters when the one-room school in her remote Colorado town shuts down. Her only hope is to keep the school open without anyone finding out. Yet even a secret school needs a teacher. Ida can't be it. Or can she?
F AMA	The Word Eater (age 8-11) by Mary Amato fantasy ... magic ... school Catalog: Lerner Chanse, a new student at Cleveland Park Middle School, finds a worm that magically makes things disappear, and she hopes it will help her fit in, or get revenge, at her hated school.

Sat Aug 25 11:55:25 2012 Other themes and genres