PICTURE BOOKS

 

Bear Wants More 

By: Karma Wilson

The story of Bear who is starving after his winter hibernation. He eats and eats, but is always in need of more.  Till at the end, he has eaten so much he cannot fit through his own front door.

 

Bear Stays Up For Christmas 

By: Karma Wilson

The story of Bear, who wants to share Christmas with his friends. All of Bear’s friends help keep up a very tired Bear, who is ready to hibernate.

 

Bear’s New Friend 

By: Karma Wilson

The story of Bear, who while following the sound of something he has never heard, makes a new friend.

 

You Can Do It, Sam 

By: Amy Hest

Sam is a young bear that helps his mother bake delicious cakes for all of his neighbors on Plum Street. When it comes time to deliver the cakes, Sam’s mother encourages Sam that he can deliver the cakes all by himself. And he does.

 

My Sister and I  

By: P.K. Hallinan

The story of two sisters that love to do everything together. And even though they fight at times, they will always be best friends.

 

Pinklicious

By: Victoria Kann & Elizabeth Kann

The story of a girl who eats too many pink cupcakes and wakes up one morning completely kink. To get back to normal she has to eat a lot of green vegetables.

 

Purplicious 

By: Victoria Kann & Elizabeth Kann

Pink is out and black is in. The story of a girl who is made fun of because she likes pink, which is a “baby color.”  She struggles until she meets a new girl who also likes pink, because when mixed with blue it makes purplicious purple.

 

 

Giggle, Giggle, Quack 

By: Doreen Cronin

The funny story of a smart duck that manipulates the farmer's brother, who is in charge while the farmer is on vacation.  Duck changes farmer's instructions so that the animals on the farm get pampered.

 

Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type 

By: Doreen Cronin

The funny story of Farmer Brown and his Cows as they correspond through typed letters. The cows and chickens want electric blankets, and until they get them they are on strike: no milk and eggs for Farmer Brown.

 

A my name is Alice 

By: Jane Bayer

The alphabet comes to life, as each letter is used to tell the names, type of animals, and their vocation and where they’re from. For example; Alice is married to Alex, they live in Alaska and sell Ants. Alice is an Ape and Alex is an Anteater.  

 

The Bears in the Bed and the Great Big Storm 

By: Paul Bright

A family of bears is sleeping, when a big storm  starts to make scary noises. One by one, the children climb in to mom and dad bear’s bed. Daddy bear keeps teasing the kids about being scared, but in the end he is the most scared of all.

 

I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More 

By: Karen Beaumont

A fun and silly song-like book about a little boy who love to paint.  He repeatedly says he “ain’t gonna paint no more” but just can’t seem to help him self, as he starts with his hand and ends up painting his entire body.

 

A Visitor for Bear

By: Bonny Becker

The story of a bear who doesn’t like visitors, or so he thinks. He is continually trying to get rid of a pesky mouse that keeps popping up. Bear eventually lets mouse stay a while. In the end Bear realizes how nice it is to have a friend and doesn’t want mouse to leave.

 

A Story for Bear

By: Dennis Haseley

Busby Bear wakes up one morning and finds that his clothes have been blown off the clothes line during the night. He sets out on a quest to retrieve them. Along the way he meets a hare, a mouse, and a vegetarian ogre. His new friends give him back his clothes, that they have mistakenly put to other uses.

 

Oh the Places You’ll Go

By: Dr. Seuss

A story about the adventures of life, its ups and downs, and the road to success.

 

The Hiccupotamus

By: Aaron Zenz

A hippo has the hiccups and they just won’t stop. His friends are tired of all the hiccup trouble and try everything to make hippo’s hiccups go away.

 

The Little Island

By: Margaret Wise Brown and Leonard Weisgard

The story of an island far out in the sea and what it is like on the island. Its seasons, storms, and plant and animal life. A kitten who visits the island learns how the little island is part of the big world around it.

 

Moses

By: Carole Boston Weatherford

The story of Harriet Tubman, her journey to freedom through relying on God, and how she returns to the south to save many other slaves.

 

Working Cotton

By: Sherley Anne Williams

The heartrending story of a migrant family and the hard reality of life in the cotton fields.

 

Are You My Mother

By: P.D. Eastman

A baby bird has just hatched and cannot find his mother. He leaves the nest and sets out to find her. He mistakes several other animals, and even a boat and a plain, to be his mother. But in the end he finds her.

 

How Have I Grown

By: Mary Reid

A little girl’s reflection on how much she has grown from being a baby to now being in kindergarten.  How much she has changed and learned to do new things along the way.

 

Me On the Map

By: Joan Sweeney

 A young girl’s process of how she finds her location in the world. She starts by knowing where she is and works her way to the bigger picture: from her bedroom, to her house, street and town, to her state and country and where it all is on a map of the world. “…everybody has their own special place on the map.”

 

What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?

By: Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

A fun book that starts with a tail and has you guessing what type of animal it belongs to and what it is used for.

 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

By: Eric Carle

 A caterpillar is born and very hunger. The eats for a whole week unable to bet full, until finally he gets a stomach ache. The caterpillar them eats a leaf, makes a cocoon and becomes a beautiful butterfly.

 

 If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

By: Laura Numeroff

This is a story about a boy and a mouse. The mouse wants a cookie and when the boy gives him a cookie it leads to a long list of other things the mouse will want to have.

 

POETRY

 

Jabberwocky

By: Lewis Carroll

A nonsense poem about a scary creature called the Jabberwocky and how a young boy slays the beast with his sword.

 

Always Sprinkle Pepper in Your Hair

By: Shel Silverstein

Tells young children how they can avoid being kidnapped by a Wild Barbazoop and sold to a Ragged Hag, by always sprinkling pepper in their hair.

 

The Generals

By: Shel Silverstein

A comedic poem about war. Two generals discuss whether or not to go on with their war.  They discuss going to the beach instead, but due to a torn bathing suite go on this the war instead.

 

The New Kid on the Block

By: Jack Prelutsky

A poem about the new bully on the block, which happens to be what.... a girl.

 

The Crocodile's Toothache

By: Shel Silverstein

A fun poem about a crocodile that goes to the dentist because he has a cavity.  The dentist pulls too many teeth and the crocodile ends up eating the dentist.

 

The Road Not Taken

By: Robert Frost

A poem about a man who has to choose between two paths on his journey.  He chooses the "the one less traveled by," which for to him made all the difference (good or bad we do not know).

 

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

By: Dr. Seuss

A wonderful poem book that tells of fun imaginary creatures, like a Wump, a Zans, or a Gox, as only Dr. Seuss can. 

 

 

FANTASY

 

Twilight

By: Stephenie Meyer

Iasbella Swan moves to Forks Washington to live with her father.  She falls in love with Edward Cullen, who is no ordinary teenager.  Edward is a vampire. Bella’s life is put in danger as she becomes a part of a world others only believed to be myth.  There is a race to save Bella from James, a vampire who drinks human blood and is out to get Bella.

 

New Moon

By: Stephenie Meyer

Bella’s life is threatened once again, but this time by Edward’s brother Jasper.  Edward leaves Bella, thinking that it is the only way to keep her safe.  Bella becomes a zombie as she is unable to cope with the loss of Edward. She rekindles her friendship with Jacob Black, a Quileute Indian who happens to be a werewolf, who exists is to kill vampires.  Edward believes Bella has killed herself and goes to Italy to have the Volturi end his life. Bella races to Italy to save Edward.

 

Eclipse

By: Stephenie Meyer

Victoria is determined to kill Bella, in revenge for the death of her mate James, whom Edward killed to save Bella’s life. She creates an army of new born vampires to overwhelm the Cullens.  The Cullens are forced to join forces with the werewolves, in order to save Bella and prevent the Volturi from stepping in, and finding Bella who they expect to find as a vampire, still human.

 

Breaking Dawn

By: Stephenie Meyer

Edward and Bella are married.  Against all odds Bella becomes pregnant on their honeymoon. The pregnancy progresses rapidly because of the vampire genes. They fear that Bella will die before the child can be born, but Bella is determined to have the baby regardless of the consequences.  Bella gives birth to a girl, but is on the verge of death, and Edward must change her to save her life.  The Volturi come to investigate the new hybrid child and once again the vampires must join forces with the werewolves, in order to save the half vamp child, Renesmee.

 

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

By: Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson discovers that he is a demigod, half human, half god. He is sent to Camp Half-Blood, where he will learn his true nature.  He discover that he his no ordinary demigod, but the son of one of the big three, Poseidon, god of the sea.  He is accused of stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt and if it isn’t returned by the summer solstice, in 21 days, the gods will go to war.  Hades has Percy’s mother and is holding her a ransom for the lightning bolt as well.  Percy sets out on a quest save his mother and to prevent a war between the gods. He is accompanied by his guardian Grover, the satyr, and Annabeth, daughter of Athena.

 

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters

By: Rick Riordan

Percy’s guardian and best friend Grover, is on a quest of find Pan, the god of the wild.  He becomes captured by a Cyclops.  Thalia’s tree, the source of power that keeps Camp Half-Blood safe, is poisoned.  Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson (Percy’s half brother) set out across the Sea of Monsters, to rescue Grover and retrieve the Golden Fleece, which is the only thing that can stop the tree from dying.  Not only is the tree healed but Thalia, daughter of Zeus is brought back to life as well.

 

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Titan’s Curse

By: Rick Riordan

Two new demigods join Camp Half Blood, Nico and Bianca di Angelo, son and daughter of Hades.  Annabeth and Artemis have been captured by Luke, a demigod who as teamed up with Kronos to defeat the gods.  Percy, Grover, Thalia, Bianca, and Zoe Nightshade (Artemis' lieutenant) go on a quest to rescue them.  The powerful Titan Atlas tries to stop them. Zoë and Bianca die during the quest. Nico blames Percy for his sisters death.

 

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth

By: Rick Riordan

Percy and Annabeth discover that Luke is using the Labyrinth as a means to attack Camp Half-Blood. Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson enter the Labyrinth on a race to beat Luke to Daedalus, creator of the maze and owner of Ariadne’s string, which will lead anyone through the Labyrinth without getting lost. While in the maze they find Pan, god of the wild, who eventually dies.  Luke finds Daedalus and gets Ariadne's string which he uses to lead his army to attack Camp Half-Blood. Grover scares the army away with a Panic, a scream that symbolizes Pan. Deasalus sacrifices him self to close the Labyrinth.

 

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Last Olympian

By: Rick Riordan

Percy and his fellow demigods still loyal to the gods fight in a war against Luke and the followers of Kronos in New York City.  Percy is trying to secure the Empire State Building, the entrance to Mount Olympus and pathway to the gods.  Kronos is defeated, but after much destruction and casualties.  For saving the gods and Olympus, Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Tyson are each given a reward by the gods.

 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

By: J. K. Rawlings

Harry Potter believes he is an ordinary boy until he turns eleven and discovers that he is a wizard. He is admitted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  He discovers that he is famous because he did not die when his parents were killed by an evil wizard named Lord Voldermort. Harry makes friends with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Voldemort inhabits one of Harry’s teachers Professor Quirrel and tries to steal the Sorcerer’s Stone which would give Voldermort eternal life. Harry, with Ron and Hermione’s help, thwarts Voldemort’s attempt and obtains the stone for himself.

 

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

By: J. K. Rawlings

Harry Potter returns to Hogwart’s for his second year of school with some difficulty after a house elf named Dobby drops a desert on Harry’s uncle’s boss’s wife and stops him from getting onto the train. Harry has a new defense against the dark arts teacher Professor Lockhart. While leaving detention with Professor Lockhart Harry hears a voice talking about killing and finds Filtch’s cat Ms. Norris petrified with a message saying that the chamber of secrets has been reopened. Several other children are petrified and there is talk of closing the school. Harry finds a journal which shows his friend Hagrid as being the person who opened the chamber of secrets before. Ron’s sister Ginny is taken into the chamber of secrets. Ron and Harry find the entrance in the girl’s bathroom and Harry fights the basilisk that lives in the Chamber of Secrets to save Ginny.

 

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

By: J. K. Rawlings

Harry Potter gets in a fight with his Aunt Petuna and runs away from home. He ends up in Diagon Alley where he meets up with Ron and Hermione. He finds out from Ron’s father that the escaped prisoner Sirius Black was a friend of his parents and is believed to be responsible for their deaths. Dementors are assigned to protect the school and Harry faints every time they come near him. He elicits the new defense against the dark arts teacher Professor Lupin to help him protect himself against the dementors. Harry, Ron and Hermione are confronted by a large dog which steals Ron’s pet rat. The three chase after the dog which turns out to be Sirius Black and Ron’s rat turns out to be Peter Pettigrew, the person actually responsible for Harry’s parent’s death.

 

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

By: J. K. Rawlings

Harry returns for his fourth year of school at Hogwarts to find that the Triwizard’s Tournament is to take place with contestants from his school and two others. Harry is chosen as one of the contestants although he never put his name in the cup. Harry has to battle dragons, merpeople, and survive a labyrinth. When Harry reaches the tri-wizard cup along with a classmate, Cedric Diggory, they are transported to Voldemort’s family home. Cedric is killed and Harry’s blood is used to bring Voldemort back to his former self. Harry battles Voldemort’s and returns to Hogwarts with Cedric’s body.

 

Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix

By: J. K. Rawlings

Harry Potter and his cousin Dudley are attacked by dementors. Harry has to go to court to prove that he had no choice but to use magic as he is underage. Harry learns about a secret society called the Order of the Phoenix which was formed to fight Voldemort and has resumed operations now that he has returned. Most of the wizarding world does not believe Harry that Voldemort has returned. The government appoints Professor Umbridge as the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts. She makes everyone’s lives as Hogwarts miserable. Harry, with the prodding of Hermione, creates a class for the other students to teach them defensive spells they can use in combat since Professor Umbridge is not teaching them anything. Voldemort tricks Harry into believing that his godfather Sirius Black is being tortured through the telepathic connection they share and Harry is forced to confront him again.

 

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

By: J. K. Rawlings

Harry returns to Hogwarts for his sixth year of school with everyone believing he is the “Chosen One”, the one who will kill Lord Voldemort. He finds a potions book that belongs to the Half Blood Prince that allows him to excel in his potion’s class. Dumbledore the headmaster of the school teaches Harry Potter about Voldemort’s life thru his and others memories. They discover that Voldemort created horcruxes to cheat death. He split his soul and hid the pieces in special objects. Harry and Dumbledore go to retrieve one of the horcruxes and Dumbledore returns to Hogwarts very weak. Hogwarts has been overrun with the death eaters. Snape kills Dumbledore and flees the castle.

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

By: J. K. Rawlings

Harry, Ron and Hermione do not return to school and go on a quest to find the remaining horcruxes so Voldemort can be destroyed. They find the first object a locket that belonged to Voldmort’s mother and are unable to destroy it until Harry discovers the sword of Griffindor in a pond. While searching for the horcruxes they are also trying to figure out what Dumbledore was trying to tell them when he left Hermione a book of children’s tales including the story of the Deathly Hallows. They discover that they possess one of the deathly hallows, Harry’s Invisibility cloak. Harry, Ron and Hermione find the goblet and Diadem horcruxes and destroy them. Then they battle for Hogwarts along with many others. Harry discovers that he is a horcrux as well and goes to Voldemort so he can be killed. The horcrux inside Harry dies but Harry survives because he inadvertently has all three deathly Hallows allowing him to cheat death. Neville Longbottom kills Nagini the last Horcrux making it possible for Harry to kill Voldemort.

 

Fablehaven

By: Brandon Mull

Kendra and Seth are sent to stay with their grandparents when their parents go on vacation. They discover that their grandparents are caretakers of a magical preserve when they drink special milk. They enjoy discovering the magical creatures and find that some are friendlier than others. The rules that protect Kendra, Seth and their grandparents are lifted on one night of the year, Mid-Summers Eve. Seth breaks the rules by opening a window to a goblin making his family susceptible to the evil creatures that live on the preserve. Kendra has to save her family and asks the fairies for their help.

 

Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star

By: Brandon Mull

Kendra and Seth return to Fablehaven because their grandparents fear they are in danger of being taken by a group known as the Evening Star. This group is trying to steal the artifact that is hidden at Fablehaven. If this artifact is combined with the other four hidden at other preserves then they will be able to open the demon prison and cause the end of the world. Tanu, a potions master; Vanessa, mystical creature trapper; and Coulter,

a potion master; are asked to help locate and protect the artifact. Kendra and Seth soon discover that one of the three is a traitor and must beat them to the artifact. Kendra discovers that the fairies have given her some unique abilities that help her to protect Fablehaven and her family. Seth gains new abilities when he uses his talents to save Fablehaven.

 

Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague

By: Brandon Mull

Fablehaven has been saved from the Evening Star for now but something is happening to the creatures at Fablehaven. A plague is turning the creatures of light like the fairies into creatures of the dark. Kendra joins the Knights of the Dawn, an organization fighting against the Evening Star. She and Warren are sent to another preserve in Arizona to find the artifact hidden there before the Evening Star. They are accompanied by other members of the Knights of the Dawn who do not turn out to be whom they appear to be. Meanwhile, Seth and his grandparents are dealing with the plague at Fablehaven and who they can trust to help them. Seth and Kendra are helped by the Queen Fairy and by the spirit of the previous caretaker of Fablehaven.

 

Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary

By: Brandon Mull

Kendra and Seth return home and Kendra spends her free time reading the previous Fablehaven caretaker’s journal. Kendra is kidnapped and replaced by a double which dies three days later. The centaurs have one of the artifacts and Seth goes to Graulas for help. He is turned into a shadow charmer and steals the artifact from the centaurs. Kendra escapes and returns to Fablehaven. She and several others journey to Wyrmroost, a dragon sanctuary to retrieve another artifact. They are betrayed by one in their party and several lose their lives.

 

Gregor the Overlander

By: Suzanne Collins

11-year-old Gregor, a boy from New York City, isn't looking forward to the summer. Every one is headed off to summer camp, even Gregor's little sister, but Gregor can't go because he has to help him mom take care of his two-year-old sister Boots and senile grandmother. Since his father's disappearance from their New York City home, Gregor has had to help out a lot at home. While doing laundry in the basement of his apartment building, Boots disappears down an air chute and Gregor goes after her. At the bottom of this inner-city rabbit hole, the two find themselves in the Underland surrounded immediately by crawlers (giant cockroaches). The two Overlanders are taken to the Queen of the Underlander humans. Gregor learns of a prophecy which focuses on him and a quest to find his missing father. He travels with bats, crawlers, spinners (giant spiders), a rat, and two of the royal Underlanders on a quest to not only save his father, but also save the Underlanders' kingdom.

 

Gregor the Overlander and the Prophecy of Bane

By: Suzanne Collins

Boots has disappears into the Underland, and Gregor knows he must return to the strange underground kingdom of Regalia to rescue her.  Gregor is worried because his father hasn't come close to recovering from his three year imprisonment in the Underland, and the family is paying both an emotional and economic price, but Gregor must rescue Boots. The evil giant rats, have conspired to kill Boots in order to destroy Gregor, their primary obstacle to conquering all the Underland. To save his sister, Gregor sails across a subterranean sea with his bat, Ares, and cockroach allies (Temp) to find and kill the prophesied rat leader of the Underland war, the Bane.

 

Gregor the Overlander and the Curse of the Warmbloods

By: Suzanne Collins

Eleven-year-old Gregor is busy at home in Manhattan deciphering the Prophecy of Blood that calls for him and his younger sister, Boots, to return to the Underworld to find the cure for a terrible plague that threatens all its warm-blooded inhabitants. Gregor's knows he must once again return to the Underland, but his mother refuses to let him leave. She finally relents, but insists on accompanying her children on their mission. When she becomes stricken with the plague, Gregor finally begins to understand his role in the prophecy. He is determined to find the cure to not only save his mother and Ares, his giant bat bond-mate, but all of the Underland.  Gregor sets off with Boots; Ripred, the rat; and Temp, the giant cockroach, and their quest for the cure takes the boy and his friends into new sections of the Underland where there are carnivorous plants and a giant lizard. They face many perils and get help from some new friends along the way.

 

Gregor the Overlander and the Marks of Secret

By: Suzanne Collins

Gregor and his sister Boots are regular visitors to Underland, where their mother is slowly recovering from injuries incurred from the plaque. Gregor has been meeting with Ripred the Gnawer, who is supposed to be teaching him echolocation, but Gregor is doing very badly. Ripred has his own problems, largest of which is Bane, the once-sweet little baby Gnawer whom the Gregor refused to kill in the second book.  Bane, now a half-grown monster of a rat, is surprisingly charismatic yet emotionally stunted and easily controlled by the forces of evil. Other rats are using Bane to stir up a war against Regalia. When Queen Luxa gets a message that the mice that saved her life in the jungle are in trouble, she and Gregor head out to investigate, accompanied by her cousin Howard, several bats, Boots, and the cockroach Temp.

 

Gregor the Overlander and the Code of Claw

By: Suzanne Collins

Everyone in the Underland has been taking great pains to keep the new prophecy, The Prophecy of Time, from Gregor. Gregor knew from the beginning that it must say something awful, but he never imagined just how awful: The prophecy calls for the warrior’s death. The warrior, of course, being Gregor. Now, with an army of rats approaching Regalia, and Gregor’s mom and his sister still there, Gregor must gather up his courage in the face of this terrifying prophecy to defend Regalia and get his family safely home. The entire existence of the Underland is in Gregor’s hands and time is running out. There is a code to be cracked, a mysterious new princess to contend with, Gregor’s burgeoning dark side, and a war to end all wars.

 

HISTORICAL FICTION

 

My America: My Brother's Keeper: Virginia's Diary

by: Mary Pope Osborne

Virginia's father and brother, Jed are away at their Uncle Jack's farm, and she is staying with Mrs. McCully. Jed has entrusted Virginia with his diary, and asked her to be "my eyes and my ears in Gettysburg" and write in his journal while he is away.  Each day Virginia writes in Jed's journal about what goes on. The Rebels are getting close to Gettysburg, and families are starting to leave. The Rebels arrive closely followed by the Union soldiers. Virginia can hear the cannons and sounds of war close by. Two wounded Union soldiers come to their house for aid.  Mrs. McCully takes them in. Virginia sees many badly wounded soldiers and even holds one mans hand as his leg is sawed off. Virginia writes about the horrific events of the war and records every incident and feeling she experiences in her journal. Pa returns, but Jed is missing. He was supposed to have come home weeks ago.  They find him in a hospital, sick after escaping the Rebels and fleeing with a broken leg. They take him home and help him with a long recovery. 

 

Meet Kaya, An American Girl

by: Janet Shaw

Kaya, a young native American girl, is taught a valuable lesson in trust and obedience while visiting her dad’s parents. It is hard for Kaya not to boast of her beautiful horse, Steps High.  She wants to be the best horsewomen in her village. But when boasting leads to a daring bareback race, Kaya puts both herself and her horse in danger. And she also endangers her little twin brothers, who have wandered off into the woods during Kaya’s race. Although the boys are found unharmed, boys and girls were taught and expected to behave respectfully and responsibly. Kaya having disobeyed her mother's orders to watch the twins, must not only face being switched by an elder called the whipwoman. What hurt Kaya more than the whipping was the bad impression she had left on other kids and therefore earning her the terrible nickname ‘Magpie.’

Inspired by her wise grandmothers advice, Kaya wanted to be worthy of her parents trust again, to be a girl no one would call ‘Magpie’ ever again. With her Fathers help she learns to respect her horse and starts by earning its trust.  Eventually Steps High comes to Kaya’s aid while she was trying to save her blind sister from drowning in the stream. Without even caring for her own safety she rides Steps High swiftly and guides him in to the river while her sister was struggling to swim. She was able to save her sister and bring her to safety. That incident bought out the best in her as well as her horse. That day she wasn’t racing to be the fastest, but to save Speaking Rain’s life.

 

To Kill a Mockingbird

by: Harper Lee

Scout and her brother Jem spend most of their summers with their summer-neighbor, Dill, making up plays and spying on the town recluse, Boo Radley. During the school year, Scout finds herself in trouble one too many times and struggles with the concept of being a lady, especially when all she wants to do is wear overalls and beat up her classmates. Then everything changes one fall, when Scout and Jem's father, Atticus Finch, a lawyer in their town of Maycomb, Alabama, is appointed to the defense of Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. The fact of this case rocks the town of Maycomb, and with Scout and Jem feeling the brunt of their classmates ridicule when they realize Atticus is on Tom's side. Atticus does his best to defend Tom Robinson, but unfortunately it is not enough. Atticus is planning to appeal but Tom is killed while "trying to escape."  Bob Ewell, teh white woman's father, publicly blames Atticus for him losing his job. Ewell attacks Scout and Jem on their way home from a Halloween party.  There is a scuffle and Ewell ends up dead. Scout realzes that is was Boo Radley that saved her and Jem from Ewell.

 

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

by: Mark Twain

Tom Sawyer is a maschevious child who finds himself often in trouble. Tom and his friend Huck Finn are at a grave yard one night, when they wintess Injun Joe stab Dr. Robinson. Innjun Joe frames Muff Potter for the murder becuse Joe used Muff's knife. Tom and Huck are arfaid to reveal the truth, but Tom's consience is starting to ge the best of them. He sneeks Muff food to in prison, but is still have bad dreams at night.  Feeling forsaken and friendless Tom decides to turn to a life of crime. Tom, Huck and their friend Joe Harper form a gang of pirates and steel a raft. They float down the rive to Jackson's Island. The towns people think that the boys have drownd. All three are excited and overjoyed at the thought that they are the center of attention and will be the envy of all of their companions. The boys parents prepare thier funerals, and as the funerals begin, the boys come walking down the church aisle.  Everyone is astonished theat they are alive, and they get much attention from the charade. . Muff's trial is approaching and the boys are feeling guilty again. At Muff's trial Tom is called to the stand and tells what really happened. Muf is aquited, but Injun Joe gets away. Tom and Huck begins to shadow Injun Joe every night, watching for an opportunity to nab the gold he has stolen. Meanwhile, Tom goes on a picnic to McDougal's Cave with his classmates. Tom and Becky get lost in the cave, and their absence is not discovered until the following morning. The men of the town begin to search for them, but to no avail. Tom and Becky run out of food and candles and begin to weaken. The horror of the situation increases when Tom, looking for a way out of the cave, happens upon Injun Joe, who is using the cave as a hideout. At the sight of Tom, Injun Joe flees. Eventually, just as the searchers are giving up, Tom finds a way out. The town celebrates, and Becky's father, Judge Thatcher seals up the main entrance with an iron door. After a week Injun Joe, trapped inside, starves and dies. A week later, Tom takes Huck to the cave via the new entrance Tom has found and they find the box of gold.

 

Little House on the Prairie

by: Laura Ingalls Wilder
At the beginning of this story, Pa Ingalls decides to sell the house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, and move to the Indian Territory near Independence, Kansas becasue there were  rumors that the land would be opened to settlement by homesteaders imminently. Laura, along with Pa and Ma, and Mary and baby Carrie, move to Kansas. Along the way, Pa trades his two horses for two Western mustangs, which Laura and Mary name Pet and Patty. When the family reaches Indian Territory, they meet Mr. Edwards, an excellent neighbor, who helps the Ingalls in every way he can, beginning with helping Pa erect their house. Then, Pa builds a roof and a floor for their house, digs a well, and the family is finally settled. The Ingalls family becomes terribly ill from a disease called at that time "Fever 'n' Ague" which is later identified to be Malaria. Mrs. Scott, another neighbor, takes care of the family while they are sick. Mr. Edwards brings Laura and Mary their Christmas presents from Independence, and in the spring, the Ingalls plant the beginnings of a small farm. At the end of this book, the family is told that the land must be vacated by settlers as it is not legally open to settlement yet, and Pa elects to leave the land and move before the Army forcibly requires him to abandon the land.
 

 

SCIENCE FICTION

 

The Hunger Games

by: Suzanne Collins

In the ruins of what was once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Each year, the Capitol forces the districts to send one boy and one girl, between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the Hunger Games, a brutal and terrifying fight to the death, televised for all of Panem to see. Twenty-four contestants are forces to enter. Only the winner survives. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, steps in to take the place of her twelve-year-old sister Pim in the Hunger Games, knowing it may be a death sentence. Survival is second nature for Katniss, as she struggles to feed her mother and younger sister by secretly hunting and gathering food beyond the fences of District 12, but will this knowledge be enough to save her?  In order to survive the games, she must weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

 

Catching Fire

by: Suzanne Collins

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy, but there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry and wants revenge. It is the 25th Anniversary of the Hunger Games and the rules have changed for the occasion. Katniss and Peeta find themselves in the arena once again, battling for their lives. The both fear that the Capital will not let them survive the games again, but they are determined to do all they can to survive. Some unexpected visitors arrive as Katniss and some fellow gamers are trying to disable the Capital's control over the arena, and Katniss finds herself once again needing to find and save Peeta. Things are not as they had seemed and Katniss is now in the middle of an uprising.

 

The Giver

by: Lois Lowry

Jonas is a young boy who lives in a community where the people life a very strict, almost mindless life. Their choices are determined by the Committee of Elders; from what they do for a profession to the person they will marry. At age twelve they are told their professions. As someone with intelligence, integrity, courage, and a certain special capacity, Jonas is selected for the most honored and respected Assignment in the community, and is assigned to become a Receiver of Memories who will succeed the current Receiver. A Receiver of Memories is the one person in the community who has access to all the memories of the past. He must keep these memories within himself until he can train a new Receiver to whom he can pass them. The Receiver has knowledge of things that no one in the community has access to, but also carries burden of sorrow and pain that the memories bring. Through the memories he receives from The Giver, the current Receiver, Jonas comes to realize the truth about the community. He realizes that it is unfair to deprive people of ever being able to make choices for themselves, or ever have feelings. He also learns that there are different ways to live, through the memories, he sees people in the past living differently. Jonas feels that the community must change. By leaving the community, Jonas will release the memories he has gotten from The Giver, and the people will have open access to the memories. This will, in turn, give them knowledge about things that have been missing in their lives, and hopefully lead them to change. So to free the people Jonas does just that, he leaves.

 

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment

By: James Patterson

Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel aren’t ordinary children. They were experimented on by scientist and now have wings. The Flock, as they refer to themselves, are hiding out in the mountains at a home Jeb created for them. Then the Erasers, part human part wolf men, come and destroy their home and kidnap Angel the youngest of the group. The Flock returns to “the School” which is where they were experimented on to rescue Angel. Max has to figure out how to keep everyone together, safe and out of the hands of the evil scientist. She also has to figure out who the voice in her head is and whether it is telling her the truth.

 

Maximum Ride: School’s Out Forever

By: James Patterson

The Flock is searching for their parents based on papers they found in a lab while rescuing Angel.  Max discovers at the end of the last book that Jeb’s son Ari was here brother. The Flock encounter a new enemy, flying Erasers. One of which turns out to be Ari, whom Max thought she had killed. Fang is hurt badly while fighting Ari and has to go to the hospital to be treated. There they meet Anne and are offered a place to stay and rest. They get enrolled in school and figure out that people from the Institute are involved. Max is captured and replaced by a clone which she has to destroy.

 

Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

By: James Patterson

Max and the Flock are trying to save the world from an evil corporation and the Director. Fang is tired of being on the run and wants to find another place they can call home. The Erasers have been replaced by a new threat which the Flock refers to as Flyboys, robots that can fly. Max has her Eraser brother Ari join their group causing Fang, Iggy and the Gasman to leave. There is a huge battle with the flyboys from the corporation and Ari ends up dying. Max discovers who her parents are.

 

Maximum Ride: The Final Warning

By: James Patterson

The Flock head to Antarctica to help a team of scientist. They discover that one in the party is a spy for the Uber Director after a sea lion attack. The Flock is taken by a large group of new machines. The Uber Director tries to auction them off to the highest bidder from a group of foreign leaders. They escape during a huge hurricane.  

 

MAX: A Maximum Ride Novel

By: James Patterson

The Flock were comfortable in their new safe house until the Machine Geeks sent by Mr. Chu show up and they have to fight them. The government asks them to save the world again when millions of fish start dying off the coast of Hawaii and ships keep getting destroyed. The Flock jump at the chance to go to Hawaii. Max’s mother is kidnapped by Mr. Chu and the Flock must save her without getting caught by Mr. Chu. Max finally admits that she is in love with Fang.

 

REALISTIC FICTION

 

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

By: Ann Brashares

Lena, Tibby, Carmen and Bridget are best friends and have been since birth. This is the first summer that they will be spending away from each other and are nervous about it. They go shopping and find a pair of pants that miraculously fits each of them even though they have very different body types.  They decide to each take the pants for two weeks during the summer. The pants go with Lena to Greece as she is going to the farthest away. They then go to Tibby who is stuck at home. She passes them to Carmen who is spending the summer with her father and his new family which she knew nothing about until her arrival. Carmen sends the pants to Bridget who is at soccer camp in Mexico. Each girl has a growing experience while wearing the pants.

 

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood

By: Ann Brashares

The second summer each girl goes her separate ways and the sharing of the pants ritual continues. Lena spends the summer at art school where Kostos surprises her with a visit from Greece. He has to leave suddenly and Lena finds out at the end that he has gotten another girl pregnant and had to return to marry her. Tibby goes to film school and pursues her passion of film making. She strains the relationships she has with everyone. In the end she realizes how harmful her actions have been and makes amends. Carmen spends the summer at home and gets increasingly worried over the relationship her mother is developing with a co-worker. She causes them to break up and then realizes how happy her mother was and urges them to rekindle their relationship.  Bridget goes to Alabama to meet her maternal grandmother after discovering all the letters she wrote to her throughout her life that Bridget’s father kept secret.  She discovers a lot about her mother and insight into her own personality.

 

Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood

By: Ann Brashares

For the third summer three of the four friends spend it at home and their sharing of the pants continues. Lena attends an art class with a nude subject and when her father finds out he is furious and says that he will not pay for her to attend art school. Her grandmother from Greece is now living with the family. Tibby spends the summer at home as well. She starts a relationship with Brian but when her little sister injures herself by falling out of a window Tibby feels that it is her fault for not paying enough attention and loving her enough. She avoids Brian because of this. In the end they make up and Tibby has to help Carmen’s mother deliver a baby. Carmen spends the summer at home as well taking care of her very pregnant mother and dealing with her guilt over wanting to go away for college. Bridget goes to Pennsylvania to be a coach at a soccer camp. She is reunited with Eric from the first summer and struggles with redefining their relationship when she finds out that he has a girlfriend.

 

Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood

By: Ann Brashares

The final summer has the friends scattered again and sharing the pants to keep their relationships intact. Lena attends art school again and develops a relationship with a fellow student, Leo. Kostos comes to visit and she shuns him only to realize later that she doesn’t love Leo the way she love Kostos and goes to Greece to tell him. Tibby spends the summer at film school where she and Brian have sex for the first time. Tibby fears that she is pregnant and when she finds out she is not breaks up with Brian. She realizes at the end that she loves him and should not have let her fears ruin their relationship. Carmen spends the summer at an acting camp with her new friend from college as a set builder. Carmen has lost her sense of herself and gains it back when after much prodding she tries out for a part in the play and is awarded the leading role. This infuriates her new friend who tries to sabotage Carmen. Bridget decides to go to Turkey on an archeological dig instead of spend the summer at home without Eric. She starts to fall for the professor and is ashamed of her actions when she meets his family. She returns home and works on building relationships with her brother and father. At the end of the book, Lena’s sister takes off to Greece and takes the traveling pants with her. They are lost and all four friends travel to Greece to try to find them.

 

My Sister's Keeper

By: Jodi Picoult

Anna Fitzgerald is 13-year-old girl who has enlisted the help of an attorney, Campbell Alexander, to sue her parents for the rights to her body.  Anna's older sister Kate, suffers from acute promyelocytic leukemia a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Anna was conceived through in vetro fertilization to be a donor who could save Kate's life. Anna is usually willing to donate whatever Kate needs, usually blood or bone marrow, but now Kate needs a kidney transplant. Anna petitions for medical emancipation so that she will be able to make her own decision concerning donating a kidney to Kate.  During the trial, it is revealed that Kate put Anna up to the emancipation because she did not want Anna to go through with the transplant. The judge rules Anna's favor, and gives Campbell medical power of attorney to help her make any medical decisions until she turns 18. After winning the court case, Anna is involved in a car accident. She is rushed to the hospital with a faint pulse. After what seems like an eternity a doctor comes out to inform them that Anna is braindead. She suffered a fatal closed head injury during the wreck. Kate is prepped for surgery, and Anna's kidney is successfully transplanted.

 

Lawn Boy

By: Gary Paulsen

A 12-year-old boy is given a riding lawn mower by his grandmother for his birthday.  The thing actually works, and he sets about mowing their pitiful excuse for a yard. When he finishes the yard, a neighbor wonders if he can get his own lawn mowed. Soon the boy is mowing for the whole neighborhood. In a few short days, he has over three hundred dollars stuffed in his pockets. Arnold, a stay-at-home stockbroker, would like his lawn mowed, but he admits to being short on cash. He offers a deal: if the boy will mow his lawn, he will invest the cost of the mowing in the stock market and hopefully increase the investment. (And boy does he!) The demand for his lawn services skyrockets, and Arnold sets the boy up with a crew of immigrant workers who will help him get the ever adding yard work done. Before he knows it, he has a growing business and more money than he can even imagine. He has a stock portfolio that would be the envy of any businessperson. He even ends up sponsoring an up and coming boxer, Johnny "Pow", who comes in handy when the promising enterprise attracts a shakedown artist. The problem now, is how do you break it to your parents that you are worth more than a half of a million dollars?

 

Kate's Surprise (Sleepover Friends)

by: Susan Saunders

Kate's birthday is coming up, and the Sleepover Friends want to make it really special. They decide to throw Kate a surprise party. What a mistake!
Lauren, Stephanie, and Patti have to keep all kinds of secrets from the Birthday Girl. In order to find the perfect gift (a calico kitten) they had to do odd jobs to raise money to afford the pet. Pretty soon they're almost ignoring her. Kate's not suspicious - she's just mad! Maybe a surprise party is more trouble than it's worth. Before things get out of hand they decide to pre-pone the party a week before Kate’s actual birthday and all ends well.

 

Karen's New Teacher (Baby-sitters Little Sister, 21)

by: Ann M. Martin

Karen is in second grade and loves her teacher Mrs. Coleman. Mrs. Coleman gets sick and has to go to the hospital for a month.  A substitute teacher, Mrs. Hoffman, will be teaching their class while Mrs. Coleman is away. Mrs. Hoffman is old and all about rules. The students now have to do chores and ware nice clothes to school. They hate Mrs. Hoffman and conspire to get even with her for being so mean. But as time passes the students learn to adapt to the rules and realize that Mrs. Hoffman isn't too bad. She can even laugh and play the guitar.   Mrs. Hoffman's time as their teacher is about up, and the students decide to throw her a going away party.

 

When the Heat Cries

by: Cindy Woodsmall

Hannah Lapp is a young Amish teen, Living in Owl's Perch, Pennsylvania. She has been working for a neighbor, who is a Mennonite and has as grandson, Paul, just older than Hannah. Hannah is in love with Paul, and when he proposes to her before leaving for college she accepts. The problem is that she cannot tell her family, because her father would never allow her to marry outside the Amish community.  On her way home form work Hannah is stopped by a man in a car asking for directions. The man ends up raping Hannah, and her trauma sets in motion a chain of events that sometimes seems incredible. Her father doesn't believer her, and discovers her relation ship with Paul. Paul doesn't handle the situation well either and Hannah finds her self very alone.  Ashamed and scared, Hannah runs away from her family and community, to a shunted aunt that she just discovered she had, in Ohio.

 

When the Morning Comes

by: Cindy Woodsmall

Her relationship with fiancé Paul Waddell in tatters, Hannah Lapp has fled her secluded Old Order Amish community in hopes of finding a new home in Ohio with her shunned aunt. Hampered by limited education and hiding her true identity, Now in Ohio, Hannah struggles to navigate the confusing world of the Englischers. Back in Owl’s Perch, Pennsylvania, Paul is wracked with regret over his treatment of Hannah. Fearing for her safety, he tries to convince Hannah’s remaining allies; her brother Luke, best friend Mary, and loyal Matthew Esh, to help search for her. Hannah’s father, however, remains steadfastly convinced of her sinful behavior. His blindness to his family’s pain extends to her sister, Sarah, who shows signs of increasing instability. Hannah however is convinced her former life is irreparably destroyed. Hannah finds purpose and solace in life with her aunt and in a growing friendship with Englischer Martin Palmer, and his two young children. Hannah's heart, however, still calls to return home, but she is afraid to face her past.

 

When the Soul Mends

by: Cindy Woodsmall

Hannah Is slowly finding solace in her new home in Ohio, especially due to the help of the Englisher Martin Palmer whom Hannah as began to love as well as his two children. She has vowed never to return to Owl's Perch, although she misses her family, even though her father who's shunning of her means to him she is dead. One day however, when her troubled sister Sarah frantically calls, Hannah, in spite of her sibling spreading the rumors that led to her exile, rushes home to help her. She quickly realizes the community loathes her for her choices and her father demands she leave. With the help of her former fiancé Paul Waddell, Hannah tries to help Sarah with mental health issues while she also wonders if she made a mistake when she left her home. She discovers hidden truths about the events during Hannah’s absence. She is now torn with the decision of returning to modern Ohio and Martin, or should she return to the plain life and Paul, who it turns out never stopped loving her.

 

FOLKLORE

 

The Aunt and the Grasshopper

By: Aesop

While the aunts are hard at work preparing for winter, the grasshopper is out having fun. The ants keep telling the grasshopper that he needs to start getting ready, but grasshopper thinks he has plenty of time. Winter arrives and grasshopper finds himself very unprepared.

 

How the Elephant Got His Trunk

By: Rudyard Kipling

The tale of a very curious little elephant, whose friends all tease him for asking so many

questions. The elephant wants to know what crocodiles eat for dinner, so he decides to gain first-hand knowledge. The crocodile’s large mouth grabs onto the elephant’s tiny nose, and in a tug-of-war, the nose stretches and gets longer and longer. Though he’s upset at first for looking different, the young elephant soon discovers that having a long trunk can be a wonderful thing.

 

Paul Bunyan, Giant Lumberjack

By: Dell J. McCormick

Born in Main, Paul Bunyan was big and strong even as a baby. They say it took fourteen cows to supply milk for his porridge and that each day he grew two feet taller. Like his father Paul grew up to be a lumberjack. Paul could cut down an entire forest in a single day, and his ax was so large that it took six full-grown men to lift it. One winter it snowed and the snow was a bright sapphire blue. Paul went out after the snow had fallen and found a baby ox calf, with a glossy blue coat, which he named Babe and kept as a pet. Paul took Babe on all his adventures in the woods.

 

How the Camel Got His Hump

By: Rudyard Kipling

Long ago when animals were just beginning to work for men, there was a very lazy camel who refused to do any work, and when asked to do so simply replied with "Humph." The other animals are angry for being forced to work overtime to get all the Camel's work done as well. One night they come along the Djinn, the desert magician and tell him how lazy the camel is. The Djinn gives the camel a hump on his back because that is all he seems to be able to say, when asked why he hasn't been working. The Djinn sends the camel away with instructions to make up the work he has lost.

 

The Jackal and the Camel

by: Sara Cone Bryant

A Jackal is hungry and wants to eat the crabs on the opposite bank of a river. The Jackal gets a Camel to carry him across the river on his back. The Jackal gets his fill of crabs and is ready to leave, but the Camel is not done snacking of the sugar cane. To get the Camel to leave, the Jackal starts singing a song that he knows will bring the farmer. When the farmer comes the Jackal hides in the sugar cane. The farmer beats the Camel for eating in his fields. When the Camel asked the Jackal why he called the farmer he said he didn't mean to, "but I always sing a song after dinner." The Camel begins crossing the stream once again with the Jackal on his back. When they were about middle of the stream the Camel told the Jackal that he was going to roll over. The Jackal protested saying he would get wet and drown. The Camel replied "Maybe you will, but you see I always roll over after dinner." So the Camel rolled over and the Jackal drowned.

 

Ram, Prince of Kosala

by: Rohini Chowdhury

Long ago, in India, there lived a king whose name was Dasharatha. He had three queens, Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra. Even though Dasharatha had everything to make him happy he was very sad at heart because had no children. Upon the advice of a spiritual guru, he performed a great sacrificial fire worship and in the following days he was blessed with four wonderful boys. Kaushalya duly gave birth to a son, Ram. Kaikeyi was next, with a son Bharat. Sumitra was the last. She had been given two helpings, so she had twin boys, Lakshmana and Shatrughan. When the king Dasharatha decided to retire he wanted to crown Ram the king. But things did not go according to Dasharatha's plan. When the day of coronation of Ram was announced Bharat and Shatrughan were at their maternal ill advice from her scheming, hunchback maid Manthara about her and uncle's place. The city started to prepare for the occasion and the queens were happy for the oncoming event. At this time, Dasharatha's second wife Kaikeyi got an her son being ill treated if Ram became king. Kaikeyi fell a prey to the conspiracy of Manthara. When Dasharatha came to accompany her to the coronation ceremony, she was lying on the floor, sobbing. When Dasharatha repeatedly asked the queen about the thing that was bothering her, Kaikeyi sternly asked to crown her son Bharat king and banish Ram to the forest for fourteen years. Ram honored his father's wishes and left for the forest accompanied by his wife and his younger brother Lakshmana. When Bharat came to know about this he got furious with his mother and Shatrughan kicked Manthara out of the house. Then Bharat went after Ram in order to request him to come back and rule the kingdom. Ram very humbly refused . Bharat returned to Ayodhya with Ram's sandals and ruled the kingdom as an appointee of Ram. Even in the palace he chose to lead the life of a hermit like his elder brother Ram.  Ram triumphantly returned to Ayodhya with Sita after fourteen years' of exile. Diwali is celebrated in memory of Ram's return to his kingdom.

 

The Ugly Duckling

by: Hans Christian Anderson

A mother duck is sitting on her eggs waiting for them to hatch. Finally the ducklings begin hatching, that is all except one, the larges egg. The mother sits on the egg a little longer and when it finally hatches it is not a duckling at all. The mother duck though it might be a turkey, but the baby could swim so it couldn't be that. Other ducks started making fun of and being mean to the baby not-so-duckling be cause it looked different that all the rest. The baby began to believe that he was indeed an ugly duckling and flew over the fence and away form the farm. Even out side the farm the, the wild ducks found him ugly.  He cam to a farm house, but the hen and cat who lived there did not like him either so he left. The days turned into fall and the duckling found himself alone in a pond. One day a group of dazzling white birds with long, limber necks came. When the birds left, the ugly duckling wished they would stay but figured it was because he was so ugly that they left. Winter came and the ugly duckling found himself frozen in the pond. A farmer cam by and rescued him. It was a long lonely winter for the duckling. When spring finally came and the Duckling saw three beautiful swans swimming on the pond, and he got sad, because he feared they would not like him. He entered the water anyway and as he began to approach the swans he saw his own reflection in the water and found that he was not an ugly ducking at all but had grown into a beautiful swan. Kids who were near the pond praised the new swan and said that he was the most beautiful of all. 

 

 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY/BIOGRAPHY

 

Ray Charles

By: Sharon Bell Mathis

The Books starts off with a story of as time as a young boy when Charles was challenged by school mate to a race. Charles, though blind, is determined to win. They have tied a string from the starting line to the finish, which Charles uses to stay on course. Then he runs into a pole, he realized that the race was only a trick and the other children laugh at Charles as he lays in pain trying not to cry.  The book then jumps to adulthood where Charles is a famous musician, and people flock to hear his music.  It then goes back to his childhood and tells the story of how Charles learned to love and play music. Charles went off on his own at 15, after the death of his mother and last living relative. It tell of how he moved to Seattle at 16 and continued in the music business, even through his own fair share of ups and downs, to become the amazing musician we know and love today.

 

Anne Frank: The Young Writer Who Told the World Her Story

By: Ann Kramer

Tells the story of Anne Frank's life from what started out as a normal childhood, her time in hiding and finally to the horrors of life in a concentration camp where she died at age 15. It includes actual photographs of her life: family friends, homes and prisons. It is a great book for children who want a look into the life a young girl, who's diary has touched and influences many.

 

Abe's Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln

By: Doreen Rappaport

Tells the story of Abraham Lincoln's life in a way that even very young children will enjoy, with wonderful illustrations and quotes from Abe himself. It begins at his child hood and the death of his mother at a young age and tells of his journey in politics, first as the Illinois state legislature and eventually President of the United States. It tells of the Civil War and Lincoln's fight to rejoin America and free the slaves. It ends with his assassination.

 

 

GRAPHIC NOVELS

 

Mary Jane; The Real Thing

by: Marvel Age

Mary Jane (MJ) and her friend Liz are debating whether or not to go to the Homecoming Dance, and who MJ should ask. Liz wants her to go with Harry, a nice childhood friend, but MJ isn't so sure. MJ realizes that Harry really is a good guy when she sees him befriending Peter Parker, a boy most people see as a dork. She decides to go on a date with Harry. They have a good time, but Harry is moving a little too fast for MJ. On the train ride home MJ finds herself in the midst of Electro's rampage. Spider-Man comes to the rescue. MJ is secretly in love with Spider-Man, and decides it is him she wants to go to the dance with.

 

Hulk Meyhem!

by: Marvel Age

General "Thunderbolt" Ross is hunting Banner (Hulk). He hires Madox the Multiple Man and Radioactive Man to help him capture the Hulk. They find Banner at the a cabin where he is working on a machine that will de-Hulk him. They make Banner angry and he turns into the Hulk, and it becomes a fight. Madox multiplies every time he is hit and Radioactive Man, is well radioactive. The Hulk defeats Radioactive Man and Madox ends up changing sides, which foils the General's plans.

 

Fantastic Four: Come Out and Fight Like a Molecule Man

by: Marvel Age

An evil genius has figured out how to jump bodies and control those he possesses. He can also manipulate elements like hydrogen and gravity. to defeat this "Molecule Man" the Fantastic Four must locate the real him, who is hiding somewhere in the city.

 

MANGA

 

My Neighbor Totoro (Volume 1)

By: Hayao Miyazaki

Two sisters, Mei and Satsuki, and their father move to a new house. The house id very old and the girls think it is haunted. They find out it is actually just filled with Soot Sprites who fill the house with dust and soot. They have to show the Sprites that they are nice people to make them move out of their home.

 

My Neighbor Totoro (Volume 2)

By: Hayao Miyazaki

Mei, Satsuki and their father are getting settled into their new home. They go to the hospital to visit their mother who is sick. Satsuli goes to school, and Mei has to keep herself entertained while their father works. Mei ends up chasing to creatures into the forest and falls into a deep hole in a tree. She meets another large creature (I think a troll), named Totoro. She spends the afternoon napping on Toroto's furry belly. When Satsuli returns from school they cannot find Mei. They eventually find her asleep in the woods. When she wakes up she begins asking for Totoro. They look for him but Mei cannot find the hole again.  Their father says that its because you can only find it is the Forest Sprites want you too. Satsuki isn't so sure.

 

My Neighbor Totoro (Volume 3)

By: Hayao Miyazaki

While Satsuki is at school, Mei is being watched by their neighbor Granny.  Mei is upset and gets Granny to take her to Satsuki's school. The teacher let Mei stay for the rest of the day. On the way home it begins to poor rain, and a neighbor boy is nice and loans his umbrella. The girls go to the bus stop to wait for their father, because he didn't have an umbrella either. Their father doesn't come on the first bus and the girls wait some more. 

Mei falls asleep, and satsuki sees Tatoro. Satsuki loans Totoro an umbrella and the two play in the rain. A strange animal bus comes along and picks up Tororo, but the girls are still left waiting. Their father finally arives and the girls tell him that they saw Totoro and a huge cat buss.  Totoro leaves a gift for the girls, acorns whch they plant. They cannot wait for them to grow, especially Mei. One night Totoro and some ofther creatures come and make the acorn trees grow into huge trees over night. The girls spend the night playing with Totoro, but in the mornignn they awake in their beds and the trees are gone, only little sprouts remain in their place.

 

 

 

INFORMATIONAL

 

Praying Mantises

by: Connie Colwell Miller

An informational book about praying mantises: what they look like, where they live, what they eat, Their Life cycle, and how they protect them selves from danger.

 

Poison Dart Frogs Up Close

by: Carmen Bredeson

An informational book about poison dart frogs. Tells how poisonis dart frogs are similar and different from other frogs, about their body parst and life cycle.

 

Earth, a true book

by: Larry Dane Brimner

Tells about earth, and whre it is in the solar system. tell sbout how the human perspective of earth has changes over time. It talks about the moon and how technology has allowed men to explore earth and the moon for thouroly