Hothead
(Cal Ripken's All-Stars: Book 1)
by Cal Ripken, JR.
Connor is under a lot of pressure. His dad lost his job. His mom is working overtime. His family is short on money. He's the star of his little league team and they're competing for a championship. A cute girl is watching his every move on the baseball as she writes an article about him for the school paper.
And with all that pressure, every little mistake is weighing on him more and more and he's having trouble keeping it together. The slightest mistakes on the field lead to bigger and bigger tantrums. Can Connor get his emotions under control before he blows his team's chances at a championship. Read Hothead to find out!
Published: 2011
Genre: Sports fiction/ Realistic fiction
Locations: Classroom, public library, and Amazon
Home Court
(Standing Tall And Talented: book 1)
by Amar'e Stoudemire
11 year old Amar'e and his two best friends Duece and Mike love to play basketball. They head over to their neighborhood park everyday after school to shot hoops. Then one day, three older kids show up and they don't let Amar'e, Duece, and Mike play.
What will Amar'e do? Will he back down and let the older kids dominate the court or will he figure out a way to stand up for his and his friends' rights?
Published: 2012
Genre: Sports/realistic fiction
Location: Classroom, public library, and Amazon
The Witches
by Roald Dahl
Before I say anything else, I need to tell you something very important. Witches are all around you. They are literally everywhere and you can't even tell because they don't wear black hats and carry brooms, they disguise themselves in normal everyday clothes that your mum or aunt might wear.
Witches is a true story. My true story. I lived every horrible, scary, exciting, rewarding moment of my battle, with my grandmama's help, to stop the revolting witches of England from eliminating all of the England's children.
I think you'll like my story. So read the book and remember to be careful, witches roam the Earth.
Published: 1983
Genre: Fantasy
Locations: Classroom, school library, public library, and Amazon
Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom
(Heroes in Training book 1)
by Joan Holub
and Suzanne Williams
At the beginning of this book Zeus is an orphan, lives in a cave, is cared for by a nymph, a goat, and a bee, and feels is being chased by lightning.
Then when he's captured by 3 half-giant soldiers things change. Now instead of being an orphan living in a cave, he's running for his life, can hold a thunderbolt, and does battle with some real bad baddies.
If you are curious how his new life turns out, then you should probably read the book.
Published: 2012
Genre: Fantasy
Location: Classroom, public library, and Amazon
Fangbone Third Grade Barbarian
(Book 1)
by Michael Rex
Fangbone, a young warrior from the alternate dimension of Skullbania, has two dilemmas. He must protect the "Big Toe of Drool" from horrible warriors while also trying to survive as the new kid in a third grade classroom in our dimension. Which of the dilemmas will be more perilous? Read this fun book and find out.
Published: 2012
Genre: Graphic Novel/Fantasy
Locations: Classroom, public library, and Amazon
Cardboard
by Doug TenNapel
If your parents gave you a cardboard box as a present, you'd figure the worst thing that could happen was already done right, your present was a cardboard box.
In Cardboard, Cam's dad gave him a cardboard box for his birthday. Yes, you heard me right, he got a cardboard box. Luckily for Cam it was magical cardboard and anything you made from it came to life.
So this present sounds awesome because nothing bad could happen from magic cardboard that comes to life, right? Right?
Published: 2012
Genre: Graphic Novel/Fantasy
Location: Classroom, public library, and Amazon
Wonkenstein
The Creature From My Closet
(Book 1)
by Obert Skye
I have a question for you. What would you do if let's say one day a little creature that was half monster-half human walked out of your very messy closet?
In Wonkenstein we find out what Robert Columbo Burnside does when he faces the very dilemma mentioned above. His decisions aren't always pretty but they sure are funny so try not to laugh to much when reading this book.
Published: 2011
Genre: Fantasy
Location: Classroom, public library, and Amazon
Big Nate Flips Out (Book 5)
by Lincoln Peirce
A lot is going on in Big Nate Flips Out. Nate and his friends Francis and Teddy decide to join the yearbook committee. Nate keeps getting in trouble with his teachers for being messy. Nate needs to replace his awful yearbook picture. Nate and his team need to defeat his arch enemy Gina and her team in the "Trivia Slam." And finally Nate and one his best friends have a falling out. If you think you can keep track of all these story lines and like reading about a very realistic flawed main character, then you should read Big Nate Flips Out.
Published: 2013
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Locations: Classroom, public library, and Amazon
Stick Dog
by Tom Watson
Hey, I'm Tom. I wrote the book Stick Dog. Stick Dog is a stray who lives in a pipe and has never had much except his four dog friends.
This story is a quest and focuses on how Stick Dog and his buddies run into a lot of obstacles as they try to snatch hamburgers from a family at a summer picnic.
It's a pretty fun story. I tell you what Stick Dog and his pals are up to, I add some basic illustrations, and share my thoughts on the dogs' quest. I hope you read my book. I think you'll like it.
Published: 2013
Genre: Animal Fiction/Not realistic
Locations: Classroom, public library, and Amazon
Wonder
by R.J. Palacio
Auggie has been home schooled for his first five years of school because his facial features are much different than your's and mine. This story focuses on what happens when he starts attending school.
While Wonder revolves around Auggie's life it is about so much more. It is about Auggie's classmates Jack and Summer deciding what kind of people they want to be. It is also about Auggie's sister Via, her friend Miranda, and her boyfriend Justin deciding what kind of people they want to be. This story is about people deciding who they will be.
Published: 2012
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Locations: Classroom, school library, public library, and Amazon
This Journal Belongs to Ratchet
by Nancy J. Cavanaugh
Hi, I'm Ratchet. My real name is Rachel but no one calls me that. I'm home schooled and don't have any friends. I live with my dad. I spend most of my time helping him work on cars. He's a mechanic. My dad is also an environmentalist and he's always fighting to save the planet. He's really different. My mom died when I was five. I don't remember much about her at all.
I written a journal but really it's my story. My story, where I try to make a friend, try to find out more about my mom, and try to understand my dad just a little bit more. Read my journal if you want to hear my story?
Published: 2013
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Location: Classroom, public library, and Amazon
