One Day in the Woods


Jean Craighead George - 1988
    Readers follow Rebecca’s progress through the day discovering the secrets of the spring foliage and learning much about the temperate forest and its inhabitants.’ —BL.

The Foxman


Gary Paulsen - 1977
    It's their only chance for shelter--but who could be living way out here? Then they see the Foxman. As he welcomes the boys, he grabs his mask--too late to hide his hideously mutilated face. Carl accepts his welcome, but is eager to leave the next morning. His cousin, however, will come back. There's something about the Foxman he must know--about the tragedy that should have destroyed him, and the mystery of the wilderness that keeps him alive.

My Name Is Not Angelica


Scott O'Dell - 1989
    In the fields, under the hot sun, slaves don't last long, perhaps a year. So show your white teeth, Raisha, smile a lot, and don't say anything unless you're asked.Snatched from her home in Africa, sixteen-year-old Raisha begins her new life on the island of St. John's as a slave on Jost van Prok's plantation. Even as a sheltered house servant, Raisha cannot ignore the terrible suffering of other slaves. But is she willing to risk her life to help a group of runaways?This is a compelling account of the great slave rebellion of 1733, and of one daring young woman's suffering, strength, and ultimate triumph of will.This is Raisha's story.

Jelly Belly


Robert Kimmel Smith - 1981
    At four-feet-eight inches tall he weighs one hundred and nine pounds, and he keeps growing--wider. When his pareents send him to a summer diet camp, he and his bunkmates can't quite give up their old habits. The joys of candy and doughnuts are so appealing that "cheating" adventures seems to be the only answer. The problem, of course, is how to lose weight and keep eating sweets. When Ned finally realizes that there is only one way to lose weight for good, his whole family is glad to help, except Grandma. How can he resist temptation without hurting his grandma and himself?

Beetles, Lightly Toasted


Phyllis Reynolds Naylor - 1989
    Sudermann essay contest so that he can win fifty dollars and get his picture in the local newspaper. His cousin and rival, Jack, feels exactly the same way. But how can Andy be inventive and imaginative in an essay contest on conservation?Bugs and beetles, that's how. Leave it to Andy to think of people eating insects as a way of conserving their food budgets. Before long he's preparing toasted beetles in brownies, mealworm-filled egg salad sandwiches, and batter-fried earthworms for his friends and family. They don't know what they're in for, and neither does Andy. Will he win the contest and lose his friends and family?

Big Nate: Top Dog: Two Books in One


Lincoln Peirce - 2021
    Joining Nate in the fun at P.S. 38 are his best pals, Francis and Teddy. Whether he's setting the school record for detentions, earning an A for annoying teacher's pet Gina, or inventing new ways to trash talk during a chess tournament, Nate's talent for making mischief is second to none.

The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers


Stan Berenstain - 1985
    When Papa Bear tells the cubs why they should never talk to strangers, Sister begins to view all strangers as evil until Mama brings some common sense to the problem.

Song of the Gargoyle


Zilpha Keatley Snyder - 1991
    In a blink of an eye his father, the court jester of Austerneve, is mysteriously kidnapped and the terrified boy must slip away secretly to avoid capture himself.Hiding in the dreaded forest nearby, Tymmon is adopted by a huge, furry, dog-like creature--a gargoyle--who has the loyalty of a dog and the fearsome powers of an enchanted being.Together, hungry, the two make their way to town, where Tymmon earns a living by playing his flute and learns to be happy. At least as happy as he can be without his father. Will he ever find a way to rescue him and be with him again?

Flooded: Requiem for Johnstown


Ann E. Burg - 2020
    Burg explores the deep class divides and social injustice behind one of America's greatest tragedies.* "Stunning, significant and sorrowful, Ann E. Burg's requiem melts history into prose... Highly recommended." -- School Library Journal, starred review"Chillingly effective." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's BooksJohnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1889 was a lively, working-class factory city. Above the soot-soaked streets, an elite fishing and hunting club, built on a pristine man-made lake, drew America's wealthiest business barons. Though repeatedly urged to fix the deteriorating dam that held the lake, the club members disregarded the warnings. And when heavy rains came, the dam collapsed and plunged the city into chaos.On that fateful day, six children found themselves caught in the wreckage.The chorus of their voices--all inspired by real people--create a gripping portrait of loss and healing. Plumbing themes of class, injustice, deprivation, and the environment, Ann E. Burg summons her prodigious heart and virtuosic poetry to turn one of the deadliest tragedies in our country's history into a transcendent and hopeful work of art.

Space Station Seventh Grade


Jerry Spinelli - 1982
    Now a seventh grader, Jason finds out the hard way just how different things are where ninth graders are the kings.

Dave at Night


Gail Carson Levine - 1999
    When orphaned Dave is sent to the Hebrew Home for Boys and treated cruelly, he sneaks out at night and welcomed into the music- and culture-filled world of the Harlem Renaissance, where he discovers the power of friendship.

The Big One-Oh


Dean Pitchford - 2007
    But now that he’s turning ten—the big one-oh—he decides to throw a birthday party for himself, complete with a “House of Horrors” theme. Of course things don’t work out as he plans. In trying to make friends, he ends up inviting the class bully Cougar to come, and that’s before he ruins the cake and sets the garage on fire. Will Charley be able to pull it together before the big one-oh . . . becomes the big OH-NO!? From start to finish, The Big One-Oh is a laugh-out-loud riot, and any reader will relate to the pressures Charley faces both at school and at home in planning his special day. So dive into The Big One-Oh and join the party today!

Bully Bait


Michael Fry - 2013
    Nick is the shortest seventh-grader in the history of the world (he's pretty sure), doesn't fit in with any groups or clubs (who needs 'em?), and spends more time inside than outside his locker (they're roomier than you'd think).Things only get worse when a well-intentioned guidance counselor forces Nick to join the school's lamest club-along with fellow misfits Molly and Karl-in her quest to cure all three of their "peer allergies." What starts off as a reluctant band of hopeless oddballs morphs into an effective and empowered team ready to face whatever middle school throws at them, including bullies, awkward romance, zany adults, and a brave new world of surprising friendships.Renowned cartoonist Michael Fry brings an unforgettable cast of characters to life in an illustrated novel brimming with honesty, humor, and heart.

Shortcut


Donald Crews - 1992
    The coast seems clear...This companion to Bigmama's will enthrall young readers at home or in the classroom. An exciting story with a clear implicit lesson and a happy ending, children will be on the edge of their seats as they follow along. A fun read-aloud, it also helps children ages 3 to 6 learn about how to share details of place in storytelling. Celebrate the bonds of family over generations with Donald Crews's evocative picture books Shortcut and Bigmama's.

Marisol and Magdalena: The Sound of Our Sisterhood


Veronica Chambers - 1998
    When Marisol's mother sends her away to Panama to live with relatives, it puts her American values to the test, as well as her friendship with Magdalena.