Special Collections

James and the Giant Peach

A little magic can take you a long way.

After James Henry Trotter's parents are tragically eaten by a rhinoceros, he goes to live with his two horrible aunts, Spiker and Sponge. Life there is no fun, until James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree and strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it's as big as a house. Inside, James meets a bunch of oversized friends -- Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybug, and more. With a snip of the stem, the peach starts rolling away, and the great adventure begins!

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Ramona the Brave

In this touching and funny story, the ebullient Ramona, feeling brave and grown-up, enters first grade. Quickly she finds that her new teacher, Mrs. Griggs, appears perplexed by pupils who like to be different. Since Ramona cannot help being different, clearly the two are incompatible.

Nevertheless, Ramona can be counted on to keep things lively. Enraged when Susan copies her wise old owl prepared for Parents' Night and receives praise for it, Ramona rebels. Overcome by guilt and no longer brave, she tries mightily thereafter to please her teacher, but still Mrs. Griggs infuriatingly reports home that Ramona lacks self-control. Only because she is a girl with spunk, to use her father's word, does Ramona's courage return, earning her at last an uneasy truce with the teacher.

Beverly Cleary draws here a portrait of a little girl discovering with astonishment that the way others see her is not always the way she sees herself. In the contrast lie moments of emerging self-knowledge for Ramona and of delicious hilarity for the reader.

Fountas and Pinnell Level: O
Lexile: 691L - 770L
Reading Recovery: 34
DRA: 34
PM Readers: 24 Silver
Grade: 3
Ages: 8 - 9
Learning A to Z Level: S
Accelerated Reader (ATOS): 3.9 - 5.1

Date Added: 05/25/2017

White Fang

In the desolate, frozen wilds of northwest Canada, a wolf cub soon finds himself the sole survivor of the litter. Son of Kiche?half-wolf, half-dog?and the aging wolf One Eye, he is thrust into a savage world where each day becomes a fight to stay alive.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

The Two Towers

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

Frodo and his Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in a battle in the Mines of Moria. And Boromir, seduced by the power of the Ring, tried to seize it by force. While Frodo and Sam made their escape, the rest of the company was attacked by Orcs. Now they continue the journey alone down the great River Anduin--alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

The Giver

This haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community.

Lois Lowry has written three companion novels to The Giver, including Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son.

Newbery Medal Winner

Winner of Pacific Northwest Library Association’s Young Reader’s Choice Senior Award

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Falling Up

Quirky poetry for children, includes scanner's descriptions of accompanying drawings.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

The First Four Years

Laura Ingalls Wilder is beginning her life with her new husband, Almanzo. Laura is a young pioneer wife now, and must work hard farming the land around their home, facing the hardships and triumphs encountered by so many American pioneers.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Wringer

Newbery Honor Book * ALA Notable Children's Book "Deeply felt. Presents a moral question with great care and sensitivity." —The New York Times"A spellbinding story about rites of passage." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)"A realistic story with the intensity of a fable." —The Horn Book (starred review)"Thought-provoking." —School Library Journal (starred review)In Palmer LaRue's hometown of Waymer, turning ten is the biggest event of a boy's life. But for Palmer, his tenth birthday is not something to look forward to, but something to dread. Then one day, a visitor appears on his windowsill, and Palmer knows that this, more than anything else, is a sign that his time is up. Somehow, he must learn how to stop being afraid and stand up for what he believes in.Wringer is a powerful tour de force from Newbery Medal winner Jerry Spinelli.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Dear Mr. Henshaw

Beverly Cleary's Newbery Medal-winning book explores the thoughts and emotions of a sixth-grade boy, Leigh Botts, in letter form as he writes to his favorite author, Boyd Henshaw.

After his parents separate, Leigh Botts moves to a new town with his mother. Struggling to make friends and deal with his anger toward his absent father, Leigh loses himself in a class assignment in which he must write to his favorite author. When Mr. Henshaw responds, the two form an unexpected friendship that will change Leigh's life forever.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

A Wind in the Door

The sequel to A Wrinkle In Time.

Evil in the form of the Echthroi is spreading throughout the galaxy, but Meg Murry is not involved in the struggle until the Echthroi invade her younger brother, Charles.

Through a day and a night of terror, the forces of good and evil fight for Charles' life and the ultimate salvation of mankind.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Shiloh

Marty will do anything to save his new friend Shiloh in this Newbery Medal–winning novel from Phillis Reynolds Naylor.When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it's love at first sight—and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gun—and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty's secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposes his entire family to Judd's anger. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his?

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Charlotte's Web

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.

This is a tender novel of friendship, family, and adventure that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.

Newbery Honor book

Date Added: 05/25/2017

The House at Pooh Corner

"One day when Pooh Bear had nothing else to do, he thought he would do something, so he went round to Piglet's house to see what Piglet was doing." Thus begins The House At Pooh Corner, A. A. Milne's wonderful companion volume to Winnie-the-Pooh. You will rediscover Pooh, Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, and all their friends--and be introduced to the irrepressible and very bouncy Tigger. This handsome keepsake edition of The House At Pooh Corner, first published in 1928 includes the complete text of A. A. Milne's simple and timeless tales and Ernest H. Shepard's unforgettable black-and-white illustrations. When you open the pages of this beloved book, you'll enter that enchanted place on the top of the Forest where "a little boy and his Bear will always be playing."

Date Added: 05/25/2017

All About Sam

Sam Krupnik finally gets to tell his version of life with his big sister, Lowry's popular Anastasia Krup-nik.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

There is a door at the end of a silent corridor. And it's haunting Harry Potter's dreams. Why else would he be waking in the middle of the night, screaming in terror? Here are just a few things on Harry's mind: -A Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with a personality like poisoned honey -A venomous, disgruntled house-elf -Ron as keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team -The loming terror of the end-of-term Ordinary Wizarding Level exams ... and of course, the growing threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. In the richest installment yet of J. K. Rowling's seven-part story, Harry Potter is faced with the unreliability of the very government of the magical world and the impotence of the authorities at Hogwarts. Despite this (or perhaps because of it), he finds depth and strength in his friends, beyond what even he knew; boundless loyalty; and unbearable sacrifice.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Matilda

Now a musical on broadway and streaming on Netflix! Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she's just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a menacing, kid-hating headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It'll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it! Here is Roald Dahl's original novel of a little girl with extraordinary powers. This much-loved story has recently been made into a wonderful new musical, adapted by Dennis Kelly with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Double Fudge

Part of the classic Fudge series from Judy Blume, bestselling author of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing!Fudge is obsessed with money. He’s making his own “Fudge Bucks” and has plans to buy the entire world. But life gets really crazy when Fudge and his older brother, Peter, run into their long-lost relatives, the Howie Hatchers. Now they have to deal with annoying twin cousins and a weird younger cousin, coincidentally named Farley Drexel Hatcher—just like Fudge! Their names aren’t the only similarity, and before long, mini-Fudge is causing just as much trouble as Fudge always has!“As a kid, Judy Blume was my favorite author, and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing was my favorite book.”—Jeff Kinney, author of the bestselling Wimpy Kid seriesLove Fudge, Peter, and Sheila? Read all the books featuring your favorite characters: Tales of a Fourth Grade NothingOtherwise Known as Sheila the Great Superfudge Fudge-a-Mania

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Farmer Boy

The second book in Laura Ingalls Wilder's treasured Little House series--now available as an ebook! This digital version features Garth Williams's classic illustrations, which appear in vibrant full color on a full-color device and in rich black-and-white on all other devices.While Laura Ingalls grows up on the prairie, Almanzo Wilder is living on a big farm in New York State. Here Almanzo and his brother and sisters help with the summer planting and fall harvest. In winter there is wood to be chopped and great slabs of ice to be cut from the river and stored. Time for fun comes when the jolly tin peddler visits, or best of all, when the fair comes to town. Almanzo wishes for just one thing--his very own horse--and he must prove that he is ready for such a big responsibility.Farmer Boy is Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved story of how her husband, Almanzo, grew up as a farmer boy far from the little house where Laura lived. The nine Little House books have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America's frontier history and as heartwarming, unforgettable stories.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Come in . . . for where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein's world begins. You'll meet a boy who turns into a TV set, and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist. Shel Silverstein's masterful collection of poems and drawings is at once outrageously funny and profound.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The war against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses. And yet…

As in all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate — and lose a few eyebrows in the process. The Weasley twins expand their business. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

So it’s the home front that takes center stage in the multilayered sixth installment of the story of Harry Potter. Here at Hogwarts, Harry will search for the full and complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort — and thereby find what may be his only vulnerability.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Math Curse

When the teacher tells her class that they can think of almost everything as a math problem, one student acquired a math anxiety which becomes a real curse.

Date Added: 05/25/2017

A Wrinkle in Time

Meg Murry and her friends become involved with unearthly strangers and a search for Meg's father, who has disappeared while engaged in secret work for the government.

[This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 6-8 at http://www.corestandards.org.]

Newbery Medal Winner

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Little Women

Chronicles the joys and sorrows of the four March sisters as they grow into young ladies in nineteenth-century New England. [This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 6-8 at http://www.corestandards.org.]

Date Added: 05/25/2017

Island of the Blue Dolphins

The gripping story of young Karana, who survives by herself for eighteen years on a deserted island off the California coast.

Newbery Medal winner

Date Added: 05/25/2017