Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School


Frank Richards - 1947
    This story is for children aged six to ninety plus.

Warrior Scarlet


Rosemary Sutcliff - 1958
    In Bronze Age Britain, young Drem must overcome his disability-a withered arm-if he is to prove his manhood and become a warrior.

The Night Swimmers


Betsy Byars - 1980
    Retta, Johnny and Roy are the night swimmers: three children whose father leaves them alone while he performs as a singer."Byars has the uncanny ability to know the secret lives...the outward postures, and the exact words her characters would surely use."-- "The New York Times Book Review."A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book, An American Book Award, Parents' Choice Award, A Child Study Children's Book Committee: Children's Book of the Year, An IRA-CBC Children's Choice, A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year.

The Dolphin Crossing


Jill Paton Walsh - 1970
    A small boat helps the evacuation from Dunkirk.

The Battle of Bubble and Squeak


Philippa Pearce - 1978
    The Parker children's home becomes a battlefield because they want a pet while their mother declares that she will have no gerbils in her house.

My Girragundji


Meme McDonald - 1998
    But, when he is befriended by a green tree frog, 'girragundji', he realises that his ancestors have sent her to protect him and he can face his fears. This story combines the talents of Boori Pryor, one of Australia's greatest aboriginal story-tellers, and author Meme McDonald. It's a tale firmly rooted in aboriginal myth and culture, but one that will appeal to any child who's been afraid of the dark.

The Family from One End Street


Eve Garnett - 1937
    The father is a dustman and the mother a washerwoman, but because they are poor the children find even greater opportunities for adventure in their ordinary lives.

Foxspell


Gillian Rubinstein - 1994
    Overwhelmed at school, Tod finds himself lagging behind his classmates and becoming entangled in a destructive gang. After Tod compassionately buries a dead fox, a fox-spirit offers him the chance to become a fox himself. Will Tod choose his complex, human life or the simple, wild life of a fox? Young Adult.

Where the Lilies Bloom


Vera Cleaver - 1969
    She is determined to keep her word—and her pride. No matter what.At first she is sure she can manage. Romey, Ima Dean, and Devola help gather herbs to sell in town; the riches of the mountains will surely keep the family clothed and fed. But when winter comes, fast and furious, Mary Call learns that the land where the lilies bloom can be a cruel and unforgiving place, and it will take more than a promise to keep her family together.This classic coming of age story explores issues of poverty, character, and perseverance. A strong option for classroom, homeschool, or independent reading.

The Young Visiters


Daisy Ashford - 1919
    The notebook containing the novel was rediscovered by her in adult life and sent by a friend to Frank Swinnerton, the English novelist, critic, editor and essayist. Published in 1919 by Chatto and Windus, with its original misspellings and an arch introduction by “Peter Pan” author J. M. Barrie, it was an immediate bestseller. Its child's view of high society (dukes and earls having ‘levies’ and residing in the ‘Crystall Pallace’) and its heavily romantic plot make it an engaging and enduring popular work. Source: jrank.org

Uncle


J.P. Martin - 1964
    Unimaginably rich, invariably swathed in a magnificent purple dressing-gown, Uncle oversees a vast ramshackle castle full of friendly kooks while struggling to fend off the sneak attacks of the incorrigible (and ridiculous) Badfort Crowd. Each Uncle story introduces a new character from Uncle’s madcap world: Signor Guzman, careless keeper of the oil lakes; Noddy Ninety, an elderly train conductor and the oldest student of Dr. Lyre’s Select School for Young Gentlemen; the proprietors of Cheapman’s Store (where motorbikes are a halfpenny each) and Dearman’s Store (where the price of an old milk jug goes up daily); along with many others. But for every delightful friend of Uncle, there is a foe who is no less deliriously wicked. Luckily the misbegotten schemes of the Badfort Crowd are no match for Uncle’s superior wits. Quentin Blake’s quirky illustrations are the perfect complement to J.P. Martin’s stories, each one of a perfect length for bedtime reading. Lovers of Roald Dahl and William Steig will rejoice in Uncle’s wonderfully bizarre and happy world, where the good guys always come out on top, and once a year, everybody, good and bad, sits down together for an enormous Christmas feast.

The Swish of the Curtain


Pamela Brown - 1941
    Despite opposition from parents and friends, they finally overcome all obstacles and win a drama competition. It is a tale of triumph over adversity.

The Ghost of Thomas Kempe


Penelope Lively - 1973
    Doors crash open, and strange signs appear, written in an archaic hand. James finds that the ghost is the spirit of Thomas Kempe.

In Lane Three, Alex Archer


Tessa Duder - 1987
    I am a pink human, caught in a net of ambition and years of hard work. In a few minutes I will dive into artificially turquoise water waiting at my feet. A minute later I'll either be ecstatic or a failure.'Fifteen-year-old swimming champ Alex Archer has her mind set on one goal-competing in the Olympic Games in Rome. Alex has been training hard for six years--but so has her archrival, Maggie Benton.Maggie isn't the only obstacle Alex must overcome. She's spread herself too thin at school, and at home she's worried about her grandmother's failing health. She needs complete concentration for the competition, but it's becoming harder to give her all. Then, her handsome boyfriend, Andy is in a terrible accident. Even if Alex can deal with all these unforeseen problems, can she beat Maggie to make it to the Olympic Games?"Well-developed, realistic, three-dimensional characters flesh out this novel about competitive swimming and adolescence... Duder's fresh writing style hooks readers from the outset."-- "School Library Journal."

Halinka


Mirjam Pressler - 1995
    But all Halinka has is herself, a blanket from her beloved Aunt Lou, and a secret notebook where she holds her sayings. Just as she is losing hope of ever finding a home, and forgetting all she once loved, Halinka sees something that reminds her that everyone needs some beauty in their lives, like they need air, or food . . . and maybe a friend. But for that, Halinka would have to share her thoughts, secrets, and maybe even her memories. And she's not sure if she can afford to lose that much.