Special Collections
Browse by Lexile: 600L - 690L
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Clementine, Friend of the Week
by Sara Pennypacker and Marla FrazeeIt's Clementine's turn to be "Friend of the Week"! She gets to be line leader, collect the lunch money, and feed the fish. Even better, the other kids will make her a booklet, full of the things they value about having her in the class. After reading her friend Margaret's booklet, Clementine begins to get nervous and a little jealous --she has to get a great booklet now. Fortunately, she has a lot of astoundishing ideas for getting the kids to write great stuff about her. Unfortunately, just as she's working on the best one, something terrible happens to her beloved kitten Moisturizer. Worst of all, exactly when she needs a friend the most, Margaret lets her down. Or does she. . . ?
Clementine's Letter
by Sara PennypackerClementine can't believe her ears - her beloved teacher, Mr. D'Matz, might be leaving them for the rest of the year to go on a research trip to Egypt! No other teacher has ever understood her impulsiveness, her itch to draw constantly, or her need to play "Beat the Clock" when the day feels too long. And in his place, he's left a substitute with a whole new set of rules that Clementine just can't figure out. The only solution, she decides, is to hatch a plan to get Mr. D'Matz back. If it means ruining her teacher's once-in-a-lifetime chance -- well, it's worth it. Isn't it?
Commander Toad and the Planet of the Grapes
by Jane YolenWhen Commander Toad finds a new planet that seems the ideal place for a picnic for his tired crew, he and Lieutenant Lily go down to look around first, only to be swallowed up by giant grapes. Is this the end for the brave crew of the Star Warts? Or can Doc Peeper, the ship's medical officer, help them escape from the Planet of the Grapes? Young fans of Star Wars, Star Trek and silliness will toad-ally love Commander Toad!
Commander Toad and the Voyage Home
by Jane YolenCommander Toad leads the lean green space machine Star Warts to find new worlds but runs into trouble when he sets course for home. Will Commander Toad ever find the way home? The crew of the Star Warts has been in the dark night of space for a very long time. "Let's go home," says Commander Toad. But when Mr. Hop sets a course for HOME, the space ship zeroes in on an uncharted planet. When the intrepid crew members set out to explore, Commander Toad stumbles into an extraordinary discovery--one that gives him a toadally new view of what HOME means.
Day of the Iguana
by Henry Winkler and Lin OliverIt's science project time in Ms. Adolf's class. This is good news and bad news for Hank--he loves science, but he hates the report part. So Hank turns to TV to take his mind off things. But when the program directory scrolls by too quickly for Hank to know what's on, he decides to take apart the cable box to try to slow down the crawl. Great! Now Hank has found the perfect science project! But what he wasn't counting on was his sister's pet iguana laying eighteen eggs in the disassembled cable box. How is Hank going to get out of this one?
A Dog Called Homeless
by Sarah LeanMy name is Cally Louise Fisher and I haven't spoken for thirty-one days. Talking doesn't always make things happen, however much you want them to. When Cally Fisher sees her dead mother, real as anything, no one believes her. So Cally stops talking - what's the point if no one is listening? The only other living soul who sees Cally's mum is a mysterious wolfhound who always seems to be there when her mum appears. But without a voice, how will Cally convince anyone that her mum is still with them, and how will she ever persuade her Dad that the huge silver-grey dog is their last link with her? An outstandingly assured debut novel from a sparkling new talent.
Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award
Dr. Carbles Is Losing His Marbles!
by Dan Gutman and Jim PaillotIt's Thanksgiving, but the kids at Ella Mentry School aren't feeling very thankful. That's because Dr. Carbles is grumpier than ever, and he wants to fire Mr. Klutz! Will A.J. and his friends be able to save their principal's job?
Drita, My Homegirl
by Jenny LombardA poignant story about the difficulties of leaving everything behind and the friendships that help you get through it.
Fleeing war-torn Kosovo, ten-year-old Drita and her family move to America with the dream of living a typical American life. But with this hope comes the struggle to adapt and fit in. How can Drita find her place at school and in her new neighborhood when she doesn?t speak any English?
Meanwhile, Maxie and her group of fourth-grade friends are popular in their class, and make an effort to ignore Drita. So when their teacher puts Maxie and Drita together for a class project, things get off to a rocky start.
But sometimes, when you least expect it, friendship can bloom and overcome even a vast cultural divide. .
The Ear, the Eye and the Arm
by Nancy FarmerIn 2194 in Zimbabwe, General Matsika's three children are kidnapped and put to work in a plastic mine while three mutant detectives use their special powers to search for them.
Newbery Medal Honor book
Echo
by Pam Muñoz Ryan2016 Newbery Honor BookNew York Times BestsellerAn impassioned, uplifting, and virtuosic tour de force from a treasured storyteller!Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo. Richly imagined and masterfully crafted, Echo pushes the boundaries of genre, form, and storytelling innovation to create a wholly original novel that will resound in your heart long after the last note has been struck.
Explore Asia (Explore the Continents)
by Bobbie Kalman and Rebecca SjongerThis book explores Asia--the biggest continent in the world. It also talks about its geography, people, famous tourist places and other interesting facts.
Explore the Continents
by Molly Aloian and Bobbie KalmanTopics include: the natural border between Europe and Asia; Europe's many peninsulas, mountain systems, and other landforms; how Europe's location on Earth affects the continent's climate; European bodies of water, including seas, lakes, rivers, and bays; and the tundra, steppes, forests, and the living things found in these biomes.
A Fin-tastic Finish
by Aaron Blecha and Davy OceanHarry Hammer wants to befriend a tiger shark and become a sports legend at Shark Point Scout Camp in this fifth Shark School (mis)adventure.
Harry Hammer has a new hero: Turbo Tex, a gold-medal-winning tiger shark. Maybe Harry can be just like him at Shark Point Scout Camp! Tony, another tiger shark, joins the group right in time for their annual sports camp, and Harry is over the moon.
But Tony doesn't seem to want to be friends. How can Harry change Tony's mind and make his sporting dreams come true?
Firegirl
by Tony Abbott"...there is..." Mrs. Tracy was saying quietly, "there is something we need to know about Jessica..."
From this moment on, life is never quite the same for Tom and his seventh-grade classmates. They learn that Jessica has been in a fire and was badly burned, and will be attending St. Catherine's while getting medical treatments.
Despite her horrifying appearance and the fear she evokes in him and most of the class, Tom slowly develops a tentative friendship with Jessica that changes his life.
Tony Abbott is the author of over 35 books for young readers, including the extremely popular The Secrets of Droon series. In Firegirl he has written a powerful book that will show readers that even the smallest of gestures can have a profound impact on someone's life.
The First Rule of Punk
by Celia C. PérezFrom debut author and longtime zine-maker Celia C. Pérez, The First Rule of Punk is a wry and heartfelt exploration of friendship, finding your place, and learning to rock out like no one’s watching.
There are no shortcuts to surviving your first day at a new school—you can’t fix it with duct tape like you would your Chuck Taylors.
On Day One, twelve-year-old Malú (María Luisa, if you want to annoy her) inadvertently upsets Posada Middle School’s queen bee, violates the school’s dress code with her punk rock look, and disappoints her college-professor mom in the process.
Her dad, who now lives a thousand miles away, says things will get better as long as she remembers the first rule of punk: be yourself.
The real Malú loves rock music, skateboarding, zines, and Soyrizo (hold the cilantro, please).
And when she assembles a group of like-minded misfits at school and starts a band, Malú finally begins to feel at home.
She'll do anything to preserve this, which includes standing up to an anti-punk school administration to fight for her right to express herself!
Black and white illustrations and collage art throughout make The First Rule of Punk a perfect pick for fans of books like Roller Girl and online magazines like Rookie.
Fishin'
by Aaron Blecha and Davy OceanHarry does some deep sea detective work while investigating the fishy disappearance of his worst enemy in this eighth Shark School (mis)adventure.
Harry Hammer’s all-time favorite TV show is Mike Hammerhead, Shark Detective. The fin-tastic detective never fails to solve under-the-sea ‘who-dunnits’ and now Harry has found himself in similar water when he investigates the disappearance of his worst enemy Rick Reef. Has his nemesis gone missing or gone fishing?!
Forever Amber Brown
by Paula DanzigerAmber is used to change her life has been full of it lately.
First her best friend Justin moved and she became best friends with Brandi. Then she had to deal with her parents' divorce and her dad's move to France.
She's even getting used to her mom's boyfriend, Max. Now the only change that she wants is to redo her bedroom. But then Max asks Amber's mom to marry him.
If she says yes, they might have to move. But if she says no, then Max may leave. Amber's mom is confused?and so is Amber! Can?t things just stay the same for once?
Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule
by Harriette Gillem Robinet and Wendell MinorMaybe nobody gave freedom, and nobody could take it away like they could take away a family farm. Maybe freedom was something you claimed for yourself. Like other ex-slaves, Pascal and his older brother Gideon have been promised forty acres and maybe a mule. With the family of friends they have built along the way, they claim a place of their own.
Green Gloryland is the most wonderful place on earth, their own family farm with a healthy cotton crop and plenty to eat. But the notorious night riders have plans to take it away, threatening to tear the beautiful freedom that the two boys are enjoying for the first time in their young lives. Coming alive in plain, vibrant language is this story of the Reconstruction, after the Civil War.
Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
Friendship According to Humphrey
by Betty G. BirneyAfter the holidays, Humphrey is shocked by a big surprise in Room 26-a new class pet!
Humphrey tries to be welcoming, but Og the frog doesn't respond to any of his friendly squeaks or visits (remember, he has a lock-that-doesn't-lock).
Plus, the students are so interested in Og, they almost stop paying attention to Humphrey altogether.
Humphrey doesn't like the mad-bad-sad feelings he's had since Og came, but luckily he still gets to have adventures with different kids on the weekends.
Friendship can be tricky, but Humphrey is an intrepid problem-solver. If any hamster can become buddies with a frog, he can.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
by Kelly BarnhillEvery year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.
One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna’s thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge--with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth’s surface. And the woman with the Tiger’s heart is on the prowl . . .
The Newbery Medal winner from the author of the highly acclaimed novel The Witch’s Boy.
Winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal
The New York Times Bestseller
An Entertainment Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of 2016
A New York Public Library Best Book of 2016
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016
An Amazon Top 20 Best Book of 2016
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2016
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2016
Named to KirkusReviews’ Best Books of 2016
2017 Booklist Youth Editors’ Choice
Half a Chance
by Cynthia LordA moving new middle-grade novel from the Newbery Honor author of RULES.
When Lucy's family moves to an old house on a lake, Lucy tries to see her new home through her camera's lens, as her father has taught her -- he's a famous photographer, away on a shoot. Will her photos ever meet his high standards? When she discovers that he's judging a photo contest, Lucy decides to enter anonymously. She wants to find out if her eye for photography is really special -- or only good enough.
As she seeks out subjects for her photos, Lucy gets to know Nate, the boy next door. But slowly the camera reveals what Nate doesn't want to see: his grandmother's memory is slipping away, and with it much of what he cherishes about his summers on the lake. This summer, Nate will learn about the power of art to show truth. And Lucy will learn how beauty can change lives . . . including her own.
Hello, Universe
by Erin Entrada Kelly and Isabel RoxasAcclaimed and award-winning author Erin Entrada Kelly’s Hello, Universe is a funny and poignant neighborhood story about unexpected friendships.
Told from four intertwining points of view—two boys and two girls—the novel celebrates bravery, being different, and finding your inner bayani (hero), and it’s perfect for fans of Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Thanhha Lai, and Rita Williams-Garcia. In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so that he can concentrate on basketball.
They aren’t friends, at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find the missing Virgil. Sometimes four can do what one cannot. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.
The acclaimed author of Blackbird Fly and The Land of Forgotten Girls writes with an authentic, humorous, and irresistible tween voice that will appeal to fans of Thanhha Lai and Rita Williams-Garcia.
A New York Times Bestseller
Winner of the Newberry Medal
Horrible Harry and the Birthday Girl
by Amy Wummer and Suzy KlineMary is always neat and organized, while Harry is horribly messy. But even Mary's carefully planned schedule can't help when things go wrong at her own birthday party. The party is supposed to start with the kids from Room 3B taking an exciting train ride, but when their train is delayed not one . . . not two . . . but three times, Mary's plan is completely ruined! She thinks the only thing that can make her feel better is cup after cup of sugary Island Punch--even after her mom tells her to stop. But what Mary doesn't know is that Harry has his own wacky ideas for saving Mary's big day. Can the kids still have fun even when nothing's going the way it's supposed to, or will this be the most horrible birthday ever?
Horrible Harry and the Christmas Surprise
by Suzy KlineIt's Christmastime, but with Miss Mackle in the hospital, no one feels much like celebrating. Maybe Harry can think of a way to cheer up Miss Mackle and put the holiday spirit back in Room 2B.
Horrible Harry and the Dragon War
by Suzy KlineThere's a war in Room 3B! Horrible Harry and Song Lee are in a fight, and nobody in Room 3B is happy. Harry and Song Lee have been best friends since kindergarten. Song Lee always laughs at Harry's jokes, they both love gross things, and they even got married on the playground in second grade. But ever since Miss Mackle let them work together on a project about dragons, Song Lee hasn't spoken to Harry! Will someone wave the white flag soon and end this war over . . . dragons? .