Great Schools Book Nook Experts released an excellent list of books for 5th graders. Below are a list of books that they recommend.
Adventure
I Am the Ice Worm by MaryAnn Easley
(Boys Mill Press, 1998).
This book is sort of a girls' version of Gary Paulsen's classic Hatchet.
In both stories, a teenage character is stranded in the wilderness following
a plane crash. In I Am the Ice Worm, 14-year-old Allison is rescued
from the Alaskan wild by an Inupiat trapper, who takes her to his village to
stay until she can be reunited with her mother. Allison's upbringing in an
upper-class family in southern California certainly didn't prepare her for
this icy adventure, but she turns out to have courage and adaptability that
she didn't expect. Though Allison may initially seem too "girly" for boy
readers, this novel has a great blend of adventure, wilderness and family
matters that will captivate boys and girls alike.127 pages.
Click here to buy the book on Powells.com.
Sheila Ashdown and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
(Boys Mill Press, 1998).
This book is sort of a girls' version of Gary Paulsen's classic Hatchet.
In both stories, a teenage character is stranded in the wilderness following
a plane crash. In I Am the Ice Worm, 14-year-old Allison is rescued
from the Alaskan wild by an Inupiat trapper, who takes her to his village to
stay until she can be reunited with her mother. Allison's upbringing in an
upper-class family in southern California certainly didn't prepare her for
this icy adventure, but she turns out to have courage and adaptability that
she didn't expect. Though Allison may initially seem too "girly" for boy
readers, this novel has a great blend of adventure, wilderness and family
matters that will captivate boys and girls alike.127 pages.
Click here to buy the book on Powells.com.
Sheila Ashdown and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
Schuster, 2007).
The story is about Brian, 13, and how he manages to survive 54 days in the
Canadian wilderness after a plane crash. Brian was flying to visit his
father when the pilot dies of a heart attack in mid-flight. Brian crash
lands the plane into a small lake and swims out of the wreckage. He has his
clothing, a tattered windbreaker and a hatchet (a gift from his mother). The
novel takes us through Brian's days, how he learns patience through his
experiences with failures and small successes: building a fire, fishing and
hunting, making his shelter a safe one. He endures a porcupine attack, a
tornado and being utterly alone for almost two months. This is a tale of
adventure but, more importantly, it is a tale of character growth. This
edition includes a new introduction and sidebar commentary by the author.
192 pages.
Pauline
Harris
Kit's Wilderness by David Almond
(Dell-Laurel Leaf, 1999).
Kit's family moves to Stoneygate, an old coal-mining town where his family
has lived for generations, to be near his ailing grandfather. Here, Kit is
invited by an odd neighbor boy to play a game called Death. The game and
the town's haunted history get under Kit's skin, while the lines between
reality and fantasy begin to blur. This multi-generational tale is
engrossing and chilling. 229 pages.
Click here to buy the book on Powells.com.
Sheila Ashdown and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
(Dell-Laurel Leaf, 1999).
Kit's family moves to Stoneygate, an old coal-mining town where his family
has lived for generations, to be near his ailing grandfather. Here, Kit is
invited by an odd neighbor boy to play a game called Death. The game and
the town's haunted history get under Kit's skin, while the lines between
reality and fantasy begin to blur. This multi-generational tale is
engrossing and chilling. 229 pages.
Click here to buy the book on Powells.com.
Sheila Ashdown and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
Peak by Roland Smith (Harcourt,
2007).
When 14-year-old Peak Marcello is caught scaling a skyscraper to place
his signature graffiti tag, he is offered a choice: spend three years in
juvenile detention or climb Mt. Everest with his long-absent father.
Though the choice might be easy, the journey is not. Peak is physically
and emotionally challenged by the grueling climb, the weather, and the
politics and drama of climbing culture. And the pressure is on, because
if Peak can reach the summit before his 15th birthday, he'll break a
world record and gain glory and money. Peak is gripping and surprising,
and though it's written for a middle-grade audience, readers young and
old will be sucked in by the sharp writing and memorable characters. 246
pages.
Click here to buy the book on Powells.com.
Sheila Ashdown and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
2007).
When 14-year-old Peak Marcello is caught scaling a skyscraper to place
his signature graffiti tag, he is offered a choice: spend three years in
juvenile detention or climb Mt. Everest with his long-absent father.
Though the choice might be easy, the journey is not. Peak is physically
and emotionally challenged by the grueling climb, the weather, and the
politics and drama of climbing culture. And the pressure is on, because
if Peak can reach the summit before his 15th birthday, he'll break a
world record and gain glory and money. Peak is gripping and surprising,
and though it's written for a middle-grade audience, readers young and
old will be sucked in by the sharp writing and memorable characters. 246
pages.
Click here to buy the book on Powells.com.
Sheila Ashdown and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
The White Darkness by
Geraldine McCaughrean (Harper Teen, 2005).
Sym Wates is obsessed with everything Antarctic — especially the
doomed explorer Titus Oates, who died in a 1911 expedition to the
South Pole. She is thrilled when her uncle Victor arranges to take her
to Antarctica, but her delight doesn't last; it turns out that Uncle
Victor has a strange ulterior motive for the trip and that some of
Sym's fellow travelers aren't who they claim to be — especially Uncle
Victor. The White Darkness weaves history, family drama and
adventure into a thrilling tale. 373 pages.
Click here to buy the book on Powells.com.
Sheila Ashdown and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
Geraldine McCaughrean (Harper Teen, 2005).
Sym Wates is obsessed with everything Antarctic — especially the
doomed explorer Titus Oates, who died in a 1911 expedition to the
South Pole. She is thrilled when her uncle Victor arranges to take her
to Antarctica, but her delight doesn't last; it turns out that Uncle
Victor has a strange ulterior motive for the trip and that some of
Sym's fellow travelers aren't who they claim to be — especially Uncle
Victor. The White Darkness weaves history, family drama and
adventure into a thrilling tale. 373 pages.
Click here to buy the book on Powells.com.
Sheila Ashdown and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
Classic Childhood Favorites
Baseball in April and Other Stories
by Gary Soto (Harcourt Paperbacks, 2000).
Set in a Latino community in Fresno, California, these contemporary
short stories take on universal life lessons. Perfect for a
fifth-grade reader, Soto is gifted at telling tales that intrigue and
instruct kids. Baseball in April is sure to inspire
discussion, so chat about it with your child. Originally published in
1990. 111 pages.
Danielle Marshall and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
by Gary Soto (Harcourt Paperbacks, 2000).
Set in a Latino community in Fresno, California, these contemporary
short stories take on universal life lessons. Perfect for a
fifth-grade reader, Soto is gifted at telling tales that intrigue and
instruct kids. Baseball in April is sure to inspire
discussion, so chat about it with your child. Originally published in
1990. 111 pages.
Danielle Marshall and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
George McDonald, illustrated by Maurice Sendak (Farrar Straus Giroux,
1984).
Just when you think your child might be getting too old for fairy
tales, along comes this amazing 19th-century princess story to change
both of your minds. Chock-full of puns and mixed with just the right
blend of whimsy and ethics lessons, The Light Princess
deserves a fresh set of 21st-century eyes. Resoundingly recommended.
110 pages.
Danielle Marshall and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
Norton Juster, illustrated by Jules Feiffer (Yearling, 1988).
Described by many children as "the best book ever," this is fantasy at
its best. Full of irony and insights, Juster created a masterpiece
when he wrote The Phantom Tollbooth. Give this book to your
child and let the wave of words and numbers sweep them into a
fantastical world. A clever, almost indescribable book that you may
already know about, but is too indispensable to keep from mentioning
it here. First published in 1961. 255 pages.
Danielle Marshall and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
Frances Burnett, illustrated by Tasha Tudor (HarperCollins, 1911).
Beautifully written, the book shows two selfish, disagreeable children
transformed by the magic of nature and their own imaginations as they
work to bring a near-dead garden back to life. For the serious kid
reader, this is a stay-up-all night, flashlight-under-the-covers story
with fine watercolor illustrations. Hodgson combines realism, mystery
and moral sensibility to make a world children will love. 368 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Read Aloud: Ages 9+. Read Alone: Ages 11+.
Common Sense Media
Fun Books About Math
Sir Cumference and the First Round
Table: A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander, illustrated
by Wayne Geehan (Charlesbridge Publishing, 1999).
This book is the perfect read-aloud to introduce the concepts of
circumference, diameter and radius. Students will be exposed to many
other geometric shapes as well. Children of all ages will enjoy this
mathematical adventure. Sir Circumference and his Knight work to solve
a mathematical dilemma. What would be the best-shaped table for Sir
Circumference to gather his knights? Will it be a square, rectangle,
parallelogram or circle? You must read to find out. 32 pages.
Jennifer Thompson
Table: A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander, illustrated
by Wayne Geehan (Charlesbridge Publishing, 1999).
This book is the perfect read-aloud to introduce the concepts of
circumference, diameter and radius. Students will be exposed to many
other geometric shapes as well. Children of all ages will enjoy this
mathematical adventure. Sir Circumference and his Knight work to solve
a mathematical dilemma. What would be the best-shaped table for Sir
Circumference to gather his knights? Will it be a square, rectangle,
parallelogram or circle? You must read to find out. 32 pages.
Jennifer Thompson
Historical Fiction
Bread and Roses, Too by
Katherine Paterson (Houghton Mifflin, 2006).
Life in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1912 wasn't easy. ... Born to
Italian immigrants, Rosa's parents and older sister work in the mills.
After her father died in a mill accident, Rosa's mother took in a
family of boarders. Even though they needed the money, Rosa's feisty
mother insisted that 12-year-old Rosa attend school rather than work
in the mill. ... With her unfailing empathy for the young, Paterson
combines the thoughts and feelings of a timid child who is torn
between the admonitions of an admired teacher who talks against an
unfolding mill strike and her earthy Italian mother who, along with
Rosa's older sister, participates wholeheartedly in the strike. ...
Once again, Paterson displays her gift for bringing the hard past to
life for present-day readers. 288 pages.
© Parents' Choice
Katherine Paterson (Houghton Mifflin, 2006).
Life in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1912 wasn't easy. ... Born to
Italian immigrants, Rosa's parents and older sister work in the mills.
After her father died in a mill accident, Rosa's mother took in a
family of boarders. Even though they needed the money, Rosa's feisty
mother insisted that 12-year-old Rosa attend school rather than work
in the mill. ... With her unfailing empathy for the young, Paterson
combines the thoughts and feelings of a timid child who is torn
between the admonitions of an admired teacher who talks against an
unfolding mill strike and her earthy Italian mother who, along with
Rosa's older sister, participates wholeheartedly in the strike. ...
Once again, Paterson displays her gift for bringing the hard past to
life for present-day readers. 288 pages.
© Parents' Choice
(Yearling, 2002).
Set during World War II in the Dutch West Indies, this is a story
about true friendship, survival and overcoming racism. This enduring
tale strikes many of the same chords today as it did in 1969, the year
it was first published. 144 pages.
Krisha Roach
The Newbery Medal winner for 1961, this book could be seen as a
precursor to Gary Paulsen's Hatchet (see below). Karana is a
12-year-old Native American who refuses to abandon her 6-year-old
brother when her island, Ghalas-at (off the Southern California coast)
is evacuated. Shortly thereafter, he tragically dies after being
attacked by wild dogs, and Karana begins her solitary wait for a ship
to come for her. She waits 18 years. Karana survives by foraging,
fishing in the ocean, defending herself from wild dogs and elephant
seals, and hiding from the Aleut tribe. Told from her point of view,
we share the details of her day-to-day life, watch the days turn into
years, and wait for the ship to carry her off her lonely island.
O'Dell based this novel on an actual historical figure, known as The
Lost Woman of San Nicolas, who lived on the island from 1835-1853. 192
pages.
Pauline Harris
by E. L. Konigsburg (Simon & Schuster, 2007).
This is brilliant writing for brilliant kids. There are mentions of
matters sexual and violent, but they are glancing references, nothing
more. There is some mild swearing. Families can talk about the general
historical background and Hitler's specific views of art. Why would
controlling art have been so important to a dictator like Hitler? Why
would others risk their lives for it? What could make a painting so
important? Also, the author is sometimes very subtle, and even gifted
readers may need some help sorting out the story. 244 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 10-12, Read Aloud: 10+, Read
Alone: 11+.
Common Sense Media
The Mystery of Rascal Pratt by
Robbie Scott and Gary Cianciarulo (Perfect Paperback, 2007).
This is great historical fiction for children. The story takes place
in 1866 at the tip of the Marin Headlands in Northern California.
Shipwrecks, pirate adventure, bigotry, friendships, local flavor —
this book has it all to hold the attention of the tween crowd. The
protagonists are Emma, Sue and Harris (all 12 years old) and Rascal
Pratt, a self-proclaimed pirate who is older than he looks. Achilles,
Sue's grandfather, a blind, Native American ranch worker, asks Rascal
to find the long-lost treasure of Sir Francis Drake, so that he can
buy his freedom from the ranch. The action takes place at a lighthouse
and the nearby shoreline and ocean. Because of the wonderful period
detail found here, this book is a perfect tie-in for "Talk Like a
Pirate Day" on September 19! 207 pages.
Pauline Harris
Robbie Scott and Gary Cianciarulo (Perfect Paperback, 2007).
This is great historical fiction for children. The story takes place
in 1866 at the tip of the Marin Headlands in Northern California.
Shipwrecks, pirate adventure, bigotry, friendships, local flavor —
this book has it all to hold the attention of the tween crowd. The
protagonists are Emma, Sue and Harris (all 12 years old) and Rascal
Pratt, a self-proclaimed pirate who is older than he looks. Achilles,
Sue's grandfather, a blind, Native American ranch worker, asks Rascal
to find the long-lost treasure of Sir Francis Drake, so that he can
buy his freedom from the ranch. The action takes place at a lighthouse
and the nearby shoreline and ocean. Because of the wonderful period
detail found here, this book is a perfect tie-in for "Talk Like a
Pirate Day" on September 19! 207 pages.
Pauline Harris
Lowry (Houghton Mifflin Children's Books, 1989).
A brave Danish girl helps smuggle her Jewish friends to safety.
Lowry's sense of timing and choice of details put readers in the
middle of the story. A riveting read, but your kids may have questions
afterward. 137 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 9-12, Read Aloud: 9+, Read
Alone: 10+.
Common Sense Media
Richard Peck (Dial Books, 2007).
This book is a funny, poignant book about life on the home front
during World War II. There is some violence: a father is knocked out
with a wrench, a girl's hand is caught in a rat trap, and an old lady
likes to tell tales of gruesome injuries. Families can talk about the
differences between life then and now. What aspects of Davy's life
sound similar to your own? Which are completely different? Does it
sound like it was fun to grow up then? Is it more fun now? What else
have you seen and read about World War II? 148 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 9-12, Read Aloud: 9+, Read
Alone: 10+.
Common Sense Media
Gary Blackwood (Puffin Books, 2000).
Fourteen-year-old orphan Widge works for a mean and unscrupulous
master who goes by the name of Falconer. Ordered to steal the script
for Hamlet, Widge is taken to London and forced to attend a
performance of the play. Instead of concentrating on stealing the
script, he becomes engrossed in the show. Reluctantly, Widge admits
his failure to Falconer and is told to return until his mission is
accomplished. Nothing goes as planned and a very surprised Widge finds
himself an accepted member of the backstage crew. Once a lonely
outcast, he has friends and a place to call home for the first time in
his life. Will he have the moral integrity to disobey his master or
will he betray his new family? Set in Elizabethan London, The
Shakespeare Stealer introduces us to Shakespearean stagecraft, life on
the streets of London and to the truth behind the youthful appearance
of Queen Elizabeth I! 216 pages.
Kepler's Books
Fox (Penguin Putnam, 2004).
This moderately graphic depiction of the worst of the slave trade,
told exclusively from a white boy's point of view, will raise many
questions, both historical and moral. Though the reading level is
middle to upper elementary, sensitive children may find it very
disturbing. 176 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 9-12, Read Aloud: 10+, Read
Alone: 11+.
Common Sense Media
Curtain by Peter Sis (Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2007).
This award-winner shows a child's view of the Cold War. This serious
book deserves time and close attention. There are many big political
and philosophical ideas, and mentions of events that may disturb some
children, including a plane hijacking, imprisonments and deaths.
Families can talk about and compare what was happening in America
during that time. Are grandparents available to share their own
memories of the Cold War era? Families can also explore the Western
cultural touchstones that meant so much to Sis - the Beach Boys, the
Beatles. Awards: Caldecott Honor, New York Times Best Illustrated Book
Award, Kirkus Reviews Editors' Choice, School Library Journal Best
Book, Parents' Choice Award Winner, Horn Book Fanfare. 56 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 8-12, Read Aloud: 8+, Read
Alone: 12+.
Common Sense Media
Humor
The Canning Season by Polly
Horvath (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003).
Ratchet loves her selfish mother but receives little in return.
Without warning or luggage of any sort, Ratchet's mother ships her to
Maine to spend the summer with two elderly relatives. Tilly and Penpen
are un-identical twins who are tremendously eccentric; they are also
kind and generous. A laugh-aloud, farcical story evolves from this
unlikely premise. Winner of the 2003 National Book Award for
Children's Literature. 208 pages.
© Parents' Choice
Horvath (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003).
Ratchet loves her selfish mother but receives little in return.
Without warning or luggage of any sort, Ratchet's mother ships her to
Maine to spend the summer with two elderly relatives. Tilly and Penpen
are un-identical twins who are tremendously eccentric; they are also
kind and generous. A laugh-aloud, farcical story evolves from this
unlikely premise. Winner of the 2003 National Book Award for
Children's Literature. 208 pages.
© Parents' Choice
by Polly Horvath, illustrated by Marylin Hafner (Farrar, Straus and
Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2004).
Whether it's waking up to find toads in their shoes or searching for
cheese when their cow makes lemonade, the Pepin family's endless
tangles entertain the reader. Lucky for them they have the author,
whose insight into their hilarious misfortunes helps guide them in
problem solving. 192 pages.
Children's Choices
of 5th Grade by Kenneth Derby (Holiday House, 2004).
Tony Baloney is obsessed with David Letterman and is determined to be
a guest on his show. This fast-paced, action-packed story is sure to
keep the reader amused — top 10 lists and all! 144 pages.
Children's Choices
Gantos (HarperTrophy, 2004).
Now that Joey's divorced mom has a new boyfriend, his dad has returned
to town to buzz their house on his roaring motorcycle. The fact that
his own sick, elderly mother is living with his son and former wife
doesn't deter him at all. When Joey's mom sends him to be homeschooled
with a bratty blind girl with a religious mother whose motto is "What
Would Jesus Do?" Joey adopts this motto - with his own modifications.
While the premises of Joey's story - no allies except a small dog and
a sick old lady - are harsh, the book is hilarious. 240 pages.
© Parents' Choice
Mysteries
Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
(Eos, 2005).
Matt is a cabin boy on board a luxurious airship, the Aurora. Matt
meets Kate, who has arranged for a flight on the Aurora so that she
can investigate diary entries her grandfather made regarding large,
feline creatures with bat-like wings. Soon, the Aurora is attacked by
pirates and forced by a storm to land on a tropical island. While
exploring the island, Matt and Kate stumble across the bones of one of
the "cloud cats" and observe one living in the treetops. But they are
captured by the pirates, whose hideout is on the very same island.
Will Matt and Kate be able to escape? You won't want to stop turning
the pages until you know the answer! Rich with action, the character
development does not suffer. Matt and Kate are likable heroes, the
pirates vile and even the airship, Aurora, takes on a personality of
its own. 544 pages.
Kepler's Books
(Eos, 2005).
Matt is a cabin boy on board a luxurious airship, the Aurora. Matt
meets Kate, who has arranged for a flight on the Aurora so that she
can investigate diary entries her grandfather made regarding large,
feline creatures with bat-like wings. Soon, the Aurora is attacked by
pirates and forced by a storm to land on a tropical island. While
exploring the island, Matt and Kate stumble across the bones of one of
the "cloud cats" and observe one living in the treetops. But they are
captured by the pirates, whose hideout is on the very same island.
Will Matt and Kate be able to escape? You won't want to stop turning
the pages until you know the answer! Rich with action, the character
development does not suffer. Matt and Kate are likable heroes, the
pirates vile and even the airship, Aurora, takes on a personality of
its own. 544 pages.
Kepler's Books
Balliett (Scholastic, 2004).
Mysterious letters, picture puzzles called "pentominoes" and a stolen
painting by the Dutch artist Vermeer unite unlikely friends, Petra
Andalee and Calder Pillay, in an effort to solve a mystery. 254 pages.
Krisha Roach
Encyclopedia Brown Cracks the Case by
Donald J. Sobol (Dutton, 2007).
Children will enjoy beating Encyclopedia Brown to the solution in each
of these 10 short stories. The cases require different knowledge to
solve them, so this collection is good for budding history buffs and
scientists. 128 pages.
Children's Choices
Donald J. Sobol (Dutton, 2007).
Children will enjoy beating Encyclopedia Brown to the solution in each
of these 10 short stories. The cases require different knowledge to
solve them, so this collection is good for budding history buffs and
scientists. 128 pages.
Children's Choices
E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg (Simon & Schuster,
1967).
Twelve-year-old Claudia and her younger brother Jamie are running away
from the tyranny of unappreciative parents and the drudgery of
day-to-day living. Claudia has carefully hand-picked the beautiful
Metropolitan Museum of Art as their new home. There they quite
unexpectedly stumble upon an unknown statue by none other than
Michelangelo...or is it? Winner of the 1967 Newbery Award. 162 pages.
Krisha Roach
Gutman (Simon & Schuster, 2006).
Young readers will recognize their classmates and maybe themselves in
the key witnesses who describe the events (interrogation-style)
leading up to the discovery, use and destruction of a computer that
was supposed to make kids' lives easier. It didn't. 160 pages.
Children's Choices
(series) by various authors writing as Lady Grace Cavendish (Random
House, 2004-2006).
Lady Grace Cavendish is the Nancy Drew of the Elizabethan Age, an
independent-minded teenager whose godmother just happens to be
Elizabeth I. Court intrigues and rivalries, swashbucklers, unlikely
friends and a mystery in each book make these very lively historical
novels.
© Parents' Choice
Time and Space Machine by Deborah Abela, illustrated by
George O'Connor (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, 2005).
An 11-year-old girl discovers boredom is the least of her problems
during the summer she spends at her aunt's farm. Her secret-agent
stories take on a new reality when she happens upon a real spy ring.
This story is the ultimate thriller for our age. 240 pages.
Children's Choices
Michael Hoeye (Penguin, 2004).
Hermux is a watchmaker who also happens to be a mouse. He is mostly
content with his life of order and quiet nights curled up with some
cheese and a good book, but that all changes when one Linka Perflinger,
aviatrix and daredevil, enters and mysteriously exits the picture. 279
pages.
Krisha Roach
Realism
Alabama Moon by Watt Key
(Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2006).
In the piney woods of south Alabama, 10-year-old Moon Blake has been
raised by his survivalist father, a paranoid Viet Nam veteran. When
his father dies, Moon buries him beside his mother, who had softened
their harsh existence while she lived. Not long before he died, Moon's
father told him to write him letters after his death - and if Moon
burned the letters, the messages would reach him. Pap called these
"smoke letters." ... With a wonderful villain and touches of
distinctive humor, the author takes his wiry, tough, goodhearted hero
through a residence in a boys' "home," a true friendship, assorted
escapes and into a happy ending. ... This debut novel is absolutely
first-rate. 304 pages.
© Parents' Choice
(Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2006).
In the piney woods of south Alabama, 10-year-old Moon Blake has been
raised by his survivalist father, a paranoid Viet Nam veteran. When
his father dies, Moon buries him beside his mother, who had softened
their harsh existence while she lived. Not long before he died, Moon's
father told him to write him letters after his death - and if Moon
burned the letters, the messages would reach him. Pap called these
"smoke letters." ... With a wonderful villain and touches of
distinctive humor, the author takes his wiry, tough, goodhearted hero
through a residence in a boys' "home," a true friendship, assorted
escapes and into a happy ending. ... This debut novel is absolutely
first-rate. 304 pages.
© Parents' Choice
Munoz Ryan (Scholastic, 2005).
Naomi Leon Outlaw is many things: a great sister, a kind granddaughter
and an excellent soap carver, but she is having a harder time just
being Naomi. Her journey to find her own true voice and reconnect with
her father takes her from a trailer park in Lemon Tree, California, to
a radish-carving festival in Oaxaca, Mexico. 272 pages.
Krisha Roach
Whelan (Harper Trophy, 2001).
Set in India, this is a lyrical and compassionate portrait of a
survivor. Thirteen-year-old Koly is getting married to someone she has
never met. When her new husband turns out to be gravely ill, things
take a turn for the worse. Koly finds herself widowed, hopeless and on
the streets. 192 pages.
Krisha Roach
by K.L. Going (Penguin Young Readers Group, 2005).
Frita Wilson works hard to help her friend Gabe to overcome the fear
of bullies in fifth grade. This is an inspiring story about friendship
and understanding between an African American girl and a white boy.
151 pages.
Children's Choices
Spinelli (Little, Brown, 1990).
A homeless orphan becomes a legend in a town divided by racism in this
sometimes funny, sometimes moving, always exciting story. Jeffrey
Magee's exploits may have made him famous, but reconciling a town
filled with hate and finding a decent life for himself may be more
than even he can manage. 184 pages. Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and
Newbery Medal.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: Ages 9-12, Read Aloud: 9+, Read
Alone: 9+.
Common Sense Media
Clements, illustrated by Mark Elliott (Simon & Schuster, 2007).
This is an ear-to-ear-grinningly delightful school story. Parents need
to know that there is nothing to be concerned about here and lots to
cheer. It's a story that even reluctant readers can love, about
good-hearted children and adults who grow in compassion and
understanding. Families can talk about silence and civil disobedience.
Why does the silence seem so powerful? How does it change everyone's
perceptions? What do you think of the standoff between Dave and the
principal? 146 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 8-12, Read Aloud: 8+, Read
Alone: 9+.
Common Sense Media
(Simon and Schuster, 2002, first published in 1913).
A tonic in cynical times, this book offers a philosophy of life that
can have a big impact on younger children. Playing the Glad Game is
worth a try for any family. Like other books of its time, Pollyanna
contains a few comments that are considered racist by modern
standards: a maid is referred to as "Black Tilly," and there are
several comments to the effect that little boys from India are
"heathens" who "don't know any more than to think that God was in that
[idol]." 304 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 9-12, Read Aloud: 9+, Read
Alone: 10+.
Common Sense Media
The Wednesday Wars by Gary
Schmidt (Clarion Books, 2007).
On Wednesday afternoons half of Holling's class leaves school early
for Catechism class. The other half leaves early for Hebrew School.
That leaves Presbyterian Holling alone every Wednesday afternoon with
his teacher, Mrs. Baker. Neither of them is happy at the prospect, and
Holling is sure Mrs. Baker hates him as a result. At first, Mrs. Baker
just has Holling clean erasers, but then decides to make better use of
the time by introducing him to Shakespeare. And as events in the
larger world during the 1967-68 school year unfold in the background,
Holling begins to learn about himself, his family, friends and the
mysterious adult world. 264 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Read Aloud: Ages 10. Read Alone: Age 11.
Common Sense Media
Schmidt (Clarion Books, 2007).
On Wednesday afternoons half of Holling's class leaves school early
for Catechism class. The other half leaves early for Hebrew School.
That leaves Presbyterian Holling alone every Wednesday afternoon with
his teacher, Mrs. Baker. Neither of them is happy at the prospect, and
Holling is sure Mrs. Baker hates him as a result. At first, Mrs. Baker
just has Holling clean erasers, but then decides to make better use of
the time by introducing him to Shakespeare. And as events in the
larger world during the 1967-68 school year unfold in the background,
Holling begins to learn about himself, his family, friends and the
mysterious adult world. 264 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Read Aloud: Ages 10. Read Alone: Age 11.
Common Sense Media
The View From Saturday by E. L.
Konigsburg (Simon and Schuster, 1996).
Main characters not only compete in an academic contest (contest
answers included at the back!) but also outwit the class bullies using
brains, not brawn. Nadia, Noah, Ethan and Julian, so closely linked in
friendship that they call themselves "the Souls," each narrates a part
of the book. Part of the pleasure comes from watching the foursome's
varied life experiences help them succeed as an Academic Bowl Team,
and part comes from the suspense generated at the story's beginning:
How does Mrs. Olinski select the children for her team? Only Noah,
Nadia, Ethan, and Julian know — and in alternating chapters, each one
tells a different piece of the story of how they became friends. The
calamitous wedding of Nadia's grandfather and Ethan's grandmother,
where Noah fills in as best man, is just the beginning. Mrs. Olinski,
a paraplegic, proves to be an indomitable coach as the foursome wins
one victory after another. 163 pages. Newbery Medal winner.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Recommended Reading Level: Ages 9-12. Read Alone: 11+.
Common Sense Media
Konigsburg (Simon and Schuster, 1996).
Main characters not only compete in an academic contest (contest
answers included at the back!) but also outwit the class bullies using
brains, not brawn. Nadia, Noah, Ethan and Julian, so closely linked in
friendship that they call themselves "the Souls," each narrates a part
of the book. Part of the pleasure comes from watching the foursome's
varied life experiences help them succeed as an Academic Bowl Team,
and part comes from the suspense generated at the story's beginning:
How does Mrs. Olinski select the children for her team? Only Noah,
Nadia, Ethan, and Julian know — and in alternating chapters, each one
tells a different piece of the story of how they became friends. The
calamitous wedding of Nadia's grandfather and Ethan's grandmother,
where Noah fills in as best man, is just the beginning. Mrs. Olinski,
a paraplegic, proves to be an indomitable coach as the foursome wins
one victory after another. 163 pages. Newbery Medal winner.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Recommended Reading Level: Ages 9-12. Read Alone: 11+.
Common Sense Media
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Davin by Dan and Zaki Gordon
(Random House, 1998).
Children are encouraged to interact with the exciting story. When
melodramatically read aloud, it's a sure success. The Bugle Boy models
brave steadfast friendship. The toys are animated by the power of
imagination, and represent characters from various other stories. 170
pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 9-12, Read Aloud: 7+, Read
Alone: 9+.
Common Sense Media
Davin by Dan and Zaki Gordon
(Random House, 1998).
Children are encouraged to interact with the exciting story. When
melodramatically read aloud, it's a sure success. The Bugle Boy models
brave steadfast friendship. The toys are animated by the power of
imagination, and represent characters from various other stories. 170
pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 9-12, Read Aloud: 7+, Read
Alone: 9+.
Common Sense Media
Sherwood Smith, illustrated by William Stout (HarperCollins Children's
Books, 2005).
This book transports the reader back to the enchanted land of Oz, but
it is a much different Oz than the one to which Dorothy traveled. Two
girls named Dori and Em will try to save Oz from yet another wicked
witch. 272 pages.
Children's Choices
by Jeff Stone (Random House, 2006).
Follow the adventures of 12-year-old Seh (snake), Fu (tiger) and Malao
(monkey) in 17th-century China. With the many twists and turns in the
plot, you never know who is friend or foe. Even family members are not
always who they seem to be. 208 pages.
Children's Choices
by Salman Rushdie (Penguin, 1999).
Rushdie's only children's book begins somewhere in Western Asia.
Drawing upon the folklore of India and Muslim cultures, the story
takes its father and son heroes on a quest from our contemporary world
into a magnificently conceived "other" world. In the real world,
Rashid Khalifa, the father, has lost his remarkable ability to tell
stories, earning the moniker the Shah of Blah. Simultaneously, in the
fantasy world, stories are disappearing from the Sea of Stories.
Haroun, Rashid's son, searches for the mysterious cause of his
father's loss and remedy to restore his talent. He encounters
situations and characters of great originality, humor and imagination
in a fast-moving tale full of word play and clever dialogue. 224
pages.
© Parents' Choice
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke,
translated from the German by Anthea Bell (Scholastic, 2003).
Meggie's life changed forever one rainy night when she looked out the
window and saw a stranger standing outside her window. This was her
first sighting of Dustfinger, one of many colorful characters that her
father brought to life from the pages of the book Inkheart. Meggie's
father, Mo, has a special talent — when he reads aloud, characters
from the book switch places with people from the outside world. In
fact, Meggie does not know this yet, but this is how her own mother
disappeared nine years before. Now, the evil Capricorn wants another
character brought to life, and is determined to have Mo read aloud.
This fascinating multi-layered story is an enjoyable but dark read for
anyone who loves a good story within a story. 534 pages.
Mindy Thuna
translated from the German by Anthea Bell (Scholastic, 2003).
Meggie's life changed forever one rainy night when she looked out the
window and saw a stranger standing outside her window. This was her
first sighting of Dustfinger, one of many colorful characters that her
father brought to life from the pages of the book Inkheart. Meggie's
father, Mo, has a special talent — when he reads aloud, characters
from the book switch places with people from the outside world. In
fact, Meggie does not know this yet, but this is how her own mother
disappeared nine years before. Now, the evil Capricorn wants another
character brought to life, and is determined to have Mo read aloud.
This fascinating multi-layered story is an enjoyable but dark read for
anyone who loves a good story within a story. 534 pages.
Mindy Thuna
Adventure by Georgia Byng, illustrated by Mark Zug
(HarperCollins, 2005).
Molly's time travels take her to India in the late 1800s. The
high-speed novel fascinates readers as the nasty maharaja of Waqt sets
about kidnapping Molly at ages 10, 6 and 3, and as a baby. 400 pages.
Children's Choices
of Gorlan by John Flanagan (Philomel, an imprint of
Penguin Young Readers Group, 2005).
Will wants to attend Battleschool to serve the kingdom. His small size
leads him to be assigned as a Ranger's apprentice. His bravery and
skills eventually fulfill his dream of protecting the kingdom. 249
pages.
Children's Choices
by Philip Pullman, illustrated by Peter Bailey (Random House, 2005).
This scarecrow is not from a cornfield in Oz. He is from a real
cornfield, but he springs to life and goes on many dangerous
adventures. The biggest danger is from a family that the reader is
sure to find exciting. 229 pages.
Children's Choices
The Sisters Grimm Book One: The Fairy-Tale
Detectives by Michael Buckley (Scholastic, 2007).
Have you read the Brothers Grimm classic book of fairy tales? Did you
think they were "just stories"? That is what sisters Sabrina and
Daphne Grimm thought until their parents mysteriously disappeared one
day. After being shuffled through several foster homes, they end up
with a woman named Relda Grimm. Relda claims to be their grandmother
and informs the sisters that the fairy tales are actually historical
events collected by their ancestors, whose role has always been to
maintain the fragile peace between the humans and the Everafters, the
proper term for fairy-tale creatures. Daphne, the younger sister,
loves Relda and their new life, while Sabrina is skeptical. Everything
changes, however, when their grandmother and Mr. Canis, the butler,
are kidnapped by a giant and the girls have no choice but to rescue
their newfound family. 284 pages.
Mindy Thuna
Detectives by Michael Buckley (Scholastic, 2007).
Have you read the Brothers Grimm classic book of fairy tales? Did you
think they were "just stories"? That is what sisters Sabrina and
Daphne Grimm thought until their parents mysteriously disappeared one
day. After being shuffled through several foster homes, they end up
with a woman named Relda Grimm. Relda claims to be their grandmother
and informs the sisters that the fairy tales are actually historical
events collected by their ancestors, whose role has always been to
maintain the fragile peace between the humans and the Everafters, the
proper term for fairy-tale creatures. Daphne, the younger sister,
loves Relda and their new life, while Sabrina is skeptical. Everything
changes, however, when their grandmother and Mr. Canis, the butler,
are kidnapped by a giant and the girls have no choice but to rescue
their newfound family. 284 pages.
Mindy Thuna
The Sisters Grimm Book Two: The Unusual
Suspects by Michael Buckley (Scholastic, 2007).
Now that Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are living with their grandmother
Relda in Ferryport Landing, New York, the time to start school has
arrived. Daphne is in second grade, with Snow White as a teacher, and
school could not be more fun. Sabrina, on the other hand, is in sixth
grade and quickly discovers that the entire sixth-grade teaching staff
is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Not only that, but the
majority of the students sleep through every class and have not done
their homework. When Sabrina's homeroom teacher, Mr. Grumpner, is
found dead and dangling from a spider's web, the Grimm family must
step in and try to solve the crime before more people get hurt. 290
pages.
Mindy Thuna
Suspects by Michael Buckley (Scholastic, 2007).
Now that Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are living with their grandmother
Relda in Ferryport Landing, New York, the time to start school has
arrived. Daphne is in second grade, with Snow White as a teacher, and
school could not be more fun. Sabrina, on the other hand, is in sixth
grade and quickly discovers that the entire sixth-grade teaching staff
is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Not only that, but the
majority of the students sleep through every class and have not done
their homework. When Sabrina's homeroom teacher, Mr. Grumpner, is
found dead and dangling from a spider's web, the Grimm family must
step in and try to solve the crime before more people get hurt. 290
pages.
Mindy Thuna
Skellig by David Almond (Random
House, 1998).
Is the creature dying in Michael's garage a man, a bird, an angel or
all three? And what is his connection to Michael's baby sister, who's
in the hospital with a heart problem? This gorgeously weird novel
holds readers entranced in a spell woven of moonlight, owls and
poetry. Among the many pleasures of this atmospheric and stunningly
beautiful novel are the characters of Michael, a deeply empathetic
boy, and Mina, who studies birds and William Blake (and who should be
the poster child for home schooling) — and the tender and touching
relationship Michael and Mina develop in caring for Skellig and
worrying about his baby sister. 182 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Recommended Reading Level: Ages 9-12 Read Alone: 11+
Common Sense Media
House, 1998).
Is the creature dying in Michael's garage a man, a bird, an angel or
all three? And what is his connection to Michael's baby sister, who's
in the hospital with a heart problem? This gorgeously weird novel
holds readers entranced in a spell woven of moonlight, owls and
poetry. Among the many pleasures of this atmospheric and stunningly
beautiful novel are the characters of Michael, a deeply empathetic
boy, and Mina, who studies birds and William Blake (and who should be
the poster child for home schooling) — and the tender and touching
relationship Michael and Mina develop in caring for Skellig and
worrying about his baby sister. 182 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Recommended Reading Level: Ages 9-12 Read Alone: 11+
Common Sense Media
by Adam Rex (Hyperion, 2007).
A rollicking adventure told by young Gratuity Tucci, this is the story
of the invasion of Earth by aliens known as the Boov. All Americans
are relocated to Florida (but then to Texas, once the Boov figure out
the joys of orange juice). Gratuity only wants to find her mom. She
sets out on her own, joins forces with a renegade Boovian mechanic
named J.Lo, has to figure out how to save the Earth, and then the Boov
from the Gorg. Good grief, what a mess! But Gratuity Tucci is a
heroine of the most invincible kind: a small, 12-year-old girl. And in
the grand tradition of small, 12-year-old girls everywhere, she is
completely underestimated by absolutely everyone! 423 pages.
Kepler's Books
Cycle, Book 1 by Ursula Le Guin (Bantam Books Published,
2006).
This is high fantasy, written by a master, one of the great works of
young adult literature of the 20th century. So what keeps the pages
turning? For turn they do — this thoughtful and thought-provoking
novel hasn't stayed in print for 40 years for nothing. It's all in the
details, the gradual unfolding and perfecting of another world, with
its own rules and geography and magic. 183 pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 10+, Read Aloud: 10+, Read
Alone: 11+.
Common Sense Media
Merlin by Dugald A. Steer, illustrated by Anne Yvonne
Gilbert, John Howe, and Helen Ward (Candlewick Press, 2005). This book
is chock full of information presented in somewhat old English. The
fascinating thing about this book is all the manipulatives it has on
each page. These manipulatives give added depth to the spells,
diagrams, and ultimately to the learning. 28 pages.
Children's Choices
Madeleine L'Engle (Yearling, 1973).
A children's classic from the 1960s, A Wrinkle in Time still
captures audiences today. Lovers of fantasy, science fiction and time
travel will devour this book. And they will certainly want to read the
other books in the series. Join the Wallace children in this magical
adventure to planet Uriel. Many complex themes, such as good versus
evil, family relationships, and love and courage, offer a great
springboard for important character education discussions. 256 pages.
Jennifer Thompson
Seasonal Stories
Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates
by Mary Mapes Dodge (TorBooks, 1993).
In this enduring winter classic, Hans and his sister Gretel must find
a way to help their desperately poor family survive. Their chance to
win the coveted silver skates in a race on the village's frozen canals
could save them all. Continuously in print since 1865, this is a
timeless classic of love and loyalty to share with a new generation.
Danielle Marshall and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
by Mary Mapes Dodge (TorBooks, 1993).
In this enduring winter classic, Hans and his sister Gretel must find
a way to help their desperately poor family survive. Their chance to
win the coveted silver skates in a race on the village's frozen canals
could save them all. Continuously in print since 1865, this is a
timeless classic of love and loyalty to share with a new generation.
Danielle Marshall and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
(Allen & Unwin, 2006).
Snow Wings is a fantasy where evil forces have taken over the
world. Six kids must learn to face their fears and work together to
save the planet in this page-turner that takes its heroes on alpine
adventures involving avalanche rescues, ski races, snow lizards,
flying sleighs and magical snowmen. An engaging fantasy mixed with a
modern-day thriller. 300 pages.
Danielle Marshall and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
The Winter Room by Gary
Paulsen (Laurel Leaf, 1998).
The winter room is where Eldon, his brother Wayne, old Uncle David and
the rest of the family gather on icy-cold Minnesota nights, sitting in
front of the stove. There the boys listen eagerly to all of Uncle
David's tall tales of bygone loggers. When the boys begin to doubt
their uncle's stories, he stops telling them altogether, until they
discover something special about him. Modern day mythology filled with
incredible descriptive scenes. 112 pages.
Danielle Marshall and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
Paulsen (Laurel Leaf, 1998).
The winter room is where Eldon, his brother Wayne, old Uncle David and
the rest of the family gather on icy-cold Minnesota nights, sitting in
front of the stove. There the boys listen eagerly to all of Uncle
David's tall tales of bygone loggers. When the boys begin to doubt
their uncle's stories, he stops telling them altogether, until they
discover something special about him. Modern day mythology filled with
incredible descriptive scenes. 112 pages.
Danielle Marshall and the Kids' Team at
Powells.com
Nonfiction
Animals
Gorilla Doctors: Saving Endangered
Great Apes by Pamela S. Turner (Houghton Mifflin, 2005).
The veterinarians of Rwanda's Mountain Gorilla Project make house
calls — or rather, "forest calls" — tracking down and treating ailing
gorillas in the wild. Short chapters present dramatic accounts of real
incidents, such as an expedition to untangle a gorilla from an
antelope snare or the rescue of an orphaned baby gorilla. Factual
information about these endangered animals is included, as well as
full-color photos of the gorillas and the doctors. This book will
appeal to animal lovers and to kids thinking of careers as
veterinarians or naturalists. 64 pages.
Reading grade level: 7, Interest grade level: 4-8.
Ellen Phillips
Great Apes by Pamela S. Turner (Houghton Mifflin, 2005).
The veterinarians of Rwanda's Mountain Gorilla Project make house
calls — or rather, "forest calls" — tracking down and treating ailing
gorillas in the wild. Short chapters present dramatic accounts of real
incidents, such as an expedition to untangle a gorilla from an
antelope snare or the rescue of an orphaned baby gorilla. Factual
information about these endangered animals is included, as well as
full-color photos of the gorillas and the doctors. This book will
appeal to animal lovers and to kids thinking of careers as
veterinarians or naturalists. 64 pages.
Reading grade level: 7, Interest grade level: 4-8.
Ellen Phillips
Biographies
Babe Didrikson Zaharias: The Making of
a Champion by Russell Freedman (Clarion Books, 1999).
This is an uplifting sports bio for tweens and up. Parents need to
know that Babe struggles with prejudice against women. Written with
verve that matches Babe's personality, this true story will encourage
young readers, especially those interested in sports. Families who
read this book could discuss how Babe's discipline helped her win at a
time when women were not accepted in sports. Why were woment treated
this way? How have things changed? Do they need to change more? 192
pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 9-12, Read Aloud: 10, Read
Alone: 11.
Common Sense Media
a Champion by Russell Freedman (Clarion Books, 1999).
This is an uplifting sports bio for tweens and up. Parents need to
know that Babe struggles with prejudice against women. Written with
verve that matches Babe's personality, this true story will encourage
young readers, especially those interested in sports. Families who
read this book could discuss how Babe's discipline helped her win at a
time when women were not accepted in sports. Why were woment treated
this way? How have things changed? Do they need to change more? 192
pages.
Read the
complete review on the Common Sense Media Web site.
Publisher's Recommended Reading Level: 9-12, Read Aloud: 10, Read
Alone: 11.
Common Sense Media
Kaffir Boy: The True Story of a Black
Youth's Coming to Age in Apartheid South Africa by Mark
Mathabane (Free Press, 1998).
Mathabane's autobiography is testimony to living in a brutal, bigoted
society. Intended for older readers, this story informs first-hand
about the unpredictable attacks and sheer madness of Apartheid and a
government that is now, fortunately, historical. The author eloquently
rises above the suffering inflicted by the secret police on his family
and friends, giving readers a story that powerfully portrays personal
ingenuity and courage. 368 pages.
© Parents' Choice
Youth's Coming to Age in Apartheid South Africa by Mark
Mathabane (Free Press, 1998).
Mathabane's autobiography is testimony to living in a brutal, bigoted
society. Intended for older readers, this story informs first-hand
about the unpredictable attacks and sheer madness of Apartheid and a
government that is now, fortunately, historical. The author eloquently
rises above the suffering inflicted by the secret police on his family
and friends, giving readers a story that powerfully portrays personal
ingenuity and courage. 368 pages.
© Parents' Choice
Books to Inspire Young Writers
Mythology written by Lady Hestia Evans,
edited by Dugald A. Steer (Candlewick, 2007).
The illustrations, maps and interactive pop-ups in this book will
develop a child's interest in mythology. Add to that a sidebar of
mystery on every page, and they will learn the relationships between
the characters in no time. 332 pages.
Children's Choices
Mythology written by Lady Hestia Evans,
edited by Dugald A. Steer (Candlewick, 2007).
The illustrations, maps and interactive pop-ups in this book will
develop a child's interest in mythology. Add to that a sidebar of
mystery on every page, and they will learn the relationships between
the characters in no time. 332 pages.
Children's Choices
by Josephine Nobisso, illustrated by Eva Montanari (Gingerbread House,
2004).
This nonfiction text offers older students the chance to explore the
genres of writing in an easy-to-use format. The characters and
illustrations were found to be intriguing enough to make students want
to finish the book. 40 pages.
Children's Choices
Fun Books About Math
The Grapes of Math by
Gregory Tang, illustrated by Harry Briggs (Scholastic, 2004).
Parents and teachers alike, if you want a fun and innovative way to
motivate your math students, this book is for you! Tang cleverly
teaches problem solving through the use of mind-stretching riddles.
Don't expect the ordinary with this book. Children are taught to look
for patterns and solve problems in unexpected ways. In fact, your
child will be so engrossed that he won't even realize the educational
value of this book. 40 pages.
Jennifer Thompson
Gregory Tang, illustrated by Harry Briggs (Scholastic, 2004).
Parents and teachers alike, if you want a fun and innovative way to
motivate your math students, this book is for you! Tang cleverly
teaches problem solving through the use of mind-stretching riddles.
Don't expect the ordinary with this book. Children are taught to look
for patterns and solve problems in unexpected ways. In fact, your
child will be so engrossed that he won't even realize the educational
value of this book. 40 pages.
Jennifer Thompson
General Knowledge
Do Not Open: An Encyclopedia of the World's
Best-Kept Secrets by John Farndon (DK Publishing, 2007).
The name of the book alone gets readers to pick it up. Once open,
they'll find weird and interesting facts. Readers engage in learning
through rich illustrations of the world's best-kept secrets. This book
contains much more than just trivia. 256 pages.
Children's Choices
Do Not Open: An Encyclopedia of the World's
Best-Kept Secrets by John Farndon (DK Publishing, 2007).
The name of the book alone gets readers to pick it up. Once open,
they'll find weird and interesting facts. Readers engage in learning
through rich illustrations of the world's best-kept secrets. This book
contains much more than just trivia. 256 pages.
Children's Choices
Pick Me Up: Stuff You Need to Know... by Jeremy Leslie and David Roberts (DK Publishing, 2006).
Longtime publisher of kid's information-weighted books and software,
Dorling Kindersley (DK) is trying to bring the computer-mesmerized,
videogame-addicted, next-generation kids back to books. And this
energetic, colorful, oddball compendium of info "you need to know"
tackles that objective head-on. ... True to DK's approach, this plump
collection of all and everything is illustrated to the extreme, some
of its pages dominated with poignant or wacky photos and minimal
explanations, others filled with words in the tiniest of type. ...
Unconventional, yes, but the book is fun and fascinating, and aptly
titled. Young readers will pick it up again and again, and undoubtedly
learn something they "need to know." 352 pages.
© Parents' Choice
Longtime publisher of kid's information-weighted books and software,
Dorling Kindersley (DK) is trying to bring the computer-mesmerized,
videogame-addicted, next-generation kids back to books. And this
energetic, colorful, oddball compendium of info "you need to know"
tackles that objective head-on. ... True to DK's approach, this plump
collection of all and everything is illustrated to the extreme, some
of its pages dominated with poignant or wacky photos and minimal
explanations, others filled with words in the tiniest of type. ...
Unconventional, yes, but the book is fun and fascinating, and aptly
titled. Young readers will pick it up again and again, and undoubtedly
learn something they "need to know." 352 pages.
© Parents' Choice
Recipe Books
Emeril's There's a Chef in My World!
Recipes that Take You Places by Emeril Lagasse,
illustrated by Charles Yuen (HarperCollins, 2006).
Star chef Emeril Lagasse takes readers' taste buds on a trip around
the world in this follow-up book to his two previous kids' cookbooks (There's
a Chef in My Soup! and There's a Chef in My Family!).
Young chefs will enjoy this lively cookbook that includes more than 70
recipes from every region of the world. The format is friendly with
clear ingredient lists and numbered directions. There are
pronunciation guides for foreign names, interesting food and cultural
facts (for instance, in Ireland, salmon is the most prized fish and
thought to have magical powers), and bright and colorful illustrations
of the dishes. This book would be a great way to get the whole family
into the kitchen and cooking together. 210 pages.
Interest grade level: 5+.
Ellen Phillips
Recipes that Take You Places by Emeril Lagasse,
illustrated by Charles Yuen (HarperCollins, 2006).
Star chef Emeril Lagasse takes readers' taste buds on a trip around
the world in this follow-up book to his two previous kids' cookbooks (There's
a Chef in My Soup! and There's a Chef in My Family!).
Young chefs will enjoy this lively cookbook that includes more than 70
recipes from every region of the world. The format is friendly with
clear ingredient lists and numbered directions. There are
pronunciation guides for foreign names, interesting food and cultural
facts (for instance, in Ireland, salmon is the most prized fish and
thought to have magical powers), and bright and colorful illustrations
of the dishes. This book would be a great way to get the whole family
into the kitchen and cooking together. 210 pages.
Interest grade level: 5+.
Ellen Phillips
Recipes by Felicity Dahl and Roald Dahl, illustrated by
Quentin Blake and Jan Baldwin (Puffin, 2003).
If the Addams Family had a favorite cookbook, this would be it. Roald
Dahl and Quentin Blake have teamed up again to create the companion
volume to his first culinary compendium, Roald Dahl's Revolting
Recipes. Aficionados will recognize some of the dishes from Mr. Dahl's
other works, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
While some of the recipes may sound fairly disgusting, none of them
really is. The titles alone are enough to fill young and mischievous
cooks with glee as they look forward to presenting company with a
plate of Soil with Engine Oil or some Boiled Slobbages. Parents,
please note: While the dishes are calculated to appeal to younger
appetites, the directions may get a bit overwhelming for junior chefs.
Adult supervision is the rule rather than the exception here, so get a
firm grip on your sense of humor and wade on in. Who knew lizard's
tails could be so tasty? 64 pages.
© Parents' Choice
Science and Nature
Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself
by Maxine Anderson (Nomad Press, 2006).
This book begins with an introduction to the Renaissance and a
biography of Leonardo da Vinci, including excerpts from his notebooks
and reproductions of his drawings. But the main attraction of this
book is the inclusion of step-by-step instructions for making 19 of da
Vinci's inventions, including a perspectograph, camera obscura,
hydrometer, invisible ink, walk-on-water shoes and miniature versions
of his helicopter and tank. Adult supervision is recommended, where
appropriate. Hands-on kids will love this book. 128 pages.
Reading grade level: 6, Interest grade level: 5-8.
Ellen Phillips
Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself
by Maxine Anderson (Nomad Press, 2006).
This book begins with an introduction to the Renaissance and a
biography of Leonardo da Vinci, including excerpts from his notebooks
and reproductions of his drawings. But the main attraction of this
book is the inclusion of step-by-step instructions for making 19 of da
Vinci's inventions, including a perspectograph, camera obscura,
hydrometer, invisible ink, walk-on-water shoes and miniature versions
of his helicopter and tank. Adult supervision is recommended, where
appropriate. Hands-on kids will love this book. 128 pages.
Reading grade level: 6, Interest grade level: 5-8.
Ellen Phillips
Everything Kids' Environment Book
by Sheri Amsel (Adams Media, 2007).
The books in Adams Media's Everything Kids' series provide
encyclopedic yet entertaining introductions to their topics, and this
volume on the environment is no exception. Perfect for the curious
child, this guide — filled with eco-friendly activities and puzzles —
shows them how to reduce waste, recycle materials and protect plants
and animals. 144 pages.
Danielle Marshall
by Sheri Amsel (Adams Media, 2007).
The books in Adams Media's Everything Kids' series provide
encyclopedic yet entertaining introductions to their topics, and this
volume on the environment is no exception. Perfect for the curious
child, this guide — filled with eco-friendly activities and puzzles —
shows them how to reduce waste, recycle materials and protect plants
and animals. 144 pages.
Danielle Marshall
Guinea Pig Scientists: Bold
Self-Experimenters in Science and Medicine by Leslie Dendy
and Mel Boring, illustrated by C. B. Mordan (Holt, 2005).
This book tells the true stories of 10 scientists and medical
researchers who devoted their lives and risked their own health to do
scientific research. The accounts are intriguing and fascinating, but
be warned that they don't all have happy endings. George Fordyce
explored the limits of the human ability to endure extreme heat.
Peruvian medical student Daniel Carrion and American doctor Jesse
Lazear inoculated themselves with deadly tropical diseases. Lazzaro
Spallanzani swallowed a variety of things (that most people wouldn't
and shouldn't) to study the process of digestion. Each chapter
includes a section "Now We Know," which extends the information and
brings it up to date. This book will appeal to young scientists, but
it's not for the squeamish. 224 pages.
Reading grade level: 6, Interest grade level: 5-8.
Ellen Phillips
Self-Experimenters in Science and Medicine by Leslie Dendy
and Mel Boring, illustrated by C. B. Mordan (Holt, 2005).
This book tells the true stories of 10 scientists and medical
researchers who devoted their lives and risked their own health to do
scientific research. The accounts are intriguing and fascinating, but
be warned that they don't all have happy endings. George Fordyce
explored the limits of the human ability to endure extreme heat.
Peruvian medical student Daniel Carrion and American doctor Jesse
Lazear inoculated themselves with deadly tropical diseases. Lazzaro
Spallanzani swallowed a variety of things (that most people wouldn't
and shouldn't) to study the process of digestion. Each chapter
includes a section "Now We Know," which extends the information and
brings it up to date. This book will appeal to young scientists, but
it's not for the squeamish. 224 pages.
Reading grade level: 6, Interest grade level: 5-8.
Ellen Phillips
A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids:
Understanding Climate Change and What You Can Do About It
by Julie Hall, illustrated by Sarah Lane (Green Goat Books, 2007).
A great find, A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids features the very
latest information about the causes and effects of climate change
without being heavy-handed. Through its hands-on activities, eco-hero
stories and hopeful message, this book will inspire kids and their
families and schools to join the fight against global warming. 88
pages.
Danielle Marshall
Understanding Climate Change and What You Can Do About It
by Julie Hall, illustrated by Sarah Lane (Green Goat Books, 2007).
A great find, A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids features the very
latest information about the causes and effects of climate change
without being heavy-handed. Through its hands-on activities, eco-hero
stories and hopeful message, this book will inspire kids and their
families and schools to join the fight against global warming. 88
pages.
Danielle Marshall
America's Deadliest Storms by Joseph B. Treaster
(Kingfisher, 2007).
The author of this book, longtime New York Times reporter Joseph
Treaster, was in the New Orleans city hall when Hurricane Katrina hit
the city in 2005. He draws on his experiences covering Katrina and its
aftermath to provide younger readers with a first-hand look at the
deadly storms we call hurricanes. Along with his eyewitness accounts,
there is information about what scientists currently know about how
and why hurricanes form, how they are tracked, and how they impact
coastal areas. Precautions and planning for future storms are also
discussed. Dramatic color photos enhance the solid information
presented in this book. 128 pages.
Interest grade level: 5+.
Ellen Phillips
An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of
Global Warming by Al Gore (Viking Juvenile, 2007).
An Inconvenient Truth is an adaptation for younger readers of
the 2006 bestseller and Oscar-winning documentary by the same name.
This juvenile and teen edition contains simplified text enhanced by
dramatic photographs, illustrations and graphs. Al Gore suggests that
the global-warming crisis provides an opportunity for change through
four simple steps. A head start on environmentalism and a must-read
for kids and their parents. Highly recommended. 192 pages.
Danielle Marshall
Global Warming by Al Gore (Viking Juvenile, 2007).
An Inconvenient Truth is an adaptation for younger readers of
the 2006 bestseller and Oscar-winning documentary by the same name.
This juvenile and teen edition contains simplified text enhanced by
dramatic photographs, illustrations and graphs. Al Gore suggests that
the global-warming crisis provides an opportunity for change through
four simple steps. A head start on environmentalism and a must-read
for kids and their parents. Highly recommended. 192 pages.
Danielle Marshall
Sports
How Basketball Works by
Keltie Thomas, illustrated by Greg Hall (Maple Tree Press, 2005).
Young readers who enjoy basketball will love this book. Beyond the
usual retelling of the history of the game (the physical education
teacher who nailed the peach baskets to the gymnasium balcony to give
athletes something to do in the winter), this book provides
information about the rules of the game, how to become a better
player, anecdotes about legendary players, how equipment has evolved
over time and tips on game strategy. Conversational text is
interspersed with lively illustrations, diagrams and photographs. Even
reluctant readers might actually take a break from shooting hoops to
read this one. 64 pages.
Interest grade level: 5+.
Ellen Phillips
Keltie Thomas, illustrated by Greg Hall (Maple Tree Press, 2005).
Young readers who enjoy basketball will love this book. Beyond the
usual retelling of the history of the game (the physical education
teacher who nailed the peach baskets to the gymnasium balcony to give
athletes something to do in the winter), this book provides
information about the rules of the game, how to become a better
player, anecdotes about legendary players, how equipment has evolved
over time and tips on game strategy. Conversational text is
interspersed with lively illustrations, diagrams and photographs. Even
reluctant readers might actually take a break from shooting hoops to
read this one. 64 pages.
Interest grade level: 5+.
Ellen Phillips
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