Recommended Book List

A note about interest and reading levels: Taken from Scholastic’s database, these levels are meant to be a
guide to help you determine (1) maturity level and (2) reading level for the following books.
• Interest Levels: It is important to know that, when stories have lower interest levels, they are not
necessarily meant only for young children. Instead, they explore themes that can be appreciated by all
ages.
• Reading Levels: Reading levels are determined by the number of sentences per page, the length and
complexity of sentences, and the difficulty of the vocabulary. Please understand that much of
contemporary adult literature has a reading level of grades 7 – 9; so enjoying a story “below” your actual
reading level equivalent does not mean that you are “behind” in reading comprehension.
• Determining the best “fit”: For students with English as a second language, the reading level will help
you know if the literature is beyond a comfortable level to enjoy the story. For students seeking deeper
explorations into themes, mood, and characterization, you might consider higher interest levels.
• Overall, our best advice is to just read the summaries and choose the stories that most appeal to
you!

Family, Friends & Contemporary Fiction

Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
Interest Level: Grades 4 – 6
Reading Level: Grade 4.7

Second grader Leigh Botts adores a book about dog training by author Mr. Boyd Henshaw. To fulfill a school
assignment, Leigh painstakingly writes to Mr. Henshaw and tells him how much he "licked" his book. At first, Leigh
resents the flippant replies he gets from his idol, but gradually he answers Mr. Henshaw's questions, which are really
only to encourage Leigh to put pencil to paper. Four years later, Leigh is in the sixth grade and is still writing to Mr.
Henshaw, and he never imagines that he'd reveal so much of himself and his life to the author: "Dear Mr. Henshaw, I
am sorry I was rude in my last letter. Maybe I was mad about other things, like Dad forgetting to send his child-support payment . . .”
Gradually not only his spelling and writing improve, but also his feelings about life, as Mr. Henshaw inspires Leigh to keep a journal.

Drita: My Homegirl by Jenny Lombard

Interest Level: Grades 3 – 6
Reading Level: Grade 3.7

Drita, a fourth grader who has just arrived in New York, is eager to make friends at her new school, but soon learns
she is not welcomed by everyone. Maxie, who has a knack for stirring up trouble, is in Drita's class and has a lot of
friends.

Kira Kira by Cynthia Kadohata

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.8
When Katie and her family move from a Japanese community in Iowa to the Deep South of Georgia, it's Lynn who
explains to her why people stop them on the street to stare. And it's Lynn who, with her special way of viewing the
world, teaches Katie to look beyond tomorrow. But when Lynn becomes desperately ill, and the whole family
begins to fall apart, it is up to Katie to find a way to remind them all that there is always something glittering – kira-
kira – in the future.
The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron
Interest Level: Grades 3 – 5
Reading Level: Grade 5.5
Ten-year-old Lucky, who is intent upon seeking her Higher Power after overhearing people speak at AA meetings,
determines that running away is the way to prevent her legal guardian, Brigitte, from abandoning her and returning
home to France.

Holes by Louis Sachar

Interest Level: Grades 5 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.2
Stanley Yelnats has had awful luck his whole life: He's overweight, kids tease him, his family is poor, and now he's
accused of a crime he didn't commit! Stanley blames his great-great grandfather, Elya Yelnats, who stole a pig from a
gypsy. According to legend, the gypsy put a curse on Elya and all his descendants.

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 4.5
The greatly admired and bestselling book about a young girl growing up in the Latino section of Chicago. Sometimes
heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous, this novel depicts a new American landscape through its multiple characters.
In The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros draws on her own experience as a Hispanic woman writer facing
obstacles in a patriarchal community resistant to change. Published in 1984 to instantaneous acclaim, the book is made
up of lyrical passages, interconnected vignettes, and meditations and observations that resemble prose poems.
Cisneros's structurally and thematically bold work explores the often violent coming of age of a young Mexican-American woman.

How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell

Interest Level: Grades 3 – 6
Reading Level: Grade 3.5

Because of a bet, Billy is in the uncomfortable position of having to eat fifteen worms in fifteen days. The worms are
supplied by his opponent, whose motto is "The bigger and juicier, the better!" At first Billy's problem is whether or not
he can swallow the worm placed before him, even with a choice of condiments from peanut butter to horseradish. But
later it looks as if Billy will win, and the challenge becomes getting to the worm to eat it.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Interest Level: Grades 4 – 7
Reading Level: Grade 5.0
Orphan, Clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on
secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man
who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic
drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form
the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater

Interest Level: Grades 3 – 6
Reading Level: Grade 4.9

Poor Mr. Popper isn't exactly unhappy; he just wishes he had seen something of the world before meeting Mrs.
Popper and settling down. Most of all, he wishes he had seen the Poles, and spends his spare time between house-
painting jobs reading all about polar explorations. Admiral Drake, in response to Mr. Popper's fan letter, sends him a
penguin . . . and life at 432 Proudfoot Avenue is never the same again!
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Interest Level: Grades 4 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.4

He wasn't born with the name Maniac Magee. He came into this world named Jeffrey Lionel Magee, but when his
parents died and his life changed, so did his name. And Maniac Magee became a legend. Even today kids talk about
how fast he could run; about how he hit an inside-the-park "frog" homer; how no knot, no matter how snarled, would
stay that way once he began to untie it. But the thing Mania Magee is best known for is what he did for the kids from
the East Side and those from the West Side.

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Interest Level: Grades 4 – 7
Reading Level: Grade 4.0
Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life, which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and
a family that revolves around his disability. She's spent years trying to teach David the rules from “a peach is not a
funny-looking apple” to “keep your pants on in public” in order to head off David's embarrassing behaviors. But the
summer that Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the next-door friend she's always
wished for, it's her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down and forces her to ask: What is normal?

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Interest Level: Grades 3 – 6
Reading Level: Grade 5.7

Acclaimed author Phyllis Reynolds Naylor writes in a folksy, down-home style as she spins the story of Marty's
efforts to find his way through a complicated situation. Insightfully, Marty concludes that "nothing is as simple as
you guess – not right or wrong, not Judd Travers, not even me or this dog." A Newberry Medal winner, this
suspenseful story contains memorable characterizations that take a sharp look at the best and the worst in human
nature.

Slam! By Walter Dean Meyers

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 4.8

Newbery Honor author Walter Dean Myers calls on his own Harlem background in this raw and gritty story of a young
basketball player coming of age and trying to make it on the unforgiving courts of the city.

Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.1
Davey has never felt so alone in her life. Her father is dead, shot in a holdup, and now her mother is moving the family
to New Mexico to try to recover. Climbing in Lost Alamos Canyons, Davey meets mysterious Wolf, who seems to
understand the rage and fear she feels. Slowly, with Wolf's help, Davey realizes that she must get on with her life. But
when will she be ready to leave the past behind? Will she ever stop hurting?

Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson by Mitch Albom
Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 5.9
Thirty-seven-year-old Mitch Albom shares his warm, moving account of his last visits with his very special, and
dying, seventy-eight-year-old college professor, Morrie Schwartz.
The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
Interest Level: Grades 3 – 5
Reading Level: Grade 4.8

Four students, with their own individual stories, develop a special bond and attract the attention of their teacher, a
paraplegic, who chooses them to represent their sixth-grade class in the Academic Bowl competition.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Interest Level: Grades 4 – 7
Reading Level: Grade 4.9

On a long car trip from Ohio to Idaho, 13-year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle tells her grandparents about her friend
Phoebe, who is coping with the disappearance of her mother. Beneath Phoebe's story is Sal's search for her own
mother, who left one sunny morning and never returned.

Wringer by Jerry Spinelli

Interest Level: Grades 5 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.5
Palmer dreads his 10th birthday, when he will become a "wringer," trained to wring the necks of pigeons gunned down
in an annual shooting contest. The thought of killing the birds sickens him, as does the bullying behavior of his three
buddies. When Palmer makes a pet of a stray pigeon, he struggles to find the courage needed to confront his peers and
act according to his conscience.

Historical Fiction
Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.8
This book is the story of an African man who was captured by slave traders and brought to Massachusetts, where he
was a slave until he was able to purchase his freedom.

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 9.0
Young Parvana lives with her family in one room of a bombed-out apartment building in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Because her father has a foreign education, he is arrested by the Taliban, the religious group that controls the country.
Since women cannot appear in public unless covered head to toe, or go to school, or work outside the home, the
family becomes increasingly desperate until Parvana conceives a plan. She cuts her hair and disguises herself as a
boy to earn money for her family. Parvana's determination to survive is the force that drives this novel set against the
backdrop of an intolerable situation brought about by war and religious fanaticism.
Crispin: The Cross of Lead (series) by Avi
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 6.1
In fourteenth-century England a nameless thirteen-year-old peasant boy, who thought he had little to lose, finds
himself with even less. Accused of a crime he did not commit, he has been declared a "wolf's head," meaning that
anyone can kill him on sight. "Asta's son" learns from the village priest that his Christian name is Crispin and that his
parents' origins – and fates – might be more complex than he ever imagined. To remain alive the boy must flee his
tiny village – the only world he's ever known – taking with him his mother's cross of lead.

Daughter of Fortune by Isabelle Allende

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 9.0

An orphan raised in Valparaiso, Chile, by a Victorian spinster and her rigid brother, vivacious young Eliza Sommers
follows her lover to California during the Gold Rush of 1849. Entering a rough-and-tumble world of new arrivals
driven mad by gold fever, Eliza moves in to a reckless society but has the help of her good friend and savior, the
Chinese doctor Tao Chi'en. California opens the door to a new life of freedom and independence to the young Chilean,
and her search for her elusive lover gradually turns into another kind of journey.

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Wilder

Interest Level: Grades 3 – 5
Reading Level: Grade 4.2

Laura Ingalls's story begins in 1871 in a little log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Four-year-old
Laura lives in the little house with her Pa, her Ma, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their trusty dog, Jack. Pioneer life
is sometimes hard, since the family must grow or catch all their own food as they get ready for the cold winter. But it
is also exciting as Laura and her folks celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do the spring planting,
bring in the harvest, and make their first trip into town. And every night they are safe and warm in their little house,
with the happy sound of Pa's fiddle sending Laura and her sisters off to sleep.

Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen- historical fiction

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 4.2

12-year-old Sarny exposes the abuse (routine beatings, bondage, dog attacks, forced "breeding") suffered by her people
on the Waller plantation in the 1850s. The punishment for learning to read and write, she knows, is a bloody one, but
when a new slave, Nightjohn, offers to teach her the alphabet, Sarny readily agrees. Her decision causes pain for others
as well as for herself, yet, inspired by the bravery of Nightjohn, who has given up a chance for freedom in order to
educate slaves, Sarny continues her studies.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Interest Level: Grades 3 – 5
Reading Level: Grade 5.1

The evacuation of Jews from Nazi-held Denmark is one of the great untold stories of World War II. On September 29,
1943, word got out in Denmark that Jews were to be detained and then sent to the death camps. Within hours the
Danish resistance, population and police arranged a small flotilla to herd 7,000 Jews to Sweden. Lois Lowry
fictionalizes a true-story account to bring this courageous tale to life. She brings the experience to life through the eyes
of 10-year-old Annemarie Johannesen, whose family harbors her best friend, Ellen Rosen, on the eve of the round-up and helps
smuggles Ellen's family out of the country.
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 6.8

Tree-ear, an orphan, lives under a bridge in Ch'ulp'o, potters' village famed for delicate celadon ware. He has become
fascinated with the potter's craft; he wants nothing more than to watch master potter Min at work, and he dreams of
making a pot of his own someday.

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 8.1

Dumas's most popular novel has long been a favorite with children, and its swashbuckling heroes are well known from
many a film and TV adaptation. Set in 17th-century France, this tale of the adventures of D'Artagnan and the three
musketeers is the finest example of its author's brilliantly inventive storytelling genius.

Under the Blood Red Sun by Graham Salisbury

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.8

Tomi was born in Hawaii. His grandfather and parents were born in Japan, and came to America to escape poverty.
World War II seems far away from Tomi and his friends, who are too busy playing ball on their eighth-grade team, the
Rats. But then Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese, and the United States declares war on Japan. Japanese men
are rounded up, and Tomi’s father and grandfather are arrested. It’s a terrifying time to be Japanese in America. But
one thing doesn’t change: the loyalty of Tomi’s buddies, the Rats.

Mystery and Suspense

39 Clues by Rick Riordan (series: by different authors)
Interest Level: Grades 3 – 6
Reading Level: Grade 4.0

What would happen if you discovered that your family was one of the most powerful in human history? What if you
were told that the source of the family's power was hidden around the world, in the form of 39 Clues? What if you
were given a choice, take a million dollars and walk away, or get the first Clue? If you're Amy and Dan Cahill, you
take the Clue, and begin a very dangerous race.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 8.1

This splendid collection of mysteries carries readers back to a gas-lit era, when literature's greatest detective team lived
on Baker Street. A dozen of Holmes and Watson's best-known cases include "The Speckled Band," "The Red-Headed
League," The Five Orange Pips," "The Copper Beeches," and "A Scandal in Bohemia."
Tangerine by Edward Bloor-mystery/suspense/realistic fiction
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.4

Paul Fisher's older brother Erik is a high school football star, but to Paul he's no hero. Paul's own game is soccer,
which he plays even though he has to wear thick glasses because of a mysterious eye injury. When the Fishers move to
Tangerine, Florida, Paul tries to make sense of things. Like why people live in a place where underground fires burn
for years, a sinkhole swallows his school and lightning strikes the same practice field every day. Why he fits into the
toughest group around, which just happens to be his new soccer team. And most of all, why no one but he can see the terrifying truth
about Erik.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 6.1

Sixteen heirs who are mysteriously chosen to live in the Sunset Towers apartment building on the shore of Lake
Michigan, somewhere in Wisconsin, come together to hear the will of the late self-made millionaire, Samuel W.
Westing. The will takes the form of a puzzle, dividing the sixteen heirs into eight pairs, giving each pair a different set
of clues which consist of almost all of the lyrics from the song “America the Beautiful,” and challenging them to solve
the mystery of who murdered Sam Westing. As an incentive, each heir is given $10,000 to play the game. Whoever solves the mystery
will inherit Sam Westing's $200 million fortune, and his company, Westing Paper Products. It’s a classic “whodunit”!

Adventure and Survival Stories

The Hunger Games (series) by Suzanne Collins
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 7.0

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by
twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender
terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger
Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and
younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of
audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.6

To her small Eskimo village, she is known as Miyax; to her friend in San Francisco, she is Julie. When her life in
the village becomes dangerous, Miyax runs away, only to find herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness. Without food
and time running out, Miyax tries to survive by copying the ways of a pack of wolves. Accepted by their leader and
befriended by a feisty pup named Kapu, she soon grows to love her new wolf family. Life in the wilderness is a
struggle, but when she finds her way back to civilization, Miyax is torn between her old and new lives. Is she Miyax
of the Eskimos -- or Julie of the wolves?

Percy Jackson and the Olympians (series) by Rick Riordan

Interest Level: Grades 4 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 4.7

This is a great choice for those who have already read or studied Percy Jackson: Lightning Thief in 7th grade. Classic
Greek mythology is mixed with modern adventure in this action-packed series about a boy who, at 12 years, old
discovers that he is the son of Poseidon, God of the Sea.
Stormbreaker (series) by Anthony Horowitz
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.4

They told him his uncle died in a car accident. Fourteen-year-old Alex knows that's a lie, and the bullet holes in his
uncle's windshield confirm his suspicions. But nothing prepares him for the news that the uncle he always thought he
knew was really a spy for MI6, Britain's top secret intelligence agency. Recruited to find his uncle's killers and
complete his final mission, Alex suddenly finds himself caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.4

Cole receives a one-year banishment to a remote Alaskan island. There, he is mauled by a mysterious white bear of
Native American legend. Hideously injured, Cole waits for his death His thoughts shift from from anger to humility.
To survive, he must stop blaming others and take responsibility for his life. Rescuers arrive to save Cole's life, but it
is the attack of the Spirit Bear that may save his soul.

Romance and Growing Up

Fifteen by Beverly Cleary
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.5

Jane has a date . . . with handsome Stan Crandall! Quiet Jane is amazed when a new boy in school, Stan Crandall,
rescues her from a baby-sitting dilemma. And when Stan calls to invite her to the movies, she is thrilled. Her
excitement is soon overwhelmed by a flurry of worries. What should she wear? Will her parents embarrass her? Is she
grown-up enough for a boy like Stan? A taste of exotic Chinese food, a tired blue jalopy, and a case of appendicitis all
figure in to this lively story of first romance.

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 3.3

For those who have already read Stargirl in 6th grade, here is the sequel. Love, Stargirl picks up a year after Stargirl
ends and reveals the new life of the beloved character. The novel takes the form of "the world's longest letter," in
diary form, going from date to date through a little more than a year's time. In her writing, Stargirl mixes memories of
her bittersweet time in Mica, Arizona, with involvements with new people in her life. In Love, Stargirl, we hear the
voice of Stargirl herself as she reflects on time, life, Leo, and – of course – love.

Twilight (series) by Stephanie Meyer

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 4.4

After 17-year-old Bella begins living with her father in Forks, a small town in the Olympic Peninsula, Bella becomes
haunted by Edward Cullen, a mysterious and handsome boy at school whom she later learns is a vampire.
Unfortunately, Bella falls in love with him and puts her life at risk just to be with him.
Fantasy
Bunnicula: A Tale of Mystery by James Howe
Interest Level: Grades 3 – 5
Reading Level: Grade 4.9

When the Monroe family brings home a small black-and-white bunny they find in the movie theater after seeing
Dracula, Chester the cat and Harold the dog are instantly suspicious. After all the vegetables in the Monroe kitchen
start turning white, Chester and Harold are certain that Bunnicula is a vegetarian vampire.

Chronicles of Narnia (series) by C.S. Lewis

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.8

Here is a world where a witch decrees eternal winter; where there are more talking animals than people; and where
battles are fought by centaurs, giants, and fauns.

City of Ember (series) by Jeanne DuPrau

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.1

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 a secret that will save the
city. She and her friend Doon must decipher the message before the lights go out on Ember forever!

Eragon – Inheritance (Book 1) by Christopher Paolini

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 7.8

Fifteen-year-old Eragon believes that he is merely a poor farm boy – until his destiny as a Dragon Rider is revealed.
Gifted with only an ancient sword, a loyal dragon, and sage advice from an old storyteller, Eragon is soon swept into a
dangerous tapestry of magic, glory, and power. Now his choices could save – or destroy – the Empire.

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 8.3

In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch
of the Waste was another matter. After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the
country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon,
everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the
souls of young girls. The Hatter sisters – Sophie, Lettie, and Martha – and all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets
alone. But that was only the beginning.
The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
Interest Level: Grades 3 – 6
Reading Level: Grade 5.9

What could be better than a magic cupboard that turns small toys into living creatures? Omri's big brother has no
birthday present for him, so he gives Omri an old medicine cabinet he's found. Although their mother supplies a key,
the cabinet still doesn't seem like much of a present. But when an exhausted Omri dumps a plastic toy Indian into the
cabinet just before falling asleep, the magic begins. Turn the key once and the toy comes alive; turn it a second time
and it's an action figure again.

Inkheart (series) by Cornelia Funke

Interest Level: Grades 4 – 7
Reading Level: Grade 4.9

Meggie lives a quiet life alone with her father, a book-binder. But her father has a deep secret – he posseses an
extraordinary magical power. One day a mysterious stranger arrives who seems linked to her father's past. Who is this
sinister character and what does he want? Suddenly Meggie is involved in a breathless game of escape and intrigue as
her father's life is put in danger. Will she be able to save him in time?

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Interest Level: Grades 3 – 7
Reading Level: Grade 6.7

Young James Henry Trotter loses his parents and is forced to live with his evil aunts. Luckily, he is given magic
crystals, which he accidentally spills on his aunts' decrepit peach tree. One of the peaches begins to grow, and grow,
and grow. Finally, James climbs into the peach and it rolls away from his aunts' yard and his miserably lonely life.
With the giant peach, he begins a new life, making friends along the way with hilarious characters like the
Grasshopper and the Earthworm.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 8.1

The beloved trilogy that has catapulted the fantasy genre into the hearts and minds of young adults for generations,
The Lord of the Rings tells of a great quest undertaken by Frodo, a hobbit, and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the
Wizard, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Boromir of the Men of Gondor, and a tall, mysterious stranger called
Strider to save Middle Earth.

Lost Years of Merlin (series) by T. A. Barron

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 4.8

So begins the tale of the strange young boy, who, having washed up on the shores of ancient Wales, is determined to
find his real home and his true name. One day he will become the greatest wizard of all time, but he knows nothing of
this now.

The Witches by Roald Dahl

Interest Level: Grades 3 – 6
Reading Level: Grade 5.5

Grandmamma loves to tell about witches. Real witches are the most dangerous of all living creatures on earth. There's
nothing they hate so much as children, and they work all kinds of terrifying spells to get rid of them. Her grandson
listens closely to Grandmamma's stories – but nothing can prepare him for the day he comes face to face with The
Grand High Witch herself!
Science Fiction & the Future
Aliens Ate my Homework by Bruce Coville
Interest Level: Grades 4 – 5
Reading Level: Grade 5.1

It's the weirdest alien invasion ever! “I cannot tell a lie," says Rod Allbright. And it's the truth. Ask him a question,
and he's bound to give you an honest answer. Which is why when his teacher asks what happened to last night's math
assignment, Rod has to give the only answer he can: "Aliens ate my homework, Miss Maloney!" Of course, no one
believes Rod this time, so they don't bother to ask him why the aliens are here – which is just as well, since he is
sworn to silence about their secret mission; and the fact that he has been drafted to help them.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 9.0

Aliens have attacked Earth twice and almost destroyed the human species. To make sure humans win the next
encounter, the world government has taken to breeding military geniuses – and then training them in the arts of war.
The early training, not surprisingly, takes the form of “games.” Ender Wiggin is a genius among geniuses; he wins all
the games and he is smart enough to know that time is running out. But is he smart enough to save the planet?

Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 8.1

Journey through the body with a five-person crew as they race to beat the clock to destroy a clot that threatens a man's
life. Is someone on board trying to sabotage the assignment?

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 5.6

Leaving behind a world on the brink of destruction, man came to the Red planet and found the Martians waiting,
dreamlike. Seeking the promise of a new beginning, man brought with him his oldest fears and his deepest desires. Man
conquered Mars, and in that instant, Mars conquered him. The strange new world with its ancient, dying race and vast,
red-gold deserts cast a spell on him, settled into his dreams, and changed him forever.

The Picture of Dorian Gray and Other Writings by Oscar Wilde

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 9.0

Flamboyant and controversial, Oscar Wilde was a dazzling personality, a master of wit, and a dramatic genius whose
sparkling comedies contain some of the most brilliant dialogue ever written for the English stage. Here in one volume
are many of his immensely popular works.
Horror
Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Mystery and Terror by Edgar Allan Poe
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 8.9

Thirteen stories of horror, suspense, and the supernatural that will keep you on the edge of your seat to the very last page.
"The Pit and the Pendulum", "The Fall of the House of Usher", and "The Black Cat" are just three of Edgar Allan Poe's
most famous tales in this chilling, enthralling collection.

Classics
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 8.1

The Original Undersea Epic Adventure! Professor Aronnax narrates this sweeping undersea epic, considered by many
to be one of the greatest adventures of all time. Aronnax bravely agrees to investigate a mysterious sea monster, only
to discover it is actually an enormous high-tech submarine. When he boards the vessel, run by Captain Nemo, he
learns the story of the submarine's fantastic voyage from the lost continent of Atlantis to the South Pole. Remarkable
descriptions of sunken ships, never-before-seen creatures of the deep, and wonderful inventions are even better when
you know that they are entirely the product of the author's imagination; he wrote the book before submarines existed!
A wonderful introduction to classics.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.9

This irresistible tale of the adventures of two friends growing up in frontier America is one of Mark Twain's most
popular novels. The farcical, colorful, and poignant escapades of Tom and his friend Huckleberry Finn brilliantly depict
the humor and pathos of growing up on the geographic and cultural rim of nineteenth-century America.

Anne of Green Gables (series) by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.9

A skinny, precocious, red-headed orphan named Anne Shirley arrives on Prince Edward Island in Canada where she is
to live with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert on their farm, Green Gables. The world of Prince Edward Island in the early
1900's is lushly and lovingly portrayed in L.M. Montgomery's novel. She creates in Anne a truthful character that has
as many faults as she does perfections. Readers of all ages will appreciate Anne's ineffable, buoyant spirit and the
idyllic, by-gone world of farm pastures and small town roads in which she happily finds herself.

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 6.4

Written in 1877 as an appeal for the humane treatment of horses, Black Beauty ranks among the most famous and
popular of animal stories. Black Beauty's story, as told by himself, is the fascinating tale of the life of a horse a hundred
years ago, when horses were a part of daily life. Although his colthood and early life are happy, Black Beauty tastes the
bitterness of cruel handlers and indifferent masters as he passes from hand to hand, progressing from the country to
London and back again.
Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of 'The Iliad' by Rosemary Sutcliff
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8

Here, Homer's epic poem, “The Illiad,” one of the greatest adventure stories of all time, is retold through prose. In it,
the abduction of the legendary beauty, Helen of Troy, leads to a conflict in which even the gods and goddesses take
sides and intervene. It is in the Trojan War that the most valiant heroes of the ancient world are pitted against one
another. Here Hectore, Ajax, Achilles, and Odysseus meet their most formidable challenges and in some cases their
tragic ends.

Captain Horatio Hornblower by C.S. Forester

Note: 662 pages

C. S. Forester (1899-1966) is best known as the creator of Horatio Hornblower, a British naval genius of the
Napoleonic era, whose exploits and adventures on the high seas Forester chronicled in a series of eleven acclaimed
historical novels. Over the years Hornblower has proved to be one of the most beloved and enduring fictional heroes in
English literature, his popularity rivaled only by Sherlock Holmes. Captain Horatio Hornblower is a collection of three
short novels originally published in 1937 and 1938 as “Beat To Quarters,” “Ship of the Line,” and “Flying Colours.”
All are set during the Napoleonic wars roughly between 1807 and 1811.

Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 6.3

Nineteen-year-old Dantes is falsely accused and imprisoned during his betrothal feast. After many years of
imprisonment, he plots revenge against the three men who betrayed him and carries out his plan using many disguises.

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 10.0

This classic story chronicles the life of David Copperfield from his precarious boyhood to his adult years. David suffers
many tragedies, and has an adventurous, but very challenging life involving many unforgettable characters before he
finds the true meaning of happiness and love.

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 9.0

Beaus, barbecues, and Ashley Wilkes consume sixteen-year-old Scarlett O'Hara's dreams until the horrors of the Civil
War and its traumatic aftermath shatter her and her loved ones' pampered lives. Pulitzer Prize winner.

Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott

This is the novel that popularized modern-day conceptions of the beloved outlaw Robin Hood. 12th century England
comes alive with Crusaders, bandits, Kings, medieval battles, strong heroine figures as well as damsels in distress, and
the heroic clashings between Normans with Anglo-Saxons abound in this historical novel adventure story.
The Jungle Book or The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling
Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 6.1

A young child wanders into the jungle and is raised by a family of wolves. Mowgli has many adventures with Baloo
the bear and his many jungle animal friends as he grows to be a young man. Soon, however, he struggles with who he
is – a wolf or a man.

The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 9.0

The Last of the Mohicans takes place in 1757 during the French and Indian War, when France and England battled for
control of the American and Canadian colonies. It features Cooper's best-known character, the woodsman Natty
Bumppo, also known as "Hawkeye" or "Leatherstocking." Hawkeye is brave, noble, and honest and respects the
customs of the Indians. The Last of the Mohicans is a story of romance and adventure on the American frontier. It is a
story of love and loyalty, and of America's coming of age.

Little Women by Louisa Mae Alcott

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 7.9

Growing up in New England during the American Civil War, the March sisters share everything – their joys and
troubles, their loves and secrets. But the four girls couldn't be more different. Meg, the oldest, is the sensible writer.
Jo is funny and mischievous. Beth is the shy, dreamy one, and Amy is pretty and artistic. From dances to despairs,
through weddings and funerals, the March girls stand as sisters. This is one family you will never forget.

Peter Pan by James Matthew Barrie

Interest Level: Grades 4 – 7
Reading Level: Grade 6.1

Considered one of the greatest fantasy tales ever written, Peter Pan is the story of a boy who wouldn't grow up.
Follow Peter Pan with Wendy to Neverland and share in their adventures with the lost boys, Tinker Bell and the evil
Captain Hook.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 9.0

Elizabeth Bennet is one of four sisters, all of marriageable age, and her family is being visited by a constant parade of
often unsuitable suitors. Most notable among them is the handsome, conceited Mr. Darcy, whose sparring with the
lively Elizabeth forms the core of one of the best-loved English-language novels of all time. A sparkling comedy of
manners, Pride and Prejudice is also a masterful portrait of love and its relationship to intelligence and good sense.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Interest Level: Grades 3 – 5
Reading Level: Grade 6.8

Mary Lennox needs some magic in her life. Her parents have died in a faraway land, and Mary has been taken to a
strange and mysterious mansion to live with her distant uncle. She has no friends and no happiness until she finds the
key to a wonderful secret garden. Now Mary will discover that miracles can happen, and that magic is real.
The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White
Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 6.9

The extraordinary story of a boy called Wart – ignored by everyone except his tutor, Merlyn – who goes on to become
the legendary King Arthur of medieval stories. When Merlyn the magician comes to tutor Sir Ector's sons Kay and
the Wart, schoolwork suddenly becomes much more fun. After all, who wouldn't enjoy being turned into a fish, or a
badger, or a snake? But Merlyn has very particular plans for the Wart.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 7.6

A poignant tale of childhood and the ties of family, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn will transport the reader to the early
1900s where a little girl named Francie dreamily looks out her window at a tree struggling to reach the sky. As she
comes of age in Brooklyn, New York, Francie and her family experience hard times, good times, change, and renewal.

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Interest Level: Grades 3 – 5
Reading Level: Grade 8.3

This beloved classic of literature has touched the hearts of young readers for over three generations. Four friends –
Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger – are always having exciting adventures. While each has their own distinctive personality
– Mole is cautious, Rat is sweet, Toad is a braggart, and Badger can't stand society – their friendship is only enhanced
by their differences. Grahame's text is simply charming, and will hold readers' attention with its stunning detail and
humor. The lovely illustrations, bringing to life the adventures of these four friends amidst the cheery English countryside, only add to
the timelessness of the story.

Autobiography and Biography

All for the Better: A Story of El Barrio by Nicholasa Mohr
Interest Level: Grades 3 – 6
Reading Level: Grade 3.8

All for the Better tells the story of how one caring person can make a difference. In 1933 the Great Depression had hit
Puerto Rico as hard as it had hit the United States. Evelina Lopez, then 11, left her mother and sisters to live with an
aunt in New York City. Her journey to Spanish Harlem, El Barrio, and the life that followed there make up this
simple biography. When she learned that food packages were available to those who presented the proper forms, but
that most of her neighbors were too ashamed to apply, she found a solution. From this early success, Evelina Lopez
Antonetty became an activist on behalf of the Spanish community in New York, ultimately founding the United Bronx Parents Group.

The Artic Explorer: The Story of Matthew Henson by Jeri Chase Ferris
Interest Level: Grades 3 – 5
Reading Level: Grade 5.5

Learn about a wrong that was finally righted in 1988, when the black explorer who discovered the North Pole with
Robert Peary was reburied in Arlington National Cemetery.
Chuck Close, Up Close by Jan Greenberg
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.9

This is an inspiring look at the contemporary artist, Chuck Close, who struggled with learning disabilities as a
youngster, became a celebrated painter in the late 1960s, and later overcame paralysis to continue creating huge
portraits in which the image is created by a multitude of small abstract units.

Harriet Tubman by Ann Petry

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.9

Born a slave, Harriet Tubman dreamed of freedom. And through hard work and her willingness to risk everything –
including her life – she was able to make that dream come true. But after making her escape, Harriet realized that her
own freedom was not enough. So she became a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and devoted her life to helping
others make the journey out of bondage. An invisible threat to plantation owners, she served as a symbol of strength and
inspiration for her people. She was the legendary "Moses," delivering hundreds from the desert of slavery.

J.R.R. Tolkien: Master of Imaginary World by Edward Willett

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 9

As part of the series “Authors Teens Love,” this book offers an accessible portrayal of Tolkien with background
information, a time line, a list of selected works, a glossary, detailed chapter notes, and lists of recommended books
and Internet sites. The book also features a section called "In His Own Words" that quotes three interviews with the
writer.

The Lost Garden by Laurence Yep

Interest Level: Grades 6 - 8
Reading Level: Grade 5.9

Young Laurence didn't really know where he fit in. He thought of himself as American, especially since he didn't
speak Chinese and couldn't understand his grandmother, who lived in Chinatown. But others saw him as different in
the conformist America of the 1950's. In this engaging memoir, the two-time Newbery Honor author tells how
writing helped him start to solve the puzzle.

Rosa Parks: My Story by Rosa Parks and Jim Haskins

Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 6.5

Rosa Parks is widely known as perhaps the single most important symbol of the civil rights movement. Her refusal to
give up her seat to a white man in the colored section of a segregated bus in December 1955, could be said to have
incited the movement that eventually led to the end of segregation laws in the South. Rosa was arrested for her
defiance. Rosa narrates in a calm, direct fashion how this singular act grew out of a lifetime of being dissatisfied with
any kind of disrespectful treatment.
Informational and Non-Fiction
Around the World in One Hundred Years by Jean Fritz
Interest Level: Grades 4 – 7
Reading Level: Grade 5.9

History is brought to life once again through the creative pen of Jean Fritz. True tales of our world's greatest 15th
century explorers – from Bartholomew Diaz and Christopher Columbus, to Juan Ponce de Leon and Vasco Nunez de
Balboa – are fascinatingly portrayed, complimented with the softly shaded pencil illustrations of Anthony Bacon
Venti. Readers are led through a one-hundred-year period when Europeans explored the world and mapped the globe,
while selfishly feeding their own curiosity and greed along the way.

Bomb: The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin
Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 6.9

2013 Newbery Honor Book, 2013 Sibert Award Winner, and 2013 YALSA Excellence Winner, a gripping narrative of
the race between countries, spies, and scientists to create the first atomic bomb.

The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn Iggulden

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8

If ever there were a book to make you switch off your television set, The Dangerous Book for Boys is it. How many
other books will help you thrash someone at conkers, race your own go-cart, and identify the best quotations from
Shakespeare? The Dangerous Book for Boys gives you facts and figures at your fingertips – swot up on the solar system,
learn about famous battles and read inspiring stories of incredible courage and bravery. Teach your old dog new tricks.
Make a pinhole camera. Understand the laws of cricket. There's a whole world out there: with this book, anyone can get out and
explore it (not just boys).

A Dream of Freedom: The Civil Rights Movement by Diane McWhorter

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 10.5

In this history of the modern Civil Rights movement, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Diane McWhorter focuses on
the monumental events that occurred between 1954 (the year of Brown versus the Board of Education) and 1968
(the year that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated). Beginning with an overview of the movement since the
end of the Civil War, McWhorter also discusses such events as the 1956 Montgomery bus boycott, the 1961 Freedom Rides, and the
1963 demonstration in Birmingham, Alabama, among others. Illustrated with more than 100 arresting photographs, A Dream of
Freedom provides children with an understanding of how and why our country long sustained an unthinkable system of prejudice.

First Crossing: Stories about Teen Immigrants by Donald R. Gallo

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 4.8
Fleeing from political violence in Venezuela, Amina and her family have settled in the United States. Sarah, adopted,
is desperate to know her Korean birth parents. Adrian’s friends have some spooky – and hilarious – misconceptions
about his Romanian origins. Whether their transition is from Mexico to the United States or from Palestine to New
Mexico, the characters in this anthology have all ventured far and have faced countless challenges. Each of these
stories is unique, and each one has something to say to all of us.
George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War
by Thomas B. Allen
Interest Level: Grades 3 – 7
Reading Level: Grade 8.6

This fascinating book takes readers into the secret world behind the Revolutionary War in which they can follow the
escapades of spies and intelligence agents of the time and learn about the methods used in wartime espionage.

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 7.6

Maidens, monks, and millers’ sons – in these pages, readers will meet them all. There’s Hugo, the lord’s nephew,
forced to prove his manhood by hunting a wild boar; sharp-tongued Nelly, who supports her family by selling live
eels; and the peasant’s daughter, Mogg, who gets a clever lesson in how to save a cow from a greedy landlord. There’s
also mud-slinging Barbary (and her noble victim); Jack, the compassionate half-wit; Alice, the singing shepherdess;
and many more. Laura Amy Schlitz creates twenty-two riveting portraits and linguistic gems with illustrations by Robert Byrd for a
witty, historically accurate, and utterly human collection that forms an exquisite bridge to the people and places of medieval England.

Guts by Gary Paulsen

Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 6.1

For those of you who studied Hatchet, guess what: Gary Paulsen was being kind to Brian. In Guts, Gary tells the real
stories behind the Brian books, the stories of the adventures that inspired him to write Brian Robeson's story: working
as an emergency volunteer; the death that inspired the pilot's death in Hatchet; plane crashes he has seen and near-
misses of his own. He describes how he made his own bows and arrows, and takes readers on his first hunting trips,
showing the wonder and solace of nature along with his hilarious mishaps and mistakes.

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer
Interest Level: Grades 9 – 12
Reading Level: Grade 10.0

When Jon Krakauer reached the summit of Mt. Everest in the early afternoon of May 10, 1996, he hadn't slept in fifty-
seven hours and was reeling from the brain-altering effects of oxygen depletion. As he turned to begin the perilous
descent from 29,028 feet (roughly the cruising altitude of an Airbus jetliner), twenty other climbers were still pushing
doggedly to the top, unaware that the sky had begun to roil with clouds. Into Thin Air is the definitive account of the
deadliest season in the history of Everest by the acclaimed Outside journalist and author of the bestselling Into the Wild.

Island of Hope: The Story of Ellis Island and the Journey to America
Interest Level: Grades 4 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 7.9

More than 12 million immigrants entered the U.S. through Ellis Island – the Island of Hope – between 1892 and 1954.
Through first-hand accounts and anecdotes, stirring historical photographs, and a moving narrative by Marty Sandler, this
remarkable book provides perspective and insight into this uniquely American experience for young readers.

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman

Interest Level: Grades 3 – 5
Reading Level: Grade 5.2

Written to be read aloud by two voices – sometimes alternating, sometimes simultaneous – here is a collection of
irresistible poems that celebrate the insect world, from the short life of the mayfly to the love song of the book louse.
Funny, sad, loud, and quiet, each of these poems resounds with a booming, boisterous, joyful noise.
The Silk Route: 7,000 Miles of History by John S. Major- informational nonfiction
Interest Level: Grades 3 – 6
Reading Level: Grade 5.2

Silk has long been considered a symbol of wealth and luxury. But thousands of years ago, the production of silk
cloth was one of China's most prized secrets. So how did silk become one of the most sought-after materials in the
world?

Oh, Yuck! The Encyclopedia of Everything Nasty by Joy Masoff

Interest Level: Grades 3 – 5
Reading Level: Grade 6.8

This book contains fun facts about all things gross. Yucky things are everywhere — even on the human body — and
that's just the beginning! There's grossness all around: from rats in sewers to bird spit soup. The courageous and
curious will learn a little something about the science behind yucky stuff.

Wild Science: Amazing Encounters Between Animals and the People who Study Them by Victoria Miles
Interest Level: Grades 6 – 8
Reading Level: Grade 7.6

Meet ten scientists dedicated to learning about animals in the wild. See the measures they take to view and study
these amazing creatures, and learn about their devotion to their research and what they can do to help the animals and
educate the public.