We follow the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts.
Your children are expected to read every night and we make time to read daily in the classroom. I encourage the children to explore different genres.
Below is a list of recent books appropriate for 5th grade and above. Happy Reading!
Rewind by Lisa Graff
Grades 3-7
Back to the Future meets When You Reach Me in this powerful novel by National Book Award nominee Lisa Graff, in which a young girl is able to make sense of the present--and change her future--by meeting her father in the past. As far as twelve-year-old McKinley O'Dair is concerned, the best thing about living in Gap Bend, Pennsylvania, is the Time Hop--the giant party the town throws every June to celebrate a single year in history. That one day is enough to make the few things that aren't so fantastic about McKinley's life--like her crabby homeroom teacher or her super-scheduled father--worth suffering through. And when McKinley learns that this year's theme is 1993, she can't wait to enter the Time Hop fashion show with a killer '90s outfit she's designed and sewn all on her own. But when the Time Hop rolls around, nothing goes as planned. In fact, it's the biggest disaster of McKinley's life. Before she knows what's hit her, McKinley somehow finds herself in the real 1993--and it's not all kitschy parachute pants and Jurassic Park. All McKinley wants is to return to the present, but before she can, she's going to have to make a big change--but which change is the right one?
Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchah
Grades 3-7
Renowned author Joseph Bruchac tells a powerful story of a girl who learns more about her Penacook heritage while sheltering in place with her grandparents during the coronavirus pandemic. Malian loves spending time with her grandparents at their home on a Wabanaki reservation--she's there for a visit when, suddenly, all travel shuts down. There's a new virus making people sick, and Malian will have to stay with her grandparents for the duration.
Everyone is worried about the pandemic, but Malian knows how to keep her family safe: She protects her grandparents, and they protect her. She doesn't go out to play with friends, she helps her grandparents use video chat, and she listens to and learns from their stories. And when Malsum, one of the dogs living on the rez, shows up at their door, Malian's family knows that he'll protect them too. Told in verse inspired by oral storytelling, this novel about the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the ways in which Indigenous nations and communities cared for one another through plagues of the past, and how they keep caring for one another today.
Root Magic by Eden Royce
Grades 3-7
It's 1963, and things are changing for Jezebel Turner. Her beloved grandmother has just passed away. The local police deputy won't stop harassing her family. With school integration arriving in South Carolina, Jez and her twin brother, Jay, are about to begin the school year with a bunch of new kids. But the biggest change comes when Jez and Jay turn eleven, and their uncle, Doc, tells them he's going to train them in rootwork. Jez and Jay have always been fascinated by the African American folk magic that has been the legacy of their family for generations--especially the curious potions and powders Doc and Gran would make for the people on their island. But Jez soon finds out that her family's true power goes far beyond small charms and elixirs, and not a moment too soon. Because when evil both natural and supernatural comes to show itself in town, it's going to take every bit of the magic she has inside her to see her through
Shine On Luz Veliz by Rebecca Balcarcel
Grades 3-7
A beautiful coming-of-age story for fans of Front Desk and Merci Suarez Changes Gears, this book celebrates identity, language, heritage, family, and the determination to follow one's own inner light. Have you ever been the best at something . . . only to lose it all? Luz Veliz is a soccer star--or rather, she was a soccer star. With her serious knee injury, it's unlikely she'll be back on the field anytime soon. But without soccer, who is she? Even her dad treats her differently now--like he doesn't know her or, worse, like he doesn't even like her. When Luz discovers she has a knack for coding, it feels like a lifeline to a better self. If she can just ace the May Showcase, she'll not only skip a level in her coding courses and impress Ms. Freeman and intriguing, brilliant Trevor--she'll have her parents cheering her on from the sidelines, just the way she likes it. But something--someone--is about to enter the Velizes' life. And when Solana arrives, nothing will be the same, ever again. Unforgettable characters, family drama, and dauntless determination illuminate Luz's journey as she summons her inner strength and learns to accept others and embrace the enduring connection of family. Through it all, Luz's light is a constant--a guide for others, a path forward through the dark, and an ineffable celebration of her own eternal self.
The Space Between Lost and Found by Sandy Stark-McGinnis
Grades 4-7
Alzheimer's disease is a heartbreaking diagnosis and the early-onset form is especially cruel. Cassie's mom, a former mathematics whiz and avid swimmer, has been recently diagnosed, but the disease is taking its toll on everyone, including Dad (who has become overly safety conscious) and Cassie (who has cut herself off from friends and no longer finds joy in her art). In a last-ditch attempt to help Mom cross something off her bucket list, Cassie plans a trip to San Diego, where Mom can swim with the dolphins one last time. The plan hits a few snags, but there is no denying Mom's joy during her swim. Stark-McGinnis writes with empathy of the day-to-day changes to family life that accompany dementia, as well as difficult choices, such as choosing a care home, that inevitably arise.
The Takeout by Tracy Badua
Grades 3-7
When a celebrity chef's new restaurant threatens Mila's family's food truck, she plans to expose them for the recipe thieves they are--even if that means dabbling in the Filipino folk magic she's tried to avoid. Mila may have moved to Coral Beach months ago, but it still doesn't feel like home. A few awkward incidents with her new friends make her wonder if she'll ever neatly fit into the super-samey small town. The only place she can be herself is at her dad's Filipino-Indian food truck, The Banana Leaf. But when celebrity chef twins the Fab Foodie Brothers open a restaurant nearby, it turns out the food they are serving is exactly the same as The Banana Leaf's--right down to the recipes. Mila realizes that she needs to take the Fab Foodie Brothers down before they run her family's tiny truck out of town. But that means dabbling in the Filipino magic that she has shied away from her whole life . . . as well as alienating her new friends.
Trashed by Martha Freeman
Grades 3-7
From Edgar Award-nominated author Martha Freeman comes a "delightful" middle grade mystery following a young boy working at his family's secondhand store that is a steal-your-heart story about family and friendship. Arthur Popper helps out in his family's Boulder, Colorado, junk store, Universal Trash, a place so full of cool stuff it inspires awe in first-time shoppers. When it comes to ukuleles, peppermills, and rhinestones, Arthur knows what's what. But unlike his motorcycle-riding grandma and his namesake, King Arthur, he's not brave or adventurous. Then Arthur finds a chipped teacup, of all things, and realizes it's the key to solving the perfect crime--a crime only he knows about. With help from a supernatural sidekick, his best friend, his annoying little sister, and a sad-faced police officer, Arthur embarks on the hard work of detecting. Everyone knows Arthur is good at customer service. Does he have what it takes to solve a mystery and confront a thief?
War and Millie McGonigle by Katherine Cushman
Grades 3-7
The Newbery Award-winning author of Catherine, Called Birdy and The Midwife's Apprentice tells a heartfelt and humorous story of WWII on the homefront. Millie McGonigle lives in sunny California, where her days are filled with beach and surf. It should be perfect--but times are tough. Hitler is attacking Europe and it looks like the United States may be going to war. Food is rationed and money is tight. And Millie's sickly little sister gets all the attention and couldn't be more of a pain if she tried. It's all Millie can do to stay calm and feel in control. Still--there's sand beneath her feet. A new neighbor from the city, who has a lot to teach Millie. And surfer boy Rocky to admire--even if she doesn't have the guts to talk to him.
It's a time of sunshine, siblings, and stress. Will Millie be able to find her way in her family, and keep her balance as the the world around her loses its own?
When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle
Grades 4-8
In 1940, with his father off to war, Joseph is sent on a train out of his British town into the care of Mrs. F., a gruff woman with no great fondness for children. But he soon discovers her softer side when she takes him to the rundown city zoo and he learns she is the only one who ever checks in on it. Many of the animals have escaped, been released, or have sadly starved . . . but not Adonis, a huge silverback gorilla. Adonis is strong and ferocious-and a danger to the whole city if a bomb should fall and damage the fence that keeps him in. But as Joseph struggles in his new school and starts to spend more time at the zoo, he finds, unexpectedly, Adonis becoming a loyal new friend. From acclaimed author Phil Earle comes a touching historical fiction story of how a boy and a gorilla find redemption in each other amid the toughest of circumstances.
When the World Turned Upside Down by K Ibura
Grades 3-7
Nobody expected a tiny little virus to change the whole world in such a big way, especially not Shayla, Liam, Ai, and Ben. But when school closes to keep everyone safe, their lives turn upside down. It is one thing to learn that the outside world isn't safe, but why does it seem that the virus is causing trouble inside their homes too? As they each struggle to adjust to life in quarantine, they discover they are not alone: their apartment building is full of people who need their help. Working together, they begin to see that there is power in numbers. When they cooperate, they can ease each other's challenges and help their neighbors through tough times. It's a lesson they'll need when protests explode in the streets. Soon, each friend has to decide what it means to be part of a community--and how much they're willing to do to make this world safer for everyone.
A Wish in the Dark (Newbery Honor) by Christina Soonornvat
Grades 3-7
A boy on the run. A girl determined to find him. A compelling fantasy looks at issues of privilege, protest, and justice. All light in Chattana is created by one man ' the Governor, who appeared after the Great Fire to bring peace and order to the city. For Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, the magical lights represent freedom, and he dreams of the day he will be able to walk among them. But when Pong escapes from prison, he realizes that the world outside is no fairer than the one behind bars. The wealthy dine and dance under bright orb light, while the poor toil away in darkness. Worst of all, Pong's prison tattoo marks him as a fugitive who can never be truly free. Nok, the prison warden's perfect daughter, is bent on tracking Pong down and restoring her family's good name. But as Nok hunts Pong through the alleys and canals of Chattana, she uncovers secrets that make her question the truths she has always held dear. Set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world, Christina Soontornvat's twist on Victor Hugo's Les Misérables is a dazzling, fast-paced adventure that explores the difference between law and justice ' and asks whether one child can shine a light in the dark.
Orphan Eleven by Gennifer Choldenko
Grades 3-7
In 1939, life for orphans was bleak at the Home for Friendless Children, where 11-year-old Lucy Sauvé had adopted selective mutism to cope with harsh treatment from the matron and teachers. When left momentarily unattended during her outdoor chores, Lucy makes a run for it, along with the other three children working with her. After a couple of setbacks, the fugitives find refuge with Saachi’s Circus Spectacular. The catch? They must each find an apprenticeship with the circus if they wish to stay. This proves especially challenging for Lucy, who longs to work with the elephants but is required to speak to do so. Her struggle to reclaim her voice is intercut with letters to the orphanage from her older sister, Dilly, who is frantically trying to locate Lucy. Choldenko fills her narrative with authentic circus lingo and well-researched historical tidbits—explicated in an author’s note—that make Lucy’s journey ring true. This story of friendship, inner strength, and family comes in an adventurous package that will appeal to readers of realistic fiction.
A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
Grades 4-6
The year is 1940, and German air strikes on London are looming. After their formidable, wealthy grandmother’s funeral, orphans William (12 years old), Edmund (11), and Anna (9) Pearce learn that they will be evacuated to a village where they might find a permanent home. They live with a butcher’s family until Edmund retaliates against one of the bullying sons by placing a dead snake in his bed. A desperately poor mother with four young children takes them in but barely feeds them. Their only refuge is the lending library, where they find a warm fire, good books, and kind words. After their short-tempered caretaker slaps Edmund, the children strike out on their own and unexpectedly find a new home on Christmas Eve. Albus achieves a great deal in her first novel. While the Pearces’ initially bleak situation is firmly rooted in classic children’s books, the narrative is fresh, lively, and captivating. The characters are drawn with conviction and a good deal of empathy. Lit by wit and humanity, the novel offers a heartening story in which three resourceful children keep a secret, find what they long for, and treasure it.
Grades 3-7
Sixth-graders Lauren and Tara have always done everything together so it is only natural that they both try out for their middle school musical play, about an "all-American" girl in 1958; Tara gets the lead role, as usual, because in the teacher's mind Lauren, half-Jewish and half-Chinese, does not fit the image of all-American girl--Lauren is hurt but resolved to support her friend, but her two grandmothers are furious and they intend to do something about it.
One Last Shot by John David Anderson
Grades 3-7
For as long as he can remember, Malcolm has never felt like he was good enough. Not for his parents, who have always seemed at odds with each other, with Malcolm caught in between. And especially not for his dad, whose competitive drive and love for sports Malcolm has never shared. That is, until Malcolm discovers miniature golf, the one sport he actually enjoys. Maybe it's the way in which every hole is a puzzle to be solved. Or the whimsy of the windmills and waterfalls that decorate the course. Or maybe it's the slushies at the snack bar. But whatever the reason, something about mini golf just clicks for Malcolm. And best of all, it's a sport his dad can't possibly obsess over. Or so Malcolm thinks. Soon he is signed up for lessons and entered in tournaments. And yet, even as he becomes a better golfer and finds unexpected friends at the local course, he wonders if he might not always be a disappointment. But as the final match of the year draws closer, the tension between Malcolm's parents reaches a breaking point, and it's up to him to put the puzzle of his family back together again
Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt
Grades 4-7
This beautifully written novel in verse follows one girl’s journey as she learns that she’s on the autism spectrum and comes to embrace herself. Seventh-grader Selah lives by her list of how to be a “Normal” person. This school year is already hard: best friend Noelle isn’t in her class, her new school uniform is itchy, her homeroom teacher is loud, and her classmates think she’s weird. It’s exhausting for her to hold in all the bad feelings all the time. When Selah’s annoying classmate Addie starts braiding Selah’s hair one day without asking, Selah instinctively lashes out. She inadvertently hits Addie and gets suspended. As she learns more about her potential autism diagnosis, a supportive English teacher assures her she’s not “damaged” and encourages her to express her feelings through poetry. Selah says, “I used to think / my rules could save me, make me happy, / but all I see now are the ways / they make me feel like I’m not enough.” In an author’s note, Kuyatt describes her own autism diagnosis, discusses masking and the degree to which the disorder is especially misdiagnosed in girls, and provides a list of resources and tools for autistic kids and their parents and educators. Ultimately, readers will empathize with Selah and rejoice with her as she learns to accept herself as she is.
Maizy Chen’s Last Chance (Newbery Honor) by Lisa Yee
Grades 3-7
NEWBERY HONOR AWARD - NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST - ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR YOUTH LITERATURE WINNER - Twelve year-old Maizy discovers her family's Chinese restaurant is full of secrets in this irresistible novel that celebrates food, fortune, and family. Welcome to the Golden Palace! Maizy has never been to Last Chance, Minnesota . . . until now. Her mom's plan is just to stay for a couple weeks, until her grandfather gets better. But plans change, and as Maizy spends more time in Last Chance (where she and her family are the only Asian Americans) and at the Golden Palace--the restaurant that's been in her family for generations--she makes some discoveries. For instance:
You can tell a LOT about someone by the way they order food. And people can surprise you. Sometimes in good ways, sometimes in disappointing ways.nAnd the Golden Palace has secrets.But the more Maizy discovers, the more questions she has. Like, why are her mom and her grandmother always fighting? Who are the people in the photographs on the office wall? And when she discovers that a beloved family treasure has gone missing--and someone has left a racist note--Maizy decides it's time to find the answers
Cress Watercress by Gregory Maguire
Grades 3-7
When Papa doesn't return from a nocturnal honey-gathering expedition, Cress holds out hope, but her mother assumes the worst. It's a dangerous world for rabbits, after all. Mama moves what's left of the Watercress family to the basement unit of the Broken Arms, a run-down apartment oak with a suspect owl landlord, a nosy mouse super, a rowdy family of squirrels, and a pair of songbirds who broadcast everyone's business. Can a dead tree full of annoying neighbors, and no Papa, ever be home?
Ghosts of Rancho Espanto by Adrianna Cueves
Grades 4-7
Cuevas’ riveting middle-grade novel follows Rafa, a Cuban American boy who is sent off to a ranch in New Mexico as punishment for a school-prank fiasco with his friends. When Rafa gets to the ranch, he discovers that little is what it seems, and there are more mysteries afoot than he expected from a boring detention job. Rafa usually finds comfort in his favorite role-playing game, the Forgotten Age, but when the very same game and a slushy-machine heist gone wrong results in disaster and punishment, he must learn to establish new friendships and apply hard work in the real world. Readers will relate readily to Rafa’s easygoing, creative, voice-y narration and sympathize with him when he is sent far from home to meditate on his actions. As the emotional clues and multiple timelines and multiverses swirl around him at the eerie ranch, Rafa and his new friends must unravel the truth behind the mysterious figure haunting Rancho Espanto and sabotaging Rafa's hard work, learning in the process much more about themselves and their priorities than they originally expected. In a twist that is equal parts haunting and poignant, readers of all ages will be compelled to reflect upon their own lives and legacies after this gripping read.
All He Knew by Helen Frost
Grades 4-7
A bright lad who survived a childhood illness but lost his hearing, Henry is six years old in 1939, when he arrives at Riverview, a residential facility staffed by loutish attendants. Considered “unteachable,” the boys are provided with substandard food and living conditions but ample punishments for small infractions. Henry makes two friends there. Still, he longs for home. Living in poverty, his family can rarely afford bus fare to visit him. In 1942, a young conscientious objector named Victor was assigned to Henry’s ward. He treats the boys kindly, recognizes Henry’s intelligence, and begins a correspondence with his family. In 1944, Henry returns home, where his older sister Molly begins teaching him sign language and helping him adjust to their community. Inspired by her mother-in-law’s poems based on family memories and included in an appended section, this moving story unfolds in a novel written in third person, creating interwoven narratives in free verse and sonnets expressing Henry’s, Molly’s, and Victor’s points of view. Frost brings Henry’s experiences sharply into focus through her spare, evocative storytelling.
The Adventure is Now by Jess Redman
Grades 4-6
In the wake of “The Most Totally, Terribly, Horribly, Heinously Rotten Year of All Time,” Milton’s divorcing parents send him off to stay with his naturalist uncle, Evan, on aptly named Lone Island, where he meets the three likewise friendless children of the island’s other resident scientists. The island is about to be sold off to real-estate developers unless proof of its unique species can be found, but its interior is blocked by impenetrable walls of “Truth-Will-Out” vine. Milton learns that admitting his true feelings aloud causes the vines to peel back, sparking an expedition that leads to encounters with a many-armed “Push-Pull Centopus,” “Menu-You” fruit that tastes like anything you want, and other wonders. More importantly, the opportunities for the children to work through mutual suspicion and personal issues lead to an understanding of the importance of true friendship. The remote island filled with Dr. Dolittle–style flora and fauna helps to keep this message-driven tale afloat, and readers will likely wish for even more scenes with the imaginative fancies.
To Barclay’s horror, he faces a fate far worse than being eaten: he unwittingly bonds with a Beast and is run out of town by an angry mob. Determined to break this bond and return home, Barclay journeys to find the mysterious town of Lore Keepers, people who have also bonded with Beasts and share their powers.
But after making new friends, entering a dangerous apprenticeship exam, and even facing the legendary Beast of the Woods, Barclay must make a difficult choice: return to the home and rules he’s always known, or embrace the adventure awaiting him.
Barclay’s teacher, the famous Guardian Keeper Runa Rasgar, has been summoned to investigate, and as her apprentice, Barclay gets to join too. But Runa’s nemesis has also been called to the Sea, and he’s brought apprentices of his own. When the not-so friendly competition between them grows fierce, it’s Barclay—the only one from the Elsewheres—who can’t seem to keep up.
The key to stopping Lochmordra lies in his mythical home, but as the flood of the weeping tide encroaches, time is running out to find it. If the rival groups can’t cast aside old grudges and learn to work together, soon the Sea will be destroyed completely. And all the while Barclay must ask himself: is there truly a place for him in the Wilderlands?
Zara’s in charge of it all: she organizes the games, picks the teams, and makes sure everyone has a good time…and they always do.
When a new family moves in across the street, suddenly Zara’s reign is threatened by Naomi, who has big ideas of her own about how the neighborhood kids can have fun. To get everyone to notice her again, Zara decides she’s going to break a Guinness World Record—if her little brother Zayd doesn’t mess things up.
But when she finds herself increasingly alone in her record-breaking quest, Zara starts to wonder if sharing the crown and making a new friend might end up being the best rule of all.
Someone who knows not to judge by appearances is Jin, a young genie currently serving one thousand and thirty-eight years of genie training that requires him to fulfill the wish of whoever holds his magical ring. In Jin’s case, it’s the power-hungry Golden King. At least the king only has two wishes left, one of which is for Jin to go to the Cursed City and capture its protector, the Last Knight—one of Lena’s closest friends.
What Lena and Jin don’t know is how close the Golden King’s plans are to coming together, between his dark magic and his horrible Faceless knights. If Jin does find the Last Knight and bring him to the Golden King, why, that could doom the entire fairy-tale world.
…This sounds like it’ll end badly, doesn’t it?
Then news spreads that Princess Grace of the neighboring kingdom has been abducted by the evil Stinx and Prince Ruprecht needs a legion of knights to join him on his quest to rescue her. Tim finally has the lucky break he’s been waiting for, the opportunity to change his station in life. And even though he doesn’t know how to ride a horse or wield anything more deadly than a water bucket, he’s going to do whatever it takes to make sure his dream becomes a reality.
Joy Taylor has always believed home is the house she lived in her entire life. But then her dad lost his job, and suddenly, home becomes a tiny apartment with thin walls, shared bedrooms, and a place for tense arguments between Mom and Dad. Hardest of all, Joy doesn’t have her music to escape through anymore. Without enough funds, her dreams of becoming a great pianist—and one day, a film score composer—have been put on hold.
A friendly new neighbor her age lets Joy in on the complex’s best-kept secret: the Hideout, a cozy refuge that only the kids know about. And it’s in this little hideaway that Joy starts exchanging secret messages with another kid in the building who also seems to be struggling, until—abruptly, they stop writing back. What if they’re in trouble?
Joy is determined to find out who this mystery writer is, fast, but between trying to raise funds for her music lessons, keeping on a brave face for her little sister, and worrying about her parents’ marriage, Joy isn’t sure how to keep her own head above water.
Dead Wednesday by Jerry Spinelli (best for middle schoolers)
On Dead Wednesday, every eighth grader in Amber Springs is assigned the name and identity of a teenager who died a preventable death in the past year. The kids don black shirts and for the whole day everyone in town pretends they're invisible—as if they weren't even there. The adults think it will make them contemplate their mortality. The kids know it's a free pass to get away with anything.
Worm Tarnauer feels invisible every day. He's perfectly happy being the unnoticed sidekick of his friend Eddie. So he's not expecting Dead Wednesday to feel that different. But he didn't count on being assigned Becca Finch (17, car crash). And he certainly didn't count on Becca showing up to boss him around! Letting this girl into his head is about to change everything.
This is the story of the unexpected, heartbreaking, hilarious, truly epic day when Worm Tarnauer discovers his own life.
Ahmed Aziz is having an epic year—epically bad.
After his dad gets sick, the family moves from Hawaii to Minnesota for his dad’s treatment. Even though his dad grew up there, Ahmed can’t imagine a worse place to live. He’s one of the only brown kids in his school. And as a proud slacker, Ahmed doesn’t want to deal with expectations from his new teachers.
Ahmed surprises himself by actually reading the assigned books for his English class: Holes, Bridge to Terabithia, and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Shockingly, he doesn’t hate them. Ahmed also starts learning about his uncle, who died before Ahmed was born. Getting bits and pieces of his family’s history might be the one upside of the move, as his dad’s health hangs in the balance and the school bully refuses to leave him alone. Will Ahmed ever warm to Minnesota?
Reha feels torn between two worlds: school, where she’s the only Indian American student, and home, with her family’s traditions and holidays. But Reha’s parents don’t understand why she’s conflicted—they only notice when Reha doesn’t meet their strict expectations. Reha feels disconnected from her mother, or Amma, although their names are linked—Reha means “star” and Punam means “moon”—but they are a universe apart. Then Reha finds out that her Amma is sick. Really sick. Reha, who dreams of becoming a doctor even though she can’t stomach the sight of blood, is determined to make her Amma well again. She’ll be the perfect daughter, if it means saving her Amma’s life.
Twins by Varian Johnson
Talking about boogers.
Stealing pocket change.
Skateboarding.
Wiping out.
Braving up.
Executing complicated handshakes.
Planning an escape.
Making jokes.
Lotioning up.
Finding comfort.
But mostly, too busy walking home.
Jason Reynolds conjures ten tales (one per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings, and brilliantly weaves them into one wickedly funny, piercingly poignant look at the detours we face on the walk home, and in life.
The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring - When Sunny St. James receives a new heart, she decides to set off on a "New Life Plan": 1) do awesome amazing things she could never do before; 2) find a new best friend; and 3) kiss a boy for the first time. Her "New Life Plan" seems to be racing forward, but when she meets her new best friend Quinn, Sunny questions whether she really wants to kiss a boy at all. With the reemergence of her mother, Sunny begins a journey to becoming the new Sunny St. James.
All the Greys on Greene Street by Laura Tucker - SoHo, 1981. Twelve-year-old Olympia is an artist--and in her neighborhood, that's normal. Her dad and his business partner Apollo bring antique paintings back to life, while her mother makes intricate sculptures in a corner of their loft, leaving Ollie to roam the streets of New York with her best friends Richard and Alex, drawing everything that catches her eye.
Then everything falls apart. Ollie's dad disappears in the middle of the night, leaving her only a cryptic note and instructions to destroy it. Her mom has gone to bed, and she's not getting up. Apollo is hiding something, Alex is acting strange, and Richard has questions about the mysterious stranger he saw outside. And someone keeps calling, looking for a missing piece of art. . . . Olympia knows her dad is the key--but first, she has to find him, and time is running out.
Some read aloud books we'll
be reading in class.......
Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate
Heart & Soul: The Story of American
and African Americans
Historical Fiction Reading Groups
Letters from Rifka by Karen Hesse
“America,” the girl repeated. “What will you do there?”
I was silent for a little time.
“I will do everything there,” I answered.
Rifka knows nothing about America when she flees from Russia with her family in 1919. But she dreams she will at last be safe from the Russian soldiers and their harsh treatment of the Jews in the new country. Throughout her journey, Rifka carries with her a cherished volume of poetry by Alexander Pushkin. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to her beloved cousin she has left behind. Strong-hearted and determined, Rifka must endure a great deal: humiliating examinations by doctors and soldiers, deadly typhus, separation from all she has ever known and loved, murderous storms at sea—and as if this is not enough, the loss of her glorious golden hair. And even if she does make it to America, she’s not sure America will have her.
Goodbye, Vietnam by Gloria Whelan
"When Mai's family discovers that Vietnam government soldiers will soon apprehend her father and grandmother, the family slips away in the night. They trudge through the swamps of the Mekong Delta toward the sea. The gut-wrenching trip to Hong Kong is just another step toward a new life, which the family eventually finds. Whelan's characters are distinctive, and her story is riveting, haunting, and memorable, reflecting the human virtues of determination, hope, love, and courage in the face of the most devastating of circumstances and injustices."
I was silent for a little time.
“I will do everything there,” I answered.
Rifka knows nothing about America when she flees from Russia with her family in 1919. But she dreams she will at last be safe from the Russian soldiers and their harsh treatment of the Jews in the new country. Throughout her journey, Rifka carries with her a cherished volume of poetry by Alexander Pushkin. In it, she records her observations and experiences in the form of letters to her beloved cousin she has left behind. Strong-hearted and determined, Rifka must endure a great deal: humiliating examinations by doctors and soldiers, deadly typhus, separation from all she has ever known and loved, murderous storms at sea—and as if this is not enough, the loss of her glorious golden hair. And even if she does make it to America, she’s not sure America will have her.
