Publications

Reading Circle Program

Intermediate (5-8)

All The Broken Pieces, by Ann Burg. Scholastic, ©2009. A loving American family adopted Matt, 12, after he was airlifted from Vietnam. He bonds with his new brother and becomes a star baseball player, but remains haunted by the war. A novel told in free verse. (Booklist starred)

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream, by Tanya Lee Stone. Candlewick Press, ©2009. The fascinating, dramatic story of the Mercury 13, a group of women aviators who proved to be as courageous, intelligent and fit as any man, but who were barred from NASA's astronaut program because of their gender. At the center of the story is Jerrie Cobb, a veteran pilot who successfully completed every test given to male astronauts. It would be 20 years before NASA admitted women into the astronaut program.

Also Known as Harper, by Ann Haywood Leal. Macmillan, ©2009. Writing poetry helps fifth-grader Harper Lee Morgan cope with her father's absence, being evicted, and having to skip school to care for her brother while their mother works. Things look brighter after she befriends a mute girl and a kindly disabled woman. (SLJ starred)

The Amaranth Enchantment, by Julie Berry. Bloomsbury USA, ©2009. Orphaned at age 5, Lucinda, now 15, stands with courage against the man who took everything from her, aided by a thief, a goat, and a mysterious woman called the Witch of Amaranth. Meanwhile, the prince she knew as a child prepares to marry, unaware that he is also in danger.

Angels are Everywhere: What They Are, Where They Come From and What They Do, by Karen Romano Young, illustrated by Nathan Hale. Simon and Schuster, ©2009. Angels have become a fascinating part of our culture. They are everywhere. This history of angels is packed with interesting facts and illustrations. The author gives an in-depth look at how they affect our culture and lives.

Anything but Typical, by Nora Raleigh Baskin. Simon and Schuster, ©2009. Jason was diagnosed with autism in third grade. Now at age 12, he is a story-telling genius, but stumbles through social interactions. Jason develops an online friendship with a girl that he meets on a storytelling website. His excitement over having a friend dampens when the possibility of meeting her face-to-face causes terrifying anxiety. (Booklist starred)

Blessing's Bead, by Debby Dahl Edwardson. Macmillan, ©2009. In 1917, Aaluk leaves for Siberia while her sister Nutaaq remains in their Alaskan village and becomes one of the few survivors of an influenza epidemic. In 1986, Nutaaq's great-granddaughter leaves her mother due to a different sickness and returns to the village where they were born. Two narratives, one historical, one nearly contemporary, make up this beautiful first novel, set among the Iñupiaq people of Alaska's far north.

Bystander, by James Preller. Macmillan, ©2009. Thirteen-year-old Eric discovers there are consequences to not standing by and watching as the bully at his new school hurts people. School officials are aware of the problem, but Eric may be the one with a solution. (Publisher's Weekly starred, SLJ starred)

Claim to Fame, by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Simon and Schuster, ©2009. Sixteen-year-old Lindsay's career as a child star ended when she developed the ability to hear what anyone, anywhere says about her, causing her to suffer a nervous breakdown. Lindsay comes to see this as an asset when, after her father's death, she learns that she is not alone.

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice, by Phillip Hoose. Macmillan, ©2009. As a teenager, Claudette Colvin was arrested and jailed for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man. Hoose draws on numerous personal interviews to tell the story of a teenager who made a difference in the Civil Rights Movement. (SLJ starred, Booklist starred)

The Crimson Cap, by Ellen Howard. Holiday House, ©2009. In 1684, wearing his father's faded cap, 11-year-old Pierre Talon joins explorer Rene-Robert Cavelier on an ill-fated expedition to seek the Mississippi River. After the expedition falls apart Pierre, deathly ill, is taken in by Hasinai Indians. Includes historical facts.

Cuss, by Kristine L. Franklin. Candlewick Press, ©2009. Twelve-year-old Slava Petrovich lives in a Washington state coal-mining community in 1925 and is renowned for his ability to swear in multiple languages. Slava, nicknamed Cuss, tries to stay in school, but is forced to work when his brothers are driven out of town by trouble related to bootlegging. Originally published as Grape Thief.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw, by Jeff Kinney. Abrams Books, ©2009. Middle-schooler Greg Heffley faces soccer challenges, Valentine's Day, and his father's attempts to make him more macho by sending him to military school. A novel in cartoons adapted from the web comic of the same name. Book three in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. (Publisher's Weekly starred)

Earth Heroes: Champions of the Ocean, by Fran Hodkins, illustrated by Chris Arbo. Dawn Publications, ©2009. Examines the lives and careers of eight scientists and explorers who championed the world's oceans, including Jacques Cousteau; William Beebe, the bathysphere deep-sea diver; and oceanographer Sylvia Earle.

Earth Heroes: Champions of the Wilderness, by Bruce and Carol Malnor, illustrated by Anisa Claire Hovemann. Dawn Publications, ©2009. A brief look into the lives of notable environmentalists and their influences on the world, including Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold and Wangari Maathai. Includes a bibliographical reference and index.

Eidi, by Bodil Bredsdorff, translated by Kathryn Mahaffy. Macmillan, ©2009. When her mother and stepfather have a baby, Eidi leaves Crow Cove to find work as a weaver. Her travels turn out to be a journey of self-discovery in the Danish countryside. Book two of The Children of Crow Cove series.

Escape Under the Forever Sky: A Novel, by Eve Yohalem. Chronicle Books, ©2009. Lucy's mother, the U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia, keeps Lucy confined to the embassy, but Lucy's desire to see what is beyond the compound walls gets her kidnapped. Lucy must rely upon her knowledge and courage to escape.

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, by Jacqueline Kelly. Macmillan, ©2009. Growing up in rural Texas in 1899, Calpurnia would rather explore nature with her grandfather than do needlework or learn to cook. When she and her grandfather discover an unknown species, their effort to have it recognized makes Calpurnia realize her true interests lie in science, not housework. (Booklist starred, SLJ starred)

Extra Credit, by Andrew Clements, illustrated by Mark Elliott. Simon and Schuster, ©2009. A sixth-grade American girl becomes pen pals with a young villager in Afghanistan. The author thoughtfully explores cultural expectations and religious and political differences. The shifting narration allows readers to view the story from more than one perspective, deepening their understanding.

The Eyes of Kid Midas, by Neal Shusterman. Simon and Schuster, ©2009. Kevin Midas is sick and tired of being teased, so he is thrilled when he finds a pair of magic sunglasses that will give him the power to do almost anything. He pulls ice-cream cones out of the air and gets every video game he ever wanted. When he uses the glasses to get revenge, it turns deadly.

The Fire Pony, by Rodman Philbrick. Scholastic, ©2009. Roy and his arsonist adult brother Joe find refuge at the Bar None Ranch, where Roy befriends Lady Luck, a wild pony that wins over Roy's heart. When Joe's past catches up with the brothers, they must choose between fleeing and finally facing the truth.

Franny Parker, by Hannah Roberts McKinnon. Macmillan, ©2009. Through a hot, dry Oklahoma summer, 12-year-old Franny tends wild animals brought by her neighbors, hears gossip during a weekly quilting bee, befriends a new neighbor who has some big secrets, and learns to hope. (SLJ starred)

The Frog Scientist, by Pamela S. Turner, photos by Andy Comins. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ©2009. Dr. Tyrone Hayes researches the effects of pesticides on frogs. Photographs follow his work in his laboratory and research trip to a pond in Wyoming, documenting each step in the scientific process. From the Scientists in the Field series. (SLJ starred, Booklist starred)

Gold and Silver, Silver and Gold: Tales of Hidden Treasure, by Alvin Schwartz, illustrated by David Christian. Macmillan, ©2009. Tells 28 stories of sunken treasures mostly from the United States, Caribbean, Central America and South America.

Hannah, by Kathryn Lasky. Scholastic, ©2009. In 1899, 15-year-old orphan Hannah finds employment as a servant in the home of a wealthy Boston family, where she meets a portrait painter who seems to know things about her that even she is not aware of. When she accompanies the family to their summer home in Maine, she feels an undeniable pull to the sea. Book one of the Daughters of the Sea series.

Heroes of the Valley, by Johathan Stroud. Disney-Hyperion, ©2009. Halli Sveinsson, a mischievous young man who does not fit in with his peers and siblings, plays a trick on Ragnor that goes too far, forcing him to embark on a hero's quest in which he will face highway robbers, monsters, an intriguing girl, and truths about his family and the legends he grew up with. (Publisher's Weekly starred, SLJ starred)

Home of the Brave, by Katherine Applegate, Macmillan, ©2009. Many strange things confront Kek, an African refugee, at the Minnesota home of his relatives and at school. He has to adjust to snow, and the loss of his family while making friendships. This is a novel told in free verse.

A Horse of Her Own, by Annie Wedekind. Macmillan, ©2009. Jane has always dreamed of owning a horse, but she is happy as long as she can ride Beau at Sunny Acres Farm. As summer camp begins, she has the opportunity to help with Lancelot, a beautiful, but wild and dangerous new horse at the farm. Because of her faith in herself and Lancelot she has the opportunity to compete in the summer, and possibly end up with a horse of her own.

How to Steal a Dog, by Barbara O'Conner. Macmillan, ©2009. Georgina Hayes is desperate. Her father has left and her family is living in their car. Her mother works two jobs, leaving Georgina to take care of her younger brother. When she sees a missing dog poster with a reward she devises a plan to help her family. (SLJ starred)

I Almost Love You, Eddie Clegg, by Audra Supple. Peachtree, ©2009. Thirteen-year-old Asa and her recovering alcoholic stepfather forge an awkward relationship as she embarks on a quest for popularity and romance, and he struggles with the loss of his job. It's her last year of middle school, and she is determined to be part of the cool crowd — no matter what she has to do.

The Last Olympian, by Rick Riordan. Disney-Hyperion Books, ©2009. The prophecy surrounding Percy Jackson's 16th birthday unfolds as he leads an army of young demigods to stop Kronos in his advance on New York City, while the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster, Typhon. Book five of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

Letters from Rifka, by Karen Hesse. Macmillan, ©2009. Rifka uses letters to her cousin to describe her travels from 1919 Ukraine to the United States. Her experience includes escaping from a group of Russian soldiers, her family contracting typhus, and being waylaid in Belgium while she recovers from an illness of her own.

Lifting the Sky, by Mackie D'Arge. Bloomsbury USA, ©2009. Twelve-year-old Blue, always on the move with her ranch-hand mother, yearns for a real home where her father can find them. On a remote ranch on a Wyoming reservation she finds that and more, including a mystical ability to heal injuries.

Little White Lies, by Jessie Burkhart. Simon and Schuster, ©2009. Callie and Sasha are finally best friends again and life is as perfect as it's ever been at Canterwood. Then Sasha learns about a secret that could destroy all of her relationships. She is willing to tell a few white lies to save her friends. From the Canterwood Crest series.

The Magician's Elephant, by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Yoko Tanaka. Candlewick Press, ©2009. A fortuneteller gives orphan Peter Augustus Duchene an unexpected answer about the whereabouts of the sister he has thought to be dead — follow the elephant. (SLJ starred)

Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary, by Elizabeth Partridge. Penguin, ©2009. With gripping profiles, affecting quotes, and large black-and-white photos, this stirring history depicts the essential role that young people played in the 1965 civil rights march from Selma, Ala., to Montgomery. (SLJ starred)

Mission Control, This is Apollo: The Story of the First Voyages to the Moon, by Andrew Chaikin, and Victoria Kohl, illustrated by Alan Bean. Penguin, © 2009. Handsome and informative, this volume brings 12 historic moon missions into focus. NASA photos and astronaut Alan Bean's paintings offer complementary images of the Apollo program. (Booklist starred, SLJ starred)

My Darlin' Clementine, by Kristiana Gregory. Macmillan, ©2009. Expands on the folk song to tell of 17-year-old Clementine, whose dream of being a doctor is complicated by her drunken, gambling father, the lawlessness of 1866 Idaho Territory, and the affections of handsome Boone Reno. The story provides a creative look at frontier life.

On Viney's Mountain, by Joan Donaldson. Holiday House, ©2009. In the Cumberland Mountains during the fall of 1879, 16-year-old Viney is shocked to hear that newcomers will arrive on her mountain and build a new community, demolishing the beautiful area that inspires her weaving designs. Based on actual events, this is historical romance with strong characters and plot development that illuminates without romanticizing the past.

Outlaw: The Legend of Robin Hood: A Graphic Novel, by Tony Lee, illustrated by Sam Hart and Artur Fujita. Candlewick Press, 2009. Retells the legend of Robin Hood, revealing why he decided to become an outlaw in Crusades-era England, fighting for justice rather than personal gain. The classic story of Robin Hood is told from the formative years of his childhood to the thrilling challenges and successes of his adulthood. (SLJ starred)

Pharaoh's Boat, written and illustrated by David Weitzman. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ©2009. In precise yet almost poetic language, the author chronicles the extraordinary discovery and excavation of the Pharaoh Cheops' ship for the afterlife. Amazing textual and illustrative details highlight the vessel's construction.

The Pharaoh's Secret, by Marissa Moss. Abrams Books, ©2009. Talibah and her younger brother Adom travel to Egypt with their archaeologist father, where they stumble upon the story of a lost pharaoh, a rare queen who led Egypt for years but has been erased from history. They try to restore her to her rightful place among the country's ancient rulers.

Positively, by Courtney Sheinmel. Simon and Schuster, ©2009. Thirteen-year-old Emmy is grieving over her mother who died of AIDS, and is resentful that she has to live with her father and pregnant stepmother. She attends a summer camp for HIV-positive girls like herself and finds a connection with them.

The Runaway Dragon, by Kate Coombs. Macmillan, ©2009. When beloved dragon Laddy flies away from the castle, Princess Meg and her friends embark on a quest to find him. She outwits a giant, saves a princess and challenges a sorceress. Sequel to The Runaway Princess.

The Search, by Eric Heuvel, Ruud van der Rol and Lies Schippers, translated by Lorraine T. Miller. Macmillan, ©2009. After recounting her experience as a Jewish girl living in Amsterdam during the Holocaust, Esther and her grandson embark on a search to discover what happened to her parents before they died in a concentration camp. Evocatively written and deftly illustrated, this graphic novel about the Holocaust might be one of the best. Clear and concise explanations depict the struggles and the horrors of the time.

A Season of Gifts, by Richard Peck. Penguin, ©2009. In 1958, a new family moves in next to quirky Grandma Dowdel. The new neighbors have no idea how helpful Mrs. Dowdel will be. (SLJ starred)

Secret of the Night Ponies, by Joan Hiatt Harlow. Simon and Schuster, ©2009. Thirteen-year-old Jessie is a girl who knows her heart and is willing to follow it. With her pony, Raven, and dog, Blizzard, she always has companionship. When Jessie finds out that a little girl named Clara is being neglected, she knows she has to help.

Secrets of Greymoor, by Clara Gillow Clark. Candlewick Press, ©2009. As her grandmother's financial situation worsens, Hattie is forced to attend a “common school,” in late 19th-century Kingston, New York. There she stands up to a show-off, shares embellished stories about life as a rich girl, and tries to recover her family's wealth. Sequel to Hattie on her Way.

Storm Chaser, by Chris Platt. Peachtree, ©2009. When a fire forces her family to turn their home into a guest ranch, aspiring horse trainer Jessica finds herself working once again with her favorite horse, Storm Chaser, to tame the wild filly for the horse's snobbish, spoiled future owner.

The Storm in the Barn, written and illustrated by Matt Phelan. Candlewick Press, ©2009. Eleven-year-old Jack's father thinks he's useless at chores on their Kansas farm. Little does he know that his son is looking for a way to lure the rain back to the parched plains of the dust bowl. This graphic novel includes both simple but effective text and fascinating illustrations. (SLJ starred)

Sweethearts of Rhythm: The Story of the Greatest All-Girl Swing Band in the World, by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Penguin, ©2009. Nelson's syncopated stanzas provide the backbeat for this history of a real-life World War II–era band. The battered instruments themselves tell the story behind each song, while Jerry Pinkney's paintings provide perfect harmony. (SLJ starred)

Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting, by Jim Murphy. Scholastic, ©2009. This vivid historical account begins with the causes of World War I and climaxes when peace breaks out and soldiers from both sides mingle between the trenches on Christmas 1914.

Uncharted Waters, by Leslie Bulion. Peachtree, ©2009. Jonah's lies and his secret fear of the sea threaten to ruin his month at the shore with his favorite uncle. Things look up when a grumpy marina storekeeper and an attractive college student help turn the summer into an adventure he will never forget.

Under Siege: Three Children at the Civil War Battle for Vicksburg, by Andrea Warren. Macmillan, ©2009. The lives of three children who survived the horrific siege of Vicksburg — two town residents and the 12-year-old son of Union General Grant — are described in detail in this well-researched account, which includes photographs and other illustrations throughout. (Booklist starred)

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead. Random House, ©2009. Miranda lives in 1978 New York and diligently reads A Wrinkle in Time. She begins to receive notes from someone who seems to know her future. (SLJ starred)

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Middle School, by David Borgenicht, Ben Winters and Robin Epstein, illustrated by Chuck Gonzales. Chronicle Books, ©2009. Provides advice for kids on how to deal with a variety of situations related to middle school, such as homework overload, problems with teachers, avoiding fights, getting a bad haircut, coping with cliques, and others. 373.18.

Years of Dust: The Story of the Dust Bowl, by Albert Marrin. Penguin, ©2009. With stirring prose and a wealth of memorable photos, Marrin depicts the environmental catastrophe and human calamity of the Dust Bowl, and introduces readers to today's challenges of continued desertification. (SLJ starred)

Young Charles Darwin and the Voyage of the Beagle, by Ruth Ashby Young, Peachtree, ©2009. Chronicles the 1831 voyage of Charles Darwin aboard the British Navy ship the HMS Beagle on his scientific journey around the world. An author's note gives additional information about Darwin's life and times.