The Big Field by Mike Lupica

Hutch is the captain of his championship baseball team. He discovers how far he is willing to go to be a good
teammate.

The Cabinet of Wonders by Marie Rutkoski

With the help of a magical, mechanical spider, Petra journeys to the castle, hoping to save her father's eyesight.

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

Zoe dreams of being a world-renowned pianist but her father buys her an organ instead. Zoe finds perfection in the most imperfect and unique situations.

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree by Lauren Tarshis

Very logical Emma Jean decides to come out of her shell to solve some of her classmates' problems, unexpectedly causing problems of her own.

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

Piper McCloud's special gift allows her to join a secret school where she uncovers an unsettling plan.

The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas

Conn is drawn into a life of wizardry and adventure as he tries to discover who is stealing the city's magic.

Middle School is Worse than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff by Jennifer L. Holm; illustrated by Elicia Castaldi

Ginny begins 7th grade with a list of things to accomplish and ends up with the worst year ever.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart; illustrated by Ellis Carson

Mr. Benedict trains four unique children to serve as spies who discover devious plans to take over the world.

Night of the Howling Dogs by Graham Salisbury

A Boy Scout campout in Hawaii turns into a struggle for survival that tests courage and friendship. This story is inspired by real events following a devastating tsunami.

Someone Named Eva by Joan M. Wolf

Kidnapped from her village, Milada struggles to remember who she really is as she grows up in a Nazi reeducation
school. This book is based on a true story.

11 Planets: A New View of the Solar System by David A. Aguilar

Pluto is included with two other planetoids to make 11 planets in the solar system.

Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman by Marc Tyler Nobleman; illustrated by Ross MacDonald

While still in high school, author/illustrator friends Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created the Superman comic.

How Big Is It?: A Big Book all about Bigness by Ben Hillman

Computer-manipulated photographs show just how big some things are by positioning them with real-life references, such as a polar bear looming over a basketball hoop.

Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau by Jennifer Berne; illustrated by Eric Puybaret

The under-the-sea explorer, photographer, film maker, and inventor is introduced from his boyhood through his amazing career.

Nic Bishop Spiders by Nic Bishop

Dazzling photographs and crystal-clear writing tell the story of one of the earth’s oldest predators.

Seven Miles to Freedom: The Robert Smalls Story by Janet Halfmann; illustrated by Duane Smith

A trusted slave commandeered a Confederate ship and with family and friends aboard, piloted the ship to freedom
behind Union lines.

Sisters & Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

The varied and amazing world of animal siblings is explored with Jenkins’ signature collage illustrations.

Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery; illustrated by Jean Cassels

A dog and cat are devoted companions when found four months after Katrina left them homeless.

We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson

Beautiful paintings accompany the stories of some of the world’s best athletes and their baseball league.

What to Do About Alice?: How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove Her
Father Teddy Crazy by Barbara Kerley; illustrated by Ed Fotheringham

When Dinosaurs Came with Everything by Elise Broach

Although his mother is a little worried, a young boy is delighted to discover that every shop in town is giving away real dinosaurs.

The Chicken of the Family by Mary Amato; illustrated by Delphine Durand

Henrietta's older sisters try to convince her she is a chicken. Henrietta sets off for the farm to find her real family and discovers the fun of being a chicken.

I Am Invited to a Party by Mo Willems

Piggie receives her very first party invitation and Gerald, "who knows parties", gives her advice.

My Travelin' Eye written and illustrated by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Jenny Sue loves that her "travelin' eye" lets her see the world in a special way.

South written and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell

A little bird wakes up to find that his friends and family have flown south without him.

Mary Had a Little Lamp by Jack Lechner; illustrated by Bob Staake

Mary takes her gooseneck lamp wherever she goes, much to the dismay of her parents and classmates.

The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin; illustrated by Rosana Faria

Raised black line drawings and Braille on black pages encourage readers to use their other senses to experience art, helping them understand what it is like to be blind.

The Cow that Laid an Egg by Andy Cutbill; illustrated by Russell Ayto

The chickens at the farm hatch a plan to help Marjorie the cow feel special, but the other cows get suspicious.

The End by David LaRochelle; illustrated by Richard Egielski

When a princess makes some lemonade, she starts a chain of events involving a fire-breathing dragon, one hundred rabbits, a hungry giant, and a handsome knight.

Louder, Lili by Gennifer Choldenko; illustrated by S.D. Schindler

Lili is so shy that her voice is never heard in class until the day a good friend needs her help.

42 Miles by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer; illustrated by Elaine Clayton

After her parents' seperate and her father moves to a farm, 12-year-old JoEllen divides her time between rural and city life.

Crocs! By David T. Greenberg; illustrated by Lynn Munsinger

In this rhyming picture book a boy goes on a vacation and is beset by crocodiles.

Frankenstein Takes the Cake

by Adam Rex

Famous monsters lament the annoyances that often plague them and make us laugh.

Imaginary Menagerie: A Book of Curious Creatures by Julie Larios; illustrated by Julie Paschkis

This colorful poetic bestiary introduces children to various mythological creatures.

M is for Mischief: An A to Z of Naughty Children by Linda Ashman; illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Naughty children play pranks and create mischief in this rollicking alphabet book.

Oh, Theodore!: Guinea Pig Poems by Susan Katz; illustrated by Stacey Schuett

This gentle story depicts the growing friendship between a boy and his pet guinea pig.

Oops! by Alan Katz; illustrated by Edward Koren

Wordplay and puns make for laugh-out-loud reading.

Pizza, Pigs and Poetry: How to Write a Poem by Jack Prelutsky

Prelutsky shows young writers how to find ideas for poems and turn their own experiences into poetry.

A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams by Jennifer Bryant; illustrated by Melissa Sweet

The life and poetry of this 20thcentury American poet are described in a picture book biography.

This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness by Joyce Sidman; illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

In various forms of verse the students of a 6thgrade classroom write poems of apology.

Airman by Eoin Colfer

Conor Broekhart discovers a conspiracy to overthrow the king. He is branded a traitor, imprisoned, and forced to mine diamonds under brutal conditions. He plans a daring escape.

Beastly by Alex Flinn

A vain Manhattan private school student is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return to his human form.

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

Dashti and her mistress Lady Saren imprisoned in a tower must escape to save their lives.

Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman

After Vidya's father becomes brain-damaged in a 1941 protest march in India, she and her family must become accustomed to a totally different way of life.

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

Mena is at odds with her conservative family and friends when she stands up for a teacher who refuses to include "Intelligent Design" in lessons on evolution.

Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In a future North America, sixteen-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in a televised survival competition.

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne Jones

When Charmain is asked to housesit for Great Uncle William, the Royal Wizard of Norland, she is ecstatic to get away from her parents, but finds that his house is much more than it seems.

Schooled by Gordon Korman

Homeschooled by his hippie grandmother, Capricorn (Cap) Anderson has never watched television, tasted a pizza, or even heard of a wedgie. But when his grandmother lands in the hospital, Cap lands in public school.

Shift by Jennifer Bradbury

Best friends Chris and Win go on a cross-country bicycle trek the summer after graduation. Only one returns. The FBI wants to know what happened.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

A girl travels east of the sun and west of the moon to free her beloved prince from a magic spell.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

In a future world where those between the ages of thirteen and eighteen can have their lives "unwound" and their body parts harvested, three teens go to extreme lengths to uphold their beliefs--and, perhaps, save their own lives.

Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

When twelve-year-old Addie and her mother go to live in a small trailer by the railroad trackson the outskirts of Schenectady, New York, Addie tries to cope with her mother's erratic behavior.