All Shook Up

All Shook Up
by Shelley Pearsall

Josh Greenwood normally lives with his mother in Boston, but when a family emergency occurs, Josh is sent to live with his dad in Chicago. 

Moving causes Josh all the normal challenges you find in books, adjusting to a new city, adjusting to a new school, making new friends, but All Shook Up throws in one extra challenge.  Josh has to deal with his dad being a full time Elvis impersonator. 

Some kids might not mind their dad their dad being an Elvis impersonator, but Josh is very very self-absorbed and thinks all the kids at his new school will think he is a freak if they find out about his dad. This book is more or less about Josh trying to keep his dad's job a secret as he attempts to fit in at a new school. 

If you are wondering exactly how Josh deals with his new school and his Elvis impersonating dad, read All Shook Up. Trust me you won't want to miss seeing if Josh can grow up a little.  

Published: 2008

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Locations: Class Library, School Library, Public Library, and Amazon

Winnie--The-Pooh

Winnie-The-Pooh
by A.A. Milne


Winnie-The-Pooh is a collection of short stories told to the real Christopher Robin by his dad about Christopher Robin and his stuffed animal friends, especially Pooh. 


In the stories, Pooh and his friends set off on silly adventures and solve silly problems. You'll laugh at their misunderstandings and smile at their lovely dialogue.  If you are looking for a book filled with exciting adventures this is not the book for you.  But if you are looking for a book filled with adventures that make you smile and demonstrate friendship, kindness, and love, then this is the book you want to read.  




Published: 1926

Genre: Fantasy/Talking Animals

Location: Class Library, School Library, Public Library, and Amazon

The Tail of Emily Windsnap

The Tail of Emily Windsnap
(Book 1)
by Liz Kessler


When Emily Windsnap starts 7th grade she is just looking to find a best friend.  Then after she takes her first swim class, she discovers she is part mermaid. When she is in water she's a mermaid.  When she is out of water she's a girl. 
  
With this new discovery, she picks up a lot of new life goals. She wants to keep her mermaid status a secret.  She wants to find out about being a mermaid.  She wants to find her missing father that her mother doesn't remember.  And finally, she still wants to find a best friend.  Will Emily be able to accomplish any of these? I'm not telling, so read the book if your curiosity has been piqued. 


Published: 2003

Genre: Fantasy

Locations: Class Library, School Library, Public Library, and Amazon

Swindle

Swindle
(Book 1)
by Gordon Korman


6th grader Griffin Bing is "The Man With The Plan," in other words he always has a scheme up his sleeve.  After he finds a rare Babe Ruth baseball card in a soon to be demolished house, he gets the card appraised by a dealer in collectibles. The dealer tells Griffin it is a reproduction and isn't that valuable but buys it from Griffin for a $120. 


A little later, Griffin sees the dealer on TV telling everyone how he is auctioning off a Babe Ruth baseball card that he found for up to a $1,000,000.  Griffin doesn't like getting swindled, so he develops an intricate plan involving his friends to steal it back.  This will be no simple robbery though.  The dealer has fences, high tech alarm systems, a guard dog, and a vault protecting the card.  Will Griffin and his friends be able to pull off the ultimate resteal?  Read Swindle to find out. 


Published: 2008

Genre: Robbery/Mystery

Locations: Class Library, School Library, Public Library and Amazon

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
by Wendy Mass

One month before his 13th birthday, nerdy homebody Jeremy Fink receives a gift from his dead father.  It is a small box that has a lock on each of its sides and an inscription on the top that says "The Meaning of Life: For Jeremy Fink To Open On His 13th Birthday"  


Jeremy wants to open the box right away but he can't because there are no keys. Over the next month, Jeremy and his outspoken best friend Lizzie, go on a life changing journey as they search for the four keys throughout New York City.  


Along the way they meet new people, do new things and go to new places but will Jeremy and Lizzie find the keys?  What is inside the box? Will they discover the meaning of life?  If you want to find out friendly readers, you'll need to read Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life.  I strongly encourage you to because this is one amazing book. 
Published: 2006

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Mystery

Locations: Classroom Library, Public Library, and Amazon

mockingbird

mockingbird
by Kathryn Erskine


Caitlain and her father's life has changed since her older brother Devon was killed in a school shooting. Her father has become extremely sad and Caitlain, who has Asperger's and lacks many social skills, has lost her guide through life. For them, the day of the murder, was truly "the Day Our Life Fell Apart." 


Caitlain and her dad are trying to figure out how "to deal with this difficult situation called life."    Can Caitlain navigate the world without her brother's guidance?  Can Caitlain make friends? Can they find closure? Can Caitlain and her father put their lives back together?  mockingbird, which is a deep and serious book, answers these questions. 

published: 2010

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Locations: Classroom Library, Public Library, and Amazon

Katie and the Cupcake Cure

Katie and the Cupcake Cure
(Book 1 in Cupcake Diaries series)
by Coco Simon


Katie Brown was starting middle school but she wasn't worried, she figured it would be just like elementary school.  But she was wrong.


On the first day of middle school, she went to meet her best friend Callie, who had been away at camp all summer.  When Katie found her, Callie wanted nothing to do with Katie because she now had new cooler more fashionable friends. 


As you can guess, Katie was feeling down, and who can blame her since her best friend just ditched her.  But when the opportunity to make new friends occurs, what will Katie do?  Will she obsess over Callie or will she allow herself to make new friends?  The answer to those questions can be found by reading Katie and the Cupcake Cure. 


Published: 2011

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Locations: Classroom Library, Public Library, and Amazon

The World According to Humphrey

The World According to Humphrey
(Book 1)
by Betty G. Birney


Humphrey is a hamster, officially the class hamster for Mrs. Brisbane's room 26. He is smarter than most hamsters.  He can write and he takes tests.  He just doesn't let the people in the room know.  All he can say is, "Squeak."


Life is pretty good for Humphrey, the only trouble is Mrs. Brisbane didn't buy Humphrey, her guest teacher did, and Mrs. Brisbane doesn't like Humphrey.  


While Humphrey tries to solve all the problems in the classroom and at his classmates homes, he has to figure out a way to get Mrs. Brisbane to like him.  Can he do what seems impossible.  Guess what, you'll need to read The World According to Humphrey, to find out. 


Published: 2004

Genre: Animal Fiction

Locations: Class Library, School Library, Public Library, and Amazon

The Penderwicks

The Penderwicks
A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits,
 and a Very Intersting Boy
(Book 1)
by Jeanne Birdsall


This is a book about four sisters, with distinct personalities, interacting in new surroundings. 


The Penderwick family, Rosalind (age 12), Skye (age 11), Jane age (10), Batty (age 4), their father and their dog, are spending three weeks at a cottage located behind a huge mansion that has amazingly elaborate gardens.  


The mansion and gardens also contain a cute and kind teenage groundskeeper, a friendly cook, an interesting boy, a mean owner and her nasty boyfriend. 


Intermixed with all of these new people and set down in new surroundings, the Penderwick girls have a summer they will never forget. Read The Penderwicks so you'll always remember their summer too. 


Published: 2005

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Locations: Classroom Library, Public Library, and Amazon

The Book of Ember

The City of Ember
by Jeanne DuPrau


The City of Ember is either lit up by street lamps and house lights or in utter and complete darkness.  There are no candles, fires, computer screens or flashlights.  It is either light or dark.  


The City of Ember is all by itself.  There are no other cities.  There are no visitors.  There are no vacations.  Outside of the city there is only darkness.  No one ever leaves the City of Ember. 


The City of Ember was built by the "Builders" and the electric lights used to run perfectly and there was always plenty of food, clothing, and light bulbs in the storerooms.  But now the lights are turning off when they are not supposed to and the storerooms are getting barer and barer and everyday items like paper are running out. 


This is the only life that twelve year olds Doon and Lina have ever known.  Doon and Lina are scared about what is happening in the City of Ember and recognize something needs to be done before the city falls completely apart.  But can these two twelve year olds save an entire city?  Read The City of Embers to find out. 


Published: 2003

Genre: Science Fiction

Locations: Classroom Library, School Library, Public Library, and Amazon

The 6th Grade Nickname Game

The 6th Grade Nickname Game
by Gordon Korman


Jeff and Wiley have been best friends forever and have always been inseparable until Cassandra, a new girl, joins their class.  Both boys have a crush on Cassandra and they are willing to back stab each other in order to win her affections.  Will either Jeff or Wiley win her heart?  Will Jeff and Wiley's friendship survive?  


Published: 1998


Genre: Realistic Fiction

Locations: Classroom Library, School Library, Public Library, and Amazon

Freak the MIghty

Freak the Mighty
by Rodman Philbrick


Maxwell is huge, an adult sized 8th grader.


Kevin is tiny, a toddler sized 8th grader. 


Maxwell struggles in school.


Kevin excels in school. 


Maxwell uses his fists and feet when he is in trouble.


Kevin uses his brain when he is in trouble. 


Maxwell is healthy.


Kevin is sickly. 


This story is about how these two opposites become best friends and the adventures they have together. 


If you read Freak the Mighty you will laugh, you will worry, you will cry and at the end you will feel good inside.  Please read this amazing book. 


Published: 1993

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Locations: Class library, Public Libray, and Amazon

Schooled

Schooled
Gordon Korman


Culture Shock!  That's what Schooled is all about.  How could you get anything other than culture shock when Cap,an eight grader, who has only ever lived with one other person on a commune,  has never been to school, never watched TV, never held money, and never had a friend his own age  is suddenly forced to attend a public middle school with 1,100 students.  


And it isn't just culture shock for Cap, its culture shock for everyone at his school because his new classmates and teachers aren't used to dealing with someone with such a unique lifestyle as Cap. 


Schooled is told from multiple points of view and that's what makes it so fun.  Read the book to see how Cap responds to his new situation, how his classmates respond to Cap, and how his teachers respond too.  It is an awesome trip. 


Published: 2007

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Locations: Class Library, Public Library, and Amazon

Freckle Juice

Freckle Juice
by Judy Blume


Have you ever wanted something so badly, you'd do anything to get it?  Andrew Marcus really wanted freckles and he wanted them so badly he was willing to buy a secret freckle juice recipe from his arch enemy.  The big question is will the recipe work?  Read Judy Blume's super short, Freckle Juice to find out. 


Published: 1971

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Locations: Class library, School Library, Public Library, and Amazon

Glory Be

Glory Be
by Augusta Scattergood

Are you interested in US history, the Civil Rights Movement, growing up, family relations, or friendship?  If you are, Glory Be  by Augusta Scattergood is the book for you.


Glory is your typical eleven year old waiting for her twelfth birthday party and hoping to spend the summer swimming at the Community Pool. 


But it is 1964 and times are changing in Glory's hometown of Hanging Moss, Mississippi. First, her older sister Jesslyn is becoming more interested in hanging out with her friends and boyfriend than spending time with Glory.  Second, Glory is becoming friends with a new girl in town but her new friendship is causing problems with her best friend Frankie.  Finally, the Civil Rights Movement has made its way to Hanging Moss and Glory has to deal with the decisions the town leaders make, including closing the town pool,  as they attempt to resist the inevitable positive change that is coming to town. 


How will Glory's summer turn out?  Will she get to go swimming?  Will she and Jesslyn get along? Will she and Frankie get along?Will she have a birthday party? Read Glory Be to find out. 


Published: 2011

Genre: Historical Fiction

Locations: Class Library, School Library, Public Library, and Amazon