For Students Entering Grades 7 and 8

Grade 7 students MUST read Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick.

Grade 8 students MUST read My brother, My Sister, and I by Yoko Kawashima Watkins.

All students must choose one additional book from this list. 

A-     Book is available in audio E- Book is available as e-book.

Realistic Fiction

Beauty Shop for Rent by Laura Bowers. E

Raised by her great-grandmother and her beauty shop buddies, fourteen-year-old Abbey resolves to overcome her unhappy childhood.

3 Willows: the Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares. A, E

Ama, Jo, and Polly spend the summer before ninth grade learning about themselves, their families, and the changing nature of their friendship.

If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko. A, E

Kirsten and Walk stand up to a mean but influential classmate, and uncover a long-kept secret about themselves and their families.

Crunch by Leslie Connor.

Dewey attempts to be responsible as he manages the family’s bicycle business while sharing the household and farm duties with siblings after an energy crisis strands their parents far away.

Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford. A, E

Will Carter thinks this could be the year he gets it together and learns how to manage his ADD, but his troubles with girls and humiliations by upper classmen seriously jeopardize his plans.

Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings.

Living near the water on Maryland’s Eastern Shore thirteen-year-old Brady and his best friends J.T. and Digger become entangled in a tragedy which tests their friendship.

Romiette and Julio by Sharon Draper.

Romiette, an African-American girl, and Julio, a Hispanic boy, are harassed by a gang who objects to their interracial dating.

No Small Thing by Natale Ghent.

Twelve-year-old Nat and his sisters find that owning a pony they acquired for free helps them cope with the poverty they have faced since their father left them.

The Last Exit to Normal by Michael Harmon. E

After Ben’s father makes a shocking announcement and leaves the family, Ben’s rebellion lands him in the middle of nowhere with his dad.

Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington. E

When Alice Bliss learns that her father is being deployed to Iraq, she’s heartbroken. While he’s gone he’ll miss seeing his daughter become a teenager and learn to drive.

Flush by Carl Hiaasen. A, E

With their father jailed for sinking a river boat, Noah Underwood and his sister must prove that the owner of a floating casino is emptying his sewage into the protected waters near them.

Chomp by Carl Hiassen. A, E

When the difficult star of the reality television show “Expedition Survival” disappears, Wahoo and classmate Tuna Gordon set out to find him while avoiding Tuna’s gun-happy father.

Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes. E

A disparate group of high school students thrown together in detention form a band to play at a school talent show and end up competing with a wildly popular local rock band.

A Map of Home by Randa Jarrar.

Nidali, the rebellious child of an Egyptian-Greek mother and Palestinian father, tells her story from childhood in Kuwait, her early teenage years in Egypt, to her family’s last flight to Texas.

No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman.

Eighth-grade football hero Wallace Wallace is sentenced to detention attending play rehearsals.  His changes improve not only the play but his life as well.

Pop by Gordan Korman.

Lonely after a move to a new town, high-school quarterback Marcus Jordan becomes friends with a retired professional linebacker who trains him but also gets Marcus into constant trouble.

Side Effects by Amy Goldman Koss.

Everything changes for Isabelle when she is diagnosed with lymphoma, but eventually she survives and even thrives.

The Batboy by Mike Lupica. A, E

It is every baseball kid’s dream summer job: batboy for your hometown Major League team. Yet for fourteen year-old Brian, the job means more than just the chance to hang around his idols.

The million dollar throw by Mike Lupica. E

Nate Brodie’s family is having trouble and Nate’s best friend Abby is going blind. A chance at a million dollars for completing a pass in a Patriot’s game can fix things, if he can do it!

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler.

Fifteen-year-old Virginia Shreves is sure that she’s the weakest link in her high-powered family until her handsome, athletic, star-student brother shockingly falls from grace.

Makeovers by Marcia by Claudia Mills.

All Marcia thinks about is nail polish, losing weight, and if Alex will ask her out. After giving makeovers in a nursing home for school, she begins to appreciate the value of inner beauty.

Handbook for Boys by Walter Dean Myers. A

Sixteen-year-old Jimmy, on probation for assault, talks about life with three old men in a Harlem barbershop and hears about the tools he can use to get what he wants.

Scorpions by Walter Dean Myers.

After reluctantly taking on the leadership of the Harlem gang, the Scorpions, Jamal finds that his enemies treat him with respect when he acquires a gun–until a tragedy occurs.

Slam by Walter Dean Myers.

Sixteen-year-old “Slam” Harris is counting on his noteworthy basketball talents to get him out of the inner city and give him a chance to succeed in life, but his coach sees things differently.

Game by Walter Dean Myers.

No one disrespects Drew’s game. But just as his team makes the playoffs, his college prospects start to fade. It’s all up to Drew to find out just how deep his game really is.

Trapped by Michael Northrop.

The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive.

Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins.

A group of neighbors and friends tell the stories of their path to adulthood. Their stories meet, crisscross, diverge, and then come back together again over the course of a summer.

Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt. A, E

When all of his classmates go to either Catechism or Hebrew school, Holling Hoodhood stays in Mrs. Baker’s classroom where they read Shakespeare and discuss life.

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey. A, E

In small-town Australia, teens Jasper and Charlie form an unlikely friendship when one asks the other to help him cover up a murder until they can prove who is responsible.

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies by Sonya Sones.

After her mother’s death, Ruby moves to Los Angeles to live with her father, actor Whip Logan. Ruby hates her new life, but a tragic incident helps Ruby and Whip to be honest with each other.

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick. Students entering grade 7 MUST read this book. A

When his younger brother is diagnosed with leukemia, thirteen-year-old Steven tries to deal with his complicated emotions, his school life, and his desire to support his family.

Cruise Control by Terry Trueman.

A talented basketball player struggles to deal with the helplessness and anger that come with having a brother rendered dysfunctional by severe cerebral palsy and a father who deserted them.

Alison Who Went Away by Vivian Vande Velde.

Three years after the disappearance of her older sister, fourteen-year-old Sibyl and her family struggle to continue their lives, separately and together.

Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan. A

When 13-year-old Koly enters into an ill-fated arranged marriage, she must either suffer a destiny dictated by India’s tradition or find courage to oppose it.

Hush by Jacqueline Woodson. E

Twelve-year-old Toswiah’s life is changed when her family enters the witness protection program.

Science Fiction

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. (Any book in the trilogy) A, E

A future where children from twelve districts are used as tributes in an annual game of survival. Read the book and watch the movie!

Matched by Ally Condie. A, E

The Society makes all of Cassia’s choices for her, even who to marry. When she is Matched with her best friend Xander, things are perfect. But why did her neighbor Ky show up on her disk too?

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix.

When Jonah and Chip learn they were discovered on a plane full of babies and no adults, they realize that they have uncovered a mystery involving time travel and two opposing forces.

Legend by Marie Lu. (Or the sequel, Prodigy) A

In a dark future, when North America has split into two warring nations, Day, a famous criminal, and prodigy June, the brilliant soldier hired to capture him, discover a common enemy.

Fever Crumb by Phillip Reeve. A

Foundling Fever Crumb has been raised as an engineer in future London. At fourteen she leaves her sheltered world and learns startling truths about her past while facing danger in the present.

Historical Fiction

Storm Warriors by Elisa Carbone. E

Twelve-year-old Nathan moves with his father and grandfather to Pea Island, off the coast of North Carolina, and hopes to join the all-black crew at the nearby lifesaving station.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. A, E

Set in Seattle and Japanese American internment camps during World War II, this novel tells the heartwarming story of widower Henry Lee, his father, and his first love Keiko Okabe.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. A, E

Fleeing home, a young girl is taken in by three African-American beekeeping sisters. There she discovers a place where she can find what her heart longs for most.

If I Should Die Before I Wake by Han Nolan.

A Neo-Nazi teen may have lived a previous life as a Polish Jewish girl in a ghetto during the Holocaust. Can an accident tumble her through time to relive that life while fighting for this one?

The Freedom Maze by Delia Sherman.

In 1960, thirteen-year-old Sophie slips through a maze into 19th century Louisiana and finds nothing is as she expected when she is mistaken for a slave belonging to her own family.

Black Ships Before Troy by Rosemary Sutcliffe.

The story of the Trojan War, from the quarrel for the golden apple, and the flight of Helen with Paris, to the destruction of Troy.

My Brother, My Sister, and I by Yoko Kawashima Watkins. Students entering grade 8 MUST read this book. Sequel to So Far From the Bamboo Grove.

While living as refugees in Japan in 1947 and trying to locate their missing father, Yoko and her siblings must endure a bad fire, injury, and false charges of arson, theft, and murder.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia.

In the summer of 1968 Delphine and her sisters arrive in California to a cold welcome from their mother, a dedicated poet and printer. She wants them to attend a Black Panther summer camp.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak. A, E

Death tells the story of Liesel: a German girl in World War II who steals books and uses her talents for story-telling to help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding.

Fantasy

Reckless by Cornelia Funke.

The Reckless’s have looked out for each other since their dad disappeared. But Jacob leaves Will behind when he discovers a mirror that transports him to a warring world.

The Stepsister Scheme by Jim Hines. E

Cinderella teams up with Snow White and Sleeping Beauty to save the kingdom from Cinderella’s evil stepsisters and some very bad fairies.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin. A, E

Outcast Yeine is summoned to the city of Sky when her mother mysteriously dies. Bloody intrigue follows while Yeine tries to solve her mother’s death with the help of gods and men.

Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones.

Sophie is resigned to her fate as a hat shop apprentice until a witch turns her into an old woman and she finds herself in the castle of the greatly feared Wizard Howl.

Hunting of the Last Dragon by Sheryl Jordan.

As a monk records his every word, a young peasant tells of his journey with a young Chinese noblewoman to St. Alfric’s Cove and the lair of a dragon.

Beauty: a retelling of the story of Beauty & the Beast by Robin McKinley.

Kind Beauty grows to love the Beast at whose castle she is trapped. Her love releases him from the spell which had turned him from a handsome prince into an ugly beast.

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund.

Astrid has always scoffed at her eccentric mother’s stories about killer unicorns. After one attacks her boyfriend, however, Astrid must head to Rome to become a unicorn hunter.

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. A, E

Three students from a school for “bad kids” find themselves at Camp Half-Blood where they learn that they are demigods and begin a quest to free Hera, imprisoned by Mother Nature.

In the Night Garden (Orphan’s Tales Vol. 1) by Catherynne M. Valente. E

An abandoned girl with strange, ink-black stains around her eyes tells stories to the boy who finds her in the garden.

Mystery

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett. A, E

When seemingly unrelated and strange events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal.

Last Shot: a Final Four Mysteryby John Feinstein. A, E

After winning a basketball reporting contest, Stevie and Susan Carol cover the Final Four tournament, where they discover that a player is being blackmailed into throwing the final game.

Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke. A

Two brothers decide to run away from their aunt who plans to adopt the younger one but not the older. They find shelter with the dangerous thief lord of Venice.

Dooley Takes the Fall by Norah McClintock.

Ryan Dooley, 17, has been trying to stay out of trouble, but when a dead body falls in front of him, he is blamed.

Man in the Woods by Rosemary Wells.

14-year-old Helen investigates what she considers the false arrest of a classmate and is nearly killed herself as her findings lead her into big-money drug dealings.

Adventure

Spy High; Mission One by A.J. Butcher.

Known to the outside world as Devereaux Academy, the boarding school also goes by the name Spy High.

Code Orange by Caroline Cooney. E

While conducting research for a school paper on smallpox, Mitty finds an envelope containing smallpox scabs and fears that he has infected himself and all of New York City.

Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix. A

When an epidemic hits her village in 1840, Jessie discovers it is actually a 1995 tourist site under observation by scientists, and it’s up to Jessie to escape and save the lives of the dying children.

Far North by Will Hobbs.

After the destruction of their floatplane, sixteen-year-old Gabe and his Dene friend, Raymond, struggle to survive a winter in the wilderness of the Northwest Territories.

Shipwreck by Gordon Korman (Book one of the Island series).

Six kids, Nick, J.J., Will, Lyssa, Charla, and Ian, are thrown together against their will on a small boat that will make a one-month journey on the Pacific Ocean.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel. A, E

After a shipwreck, Pi finds himself lost in the ocean, trapped on a lifeboat with animals including a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Watch the movie and compare to the book!

Transall Saga by Gary Paulsen. E

While backpacking in the desert, thirteen-year-old Mark is transported into a more primitive world, where he must use his knowledge and skills to survive.

Tiger by Jeff Stone. A, E

Five young warrior-monk brothers survive an insurrection and must use the ancient arts to avenge their Grandmaster.

Horror

Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare by Darren Shan. E

Darren Shan is an ordinary schoolboy. Then one day he stumbles across an invitation to visit the mysterious Cirque Du Freak. This begins his horrifying descent into the world of vampires.

Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography

The Perilous Journey of the Donner Party by Marian Calabro.

This account of the Donner party’s infamous 1846 trek from Illinois to the new territory of California chronicles the factors that left the group stranded in the mountains for the winter.

Getting Away with Murder: the True Story of the Emmett Till Case by Chris Crowe. E

The brutal murder of fourteen-year-old Emmett Till, which triggered the civil rights movement in Mississippi in 1955, is explained.

Zlata’s Diary by Zlata Filipović. A, E

As war engulfs Sarajevo, Zlata Filipović becomes a witness to food shortages and the deaths of friends and learns to wait out bombardments in a neighbor’s cellar.

The Road from Home by David Kherdian.

A biography of the author’s mother concentrating on her childhood in Turkey before the Turkish government deported its Armenian population.

Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah. E

Adeline Yen Mah’s compelling autobiography tells how, like the fairy tale maiden, her childhood was ruled by a cruel stepmother.

The Wright Sister by Richard Maurer.

Katharine Wright took care of her brothers when Orville and Wilbur were developing the airplane. She helped them turn their airplane from a curiosity into a viable business.

Restless Spirit by Elizabeth Partridge.

Dorothea Lange’s photographs of migrant workers, Japanese American internees, and rural poverty helped bring about important social reforms.

Guts or How I Lived the Same as Brian Robeson by Gary Paulsen.

The author relates incidents in his life and how they inspired parts of his books about the character Brian Robeson featured in Hatchet and Brian’s Winter.

The Chicago “Black Sox” Scandal: a Headline Court Case by Michael Pellowski.

Eight Chicago White Sox baseball players were accused of conspiracy when they allegedly took money to lose the 1919 World Series.

Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A.by Luis Rodriguez. E

Luis J. Rodríguez joined his first gang at eleven. He witnessed the rise of some of the most notorious gangs in Southern California and knew only violence. But Rodríguez found a way out.

The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriguez.

This is the true story of a high school girl who faked a pregnancy, telling almost no one. What she learned about stereotypes and teen pregnancy will captivate you.

Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser.

The story of the Trojan War, from the quarrel for the golden apple, and the flight of Helen with Paris, to the destruction of Troy.

Bomb: the race to build-and steal- the world’s most dangerous weapon by Steve Sheinkin. E

In 1938 a chemist made a shocking discovery that launched a scientific race that spanned three continents. This is the story of the plotting, the deceit, and genius that created the atomic bomb.

Down These Mean Streets by Piri Thomas.

While growing up in a Spanish Harlem, the author plunges into drugs, street fighting, and crime, a descent that ended when the twenty-two-year-old Piri was sent to prison for shooting a cop.

Chewing Gum in Holy Water by Mario Valentini.

The author tells funny stories of his life growing up in Italy.

Summer Reading List 2013

For Students Entering Grades 5 and 6

Grade 5 students MUST read Bystander by James Preller, AND either Blizzard! by Jim Murphy or The Secret Life of a Snowflake by Kenneth Libbrecht.

Grade 6 students MUST read Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper.

All students must choose one additional book from this list.

A-     Book is available in audio E- Book is available as e-book.

Realistic Fiction

Never Mind: a Twin Novel by Avi.

Twelve-year-old twins Meg and Edward have nothing in common, so they are shocked when Meg’s hopes for popularity and Edward’s mischievous schemes coincidentally collide.

The School Story by Andrew Clements. A

After twelve-year-old Natalie writes a wonderful novel, her friend Zoë helps her devise a scheme to get it published. But Natalie’s mother is her editor.

Replay by Sharon Creech. A

While preparing for a role in the school play, twelve-year-old Leo finds an autobiography that his father wrote as a teenager and learns about the ways people change as they grow up.

*Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. Incoming Sixth graders MUST read this book.

Considered by many to be mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient fifth-grader with cerebral palsy discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak for the first time.

The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick.

When the mothers of four sixth-grade girls with very different personalities pressure them into forming a book club, they find  that they have much more in common than they had imagined.

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos. A

To the constant disappointment of his mother and his teachers, Joey has trouble paying attention and controlling his mood swings when his prescription meds wear off.

Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff. A, E

Sam is almost 11 when he discovers a locked box in the attic, and a piece of paper that says he was kidnapped.

Olive’s Ocean by Kevin Henkes. A

On a summer visit to her grandmother’s cottage, Martha learns to deal with the death of a classmate, her relationship with her family, her feelings for a boy, and her plans to be a writer.

Jackie’s Wild Seattle by Will Hobbs.

How do you rescue a wild and injured animals stuck in weird places in downtown Seattle? Fourteen-year-old Shannon Young, visiting from New Jersey, is about to find out.

The Misfits by James Howe. A

Four students who do not fit in at their small-town middle school decide to create a third party for the student council elections to represent all students who have ever been called names.

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron. A

Lucky knows about the uncertainty of life because she lost her mother two years ago. When she thinks that her guardian plans to leave, Lucky knows she has hit rock bottom and must run away.

*Bystander by James Preller. Incoming Fifth graders MUST read this.

When Eric is befriended by the bully at his new school, he must choose between being a bystander to Griff’s bullying, or become the target himself.

The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman. A

A Brooklyn eighth-grader nicknamed Antsy befriends the Schwa, an “invisible-ish” boy who is tired of blending into his surroundings and going unnoticed by nearly everyone.

The Noonday Friends by Mary Stolz.

Two friends stop speaking to each other, but can’t remember why they argued in the first place. Their fight is harder because of problems each girl has with her family.

Secret Identity by Wendelin Van Draanen. E

Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, tired of dealing with the class bully, has a secret identity. The website he builds showing the evidence of bullying has results, but not always what Nolan expects.

Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson. E

Through letters to his sister in a different foster home, Lonnie records their lives while they are apart, describing his foster family and foster brother who has lost a leg in the Iraq War.

Sports and Adventure

Basketball (or Something Like It) by Nora Raleigh Baskin.

Basketball clinics, a revolving door of coaches, outraged parents, and the importance of the right sneakers—is that what the game is about?

Brian’s Winter by Gary Paulsen. A, E

In Hatchet, Brian was rescued. This story portrays what would have happened to Brian had he been forced to survive a winter in the wilderness with only his survival pack and hatchet.

Historical Fiction

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. A

In 1793 Philadelphia, sixteen-year-old Matilda Cook, separated from her sick mother, is forced to cope with the horrors of a yellow fever epidemic.

SOS Titanic by Eve Bunting.

15-year-old Barry O’Neill, traveling from Ireland to America on the maiden voyage of the Titanic, finds his life endangered when the ship hits an iceberg and begins to sink.

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko. A

Twelve-year-old Moose moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards’ families were housed there, and has to adjust to this in addition to life with his autistic sister.

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. A, E

Bud, a motherless boy in Flint, Michigan during the Great Depression, sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father–the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids.

Lily’s Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff. A, E

During a summer spent at Rockaway Beach in 1944, Lily’s friendship with a young Hungarian refugee causes her to see the war and her own world differently.

Mickey and Me: a Baseball Card Adventure by Dan Gutman.

When Joe travels back in time to 1944, he meets the Milwaukee Chicks, one of the only all-female professional baseball teams in the history of the game.

Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata. A

Chronicles the lives of two Japanese-American sisters growing up in rural Georgia during the late 1950s and early 1960s, and the despair when one sister becomes terminally ill.

Stop the Train!By Geraldine McCaughrean. A

In 1893 the new settlers of Florence, Oklahoma are determined to build a real town, despite the opposition of the owner of the Red Rock Runner railroad.

Lyddie by Katherine Patterson.

Lyddie and her brother are hired out as servants to pay their family’s debts. She flees to Lowell, Mass., to find a job that will pay enough to clear the debts and allow the family to be reunited.

The Teacher’s Funeral by Richard Peck. A, E

Fifteen-year-old Russell’s dreams of quitting school to go to work are disrupted when his older sister takes over teaching at his schoolhouse after mean old Myrt Arbuckle “hauls off and dies.”

On the Wings of Heroes by Richard Peck.

A boy in Illinois remembers the homefront years of World War II, especially his two heroes–his brother in the Air Force and his father, who fought in World War I.

A Year Down Yonder by Robert Peck. A, E

During the recession of 1937, 15-year-old Mary Alice is sent to live with her feisty grandmother in rural Illinois and grows to understand this fearsome woman.

The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan.

Eleven-year-old Jack faces local bullies, crippling dust storms, his sick sister, and despairing townspeople in a small Oklahoma town in this graphic novel.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. A

Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and privilege in Mexico to go work in the labor camps of Southern California on the eve of the Great Depression.

Under the Blood Red Sun by Graham Salisbury. E

After Pearl Harbor is bombed Japanese men are rounded up and it’s a terrifying time to be Japanese in America. One thing doesn’t change: the loyalty of Tomi’s buddies, the Rats.

Letters from Wolfie by Patti Sherlock. E

Certain that he is doing the right thing by giving his dog to the Army’s scout program in Vietnam, Mark worries when the Army refuses to say when or if Wolfie will ever return.

Elephant Run by Roland Smith.

When Nick is stranded with his friend Mya they plan a daring escape on elephants, risking their lives to save Nick’s father and Mya’s brother from a Japanese prisoner of war camp.

Fantasy

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins. A

When Gregor and his 2-year-old sister fall into an underground world, there is an epic battle involving men, bats, rats, cockroaches, and spiders and a quest foretold by ancient prophecy.

The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper. A

On his eleventh birthday Will Stanton discovers that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical signs that will enable them to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark.

Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. A, E

A small mouse of unusual talents shares adventure with the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.

The Ruins of Gorlan (The Ranger’s Apprentice Series, Bk.1) by John Flanagan. E

When fifteen-year-old Will is rejected by battleschool, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt and protects the kingdom from danger.

Inkheartby Cornelia Funke. A

Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that her father, a bookbinder, can “read” fictional characters to life when one of those characters abducts them and tries to force him into service.

The Capture (Book 1 of the Guardians of Ga’hoole) by Kathryn Lasky. A

After Soren, a young barn owl, falls from the nest his world transforms into one of confusion and danger. He is captured by evil owls and taken to the St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls.

Birdwing by Rafe Martin.

A boy marked by physical difference–one arm is an enchanted wing–finds his strength and purpose in this stirring fantasy.

Mister Monday by Garth Nix. A

Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues. Seven sins. One mysterious house is the doorway to a very mysterious world– where one boy is about to venture and unlock fantastical secrets.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. A, E

After learning that he is the son of a mortal woman and a Greek god, 12-year-old Percy is sent to a summer camp for demigods and joins new friends on a quest to prevent war between the gods.

Magyk by Angie Sage.

After learning that she is a princess Jenna is whisked from her home and carried toward safety by the Extraordinary Wizard and a young guard.

Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley.

Raised by peasants, Bella discovers that she is actually the daughter of a knight. When he tears her from her family Bella is caught in a plot that will change her life forever.

Mystery

Chasing the Falconers by Gordon Korman.

Aidan and Meg Falconer are the only hope of their parents who are facing life in prison. Can the kids follow clues to prove their innocence while they’re trapped in a juvenile detention center?

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. E

Samuel G. Westing’s sixteen heirs gather for the reading of his will and find that one of them could inherit $200 million. All they have to do is expose Mr. Westing’s murderer, also an heir.

Any book in the P.C. Hawke Mysteries series by Paul Zindel.

P.C. Hawke, a Sherlock Holmes for the twenty-first century, and his fashionable and fabulous sidekick, Mackenzie, solve crimes and have adventures in this wild series.

Science Fiction

City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. A, E

When Lina finds part of an ancient message she and her friend Doon are sure it holds a secret that will save the underground city of Ember.

Among the Betrayed by Margaret Peterson Haddix.

Thirteen-year-old Nina is imprisoned by the Population Police who give her the option of helping them identify illegal “third-born” children, or facing death.

Only You Can Save Mankind! by Terry Pratchett. A

Johnny Maxwell takes on aliens, girls, video games, and the nature of war itself.

Ghosts

Haunted Sister by Lael Littke.

A sixteen-year-old girl suffers a near-death experience in which her twin sister, who died in an accident twelve years before, returns to forcibly share her body.

Now You See It by Vivian Vande Velde. E

With Wendy’s new glasses, she sees ghosts and portals to another world–a place where everyone knows of the glasses’ powers and will do anything they can to get them.

Nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography

Shark Life: True Stories about Sharks and the Sea by Peter Benchley. E

Benchley shares many anecdotes of his personal encounters with sharks, including the Great White, in stories that are exciting and sometimes terrifying.

Killer at Large by D.B. Beres.

Profilers provide law enforcement with scientific and psychological evidence that helps narrow the search for criminals.

The Journey that Saved Curious George by Louise Borden. E

Tells the story of Margret and H. A. Rey, who were carrying several illustrated manuscripts, including The Adventures of FiFi, later retitled Curious George.

Bodies from the Ash: Life and Death in Ancient Pompeii by James M. Deem.

In A.D. 79, Vesuvius erupted. In twenty-four hours the entire city of Pompeii and many of its citizens were utterly annihilated. Hundreds of years later excavations unearthed the lost city.

The Word Snoop by Ursula Dubosarsky. E

The best-kept secrets in the English language are revealed to your unsuspecting eyes and ears!

5,000 Miles to Freedom: Ellen and William Craft’s Flight from Slavery by Judith Bloom Fradin.

Ellen and William Craft were two of the few slaves to escape. Their escape took them to Philadelphia, then on to Boston pursued by slave hunters, and 5,000 miles to England.

The Power of One: Daisy Bates and the Little Rock Nine by Judith Fradin.

Daisy Bates was a journalist and activist who became one of the foremost civil rights. In 1957 she mentored the nine black students who were integrated into Central High School, Little Rock.

You Wouldn’t Want to Be in the First Submarine! By Ian Graham.

Get ready- as a young man in Civil War America, you are about to become involved in a highly dangerous underwater arms race. You could get into very deep water in the first submarine!

Tutankhamun: the Mystery of the Boy King by Zahi Hawass.

An account of the life, death and burial of King Tut and the unearthing of his tomb. The author sheds new light on the biggest question about Tut—was he murdered?

Extreme Scientists by Donna M. Jackson.

Hurricane hunters, cave women, and other people in extreme careers share their experiences on the job and how they got there.

The Acorn People by Ron Jones.

The author’s experiences as a camp counselor for severely handicapped children.

The Forbidden Schoolhouse: The True and Dramatic Story of Prudence Crandall and Her Students by Suzanne Jurmain.

They threw rocks at the school windows; her schoolhouse was set on fire; she was dragged her to jail. All for trying to run one of the first African American schools in America.

Trial by Ice: A Photobiography of Ernest Shackleton by  K.M Kostyal.

Traces the adventurous life of the South Pole explorer whose ship, the Endurance, was frozen in ice and crushed, leaving captain and crew to fight for survival.

Hana’s Suitcase by Karen Levine

In 2000 a suitcase arrived at a children’s Holocaust education center in Japan. Hana Brady was written on it. Children who saw the suitcase had questions and the director wanted the answers.

The Secret Life of a Snowflake by Kenneth George Libbrecht.

The story of a single snowflake–from its creation in the clouds to its fall–in fascinating photographs and details.

Diving to a Deep-Sea Volcano by Kenneth Mallory.

Changing undersea technology allows people to learn more about the sea as an ecosystem, and about the life forms that live there.

Blizzard! by Jim Murphy.

Presents a history, based on personal accounts and newspaper articles, of the massive snow storm that hit the Northeast in 1888, focusing on the events in New York City.

Woodsong by Gary Paulsen.

For a rugged outdoor man and his family, life in northern Minnesota is a wild experience involving wolves, deer, and the sled dogs that make their way of life possible.

My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen. E

The author describes some of the dogs that have had special places in his life, including his first dog, Snowball; Dirk, who protected him from bullies; and Cookie, who saved his life.

The Goal by Andrew Podnieks.

The Boston Bruins Stanley Cup win in 1970 concluded with Bobby Orr’s dramatic overtime goal.

Two Miserable Presidents: everything your schoolbooks didn’t tell you about the Civil War by Steve Sheinkin.

The war that threatened America’s very existence is revealed in the surprising true stories of the soldiers and statesmen who battled it out.

Venom by Marilyn Singer.

Learn about venom and the animals that produce it and use it to survive, including spiders, insects, snakes and other reptiles, frogs and toads, fish, and ocean invertebrates.

Secrets of a Civil War Submarine by Sally M. Walker.

Divers searched for more than 130 years but the sub was not found until 1995. Archeologists raised the sub and sifted for artifacts, human remains, and clues to why, when and how she sank.

Almost Astronauts by Margaret Weitekamp.

The true story of the women who crewed Mercury 13.

Registration begins Monday, June 17. Final day to register is Friday, August 9. Last day to collect prizes is Friday, August 16

Activities for kids entering grades 5-12:

Video Games

Tuesday, June 25 at 1:30Open gaming day. Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 2 and 3, snacks and soda.

Anime Club

Saturday, June 29 at 2:00 Watch anime in the air conditioned Lecture Hall!

Seed Balls and Guerrilla Gardening

Monday, July 1 at 2:00 Make clay and seed balls to grow flowers in empty spaces. Materials are provided. Registration is required.

Knit Graffiti

Friday, July 5 at 2:00Meet throughout the summer to work on projects to display in the library. Beginners and all skill levels welcome. Yarn and needles provided.

Shark Week Party

Monday, July 8 at 2:00Shark Week is in August but we’re celebrating early. Play games and watch shark videos!

How to: Start a Blog

Wednesday, July 10 at 2:00 Hands on demo of how to make a website and start your own blog.
Registration Required.

Caving!

Wednesday, July 17 at 2:00 Members of a Boston caving group (bostongrotto.org) will explain what it’s like to climb around caves and how to get started.
Registration Required.

Candy Sushi

Friday, July 19 at 2:00Make candy into fun sushi rolls! Yum!

Sharks!

Monday, July 22 at 2:00 and 3:00The New England Aquarium will fill us in on everything you’ve ever wanted to know about sharks. Registration required. 2:00 registration. 3:00 registration.

Anime Club

Saturday, July 27 at 2:00Watch anime in the air conditioned Lecture Hall!

Video Games

Monday, July 29 at 2:00Open gaming day. Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 2 and 3, snacks and soda.

Knit Graffiti

Thursday, August 1 at 2:00Meet throughout the summer to work on projects to display in the library. Beginners and all skill levels welcome. Yarn and needles provided.

Time Capsule

Monday, August 5 at 2:00Make a personal time capsule! Bring things to show your future self what your life was like. Suggestions of what to bring will be on the YA Blog. Registration Required.

Sushi Charms

Wednesday, August 7 at 2:00Make cute clay sushi charms for jewelry, key chains, or whatever! Registration Required.

Reptiles

Monday, August 12 at 2:00 and 3:00Meet live reptiles with the Museum of Science! Find out all about these cool creatures. Registration Required. 2:00 registration. 3:00 registration.

Video Games

Wednesday, August 14 at 2:00Open gaming day. Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 2 and 3, snacks and soda.

City of Bones Movie Release Party

Thursday, August 22 at 2:00Celebrate the movie release of Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones! Games, prizes, fun!

Anime Club

Saturday, August 24 at 2:00Watch anime in the air conditioned Lecture Hall!

Registration begins Monday, June 17.  Final day to register is Friday, August 9.  Last day to collect prizes is Friday, August 16 

“Dig” Our Raffles!

Earn a raffle ticket every time you visit the library. Visit often to increase your chance of winning one of these exciting prizes.  Winners will get a phone call the Monday after the drawing dates below.

Friday, July 5 – Archaeologist Kit, Magic Tricks, Deluxe Art Kit

Friday, July 26 – Make-a-Terrarium, Origami Kit, Bag of Crafts

Friday, August 16 – Wimpy Kid Special, Classic games, Dream Bedroom Design

Activities for Kids Entering Grades 1-4

Family Story Time
June 17-August 12 at 6:30
Ages 3 and older, Drop in
Bring the family for an evening of stories followed by a gentle activity to wind down your day. 

Beebe Library Talent Show
June 26 at 7:00
Grades 1-6, Registration and tickets required.
Register your act between June 17 and June 24 at the Youth Desk.  Dress rehearsal takes place Tuesday, June 25 at 3:30.  Each family will receive four tickets to the Talent Show.  Tickets are required, as space is limited.

Mineral Mania
July 3 at 10:30
Grades 1-4, Registration required.  Mine for rocks and minerals with Mad Science of Boston.

Craft Buffet
July 3 at 3:30
Grades 1-4, Drop in
Creations abound!  Choose from the projects in the Program Room and take home something special.

Underground Adventurers
July 9-August 13 at 3:30
Grades 1-4, Registration required
Craft and stories highlight a different theme each week.  Make the Program Room into a cave, make a pet rock monster, and more. 

The Whalemobile on the Lower Common
July 10 at 10:30
Grades 1-4, Registration required
Tour the inside of this 43-foot whale by the shore of Lake Quannapowitt. 

LEGO Club
July 11 and 25 at 3:30, Grades 2-4
Build and share using the library’s LEGOs.  No younger siblings, please. 

Mysteries of Egypt
July 17 at 10:30
Grades 1-4, Registration required
Join artists from the Museum of Fine Arts.  Create an artifact inspired by items from the museum’s Egyptian collection. 

Kidstock
July 19 at 10:30, Ages 3 and up
Adult actors seek child volunteers to aid them in performing original stories for kids. 

Live Performance with Alicia Quintano
July 24 at 10:30
Grades 1-4, Drop in
Alicia Quintano brings her one-woman show to Wakefield and shares stories of family, friends, and childhood.  

The Emperor’s New Clothes
July 31 at 10:30
Grades 1-4, Drop in
See a puppet demonstration followed by a performance of the folk tale by Magpie Puppets. 

Nature’s Subterranean Animals
August 7 at 10:30
Grades 1-4, Registration required
Curious Creatures returns with their exotic animals that live or hunt beneath the earth’s surface. 

Meet “Dr. Dig,”
August 14 at 7:00
All Ages, Drop in
“Ask Dr. Dig” yourself, in person!  Archaeologist Angela Murock Hussein, Dig magazine’s featured columnist, answers your questions about fossils, dinosaurs, and ancient cultures. 

Read-to-Me Program

Create a reading habit with your child by joining the Summer Reading Program at Beebe Library.

Stop by the library between June 17 and August 9 to pick up your starter packet.  You will receive a tracking sheet and stickers to mark your reading time.  When the two of you complete the tracking sheet, that means you have read ten hours together.  Congratulations!  Bring your tracking sheet to the library and select a free book for your child’s home library.

Each time you visit the library this summer, your child will receive a foam bath toy.  As a special reward for reading aloud to your child, your name will go into a special drawing for a gift certificate to Laurie’s 9:09 Steak and Raw Bar.

Dig into reading and books this summer at Beebe Library!

Summer Activities for Preschoolers

Family Story Time
Mondays, June 17-August 12 at 6:30
Ages 3 and older, Drop in
Bring the family for an evening of stories followed by a gentle activity to wind down your day. 

Walkers and Talkers
Thursdays, June 27-August 15 at 9:30
Ages 1 and 2, Drop in
Drop in and watch the toddlers let off steam!  Songs, rhymes, movement games kick off the fun.

Preschool Story Time
Friday June 28 at 10:30
Ages 3-5, Drop in
Bring your preschoolers for stories and a craft.

Indoor Infant Playground
Friday, July 5 at 9:30
Ages 12 months and under, Drop in
Bring your baby to this socialization environment and watch them take over the Lecture Hall chasing balls, climbing
on foam structures, and staring at each other.  No older siblings. 

Sing Along with Peter Sheridan
Tuesday, July 9  at 10:30
Ages 5 and under, Tickets required
Peter entertains with songs and stories.  Tickets required.  Wakefield residents can pick up tickets the week before a concert.   Nonresidents can pick up tickets the day of the concert if space remains. 

Preschool Story Time
Friday, July 12 at 10:30
Ages 3-5, Drop in
Bring your preschoolers for stories and a craft.

Indoor Infant Playground
Tuesday, July 16 at 9:30
Ages 12 months and under, Drop in
Bring your baby to this socialization environment and watch them take over the Lecture Hall chasing balls, climbing on foam structures, and staring at each other.  No older siblings.

Kidstock
Friday, July 19 at 10:30
Ages 3 and up, Drop in
Adult actors seek child volunteers to aid them in performing original stories for kids.

Preschool Story Time
Friday, July 26 at 10:30
Ages 3-5, Drop in
Bring your preschoolers for stories and a craft.

Indoor Infant Playground
Wednesday, July 31 at 3:30 at 9:30
Ages 12 months and under, Drop in
Bring your baby to this socialization environment and watch them take over the Lecture Hall chasing balls, climbing on foam structures, and staring at each other.  No older siblings. 

Kidstock
Friday, August 2 at 10:30
Ages 3 and up, Drop in
Adult actors seek child volunteers to aid them in performing original stories for kids.

Indoor Infant Playground
Tuesday, August 6 at 9:30
Ages 12 months and under, Drop in
Bring your baby to this socialization environment and watch them take over the Lecture Hall chasing balls, climbing on foam structures, and staring at each other.  No older siblings. 

Preschool Story Time
Friday, August 9 at 10:30
Ages 3-5, Drop in
Bring your preschoolers for stories and a craft.

Sing Along with Peter Sheridan
Tuesday, August 13 at 10:30
Ages 5 and under, Tickets required
Peter entertains with songs and stories.  Tickets required.  Wakefield residents can pick up tickets the week before a concert.   Nonresidents can pick up tickets the day of the concert if space remains. 

Kidstock
Friday, August 16 at 10:30
Ages 3 and up, Drop in
Adult actors seek child volunteers to aid them in performing original stories for kids.

How to Raise a Reader

• Establish a daily read-aloud routine. 
• Recite and teach nursery rhymes so children learn rhymes and the rhythm of language.
• Sing songs together to reinforce rhyming and word play.
• Keep books on low shelves or in plastic bins for young children to access easily.
• Talk to your child, even as an infant.  He or she is trying to de-code what you say. 
• Ask questions about the story you read together to build your child’s vocabulary and narrative skills.
• Be a reader yourself.  Children take cues from the adults around them.

Source: PBS Parents Website  

Activities for Children Entering Grades 1-4

Activities for Young Adults Entering Grades 5 and Older

Monday, June 10, 6:30-8:30 in the Lecture Hall

Registration is required for both the workshop,
as well as for the child care, if needed.

To sign up for the workshop, click here.

  To sign up children for child care, click here.  (Register children ages 1-5 in one group, and children ages 6-9 in the other.)

This workshop is sponsored by the Wakefield Rotary Club, Children’s Trust Fund, Wakefield Police Department, Wakefield Alliance Against Violence, Burbank YMCA, OneToughJob.org, and Lucius Beebe Memorial Library.

Angleberger, Tom
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda series
Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda.

Blume, Judy
Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing
Living with his little brother, Fudge, makes Peter Hatcher feel like a fourth-grade nothing.  Fudge is a two-year-old terror who gets away with everything. When Fudge walks off with Dribble, Peter’s pet turtle, it’s the last straw.   How can he get his parents to pay attention to him for a change?

Bosch, Pseudonymous
The Name of This Book Is Secret series
Two eleven-year-old misfits try to solve the mystery of a dead magician and stop the evil Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais, who are searching for the secret of immortality.

Buckley, Michael
The Sisters Grimm: the Fairy Tale Detectives series
Orphans Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are sent to live with an eccentric grandmother whom they have always believed to be dead.

Catling, Patrick
The Chocolate Touch
A boy acquires a magical gift that turns everything his lips touch into chocolate.

Christopher, Matt
Baseball Turnaround
Sandy is drawn unknowingly into a shoplifting incident, but when his community service involves baseball he meets people who help him finally put the past behind him.

Conlan, Kathy
Under the Ice
Imagine suiting up and slipping into water so cold that exposed skin can freeze in seconds and equipment can suddenly seize up. These are the dangers that Kathy Conlan faces when she goes to work. Kathy is a marine biologist who has scuba-dived in oceans off the Arctic and Antarctic—two of the most hostile environments on Earth.

Cotler, Steve
Cheesie Mack series
Ronald “Cheesie” Mack engages in fifth-grade shenanigans such as tormenting his sister and getting into plenty of trouble with his best friend George.  Will he survive and be able to make it to middle school?

Cowell, Cressida
How To Train Your Dragon series
Chronicles the adventures and misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third.

Creech, Sharon
Castle Corona
Two orphaned peasant children discover a mysterious pouch, the contents of which lead them to the majestic Castle Corona, where their lives may be changed forever.

Dahl, Roald
James and the Giant Peach
A young boy escapes from two wicked aunts and embarks on a series of adventures with six giant insects he meets inside a giant peach.

Davies, Jacqueline
Lemonade War series
Evan and his younger sister, Jesse, react very differently to the news that they will be in the same class for fourth grade.  As the end of summer approaches, they battle it out through lemonade stands, each trying to be the first to earn 100 dollars. Includes mathematical calculations and tips for running a successful lemonade stand.

Davies, Nicola
Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures on Earth
Animals adapt to their surroundings for survival. Learn how they survive in conditions that humans never would. 

Dowd, Siobhan
London Eye Mystery
Ted, whose brain is “wired differently,” and his impatient sister Kat work together to solve the mystery of what happened to their cousin Salim, who disappeared from the London Eye ferris wheel. 

Funke, Cornelia
Dragon Rider
After learning that humans are headed toward his hidden home, Firedrake, a silver dragon, embarks on a quest with a brownie and an orphan boy to find the legendary valley known as the Rim of Heaven. Along the way, they encounter friendly and unfriendly creatures and struggle to evade the relentless pursuit of an old enemy. 

George, Jean Craighead
My Side of the Mountain
A young boy relates his adventures during the year he spends living alone in the Catskill Mountains including his struggle for survival, his dependence on nature, his animal friends, and his ultimate realization that he needs human companionship.

Gidwitz, Adam
A Tale Dark and Grimm series
Follow Hansel and Gretel as they walk out of their own story and into eight more tales, encountering both wicked creatures and kindly strangers.

Grisham, John
Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer series
With attorneys for parents, thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone knows more about the law than most lawyers do.  When a high-profile murder trial comes to his small town and Theo gets pulled in, it’s up to this amateur attorney to save the day.

Gutman, Dan
Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable series
On a cross-country vacation with their parents, twins Coke and Pepsi, soon to be thirteen, fend off strange assassins as they try to come to terms with their being part of a top-secret government organization known as The Genius Files.

Gutman, Dan
Get Rich Quick Club
Summer vacation in their small Maine town does not look too promising until twelve-year-old Gina and four of her friends make a pact to become millionaires before school starts in September.

Haddix, Margaret Peterson
Among the Hidden
In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family’s farm, until another “third” convinces him that the government is wrong. 

Hatkoff, Craig
Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
The true story of two great friends: a baby hippo named Owen and a 130-year-old giant tortoise named Mzee. 

Hicks, Betty
The Worm Whisperer
Ellison Ellis Coffey, a lonely fifth-grader, discovers he might have the gift of talking to bugs and decides to use his ability to win his town’s annual Woolly Worm Race.

Howe, James
Bunnicula series
Harold the dog and Chester the cat are suspicious of the new pet rabbit, who seems to drain his vegetables of their juice. Can the new bunny be a vampire?

Johnson, Rebecca
Journey into the Deep: Discovering New Ocean Creatures
Presents new animals discovered during a ten-year project of documenting sea life, describing new species of such creatures as jellyfish, octopuses, squids, sea worms, and crabs, found along coral reefs, ocean mountain ranges, and in the dark zone.

Joyce, William
Guardians series
Warrior Nicholas St. North finds himself embroiled in a battle with the evil Nightmare King, which he can only win if he finds five other Guardians.

Kerley, Barbara
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
The true story of Victorian artist Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, who built life-sized models of dinosaurs in the hope of educating the world about what these awe-inspiring ancient animals were like.

L’Engle, Madeleine
A Wrinkle in Time
Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers during their search for Meg’s father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.

Lisle, Janet Taylor
Highway Cats
A hard-bitten group of mangy highway cats is changed forever after the mysterious arrival of three kittens.

Lynch, Chris
Cyberia series
In Zane’s world, technology has progressed so that every pet has a microchip in it that allows the pet to talk.  When a strictly contraband wild animal, a mole, comes into his life, Zane learns that the pets aren’t actually saying what the chip is translating. In fact, they aren’t happy that all animals have been domesticated. So they enlist Zane to help them fight back and ensure their freedom.

Margolin, Phillip
Vanishing Acts
In Portland, Oregon, between soccer games and beginning seventh grade, twelve-year-old Madison Kincaid and new classmate Jake try to track down her missing best friend, while also helping her attorney father solve a missing-persons case. 

Markle, Sandra
Animal Heroes: True Rescue Stories
Nine stories, based on interviews with the grateful survivors, describe how brave animals rescued people in catastrophic circumstances. 

Markle, Sandra
Rescues!
A woman is buried in an avalanche. Miners are trapped underground. Who will come to their rescue? Learn how rescuers use their brains, as well as their bravery, to rescue people in trouble all over the world. 

Marrin, Albert
Oh, Rats! The Story of Rats and People
Get ready to look at rats in a whole new way. These intelligent, compassionate creatures are greatly misunderstood. 

Mass, Wendy
11 Birthdays
Amanda and Leo, former best friends with the same birthday, had a falling out on their tenth birthday and have not spoken since, but peculiar things begin to happen as the day of their eleventh birthday repeats itself again and again.

McCarthy, Meghan
Aliens are Coming! The True Account of the 1939 War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast
Account of the practical joke that fooled American radio listeners and made Orson Welles famous.

Montgomery, R. A.
Choose Your Own Adventure series
Whether you sail on the Titanic or track the Abominable Snowman, you create your own adventure as you make choices and face the consequences. 

Myracle, Lauren
Ten
Winnie celebrates her unique style through her first year with a double-digit age as she has many new experiences, from the high of spending time in New York with her aunt and big sister, to the low of her two best friends suddenly becoming interested in boys. 

Night, P.J.
You’re Invited to a Creepover series
Each book in this creepy series revolves around a sleepover. In It’s All Downhill from Here, Maggie’s parents want to buy the old Wharton Mansion and turn it into a ski lodge, but the ghost who lives there has other plans.

Oliver, Lin
Almost Identical
Once inseparable best friends, thirteen-year-old identical twins Sammie and Charlie begin to grow apart when they make new friends and join different clubs as seventh-graders at a brand new school. 

Pascoe, Elaine
Fooled You! Fakes and Hoaxes Through the Years
Crop circles. Aliens on earth. Fairies caught on film. Giant cats. What do these phenomena have in common? Read about the stories behind them and why people were so easily fooled. 

Paulsen, Jim and Gary
Road Trip
A father and son embark on a road trip to a distant animal shelter to save a homeless border collie puppy.

Peirce, Lincoln
Big Nate series
Supremely confident middle school student Nate Wright manages to make getting detention from every one of his teachers in the same day seem like an achievement.

Peot, Margaret
Inkblot: Drip, Splat and Squish Your Way to Creativity
Teaches how to change inkblots into works of art and to use them as keys to creativity. 

Pringle, Laurence
Billions of Years, Amazing Changes
Ever since Charles Darwin revealed his landmark ideas about evolution in 1859, new findings have confirmed, expanded, and refined his concepts. With a perfect blend of science and art, this book captures natural marvels, including awe-inspiring fossils, life forms, and geological wonders.

Reeve, Philip
No Such Thing as Dragons
A young mute boy who is apprenticed to a dragon-slayer suspects that the winged beasts do not exist, until he and his master learn the truth.

Rowling, J.K.
Harry Potter series
Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Schlitz, Laura Amy
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices From a Medieval Village
A collection of short one-person plays featuring characters, between ten and fifteen years old, who live in or near a thirteenth-century English manor.

Scieszka, Jon
Knucklehead: Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories About Growing Up Scieszka
How did Jon Scieszka get so funny? He grew up as one of six brothers with Catholic school, lots of comic books, lazy summers at the lake with time to kill, babysitting misadventures, TV shows, and jokes told at family dinner.

Scieszka, Jon, ed.
The Sports Pages
A collection of sports stories featuring everything from fighting to friendship, set everywhere from the tennis court to the hockey rink. 

Selznick, Brian
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toy seller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized.

Settel, Joanne
Exploding Ants: Amazing Facts about How Animals Adapt
Describes examples of animal behavior that may strike humans as disgusting, including the “gross” ways animals find food, shelter, and safety in the natural world.

Simon, Coco
Cupcake Diaries series
Katie starts the Cupcake Club with her new middle-school friends Mia, Emma, and Alexis. At first she is nervous about beginning middle school, but she soon discovers that nothing is sweeter than starting from scratch with new friends. 

Snicket, Lemony
“Who Could That Be At This Hour?”
Thirteen-year-old Lemony Snicket begins his apprenticeship with S. Theodora Markson of the secretive V.F.D. in the tiny dot of a town called Stain’d By The Sea, where he helps investigate the theft of a statue.

Spinelli, Eileen
The Dancing Pancake
Eleven-year-old Belinda “Bindi” Winkler and her family find their way through tough times with the love and support of the community that grows around their newly opened restaurant, “The Dancing Pancake.”

Stead, Rebecca
When You Reach Me
In the 1980s, as her mother prepares to be a contestant on a television game show, Miranda tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space. 

Stern, A.J.
Frankly, Frannie series
Frannie is a girl who likes to manage things, but sometimes things seem unmanageable.

Tang, Greg
The Grapes of Math: Mind-Stretching Math Riddles series
Illustrated riddles introduce strategies for solving a variety of math problems. 

Tashjian, Janet
My Life as a Book
Dubbed a “reluctant reader” by his teacher, twelve-year-old Derek spends vacation learning important lessons even though he does not complete his summer reading list. 

Tarshis, Lauren
I Survived series
This series describes earthquakes, hurricanes, and other disasters through the eyes of kids who were present for them. In one of the books, ten-year-old George is aboard the Titanic with his aunt and sister when the ship collides with an iceberg and begins to sink. How will he survive?

Various
The 39 Clues series
Meet the Cahills, the most powerful family the world has ever known. The source of their power is a mystery that can only be unraveled by assembling 39 clues that have been hidden around the world throughout history.

Various
Dear America series
Told in the form of diaries, this series of historical fiction tells the adventures of individual girls and boys in critical points of American history.

Vernon, Ursula
Dragonbreath series
The zany adventures of Danny Dragonbreath and his friend Wendell the Iguana.

Winkler, Henry
Mind if I Read Your Mind? series
Billy Broccoli and his sidekick Hoover the Ghost plan to win a school competition on mind-reading, with Hoover using his supernatural powers to edge out the competition.

Yaccarino, Dan
Go, Go America
A collection of odd facts, including festivals, contests, and laws, about the 50 states.

The above list was compiled by Wakefield’s K-4 reading teachers
and the librarians of Lucius Beebe Memorial Library.

Abbott, Tony
Goofballs series
Long-time friends and fellow sleuths Jeff, Brian, Mara and Kelly, known as the Goofballs, solve mysteries and have lots of fun.

Adler, David A.
Cam Jansen series
A fifth-grader with a photographic memory solves mysteries.

Atinuke
Anna Hibiscus series
Anna Hibiscus, who lives in Africa with her whole family, likes to splash in the sea and have parties for her aunties, but she would really love to see snow.

Barnholdt, Lauren
Hailey Twitch series
The hilarious adventures of second-grader Hailey Twitch and her friend Maybelle, who just happens to be a 200-year-old sprite that only Hailey can see.

Barrows, Annie
Ivy and Bean series
Second-graders Ivy and Bean live next door to each other and together they can handle whatever challenges come their way.

Blume, Judy
The Pain & the Great One series
First-grader Jake (“the Pain”) and third-grader Abigail (“the Great One”) are siblings who envy each other.

Cleary, Beverly
Ramona series
This humorous series follows Ramona Quimby and her family and friends as she has adventures and grows up.

Clements, Andrew
Jake Drake series
Jake’s a typical kid. Why does he always seem to be in trouble?

Collard, Sneed B.
Wings
Discusses the animals that have wings, various types of wings, and how they are used.

Dahl, Roald
The Enormous Crocodile
The enormous crocodile devises secret plans and a few clever tricks to secure his lunch only to be foiled by his neighbors.

DiCamillo, Kate
Bink & Gollie
Two roller-skating best friends, one tiny and one tall, share comical adventures involving outrageously bright socks, an impromptu trek to the Andes, and a most unlikely marvelous companion.

Draper, Sharon
Sassy series
It’s hard to get respect when you’re only nine, you’re the youngest in your family, and everyone calls you Little Sister instead of Sassy.  But Sassy has imagination and style and finds that whatever problem comes her way, she has just the thing to solve it in her marvelous Sassy Sack.

Friedman, Laurie
Mallory series
Eight-year-old Mallory McDonald is a lively character with a penchant for jokes and creative situations that have comical results.

George, Jean Craighead
The Wolves Are Back
For over a century, wolves were persecuted in the United States and nearly became extinct. After having been gradually reintroduced, they are thriving again in the West, much to the benefit of the ecosystem.

Heidbreder, Robert
Noisy Poems for a Busy Day
Short, silly poems full of onomatopoeia and humor will delight poetry fans of all ages.

Hicks, Betty
Gym Shorts series
Action-filled sports books that pack the energy of the gym into short novels.

Hillman, Ben
How Big Is It?
How deep was the ice above New York in the ice ages?  How long is a giant squid?  Who is taller, a polar bear or a basketball player?  Once you read one of these books, you will want to know more.

Hopping, Lorraine
Wild Weather: Tornadoes!
Two people follow tornadoes in the Midwest to study them and learn about them.

Janeczko, Paul
A Foot in the Mouth: Poems to Speak, Sing, and Shout
A varied collection of lively rhymes, tricky tongue-twisters, poems for more than one voice, bilingual poems, and many others.

Jenkins, Steve
Living Color
Red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple, pink—animals can be startlingly colorful. Why are they found in so many shades, tints, and hues? Find out how animals use color to warn predators, signal friends, attract a mate, or hide from their enemies.

Jurmain, Suzanne
Worst of Friends
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson put aside their differences in the name of friendship.

Katz, Susan
Mrs. Brown on Exhibit
Poems about what the students in Mrs. Brown’s class see and do during their school field trips to a variety of museums.

Krulik, Nancy
Katie Kazoo Switcheroo series
Katie Carew is an ordinary girl with an unusual problem: she keeps turning into other things.

Landon, Lucinda
Meg Mackintosh series
Detective Meg Mackintosh solves a series of mysteries. The reader is encouraged to solve the mystery along with Meg.

Larson, Kirby
Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival
Bobbi, a dog, and Bob Cat are the best of friends. When their hometown of New Orleans was struck by Hurricane Katrina, many lost everything. But not Bobbi and Bob Cat—they still had each other and survived by staying together.

Le Guin, Ursula K.
Catwings series
Four young cats just happen to be able to fly.

Look, Lenore
Ruby Lu series
Almost-eight-year-old Ruby Lu spends time with her baby brother, goes to Chinese school, performs magic tricks and learns to drive on the mean streets of New York.

McDonald, Megan
Judy Moody series
Third-grader Judy Moody has a mood to fit every occasion and a face to go with it.

McDonald, Megan
Stink series
More raucous adventures follow Judy Moody’s little brother, Stink.

McKay, Hilary
Lulu and the Duck in the Park
Lulu loves animals. When she discovers an abandoned duck egg, she enlists the help of her friend Mellie to learn about raising ducks and attempts to nurture the egg until it hatches.

Meadows, Daisy
Rainbow Magic Fairies series
Jack Frost and his goblins are always trying to cause trouble for the Rainbow Magic Fairies.

Miles, Ellen
Puppy Place series
The Petersons are a foster family for young dogs. They have a puppy of their own, Buddy, but they love to help find the perfect owners for dogs in need.

Mills, Claudia
How Oliver Olson Changed the World
Afraid he will always be an outsider like ex-planet Pluto, nine-year-old Oliver finally shows his overprotective parents that he is capable of doing great things without their help while his class is studying the solar system.

Montgomery, Lewis
Milo & Jazz series
Detectives-in-training Milo and Jazz join forces to tackle cases.

Muntean, Michaela
Stay: The True Story of Ten Dogs
After a circus accident rendered Luciano Anastasini unable to perform his circus stunts, he undertook the task of training rescue dogs to perform a circus act.

Napoli, Donna Jo
Sly the Sleuth series
Sly the Sleuth, also known as Sylvia, solves mysteries for her friends and neighbors through her detective agency, Sleuth for Hire.

O’Brien, Patrick
You Are the First Kid on Mars
Using the most up-to-date designs and theories of what it will take to establish a base on Mars, you are off on an incredible journey of over 35 million miles to the red planet.

Payne, Nina
Four in All
This perfectly simple 56-word poem encapsulates a child’s world, from the up close and personal (“eyes ears nose mouth”) to its far-reaching corners (“east west north south”).

Peterson, John
The Littles series
The Littles are a family of tiny people who live in the Bigg family’s house. Mr. Little is only six inches tall, and he is big for a Little. The Littles develop a plan to get rid of the mice in the Biggs’ house.

Prelutsky, Jack
Be Glad Your Nose Is on Your Face and Other Poems
An illustrated collection of humorous poems on a variety of topics.

Raczka, Bob
Guyku
Raczka and Peter Reynolds present a humorous haiku collection perfect for guys (big and small) that celebrates outdoor fun throughout the seasons.

Robbins, Ken
For Good Measure: The Way We Say How Much, How Far, How Heavy, How Big, How Old
The mile gets its name from the term mille passus, which means “a thousand paces.” The abbreviation for pound (lb.) comes from the Latin libra pondo. Feet, pounds, quarts, miles: these are words we use every day. But where did they originate and what do they actually mean?

Rosenstock, Barb
The Camping Trip That Changed America
In 1903, Theodore Roosevelt read John Muir’s book on the Sierra Nevada, which ended with a plea for government to save the vanishing forests. The president asked Muir to take him camping in the Yosemite wilderness. Two months later, Roosevelt followed his knowledgeable guide into the mountains, through the valley, and among the giant sequoia trees.

Roy, Ron
Capital Mysteries series
KC Corcoran and her friend Marshall Li live in Washington, D.C.  They often find themselves solving mysteries at the White House, the Smithsonian, and other famous sites.  Sometimes their friend, President Zachary Thornton, helps them.

Scieszka, Jon
Time Warp Trio series
With the help of a magic book, Joe, Sam and Fred are able to travel through time.

Silverstein, Shel
Where the Sidewalk Ends
A boy who turns into a TV set and a girl who eats a whale are only two of the characters in a collection of humorous poetry illustrated with the author’s own drawings.

Smith, Lane
Abe Lincoln’s Dream
When Quincy gets separated from her class tour at the White House, she encounters a strange man in a stovepipe hat and updates him about what’s happened since he’s been gone.

Stewart, Melissa
Tell Me Why, Tell Me How series
This series answers basic questions about complex topics such as how fish breathe underwater and how chameleons change colors.

Stilton, Geronimo
Geronimo Stilton series
Geronimo Stilton is the mild-mannered editor of The Rodent’s Gazette, the largest newspaper on Mouse Island.

Stone, Rex
Dinosaur Cove series
Tom and Jamie can’t believe their luck when they find a secret entrance to a prehistoric world filled with dinosaurs. You are sure to find your favorite dinosaur in Dinosaur Cove, but you might wish you hadn’t!

Sweet, Melissa
Balloons Over Broadway
The story of the puppeteer Tony Sarg and his long-lasting gift to America: the inspired helium balloons that would become the trademark of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Tavares, Matt
There Goes Ted Williams
Legendary Red Sox player Ted Williams hits home run after home run and, in between seasons, flies planes in several wars.

Thomas, Peggy
For the Birds: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson
To some, he was “Professor Nuts Peterson,” but to the world he was Roger Tory Peterson. This is the story of the American artist, activist, and passionate bird lover and creator of the Peterson Field Guides.

Van Allsburg, Chris
The Garden of Abdul Gasazi
When the dog he is caring for runs away from Alan into the forbidden garden of a retired dog-hating magician, a spell seems to be cast over the contrary dog.

Various
Flat Stanley series
After a bulletin board falls on Stanley, he finds that being flat has its advantages.

Watson, Tom
Stick Dog
Stick Dog and his four friends (Stripes, Mutt, Poo-Poo and Karen) will do anything to steal some sweet-smelling hamburgers from a family at Picasso Park.

The above list was compiled by Wakefield’s K-4 reading teachers
and the librarians of Lucius Beebe Memorial Library.