Summer Reading Program Booklist Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library www.perkins.org/perkids www.twitter.com/PerkinsBTBL [email protected] AIM: BTBLJO 175 N Beacon Street Watertown, MA 02472 617-972-7242

Here is a list of books to get you started! Contact the Library to order these books, or any other books! DB and DBM = Digital Book RC and RCM = Recorded Cassette BR and BRM = Braille JL and LT = Large Print BARD and Perkins SHELF = Downloadable Talking Book

Grades Preschool – 2 Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Jim Aylesworth BR 15042, RC 57685, DB 57685 (BARD Download Only) In a rendition of the classic fairy tale, Goldilocks is a good girl but sometimes forgets what her mother tells her to do. When she ventures into the woods and wanders into a stranger’s house she regrets not obeying the rules. 2003. Princess Posey and the First Grade Parade by Stephanie Greene DB 72754, BARD Download Posey feels like a princess when she wears her pink tutu. She worries about starting first grade without it. To help her relax, Posey’s new teacher Miss Lee invites the students to parade to the classroom in their favorite clothes on the first day of school. 2010. Pearl and Wagner: Four Eyes by Kate McMullan DB 72458, BARD Download After an eye test at school, mouse Wagner gets glasses. He doesn’t like wearing them, especially when mean kids call him Four Eyes. Luckily Pearl the rabbit and other friends help Wagner adjust to his new look. 2009.

Pablo’s Tree by Pat Mora DBM 543, Perkins SHELF Drawing on her childhood in a Mexican-American community, Mora captures the special relationship that can exist between grandparent and child. When Lito first met his grandson, Pablo, he planted a tree. Each year, on Pablo’s birthday, Lito decorates the tree with something new. Today is Pablo’s birthday. What will be on his tree? 2010. Hats Off for the Fourth of July! by Harriet Ziefert RC 61848, DB 61848 (BARD Download Only) Celebrates a town’s Fourth of July parade as it passes the spectators. In rhyme. 2000. Where Do Polar Bears Live? by Sarah L. Thomson DB 71523, BARD Download Explains how physical traits, such as furry paws and thick skin, help polar bears survive in the Arctic snow and ice. Discusses their hunting and eating habits, as well as the bad things that will happen to them if the polar ice cap keeps shrinking. 2010. What James Likes Best by Amy Schwartz BR 15016 (Print-Braille) Four stories about James and where he goes. He visits twin babies, his grandmother, the county fair, and his friend Angela. On each trip the reader is asked what he thinks James liked best. 2003. The Magic Nesting Doll by Jacqueline K. Ogburn BR 13085 (Print-Braille) Katya’s grandmother gives her a set of four dolls that fit inside one another and will grant wishes three times when the need is great. After learning the tsarevitch (prince) has been changed to ice, Katya turns to the magic dolls to break the spell. 2000.

Oranges on Golden Mountain by Elizabeth Partridge BR 14033 (Print-Braille) A drought forces Jo Lee’s mother to send him from China to Fourth Uncle on Golden Mountain in California. There Jo Lee helps his uncle fish and he dreams of being reunited with his mother and little sister, Mei-Mei. 2001. Sergio Makes a Splash by Edel Rodriguez JL 5064 Fishing by, skating on, and splashing near water is no problem for fun-loving Sergio, but when the class goes on a field trip to the ocean where swimming will be involved, Sergio knows the time has come when he’ll have to face his fears and jump on in! 2008. Miss Bindergarten Takes a Field Trip with Kindergarten by Joseph Slate JL 5057 Miss Bindergarten, two adult chaperones, and her kindergarten class visit some fascinating sites in the neighborhood, including the bakery, the fire station, the post office, and the library. 2001. Silly Lilly and the Four Seasons by Agnes Rosenstiehl JL 5008 Follows a young girl named Lilly as she enjoys different activities during each season of the year, from dancing in the park in the spring to throwing snowballs in the winter. 2008.

Grades K – 3 The Boy Who Was Generous with Salt by Corinne Demas DBM 854, Perkins SHELF Ned goes to sea from Cape Cod as a cook on a nineteenth-century fishing schooner. He thinks that, if he uses up all of the salt on board, he can return home by his ninth birthday. 2011. James Herriot’s Treasury for Children by James Herriot RC 51132, DB 51132 (BARD Download Only) The rural English veterinarian’s animal stories for children are collected in one volume including “Moses the Kitten,” “Only One Woof” (RC 24632), “The Christmas Day Kitten,” and “The Market Square Dog” among others. 1991. Toy Dance Party by Emily Jenkins DB/RC 67947, BARD Download Six stories about three best friends who happen to be toys. Plush sea creature StingRay, Lumphy the stuffed buffalo, and Plastic, a ball, encounter a fearsome shark, enjoy a dance party, and face rejection as the Girl grows up. Sequel to Toys Go Out (RC 64692). 2008. About the Fisherman and His Wife by Jacob Grimm DBM 661, Perkins SHELF This is a fable about greed. When a kindhearted fisherman releases a talking halibut, the fish grants him all of his wishes. The fisherman is content with his life, so he makes wishes only in the name of his wife. She asks for more and more power until she asks to control the sun and moon. Finally, her greed returns her to a humble life. 2011. All the Colors of the Earth by Sheila Hamanaka BR 9933 (Print-Braille) Reveals in verse how all the children of the world are similar even though they come in colors of earth and sky and sea. Some come in browns like roaring bears or the russet shades of fallen leaves. Some come with bouncy hair like baby lambs, or flowing hair like water. But they all come with laughter that brightens the land with happy faces. 1994.

The Girl Who Spun Gold by Virginia Hamilton BR 13099 (Print-Braille) When Big King locks Quashiba, his new bride, into a room to spin golden thread and cloth, she is saved by Lit’mahn, who thinks she will never guess his name. A West Indian version of the Rumpelstiltskin tale. 2000. Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong BR 15009 (Print-Braille) A Chinese American girl is convinced that Americans will not be buying Chinese food from her parents’ store on the Fourth of July. But she is happily proven wrong, and they sell it all before the fireworks start. 2002. The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne BR 16417, DB/RC 48132, BARD Download The adventures of Christopher Robin, a boy, and his favorite companions--Winnie-thePooh, a bear; Eeyore, an old grey donkey; and Rabbit, Piglet, Kanga, and Baby Roo. Contains the unabridged texts of Winnie-the-Pooh, first published in 1926, and The House at Pooh Corner, from 1928. 1994. Upstairs Mouse, Downstairs Mole by Wong Herbert Yee DB/RC 66751, BARD Download Mouse lives inside an oak tree. Her neighbor Mole lives in a hole under Mouse’s house. They discover that working together makes chores--like sweeping the floors and planting a garden--quicker and more fun. Four-chapter beginning reader. 2005. Escapade Johnson and the Witches of Belknap County by Michael Sullivan DBM 1104, Perkins SHELF When a weird trio of elderly women appear one snowy afternoon in Sanbornton’s library, the overactive imaginations of Escapade and his buddies shift into overdrive. Has a coven come to town? 2011. The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf BR 16631, RC 25500, DB 25500 (BARD Download Only) Ferdinand, a bull who prefers to sit and smell the flowers, is mistakenly thought to be the most ferocious bull in Spain. He is carted off to the arena for a bullfight, but a surprise awaits the spectators. 1936.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett RC 50751, JL 0013, BRM 1090 (Print-Braille) Life is delicious in the town of Chewandswallow where it rains soup and juice, snows mashed potatoes, and blows storms of hamburgers until the weather takes a turn for the worse. 1978. Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss BR 2258, JL 5119, DB/RC 44160, BARD Download Dr. Seuss creates uncomplicated, monosyllabic rhymes to foster learning and inspire children to read. But what was radical about this little book at the time of publication is Seuss’s departure from the traditionally dull pictures and sentences used in reading primers. In contrast, the illustrations here are wild and wonderful, and the accompanying language, while simple, is delightfully silly. 1963. I Face the Wind by Vicki Cobb RC 57724, DB 57724 (BARD Download Only) Introduces the characteristics and actions of the wind through simple hands-on activities that require adult assistance. 2003. A Day in the Life of a Seeing Eye Dog Trainer by Kevin Osborn DBM 479, Perkins SHELF Pete trains dogs at Seeing Eye to guide visually impaired people, and then teaches their new owners how to work with these dogs. The author follows Pete through his thirteen-hour workday as he feeds, grooms, and trains the dogs, and as he assists students with their new dogs. 1991. Living Sunlight: How Plants Bring the Earth to Life by Molly Bang DBM 1298, Perkins SHELF A celebrated children’s book author-artist and a distinguished scientist simply but brilliantly explore how the sun gives us life through photosynthesis, and how photosynthesis connects all of life. 2009. Pony for Three by C.W. Anderson RC 10401, DB 10401 (BARD Download Only) Three children and their fun-loving pony share many wonderful times until the pony steps into a hole and breaks his leg. The children do everything they can to speed recovery. A heart-warming horse story. 2007.

The Deaf Musicians by Pete Seeger BR 17245 (Print-Braille), RC 64140, DB 64140 (BARD Download Only) Jazz pianist Lee is asked to leave his band when he loses his hearing. At sign language class, Lee meets Max who plays the sax. Riding the subway together, they form a new band with a big audience. Schneider Family Book Award. 2006. Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff RC 62663, DB 62663 (BARD Download Only) Describes how a baby hippopotamus, Owen, was stranded alone on the Kenyan coast after the tsunami in 2004. Discusses the rescue effort to deliver Owen to Haller Park, an animal sanctuary, where he met Mzee, a solitary, 130-year-old tortoise, who became a substitute mother. 2006. The Amazing Bone by William Steig RC 53092, DB 53092 (BARD Download Only) While dawdling on her way home from school one wonderful afternoon in spring, Pearl Pig finds a small bone that has fallen out of a witch’s basket. Caldecott Honor. 1976. Kumak’s Fish: A Tall Tale from the Far North by Michael Bania RC 60886, DB 60886 (BARD Download Only) One beautiful Arctic morning, Kumak packs his family and his Uncle Aglu’s lucky hooking stick on a sled and goes ice fishing. When Kumak hooks what seems to be an enormous fish, the entire village comes to help him. 2004. Fish School by Nancy Poydar DB 70260, BARD Download When Charlie brings his pet goldfish to school for show-and-tell, his teacher invites the class to visit an aquarium. Charlie’s decision to secretly bring his goldfish in his backpack leads to much confusion before a happy ending. 2009. Mighty Monty by Johanna Hurwitz DB/RC 68516, BARD Download A quiet first grader, Monty carries an inhaler to deal with his asthma, but he also begins trying new things. He has a part in his class environmental play, he goes to Joey’s birthday party, and he takes karate classes. Sequel to Mostly Monty (RC 65525). 2008.

Once Upon a Time: Traditional Latin American Tales / Había una Vez: Cuentos Tradicionales Latinoamericanos by Ruben Martínez DB 71639, BARD Download Seven classic folk tales for children from Spain and the Americas. Includes “The Tlacuache and the Coyote,” “Martina the Cockroach and Pérez the Mouse,” “The Flower of Lirolay,” and “Pedro Urdemales and the Giant.” Bilingual book in English and Spanish. 2010. Xochitl and the Flowers / Xochitl, La Niña de las Flores by Jorge Argueta RC 59484, DB 59484 (BARD Download Only) After moving to San Francisco from El Salvador, Xochitl and her mother sell flowers around the neighborhood. When her father rents an apartment with a big junk-filled yard, their new friends help the family create the garden of their dreams. English and Spanish text. 2003. Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad by Pamela Duncan Edwards DBM 1080, Perkins SHELF Many different animals help a young runaway slave escape those seeking to capture him, and find his way to freedom. 2010. Cuckoo: A Mexican Folktale / Cucú: Un Cuento Folklórico Mexicano by Lois Ehlert BR 12006 (Print-Braille) A beautiful cuckoo bird proves that she is also brave when a fire starts in the farm fields. Based on a Mayan Indian tale. Bilingual edition in English and Spanish language. 1997. The Wolves Are Back by Jean Craighead George BR 18040 (Print-Braille) Discusses how the 1926 disappearance of wolves upset the natural balance in the U.S. wilderness, causing other animal and plant losses. Explains that the 1995 release of Canadian wolves into Yellowstone National Park restored that balance and brought many creatures back to their original homeland. 2008.

Grades 2 – 4 Brenda Berman, Wedding Expert by Jane Breskin Zalben DB 70296, BARD Download Brenda dreams of being a flower girl dressed in gold lamé at her favorite uncle’s wedding. But the bride’s niece Lucy also wants to be a flower girl--in lavender taffeta. The two girls work together to try and solve their problem, becoming friends along the way. 2009. Every Thing on It by Shel Silverstein DB 73961, BARD Download, BR 18755 A collection of more than one hundred previously unpublished poems from the author of A Light in the Attic (DB 17732) and Where the Sidewalk Ends (DB 35732). Includes “The Lovetobutcants,” “Garlic Breath,” “Nasty School,” and “The Kid-Eating Land Shark.” 2011.

Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel by Nikki Grimes DB 72700, BARD Download Spunky third-grader Dyamonde Daniel misses her old neighborhood. But when she makes friends with Free--another new student at school--Dyamonde finally starts to feel at home. 2009. Judy Moody Goes to College by Megan McDonald DB 68336, BARD Download Judy is in a bad mood about having a math tutor until she meets Chloe, her collegestudent tutor. Suddenly the third grade seems “old skool” and everything to do with college is “wicked good,” especially when Chloe invites Judy to spend a day with her. 2008.

Just Grace by Charise Mericle Harper BR 17415 When Grace Stewart, called Just Grace by her third-grade teacher, tries to help her neighbor Mrs. Luther feel better about wearing an arm cast that scares her cat Crinkles, Grace’s good intentions backfire. Beginning chapter book. 2007. Caroline and Her Sister by Maria D. Wilkes BR 12960 On the frontier in Wisconsin, six-year-old Caroline and her older sister, Martha, share wash-day chores, playing in the snow, and making a new friend on the first day of school. 2000. Fog Hounds; Wind Cat; Sea Mice by Joan Aiken JL 0555 The Fog Hounds are silent, mysterious and deadly. They roam the land from dusk to dawn. No one who is chased by them ever lives to tell the tale. But Tad is not afraid. Tad wants one for himself. And when he comes face to face with a Fog Hound puppy, things can never be the same. 2001. Freckle Juice by Judy Blume RC 55310, DB 55310 (BARD Download Only), JL 0279, BR 9664 Andrew wishes he had freckles like his classmate Nicky. When Sharon overhears Andrew ask Nicky how he got his freckles, she offers to sell Andrew a secret recipe for freckle juice. But she wants five whole weeks of his allowance money. 1971. More Stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron RC 26051, BR 6945, JL 0052 Julian, his little brother, Huey, and his best friend, Gloria, appear in five delightful episodes. In these adventures we see that frogs really do (sometimes) wear shoes, Gloria wins a bet by moving the sun, and Huey practices to be as brave as Superboy, while Dad gently provides support throughout. 1989. The Wrath of Mulgarath by Tony DiTerlizzi RC 60022, DB 60022 (BARD Download Only), BR 15798, JL 0404 Following The Ironwood Tree (RC 59233, BR 15746), Jared, Simon, and Mallory arrive home to find the house ransacked and Mom missing. Simon’s griffin, Byron, catches a hobgoblin, Hogsqueal, who tells them that Mulgarath and his goblins abducted their mother. 2004.

The Moon by Elaine Landau DB/RC 67109, BARD Download Presents facts about the brightest object in the night sky--the Moon. Explains the phases of the lunar month, conditions on the Moon’s surface, and the formation of the Moon. Answers questions about how astronauts survive in space and whether people could live on the Moon. 2008. The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth by Kathleen Krull DB 71538, BARD Download Describes the life of Philo Farnsworth (1906-1971), who, before radio or telephones were common, was interested in machines and electricity. Explains how plowing fields on the family farm helped fourteen-year-old Philo figure out the basis for television and go on to become a lifelong inventor. 2009. The Velveteen Rabbit, or, How Toys Become Real by Margery Williams Bianco BR 11596, RC 24614, DB 24614 (BARD Download Only) The Velveteen Rabbit suffers more hardship than most other stuffed animals, and, finally, he is thrown into the trash. But the love of his owner and the help of the ‘Fairy of Old Toys’ salvage the Velveteen Rabbit and transform him into a real live rabbit with a soft cotton tail. 1998. Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary BR 16550, RC 24837, DB 28437 (BARD Download Only), Spanish RC 52990, Spanish DB 52990 (BARD Download Only) Ramona meets interesting people in kindergarten class, such as Davy, whom she keeps trying to kiss, and Susan, whose springy curls seems to ask to be pulled. 1968. What Can You Do with an Old Red Shoe? A Green Activity Book about Reuse by Anna Alter DB/RC 69070, BARD Download Suggests projects kids and adults can do together to recycle everyday objects--a leftover flip-flop; a worn-out T-shirt, blanket, or shower curtain; tin cans--and turn them into something new. An old red shoe becomes a flower-pot container. Includes general tips on reuse and recycling to prevent waste. 2009.

Doubles Troubles by Betty Hicks DB 71762, BARD Download Henry wants to win the doubles tennis trophy and pressures his partner Rocky to improve his game. Meanwhile top student Jazz expects Henry to do his part on their joint history project. Henry learns about good sportsmanship on and off the court. 2010 Night of the Living Gerbil by Elizabeth Levy RC 55795, DB 55795 (BARD Download Only) Sam is sorry that he teased his younger brother, Robert, about his sick pet gerbil, named Exterminator, after its death. So Sam has the gerbil stuffed by a taxidermist to cheer Robert up. But his plan does not work out the way he hopes. 2001. Midnight on the moon by Mary Pope Osborne BR 14195, RC 53555, DB 53555 (BARD Download Only) Annie and Jack travel to the future to visit a moonbase where they figure out the fourth and final special thing needed to free Morgan le Fay from the magician’s spell. 1996. Jake Drake, Know-It-All by Andrew Clements JL 0171 Jake is determined to win the third grade science fair not only for the grand prize, but to beat the annoying class know-it-alls, as well. 2002. Dimanche Diller by Henrietta Branford JL 0580 Trouble seems to be Dimanche Diller’s middle name. First of all she loses her parents in a shipwreck, and now she’s in danger of losing her life. 1995. George Washington’s Breakfast by Jean Fritz JL 0046, RC 50204, DB 50204 (BARD Download Only) Young George W. Allen, who shares both the name and birthday of the first president, is determined to find out what his namesake ate for breakfast. His search takes him to the library, to the attic, and to Mount Vernon. 1969. The Return of the Witch by Margaret Stuart Barry JL 0572 The witch was fed up. Nobody believed in her! She steps into the circus ring and everyone thinks she’s just Simon’s old granny. Well, she’d jolly well show them. 1995.

The Field Guide by Tony DiTerlizzi BR 14985, JL 0442, RC 56514, DB 56514 (BARD Download Only) When the Grace children -- nine-year-old twins Jared and Simon and their thirteenyear-old sister, Mallory -- move into their great-aunt Lucinda’s run-down Victorian house, mischief begins, and Jared is blamed. Finding a book about faeries in a secret room gives a Jared a clue about the unseen troublemaker. 2006. More stories Julian Tells by Ann Cameron BR 06945, RC 26051, JL 0052 Julian, his little brother, Huey, and his best friend, Gloria, appear in five delightful episodes. In these adventures we see that frogs really do (sometimes) wear shoes, Gloria wins a bet by moving the sun, and Huey practices to be as brave as Superboy, while Dad gently provides support throughout. 1989. The Ironwood Tree by Tony DiTerlizzi BR 15746, JL 0350, RC 59233, DB 59233 (BARD Download Only) Following their adventures in “Lucinda’s Secret” (RC 58579, BR 15436), twins Jared and Simon Grace seek to rescue their kidnapped sister, Mallory, from some evil dwarfs who want to make her their queen. The boys face an impossible task when the Field Guide is discovered missing. 2006.

For Grades 3 – 6 The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman JL 0271, BR 8237, RC 25778, DB 25778 (BARD Download Only) The arrogant and spiteful Prince Brat decides to run away from the castle, and he makes his whipping boy, Jemmy, go along. They get into trouble right away, but Jemmy’s good sense manages to save the day. Newbery Medal. 1986. Meet Our New Student from Japan by Lori McManus DB 71504, BARD Download American students prepare for a new classmate by learning about Japan--an island group off the continent of Asia. This overview introduces Japan’s twelve-thousandyear history, its volcanic geography, and customs and celebrations. Includes a recipe for Osumashi soup and instructions for making a Koi-Nobori (fish-shaped wind sock). 2010. The Borrowers by Mary Norton JL 0302, BR 12991, RC 51409 Pod, Homily, and Arrietty are a family of tiny people who live beneath the floors of an old country house, borrowing what they need from humans. When Arrietty encounters a human boy, the endangered Borrowers must relocate. Prequel to The Borrowers Afield (RC 42266, BR 7026). 1952. Mistakes that Worked by Charlotte Foltz Jones DBM 828, Perkins SHELF Forty stories of things that were invented, discovered, or named by accident. Training guide dogs for the blind began after a doctor’s dog led a blind WWII soldier across the hospital grounds. Other examples include Post-it Notes, Levis, Coca-Cola, cheese, aspirin, potato-chips, and Ivory Soap. 2011. Highway Robbery by Kate Thompson DB/RC 69962, BARD Download Long ago in England. A barefoot beggar boy tells a tall gentleman about the time a stranger promised him a golden guinea to watch his horse. Amid his adventurous tale are claims that the animal was highwayman Dick Turpin’s valuable Black Bess. 2008.

Moonpie and Ivy by Barbara O’Connor DBM 844, Perkins SHELF When Pearl’s mother leaves her at Aunt Ivy’s house, Pearl thinks she’ll be back soon. But the days pass. There is no one around except for Moonpie, the neighbor boy whose mother doesn’t want him either. 2001. Anne Frank by Josephine Poole DBM 980, Perkins SHELF Anne Frank was a young girl caught in the Nazi persecution of Jews. She kept a diary when she and her family hid from the Nazis which has become famous. What was Anne’s life like before then, when she was still living at home and going to school? And what happened to her later? Here is the story, followed by a family chronology. 2010. Fear Itself by Andrew Clements DB 7225, BARD Download The Keepers of the School are back--and with only twenty-four days before the wrecking ball arrives, Ben and Jill must quickly decipher a handful of maritime riddles that could help them save the two-hundred-year-old building. Meanwhile threats from Lyman, the supposed janitor, keep them on edge. 2011. The Dragon in the Driveway by Kate Klimo DB 71345, BARD Download Cousins Jesse and Daisy continue to protect the young talking and shape-changing dragon Emmy from villainous dragon slayer St. George, who is disguised as a scientist. Sequel to The Dragon in the Sock Drawer (DB/RC 69971). 2009. The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales by Dawn Casey DB 70330, BARD Download Seven folktales--from Australia, Bali, India, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Wales, and the American Southwest--express the concept that the Earth is sacred. In “The Magic Garden” birds repay a kind-hearted young man’s generous act. An Earth-friendly activity accompanies each story. 2009. The Wyverns’ Treasure by R. L. La Fevers DB 72468, BARD Download 1928. Nathaniel (Nate)--with his pet gremlin Greasle--and Nate’s Aunt Phil head to the Welsh countryside to calm giant dragons known as wyverns. Nate and Aunt Phil suspect that the same man who has been trying to steal the Book of Beasts has disturbed the dragons. 2010.

Dynamite Dinah by Claudia Mills DB 71456, BARD Download Dinah enjoys being the center of attention so when her new baby brother Benjamin arrives home from the hospital and her best friend Suzanne wins the lead in the school play, Dinah feels left out. 1990. Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo BR 12917, BR 16130 (Uncontracted Braille), JL 0156, RC 50679, DB 50679 (BARD Download Only) Ten-year-old India Opal and her preacher dad move to a new town in Florida during the summer. Opal is lonely until she adopts a big stray dog she names Winn-Dixie. The two soon make friends with the local librarian, the pet store manager, and a nearlyblind elderly neighbor. 2000. Kit Saves the Day by Valerie Tripp BR 17154, RC 64348, DB 64348 (BARD Download Only) Fifteen-year-old Will, a hobo, picks beans in Kit’s garden in exchange for a meal. His adventures hopping freight trains inspire Kit to try it. But winding up in jail was not in her plans. Sequel to Happy Birthday, Kit! (BR 17186). 2001. Rebecca and Ana by Jacqueline Dembar Greene BR 18668, DB 70254, BARD Download New York City. Rebecca’s cousin Ana and her family arrive from Russia, changing Rebecca’s responsibilities at home and at school. Helping Ana learn English and adjust to American life teaches Rebecca what it means to be a good cousin and a patriotic American. 2009. The Deep-Sea Floor by Sneed B Collard BR 17182 Introduces creatures such as bioluminescent animals and tube worms that thrive on the dark ocean floor miles below the surface. 2003. Wizard at Work: A Novel in Stories by Vivian Vande Velde BR 15572 A young wizard who runs a school looks forward to a quiet summer off, but instead he is drawn into several adventures. He helps a village full of delinquent unicorns, rescues an uncooperative damsel, and finds a husband for a princess. 2003.

The Girls Take Over by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor JL 0236, RC 57456, DB 57454 (BARD Download Only) The Hatford brothers and the Malloy sisters of West Virginia continue their rivalry. This time they compete in baseball, the spelling bee, and a school reading project. But together they nab some computer thieves. Sequel to The Boys Return (JL 0233, RC 59740). 2004. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo BR 15300, JL 0256, RC 57805, DB 57805 (BARD Download Only) Despereaux, a small mouse, is condemned to the dungeon for falling in love with human Princess Pea. Despereaux meets the rat, Roscuro, while Mig, an upstairs serving girl, wishes to be a princess, too. All four meet with near disastrous results. Newbery Medal winner. 2003. Oh Say, I Can’t See by Jon Scieszka DB 69347, BARD Download Time travelers Joe, Fred, and Samantha arrive in Pennsylvania on Christmas Eve 1776 and inspire General George Washington to carry out a surprise attack on Hessian troops in Trenton, New Jersey. This unexpected assault by Continental soldiers changes the course of the Revolutionary War. 2005. Rescue by Fire by Dennis St. Sauver DBM 799, Perkins SHELF Lost in a dark wood in belowzero weather with their broken-down snowmobile, two brothers frantically try to stay alive. 1973. Plants Out of Place by Courtney Farrell DB 72706, BARD Download Discusses the problems that occur when plants from foreign countries are introduced to new places. Explains the harm to the ecosystem caused by quick-growing, invasive plants--like kudzu and salt cedar--that compete with native vegetation and are difficult to remove. Glossary included. 2011.

For Grades 4-7 The Case of the Slippery Soap Star by Laura J Burns. RC 64561, DB 64561 (BARD Download Only) Mrs. Wright’s dinner with her favorite soap opera star ends in mortification when she is accused of stealing the guests’ jewelry. Sleuths Agatha Wong and Orville Wright, who has Asperger’s syndrome, search for the real thief. Sequel to The Case of the Trail MixUp (RC 64382). 2005. Boston Red Sox : AL East by Richard Rambeck DBM 559, Perkins SHELF A history of the team begun in 1901 under the name Boston Pilgrims. 1992. The Silver Treasure: Myths and Legends of the World by Geraldine McCaughrean RC 46792, DB 46792 (BARD Download Only) A multicultural anthology retelling twenty-three folktales. Contains stories from Bolivia, Togo, Russia, India, Egypt, Alaska, and other parts of the globe. Companion to The Golden Hoard: Myths and Legends of the World (RC 46791). 1997. Forever Rose by Hilary McKay BR 17903, DB/RC 67003, BARD Download As Christmas approaches, eleven-year-old Rose, the youngest member of the eccentric Casson family, discovers that life is filled with both catastrophic problems and wonderful surprises. Sequel to Caddy Ever After (RC 62869, BR 16746). 2008. Blubber by Judy Blume BR 14511, JL 0294, RC 55238, DB 55238 (BARD Download Only) Jill goes along with the rest of the fifth-grade class in tormenting an overweight classmate they nickname Blubber. Then Jill finds out what it’s like to be the outsider when she also becomes a target. 1974. Janice VanCleave’s Food and Nutrition for Every Kid: Easy Activities that Make Learning Science Fun by Janice Pratt VanCleave. RC 55966, DB 55966 (BARD Download Only) Science teacher introduces basic facts, concepts, and problem-solving strategies about food and nutrition by using ordinary household materials in 1999.

The Gods and Goddesses of Ancient China by Leonard Everett Fisher RC 58517, DB 58517 (BARD Download Only) The author of Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient Maya (RC 51626) describes the most prominent figures from Chinese mythology. Deities include the Jade Emperor, the God of Fire, the God of Mischief, and the Goddess of Love, among others. 2003. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling BR 16000, DB/RC 60262, LT 5100, Spanish: BR 16305, RC 61014, DB 61014 (BARD Download Only) Sequel to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (RC 56062, BR 14705). Harry and his friends return for their sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Evil Voldemort’s power increases daily, and Harry encounters a prince. 2005. The Adventures of Sojourner the Mission to Mars that Thrilled the World by Susi Trautmann Wunsch RC 48161, DB 48161 (BARD Download Only) Describes the development of the microrover called Sojourner that would become the first mobile, remote control explorer of another planet. Tells the story of the Mars Pathfinder mission that landed on July 4, 1997, and the successful transmissions back to Earth. 1998. Gabriel’s Triumph by Alison Hart DB 69306, BARD Download Kentucky, 1864. Thirteen-year-old Gabriel, a recently freed slave, works as his former master’s jockey in Kentucky and New York during the Civil War. When Gabriel travels by train to Saratoga with the colt Aristo, he must contend with horse poachers, jealous jockeys, and the meaning of freedom. 2007. Heroes of Baseball: The Men Who Made it America’s Favorite Game by Robert Lipsyte RC 63254, DB 63254 (BARD Download Only) Sportswriter presents baseball’s greats and discusses the reasons they achieved legendary status. Explains that beyond hitting amazing home runs, pitching perfect games, making impossible catches, or stealing home, these players affected American culture and the history of the game. 2006.

Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIMH by Robert C O’Brien BR 16422, JL 0079, DB/RC 23562, BARD Download A widowed mother mouse with housing problems seeks the help of a colony of rats. She discovers that the rats, who are super-intelligent laboratory specimens, have developed a highly sophisticated civilization which includes computers. Newbery Award. 1971. Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet by Harriet Rohmer DB 71189, BARD Download Presents twelve ecoactivists and their local grassroots projects for saving planet Earth. Describes advocates of city farming, cleaning polluted water, recycling industrial and electronic waste, generating solar power in rural areas, protecting wetlands and endangered species, and switching from coal to renewable energy sources. 2009. Nightmare in Angel City by Franklin W. Dixon RC 31259, DB 31529 (BARD Download Only) When Callie Shaw, Frank Hardy’s girlfriend, disappears while shooting a video for her class at UCLA, Frank and Joe immediately fly out from New York to look for her. They track Callie to an abandoned factory where she’s hiding among the street people. But finding Callie is just the beginning of a desperate race to track down a killer. A Hardy Boys mystery. 1988. The Dulcimer Boy by Tor Seidler RC 57569, DB 57569 (BARD Download Only) New England, early twentieth century. Orphaned twins Jules and William are left as babies on their abusive aunt and uncle Carbuncle’s doorstep. William teaches himself to play an inherited silver-stringed dulcimer while Jules is forced into drudgery. With help the two rediscover their past and escape. 1979. The Bronze Cauldron Myths and Legends of the World by Geraldine McCaughrean RC 46793, DB 46793 (BARD Download Only) A collection of twenty-seven folktales from ancient and modern cultures. The title story is a Welsh legend about the birth of a poet-child, Taliesin. Companion to The Silver Treasure: Myths and Legends of the World (RC 46792). 1998.

Mystery of the Dark Tower by Evelyn Coleman BR 14403, RC 55771, DB 55771 (BARD Download Only) In 1928 twelve-year-old Bessie and her younger brother are taken by their father to live with his sisters in Harlem. When he disappears, Bessie feels trapped without her mother and her familiar North Carolina life. 2000. Alexander Graham Bell by Andrew Dunn BR 9595, RC 39192, DB 39192 (BARD Download Only) Alexander Graham Bell is best known for his invention of the telephone. Bell, whose speech-scientist father produced an alphabet he called “visible speech,” taught deaf children to talk using his father’s system. The author traces Bell’s life from his birth in Scotland in 1847 through his work with sound and the human voice that led to his development of the telephone. 1991. Blackwater Ben by William Durbin RC 65258, DB 65258 (BARD Download Only) Minnesota, 1898. Ben Ward drops out of school, thinking it will be fun to be cook’s helper to his father at Blackwater Logging Camp. He soon learns that it is hard work, although he enjoys the lumberjacks and the company of an orphan boy called Nevers. 2003. Blue Like Friday by Siobhán Parkinson DB 71822 (BARD Download Only) Ireland. Olivia’s quirky friend Hal has synesthesia, which causes him to experience everything in colors. When Olivia helps Hal with a prank intended to get rid of a potential stepfather, there are unexpected consequences--including the disappearance of Hal’s mother. 2008.

The Prairie Builders: Reconstructing America’s Lost Grasslands by Sneed B. Collard RC 61298, DB 61298 (BARD Download Only) Discusses the 1989 creation of a national wildlife refuge in Iowa. Describes the restoration of the native tallgrass prairie that supported elk, deer, pronghorn, bison, wolves, grizzly bears, and birds before Europeans arrived in the 1800s. Explains the project’s importance and the progress made since 1989. 2005.

For Grades 5-8 Hurricane by Terry Trueman DB/RC 67576, BARD Download When Hurricane Mitch hits La Rupa, Honduras, in 1998, thirteen-year-old José overcomes his personal fears to help his mother and neighbors. After a mudslide sweeps away his village, José, the oldest male at home, aids survivors and looks for food. 2008. Drew Bledsoe: Stand and Deliver by Mark Stewart DBM 709, Perkins SHELF Football quarterback Drew Bledsoe led the New England Patriots to the Superbowl in 1997. Appended to this biography are: a chronology of his accomplishments, information from his football card, and a list of his Major League statistics. 2011. The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt DB/RC 65788, BARD Download, BR 17810 Long Island, 1967. Seventh-grader Holling Hoodhood knows that Mrs. Baker “hates his guts” because she would have Wednesday afternoons free if he went to catechism or Hebrew school like his classmates. Mrs. Baker worries about her husband in Vietnam and introduces a reluctant Holling to Shakespeare. Newbery Honor. 2007. Liberty or Death: The Surprising Story of Runaway Slaves Who Sided with the British during the American Revolution by Margaret Whitman Blair DB 71641, BARD Download Considers the incongruity of America’s beginnings--a war for independence proclaimed by slave owners. Follows the slaves who, lured by a promise of freedom and land, joined the British against the colonists. Covers the plight of the freed black loyalists who moved to Africa and Canada. 2010.

Theodore Boone: The Abduction by John Grisham DB 73476, BARD Download Theo was the last person to talk to his best friend April before she was abducted from her bedroom. When the police are stumped, Theo uses his investigative skills to try to save April. Sequel to Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer (DB 71512). 2011.

The Dark Game: True Spy Stories by Paul B. Janeczko DB 72289, BARD Download Examines spy work from the American Revolution through the Cold War, including double agents, counterintelligence, gadgets, secret codes, surveillance, and training. Discusses George Washington’s intelligence community in the colonies, female spies during the Civil War, Anglo-American efforts to tunnel into East Berlin, and technological advancements. 2010. First Light by Rebecca Stead DB 71195, BARD Download New Yorker Peter eagerly joins his parents on their scientific expedition to Greenland, unaware of his mother’s secret agenda. Fourteen-year-old Thea, whose community lives there beneath the arctic ice, has never seen the sun or stars. It is time for the two young people to meet. 2007.

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer DB 73023, BARD Download, BR 19473 (IN PROCESS) After escaping her mother’s abusive boyfriend, twelve-year-old Foster McFee and her mother make a new start in Culpepper, West Virginia. Her mom wants to be a lead singer, while Foster dreams of becoming a famous TV chef--and of mastering reading, despite her learning disability. 2011. Give Me Shelter: Stories About Children Who Seek Asylum by Tony Bradman DB/RC 67728, BAR Downoload Fiction by and about young people from war-torn places like Kosovo, Eritrea, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe who are forced to leave home and live with strangers. In the title piece, a twelve-year-old boy’s mother sends him away from Ethiopia to avoid his being drafted into the army. 2007. Touch the Earth: A Multimedia Book About the Earth’s Biomes by Elissa Levine BRM 1441 (Print-Braille) Tactile illustrations. Describes major biomes on each of the seven continents. Text is presented in large print and braille, accompanied by colored tactile maps of the continents. Includes lists of resources for teachers. 1998. The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer BR 19278, DB 72515, BARD Download Teenaged criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl must save the underwater fairy metropolis of Atlantis while he battles a psychological affliction known as the Atlantis Complex. Sequel to Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox (BR 18123). 2010. The Volcano Disaster by Peg Kehret BRM 1479 Warren Spalding is sent to live with his grandmother after his father dies in an accident and his mother returns to college. There he discovers his grandfather’s invention, an Instant Commuter. Accidentally, the boy is transported back in time to the slopes of Mt. St. Helens just minutes before its eruption in 1980. His new friend Betsy follows him in an effort to save him and both experience the whirlwind of ash that makes it difficult to breathe as well as move, the sharp earthquakes, and the frightening lightning. 1998.

The Steps by Rachel Cohn BRM 1275, RC 56162, DB 56162 (BARD Download Only) Twelve-year-old Annabel of Manhattan is sent to visit her dad in Australia over Christmas. She instantly dislikes her step- and half-siblings, but gradually begins to adjust to a new culture and a new family. 2003. Stopping to Home by Lea Wait BRM 1424, DBM 909, Perkins SHELF 1806, Wiscasset seaport in Maine. Eleven-year-old Abigail Chambers and her brother, Seth, are alone. Their father has been lost at sea, and their mother has died of smallpox. Seth finds temporar employment working for the young Widow Chase. Then Abbie has an idea that may provide a solution for them all. For grades 5-8. 2001.

Teen List Teen Life Among the Amish and Other Alternative Communities: Choosing a Lifestyle by David Hunter DB/RC 67027, BARD Download Emphasizes the benefits and challenges of growing up Amish in rural North America. Discusses religion as the basis of Amish traditions--simple clothing, horses for transportation, prohibition of electricity, schooling ending at eighth grade--and covers the importance of baptism. Briefly mentions communes, kibbutzim, and The Farm. 2008. Exodus by Julie Bertagna DB/RC 67465, BARD Downoad The year 2100. As the island Wing faces inundation and annihilation, fifteen-year-old Mara convinces her people to seek refuge in New Mungo, a New World city with a high-tech civilization. Blocked out by walls, Mara must find another way into the city. 2002. More Horowitz Horror: More Stories You’ll Wish You’d Never Read by Anthony Horowitz DB/RC 67242, BARD Download Nine tales with unusual twists. In “Burned” there is something suspicious about the suntan oil that Tim’s aunt uses daily on her husband while they are on vacation in Barbados. “The Elevator” portrays an eleven-year-old boy’s disappearance during a short ride with strangers. Some violence. 2000.

Once by Morris Gleitzman DB 71539, BARD Download Poland, 1942. Felix Salinger, a Jewish boy who has a story for every occasion, runs away from a Catholic orphanage where he’s lived for three years and eight months. While searching for his parents, Felix meets other Jewish refugees and witnesses Nazi horrors. Violence. 2005. Go Big or Go Home by Will Hobbs DB/RC 67783, BARD Download Black Hills, South Dakota. Fourteen-year-old Brady and his cousin Quinn love all things extreme but are unprepared for what happens when a meteorite the size of a potato crashes into Brady’s bedroom. Then Brady’s enemies, the Carver brothers, challenge the cousins for ownership of the rock. 2008. Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko BR 18675, DB 69960, BARD Download Twelve-year-old Moose Flanagan, from Al Capone Does My Shirts (RC 58456, BR 15982), lives on Alcatraz Island with other guards’ families. Moose faces a dilemma when Al Capone calls in a favor: a prison escape that would involve Moose’s autistic sister Nat. 2009. Not the End of the World by Geraldine McCaughrean BR 16241, JL 0400 Noah’s daughter, daughters-in-law, sons, wife, and the animals describe what it was like to be aboard the ark while they watched everyone around them drown. 2006. A Ride Into Morning: The Story of Tempe Wick by Ann Rinaldi JL 0329 When unrest spreads at the Revolutionary War camp in Morristown, New Jersey, under the command of General Anthony Wayne, a young woman cleverly hides her horse from the mutinous soldiers who have need of it. 2005. Behaving Bradley by Perry Nodelman JL 0467 Recruited by his best friend to gather student input for the proposed Code of Conduct at his high school, Brad encounters obstinate faculty members, monstrous bullies, spineless student leaders, and personal agendas. 2002.

A Girl Named Disaster by Nancy Farmer JL 0378, RC 45799, DB 45799 (BARD Downlod Only) Eleven-year-old Nhamo flees from her village in Mozambique to avoid an arranged marriage. Traveling by canoe to her father’s family home in Zimbabwe, Nhamo endures incredible hardships but has her mother’s spirit to guide her. 2005. Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata BR 15996, JL 0327, RC 59896, DB 59896 (BARD Download Only) Georgia, 1950s. Katie’s close-knit Japanese American family puts up a brave front when Katie’s older sister Lynn is diagnosed with a terminal illness. The family even goes into debt to buy a house, hoping Lynn’s health will improve there. Newbery Medal. 2005. I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino BR 8421, JL 0440, RC 43338, DB 43338 (BARD Download Only) VeLazquez, the great Spanish painter of the early 17th century, owned a slave Juan de Pareja, who narrates this story. The period forms a background for an array of characters, from a humble dwarf to famous artists and King Philip himself. Newbery MedaL. 2005. The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg JL 0395 Upon leaving an oppressive summer camp, twelve-year-old Margaret Rose Kane spearheads a campaign to preserve three unique towers her great-uncles have been building in their backyard for more than forty years. 2004. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell BR 14785, JL 0038, DB/RC 22397, BARD Download Accidentally left behind on an island off the coast of California when her tribe moved, an Indian girl tells about the eighteen years that she managed to survive and to find comfort, beauty, and, at times, joy in her solitude. Newbery Award. 2005. Witch child by Celia Rees JL 0449 In 1659, fourteen-year-old Mary Newbury keeps a journal of her voyage from England to the New World and her experiences living as a witch in a community of Puritans near Salem, Massachusetts. 2002.

Bound by Donna Jo Napoli. JL 0255, RC 60565, DB 60565 (BARD Download) Since her father’s death, Xing Xing is treated like a servant by her stepmother and pitiable half sister, who undergoes painful foot binding to be more marriageable. Xing Xing’s trip to help her sister changes her own fate. Based on Chinese Cinderella stories. 2004.