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The Sword in the Tree
by Clyde Robert BullaIn the days of King Arthur there stood a mighty oak tree within the walls of a castle. Peace reigned in the castle until the fearsome night when Lionel, long lost brother of Lord Weldon, returned to cause trouble and unhappiness.
Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims
by Rush LimbaughNationally syndicated radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh has long wanted to make American history come to life for the children of his listeners, so he created the character of a fearless middle-school history teacher named Rush Revere, who travels back in time and experiences American history as it happens, in adventures with exceptional Americans. In this book, he is transported back to the deck of the Mayflower.
Sheep
by Valerie HobbsThe sheep closed in around him like a big, woolly blanket. The puppy had never been so scared or so excited in his life. Soon he was racing, feinting, dodging - learning what it means to be one of the proud breed of Border collies, the finest sheepherders in the world. Then, almost overnight, his life is turned upside down. He finds himself in a series of strange places, with no sheep, his family gone. With nothing but the courage he was born with and a dream, he searches for the life he once knew, gathering names and adventures as he goes. For a short time, he's called Blackie. To the Goat Man, he's Shep. To Hollerin, he's Spot. There's one name that threatens to forever haunt him - Sparky, the name Billy the circus man calls him when he reaches for the whip. But there's another name that he is given, one that finally makes him feel at home . . . Known for her rich character development, the author brings all her skills to delving into the mind of a clever, philosophical, and hopeful dog searching for a home.
Soup
by Robert Newton PeckTwo best friends, growing up in a small Vermont town, create continual adventures and excitement in the world around them
A Lion to Guard Us
by Clyde Robert BullaLeft on their own in seventeenth-century London, three impoverished children draw upon all their resources to stay together and make their way to the Virginia colony in search of their father.
Old Yeller
by Fred GipsonAt first, Travis couldn't stand the sight of Old Yeller
The stray dog was ugly, and a thieving rascal, too. But he sure was clever, and a smart dog could be a big help on the wild Texas frontier, especially with Papa away on a long cattle drive up to Abilene.
Strong and courageous, Old Yeller proved that he could protect Travis's family from any sort of danger. But can Travis do the same for Old Yeller?
Newbery Medal Honors book
Winner of Pacific Northwest Library Association’s Young Reader’s Choice Award
The Castle in the Attic
by Elizabeth Winthrop"You must find your own way through the forest, William. That's what I've been trying to tell you all along." Mrs. Phillips is moving back to England. She has taken care of William for ten years and even though he loves his parents, nothing will be the same without her. As her farewell present, she gives him a wooden model of a medieval castle that has been in her family for generations. It has everything William could possibly want, right down to a miniature drawbridge, a portcullis and a silver knight. But despite the castle, William is miserable. He wants to find a way of keeping Mrs. Phillips with him forever. And he does . . . once he breaks the spell cast on the silver knight. This is an enthralling story of magic and fantasy, which weaves the everyday problems of growing up into the age-old battle between good and evil. William's quest, on which he faces a ferocious dragon and a wicked wizard, is a brilliant journey into William's soulwhere courage finally triumphs over fear.
What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?
by Jean FritzA brief biography of the eighteenth-century printer, inventor, and statesman who played an influential role in the early history of the United States.
Dinosaurs Before Dark
by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal MurdoccaBefore Jack and Annie can find out, the mysterious tree house whisks them to the prehistoric past. Now they have to figure out how to get home. Can they do it before dark... or will they become a dinosaur's dinner?
The Great Turkey Walk
by Kathleen KarrIn 1860, a somewhat simple-minded fifteen-year-old boy attempts to herd one thousand turkeys from Missouri to Denver, Colorado, in hopes of selling them at a profit.
Lincoln And His Boys
by Rosemary Wells and P. J. LynchA warm, moving portrait of Abraham Lincoln told through the eyes of his children and captured in exquisite full-color illustrations. Historians claim him as one of America's most revered presidents. But to his rambunctious sons, Abraham Lincoln was above all a playful and loving father. Here is Lincoln as seen by two of his boys: Willie, thrilled to be on his first train trip when Lincoln was deciding to run for president; Willie and Tad barging into Cabinet meetings to lift Lincoln's spirits in the early days of the Civil War, Tad accompanying him to Richmond just after the South's defeat. With the war raging and the Union under siege, we see history unfolding through Willie's eyes and then through Tad's -- and we see Lincoln rising above his own inborn sadness and personal tragedy through his devotion to his sons. With evocative and engaging illustrations by P. J. Lynch, Rosemary Wells offers a carefully researched biography that gives us a Lincoln not frozen in time but accessible and utterly real. Celebrate the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth, February 2009.
Number the Stars
by Lois LowryAs the German troops begin their campaign to "relocate" all the Jews of Denmark, Annemarie Johansen's family takes in Annemarie's best friend, Ellen Rosen, and conceals her as part of the family.
Through the eyes of ten-year-old Annemarie, we watch as the Danish Resistance smuggles almost the entire Jewish population of Denmark, nearly seven thousand people, across the sea to Sweden. The heroism of an entire nation reminds us that there was pride and human decency in the world even during a time of terror and war.
Winner of the 1990 Newbery Medal.
Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honor Book
Esperanza Rising (Scholastic Gold)
by Pam Muñoz RyanEsperanza Rising joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!Esperanza thought she'd always live a privileged life on her family's ranch in Mexico. She'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home filled with servants, and Mama, Papa, and Abuelita to care for her. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard work, financial struggles brought on by the Great Depression, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When Mama gets sick and a strike for better working conditions threatens to uproot their new life, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances-because Mama's life, and her own, depend on it.
The White Mountains
by John ChristopherMonstrous machines rule the Earth, but a few humans are fighting for freedom in this repackaged start to a classic alien trilogy ideal for fans of Rick Yancey's The 5th Wave.
Will Parker never dreamed he would be the one to rebel against the Tripods. With the approach of his thirteenth birthday, he expected to attend his Capping ceremony as planned and to become connected to the Tripods--huge three-legged machines--that now control all of Earth.
But after an encounter with a strange homeless man called Beanpole, Will sets out for the White Mountains, where people are said to be free from the control of the Tripods. But even with the help of Beanpole and his friends, the journey is long and hard. And with the Tripods hunting for anyone who tries to break free, Will must reach the White Mountains fast.
But the longer he's away from his home, the more the Tripods look for him...and no one can hide from the monstrous machines forever.
Ida B
by Katherine HanniganIda B. Applewood believes there is never enough time for fun.
That's why she's so happy to be homeschooled and to spend every free second outside with the trees and the brook.
Then some not-so-great things happen in her world. Ida B has to go back to that Place of Slow but Sure Body-Cramping, Mind-Numbing, Fun-Killing Torture-school. She feels her heart getting smaller and smaller and hardening into a sharp, black stone.
How can things go from righter than right to a million miles beyond wrong? Can Ida B put together a plan to get things back to just-about perfect again?
The One and Only Ivan
by Katherine Applegate and Patricia CastelaoIvan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.
Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he's seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.
Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home-and his own art-through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it's up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.
Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create Ivan's unforgettable first-person narration in a story of friendship, art, and hope.
Newbery Medal Winner
Be A Perfect Person In Just Three Days!
by Stephen ManesOne day at the library, a book fell off the top shelf and hit Milo on the head. It was called Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days! The book's author, Dr. K. Pinkerton Silverfish, didn't look too perfect himself. In the picture on the back cover he was wearing a clown nose, and mustard was dripping down his chin. Milo figured the book was worth a try anyway. Perfect was obviously the perfect thing to be! But who had ever heard of wearing a stalk of broccoli around your neck for twenty-four hours? And that was only the first day....Milo is tired of feeling clunky and criticized. If he were perfect, he wouldn't break things, have terrible table manners or be scolded by anyone. To become perfect he has to do such odd things that his family and everyone at school thinks he's crazy or sick or both! Their reactions to his antics are hilarious. Here is an author who doesn't use parents as brainless props. Milo's father cares enough to find out why his son is being so polite and missing meals. He keeps Milo's secret and helps him in his quest. The weird Professor silverfish knows a thing or two about perfection that Milo never guessed. Don't miss the sequel to this book, Make A Million Dollars by Next Thursday and Stephen Manes' other humorous, popular, children's books. Mr. Manes is well known by adults for his columns in PC/Computer Magazine.
Tricking the Tallyman
by Jacqueline Davies and S. D. SchindlerAre kids interested in learning about the very first American census?
Probably not.
Do young readers clamor for stories set in the very, very olden days of the late 18th century?
Uh, not really.
Okay, but do they like nutty cat-and-mouse trickery, wacky slapstick, and animals disguised as people?
You bet!
So let them have all that, and if they end up learning a thing or two about our country, its history, and the ways our government works, shhh . . . we won't tell!
Tricking the Tallyman accomplishes the tricky task of showing kids the way the 1790 census was tabulated (or tallied) and how the country's new citizens came to understand (after much misunderstanding) how it worked to help them and the country.
Excellent for classroom use or to put in the hands of bright kids with a taste for the quirky and irreverent, young readers may enjoy this story so much they might not even notice how much they've learned!
Time for Andrew
by Mary Downing HahnWhen he goes to spend the summer with his great-aunt in the family's old house, 11-year-old Drew is drawn eighty years into the past to trade places with his great-great uncle who is dying of diphtheria.
Redwall
by Brian JacquesIt's a classic good versus evil tale, as rats and mice prepare to battle over ownership of Redwall Abbey.
Booklist Best Books of 1980's
School Library Journal Best Books of 1987
ALA "75 Best Books of the Last 25 Years"
Freckle Juice
by Judy Blume and Debbie OhiNicky has freckles--they cover his face, his ears, and the whole back of his neck. Sitting behind him in class, Andrew once counted eighty-six of them, and that was just a start! If Andrew had freckles like Nicky, his mother would never know if his neck was dirty.
One day after school, Andrew works up enough courage to ask Nicky where he got his freckles. When know-it-all Sharon overhears, she offers Andrew her secret freckle juice recipe--if he pays. Andrew is desperate and feels it's worth it. At home he carefully mixes the strange combination of ingredients. Then the unexpected happens...
George's Marvelous Medicine
by Roald Dahl and Quentin BlakeA taste of her own medicine.George is alone in the house with Grandma. The most horrid, grizzly old grunion of a grandma ever. She needs something stronger than her usual medicine to cure her grouchiness. A special grandma medicine, a remedy for everything. And George knows just what to put into it. Grandma's in for the surprise of her life--and so is George, when he sees the results of his mixture!
Tuck Everlasting
by Natalie BabbittThe Tuck family is confronted with an agonizing situation when they discover that a ten-year-old girl and a malicious stranger now share their secret about a spring whose water prevents one from ever growing any older.
[This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
The Boxcar Children
by Gertrude Chandler Warner and L. Kate DealOne warm night four children stood in front of a bakery. No one knew them and where they had come from. Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are a family of brothers and sisters-and they're orphans, too. The only way they can stay together is to try and make it on their own. But where will they live? One night, during a storm, the children find an old red boxcar that keeps them warm and safe. The children decide to make it their home-and become The Boxcar Children!
Scared Stiff
by Willo Davis RobertsThis bestselling classic mystery filled with "clever sleuthing" (Publishers Weekly) by two brothers looking for information about their missing mother from three-time Edgar Award-winning author Willo Davis Roberts is a thrilling roller coaster ride of a read.Rick and Kenny's Pa was right all along--troubles really do happen in threes. First Pa's truck was robbed, then Pa ran off, leaving Rick, Kenny, and Ma to fend for themselves, and now Ma has disappeared, too! Rick knows Ma would never leave them on purpose--but then, where is she? Waiting in Uncle Henry's trailer park doesn't seem to be getting them any closer to figuring out what happened. Instead the brothers, along with their new friends Connie and Julie, head to the abandoned Wonderland Amusement Park next door to search for answers. But what they find inside sends them on the most terrifying roller coaster ride of their lives. Could whoever took Ma be after them as well?