Lower School 2008

Required Reading List for Summer 2008

 

Fourth Grade Required Book Options - SELECT ONE

The Indian in the Cupboard (4.6)           

The story of an English boy, Omri, celebrating his birthday and opening presents with his family becomes an exciting adventure.  After receiving many gifts, including exactly what he had hoped to receive, the present that impresses him least becomes the focal point of the story.  For when Omri placed the second-hand plastic Indian, given to him by his friend Patrick, into the cupboard and locked it with his grandmother's old key, the cupboard along with the key work powerful magic.  It is a story where a growing respect, understanding, and appreciation for new friends is developed, and a bit of history is learned as well.

The Cricket in Times Square  (4.9)

After Chester, a cricket, arrives in Times Square subway station from his native Connecticut via a picnic basket, he takes up residence in the Bellinis’ newsstand.  There tiny Chester is lucky enough to find three good friends:  a boy named Mario, whose parents run the unsuccessful newsstand; a fast-talking Broadway mouse named Tucker; and Tucker’s pal, Harry Cat.  Between escapades in New York City, the four somehow manage to bring success to the almost bankrupt newsstand. 

Fifth Grade Required Book Options – SELECT ONE

Hoot  (5.2)

Hoot is a story about a fun adventure that has a small group of young people making positive choices.  The setting for this mystery-fiction tale takes place in Florida.  The main character, Roy, has moved regularly with his family, and he is used to being the new kid in school and neighborhoods.  His experiences help him make new friends and ward off a big bully, who stalks and harasses him.

So Be It  (5.0)

Heidi’s life with her mentally disabled mother and their doting neighbor, Bernadette, is happy, but filled with questions.  Where did she and Mama come from before Bernadette found them living in the apartment next door?  And what does Mama mean when she says “soof”?  Heidi feels drawn to find the answer to these questions.  She only has a knack at being lucky, a driving will, and a notebook full of lists to help her succeed. 

2008 Lower School Summer Reading List:  Suggested Books

Henry and Ribsy (4.6)                                                          Beverly Cleary

Freedom Crossing (4.6)                                                        Margaret Goff Clark

Ella Enchanted (4.6)                                                            Gail Carson Levine

The Chocolate Touch (4.7)                                                  Patrick Catling

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (4.8)                                  Roald Dahl

A Wrinkle in Time (4.7)                                                        Madeleine L’Engle

The Comeback Dog (4.9)                                                     Jane Resh Thomas

The Fledgling (5.0)                                                              Jane Langton

Matilda (5.0)                                                                       Roald Dahl

Socks (5.2)                                                                         Beverly Cleary

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (5.3)                         Avi

The Magician’s Nephew (5.4)                                                C. S. Lewis

Ralph S. Mouse (5.1)                                                            Beverly Cleary

Fourth Grade Celebrity (5.6)                                                  Patricia Reilly Giff

Black Beauty (5.0)                                                                Sewell/Laiken

Runaway Ralph (5.3)                                                             Beverly Cleary

Along Came a Dog (5.7)                                                        Meindert De Jong

The Secret of the Indian (5.2)                                               Lynne Reid Banks

The Borrowers Afloat (6.0)                                                    Mary Norton

Caddie Woodlawn (6.0)                                                         Carol Ryrie Brink

Stuart Little (6.0)                                                                  E. B. White

Suggested Reading List  (additional options)

GRADES 3 AND 4

Adler, David. America's Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle
The first woman to swim the English Channel was active in the early women's rights movement.

Atwater, Richard. Mr. Popper’s Penguins
The unexpected delivery of a large crate containing an Antarctic penguin changes the life and fortune of Mr. Popper.

Avi. Ereth's Birthday
Feeling neglected on his birthday, Ereth, the cantankerous old porcupine, sets out looking for his favorite treat but instead finds himself acting as "mother" to three young fox kits. (Series)

Avi. The Secret School
In 1925, fourteen-year-old Ida Bedson secretly takes over as teacher when the one-room schoolhouse in her remote Colorado area closes unexpectedly.

Blume, Judy. Superfudge
Twelve-year-old Peter describes the highs and lows of life with his little brother, Fudge. (Series)

Borden, Louise. The Day Eddie Met the Author
Third-grader Eddie has a question to ask a visiting author.

Bunting, Eve. Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story
Annie Moore cares for her two younger brothers on board the ship sailing from Ireland to America, where she becomes the first immigrant processed through Ellis Island on January 1, 1892, her fifteenth birthday.

Byars, Betsy. Me Tarzan
When Dorothy gets the part of Tarzan in the class play, her tremendous yell attracts the attention of increasingly larger and wilder animals.

Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass
This is the enchanting fantasy of Alice, who falls down the rabbit hole and meets strange characters such as the Mad Hatter.

Christopher, Matt. Hat Trick
When his older brother gets his picture in the paper for scoring three goals in a soccer game, Stookie is determined to do the same. (Soccer Cats series)

Cleary, Beverly. Ramona’s World
Enjoy the adventures of nine-year-old Ramona as she experiences the ups and downs of fourth grade, tries to be a good role model for her new baby sister, Roberta, and delights in her new best friend, Daisy. (Series)

Clements, Andrew. Jake Drake, Teacher’s Pet
Jake’s attempts to change his goody-goody reputation are aided by the least likely suspect.

Cline-Ransome, Lesa. Satchel Paige
The life of legendary baseball player, Satchel Paige, the first African-American to pitch in a major league World Series, is presented.

Coburn, Jewell R. Domitila: A Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition
By following her mother’s advice to perform every task with loving care, a poor young Mexican girl wins the devotion of the governor’s son.

Cole, Joanna. Ms. Frizzle’s Adventures: Ancient Egypt
Ms. Frizzle and her tour group are transported to ancient Egypt, where they learn about the pyramids, mummies, and other aspects of life in Egypt. (Series)

Collodi, Carlo. The Adventures of Pinocchio
The little wooden puppet, Pinocchio, has many adventures before he learns how to be truly good.

Curlee, Lynn (illustrator) Liberty
Details of the elaborate planning and construction of the most famous symbol of our country’s freedom, the Statue of Liberty, are beautifully illustrated.

Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach
A contemporary fairy tale starring the heroic little James, a group of overgrown garden insects that become his friends, and a peach the size of a house.

Danziger, Paula. Amber Brown is Feeling Blue
After Amber’s parents’ divorce, her father moves back from Paris, and Amber has to decide with which of her parents she will spend the Thanksgiving holidays. (Series)

Dudzinski, Kathleen. Meeting Dolphins: My Adventures in the Sea
The author describes her work studying dolphin communication and her invention of a listening device that allows researchers to tell which dolphin in a group is vocalizing underwater.

Duffey, Betsy. Cody Unplugged
Cody is convinced he cannot survive a week at camp without television or video games. (Series)

Facklam, Margery. Spiders & Their Web Sites
Illustrations and text provide a close-up look at the physical characteristics and habits of twelve different spiders and of daddy longlegs.

Farley, Walter. The Black Stallion
After surviving a shipwreck, a boy and a horse exist on an uninhabited island. (Series)

Gannett, Ruth. Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon
A compilation of the three tales, My Father's Dragon (1949 Newbery Honor Book), Elmer and the Dragon, and The Dragons of Blueland, relates the fantastic adventures of Elmer Elevator and Boris the flying baby dragon.

Garland, Sherry. Voices of the Alamo
The text includes different voices and perspectives of men and women (Indian, Mexican, Spanish, Texan and American) who recount the history of the Alamo.

Garland, Sherry. Children of the Dragon: Selected Tales from Vietnam
Beautifully illustrated Vietnamese folktales are followed by explanatory notes.

George, Jean Craighead. Nutik, the Wolf Pup
When his older sister Julie brings home two small wolf pups, Amaroq takes care of the one called Nutik and grows to love it, even though Julie tells him it cannot stay.

George, Twig C. Jellies: The Life of Jellyfish
Simple text and fabulous photographs describe the physical characteristics, habits, and natural environment of many species of jellyfish.

Gipson, Fred. Old Yeller
This is the heart-warming story of a boy and his dog and their many adventures together.

Gutman, Dan. Babe & Me: A Baseball Card Adventure
With their ability to time travel using vintage baseball cards, Joe and his father have the opportunity to find out whether Babe Ruth really called his shot when he hit the home run in the third game of the World Series against the Chicago Cubs.

Haas, Jessie. Runaway Radish
When Radish the pony grows too big for the girls who own him, he goes to live at a horse camp where there are always new children for him to train.

Hahn, Mary Downing. Anna on the Farm
Nine-year-old Anna is happy to spend a week at her aunt and uncle’s farm until she meets Theodore who calls her a “city slicker” and spurs her to prove that she’s just as clever and brave as he is.

Henry, Marguerite. King of the Wind
Ancestor to the thoroughbred horse we know today, Sham and the mute stable boy Agba travel from Morocco, to France, to England before Sham’s true greatness as a racehorse is discovered. Newbery Medal.

Herman, Gail. Just Like Mike
When Michael Brown's mom marries Mr. Jordan, everything changes in this funny and appealing story.

Hill, Kirkpatrick. The Year of Miss Agnes
Ten-year-old Frederika (Fred) narrates the story of school and village life among the Athabascans in Alaska during 1948 when Miss Agnes arrives as the new teacher.

Hinton, S.E. The Puppy Sister
A puppy is transformed into a girl in this funny fantasy adventure.

Holt, Kimberly Willis. Mister and Me
In a small Louisiana mill town in 1940, Jolene does not want her Momma to marry the logger who is courting her, but even her bad behavior does not drive him away.

Hurwitz, Johanna. Summer with Elisa
Elisa writes letters back home telling about her experiences on her vacation with her family.

King-Smith, Dick. Lady Lollipop
A quick-witted swineherd and a pig named Lollipop are royally rewarded after they reform a spoiled princess.

Kline, Suzy. Horrible Harry goes to the Moon
Inspired by his third-grade class's study of the moon, Harry announces that he is going there. (Series)

Krensky, Stephen. Shooting for the Moon: Amazing Life & Times of Annie Oakley
A fine introduction to the life of Annie Oakley from age 5 to her starring role in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

Lindgren, Astrid. Pippi Longstocking
Pippi is an irresistible nine-year-old who lives alone and manages to get involved in numerous humorous escapades. (Series)

Littlesugar, Amy. Freedom School, Yes!
This fictionalized version of the 1964 Mississippi Summer Project tells the story of a little girl who does not let being scared get in her way.

Lovelace, Maud Hart. Betsy-Tacy
Best friends Betsy and Tacy share many experiences while growing up. (Series)

Lowry, Lois. Zooman Sam
Sam involves his whole family when he decides to be a zookeeper for Future Job Day at school. (Series)

MacDonald, Betty. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Loved by both children and their parents, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle always knows just the right way to solve any problem. (Series)
MacLachlan, Patricia. Caleb’s Story
The stranger who shows up on the Witting family’s farm turns out to be their long-lost grandfather whose presence forces Jacob to deal with his past.

Markle, Sandra. Growing up Wild: Bears
This beautifully photographed book describes different kinds of bear cubs and the changes they go through in their appearance and behavior as they grow up.

McDonald, Megan. Judy Moody Gets Famous!
When a third grade classmate gets her picture in the paper for winning a spelling bee, Judy is determined to find a way to become famous herself.

Milne, A. A. Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner
Read the original version by Milne in which Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin and friends live and play in Hundred Acre Wood.

Moss, Marissa. Brave Harriet: The First Woman to Fly the English Channel
The first American woman to have received a pilot’s license describes her April 1912 solo
flight across the English Channel, the first such flight by any woman.

Mowat, Farley. Owls in the Family
Owls Wol and Weeps cause trouble galore at the house where they live and in the neighborhood beyond.

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Shiloh
Marty must make some painful decisions about returning a dog to his abusive owner. Newbery Medal. (Series)

Nixon, Joan Lowery. Ann's Story, 1747
A young girl in eighteenth-century Williamsburg wants to become a doctor like her father, but is not allowed to study Latin or mathematics.

Norton, Mary. The Borrowers
A human boy befriends one of the “little people” in a fascinating miniature world where the inhabitants skillfully “borrow” what they need. (Series)

O’Brien, Robert C. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse seeks advice from a colony of unusual rats. (Series) Newbery Medal.

Park, Barbara. Skinnybones
Alex is the smallest kid on the baseball team but very good at wisecracking in this funny story.

Pinkney, Jerry. Aesop's Fables
This collection of nearly sixty fables from Aesop, including many which are well known, speak to readers of all ages.

Polacco, Patricia. Mr. Lincoln’s Way
When Principal Lincoln discovers that Eugene, the school bully, knows a lot about birds, he uses this interest to help Eugene overcome his intolerance.

Prelutsky, Jack. Awful Ogre’s Awful Day
In a series of poems, Awful Ogre rises, grooms himself, dances, pens a letter and goes through other activities as the day passes.

Pringle, Laurence. Bats! Strange and Wonderful
An illustrated introduction to the life and behavior of bats is filled with fascinating information.

Rodowsky, Colby. Not My Dog
Ellie learns to love Preston, a dog she has inherited, although she really wants a puppy of her own.

Rylant, Cynthia. Thimbleberry Stories
Nigel Chipmunk shares a pleasant life with his friends Dipper the hummingbird, Little Owl, Copper the butterfly, Claudius the garter snake, and Mudpuppy the salamander.

Schlegel, Elfi & Claire Ross Dunn. The Gymnastics Book: The Young Performer’s
Guide to Gymnastics
This excellent guide to gymnastics includes getting started, choosing a gym, health, skills and competition for youth.

Scieszka, Jon. Sam Samurai
Joe, Fred and Sam are transported to 17th century Japan where they infuriate a Samurai warrior, encounter their great granddaughters, and save their lives by reciting an ancient form of poetry. (Time Warp Trio series)

Selden, George. The Cricket in Times Square
A touch of magic comes to Times Square as Chester learns about city life. (Series) Newbery Honor Book.

Silverstein, Shel. Falling Up
Enjoy the last collection of humorous poems written by the popular American author.

Simon, Seymour. Gorillas
This beautifully photographed book describes the physical characteristics and behaviors of mountain, lowland, eastern and western gorillas.

Speare, Elizabeth George. The Sign of the Beaver
Twelve-year-old Matt gets to know an Indian boy and his grandfather while trying to survive on his own in the wilderness until his father returns. Newbery Honor Book

Stanley, Diane. Joining the Boston Tea Party
With the help of Grandma’s magic hat, the twins Liz and Lenny travel back to Colonial times where they meet an ancestor, Ben Reed, and join in the Boston Tea Party. (The Time Traveling Twins series)

Stanley, Diane. Roughing it on the Oregon Trail
Twins Liz and Lenny, along with their time-traveling grandmother, join a group of pioneers journeying west on the Oregon Trail in 1843. (The Time Traveling Twins series)

Stevenson, James. Cornflakes: Poems
Familiar, everyday things are celebrated in this collection of short poems.

Thimmesh, Catherine. Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women
Through the years women have invented many interesting and useful things in response to a need in their daily lives.

Wallace, Barbara. Ghosts in the Gallery
Orphaned Jenny arrives at her grandfather's house but is not recognized, and she is put to work as a servant.

Wallner, Alexandra. Abigail Adams
This biography of Abigail Adams, wife of second U.S. President John Adams, presents her as a dedicated wife and mother who spoke up against slavery and for women’s rights.

Warner, Gertrude. The Boxcar Children
Four orphans set up housekeeping in an old boxcar. (Series)

White, E. B. Charlotte’s Web
Wilbur the pig is desolate when he learns he is to be the farmer's Christmas dinner, until Charlotte the spider befriends him. Newbery Honor 1953

Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House on the Prairie
Pioneer life in Wisconsin is described in detail in this simple narrative. (Series)

Willey, Mary. Clever Beatrice
A small, but clever, young girl outwits a rich giant and wins all his gold.

Wright, Betty Ren. A Ghost in the Family
Chad and his friend, Jeannie, solve the mystery of a stolen diamond bracelet while visiting Aunt Rosebud’s haunted boarding house.

Yolen, Jane. Color Me a Rhyme: Nature Poems for Young People
Haiku, blank verse and rhymes are creatively accompanied by striking photographs.


GRADE 5


Adler, C.S. One Unhappy Horse
Things are difficult for twelve-year-old Jan and her mother after her father’s death, and when it turns out that her beloved horse needs an operation, Jan reluctantly gets money from an elderly woman whom she has befriended.

Alexander, Lloyd. The Gawgon and the Boy
In Depression-era Philadelphia, when eleven-year-old David is too ill to attend school, he is tutored by the unique and adventurous Aunt Annie whose teaching combines with his imagination to greatly enrich his life.

Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting
A family discovers the “fountain of youth” and others try to uncover their secret.

Barron, T. A. The Lost Years of Merlin
A young boy who has no memory of his past washes ashore on the coast of Wales and finds his true name after a series of adventures. (Series)

Bishop, Nic. Digging for Bird-dinosaurs: An Expedition to Madagascar
The author tells the story of Cathy Forster's experiences as a member of a team of
paleontologists who went on an expedition to the island of Madagascar in 1998 to search for fossil birds.

Bridges, Ruby. Through My Eyes
The author recounts the story of the integration of her school in New Orleans in 1960, when she was six year old.

Choldenko, Gennifer. Notes From a Liar and Her Dog
Eleven-year-old Ant, stuck in a family that she does not like, copes by pretending that her “real” parents are coming to rescue her, loving her dog Pistachio, volunteering at the zoo, and bending the truth.

Clements, Andrew. The Janitor’s Boy
When fifth-grader Jack finds himself the target of ridicule at school for being the son of one of the janitors, he turns his anger toward his father.

Creech, Sharon. Love That Dog
A young student, who comes to love poetry through a personal understanding of what different famous poems mean to him, surprises himself by writing his own inspired words.

Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy
Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father: the renowned bandleader, H. E.Calloway of Grand Rapids. Newbery Medal 2000.

DeFelice, Cynthia. The Ghost of Fossil Glen
While investigating the mystery of the missing Lucy Stiles, Allie puts her own life in danger.

DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie
Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog Winn-Dixie.

Dyson, Marianne. Space Station Science: Life in Free Fall
The author describes the International Space Station, training and activities of its crew, and the conditions that will exist on it, including weightlessness and the dangers of radiation and meteors.

Earle, Sylvia A. Dive!: My Adventures in the Deep Frontier
The author relates some of her adventures studying and exploring the world's oceans,
including tracking whales, living in an underwater laboratory, and helping design a deep water submarine.

English, Karen. Francie
When the sixteen-year-old boy whom she tutors in reading is accused of attempting to murder a white man, Francie gets herself in serious trouble for her efforts at friendship.

Enzensberger, Magus. Number Devil
Annoyed with his math teacher who assigns word problems and won’t let him use a calculator, twelve-year-old Robert finds help from the number devil in his dreams.

Fleischman, Sid. The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story
When his older sister disappears, twelve-year-old Buddy Stebbins follows her back in time and finds himself aboard a seventeenth century pirate ship captained by a distant relative.

Forbes, Esther. Johnny Tremain
While apprenticed to a silversmith during the time of the Revolutionary War, Johnny burns his hand and eventually learns that his crippled hand can be put to use on the battlefield. Newbery Medal 1974

George, Jean Craighead. Julie of the Wolves
While running away from home and an unwanted marriage, Julie, a thirteen-year-old Eskimo girl becomes lost on the North Slope of Alaska and is befriended by a wolf pack. Newbery Medal 1973

Giff, Patricia Reilly. Lily’s Crossing
Lily spends the summer of 1944 with her grandmother at Rockaway Beach and learns special lessons about loss, separation and friendship. Newbery Honor Book 1998

Gutman, Dan. Jackie and Me: A Baseball Card Adventure
With his ability to travel through time by using his baseball cards, Joe goes back to 1947 to meet Jackie Robinson, turning into a black boy in the process.

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Just Ella
In this continuation of the Cinderella story, fifteen-year-old Ella finds that accepting Prince Charming’s proposal ensnares her in such a suffocating tangle of palace rules and royal etiquette that she plots her escape.

Hahn, Mary Downing. Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story
While spending the summer with his great aunt in the family’s old house, eleven-year-old Drew is drawn eighty years into the past to trade places with his great great uncle who is dying of diphtheria.

Horvath, Polly. Everything on a Waffle
Eleven-year-old Primrose, who lives in a small fishing village in British Columbia, recounts her experiences and all that she learns about human nature and the unpredictability of life in the months after her parents are lost at sea.

Ibbotson, Eva. Island of the Aunts
Three aging aunts who need help caring for their magical animals resort to kidnapping suitable young people and taking them to their secluded island home.

Karr, Kathleen. The Great Turkey Walk
Fifteen-year-old Simon has many amusing adventures when he attempts to herd 1000 turkeys from Missouri to Denver, Colorado, in hopes of selling them at a profit.

Kehret, Peg and Greg Farrar. Shelter Dogs: Amazing Stories of Adopted Strays
Eight short stories about stray dogs that were adopted from animal shelters and went on to become service dogs, actors, and heroes.

Konigsberg, E.L. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Claudia and Jamie have a wonderful time when they run away to live in the Metropolitan
Museum of Art. Newbery Medal 1968

Lasky, Kathryn. The Journal of Augustus Pelletier: The Lewis and Clark
Expedition
Twelve-year-old Augustus Pelletier, youngest member of Lewis and Clark's Corps of
Discovery, keeps a journal in this fictional account of the expedition. (My Name is America series)

Lauber, Patricia. Painters of the Caves
The author describes the 1994 discovery made in Chauvet, France, of a cave with Stone Age rock paintings, and the significance of cave art in prehistoric as well as modern times.

Lawrence, Iain. The Wreckers
Shipwrecked after a vicious storm, fourteen-year-old John Spencer attempts to save his father and himself while also dealing with an evil secret about the Cornish coastal town where they are stranded.

L’Engle, Madeleine. Meet the Austins
The large and happy Austin family teaches an unhappy orphaned Maggie about life and love.

Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars
Annemarie learns about bravery when her family shelters a young Jewish friend from the Nazis during the German occupation of Denmark in World War II. Newbery Medal 1990

Lynch, Chris. Gold Dust
In 1975, twelve-year-old Richard befriends Napoleon, a Caribbean newcomer to his Catholic school, hoping that Napoleon will learn to love baseball and the Red Sox and win acceptance in the racially polarized Boston school.

McKissack, Patricia. A Picture of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl,
Belmont Plantation, 1859
In 1859 a twelve-year-old house slave named Clotee, who hides the fact that she can read and write, secretly records in a diary her experiences and the dilemma she faces over whether or not to escape to freedom. (Dear Diary series)

Montgomery, Sy. The Snake Scientist
Enter the world of zoologist and snake lover Bob Mason, who annually gathers and studies thousands of snakes.

Murphy, Jim. The Great Fire
The Chicago fire of 1871 is described with personal accounts and photographs. Newbery Honor Book 1996

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Saving Shiloh
Marty and his family try to help Judd Travers change his mean ways even though his neighbors continue to expect the worst of him. Other books in the trilogy are: Shiloh and Shiloh Season.

O’Dell, Scott. Black Star, Bright Dawn
After her father is injured, Bright Dawn must face the challenge of the Iditarod dog sled race alone.

Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia
During a storm, Jess’ new friend Leslie meets an unexpected tragedy while trying to reach their secret kingdom of Terabithia. Newbery Medal 1978

Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet
After his plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness, thirteen-year-old Brian must survive with only the aid of a hatchet. Newbery Honor 1988. Companion books are The River, Brian’s Winter, and Brian’s Return.

Peck, Richard. Fair Weather
In 1893 thirteen-year-old Rosie and members of her family travel from their Illinois farm to Chicago to visit Aunt Euterpe and attend the World’s Columbian Exposition which, along with an encounter with Buffalo Bill and Lillian Russell, turns out to be a life changing experience for everyone.

Pierce, Tamora. Magic Steps
When drawn into the investigation of murders perpetrated on a powerful family in Summersea, Sandry and her student Pasco undertake the dangerous mission of entrapping the invisible killers. (The Circle Opens series)

Roberts, Willo Davis. The Kidnappers: A Mystery
Because Joey likes to tell tall tales, no one will believe him when he witnesses the kidnapping of his classmate.

Springer, Nancy. Rowan Hood, Outlaw Girl of Sherwood
In her quest to connect with Robin Hood, the father she has never met, thirteen-year-old Rosemary disguises herself as a boy, befriends a wolf dog, a runaway princess, and an overgrown boy whose singing is hypnotic, and makes peace with her elfin heritage.

Sutcliffe, Rosemary. Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of the Iliad
The Wanderings of Odysseus: the Story of the Odyssey. Delacorte, 1996. These two companion books are illustrated retellings of the Trojan War and the adventures of Odysseus on his long voyage home from the war.

Wittlinger, Ellen. Gracie’s Girl
As she starts middle school, Bess volunteers to work on the school musical in hopes of fitting in, but when she and a friend get to know an elderly homeless woman, Bess changes her mind about what is really important.

Wright, Betty Ren. The Wish Master
Certain that his grandfather doesn’t want him around, Corby is unhappy when he and his mother go to spend the summer in Wisconsin to help take care of his ailing grandmother, until a local boy takes him to the Wish Master.

Yolen, Jane. The Wizard’s Map
Three children visiting Scotland become involved in the plans of a diabolical wizard.