heritage middle suggested book list -...

$: Heritage Middle Suggested Book List - PC\|MACimages.pcmac.org/SiSFiles/Schools/GA/CatoosaCounty... · Heritage Middle Suggested Book List Non-fiction Choices: Heaven Is For Real —Author:$
Heritage Middle Suggested Book List

Non-fiction Choices:

Heaven Is For Real—Author: Todd Burp

560L--When Colton Burpo, a little boy not quite four years old, made it through an emergency appendectomy,

his family was overjoyed at his miraculous survival. What they weren't expecting, though, was the story that

emerged in the months that followed -a story as beautiful as it was extraordinary, detailing their little boy's trip

to heaven and back. Colton told his parents he left his body during the surgery and authenticated that claim by

describing exactly what his parents were doing in another part of the hospital while he was being

operated on. He talked of visiting heaven and relayed stories told to him by people he met there whom he had

never met in life.

Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Sarajevo-- Author: Filipovic, Zlata

640L--This book presents the diary of a thirteen-year-old girl living in Sarajevo, begun just before her eleventh

birthday when there was still peace in her homeland.

Who Was Rosa Parks—Author: Yona Zeldis McDonough

700L--In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give her seat to a white male passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. This

seemingly small act triggered civil rights protests all across America, and Rosa became recognized as the

"Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.

Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution-- Author: Jiang, Ji-li

780L-- This book is an engrossing memoir of a Chinese girl, her family, and how their lives became a

nightmare during Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution of the late 1960s.

Slumgirl Dreaming: Rubina's Journey to the Stars-- Author: Ali, Rubina

780L-- Nine-year-old Rubina Ali recounts her childhood in the slums of Mumbai and her rise to stardom after

being chosen to act in the Oscar-winning film SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. (In collaboration with Anne

Berthod and Divya Dugar)

Pro Stock Car Racing—Author: William P. Mara

800L --This fact-filled book is full of interesting information about stock car racing, its history, and the ins and

outs of this popular sport. Wonderful pictures and details about drivers, race tracks, and the NASCAR

organization make this a compelling book.

Behind Enemy Lines: True Stories of Amazing Courage-- Author: Doyle, Bill

810L--This book contains eight stories of heroic men and women who fought and struggled behind enemy

lines. The text contains descriptions of violence.

Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps -- Author: Warren, Andrea

820L - Caught up in Hitler's Final Solution to annihilate Europe's Jews, fifteen-year-old Jack is torn from his

family and thrown into the world of the concentration camps

Cars—Author: Phillip Abraham

860L--In this book readers will learn about the invention of the car and how it has changed the life of millions

of Americans.

*no Lexile available. BL is grade level

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You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution—Author: Kay Moore

860L--This book explains the events of the American Revolution; looks at how people got food, went shopping,

and got news; and discusses the differences between Patriots and Loyalists, and how one could tell the

difference.

Three Cups of Tea: Young Readers Edition-- Author: Thomson, Sarah

910L--This book is a middle-grade adaptation of the author's experiences while trying to help impoverished

villages in Pakistan and Afghanistan build schools for their children. The coauthor is David Oliver Relin, and

the book was adapted by Sarah Thomson.

Kids on Strike! Author: Susan Campbell Bartoleti L920 (208 pp)--This book tells the story of children who stood up for their rights against powerful company owners, in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1836 led by eleven-year-old Harriet Hanson. Bartoletti tells of labor strikes led by young people throughout the United States. Illustrated with more than one hundred photographs from newspapers and journals.

Jeff Corwin: A Wild Life: The Authorized Biography-- Author: Corwin, Jeff

930L--From growing up near Boston to falling in love with snakes, traveling to exotic places, and becoming a

beloved Emmy Award-winning television host of ANIMAL PLANET, this biography will give readers a

firsthand look at Jeff's adventurous life.

Tim Tebow: Through My Eyes: A Quarterback’s Journey—Author: Tim Tebow

930L—Former University of Florida star quarterback, 2010 first-round draft pick for the Denver Broncos, and

devout Christian, Tim Tebow tells the story of his faith, his life, and his career in football .Through My Eyes

gives fans a look into the heart of an athlete whose talent and devotion have made him one of the most

provocative figures in football. (there are several versions of this book with Lexiles between 730 and 1110)

Kid Pirates: Their Battles, Shipwrecks, & Narrow Escapes-- Author: Zullo, Allan

940L--Some volunteered while others were forced to serve, but each of the kid pirates in these true stories

sailed with the world's most feared pirates, from the notorious Blackbeard and Captain Kidd to Sir Henry

Morgan and others.

Soul Surfer—Author: Hamilton, Bethany and Bundsohuh, Rick

960L-- Soul Surfer is a moving account of a young surfer, Bethany, and her recovery from a shark attack that

took her arm.. It is a story of girl with spiritual grit and determination that shows the body is no more essential

to surfing perhaps even less so than the soul.


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Chasing Lincoln’s Killer - Author: James L. Swanson Biography.

980L--Recounts the twelve-day pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth, covering the chase through

Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, with a discussion of Abraham Lincoln as a father, husband, and

friend that examines the impact of his death on those close to him. 194 pgs.

Pro Football MegaStars 1997—Author: Bruce Weber

980L--Read about the successes and personal histories of fifteen of 1997's brightest stars in professional

football.

.Phineas Gage: True Story about Brain Science-- Author: John Flieschman

1030L--Phineas Gage was truly a man with a hole in his head. While blasting rock in 1848, a thirteen-pound

iron rod shot through his brain. Miraculously, he survived to live another eleven years and become a textbook

case in brain science. His case astonished doctors in his day and still fascinates doctors today.

Kennedy Assassinated! The World Mourns Author: Hampton, Wilborn

1040L -Tells about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, President of the United States.

The Boys' War: Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk about the Civil War--Author: Murphy, Jim

1060L - Diary entries, personal letters, and archival photographs are used to describe the experiences of boys,

sixteen years old or younger, who fought in the Civil War.

.

Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting-- Author: Murphy, Jim

1160L - On December 25, 1914, a Christmas miracle occurred all along the Western Front as hundreds of

thousands of soldiers simply decided, despite direct orders to the contrary, that they were not going to fight. The

text contains graphic photos.

The Diary of A Young Girl—Author: Anne Frank

1080L--is the record of two years in the life of a remarkable Jewish girl whose

triumphant humanity in the face of unfathomable deprivation and fear has made the book one of the most

enduring documents of our time

The Crossing: How George Washington Saved the American Revolution--Author: Murphy, Jim

1080L - This book describes the pivotal transformation of George Washington from an inexperienced leader to

a brilliant general.

Blizzard-- Author: Jim Murphy

1090L--Newbery Honor Book author Jim Murphy orchestrates with fact, science, technology, and sociology the

testimony of survivors and victims to tell the harrowing story of the phenomenal blizzard that crippled New

York City in March, 1888


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Freedom Riders-- Author: Ann Bausum

1090L—Compares and contrasts the childhoods of John Lewis and James Zwerg in a way that helps young

readers understand the segregated experience of our nation's past. It shows how a common interest in justice

enabled these young men to meet as Freedom Riders on a bus journey south. The journey they shared as

freedom riders through the Deep South changed not only their own lives but our nation's history.

Extreme Animals—The Toughest Creatures on Earth-- Author: Nicola Davies

1100L:-- The creators of POOP are back with an entertaining look at the most incredible survivors on Earth.

From the persevering emperor penguins of the South Pole to the brave bacteria inside bubbling volcanoes, from

the hardy reptiles of the driest deserts to the squash-proof creatures of the deepest seabeds, animals have

adapted to survive in conditions that would kill a human faster than you can say "coffin." Discover how they do

it in this amazing natural history book.

Witnesses to War-- Author: Leapman, Michael

1120L - This book tells the stories of children from different countries and cultural backgrounds who were

persecuted because of their race or religion during the Second World War

An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 Author:

Murphy, Jim

1130L— This book provides an account of the yellow fever epidemic that swept through Philadelphia in 1793,

discussing the chaos that erupted when people began evacuating in droves, leaving the city without government,

goods, or services

The Great Fire-- Author: Jim Murphy

1130L - Within the thirty-one hours of terror, over 100,000 people were forced to flee the flames of the Great

Chicago Fire. Eyewitness accounts and newspaper articles tell the story of some of the people affected by this

calamity

A Savage Thunder: Antietam and the Bloody Road to Freedom-- Author--Murphy, Jim

1180L--As the Confederate and Union armies marched toward each other, few soldiers realized that the idea of

freedom was about to change, nor did they know their part in an epic battle would prove to be the bloodiest

single day in American history.

Helen Keller: A Photographic Story of a Life-- Author: Garrett, Leslie

BL: 6.5* --Photographs, illustrations, and text explore the life of Helen Keller, a woman who lost her vision and

hearing at the age of two, but went on, with the help of her teacher Annie Sullivan, to become a world-famous

speaker and writer.


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Anne Frank: Young Diarist-- Author: Ashby, Ruth

BL: 5.1 -This book follows the life of the Jewish girl who chronicled her day-to-day life in a diary as she hid in

an attic in Nazi-occupied Holland for two years.

Hiding Edith: A True Story-- Author: Kacer, Kathy

BL: 4.8--This book shares the story of Edith Schwalb, a Jewish child fugitive during the Holocaust, was

separated from her family and moved from hiding place to hiding place while traveling from Austria to Belgium

and through France.

Middle School—The Real Deal Author: Juliana Farrell and Beth Mayall

NL--From cliques to class schedules, electives to extra credit, cafeteria food to combination locks, you'll find

everything you need to know right here. And in this newly revised edition, you'll also get the most up-to-date

information on everything from technology to test taking. This book has the latest scoop, the coolest quizzes,

and the best advice around if you're about to take the middle school plunge.

Battle Heroes: Voices from Afghanistan-- Author: Zullo, Allan

BL: 7.9 - The heroes spotlighted in this book represent the many American troops who, with steadfast boldness,

have been battling a ruthless enemy in knee-deep snow, scorching temperatures, and deadly close combat of

militant-occupied villages.

Escape! The Story of the Great Houdini—Author: Fleischman, Sid

BL: 6.6 - This book is a biography of the magician, ghost chaser, aviator, and king of escape artists whose

amazing feats are remembered long after his death in 1926.

The Diary of a Young Girl Author: Frank, Anne

BL: 6.5 - A precocious young girl is obliged by encroaching Nazi regime to live in enforced seclusion with

family and friends.

Pro Sports-- How Did They Begin?—Authors: Don Wulffson and Alfred Giuliani

NL--Presents historical facts and anecdotes about baseball, basketball, and football, the three most popular

professional sports in the U.S.

Sports Great Jim Abbott –Author: Jeff Savage

NL--Baseball player Jim Abbott has overcome his disability to reach his dream of playing in the major leagues.

How did Jim practice for his Little League team? How does Jim field the ball? Readers can follow along with

his remarkable career.

.


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HERITAGE MIDDLE SCHOOL

FICTION TITLES FOR SUMMER READING

Middle School (Lexile Range: 925-1185 )

TITLE AUTHOR LEXILE

The Real Slam Dunk Charisse Richardson 590

Books by Matt Christopher (sports) 600-100

The Chocolate Touch Patrick Catling 770

Comeback Kids Mike Lupica 650

Chocolate Fever Robert Smith 690

Ashes Kathryn Lasky 770

Flygirl Sherrie L Smith 680

Girl, Stolen April Henry 700

Liar, Liar: the theory, Practice, and

Destructive Properties of Deception

Gary Paulson 940

Payback Time Carl Deuker N/A

Under the Mesquite Guadalupe Garcia McCall 990

The Brooklyn Nine: a Novel in Nine

Innings

Alan Gratz 840

Danger Box Blue Balliett 750

Dark Life (or books from the series) Kat Falls 810

Fish Gregory Mone 810

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu Wendy WanLong Shang 700

I Funny: A Middle School Story James Patterson N/a

Runaway Twin Peg Kehret 740


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Found Margaret Peterson Haddix 750

Grimm Legacy Polly Shulman 600

I Pledge Allegiance (or books from

the series)

Chris Lynch 860

Maze Runner (or books from the

series)

James Dashner 770

Million Dollar Throw Mike Lupica 960

Sweet Venom Tera Lynn Childs 780

Three Black Swans Caroline B. Cooney 650

The Best School Year Ever Barbara Robinson 1020

The Fashion Disaster That changed

My Life

Lauren Myracle 680

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Alvin Schwartz 640

Time Warp Trio Series Jon Scieszka 640

Amulet Kazu Kibuishi 600-880

Just Juice Karen Hesse 690

Chasing the Falconers Series Gordon Korman 680

Lunch Money/Frindle/The Jacket Andrew Clements 830

Swindle Gordon Korman 710

The Homework Machine Dan Gutman 680

Dork Diaries Rachel Russell 710

Stolen Children Peg Kehret 730

Camp Confidential Series Melissa Morgan 760

The Gold Cadillac/Mississippi Bridge Mildred Taylor 650

Escaping the Giant Wave Peg Kehret 750


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Brian’s Winter/Brian’s Return Gary Paulsen 1030/1040

Skeleton Creek Eve Bunting 740

Sammy Keyes Wendelin van Draanen 750

Percy Jackson Series Rick Riordan 990

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series Jeff Kinney 950-1060

Chronicals of Narnis Series C. S. Lewis 870-940

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key Jack Gantos 970

The Old Willis Place Mary Downing Hahn 630

Agnes Parker: keeping Cool in

Middle School

Kathleen O’Dell 630

Woodsong Gary Paulsen 1090

Tracker Gary Paulsen 810

The Fire Within/Fire Star/Ice Fire Chris D’Lacey 630-770

Deep, Dark, and Dangerous Mary Downing Hahn 650

Warrior Series Erin Hunter 1120

Seekers Series Erin Hunter 750

Series of Unfortunate Events Lemony Snicket 1150

Holes Louis Sachar 660

Cirque du Freak Series Darren Shan 650

Among the Hidden Series Margaret Petterson Haddix 800

Maniac Magee Jerry Spinellis 820

Uglies Series Scott Westerfield 770

The Skin I’m In Sharon Flake 670

A child Called it Dave Pelzer


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Gallagher Girls Series Ally Carter 780

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas John Boyne 1080

The Clique Series Lisa Harrison

Artemis Fowl Series Eoin Colfer 600-900

Pretty Little Liars Sara Shepard 760

The Boy Who Dared Susan Bartoletti 760

The Hobbit J. R. Tolkien 1000

Wonder R. J. Palacio 790

Rules of the Road Joan Bauer 850

Chomp Carl Hiaason 800

Never Say Die Will Hobbs 710

The Dragonfly Pool Eva Ibbotson 960

Savvy Ingrid Law 1070

Game Changers Book 2: Play Makers Mike Lupicia 920

Afrika Colleen Craig 1400

Out of My Mind Sharon M. Draper 700

Rush for the Gold: Mystery at the

Olympics

John Feinstein

Titanic: Voices from the Disaster Deborah Hopkinson

Son Lois Lowry 720

Tomorrow, When the War Began John Marsden 850

Endangered Eliot Schrefer 900

Ship Breaker Paolo Bacigalupi 690

Graceling Kristin Cashore 730


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The Fault in Our Stars John Green 850

The Silence of Murder Daley Dandi Mackall

The Statistical Probability of Love at

First Sight

Jennifer Smith 1060

The Final Four Paul Volponi 870

The Book Thief Marcus Zusak 730

Missing May Cynthia D. Rylant 980

My Side of the Mountain Jean Craighead George 810

Phiillip Hall Likes Me/Recon Maybe Bette Greene 900

Tangerine Edward Bloor 680

The View from Saturday E. L. Konigsburg 870

I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade Diane lee Wilson 1010

Ida Early comes Over the Mountain Robert Burch 720

Loch Paul Zindel 840

Looking Back: A Book of Memories Lois Lowery

The Moves Make the Man Bruce Brooks 1150

Red Cap G Clifton Wisler 820

Spying on Miss Muller Eve bunting 710

Brian’s Winter Gary Paulsen 1140

Eva Peter Dickinson 1010

Forged by Fire Sharon Mills Draper 780

Jason’s Gold Will Hobbs 860

Locked in Time Lois Duncan 990

Ransom Lois Duncan 750


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The Teacher’s Funeral Richard Peck 750

Inkspell/ Inkheart series Cornelia Funke 890

The Shunning Beverly Lewis 940

Silent to the Bone E. L. Konigsburg 810

SUGGESTED READING FOR COMMON CORE FOUND IN APPENDIX B AT www.corestandards.org

740L-1010L (4th

-5th

grade band)

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Lewis Caroll

The Secret Garden Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Black Stallion Walter Farley

The Little Prince. Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Tuck Everlasting.... Natalie Babbitt

M. C. Higgins, the Great Virginia Hamilton

The Birchbark House Louise Erdrich

Bud, Not Buddy Christopher Paul Curtis 750

Where the Mountain Meets the

Moon

Grace Lin

925-1185L

6th

-8th (Middle School)

Grade Band

Little Women Louisa May Alcott


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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Mark Twain

A Wrinkle in time Madeleine L’Engle

The Dark is rising Susan Cooper

Dragonwings Laurence Yep 870

Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry Mildred Taylor

The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks Katherine Patterson

Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of

the Illiad

Rosemary Sutcliff

1050L-1335K

9th

-10th

Grade Band

Candid, Or the Optimist F. A. M. De Voltaire

Fathers and Sons Ivan Turgenev

The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck

The Metamorphosis Franz Kafica

Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe

To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee

The Killer Angels Michael Shaara

The Joy Luck Club Amy Tan

In the Time of the Butterflies Julia Alvarez

The Book Thief Marcus Zusak

More Classics for Children and Middle School Readers

Peter Pan James M. Barrie

The Wizzard of Oz Frank Baum

Madeline Ludwig Bemelmans


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Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte

The Secret Garden

Letters Abigail Adams

Watership Down Richard Adams

Robinson Crusoe Daniel Defoe

Red Badge of Courage Stephen Crane

David Copperfield Charles Dickens

Great Expectations Charles Dickens

They Mystery of Edwin Drood Charles Dickens

The Slave Dancer Paula Fox

The Snow Goose Paul Gallico

Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame

Rip Van Winkle Washington Irving

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Washington Irving

Adventures of Robin Hood Howard Pyle

Heidi Johanna Spyri

Additional Nonfiction Choices for Middle School

Katherine Applegate. The One and Only Ivan. Newbery Medal Winner: When Ivan, a gorilla who

has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been

added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life. L 570 (BL)

Marc Aronson and H. P. Newquist. For Boys Only: the Baddest Book Ever: Information on a

variety of topics of interest to boys, such as how to fight off an alligator, make fake blood, escape

from being tied-up, land an airplane, and much more. NL


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Avi. Crispin: the Cross of Lead. (Newbery Medal winner) Crispin: at the Edge of the World;

Crispin: The End of Time. (only one can count): Falsely accused of theft and declared a "wolf's

head" (whom any man may kill) after his mother's death, humble, pious Crispin flees the feudal village

where he was raised and the steward who wants him dead. Taken in as an apprentice by a massive,

red-haired, itinerant juggler who calls himself Bear, Crispin learns about music and mummery, about

freedom and questioning fate, and about his own mysterious parentage that seems to be the reason

behind the steward's continuing pursuit of him. Set in fourteenth century England. Newbery Award

2002 L730

Joan Bauer. Almost Home: When twelve-year-old Sugar's grandfather dies and her gambling father

takes off yet again, Sugar and her mother lose their home in Missouri. With the help of a rescue dog,

Shush; a foster family; a supportive teacher; a love of poetry; and her own grace and good humor,

Sugar comes to understand that while she can't control the hand life deals her, she can control how

she responds. L590 (BL)

Michael D. Beil. Summer at Forsaken Lake: Twelve-year-old Nicholas and his ten-year-old, twin

sisters, Hetty and Haley, spend the summer with their Great-Uncle Nick at Forsaken Lake, where he

and their new friend Charlie investigate the truth about an accident involving their families many years

before. L770

Pseudonymous Bosch. The Name of This Book is Secret; If You're Reading This, It's Too

Late; This Book is Not Good For You; This Isn’t What It Looks Like. Secret series. (only one can

count): Cassandra and Max find a missing magician's notebook and start to investigate the fire that

burned down his house and his mysterious "symphony of smells. L810

Frank Cottrell Boyce. Cosmic.

Twelve-year-old Liam, who looks like he is thirty and is tired of being treated like he is older than he actually is, decides he is going to pose as the adult chaperone on the first spaceship to take civilians into space, but when he ends up in outer space with a group of kids and no adult supervision, he must think fast to make things right. L670

Georgia Bragg. How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous.

This fascinating collection of remarkable deaths relays all the gory details of how 19 world figures gave up the ghost, including King Tut, Julius Caesar, George Washington, Edgar Allan Poe, and Henry VIII. NL


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Ann Cameron. Colibrí: She was little and quick and pretty. Her mother nicknamed her Colibrí, Spanish for "Hummingbird." At age four she was kidnapped, torn from her parents on a crowded bus in Guatemala City. Since then she's traveled with "Uncle," the ex-soldier and wandering beggar who has renamed her Rosa. Uncle has always told Rosa that he searched for her parents but had no success. There’s almost no chance Rosa will ever find them – but Rosa still remembers and longs for them. L730

Janet Lee Carey. Dragon’s Keep; Dragonswood. (only one can count)

In 1145 A.D., as foretold by Merlin, fourteen-year-old Rosalind, who will be the twenty-first Pendragon Queen of Wilde Island, has much to accomplish to fulfill her destiny, while hiding from her people the dragon's claw she was born with that reflects only one of her mother's dark secrets.NL

Gennifer Choldenko. No Passengers Beyond This Point: With their house in foreclosure, sisters India and Mouse and brother Finn are sent to stay with an uncle in Colorado until their mother can join them, but when the plane lands, the children are welcomed by cheering crowds to a strange place where each of them has a perfect house and a clock that is ticking down the time. L620 (BL)

Sharon Creech. The Great Unexpected. Orphans Naomi and Lizzie, living in America, and grown-up sisters Sybil and Nula, from Ireland, learn what life is truly about as they receive help from one another and open up their hearts to love and forgiveness.

Laura Dower. For Girls Only: Everything Great About Being a Girl.

Discusses the benefits of being a girl, from sleepovers to pedicures and friendship bracelets, covering famous women from sports, science, and history, and how to be a baby-sitter and get a job for the summer. L720

Sid Fleischman. Escape: The Story of The Great Houdini: A biography of the magician, ghost chaser, aviator, and king of escape artists whose amazing feats are remembered long after his death in 1926.NL


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John Feinstein. Last Shot: a Final Four Mystery; Vanishing Act: Mystery at the U. S. Open;

Cover-Up: Mystery at the Super Bowl.Change-Up: Mystery at the World Series; The Mystery at the Army-Navy Game; Rush For the Gold: Mystery at the Olympics. (only one from this series can count): As winners of a writing contest, eighth-graders Steven Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson travel to the NCAA Final Four as journalists. In addition to meeting college basketball celebrities, the two also uncover a plot to fix the championship game. This fast-moving mystery takes the reader to a behind-the-scenes look at the Final Four. NL

Jack Gantos. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, Joey Pigza Loses Control, What Would Joey Do?; I Am Not Joey Pigza. (only one from this series can count): To the constant disappointment of his mother and his teachers, Joey has trouble paying attention or controlling his mood swings when his prescription medications wear off and he starts getting worked up and acting wired. NL

Donna Gephart. How to Survive Middle School.

When thirteen-year-old David Greenberg’s best friend makes the start of middle school even worse than he feared it could be, David becomes friends with Sophie, who shares his love of television shows and posts on of their skits on YouTube, making them wildly popular – online, at least. LL660 (BL)

Stuart Gibbs. Spy School: Twelve-year-old Ben Ripley leaves his public middle school to attend the CIA's highly secretive Espionage Academy, which everyone is told is an elite science school. L 740

John Grisham. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer; Theodore Boone: The Abduction; Theodore Boone: The Accused. (only one can count) : Thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone, who knows every judge, police officer, and court clerk in the small town of Strattenburg, finds himself involved in a murder trial because of knowledge he might have about a cold-blooded killer. L790

Lewis Harris. A Taste for Red: When some of her classmates disappear, sixth-grader Svetlana, along with her new friends, goes in search of the missing students using her newfound ability as an Olfactive, one who has heightened smell, hearing, and the ability to detect vampires. L720


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Pittacus Lore. I Am Number Four, The Power of Six, The Rise of Nine. Lorien Legacies series (only one can count): “Three are dead. I am Number Four L700

Phillip Hoose. Moonbird: a Year on the Wind With the Great Survivor B95. 2013 Kyle

Likover Memorial Visiting Author: Chronicles a year in the life of rufa red knot B95, also called Moonbird, following him through his migration pattern, flying from Tierra del Fuego to the breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic, 9,000 miles away.L1150

Gordon Korman. Ungifted: Due to an administrative mix-up, troublemaker Donovan Curtis is sent to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a special program for gifted and talented students, after pulling a major prank at middle school. L730

Thanhha Lai. Inside Out & Back Again. Newberry Honor Book, National Book Award Winner: Through a series of poems, a young girl chronicles the life-changing year of 1975, when she, her mother, and her brothers leave Vietnam and resettle in Alabama L800

Kristin Levine. The Lions of Little Rock: Twelve-year-old Marlee develops a strong friendship with Liz, the new girl in school, but when Liz suddenly stops attending school and Marlee hears a rumor that her friend is actually an African American girl passing herself off as white, the two young girls must decide whether their friendship is worth taking on integration and the dangers it could bring to their families. L630

Josh Lacey. Island of Thieves: Tom goes with his Uncle Harvey to Peru, where they narrowly escape imprisonment and death as they hunt for buried treasure after tracking down a journal written by John Drake, a young relative of Sir Francis Drake, on a voyage to Lima in 1577. L640 (BL)

Lisa McMann. The Unwanteds; Island of Silence. (only one can count)

In a society that purges thirteen-year-olds who are creative, identical twins Aaron and Alex are separated, one to attend University while the other, supposedly Eliminated, finds himself in a wondrous place where youths hone their abilities and learn magic. L880


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Maile Meloy. The Apothecary: Fourteen-year-old Janie Scott, newly arrived in London from Los Angeles in 1952, becomes friends with a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows, and is drawn into a dangerous adventure with Benjamin when his father is kidnapped and Russian spies try to steal his book of secrets. L740

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Emily’s Fortune: While traveling to her aunt's home in Redbud by train and stagecoach, quiet young Emily and her turtle, Rufus, team up with Jackson, fellow orphan and troublemaker extraordinaire, to outsmart mean Uncle Victor, who is after Emily's inheritance. L840

Richard Peck. The Teacher’s Funeral: a Comedy in Three Parts.

In rural Indiana in 1904, fifteen-year-old Russell's dreams of quitting school and joining a wheat threshing crew are disrupted when his older sister takes over the teaching at his one-room schoolhouse after mean old Myrt Arbuckle "hauls off and dies." L750

Susan Runholt. The Mystery of the Third Lucretia; Rescuing Seneca Crane; Adventure at Simba Hill. Kari + Lucas Mystery. (only one from this series can count.)

While traveling in London, Paris, and Amsterdam, fourteen-year-old best friends Kari and Lucas solve an international art forgery mystery. L930

Anna Sewell. Black Beauty: A horse in nineteenth-century England recounts his experiences with both good and bad masters. L650 (BL)

Diane Stanley. The Silver Bowl; The Cup and the Crown. (only one can count)

From the age of seven when she became scullery maid in a castle, Molly has seen visions of the future which, years later, lead her and friend Tobias on an adventure to keep Alaric, the heir to the throne, safe from a curse. L790

Rebecca Stead. Liar & Spy: Seventh-grader Georges adjusts to moving from a house to an apartment, his father's efforts to start a new business, his mother's extra shifts as a nurse, being picked on at school, and Safer, a boy who wants his help spying on another resident of their building. L670 (BL)


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Trenton Lee Stewart. The Mysterious Benedict Society; The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey; The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma; The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict. (only one can count)

After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. L900

Allan Stratton. The Grave Robber’s Apprentice: Hans, a foundling raised by a grave robber, helps Countess Angela Gabriela, nearly thirteen, when she is torn away from her dream of being a professional puppeteer by an evil archduke out to destroy her and her parents. L650 (BL)

Annika Thor. A Faraway Island: Stephie and Nellie, two Austrian Jewish sisters, are evacuated in 1938 from Vienna to a Swedish island and placed in separate foster homes.L680(BL)

Jules Verne. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Science-fiction tale about a French professor and his companions who are trapped aboard a futuristic submarine with a mad sea captain and come face to face with exotic ocean creatures and strange sights hidden from the world above. L860

Ben H. Winters. The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman: Spurred by a special project from her social studies teacher, seventh-grader Bethesda Fielding uncovers the secret identity of her music teacher, which leads to a most unusual concert performance and a tutoring assignment. L910

Laurie Halse Anderson. Fever 1793.: Sixteen-year-old Matilda Cook, separated from her sick mother, learns about perseverance and self-reliance when she is forced to cope with the horrors of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793. L840

Avi. Nothing But the Truth: A Documentary Novel.: A ninth-grader's suspension for singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" during homeroom becomes a national news story. Newbery Honor Book. L420 (BL)


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Paolo Bacigalupi. Ship Breaker; The Drowned Cities. (only one can count)

In a futuristic world, teenaged Nailer scavenges copper wiring from grounded oil tankers for a living, but when he finds a beached clipper ship with a girl in the wreckage, he has to decide if he should strip the ship for its wealth or rescue the girl. :HL690 (high interest; low

readability)

Chris Barton. Can I see your I.D.? : true stories of false identities. From the impoverished young woman who enchanted 19th-century British society as a faux Asian princess to the lonely but clever Frank Abagnale of "Catch Me if You Can" fame, these 10 vignettes offer riveting insight into mind-blowing masquerades. NL

Nic Bennett. Dead Cat Bounce: When his banker father is blamed for the world's greatest financial crisis, sixteen-year-old Jonah, a financial prodigy, races to uncover the truth and save the world. NL

Sara Bennett Wealer. Rival: Two high school rivals compete in a prestigious singing competition while reflecting on the events that turned them from close friends to enemies the year before. L740

James Bradley. Flags of Our Fathers: Heroes of Iwa Jima. (abridged)

In February 1945, American Marines plunged into the surf at Iwo Jima and into history. The son of one of the flag raisers has written a powerful account of six very different men who came together in the heroic battle for the Pacific's most crucial island. L950

Robin Brande. Fat Cat: Overweight teenage Catherine embarks on a high school science project in which she must emulate the ways of hominims, the earliest ancestors of human beings, by eating an all-natural diet and foregoing technology. L700

Daphne Du Maurier. Rebecca.: For months after her death, the memory of Rebecca de Winter continues to dominate everyone at her former home, Manderley, one of the most famous English country houses. Classic psychological thriller. L880


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Alexandre Dumas. The Count of Monte Cristo: After escaping from the island fortress where he has been imprisoned for treason, Edmund Dantes sets out to discover the treasure of Monte Cristo and seek revenge against the people who falsely accused him L930

Brian Falkner. The Assault: In the year 2030, six teens who have been modified to look like the aliens who are battling for control of Earth go behind enemy lines and discover a shocking, secret alien project. NL

Margaret Haddix. Turnabout: In the year 2000 Melly and Anny Beth were old and ready to die. But when offered the chance to be young again by participating in a top-secret experiment called Project Turnabout, they agreed. They received injections that made them grow younger, and it seemed like a miracle. But when the injections that were supposed to stop the unaging process turned out to be deadly, Melly and Anny Beth decided to run for their lives. L690 (BL)

Rachel Hartman. Seraphina: In a world where dragons and humans coexist in an uneasy truce and dragons can assume human form, Seraphina, whose mother died giving birth to her, grapples with her own identity amid magical secrets and royal scandals, while she struggles to accept and develop her extraordinary musical talents L760

April Henry. Girl, Stolen: When an impulsive carjacking turns into a kidnapping, Griffin, a high school dropout, finds himself more in sympathy with his wealthy, blind victim, sixteen-year-old Cheyenne, than with his greedy father. HL700

Jack Higgins. Sure Fire; Death Run; Sharp Shot. (only one can count)

Resentful of having to go and live with their estranged father after the death of their mother, fifteen- year-old twins Rich and Jade soon find they have more complicated problems when their father is kidnapped and their attempts to rescue him involve them in a dangerous international plot to control the world's oil. L660(BL)


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Phillip Hoose. Moonbird: a Year on the Wind With the Great Survivor B95. 2013 Kyle Likover Memorial Visiting Author. Chronicles a year in the life of rufa red knot B95, also called Moonbird, following him through his migration pattern, flying from Tierra del Fuego to the breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic, 9,000 miles away L1150

Catherine Jinks. Evil Genius; Genius Squad; The Genius Wars. (only one can count)�Child prodigy Cadel Piggot, an antisocial computer hacker, discovers his true identity when he enrolls as a first-year student at an advanced crime academy L750

Patrice Kindl. Keeping the Castle: a Tale of Romance, Riches, and Real Estate.

In order to support her family and maintain their ancient castle in Lesser Hoo, seventeen-year-old Althea bears the burden of finding a wealthy suitor who can remedy their financial problems. L1050

Lensey Namioka. Ties That Bind, Ties That Break: A Novel: Ailin's life takes a different turn when she defies the traditions of upper class Chinese society by refusing to have her feet bound. L1640

China Mieville. Railsea: A gripping reimagining of Herman Melville's classic novel "Moby-Dick, " but this time, the giant whale is an ivory-colored mole.NL

Kenneth Oppel. This Dark Endeavor; Such Wicked Intent. (Apprenticeship of Victor

Frankenstein series) only one can count: Victor and Konrad Frankenstein are inseparable twin brothers who stumble upon The Dark Library, where secret books of alchemy and ancient remedies are housed, but after their father forbids them to ever return to the library Konrad falls gravely ill and Victor seeks out a cure for his brother beyond traditional medicine L690 (BL)

Nancy Osa. Cuba 15: a Novel: Violet Paz, a Chicago high school student, reluctantly prepares for her upcoming "quince," a Spanish nickname for the celebration of an Hispanic girl's fifteenth birthday. L750

Gloria Whelan. Homeless Bird: When thirteen-year-old Koly enters into an ill-fated arranged marriage, she must either suffer a destiny dictated by India's tradition or find the courage to oppose it. National Book Award L800


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Susan Beth Pfeffer. Life As We Knew It; The Dead and the Gone; This World We Live in. (The Last Survivors series) (only one can count): In this survival story, an asteroid hits the moon, knocking it closer toward Earth, which results in cataclysmic natural disasters. Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when a meteor knocks the moon closer to the earth. How should her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis wipe out the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents, volcanic ash blocks out the sun, and summer turns to Arctic winter L770

Terry Pratchett. Dodger. Michael Printz Honor Book.: In an alternative London ruled by a young Queen Victoria, Dodger, a resourceful, homeless boy, unwittingly prevents Sweeney Todd from committing murder L1210

Ransom Riggs. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children: Sixteen-year-old Jacob, having traveled to a remote island after a family tragedy, discovers an abandoned orphanage, and, after some investigating, he learns the children who lived there may have been dangerous and quarantined and may also still be alive. NL

Eliot Schrefer. Endangered: A girl, having travelled with her mother to an animal sanctuary for bonobos in the Congo, struggles to survive with the animals after revolution breaks out and she and the chimpanzees are forced to flee into the jungle. L900

Steve Sheinkin. Bomb: the Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon. Newbery Honor Book: Examines the history of the atomic bomb, discussing the discovery of the behavior of uranium when placed next to radioactive material, the race to build a bomb, and the impact of the weapon on societies around the world. L920

J. R. R. Tolkein. The Fellowship of the Ring; The Two Towers; The Return of the King. (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) (only one can count) : The story of a grand quest to keep the Ring of Power from falling into the hands of the evil Sauron. L860

Maggie Stiefvater. The Scorpio Races: Nineteen-year-old returning champion Sean Kendrick competes against Puck Connolly, the first girl ever to ride in the annual Scorpio Races, both trying to keep hold of their dangerous water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. L840


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Dan Wells. Partials: A war with Partials--engineered organic beings identical to humans--has devastated the human population due to a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, and Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, discovers that a connection between humans and Partials may be the key to saving both races HL810

Scott Westerfeld. Leviathan; Behemoth; Goliath. (Leviathan series) (only one can count.)

In an alternate 1914 Europe, fifteen-year-old Austrian Prince Alek, on the run from the Clanker Powers who are attempting to take over the globe using mechanical machinery, forms an uneasy alliance with Deryn who, disguised as a boy to join the British Air Service, is learning to fly genetically-engineered beasts. Steampunk at its best! L790

Markus Zusak. The Book Thief: Trying to make sense of the horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel, a young German girl whose book-stealing and story-telling talents help sustain her family and the Jewish man they are hiding, as well as their neighbor. L730

Gary D. Schmidt. The Wednesday Wars. Newbery Honor Book: Seventh-grader Holling

Hoodhood, stuck in Mrs. Baker's classroom during the 1967 school year while his classmates go to

either Catechism or Hebrew school, learns much of value about the world in which he lives from the

study of the plays of William Shakespeare. L990

Blue Balliett. Chasing Vermeer; The Wright Three; The Calder Game. (only one can count): When seemingly unrelated and strange events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, eleven-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve an international art scandal. L830

Chris Bradford. Young Samurai: the Way of the Warrior; Young Samurai: the Way of the Sword; Young Samurai: The Way of the Dragon. (Young Samurai series) (only one can count) several others : Orphaned by a ninja pirate attack off the coast of Japan in 1611, twelve-year-old English lad Jack Fletcher is determined to prove himself, despite the bullying of fellow students, when the legendary sword master who rescued him begins training him as a samurai warrior. L860


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Julie Chibarro. Deadly: Sixteen-year-old Prudence Galewski takes a job in the early 1900s as assistant to the head epidemiologist at New York's Department of Health and Sanitation, who is trying to discover how a seemingly healthy woman can be spreading typhoid fever. HL540

Eoin Colfer. Airman: This is a fast-paced, highly entertaining tale of flying machines, criminals, martial arts, swordplay, princesses, poisons, and evil villains, mixed with themes of justice, revenge, romance, good triumphing over evil, realizing one's dreams, blackmail, conspiracy, corruption, and betrayal. L800

James Dashner. The Maze Runner; The Scorch Trials; Death Cure; The Kill Order. The Maze Runner series (only one can count): Sixteen-year-old Thomas wakes up with no memory in the middle of a maze and realizes he must work with the community in which he finds himself if he is to escape. HL770

Erin Dionne. The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet.

All Hamlet Kennedy wants is to be a normal eighth grader. But with parents like hers - Shakespearean scholars who actually dress in Elizabethan regalia . . . in public! – it’s not that easy. As if they weren’t strange enough, her genius seven-year-old sister will be attending her middle school, and is named the new math tutor. Then, when the Shakespeare Project is announced, Hamlet reveals herself to be an amazing actress. Even though she wants to be average, Hamlet can no longer hide from the fact that she - like her family - is anything but ordinary. L750

Jasper Fforde. The Last Dragonslayer: Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange runs an agency for underemployed magicians in a world where magic is fading away, but when visions of the death of the world's last dragon begin, all signs point to Jennifer--and Big Magic L850

John Flanagan. The Outcasts; The Invaders, The Hunters. (Brotherband Chronicles

series) (only one from this series can count): Hal, Stig, and the other outcasts do not have the size and strength of the Skandians, but when they face off against the Wolves and the Sharks in an ultimate race for survival, they hope that their courage and cunning are enough to help them win in a game that everyone seems to think is a matter of life and death. HL580


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Will Hobbs. Take Me to the River: When North Carolina fourteen-year-old Dylan Sands joins his fifteen-year-old cousin Rio in running the Rio Grande River, they face a tropical storm and a fugitive kidnapper L760

Cornelia Funke. Reckless: Jacob and Will Reckless have looked out for each other ever since their father disappeared, but when Jacob discovers a magical mirror that transports him to a warring world populated by witches, giants, and ogres, he keeps it to himself until Will follows him one day, with dire consequences. L840

Ridley Pearson. The Kingdom Keepers : In the Kingdom Keepers series, five teens have been chosen to act as models for holographic guides at Walt Disney World. But the cutting-edge technology has a glitch; when the kids fall asleep, they are transported to the Parks in their holographic forms. The ensuing adventures take readers on a rollicking ride as the Kingdom Keepers fight to prevent Disney's destruction. L 650 to 750

Kerstin Gier. Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue. (only one can count)

Sixteen-year-old Gwyneth Shepherd unexpectedly travels through time to the eighteenth century, and she must find out why her mother lied about her date of birth to hide her ability, research her history, and work with Gideon, another time traveler. L680

S. J. Kincaid. Insignia; Vortex. Insignia Series. (only one can count)

Tom, a fourteen-year-old genius at virtual reality games, is recruited by the United States Military to begin training at the Pentagon Spire as a Combatant in World War III, controlling the mechanized drones that do the actual fighting off-planet. HL750

Caitlin Kittredge. The Iron Thorn, The Nightmare Garden. The Iron Codex series (only one can count) : In an alternate 1950s, mechanically gifted fifteen-year-old Aoife Grayson, whose family has a history of going mad at sixteen, must leave the totalitarian city of Lovecraft and venture into the world of magic to solve the mystery of her brother's disappearance and the mysteries surrounding her father and the Land of Thorn. L810

Gordon Korman. No More Dead Dogs: Eighth-grade football hero Wallace Wallace is sentenced to detention attending rehearsals of the school play where, in spite of himself, he becomes wrapped up in the production and begins to suggest changes that improve not only the play but his life as well. L610 (BL)


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Kristen Landon. The Limit: When his family exceeds its legal debt limit, thirteen-year-old Matt is sent to the Federal Debt Rehabilitation Agency workhouse, where he discovers illicit activities are being carried out using the children who have been placed there. L690(BL)

Jack London. The Call of the Wild: Buck, who is half St. Bernard and half Scotch shepherd, is abducted and taken to the Klondike where he reverts to the wild and becomes a leader of a pack of wolves. L990

Andy Lane. Death Cloud; Rebel Fire; Black Ice. Sherlock Holmes: the Legend Begins series (only one can count) : In 1868, with his army officer father suddenly posted to India, and his mother mysteriously "unwell," fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes is sent to stay with his eccentric uncle and aunt in their vast house in Hampshire, where he uncovers his first murder and a diabolical villain. L940

Mary Losure. The Fairy Ring, Or, Elsie and Frances Fool the World.

Relates the story of Francis and Elsie, cousins who concocted a story and photographs about fairies because nobody believed Francis could see the tiny men and were surprised when their photographs were found by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who truly believed in fairies. L940

Marie Lu. Legend ,Prodigy. Legend series (only one can count)

In a dark future, when North America has split into two warring nations, fifteen-year-olds Day, a famous criminal, and prodigy June, the brilliant soldier hired to capture him, discover that they have a common enemy. L780

Mike Lupica. Travel Team; Summer Ball; Travel Team & the Big Field. (only one can count): After he is cut from his travel basketball team--the very same team that his father once led to national prominence--twelve-year-old Danny Walker forms his own team of cast-offs that might have a shot at victory. L930


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Marissa Meyer. Cinder, Scarlet. Lunar Chronicles series. (Only one can count)

Cinder, a gifted mechanic and a cyborg with a mysterious past, is blamed by her stepmother for her stepsister's illness while a deadly plague decimates the population of New Beijing, but when Cinder's life gets intertwined with Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle L810

Annabel Monaghan. A Girl Named Digit: After identifying a terrorist plot, a brilliant seventeen-year-old girl from Santa Monica, California, gets involved with the young FBI agent who is trying to ensure her safety NL

Andy Mulligan. Trash: A group of fourteen-year-old boys, who make a living picking garbage from the outskirts of a large city, finds something special and mysterious that brings terrifying consequences L860

Jim Murphy. Truce: the Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting.Tells the story of the December 25, 1914, truce between German and British soldiers as they laid down their weapons and met in No Man's Land to celebrate Christmas. L1160

Jennifer A. Nielsen. The False Prince, The Runaway King. Ascendance series (only one can count): In the country of Carthya, a devious nobleman engages four orphans in a brutal competition to be selected to impersonate the king's long-missing son in an effort to avoid a civil war. L710

Gary Paulsen. Harris and Me: a Summer Remembered: Sent to live with relatives on their farm because of his unhappy home life, an eleven-year-old city boy meets his distant cousin, Harris, and is given an introduction to a whole new world. L1060

Arthur G. Slade. The Hunchback Assignments; The Dark Deeps, Empire of Ruins, Island of Doom. (The Hunchback Assignments series) (only one can count)

In Victorian London, fourteen-year-old Modo, a shape-changing hunchback, becomes a secret agent for the Permanent Association, which strives to protect the world from the evil machinations of the Clockwork Guild. L649 (BL)


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Jerry Spinelli. Hokey Pokey: Ever since they were Snotsippers, Jack and the girl have fought, until one day she steals his bike and as he and the Amigos try to recover it, Jack realizes that he is growing up and must eventually leave the "goodlands and badlands of Hokey Pokey." HL600

Rebecca Stead. When You Reach Me. Newbery Award Winner: As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space. L750

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