Here is a list of some great books! Read the descriptions, you might find your next favorite story!
Sounder by William H. Armstrong
A young black boy learns the pain of humiliation and anger when his father is given an unjust jail sentence for stealing a ham from a white man.
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Lazy summer days drift by as four sisters explore the mansion next to their rental cottage and try to rescue the curious boy inside.
Shakespeare’s Secret by Elise Broach
Hero hates moving. Things become intriguing when she learns a million dollar necklace may be hidden in her new house and the most popular boy in school wants to solve the mystery of its disappearance with her.
The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements
Hart Evans doesn’t suspect when he shoots a rubber band at his chorus teacher that he will be put in charge of the entire holiday concert. Can he run a class? How will his classmates react? How will the concert turn out?
The Ghost’s Grave by Peg Kehret
Josh, shipped off to Great-Great-Aunt Ethel’s house, thinks it will be the most boring summer of his life, but boy is he wrong! He befriends a ghost who needs his help, and in doing so, puts his own life in danger.
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
The Tuck family accidentally stumbles on a pool of water that keeps them young forever. When Winnie Foster discovers the Tuck’s secret, she is followed by an evil stranger who wants to use the spring for his own profit.
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
James lives with his cruel aunts until a magic potion causes the growth of a giant-sized peach. James finds a new home inside the fruit and with oversized insects for friends, heads for exciting adventures around the world.
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
A lonely 10-year-old named Opal adopts a stray dog named Winn-Dixie who changes her life forever.
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi
Follow Jared, Simon, Mallory Grace and a strange old book into a world filled with elves, goblins, dwarfs and trolls. The first book is “The Field Guide”.
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
Rob Eberhardt has moved to a new town. He has no friends and the school bully is all over him, but his luck changes when he meets Beatrice. The two set off on an ecological mystery that will warm your heart.
Anastasia on her Own, by Lois Lowry
Anastasia thinks it will be a “piece of cake” keeping the house clean while her parents are away by following an organized schedule, but then she didn’t expect so many things to go wrong.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
Four English schoolchildren find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
When he finds a lost beagle in the hills behind his West Virginia home, Marty tries to hide it from his family and the dog’s real owner, a mean-spirited man known to shoot deer out of season and to mistreat his dogs.
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, by Robert C. O’Brien
Having no one to help her with her problems, a widowed mouse visits the rats whose former imprisonment in a laboratory made them wise and long lived.
A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck
A boy recounts his annual summer trips to rural Illinois with his sister during the Great Depression to visit their larger-than-life grandmother.
S.O.R. Losers by Avi
Each member of the South Orange Riverseventh-grade soccer team has qualities of excellence, but not on the soccer field.
The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
A deserted storage yard and shed become the Land of Egypt for April and Melanie, who spend every available moment playing the Egypt game which culminates in the capture of a murderer.
The Landry News, by Andrew Clements
Fifth-grader Cara Landry, an aspiring journalist, believes in writing the truth even if it hurts. When she writes an editorial that accuses a teacher of not doing his job, she sets a series of life-changing events in motion.
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos
To the constant disappointment of his mother and his teachers, Joey has trouble paying attention and controlling his mood swings.
Lily’s Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff
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.
The Million Dollar Shot by Dan Gutman
Eleven-year-old Eddie gets a chance to win a million dollars by sinking a foul shot at the National Basketball Association finals.
Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Living in a reconstructed 1840s village that serves as a tourist site, Jessie is shocked when she learns that it is actually 1996. A medical emergency, forces her into the modern world where she must deal with modern society and a sinister man, determined to keep the villagers locked in the 19th century.
Stowaway by Karen Hesse
A fictionalized journal related the experience of a young stowaway from 1768 to 1771 aboard the Endeavor which sailed around the world under Captain James Cook.
The Haunting of Cabin 13 by Krisi Holl
Camping in a park that may be haunted by the ghost of a dead girl, thirteen-year-old Laurie vows to get to the bottom of the mystery.
The Basement Baseball Club, by Jeffrey Kelly
The Roader team members spend the summer trying to beat their local rivals in sandlot baseball.
Regarding the Fountain by Kate Klise
The Dry Creek Middle School’s efforts to replace its old water fountain with a new one lead to the most outrageous water fountain ever and the discovery of a dirty (and rather wet) secret that dwells underneath the school.
The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill
Irritated at the high cost of toothpaste, sixth grader Rufus threatens the entire business community by marketing his own homemade version.
Sing Down the Moon by Scott O’Dell
A Navajo girl tells the story of a forced march to Fort Sumter in 1864.
There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom by Louis Sachar
An unmanageable, by lovable eleven-year-old misfit learns to believe in himself when he gets to know the new school counselor, who used to be sort of a misfit, too.
The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Thus begins the saga of the Baudelaire children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. Each adventure is unforgettable and maybe a little scary, but always a Series of Unfortunate Events.
The Mystery of the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
After his family moves to the country to a house recently inherited by his mother, Omri finds many secrets revealed to him when he accidentally discovers the link between the house and the magic cupboard.
Additional Titles:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (suggested by Katie)
The Phantom Tollbooth by Juster
The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene DuBois
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes
Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
The Secret School by Avi
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac
The Wanderder by Sharon Creech
Free Baseball by Sue Corbett
Matilda by Roald Dahl
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn
Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo
Lily's Ghosts by Laura Ruby
Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan
Loser by Jerry Spinelli
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars
The Westing Game by Raskin
Missing May by Cynthia Rylant
Maniac Magee by Spinelli
Holes by Louis Sachar
The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman
Sounder by William H. Armstrong
A young black boy learns the pain of humiliation and anger when his father is given an unjust jail sentence for stealing a ham from a white man.
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Lazy summer days drift by as four sisters explore the mansion next to their rental cottage and try to rescue the curious boy inside.
Shakespeare’s Secret by Elise Broach
Hero hates moving. Things become intriguing when she learns a million dollar necklace may be hidden in her new house and the most popular boy in school wants to solve the mystery of its disappearance with her.
The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements
Hart Evans doesn’t suspect when he shoots a rubber band at his chorus teacher that he will be put in charge of the entire holiday concert. Can he run a class? How will his classmates react? How will the concert turn out?
The Ghost’s Grave by Peg Kehret
Josh, shipped off to Great-Great-Aunt Ethel’s house, thinks it will be the most boring summer of his life, but boy is he wrong! He befriends a ghost who needs his help, and in doing so, puts his own life in danger.
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
The Tuck family accidentally stumbles on a pool of water that keeps them young forever. When Winnie Foster discovers the Tuck’s secret, she is followed by an evil stranger who wants to use the spring for his own profit.
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
James lives with his cruel aunts until a magic potion causes the growth of a giant-sized peach. James finds a new home inside the fruit and with oversized insects for friends, heads for exciting adventures around the world.
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
A lonely 10-year-old named Opal adopts a stray dog named Winn-Dixie who changes her life forever.
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi
Follow Jared, Simon, Mallory Grace and a strange old book into a world filled with elves, goblins, dwarfs and trolls. The first book is “The Field Guide”.
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
Rob Eberhardt has moved to a new town. He has no friends and the school bully is all over him, but his luck changes when he meets Beatrice. The two set off on an ecological mystery that will warm your heart.
Anastasia on her Own, by Lois Lowry
Anastasia thinks it will be a “piece of cake” keeping the house clean while her parents are away by following an organized schedule, but then she didn’t expect so many things to go wrong.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
Four English schoolchildren find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
When he finds a lost beagle in the hills behind his West Virginia home, Marty tries to hide it from his family and the dog’s real owner, a mean-spirited man known to shoot deer out of season and to mistreat his dogs.
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, by Robert C. O’Brien
Having no one to help her with her problems, a widowed mouse visits the rats whose former imprisonment in a laboratory made them wise and long lived.
A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck
A boy recounts his annual summer trips to rural Illinois with his sister during the Great Depression to visit their larger-than-life grandmother.
S.O.R. Losers by Avi
Each member of the South Orange Riverseventh-grade soccer team has qualities of excellence, but not on the soccer field.
The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
A deserted storage yard and shed become the Land of Egypt for April and Melanie, who spend every available moment playing the Egypt game which culminates in the capture of a murderer.
The Landry News, by Andrew Clements
Fifth-grader Cara Landry, an aspiring journalist, believes in writing the truth even if it hurts. When she writes an editorial that accuses a teacher of not doing his job, she sets a series of life-changing events in motion.
Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos
To the constant disappointment of his mother and his teachers, Joey has trouble paying attention and controlling his mood swings.
Lily’s Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff
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.
The Million Dollar Shot by Dan Gutman
Eleven-year-old Eddie gets a chance to win a million dollars by sinking a foul shot at the National Basketball Association finals.
Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Living in a reconstructed 1840s village that serves as a tourist site, Jessie is shocked when she learns that it is actually 1996. A medical emergency, forces her into the modern world where she must deal with modern society and a sinister man, determined to keep the villagers locked in the 19th century.
Stowaway by Karen Hesse
A fictionalized journal related the experience of a young stowaway from 1768 to 1771 aboard the Endeavor which sailed around the world under Captain James Cook.
The Haunting of Cabin 13 by Krisi Holl
Camping in a park that may be haunted by the ghost of a dead girl, thirteen-year-old Laurie vows to get to the bottom of the mystery.
The Basement Baseball Club, by Jeffrey Kelly
The Roader team members spend the summer trying to beat their local rivals in sandlot baseball.
Regarding the Fountain by Kate Klise
The Dry Creek Middle School’s efforts to replace its old water fountain with a new one lead to the most outrageous water fountain ever and the discovery of a dirty (and rather wet) secret that dwells underneath the school.
The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill
Irritated at the high cost of toothpaste, sixth grader Rufus threatens the entire business community by marketing his own homemade version.
Sing Down the Moon by Scott O’Dell
A Navajo girl tells the story of a forced march to Fort Sumter in 1864.
There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom by Louis Sachar
An unmanageable, by lovable eleven-year-old misfit learns to believe in himself when he gets to know the new school counselor, who used to be sort of a misfit, too.
The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Thus begins the saga of the Baudelaire children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. Each adventure is unforgettable and maybe a little scary, but always a Series of Unfortunate Events.
The Mystery of the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
After his family moves to the country to a house recently inherited by his mother, Omri finds many secrets revealed to him when he accidentally discovers the link between the house and the magic cupboard.
Additional Titles:
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (suggested by Katie)
The Phantom Tollbooth by Juster
The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene DuBois
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes
Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
The Secret School by Avi
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac
The Wanderder by Sharon Creech
Free Baseball by Sue Corbett
Matilda by Roald Dahl
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn
Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo
Lily's Ghosts by Laura Ruby
Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan
Loser by Jerry Spinelli
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars
The Westing Game by Raskin
Missing May by Cynthia Rylant
Maniac Magee by Spinelli
Holes by Louis Sachar
The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell
Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman