Alvarez, Julia.  HOW TIA LOLA CAME TO STAY.   (Realistic Fiction)  After his parent's divorce, Miguel’s aunt, Tia Lola, comes from the Dominican Republic to stay with ten-year-old Miguel, his mother, and his sister. At first Miguel is embarrassed by his aunt’s colorful behavior but, in time, he learns to love her.

Amato, Mary.  THE NAKED MOLE-RAT LETTERS.  (Realistic Fiction)  When her father begins a long-distance romance with a Washington, D.C. zookeeper, twelve-year-old Frankie sends e-mails advising the zookeeper to end the relationship.  Frankie learns much about growing up.

Angleberger, Tom.  DARTH PAPER STRIKES BACK.  (Fiction)  Harvey is upset when his Darth Paper finger puppet brings humiliation and gets Dwight suspended.  Origami Yoda asks Tommy and Kellan, now in seventh grade, to make a new casefile to persuade the School Board to reinstate Dwight.

Angleberger, Tom.  STRANGE CASE OF ORGAMI YODA.  (Fiction)  Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight.  They try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future.  Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda.

Armstrong, Alan.  WHITTINGTON.  (Fiction)
This is the Newbery Honor-winning story of a legendary English cat and his extraordinary descendant that is woven through a family’s gripping generational story.

Balliet, Blue.  THE WRIGHT 3.  (Fiction)  In the midst of a series of unexplained accidents and mysterious coincidences, sixth-graders Calder, Petra, and Tommy lead their classmates in an attempt to keep Frank Lloyd Wright's famous Robie House from being demolished.

Barrett, Tracy.  THE 100-YEAR-OLD SECRET.  (Mystery)  An American brother and sister, living in London for a year, discover that Sherlock Holmes was their great-great-great grandfather.  They are inducted into the Society for the Preservation of Famous Detectives and given his unsolved casebook.  They attempt to solve the case of a famous missing painting.

Beard, Darleen Bailey.  ANNIE GLOVER IS NOT A TREE LOVER.  (Fiction)  When her grandmother chains herself to the tree across from the school to save it from being cut down, fourth-grader Annie wants to die of humiliation.  When she discovers the town's history, her attitude changes.

Berlin, Eric.  THE PUZZLING WORLD OF WINSTON BREEN:  THE POTATO CHIP PUZZLES.  (Fiction)  Puzzle-crazy, twelve-year-old Winston and his ten-year-old sister Katie find themselves involved in a dangerous mystery involving a hidden ring.  Puzzles for the reader to solve are included throughout the text.

Birdsall, Jeanne.  THE PENDERWICKS.  (Realistic Fiction)  This is the lighthearted, old-fashioned story of a family of four sisters and a widowed botany professor and their summer adventures.

Birney, Betty G.  THE WORLD ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY.  (Fiction)  With an engaging, hamster's-eye view of school, a class pet named Humphrey brings laughter and fun to the students and families who host him and gives great gifts in return.

Blackwood, Gary.  THE SHAKESPEARE STEALER.  (Historical Fiction)  Widge is an orphan whose fearsome master has just one demand:  steal Shakespeare's play "Hamlet"--or else.  Widge has no choice but to follow orders, so he works his way into the heart of the Globe Theatre, where Shakespeare's players perform.

Butler, Amy.  VIRGINIA BOUND.  (Historical Fiction)  Thirteen-year-old orphaned beggar Rob Brackett is kidnapped from the streets of London and taken to the New World.  There he works for a master who is a cruel tobacco farmer.  His master also owns a Pamunkey Indian girl named Mattoume.

Clements, Andrew.  ROOM ONE:  A MYSTERY OR TWO.  (Fiction)  Ted Hammond is the only sixth grader in his small Nebraska town's one-room schoolhouse.  His love of mysteries leads him to search for clues to the disappearance of a homeless family.

Clements, Andrew  EXTRA CREDIT.  (Fiction) As letters flow back and forth--between the prairies of Illinois and the mountains of Afghanistan, across cultural and religious divides--sixth-grader Abby, ten-year-old Amira, and eleven-year-old Sadeed begin to speak and listen to each other.

Clements, Andrew.  NO TALKING.  (Fiction). 
The noisy, fifth-grade boys of Laketon Elementary School challenge the equally loud, fifth-grade girls to a "no talking" contest.

Coman, Carolyn.  THE BIG HOUSE.  (Fiction)
When their parents are convicted of embezzlement, Ray and Ivy are sent to live the life of luxury with Marrieta Noland and her ancient husband, Lionel.  Life at the Nolands' big house is not all it's cracked up to be as the book sheds light on family relationships. 

Corbett, Sue.  FREE BASEBALL.  (Realistic Fiction)  Eleven-year-old Felix is angry with his mother for having too little time for him.  The boy from Florida takes advantage of an opportunity to become bat boy for a minor league baseball team, hoping to someday be like his father, a famous Cuban outfielder.  Glossaries of baseball terms and Spanish words and phrases are included in the book.

Cox, Clinton.  UNDYING GLORY.  (Nonfiction) 
This is the story of the courageous men of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts, who fought as Union soldiers to free their brothers and sisters from slavery.  Included are black-and-white archival photographs that bring the “Glory” brigade to life.

Creech, Sharon.  GRANNY TORRELLI MAKES SOUP.  (Realistic Fiction)  The world is bigger than just one person, but you can still make a difference.  Sweet storytelling, easy language and humor make the book read like a conversation and includes advice about friendships (and cooking lessons).

Creech, Sharon.  LOVE THAT DOG.  (Fiction)
A young boy comes to love poetry through a personal understanding of what different famous poems mean to him.  He even surprises himself by writing his own inspired poem.

DiCamillo, Kate.  THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE.  (Fiction)  Edward Tulane, a cold-hearted and proud toy rabbit, loves only himself until he is separated from the little girl who adores him.  He travels across the country, acquiring new owners and listening to their hopes, dreams, and histories and learns about love along the way.

Dowell, Frances O’Roark.  CHICKEN BOY.  (Fiction)  Since the death of his mother, Tobin's family life and school life have been in disarray.  After he starts raising chickens with his seventh-grade classmate, Henry, everything starts to fall into place.

Du Prau, Jeanne.  THE CITY OF EMBER.   (Fantasy)  The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race.  Two hundred years later, the great lamps that light the city are beginning to flicker.  When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she's sure it holds the secret that will save the city. (First book in a series.)

Erdich, Louise.  THE BIRCHBARK HOUSE.  (Historical Fiction)  Omakayas is a seven-year-old Native American girl of the Ojibwa tribe.  She lives through the joys of summer and the perils of winter on an island in Lake Superior in 1847.

Feinstein, John.  LAST SHOT:  A FINAL FOUR SHOT. (Fiction)  After winning a basketball reporting contest, eighth graders Stevie and Susan Carol are sent to cover the Final Four tournament.  There they discover that a talented player is being blackmailed into throwing the final game.

Fitzgerald, Dawn.  VINNIE AND ABRAHAM.  (Fictionalized Biography)  Vinnie Ream was a small girl with a giant gift for sculpture. This book chronicles Vinnie's life from her arrival in Washington, D.C., at the start of the Civil War, through her apprenticeship with a famous sculptor and friendship with Abraham Lincoln.

Fleischman, Sid.  THE WHITE ELEPHANT.  (Fiction)  How can a beautiful white elephant be a terrible curse?  Run-Run, a young elephant trainer, discovers the answer when he incurs the anger of the prince.  As the boy's punishment, he is given the gift of a white elephant.  From that moment forward, the curse begins to reveal itself.

Fleming, Candace.  AMELIA LOST.  (Biography)  This is an account of Amelia Earhart's life - as a child, a woman, and a pilot - and describes the search for her missing plane.
Freedman, Russell.  FREEDOM WALKERS.  (Nonfiction)  The author breathes life into the key personalities and events that contributed to the yearlong civil rights struggle.  The struggle became known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Freedman, Russell.  GIVE ME LIBERTY!:  THE STORY OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.  (Nonfiction)  When the delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution, they knew it wasn't perfect.  The book describes events leading to the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments aimed to preserve and protect the rights and liberties of all citizens, and its continuing importance today.

Fritz, Jean.  AROUND THE WORLD IN A HUNDRED YEARS FROM HENRY THE NAVIGATOR TO MAGELLAN.  (Nonfiction)  This book examines the great wave of European exploration during the 1400s in a way that brings to life the explorers who changed the world map.

Hall, Alvin D.  SHOW ME THE MONEY.  (Nonfiction)  Filled with games, puzzles, and fun facts, this bright, visual resource exposes young readers to basic concepts of currency and finance.  Topics include the barter system, supply and demand, and how money works differently around the world. 

Hopkins, Lee Bennett (ed.).  HAND IN HAND:  AN AMERICAN HISTORY THROUGH POETRY. (Nonfiction)  This collection of poems and song lyrics provides a look at America from Colonial times to the present.

Hopkins, Lee Bennett (ed.).  LIVES:  POEMS ABOUT FAMOUS AMERICANS.  (Nonfiction)  This collection of poems includes portraits of sixteen famous Americans from Paul Revere to Neil Armstrong.  Jane Yolen, Nikki Grimes, X. J. Kennedy, and other writers shed light on these famous people.

Hopkins, Lee Bennett (ed.).  MY AMERICA:  A
POETRY ATLAS OF THE UNITED STATES.  (Nonfiction)  A collection of poems divides the United States into eight geographical and demonstrates the variety throughout.

Ibbotson, Eva.  THE STAR OF KAZAN.  (Historical Fiction)  Twelve-year-old Annika, an orphan living in late nineteenth-century Vienna, inherits a trunk of costume jewelry.  A woman claiming to be her aristocratic mother arrives and takes her to live in a strange old mansion in Germany.

Jones, Charlotte.  MISTAKES THAT WORKED.  (Nonfiction)  The author presents the stories of 40 patented items that were invented or named by accident.  Included are aspirin, X-rays, Frisbees, Silly Putty, and Velcro.

Kenedy, Marlane.  DOG DAYS OF CHARLOTTE HAYES.   (Realistic Fiction)  Eleven-year-old Charlotte is not a dog person but does not like it that the rest of her family neglects their Saint Bernard puppy.  With a lot of determination and a little sneakiness, she works on finding a good home for the gentle giant.

Klise, Kate.  DYING TO MEET YOU: 43 OLD CEMENTERY ROAD.  (Fiction)  In this story told mostly through letters, children's book author, I.B. Grumply, gets more than he bargained for when he rents a quiet place to write for the summer.

Konigsburg, E.L.  THE VIEW FROM SATURDAY.  (Realistic Fiction)  Four hilariously different students develop a friendship and attract the attention of their teacher.  The teacher chooses them to represent their sixth grade class in the Academic Bowl competition.

LaFaye, A.  WORTH.  (Historical Fiction)  After breaking his leg, eleven-year-old Nate feels useless because he cannot work on the family farm in nineteenth-century Nebraska.  When his father brings home an orphan boy to help with the chores, Nate feels even worse.

Lombard, Jenny.  DRITA, MY HOMEGIRL.  (Realistic Fiction)  When ten-year-old Drita and her family move from Kosovo to New York, Drita is teased about not speaking English well.  Maxine, a popular student, is forced to learn about Kosovo as a punishment for teasing Drita, and the two girls soon bond.  Their developing friendship is revealed through alternating chapters and voices of the two girls.                            

Lubar, David.  PUNISHED!  (Fiction)  While Logan and his friend Benedict are playing tag in the library, Logan runs into a mysterious man.  As punishment, the man causes Logan to speak in puns.  To return to normal, Logan must now find examples of oxymorons, anagrams, and palindromes.

Lubar, David.  DOG DAYS.  (Fiction)  Larry has to work hard to try to earn money to buy food to feed three stray dogs.  Now his brother has taken him to an alley where another dog is staying.  How can he afford to take care of another dog?

Lupica, Mike.  HEAT.  (Realistic Fiction)  Pitching sensation Michael Arroyo is on the run from social services after being banned from playing Little League baseball.  Rival coaches doubt he is only twelve years old, and he has no parents to offer them proof.

Mass, Wendy.  11 BIRTHDAYS.  (Fiction)  After celebrating their same-day birthdays for nine years together, Amanda and Leo had a falling out on their tenth birthday and have not spoken since.  Now they prepare to celebrate their eleventh birthdays separately.  Peculiar things begin to happen as this birthday proves to be like no other . . . or is it?

McDonough, Yona Zeldis.  THE DOLL WITH THE YELLOW STAR.  (Historical Fiction)  When France falls to Germany at the start of World War II, a nine-year-old Jewish girl named Claudine must leave her beloved parents and friends to stay with relatives in America.  There she will be safe.  Her doll, Violette, accompanies her on her journey.

Mills, Claudia.  HOW OLIVER OLSON CHANGED THE WORLD.  (Realistic Fiction)  Oliver has a problem.  His parents are too protective, and they won’t even let him do school projects by himself.  When his teacher proclaims that anyone can change the world with a good idea, Oliver is skeptical but hopeful that it is true.

Nelson, Pete.  LEFT FOR DEAD:  A YOUNG MAN’S SEARCH FOR JUSTICE FOR THE USS INDIANAPOLIS.  (Nonfiction)  The story recalls the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis at the end of World War II, the navy cover-up, and unfair court martial of the ship's captain.  The book tells how a young boy helped the survivors set the record straight fifty-five years later.

Park, Linda Sue.  PROJECT MULBERRY.  (Fiction)  While working on a project for an after-school club, Julia, a Korean American girl, and her friend Patrick learn about silkworms.  During the project they also learn about tolerance, prejudice, friendship, and patience.  Interaction between Julia and the author at the end of each chapter provides clues about the book’s direction.

Park, Linda Sue.  ARCHER’S QUEST. (Fiction)
Twelve-year-old Kevin Kim helps Koh Chu-mong, a Great Archer of ancient Korea, return to his own time.

Peck, Richard.  THE SECRETS AT SEA.  (Fiction) 
In 1887, the social-climbing Cranston’s voyage from New York to London, where they hope to find a husband for their awkward older daughter, is secretly accompanied by Helena and her mouse siblings.  The journey is both terrifying and wondrous as they meet an array of titled humans despite their best efforts at remaining hidden.

Pitchford, Dean.  CAPTAIN NOBODY.  (Realistic Fiction)  Newt Newman has always been in his big brother’s shadow.  When a football injury sends his brother into a coma, Newt is noticed even less by his too-busy parents.  Along with some quirky friends, Newt creates a Halloween costume that creates an alter ego for him – Capitan Nobody – the defender of the little guy.

Pobst, Sandra.  ANIMALS ON THE EDGE:  SCIENCE RACES TO SAVE SPECIES THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION.  (Nonfiction)  This informed and educational narrative examines numerous threats to animals in the wild, raising awareness of each species, and detailing the extent and urgency of the problem.  The book also encourages young animal lovers to take an active role in preservation.

Pullman, Philip.  SCARECROW AND HIS SERVANT.  (Fantasy)  A scarecrow and his boy servant, Jack, set off on a dangerous adventure.  They try to outwit the dishonest Buffaloni family and stake a claim to valuable Spring Valley.

Ray, Delia.  GHOST GIRL:  A BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN STORY.  (Historical Fiction)  Eleven-year-old April is delighted when President and
Mrs. Hoover build a school near her Madison County, Virginia home. But her family's poverty, their grief over the accidental death of her brother, and other problems may mean that April will never learn to read under the tutelage of her wonderful teacher, Miss Vest.

Richardson,  Charisse K.  THE REAL LUCKY CHARM.  (Realistic Fiction)  Ten-year-old Mia thinks that luck, rather than hard work, has helped her succeed on the court and at school.  She panics and turns to her twin brother for help when her lucky gold basketball is missing from her charm bracelet.

Rinaldi, Ann.  SARAH’S GROUND.  (Historical Fiction)  In 1861, eighteen-year-old Sarah Tracy, from New York state, comes to work at Mount Vernon, the historic Virginia home of George Washington.  While there she tries to protect the safety and neutrality of the site during the Civil War.  She also meets her future husband, Upton Herbert, the plantation superintendent.  Historical notes are included.

Ryan, Pam Munoz.  BECOMING NAOMI LEON.  (Realistic Fiction)  When Naomi's absent mother reappears to claim her, Naomi runs away to Mexico. Naomi, along with her great-grandmother and younger brother, set out to search for her father.

Schmidt, Gary  D.  LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINISTER BOY.  (Historical Fiction)  In 1911, Turner Buckminster hates his new home of Phippsburg, Maine.  Things improve when he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a girl from a poor, nearby island community founded by former slaves.   

Selznick, Brian.  THE INVENTIONS OF HUGO CABRET.  (Fiction)  Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station. There his survival depends on secrets and anonymity.  His world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, and Hugo's undercover life is put in jeopardy.

Selznick, Brian.  WONDERSTRUCK.  (Fiction) Having lost his mother and his hearing, twelve-year-old Ben leaves his Minnesota home to seek the father he never knew in New York City. There he meets Rose, who is also longing for something missing from her life. Ben's story is told in words; Rose's in pictures.

Silverstein, Shel.  EVERYTHING ON IT.  (Poetry) This collection, published since Silverstein’s death, includes more than 130 never-before-seen poems and drawings by the cherished American artist and poet.

Stanley, Diane.  BELLA AT MIDNIGHT.  (Fantasy)  Raised by peasants, Bella discovers that she is actually the daughter of a knight.  She finds herself caught up in a terrible plot that will change her life and the kingdom forever.

Steig, William.  ABEL’S ISLAND.  (Fantasy)  When Abel, a mouse, is unexpectedly swept away by floodwaters and dumped on an island, he is forced to use all his resourcefulness to survive and find his way home.

Stephens, John.  THE EMERALD ATLAS.  (Fiction)  Kate, Michael, and Emma have passed from one orphanage to another in the ten years since their parents disappeared.  Now they learn that they have special powers, a quest to find a magical book, and a fearsome enemy.

Stewart, Trenton.  THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY.  (Fiction)  Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance are all graduates of the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened and members of the Benedict Society.  They embark on a scavenger hunt that turns into a desperate search for their missing benefactor, Mr. Benedict.  (The first book in a series.)

Stone, Phoebe.  THE ROMEO AND JULIET CODE.  (Historical Fiction)  During World War II, eleven-year-old Felicity is sent from London to Bottlebay, Maine to live with her grandmother, aunt, uncle, and a reclusive boy.  He helps her decode mysterious letters that contain the truth about her missing parents.

Van Draanen, Wendelin.  SHREDDERMAN (the series).  (Fiction)  Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, also known as Shredderman, solves a variety of mysteries.

Vande Velde, Vivian.  THREE GOOD DEEDS.  (Fantasy)  Caught stealing some goose eggs from a witch, Howard is cursed for his heartlessness and turned into a goose himself.  He can only become human again by performing three good deeds.

Walker, Sally.  SECRETS OF A CIVIL WAR SUBMARINE:  SOLVING THE MYSTERIES OF THE H. L. HUNLEY.  (Nonfiction)  For more than one hundred years, a submarine lay buried beneath the ocean floor near Charleston, South Carolina.  The H.L. Hunley made history in 1864 as the first submarine ever to sink an enemy ship.  Something went wrong during that daring mission and the Hunley never returned to port.

White, Ruth.  THE SEARCH FOR BELLE PRATER. (Historical Fiction)  In 1955, Woodrow and his cousin Gypsy befriend a new girl in their seventh grade class in rural Virginia.  The three of them set off to find Woodrow's missing mother, encountering unlikely and intriguing coincidences along the way.

Wiles, Deborah.  EACH LITTLE BIRD THAT SINGS.  (Realistic Fiction)  Comfort Snowberger is well acquainted with death since her family runs the funeral parlor in their small southern town.  Even so the ten-year-old is unprepared for the series of heart-wrenching events that begin on the first day of Easter vacation with the sudden death of her beloved great-uncle Edisto.

Yep, Lawrence.  WHEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN.  (Fiction)  An Asian cook and a Chinese New Year celebration help a ten-year-old girl at a Montana stage coach station to regain her confidence after smallpox scars her face.