Picture Books
by Patricia Polacco
Mary Ellen doesn't like to read. She'd rather be playing outdoors. When she confesses this to Grandpa, he takes her on an adventure to find the Bee Tree. They follow a few bees through town and into the countryside. Along the way, they stumble past Mrs. Govlock, who remembers the bee tree from her childhood. She joins the hunt. Then, Elinar Tundevold gets involved. Eventually, an entire cast of characters follows Grandpa and Mary Ellen, hoping to find some delicious honey.
Ultimately, Grandpa challenges Mary Ellen to use the same spirit of adventure that she exhibits outside when reading inside. He commissions her to taste and enjoy the words on the page.
by Jacqueline Davies
Son of a French sea captain and sugar plantation owner, John James Audubon, had no interest in either of the family businesses. When he was 18, his father sent him to Philadelphia to avoid being conscripted into Napolean's army.
While in North America, he became curious about bird migration. "Where do the birds go in the winter, and do the same birds return to the same location each spring?" he wondered.
A natural artist, John James drew sketches and kept notes of his findings. He went on to publish the most successful pictorial bird book of its time, The Birds of America.
This beautifully illustrated biography, designed to look like a nature journal, is an excellent introduction to the scientific method of learning and discovery.
Sarah Stewart
It's 1935, and Papa has been out of work for a long time. Lydia Grace must leave home and head to the big city to live with Uncle Jim and work in his bakery. She knows nothing about baking, but she knows even less about Uncle Jim. At the train station, she is greeted by a man with a tough exterior. Uncle Jim never seems very happy. Lydia Grace is determined to change that, however. With the help of some new friends from her new neighborhood, Lydia Grace uses her gift of gardening to create a special surprise for Uncle Jim. Will her secret finally make him smile?
This is an epistolary book. It consists of a series of letters that Lydia Grace sends to her loved ones back home, telling them about her new life.
by Shel Silverstein
If you stretch a giraffe as far as he can be stretched, you'll no longer have a giraffe. You'll have a giraffe and a half. If that giraffe puts on a hat and that hat has a rat inside of it, you'll have "a giraffe and a half with a rat in his hat."
Like the classic rhyming story This is the House That Jack Built, the text is a lyrical, repetitive poem. It continues in pace and complexity from page to page, making it a great book to read alongside an emerging reader. You could read the left side of the book, which introduces new words, and your child could read the right side of the book, which includes the previously read portions.
Leveled Readers
by P.E. King
An eager young farmer thinks he has hit the jackpot when he purchases an entire farm from an "old timer" for only $1. Little does he know that the animals that come with the deed are not what they seem. They are a bit confused. The horse thinks he's a rooster, the chicken thinks he's a dog, and the pig thinks he's a cat.
This humorous Level 3 book has quite a surprise plot twist at the end that will make a young reader want to start all over at page number one.
by Doreen Rappaport
With a war raging, food--especially novelty food like sugar and coffee--is in short supply. When the women learn that greedy Merchant Thomas is hoarding items to later price gauge families while the men are away fighting, the mothers and wives take matters into their own hands. They storm to his storehouses and divvy up the scant rations.
Based on a true story, this Level 3 reader would make for a great discussion starter about the ethics of Robin Hood-like behavior--robbing from the rich to give to the poor.
Illustrated Chapter Books
by William H. Hooks
Katie's family packed up all their worldly possessions, hoping to travel west along the Oregon Trail. Katie isn't excited about the move because it means that she has to say goodbye to her best friend. Before the train of travelers sets out, however, a stray cat wanders into the yard. Katie names him Snuggs and tucks him into the wagon as a stowaway. She doesn't like to keep secrets, especially from her Ma and Pa, but she's afraid they'll make her leave her new four-legged friend behind. Can she keep Snuggs a secret all the way to their new home?
Please note: The text contains two or three instances of God's name being used in vain.
by Josh Schneider
James can't eat broccoli. It's disgusting. Come to think of it, he can't eat lasagna, oatmeal, or eggs, either. And he definitely can't drink milk. Milk is repulsive! Through imaginative storytelling, his dad makes a compelling case for why each menu item is worth gulping down!
With a format similar to books like Henry & Mudge, this title is light on text but heavy on humor and whimsy, making it a great book for reluctant readers. I appreciate how the father doesn't try to sneak healthy food into his son's diet but instead uses a little bit of logic and a whole lot of creativity to compel James to take a bit of his own volition.
Middle-Grade Novels
by Graham Salisbury
7th grader Danny, his dad, and older brother Tyrell are Oregon cattle ranchers and local rodeo celebrities. Like most of their neighbors, they are no-nonsense when it comes to raising animals. But when Danny's dog, Banjo, is accused of attacking Mr. Brodie's sheep, Danny's heart wins out over his head. The law says that the dog must be put down, but Danny can't kill his best friend. Instead, he finds a way to hide Banjo until the charges against him can be disproven.
7th grader Meg is a horse trainer who lives a few towns away. When she finds an injured dog in the woods one day, she naturally becomes suspicious of the boy who claims to be the animal's owner.
This book is clean but complicated, giving readers an honest look at the under-represented life of American ranchers and modern cowboys who must view their animals as livestock, not pets.
Please note: Danny lies about killing Banjo but eventually owns up to the deceit and makes restitution. Ultimately, he sacrifices his own happiness for the sake of his dog. Additionally, the text includes one use of each of the following: "heck," "kick your butt," "danged," and "geezer."
by Frank Cottrell-Boyce
Alfie is supposed to be at school. Instead, he's playing hooky at the airport's lost property office, looking for his missing prosthetic hand. Instead of a hand, he finds an ancient-looking robot—or part of a robot. Eric is a 100-year-old rogue automaton wanted by the authorities.
Despite the threat level, Alfie sees Eric as a friend. In an age when most of the world is run by state-of-the-art robots, it will be difficult to hide one so ancient. But Alfie is determined. The two escape the airport and walk right into a grand adventure of chaos and catastrophe.
As the story unfolds, Alfie realizes that he's been suffering from amnesia. His memory returns and he realizes three things:
1. He was in a horrible traffic accident when he lost his hand.
2. He wasn't alone in the accident.
3. Eric is not guilty of the crime he's been accused of.
Please note: While the book is quite clean, it does start with Alfie skipping school and stealing the leftovers of someone's lunch. There is one use of God's name in vain and a mention of a frozen block of pee falling out of an airplane's bathroom mid-flight. Additionally, Alfie lies to a police officer about Eric being a medieval knight statue, which turns out to be somewhat accurate in the end.
by Ann Weil
In 1826, Capri was a small, rocky village with only enough tourists throughout the year to fill one inn run by fourteen-year-old Michelle and his parents. Every day was the same for the boy. Nothing ever happened in Capri. One day, however, a beautiful red-sailed ship arrived, bringing with it three unusual sailors. After landing, French adventurer Monsieur Jacque, English artist Lord Derby, and German philosopher Herre Nordstrom convinced Michele to help them uncover the truth about the mysterious caves surrounding the island.
This simple tale is based on the true story of German writer August Kopisch and his travel companion, painter Ernst Fries, who enlisted the help of a local fisherman to explore the Grotto of Capri.
After reading the book, be sure to check out photos of the Grotta Azzurra.
by Patricia MacLachlan
For as long as she can remember, eleven-year-old Lucy has watched her dad pitch a crazy knuckleball. He's currently on a minor league team but is hoping to make it to the Bigs. Lucy loves the game and even plays on a school team but is hesitant to pitch. She worries she won't live up to her dad's reputation. But she summons up enough courage to try. Each morning, while everyone else is asleep, she slips out onto the mound to practice. In time, her dedication pays off, and she surprises her family with a knuckleball of her very own.
This is a sweet, contemporary domestic fiction that will appeal to artists and baseball fans. The text is poetic but simplistic, making it an excellent book for struggling readers who want both depth of plot and ease of language.
Parents, Be Aware
by Kate Messner
All the girls in Marty's class ever want to do is put on frilly dresses and play princesses. But not Marty and her best friend, Anne. They'd rather catch frogs and play in the mud. But then "Princess Bossy Pants" Veronica Grace steals Anne away. To make matters worse, the teacher casts Marty as the leading role in the class play, The Frog Prince, and now she too must wear a dress and be "girly." She hates it and finds a way to "improve" the story's plot.
This is the first in a three-part series.
Things to know: Marty continually thinks of unkind nicknames for people she doesn't like, including her teacher. While she never says the derogatory monikers out loud, she repeats them in her head.
A female classmate named Rasheena wants an important role and asks to play the part of the king. The teacher concedes. Additionally, Marty lies to her teacher and never suffers any consequences for her deception. A girl kisses a boy on the playground.
by P.J. Peterson
Twelve-year-old Ryan is obsessed with video games. He's not good at outdoor activities like hiking and canoeing. His older brother Tanner, on the other hand, is an experienced camper and convinces Ryan to join him on an overnight kayaking trip. Shortly into their adventure, though, they hit some rough rapids. Tanner is knocked unconscious, leaving Ryan on his own to make his way out of the river. Employing the same skills he used in his favorite video game, Chopper Deamon, Ryan finds help and eventually rescues his brother.
Things to know: In one description of the video game, a skeleton rides a motorcycle across the screen and yells, "Eat dirt, Squirt." As he's making his way out of the ravine, Ryan names all the obstacles after parts of the video game—Deamon River, Deamon Cliff, Deamon Rapids, etc.
Just for you, Mom
by Tessa Arlen
When Marion Crawford arrives at the palace to take a temporary role as governess, princesses Elizabeth and Margaret are young girls living in the countryside with their parents. But then their uncle, Edward VIII, abdicates the throne to marry an American divorcee, and their lives turn upside down. They must leave their simple life and take their place as heir apparents to the English crown. Marion, or Crawfie, as they affectionately call her, becomes their anchor.
Time passes, and Elizabeth falls in love with Prince Philip of Greece. With family ties to Nazi sympathizers, Philip is the last person Queen Elizabeth I wants her daughter to marry. As always, the princess turns to her most trusted ally, Crawfie, for help in convincing her parents to agree to the match.
Based on a true story, this book recounts the events that led Marion Crawford, former governess to Queen Elizabeth II, to do something that no other royal employee before her dared to do--write a tell-all.
Be aware that this is not The Little Princessess--Crawford's notorious memoir first published in 1950. This is a fictionalized story that recounts why the tell-all was written in the first place.
Please note: The text includes several vain uses of God's name and the word "d*mned." In addition, the plot implies that an engaged Crawfie sleeps with her fiancé on one or two occasions before they are married. No details or descriptions are given about the premarital relations, however.