Great Summer Read!

Wolfson, Jill (2006). Home and Other Big Fat Lies. 281 pages. Grades 5 - 8.

Whitney or "Termite" is an eleven year-old girl who has lived with eleven different foster families and is on to number 12. She arrives in an economically depressed logging town to live with the McCrary family, who doesn't seem very thrilled upon her arrival. Once again, she feels like an outsider, but when she meets other foster kids at school Whitney's situation begins to brighten. In addition, Whitney realizes that she enjoys nature and exploring the forest next to her new home. With a little urging from her science teacher, she joins the ecology club and leads the group in saving a Redwood from being chopped down by a logging company. Whitney is a very funny and clever girl who arrives as an outsider, but becomes part of this new community.

Journey through rebel territory

Goodman, Joan E. (1998). Hope's Crossing. 212 pages. Grades 5-8.



Set during the American Revolutionary War, this historical novel follows the journey of Hope Wakeman as she tries to escape from her kidnappers, a group of British Loyalists. One of her kidnappers, Mr. Thomas, brings her home to his wife, Elspeth, where she is treated like a servant. No one shows her much sympathy, except for Mother Thomas. Hope and Mother Thomas decide to escape together for New York and then to Connecticut, where Hope's family is staying. As soon as the journey begins, Hope and Mother Thomas are met with many encumbrances, leaving only one to return home alive.

Adventure, Heroism, and More!

Pierce, Tamora (1999). First Test (Protector of the Small, bk.1). 216 pages. Grades 5-8.

Ten years ago, it was decided that girls would be accepted to train as knights, but no one has come forward until Keladry of Mindalen. When she arrives at the school, Keladry is treated unjustly by the male students, as well as the male staff. In order to meet the first year requirements, Keladry must work harder than her colleagues in order to prove to them that she has what it takes to be a knight. When she stands up for the underdog, she earns respect from several students. Through the different tasks and battles, Keladry demonstrates her strength and heroism. This is a great adventure story with a strong female protagonist! If you liked the first book, continue with the sequel, Page.

Three Great Historical Fiction Novels!

Giff, Patricia Reilly (2000). Nory Ryan's Song. 148 pages. Grades 5-8.


This is a powerful story about twelve-year-old Nory and her family who struggle to survive during the Irish Potato Famine of 1845. Nory sees her neighbors being evicted by the English landlord for not paying their rent and she is afraid that her family will be met by the same fate. Their father "Da" has not yet returned from working aboard a ship and Nory must find ways in which to help her family find food. She attempts to sell shawls, find eggs from sea birds, and helps Anna, the local herbalist, with chores. After her Granda and sister leave for America, her friend Sean offers Nory a ticket, but she asks him to take her younger brother Patch instead. Find out if Nory can survive the famine and join her brother and family in America.

If you liked this book, read Maggie's Door and Water Street, which continue to follow Nory's life.

Mazer, Norma Fox (2007). Ten Ways to Make My Sister Disappear. 148 pages. Grades 4-6.



Have you ever imagined what life might be like without your annoying sibling? Meet Sprig, a ten-year-old girl, who imagines the many ways in which she could get rid of her older sister, Dakota, who constantly teases and bosses her around. But, when their father leaves for work in Afghanistan, the sisters grow closer together through their mutual concern for his safety.

Fairy tales come alive in this fantastical adventure!

Durst, Sarah Beth (2007). Into the Wild. Grades 5-7.

Twelve year old Julie lives with her single mom, Zel (a.k.a. Rapunzel) who had once upon a time fled from the enchanted forest, known as "the wild", in order to live a somewhat normal life. There are others just like Zel -- Mary from "Mary had a little lamb," the Three Bears, Puss in Boots (he's now Julie's brother) and more. But, when someone makes a wish to release "the wild", it captures characters into their original roles. Julie must rescue her mother and the others before it is too late. Can she manage to escape the fairy tale endings or will she end up in a story of her own? A neat twist is that the setting is right here in Massachusetts!



If you like books with fractured fairy tales, try these titles:

• Buckley, Michael. The Fairy-Tale Detectives . (Sisters Grimm, bk.1)


• Gardner, Lynn. Into the Woods.

The Penderwicks are back!

Birdsall, Jeanne (2008). The Penderwicks on Gardam Street. 308 pages. Grades 4-8.

Jane, Skye, Rosalind, Batty, and hound, of course, are back in the sequel to The Penderwicks! When Aunt Claire arrives with a letter for their father written before their mother passed away, the girls are not happy to learn that their mother intended for their father to start dating.

They immediately hold an emergency meeting in which they plan to sabatoge the dating effort by finding the worst possible dates for their dad. But, when they meet their next door neighbor, Iantha, one of the Penderwicks imagines what it would be like to have her as a mother. In addition to the "Save the Daddy" plan, Skye and Jane switch homework assignments and suffer the consequences, albeit mostly humorous ones. Join the Penderwicks in this laugh out-loud sequel and find out if they manage to deter their father from dating or if they're in for a surprise.

Wonderful historical fiction novel!

Rinaldi, Ann (2007). Come Juneteenth. 246 pages. (Grades 5-7).


The Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, but it took two and a half years for Texas slave owners to inform their slaves for fear of an uprising. Fourteen-year old Luli has grown up during the Civil War alongside Sis Goose, a slave who was raised as Luli's sister. The girls tell each other everything, but when Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, Luli is forbidden to tell Sis Goose that she is free. When Union soldiers arrive in Texas, Sis Goose learns that she has been free for over two years. Her trust in Luli is broken and she is forced to run away with a Union soldier, which results in a devastating tragedy.

Funke, Cornelia (2007). Igraine the Brave. 212 pages. Grades 3-6.



Igraine, who has always wanted to be a knight, is turning twelve tomorrow! But, before the celebrations begin, a horrible knight from the neighboring kingdom attempts to steal her family's singing books and attack their castle. To make things worse, her parents have accidently turned themselves into pigs while using magic to create a present for Igraine. The only way that Igraine can help protect the castle is to turn her parents back to their human form, which means bringing back a giant's hair for the spell. Now Igraine will have to prove herself as a knight, help her parents, and save the castle! Find out if she can return in time to defend her home and celebrate her birthday.