Accessible Book Collection

May 15, 2008

Chinese New Year by Lola M. Schaefer — Easy Reader
Simple Text and photographs describe and illustrate Chinese New Year and how it is celebrated

Hooray for You by Richmond Richmond — Easy Reader
A poetic and illustrated affirmation of the uniqueness of every child.

Island in the Sun by Harry Belafonte — Easy Reader
Illustrations accompany the words to a song made popular by Harry Belafonte, paying tribute to his island childhood.

Lights of Winter by Heather Conrad — Easy Reader
Children's picture book about winter celebrations around the world: Solstice, Yule, Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukkah, Teng Chieh, Diwali, Soyal, Las Posadas, Zagmuk, Saturnalia.

The Little Penguin by A. J. Wood — Easy Reader
Little Penguin fears losing his feathers and being unable to stay warm.

Penguins and Their Chicks by Margaret Hall — Easy Reader
Text and photographs describe the lives of baby penguins, also known as chicks, from birth to early maturity.

Polar Bears by Emily Rose Townsend — Easy Reader
Photographs and text introduce the characteristics and behavior of polar bears and their habitat in the Arctic.

Star-Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key — Easy Reader
Patriotic images of everything from historical events to baseball games to children marching in 4th of July parades accompany the words of our national anthem.

We All Sing with the Same Voice by Miller, J./Greene, S — Easy Reader
A Seasame Street song has been transformed into a picture book about he universality of children.

The Wide-Mouthed Frog by Keith Faulkner — Easy Reader
A wide-mouthed frog is interested in what other animals eat—until he meets a creature that eats only wide-mouthed frogs!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
An orphaned young boy is rescued from the outrageous treatment of his aunt and uncle to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (4.2, 4 to 12, 77569 words)

Life in a Coral Reef by Melvin Berger
Coral reefs are examined and many interesting facts are revealed. (6.2, 4 to 8, 1359 words)

Life in the Desert by Melvin Berger
Animal and plant life, residing primarily in the Sonoran desert, are examined with lots of pictures. (7.1, 4 to 8, 1661 words)

Life in the Polar Regions by  Melvin Berger
As the title suggests this book describes life in the polar regions. (5.4, 4 to 8, 1493 words)

Life in the Rain Forest by Melvin Berger
Wildlife, plants and people are discussed using pictures along with text. (5.8, 4 to 8. 1045 words)

Life in the Temperate Forest by Mary Kay Carson
Animal and plant life in the temperate forest are explored. (6.9, 4 to 8, 2192 words)

Life on the African Savannah by Melvin Berger
Animal and plant life on the African savannah are examined with pictures and text. (6.1, 4 to 8, 1531 words)

April 10, 2008

Albert Einstein by Lola M. Schaefer — Easy Reader
The very brief text touches on the high lights of Albert Einstein's life.

America the Beautiful by — Easy Reader
The illustrations in this book were done by the great-great-grandnephew of Katharine Lee Bates, the poet who wrote the poem in 1893.

Caves by  Ellen Sturm Niz — Easy Reader
Describes caves, including how they form, plants and animals in caves, how people and weather change caves, caves in North America, and caves of the world.

The Wind by Craig Hammersmith — Easy Reader
What is wind?—What makes wind?—Can you see the wind?—Wind and weather—Watch out!—Wind at work—How fast?—Wind fun.

The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins — Easy Reader
A rhymed tale describing the antics of a capricious wind.

Cloud Dance by Thomas Locker — Easy Reader
Clouds of many shapes and sizes drift and dance across the sky. Includes factual information on the formation and different kinds of clouds.

Tangerine by Edward Bloor
Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother Erik, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness and slowly begins to remember the incident that damaged his eyesight. (3.4, 6 to 12, 90074 words)

The Story of George Washington Carver by Eva Moore
The life of the famous agricultural scientist is briefly recounted in this simple biography. (5, 4 to 12, 13154 words)

The Titanic Sinks! by Thomas Conklin
Recounts the story of how the world's biggest, safest ship sank on its first trip. (5.8, 6 to 12, 20329 words)

A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl by Tanya Lee Stone
Three high school girls become involved with a slick senior boy whose interest in them is only sexual. Told in verse. (3.2, 9 to 12, 16543 words)

Looking for Alaska by John Green
Sixteen-year-old Miles' first year at Culver Creek Preparatory School in Alabama includes good friends and great pranks, but is defined by the search tor answers about life and death after a fatal car crash. (4.8, 9 to 12, 69150 words)

Paranoid Park by Blake Nelson
A sixteen-year-old Portland, Oregon skateboarder, whose parents are going through a difficult divorce, is engulfed by guilt and confusion when he accidentally kills a security guard at a train yard. (2.7, 9 to 12, 37621 words)

March 6, 2008

Cinco de Mayo by Lola M. Schaefer — Easy Reader
Simple text and photographs explain the history of Cinco de Mayo, the commemoration of the victory of the Mexican army over the French army on May 5, 1862, and how it is celebrated.

A Gift from the Sea — Easy Reader
Unaware of its eons-old history, a boy finds a rock and takes it home to a shelf beside his sea glass and starfish.

Hungry Plants by Mary Botten — Easy Reader
Describes the structure and behavior of various carnivorous plants, including the Venus flytrap, sundew, pitcher plant, and bladderwort.

I Love You with All My Heart by Noris Kern — Easy Reader
The expanse of parental love is explored via the explanation of a penguin, a seal, a fox and finally the polar bear mother.

Thomas Edison by Lola M. Schaefer — Easy Reader
Simple text and photographs present the life of Thomas Edison, the inventor of the phonograph, lightbulb, and movies with sound. Includes bibliographical references and index.

What Do You See in a Cloud? by Allan Fowler — Easy Reader
Simple text and illustrations describe what clouds are made of, how they differ, and why they fall back to earth as rain.

Freckle Juice by Judy Blume
Andrew wants freckles so badly that he buys Sharon's freckle recipe for fifty cents. (3.5, 3 to 5, 3663 words)

Who Was Ben Franklin? by Dennis Brindell Fradin
This book is a brief but comprehensive biography with numerous illustrations. (6.3, 4 to 12, 7845 words)

Children of the River by Linda Crew
Having fled Cambodia four years earlier to escape the Khmer Rouge army, seventeen-year-old Sundara is torn between remaining faithful to her own people and adjusting to life in her Oregon high school as a "regular" American. (4.8, 7 to 12, 53555 words)

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
A high school freshman discovers the devastating consequences of refusing to join the school's annual fund-raising drive and arousing the wrath of the school bullies. (6, 9 to 12, 52224 words)

Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes
Unemployed after high school in the highly robotic society of 2154, Lisse and seven friends resign themselves to a boring existence in their "Designated Area" until the government invites them to play The Game. (4.8, 9 to 12, 45847 words)

The Trouble with Lemons by Daniel Hayes
Tyler and Lymie, eighth grade misfits, discover a dead body in a quarry and work to uncover the mystery behind it. (4.7, 7 to 12, 51117 words)

February 2, 2008

Cow by Malachy Doyle — Easy Reader
Illustrations and simple text describe the full day of a dairy cow.

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert — Easy Reader
A mother and child plant a rainbow of flowers in the family garden.

The Reason for a Flower by Ruth Heller — Easy Reader
The reasons for flowers is described and illustrated plus more about how plants reproduce.

The Enormous Potato by Aubrey Davis — Easy Reader
The Enormous Potato is a humorous folktale that shows what can be accomplished when everyone lends a hand to solve a problem.

Jade Green: A Ghost Story by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
While living with her uncle in a house haunted by the ghost of a young woman, recently orphaned Judith Sparrow wonders if her one small transgression causes mysterious happenings. (5.8, 9 to 12, 33576 words)

Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Eleanor Updale
After a petty thief's body is reconstructed he adopts dual personas, one a gentlemen and other a scoundrel thief. (8, 7 to 12, 45507 words)

Rules by Cynthia Lord
Frustrated at life with an autistic brother, twelve-year-old Catherine longs for a normal existence but her world is further complicated by a friendship with a young paraplegic. (3.9, 4 to 12, 31539 words)

Miracle's Boys by Jacqueline Woodson
Twelve-year-old Lafayette's close relationship with his older brother Charlie changes after Charlie is released from a detention home and blames Lafayette for the death of their mother. (4.3, 7 to 12, 24113 words)

Story of a Girl: A Novel by Sara Zarr
It has been three years since Deanna was caught in the back seat of a car with an older boy by her dad. Life has been difficult since then and now it begins to change again. (3.9, 9 to 12, 43886 words)

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
In a future where humans despise clones, Matt enjoys special status as the young clone of El Patrón, the 140-year-old leader of a corrupt drug empire nestled between Mexico and the United States. (4.8, 9 to 12, 101099 words)

January 3, 2008

Families by Ann Morris — Easy Reader
A simple explanation of families, how they function, how they are different, and how they are alike. 

My Special Day at Third Street School by Eve Bunting — Easy Reader
A school visit from children's book author Amanda Drake brings a day full of fun.

Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day — Easy Reader
A child's emotions range from silliness to anger to excitement, coloring and changing each day.

Bread, Bread, Bread by Ann Morris — Easy Reader
Celebrates the many different kinds of bread and how they may be enjoyed.

Corn by Ann L. Burckhardt — Easy Reader
Simple text introduces corn, and instructions are given for making a corn husk wreath.

From Cocoa Bean to Chocolate by Robin Nelson — Easy Reader
An introduction to the process of making chocolate, from the time the farmer plants a cocoa tree to the time someone eats a piece of candy.

Potatoes by Ann L. Burckhard — Easy Reader
Simple text introduces potatoes, and instructions are given for making a potato stamper.

An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco — Easy Reader
Frankie and his eight brothers and sisters learn lessons about giving, family, and tradition during a snowy Michigan Christmas long ago.

Babe & Me : A Baseball Card Adventure by Dan Gutman
With their ability to travel through time using vintage baseball cards, Joe and his father have the opportunity to find out whether Babe Ruth really did call his shot when he hit that home run in the third game of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs. (3.4, 4 to 12, 30577 words)

No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman
Wallace Wallace life is upset when he is required to participate in the production of a play and not allowed to play football. (3.8, 4 to 8, 39418 words)

The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
When the Watson family goes to Birmingham life takes a twist as the reality of growing up black in America rears its disturbing head. (4.7, 5 to 12, 51093 words)

Chanda's Secrets by Allan Stratton
In sub-Saharan Africa both of Chanda's parents are dying of AIDS while Chanda struggles to keep her brother and sister together as a family. (2.9, 9 to 12, 54082 words)

The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder
Brother Juniper witness the death of five people in the collapse of a rope bridge. He sets out to prove the God exists and has a plan--all based on the tragic deaths of five people. (7, 9 to 12, 32275 words)

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Despite the congenial atmosphere something is going to happen in this chilling story. (5.6, 9 to 12, 3378 words)

November 15, 2007

Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davia — Easy Reader
Bat wakes up, flies into the night, uses the echoes of her voice to navigate, hunts for her supper, and returns to her roost to feed her baby.

The Charm Bracelet by Emily Rodda — Easy Reader
When Jessie searches for her ill grandmother's missing charm bracelet, she is led to a magical world and finds she has a reason and right to be there.

Finding Providence: The Story of Roger Williams by Avi — Easy Reader
After being forced to leave the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Roger Williams travels south and, with the help of the Narragansett Indians, founds Providence, Rhode Island.

If You Find a Rock by Peggy Christian — Easy Reader
Celebrates the variety of rocks that can be found, including skipping rocks, chalk rocks, and splashing rocks.

The Flower Fairies by Emily Rodda — Easy Reader
Jessie returns to the magical world where her grandmother was born, where she deals with some griffins, dances with fairies, and borrows something to help her dance in her school concert.

The Ghost Comes Calling by Betty Ren Wright
While vacationing at a spooky cabin on Perch Lake, nine-year-old Chad tries to clear the name of Tim Tapper, the cabin's ghostly inhabitant, who was blamed for a truck accident in the 1930s. (3.3, 3 to 8, 13133 words)

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater
Mr. Popper somehow acquires 12 penguins and must find a way to feed them and his family. What an absurd life! (5.7, 4 to 8, 18668 words)

Skinnybones by Barbara Park
Alex, a wiseacre extraordinaire, finds himself competing for attention with the school's baseball great. (2.7, 3 to 6, 21959 words)

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
Two boys are exiled to the mountains near Tibet during the Chinese Cultural Revolution where they find a passion for forbidden Western classical literature and for a little Chinese seamstress. (7, 9 to 12, 45655 words)

The Rag and Bone Shop by Robert Cormier
Trent, an ace interrogator from Vermont, works to procure a confession from an introverted twelve-year-old accused of murdering his seven-year-old friend in Monument, Massachusetts. (5.1, 9 to 12, 24957 words)

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
This renown book about the Vietnam War is part fiction and part nonfiction and about the difference between truth and reality. (4.8, 9 to 12, 63647 words)

October 22, 2007

Girl Wonder: A Baseball Story in Nine Innings by Deborah Hopkinson — Easy Reader
This story is based on the early twentieth century life of Alta Weiss--a girl born to play baseball.

Home Run: The Story of Babe Ruth by Robert Burleigh — Easy Reader
This is a book for all persons with an interest in baseball. The poetic descriptions along with the supplemental facts concerning Babe's career and mostly the great paintings make for an interesting read.

Silly Sally by Audrey Wood — Easy Reader
A rhyming story of Silly Sally, who makes many friends as she travels to town—backwards and upside down.

Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm, until another "third" convinces him that the government is wrong. (3.7, 5 to 9, 32418 words)

Just Juice by Karen Hesse
Realizing that her father's lack of work has endangered her family, nine-year-old Juice decides that she must return to school and learn to read in order to help their chances of surviving and keeping their house. (2.8, 4 to 8, 19627 words)

The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox
Jessie is kidnapped from the streets of New Orleans and pressed into service on a slave trader in this harrowing tale of cruelty in 1840. (4.5, 6 to 12, 40614 words)

Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson
Eighteen-year-old Kate, who sometimes chafes at being a preacher's daughter, finds herself losing control in her senior year as she faces difficult neighbors and the possibility that she may not be accepted by the college of her choice. (3.1, 9 to 12, 52027 words)

Overboard by Elizabeth Fama
Escaping from a sinking ferry in the waters off Sumatra, fourteen-year-old Emily fights for survival for herself and a young Indonesian boy, who draws courage from his quiet but firm Islamic faith. (4.1, 9 to 12, 37243 words)

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Four Chinese mothers and their daughters remember stories from their pasts. (5.7, 9 to 12, 94764 words)

September 22, 2007

Chickens to the Rescue by John Himmelman — Easy Reader
Six days a week the chickens help the Greenstalk family and their animals recover from mishaps that occur on the farm, but they need one day to rest.

Looking for a Moose by Phyllis Root — Easy Reader
Four children set off into the woods to find a moose.

Story of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff — Easy Reader
Much happens to Babar but he triumphs delightfully over tragedy.

Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi
The year is 1377 and thirteen year old Crispin is running for his life and he doesn't know why. (3.4, 6 to 9, 48794 words)

How Angel Peterson Got His Name by Gary Paulsen
The author tells stories of "extreme sports" such as skiing behind a car and hang gliding with an Army surplus parachute. (6.8, 4 to 8, 20554 words)

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
A black family living in Mississippi during the Depression of the 1930's is faced with prejudice and discrimination, which its children find hard to understand. (4.8, 6 to 12, 65701 words)

Deathwatch by Robb White
Ben is Madec's hunting guide when after an accidental shooting Madec changes from hunting bighorn sheep to hunting Ben. (4.8, 9 to 12, 49045 words)

Don't Scream by Joan Lowery Nixon
When two new boys come to her school, Jess thinks things are really looking up, but she doesn't know their real identities or if she can trust them. (3.5, 9 to 12, 36856 words)

Wind over Stonehenge by Pamela Dorre
An investigation into the secret of Stonehenge nearly turns into a national disaster in England. (2, 9 to 12, 8896 words)

June 25, 2007

An Extraordinary Egg by Leo Lionni — Easy Reader
Jessica the frog befriends the animal that hatches from an egg she brought home, thinking it is a chicken.

Who Hops? by Katie Davis — Easy Reader
The story lists creatures that hop, fly, slither, swim, and crawl, as well as some others that don't.

Willy the Dreamer by Anthony Browne — Easy Reader
Willy dreams of being a movie star, a singer, a sumo wrestler, an artist, a giant, and other vivid and exciting figures.

Joey Pigza Loses Control by Jack Gantos
Joey, who is still taking medication to keep him from getting too wired, goes to spend the summer with the hard-drinking father he has never known and tries to help the baseball team he coaches win the championship. (3.5, 4 to 8, 45944 words)

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr
A young girl dies of leukemia as a result of the atomic dropped on Hiroshoma. (4.5, 4 to 12, 6014 words)

Soldier's Heart by Gary Paulsen
Eager to enlist, fifteen-year-old Charley has a change of heart after experiencing both the physical horrors and mental anguish of Civil War combat. (5.1, 6 to 12, 15044 words)

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The autobiography of Maya Angelou's early life is told with inspiring wisdom and humor. (6.5, 9 to 12, 81848 words)

The Money Game by David Ericson
Ross is a con man but when he tricks Sally Drake he bites off more than he bargains for. (1.0, 9 to 12, 7355 words)

Who Killed Mr. Chippendale? A Mystery in Poems by  Mel Glenn
Free verse poems describe the reactions of students, colleagues, and others when a high school teacher is shot to death as the school day begins. (4.1, 9 to 12, 13052 words)

May 2, 2007

The Chick and the Duckling by Mirra Ginsburg — Easy Reader
Going for a swim proves to be the point chick stops imitating duckling.

Imagine Me on a Sit-Ski! by George Moran — Easy Reader
A child who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair describes learning to ski with adaptive equipment.

Whose Mouse Are You? by Robert Kraus — Easy Reader
A joyful end despite a difficult beginning makes this story a winner.

A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements
A fifth grader's class camping trip turns into a greater adventure than originally anticipated. (4.4, 4 to 8, 42415 words)

Cracker Jackson by Betsy Byars
After attempting to save his ex-babysitter from wife abuse, Cracker Jackson gains an adult insight into the sadness of failed heroics. (3.4, 4 to 8, 27797 words)

Faraway Home by Janie Lynn Panagopoulos
A group of children make the maiden voyage of the Orphan Train. (4.3, 4 to 8, 39463 words)

The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy Hoobler
While attempting to solve the mystery of a stolen jewel, Seikei, a merchant's son who longs to be a samurai, joins a group of kabuki actors in eighteenth-century Japan. (4.4, 9 to 12, 46771 words)

Izzy, Willy-Nilly by Cynthia Voigt
A car accident causes fifteen-year-old Izzy to lose one leg. Then she must start building a new life. (3.8, 9 to 12, 81029 words)

Williwaw! by Tom Bodett
In their father's absence, thirteen-year-old September and her younger brother Ivan disobey his orders by taking the boat out on their Alaska bay, where they are caught in a terrifying storm called a williwaw. (4.5, 4 to 12, 47728 words)

March 18, 2007

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett — Easy Reader
Life is delicious in the town of Chewandswallow where it rains soup and juice, snows mashed potatoes, and blows storms of hamburgers—until the weather takes a turn for the worse.

Love You Forever by  Robert N. Munsch — Easy Reader
A young mother tells her son how she loves him and he passes this on to his own daughter.

Whoever You Are by Mem Fox — Easy Reader
Despite the differences between people around the world, there are similarities that join us together, such as pain, joy, and love.

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
Ten-year-old Bud, a motherless boy living in Flint, Michigan, during the Great Depression, escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father—the renowned bandleader, H. E. Calloway of Grand Rapids. (5.1, 4 to 12, 52598 words)

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
After his anger erupts into violence, Cole, in order to avoid going to prison, agrees to participate in a sentencing alternative based on the Native American Circle Justice, and he is sent to a remote Alaskan Island where an encounter with a huge Spirit Bear changes his life. (5.3, 7 to 12, 56245 words)

Whittington by Alan W. Armstrong
Whittington, a feline descendant of Dick Whittington's famous cat of English folklore, appears at a run-down barnyard plagued by rats and restores harmony while telling his ancestor's story. (3.8, 4 to 12, 35587 words)

Corner of the Universe, A by  Ann M. Martin
Hattie Owen's uncle returns home after a long absence. Hattie, who had never known he exists, now finds she must learn to cope with his mental illness. (4.1, 7 to 12, 42550 words)

Perks of Being a Wallflower, The by Stephen Chbosky
A high school freshman chronicles his first year in high school. A very popular book that was heavily promoted on MTV. Not for the faint of heart. (3.9, 10 to 12, 62661 words)

White Mountains, The by John Christopher
Young Will Parker and his companions make a perilous journey toward an outpost of freedom where they hope to escape from the ruling Tripods, who capture mature human beings and make them docile, obedient servants. (4.8, 6 to 12, 44006 words)

February 23, 2007

Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff — Easy Reader
Danny meets a dinosaur at the museum and they decide to spend the day together.

My Brother, Ant by Betsy Byars — Easy Reader
In four separate stories, Ant's older brother gets rid of the monster under Ant's bed, forgives Ant for drawing on his homework, tries to read a story, and helps Ant write a letter to Santa.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter — Easy Reader
This is the quintessential cautionary story of what happens when a rabbit disobeys its mother.

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
An eccentric grandma teaches her grandchildren some important lesson during the depression in short vignettes. (5.0, 7 to 12, 35465 words)

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Edward Tulane, a cold-hearted and proud toy rabbit, loves only himself until he is separated from the little girl who adores him and travels across the country, acquiring new owners and listening to their hopes, dreams, and histories. (3.6, 4 to 7, 17222 words)

The Castle in the Attic by  Elizabeth Winthrop
William receives a toy castle and finds it has magical properties that send him back in time to a dangerous adventure. (4.1, 4 to 8, 36590 words)

Montana 1948 by Larry Watson
A young boy tells about a rape and murder involving a beloved uncle. (4.9, 9 to 12, 42399 words)

The Color Purple by Alice Walker
A feminist novel about an African American woman who is abused and impoverished but nevertheless finds a way to have a fulfilling life. (2.8, 9 to 12, 66609 words)

The Time Trap by Leo P. Kelley
Time and space travel intertwine with a thievery, love, and giant insects to make this an easy reading novel. (1.4, 9 to 12, 8955 words)

Just for Today by Tana Reiff
Biff is a heavy drinker and he must find a way to stop before his life at home and at work unravel. (1.6, 10 to adult, 2752 words)

February 23, 2007

Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff — Easy Reader
Danny meets a dinosaur at the museum and they decide to spend the day together.

My Brother, Ant by Betsy Byars — Easy Reader
In four separate stories, Ant's older brother gets rid of the monster under Ant's bed, forgives Ant for drawing on his homework, tries to read a story, and helps Ant write a letter to Santa.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter — Easy Reader
This is the quintessential cautionary story of what happens when a rabbit disobeys its mother.

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
An eccentric grandma teaches her grandchildren some important lesson during the depression in short vignettes. (5.0, 7 to 12, 35465 words)

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Edward Tulane, a cold-hearted and proud toy rabbit, loves only himself until he is separated from the little girl who adores him and travels across the country, acquiring new owners and listening to their hopes, dreams, and histories. (3.6, 4 to 7, 17222 words)

The Castle in the Attic by  Elizabeth Winthrop
William receives a toy castle and finds it has magical properties that send him back in time to a dangerous adventure. (4.1, 4 to 8, 36590 words)

Montana 1948 by Larry Watson
A young boy tells about a rape and murder involving a beloved uncle. (4.9, 9 to 12, 42399 words)

The Color Purple by Alice Walker
A feminist novel about an African American woman who is abused and impoverished but nevertheless finds a way to have a fulfilling life. (2.8, 9 to 12, 66609 words)

The Time Trap by Leo P. Kelley
Time and space travel intertwine with a thievery, love, and giant insects to make this an easy reading novel. (1.4, 9 to 12, 8955 words)

Just for Today by Tana Reiff
Biff is a heavy drinker and he must find a way to stop before his life at home and at work unravel. (1.6, 10 to adult, 2752 words)

January 21, 2007

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon — Easy Reader
A desire to be like everyone else brings on "a bad case of stripes."

The Hunterman and the Crocodile by Baba Wagué Diakité — Easy Reader
Donso, a West African hunterman, learns the importance of living in harmony with nature and the necessity of placing humans among, not above, all other living things.

The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde Hoyt Swift — Easy Reader
The little red lighthouse regains its pride when it finds out that it is still important despite its small size.

The Fighting Ground by Avi
Thirteen-year-old Jonathan goes off to fight in the Revolutionary War and discovers the real war is being fought within himself. (3.6, 5 to 12, 26273 words)

The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson
When a plague sweeps over the earth killing everyone except children under twelve, ten-year-old Lisa organizes a group to rebuild a new way of life. (3.4, 4 to 8, 45161 words)

Secret Identity by Wendelin Van Draanen
Fifth grader Nolan Byrd, tired of being called names by the class bully, has a secret identity—Shredderman! (2.4, 4 to 7, 15055 words)

Monster by Walter Dean Myers
While on trial as an accomplice to a murder, sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon records his experiences in prison and in the courtroom in the form of a film script as he tries to come to terms with the course his life has taken. (3.8, 9 to 12, 28293 words)

Whirligig by Paul Fleischman
While traveling to each corner of the country to build a whirligig in memory of the girl whose death he causes, sixteen-year-old Brent finds forgiveness and atonement. (4.2, 9 to 12, 30964 words)

The Year of the Hangman by Gary L. Blackwood
In 1777, having been kidnapped and taken forcibly from England to the American colonies, fifteen-year-old Creighton becomes part of developments in the political unrest there that may spell defeat for the patriots and change the course of history. (4.9, 9 to 12, 62062 words)

December 11, 2006

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss — Easy Reader
Despite the pessimism of his family a little boy plants and takes care of a carrot seed.

The Last Fairy-Apple Tree by Emily Rodda — Easy Reader
Jessie travels back to the magical world of the Realm to try to discover what has gone wrong in the Hidden Valley where the gnomes live and the fairy-apples grow.

Susan Laughs by Jeanne Willis — Easy Reader
Rhyming couplets describe a wide range of common emotions and activities experienced by a little girl who uses a wheelchair.

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli
A charming young orphan boy is caught up in throes of the Warsaw ghetto during World War II. (2.6, 5 to 12, 50162 words)

Woodsong by Gary Paulsen
For a rugged outdoor man and his family, life in northern Minnesota is an adventure involving wolves, deer, and sled dogs. Includes an account of the author's first Iditarod, a dogsled race across Alaska. (6.0, 7 to 12, 31515 words)

The Broken Blade by William Durbin
When an injury prevents his father from going into northern Canada with fur traders, thirteen-year-old Pierre decides to take his father's place as a voyageur. (4.9, 7 to 12, 33921 words)

The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley
Orphan Corinna disguises herself as a boy to pose as a Folk Keeper, one who keeps the Evil Folk at bay, and discovers her heritage as a seal maiden when she is taken to live with a wealthy family in their manor by the sea. (4, 7 to 12, 40655 words)

The Runner by Cynthia Voigt
As a dedicated runner, a teenage boy has always managed to distance himself from other people until the experience of coaching one of his teammates on the track team gradually helps him see the value of giving and receiving. (3.8, 7 to 12, 65874 words)

November 21, 2006

Henry and Mudge: The First Book of Their Adventures by Cynthia Rylant — Easy Reader
Henry, feeling lonely on a street without any other children, finds companionship and love in a big dog named Mudge.

Mouse Soup by Arnold Lobel — Easy Reader
A mouse convinces a weasel he needs the ingredients from several stories to make a tasty mouse soup.

Vacation Under the Volcano by Mary Pope Osborne — Easy Reader
Their magic tree house takes Annie and Jack to Pompeii just as Vesuvius is about to erupt, and they must find a Roman scroll before everything is covered with burning ash.

Blubber by Judy Blume
Jill goes along with the class bully and one day finds she is the subject of the bully's attention. (3, 4 to 8, 26886 words)

Danger on Midnight River by Gary Paulsen
Daniel rescues bullies who have teased him in this exciting book. (2.6, 4 to 8, 8082 words)

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: The Diary of Bess Brennan by Barry Denenberg
In 1932, a twelve-year-old girl who lost her sight in an accident keeps a diary, recorded by her twin sister, in which she describes life at Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts. (6.1, 4 to 12, 21213 words)

A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Harry Mazer
While fishing with his friends off Honolulu on December 7, 1941, teenaged Adam is caught in the midst of the Japanese attack and through the chaos of the subsequent days tries to find his father, a naval officer who was serving on the U.S.S. Arizona when the bombs fell. (3.1, 7 to 12, 22258 words)

Heart of a Champion by Carl Deuker
Seth faces a strain on his friendship with Jimmy, who is both a baseball champion and something of an irresponsible fool, when Jimmy is kicked off the team. (3, 7 to 12, 53078 words)

One Fat Summer by Robert Lipsyte
An overweight fourteen-year-old boy experiences a turning-point summer in which he learns to stand up for himself. (2.8, 7 to 12, 40551 words)

October 18, 2006

Make New Friends by Rosemary Wells — Easy Reader
Yoko and her classmates welcome Juanita, a new student from Texas, to their classroom.

Millions of Cats by Wanda Ga'g — Easy Reader
A very old man goes looking for a cat for a very old woman and comes back with "millions of cats."

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen — Easy Reader
On a winter's night under a full moon, father and daughter trek into the woods to see the Great Horned Owl.

Flush by Carl Hiaasen
With their father jailed for sinking a river boat, Noah Underwood and his younger sister, Abbey, must gather evidence that the owner of this floating casino is emptying his sewage tanks into the protected waters around their Florida Keys home. (4.1, 5 to 12, 59813 words)

Reptile Room, The by Lemony Snicket
After narrowly escaping the menacing clutches of the dastardly Count Olaf, the three Baudelaire orphans are taken in by a kindly herpetologist with whom they live happily for an all-too-brief time. (6.3, 4 to 8, 29225 words)

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
After her mother leaves home suddenly, thirteen-year-old Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother's route. Along the way, Sal recounts the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left. (3.8, 4 to 10, 51478 words)

Bad Boy: A Memoir by Walter Dean Myers
Success in the form of a writting career comes to Walter Dean Myers despite opportunities he missed as a young man. (6.7, 9 to 12, 47171 words)

Gadget, The by Paul Zindel
In 1945, having joined his father at Los Alamos, where he and other scientists are working on a secret project to end World War II, thirteen-year-old Stephen becomes caught in a web of secrecy and intrigue. (3.8, 7 to 12, 25779 words)

House on Mango Street, The by Sandra Cisneros
A series of vignettes telling about life a young girl growing up in a Latino section of Chicago. (3.9, 8 to 12, 18220 words)

September 18, 2006

My Five Senses by Aliki — Easy Reader
A simple presentation of the five senses, demonstrating some ways we use them.

Night of the Ninjas by Mary Pope Osborne — Easy Reader
The magic tree house takes Jack and Annie back in time to feudal Japan where the siblings learn about the ways of the Ninja. (1.5,1 to 3, 5500 words)

Play Ball by Margaret Hillert — Easy Reader
Two boys look for just the right type of ball with which to play.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Having run away with her younger brother to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, twelve-year-old Claudia strives to keep things in order in their new home and to become a changed person and a heroine to herself. (4.4, 4 to 8, 31215 words)

Letters from Rifka by Karen Hesse
In letters to her cousin, a young Jewish girl chronicles her family's flight from Russia in 1919 and her own experiences when she must be left in Belgium for a while when the others emigrate to America. (3.4, 4 to 12, 29087 words)

The Pinballs by Betsy Byars
Three lonely foster children learn to care about themselves and each other. (2.7, 4 to 9, 22438 words)

Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak
Partly because of their family's poor finances and partly to prove themselves, brothers Ruben and Cameron take jobs as fighters and find themselves reacting very differently in the ring. (2, 9 to 12, 32418 words)

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
This fable teaches through a seagull to follow our dreams despite resistance from peers. (5, 7 to 12, 8942 words)

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
A traumatic event near the end of the summer has a devastating effect on Melinda's freshman year in high school. (3.7, 9 o 12, 46714 words)

August 23, 2006

Apt. 3 by Ezra Jack Keats — Easy Reader
On a rainy day two brothers try to discover who is playing the harmonica they hear in their apartment building.

Big Max by Kin Platt — Easy Reader
Big Max, the world's greatest detective, helps a king find his missing elephant.

Cinderella by Ruth Sanderson — Easy Reader
Although she is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters, a kindhearted young woman manages to attend the palace ball with the help of her fairy godmother.

The Day My Butt Went Psycho! by Andy Griffiths
The butts are looking to achieve world domination by "rearrangement", a process where butts and heads swap places. Zack Freeman joins up with the B-Team to defeat this nefarious scheme. A disgusting book fit only for a middle schooler. (3.5, 5 to 9, 49326 words)

The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton
A family moves to a historical house involved in the Underground Railroad and become entangled in a haunting mystery. (3.5, 4 to 12, 57740 words)

My Side of the Mountain by  Jean Craighead George
A young boy relates his adventures during the year he spends living alone in the Catskill Mountains, including his struggle for survival, his dependence on nature, his animal friends, and his ultimate realization that he needs human companionship. (4, 5 to 12, 39776 words)

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Despite his overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically gifted, autistic fifteen-year-old boy, decides to investigate the murder of a neighbor's dog and uncovers secret information about his mother. (6.3, 9 to 12, 62684 words)

For Freedom: The Story of a French Spy by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Despite the horrors of World War II, a French teenager pursues her dream of becoming an opera singer, which takes her to places where she gains information about what the Nazis are doing—information that the French Resistance needs. (4, 4 to 12, 36281 words)

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn
Ishmael, a gorilla, engages the narrator in a series of conversations on the history of civilization and how this relates to unseen problems in the world today. (5.4, 9 to 12, 63466 words)

July 18, 2006

Atuk by Mischa Damjan — Easy Reader
A young Inuit vows revenge when a wolf kills his dog.

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes — Easy Reader
When Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk, she ends up tired, wet, and hungry trying to reach it.

Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust — Easy Reader
In this allegory, the author's reaction to the Holocaust, the animals of the forest are carried away, one type after another, by the Terrible Things, not realizing that if perhaps they would all stick together and not look the other way, such terrible things might not happen.

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis
Parvana must disguise herself as a boy to work in Taliban ruled Kabul so her family can survive. (4.1, 6 to 12, 28540 words)

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her. (3.3, 5 to 12, 53667 words)

Ghost Canoe by Will Hobbs
Fourteen-year-old Nathan, fishing with the Makah in the Pacific Northwest, finds himself holding a vital clue when a mysterious stranger comes to town looking for Spanish treasure. (5.2, 6 to 12, 47788 words)

The Harmonica by Tony Johnston
Torn from his home and parents in Poland during World Wat II, a young Jewish boy starving in a concentration camp finds hope in playing Schubert on his harmonica, even when the commandant orders him to play. (3.2, 4 to 12, 684 words)

The Skull of Truth by Bruce Coville
Charlie, a sixth-grader with a compulsion to tell lies, acquires a mysterious skull that forces its owner to tell only the truth, causing some awkward moments before he understands its power. (3.8, 5 to 8, 39544 words)

The Solid Gold Kid by  Norma/Harry Mazer
Derek Chapman hitches a ride and later realizes he has unwittingly assisted in what he has dreaded and anticipated—his own kidnapping. (2.3, 9 to 12, 48794 words)

May 15, 2006

Fanny's Dream by Caralyn Buehner — Easy Reader
Fanny Agnes is a sturdy farm girl who dreams of marrying a prince, but when her fairy godmother doesn't show up, she decides on a local farmer instead.

My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Christine King Farris— Easy Reader
Looks at the early life of Martin Luther King Jr., as seen through the eyes of his older sister.

Why? by Nikolai Popov — Easy Reader
The futility of war is graphically depicted as mouse and frog escalate their battle.

Beetles, Lightly Toasted by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Not for the weak of stomach but lots of fun as Andy experiments with cooking beetles and worms for a chance at winning an essay contest. (5.2, 4 to 7, 28636 words)

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
A boy lends a mouse his toy motorcycle and the mouse repays the boys by coming to his rescue. (4.5, 4 to 8, 23197 words)

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance. (4.6, 4 to 12, 50854 words)

Jason's Gold by Will Hobbs
When news of the discovery of gold in Canada's Yukon in 1897 reaches fifteen-year-old Jason, he embarks on a 5,000-mile journey to strike it rich. (4.8, 9 to 12, 53038 words)

Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer
Sixteen-year-old Jenna gets a job driving the elderly owner of a chain of successful shoe stores from Chicago to Texas to confront the son who is trying to force her to retire, and along the way Jenna hones her talents as a saleswoman and finds the strength to face her alcoholic father. (4.1, 9 to 12, 44199 words)

Thura's Diary by Thura Al-Windawi
Thura's matter-of-fact rendition of wartime Iraq gives insight into the day to day lives of the people of Iraq. (6.6, 9 to 12, 28681 words)

April 14, 2006

Borreguita and the Coyote by Verna Aardema — Easy Reader
A little lamb uses her clever wiles to keep a coyote from eating her up.

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson — Easy Reader
Harold draws himself in and out of scrapes with his purple crayon.

Harry's Pony by Barbara Ann Porte — Easy Reader
When Harry wins a pony in a contest, his friends try to find a way to help him keep it, but it is his aunt and her friends who come up with a solution.

The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
Left alone to guard the family's wilderness home in eighteenth-century Maine, a boy is hard-pressed to survive until local Indians teach him their skills. (3.9, 4 to 12, 32986 words)

Small Steps by Louis Sachar
Three years after being released from Camp Green Lake, Armpit is trying hard to keep his life on track. (3.4, 6 to 12, 48528 words)

So Far from the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins
An autobiographical account of eleven-year-old Yoko's escape from Korea to Japan with her mother and sister at the end of World War II. (3.8, 6 to 12, 40843 words)

Blood Trail by Nancy Springer
After his best friend is murdered, seventeen-year-old Booger realizes he is the only one who has any idea who might have committed the crime—but he doesn't dare tell anyone. (3.3, 9 to 12, 22960 words)

The First Part Last by Angela Johnson
Bobby's carefree teenage life changes forever when he becomes a father and must care for his adored baby daughter. (3.8, 9 to 12, 19490 words)

Tex by S.E. Hinton
Tex is forced to grow up when he learns the truth about his father and makes peace with his older brother. (3.2, 9 to 12, 50087 words)

March 20, 2006

The Art Lesson by Tomie De Paola — Easy Reader
Having learned to be creative in drawing pictures at home, young Tommy is dismayed when he goes to school and finds the art lesson there much more regimented.

Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell — Easy Reader
Emily Elizabeth describes the activities she enjoys with her very big, very red dog and how they take care of each other.

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert N. Munsch — Easy Reader
The princess saves the prince from the dragon but they don't live happily ever after.

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff
A troublesome twelve-year-old orphan, staying with an elderly artist who needs her, remembers the only other time she was happy in a foster home, with a family that truly seemed to care about her. (3.3, 4 to 12, 31586 words)

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site. (4.8, 6 to 12, 61322 words)

The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
Hannah resents the traditions of her Jewish heritage until time travel places her in the middle of a small Jewish village in Nazi-occupied Poland. (4.7, 6 to 12, 38467 words)

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
For Yossarian, a bombardier in World War II, missions are always being extended and as a result he rebels against the insanity of being at war. (6.8, 9 to 12, 174194 words)

Missing by Catherine MacPhail
Shortly after her runaway brother is declared dead, thirteen-year-old Maxine begins receiving phone calls from someone claiming to be her brother. (3.7, 9 to 12, 32523 words)

The Glass Café by Gary Paulsen
When twelve-year-old Tony, a talented artist, begins sketching the dancers at the Kitty Kat Club where his mother is an exotic dancer, it sparks the attention of social services. (8.2, 7 to 12, 11741 words)

February 20, 2006

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
It takes much effort before Sam-I-am can convince another person to try green eggs and ham.

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
Illustrations of wintry scenes accompany each line of the well-known poem.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael J. Rosen — Easy Reader
When a family goes hunting for a bear they find one. It is to their peril but to the delight of the reader.

The Journal of Patrick Seamus Flaherty by Ellen Emerson White
An eighteen-year-old Marine records in a journal his experiences in Vietnam during the siege of Khe Sanh, 1967-1968. (5.4, 6 to 12, 45176 words)

My Louisiana Sky by Kimberly Willis Holt
Tiger Ann Parker is a bright teenager who is teased about her mentally slow parents by the girls in her class. She overcomes her embarrassment about her family while learning through them the meaning of love. (4.5, 6 to 12, 37366 words)

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
In a series of poems, fifteen-year-old Billie Jo relates the hardships of living on her family's wheat farm in Oklahoma during the dust bowl years of the Depression. (5.1, 4 to 12, 19790 words)

The Car by Gary Paulsen
A teenager left on his own travels west in a kit car he built himself, and along the way picks up two Vietnam veterans, who take him on an eye-opening journey. (3.6, 9 to 12, 39166 words)

The Contender by Robert Lipsyte
Alfred Brooks learns that getting to the top isn't as important as how you get there, and that before you can be a champion, you have to be a contender. (3.4, 9 to 12, 37481 words)

When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
The members of a Japanese-American family present their individual perspectives on being sent to an interment camp during World War II. (3.9, 9 to 12, 34237 words)

January 18, 2006

Henny-Penny by Harriet Ziefert — Easy Reader
Henny-Penny is convinced the sky is falling and runs off to tell the king!

Maebelle's Suitcase by Tricia Tusa — Easy Reader
An elderly woman sacrifices a treasured prize to help her friend, a young bird, make his first flight south.

Pierre: A Cautionary Tale by Maurice Sendak — Easy Reader
Pierre learns to care after a lion eat him.

The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
Gilly wants to be with her mother but her mother has different plans and Gilly strikes out against those attempting to help her. (3.9, 6 to 12, 36306 words)

Hiding from the Nazis by  David A. Adler
The true story of Lore Baer who as a four-year-old Jewish child was placed with a Christian family in the Dutch farm country to avoid persecution by the Nazis. (4.8, 4 to 12, 1792 words)

The Winter Room by Gary Paulsen
A young boy growing up on a northern Minnesota farm describes the scenes around him and recounts his old Norwegian uncle's tales of an almost mythological logging past. (6.4, 4 to 8, 19032 words)

City of Light by Lauren Belfer
The head mistress of a girl's school in Buffalo New York narrates a story of murder while weaving the history and culture of 1901Buffalo into the tail. (6.1, 9 to 12, 182134 words)

Fever, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
In 1793 Philadelphia, fourteen-year-old Matilda Cook, separated from her sick mother, learns about perseverance and self-reliance when she is forced to cope with the horrors of a yellow fever epidemic. (3.4, 9 to 12, 51517 words)

The Wave by Todd Strasser
Based on a true incident this story explores the power of group pressure in a high school history class and how it relates to Nazism. (4.4, 9 to 12, 32241 words)

December 6, 2005

Anna Banana and Me by Lenore Blegvad — Easy Reader
Anna Banana's fearlessness inspires a playmate to face his own fears.

The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson — Easy Reader
A mouse is threatened by a fox, an owl and a snake so he invents a gruffalo to save him.

It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Snow — Easy Reader
It looks like spilt milk but is it? To find out you have to read the whole book.

Freedom Crossing by Margaret Goff Clark
Laura believes that anyone helping a fugitive slave is breaking the law. Then she meets Martin Paige, a 12-year-old runaway slave who would rather die than be sent back to the South. (4.2, 4 to 12, 31030 words)

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. (5.0, 4 to 12, 37496 words)

Searching the Noonday Trail by Tuitel/Lamson
Johnnie Jacobson starts school at the end of a busy summer and once again finds he has to prove himself. School proves to be challenging. And then a secret football play, a museum mystery and a field trip to the Chief Noonday Trail put Johnnie and his Gun Lake friends hot on the trail of another exciting adventure. (4.4, 4 to 8, 20068 words)

1984 by George Orwell
This is the story of one man's nightmare odyssey through a world ruled by warring states and a power structure that controls not only information but individual thought and memory. (7.2,9 to 12, 103794 words)

Jumping the Nail by Eve Bunting
When a group of teenagers in a coastal California community challenge each other to "jump the Nail"—leap from dangerous cliffs into the ocean—group pressure and manipulative relationships quickly drive the game out of control. (2.8, 9 to 12, 33158 words)

The Killer's Cousin by Nancy Werlin
Seventeen-year-old David has been recently acquitted of murder and he moves to Boston where he lives with his aunt and uncle and 11-year-old cousin, Lily. Lily’s behavior becomes more and more threatening until David must make a difficult decision regarding her. (4.2, 10 to 12, 51734 words)

November 17, 2005

Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus
Leo, a young tiger, finally blooms as his parents watch.

The Little Red Hen by Byron Barton
The little red hen finds none of her lazy friends willing to help her plant, harvest, or grind wheat into flour, but all are eager to eat the bread she makes from it.

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
This is the endearing and enduring popular classic of a little bunny who keeps running away from his mother.

The Big Wave by Pearl S. Buck
The family of a young Japanese boys lose their lives as a result of a tsunami. The boy learns that life must go on despite his grief. (4.8, 4 to 8, 11553 words)

Mr. Tucket by Gary Paulsen
In 1848, while on a wagon train headed for Oregon, fourteen-year-old Francis Tucket is kidnapped by Pawnee Indians and then falls in with a one-armed trapper who teaches him how to live in the wild. (4.7, 4 to 12, 30174 words)

Sounder by William H. Armstrong
Despite his father being jailed for stealing food for his family a young black boy grows up with understanding and maturity. (5.2, 4 to 9, 22611 words)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
This complex novel deals primarily with the life of Jay Gatsby who has fallen in love with Daisy and his efforts to win her. (6.6, 9 to 12, 48471 words)

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
Tragic young love is recounted by the narrator forty years later. (6.0, 9 to 12, 48849 words)

Wolf by the Ears by Ann Rinaldi
Harriet Hemings, rumored to be the daughter of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, one of his black slaves, struggles with the problems facing her — to escape from the velvet cage that is Monticello, or to stay, and thus remain a slave. (3.9, 9 to 12, 60924 words)

October 20, 2005

Mary Wore Her Red Dress and Henry Wore His Green Sneakers by Merle Peek — Easy Reader
Each of Katy Bear's animal friends wears a different color of clothing to her birthday party.

The Snowy Day by  Ezra Jack Keats — Easy Reader
A small boy enjoys the wonder of the first snow of the season.

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble — Easy Reader
In a moment of fright, Sylvester the donkey asks his magic pebble to turn him into a rock but then can not hold the pebble to wish himself back to normal again. This book is very suitable for older readers. (5.4, 4 to 8, 1426 words)

Riding Freedom by Pam Muñoz Ryan
A fictionalized account of Charley (Charlotte) Parkhurst who ran away from an orphanage, posed as a boy, moved to California, and fooled everyone by her appearance. (4.5, 4 to 9, 20036 words)

Sable by Karen Hesse
Tate Marshall is delighted when a stray dog turns up in the yard one day, but Sable, named for her dark, silky fur, causes trouble with the neighbors and has to go. (3.2, 4 to 9, 9630 words)

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
After the death of the uncle who had been his guardian, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is coerced to continue his uncle's dangerous work for Britain's intelligence agency, M16. (5.1, 4 to 9, 47681 words)

The Borning Room by Paul Fleischman
Lying at the end of her life in the room where she was born in 1851, Georgina remembers what it was like to grow up on the Ohio frontier. (5.3, 9 to 12, 19139 words)

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The angst of Holden Caulfield growing up is portrayed in this edgy coming of age novel. (4.4, 9 to 12, 74086 words)

Ordinary People by Judith Guest
The downside of the American dream is realized when tragedy strikes the Jarrett family. (4.1, 9 to 12, 67795 words)

September 15, 2005

Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom — Easy Reader
Rhymed text and illustrations describe Jesse Bear's activities from morning to bedtime.

More Spaghetti, I Say! by Rita Golden Gelman — Easy Reader
Minnie the monkey is too busy eating spaghetti—all day, in all ways—to play with Freddy.

RUB-A-DUB-DUB What's in the Tub by Mary Blocksma — Easy Reader
A boy and his dog have a wonderful time in the bath, but try very hard not to get any water on the floor.

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord
In 1947, a Chinese child comes to Brooklyn, where she starts to feel at home and make friends when she discovers baseball and the Brooklyn Dodgers. (5.3, 4 to 8, 26873 words)

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
Karana survives and thrives both physically and mentally while living alone on a island by herself. (5.7, 4 to 10, 40164 words)

Old Yeller by Fred Gipson
This is a heartwarming story of a boy and his dog and their many adventures in the Texas wilderness. (4.8, 4 to 12, 36109 words)

Flight to Fear by Tom Belina
Linda becomes a hero when the airplane she is on is hijacked. (3.3, 7 to 12, 9536 words)

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
In this story about the perils of popularity, the courage of nonconformity, and the thrill of first love, an eccentric student named Stargirl changes Mica High School forever. (4.5, 9 to 12, 41357 words)

Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden
Australia has been invaded and 7 teenagers must decide whether to hide in the bush or fight for their country. (5.2, 9 to 12, 81942 words)

August 16, 2005

Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin Jr. / John Archambault — Easy Reader
The owner of a human body celebrates it by pointing out various parts and mentioning their functions, from "hands for catching and throwing" to the "skin that bundles me in."

Jump, Frog, Jump! by Robert Kalan — Easy Reader
A cumulative tale in which a frog tries to catch a fly without getting caught itself.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
A caterpillar eats and eats and finally turns into a beautiful butterfly.

Family Tree by Katherine Ayres
While trying to construct her family tree for a school assignment, eleven-year-old Tyler discovers her Amish heritage and other secrets about her family's past. (4, 4 to 10, 29741 words)

Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco
Sheldon Curtis describes his meeting with Pinkus Aylee, a black soldier, and their capture by Southern troops during the Civil War. (3.5, 4 to 12, 3284 words)

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
A young boy escapes from two wicked aunts and embarks on a series of adventures with six giant insects he meets inside a giant peach. (5, 4 to 8, 25976 words)

Search for the Shadowman byJoan Lowery Nixon
While working on a genealogy project for his seventh-grade history class, Andy Thomas becomes determined to solve the mystery surrounding a distant relative who was accused of stealing the family fortune. (5.2, 7 to 12, 30045 words)

I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan
After four young adults try to cover-up a hit and run death of a young boy a terrifying avenger begins to stalk them. (4.5, 9 to 12, 48158 words)

Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton
Russel-James, a fourteen year old tough guy, longs to be like his older brother—the toughest and coolest guy in the neighborhood. (3.7, 9 to 12, 23918 words)

Test Set by Charles LaRocca
This book is the sequel to Burn Barrel. The author, while browsing the Internet, noticed we were providing Burn Barrel to our users and thought that our readers would enjoy the sequel so he generously supplied it to us. (2.6, 9 to 12, 13028 words)

July 19, 2005

Andrew's Bath by David M. McPhail — Easy Reader
Andrew's first all-by-himself bath proves an adventurous experience.

Pancakes, Pancakes! by Eric Carle — Easy Reader
By cutting and grinding the wheat for flour, Jack starts from scratch to help make his breakfast pancake.

Peanut Butter and Jelly by Nadine Bernard Westcott — Easy Reader
The words in this book are a variation of a popular play rhyme about making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
After the sudden death of their parents, the three Baudelaire children must depend on each other and their wits when it turns out that the distant relative who is appointed their guardian is determined to use any means necessary to get their fortune. (6.6, 6 to 12, 24266 words)

Friedrich by Hans Peter Richter
A young German boy recounts the fate of his best friend, a Jew, during the Nazi regime. (4.7, 7 to 12, 32056 words)

The River by Gary Paulsen
Because of his success surviving alone in the wilderness for fifty-four days, fifteen-year-old Brian, profoundly changed by his time in the wild, is asked to undergo a similar experience to help scientists learn more about the psychology of survival. (4.7, 6 to 12, 28397 words)

Bull Run by Paul Fleischman
Northerners, Southerners, generals, couriers, dreaming boys, and worried sisters describe the glory, the horror, the thrill, and the disillusionment of the first battle of the Civil War. (5.7, 9 to 12, 13664 words)

Hanging on to Max by Margaret Bechard
When his girlfriend decides to give their baby away, seventeen-year-old Sam is determined to keep him and raise him alone. (3.1, 9 to 12, 37607 words)

Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
A teenager casually suggests playing a cruel trick on the English teacher, but did he intend it to end with murder? (4.3, 9 to 12, 58184 words)

June 15, 2005

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr — Easy Reader
Zoo animals from polar bear to walrus make their distinctive sounds for each other, while children imitate the sounds for the zookeeper.

Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion — Easy Reader
Harry gets so dirty playing that the family doesn't recognize him until he takes a bath.

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams  — Easy Reader
A little old lady who is not afraid of anything must deal with a pumpkin head, a tall black hat, and other spooky objects that follow her through the dark woods trying to scare her.

A Taste of Blackberries by Doris Buchanan Smith
Jamie, a young boy, suddenly dies as a result of a bee sting. The narrator, also a young boy, tells the readers his reactions to Jamie’s death. This is an unusual book about a subject matter left typically left untouched for young readers. (3.9, 4 to 8, 10955 words)

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Wilbur, a pig, is in great peril until Charlotte, a spider, devises a way to save his life. (4.6, 4 to 8, 32073 words)

Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen
Thirteen-year-old Sammy's penchant for speaking her mind gets her in trouble when she involves herself in the investigation of a robbery at the "seedy" hotel across the street from the seniors' building where she is living with her grandmother.(4.3, 7 to 12, 40598 words)

Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy by Sonya Sones
A younger sister has a difficult time adjusting to life after her older sister has a mental breakdown. (4.6, 9 to 12, 9636 words)

The Voice on the Radio by Caroline B. Cooney
Sixteen-year-old Janie feels devastated when she discovers that her boyfriend has betrayed her and her family through his college radio program. (4.9, 9 to 12, 41916 words)

Acceleration by Graham McNamee
Stuck working in the Lost and Found of the Toronto Transit Authority for the summer, seventeen-year-old Duncan finds the diary of a serial killer and sets out to stop him. (4.1, 9 to 12, 47017 words)

May 16, 2005

Daniel's Duck by Clyde Robert Bulla — Easy Reader
Daniel decides he hates the duck he has carved until the best wood-carver in Tennessee admires it.

Fox on the Job by James Marshal — Easy Reader
Fox tries to earn the money for a new bicycle in several different jobs.

George and Martha by James Marshall — Easy Reader
George and Martha are two hippos friends that have rather ordinary life events accounted for in a charming way in this book.

Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry
For ten-year-old Anastasia, life is full of problems like teachers, boys, a grandmother who does not remember her name, and the arrival of a new baby brother. (5.1, 4 to 8, 22406 words)

Voices at Whisper Bend by Katherine Ayres
In their Pennsylvania town in 1942 twelve-year-old Charlotte and her classmates collect scrap metal for the war effort only to have it disappear from the school basement. (3.6, 5 to 9, 33729 words)

Give a Boy a Gun by Todd Strasser
A fictional account of two boys who go on a shooting rampage at their high school. (5.7, 7 to 12, 31935 words)

Shark Bait by Graham Salisbury
Twelve-year-old Mokes is torn between obeying his father, the police chief in the small town of Kailua, Hawaii, and being with his friends, who plan to go see a fight between an island boy and a sailor. (3.6, 9 to 12, 27554 words)

The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Kino, a fisherman in a small Mexican village, finds a magnificent pearl and it brings something other than the riches he and his wife hope for. (6.1, 9 to 12, 26265 words)

Time's Reach by Janet Lorimer
When Gail goes to Hawaii for a vacation with her brother she meets a strange man who has quite a surprise for her. (2.9, 7 to 12, 8770 words)

April 25, 2005

Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat — Easy Reader
Nate tracks down Annie's missing picture and finds a lost cat in the bargain.

The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle — Easy Reader
A spider is too busy to do anything with any of the farm animals.

Harriet's Recital by Nancy Carlson — Easy Reader
Harriet overcomes her stage fright and dances successfully and proudly at her ballet recital.

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
A twelve-year-old boy named Moose moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards' families were housed there, and has to contend with his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister. (3.6, 7 to 12, 49775 words)

The Ink Drinker by Éric Sanvoisin
A boy who hates books discovers an ink-drinking vampire in his father's bookshop and follows him to his underground vault. (4.6, 4 to 8, 2355 words)

The War with Grandpa by Robert Kimmel Smith
Peter is thrilled to hear that Grandpa is coming to live with him, until he finds out that he will have to give up his room. Peter decides that it will take a war to regain his room, but Grandpa has ideas of his own for retaining the room. (3.6, 4 to 8, 22114 words)

David v. God by Mary E. Pearson
Certain that his death was a mistake, wise guy David James finds himself teamed up with the "Queen of the Nerds" from his high school in preparation for a debate with God. (4.6, 9 to 12, 22849 words)

Lucy the Giant by Sherri L. Smith
Fifteen-year-old Lucy, the largest girl in her school, leaves her small Alaska town and her alcoholic father and discovers hardship--and friendship--posing as an adult aboard a commercial fishing boat. (4, 10 to 12, 47188 words)

Whatever Happened to Janie? by Caroline B. Cooney
The members of two families have their lives disrupted when a teenage girl who had been kidnapped twelve years earlier discovers that the people who raised her are not her biological parents. Sequel to The Face on the Milk Carton. (5.2, 9 to 12, 45665 words)

March 16, 2005

Because a Little Bug Went Ka-Choo! by Rosetta Stone — Easy Reader
The mere sneeze of a bug triggers a chain reaction involving, among others, cows, turtles, policemen, and an entire circus parade.

My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett — Easy Reader
A young boy determines to rescue a poor baby dragon who is being used by a group of lazy wild animals to ferry them across the river on Wild Island.

The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle — Easy Reader 
A lonely firefly goes out into the night searching for other fireflies.

Tornado by Betsy Byars — Easy Reader