rev5/15
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(for book levels)
Abarat (760L, 15 pts) by Clive Barker
First book in trilogy; Candy Quakenbush hates Chickentown, MN; is lured to beach in a meadow where she meets John Mischief; she “calls” the Sea of Izabella and is brought to Abarat; read pp 55-62 (Candy approaches the tower as Shape stalks her)
The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel(890L, 14 pts) by Michael Scott
Josh and Sophie may be the twins spoken about in the ancient book of Abraham the Sage; John Dee wants to return the world to the Dark Elder times; sci-fi/fantasy; read pp 9-14
The Apothecary (740L) by Maile Meloy
Janie Scott moves from LA to London in 1952 because her parents are suspected Commies; meets Benjamin, and soon after his dad is kidnapped over the Pharmacopoeia; Cold War with sci fi; read pp 51-58 (apothecary is kidnapped) or pp 131-140 (kids run from Danby and Scar before taking bird potion)
Banner in the Sky (680L) by James Ramsey Ullman
Based on a true story; Rudi Matt tries to be first to climb mountain in Europe after his father Josef dies on it years earlier; nature/growing up; read pp 11-19
Because of Winn-Dixie(610L) by Kate DiCamillo
10-year-old looking for place in life; “found a dog”; read pp 7-12
Bomb: The Race to Build – And Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin (920L, 10 pts)
Nonfiction account on building and using the atomic bomb in WWII; read pp 1-3, 182-185 (first test in Trinity)
Bud, Not Buddy(950L) by Christopher Paul Curtis
FUNNY; orphaned boy looking for grandfather; read pp 21-29
Chains(780L)by Laurie Halse Anderson
Isabel & Ruth think they are free after master dies, but get sold to Locktons (British sympathizers); treated harshly in 1776-1777; she spies for the Revolutionaries; first in a series of three; part two is told through Curzon’s eyes, a friend of the rebellion and Isabel’s; read pp 1-2, 130-140 (Ruth is sold and Isabel flees to the rebel camp)
Chasing Vermeer(770L) by Blue Balliett
Petra & Calder try to find stolen painting that is held “ransom” because the world is misinformed about the artist; set in Hyde Park; read pp 214-221 (searching hidden passage)
The Cheat(620L) Amy Goldman Koss
Told in 5 different voices of characters who cheat on a midterm
The City of Ember (680L) by Jeanne DuPrau
First in series of four; Lina lives in Ember where supplies are running out and the lights are flickering more often; finds instructions for something; enlists help of Doon; sci fi/fantasy; read pp 66-69 (Lina talks of “other city” to friend Clary)
The Clique(790L) by Lisi Harrison
Massie controls her “clique”; Claire moves in with her family and wants “in”; first in the series; read pp 1-6
Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac
Navajo (Ned) is taken off reservation and eventually becomes Marine during WWII; shows prejudice of gov’t, hell of war, and what Native Americans went through; read pp 111-112,159-162, 176-177
Coraline(740L) by Neil Gaiman
Kid is dissastified with parents, finds hidden door, goes to parallel world, finds out she can’t return
A Corner of the Universe(750L) by Ann M. Martin
12-year-old Hattie finds out that she has an uncle who acts very different from everyone else; her grandparents don’t treat him the same; she struggles with this; read pp vii to xi and pp 122-131
Crispin: The Cross of Lead(780L, 7 pts) by Avi
Young boy accused of murder; befriends a “savage” jester; read “chase” pp 42-48
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm(660L, 12 pts) by Nancy Farmer
Sci-fi desert kidnapping in 22nd century Zimbabwe; three “strange” investigators with strange powers look for kidnapped General Matskia’s kids Tendai, Rita, and Kuda; She-Elephant wants to sell them to gangs for slave labor; read pp 32-40 (escape for the day)
Esperanza Rising(750L) by Pam Nunoz Ryan
Mexican girl whose father dies and they lose plantation because of mean uncles; moves w/mom to Texas to live as “peasants” hits bottom, but learns to appreciate what she has; read pp 28-33, 39-40 (uncle proposal and fire)
Everything on a Waffle(950L) by Polly Horvath
Girl’s parents disappear at sea; humorous; recipes at end of each chapter
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate(830L) by Jacqueline Kelly
Callie Vee is only daughter in Texas family in 1899; befriends grandpa who is a “scientist” working in areas of Darwin; she’s finding she doesn’t want to be a typical girl; very Richard Peckish; read pp 54-61 (experiments w/grampa)
The False Prince (710L, 12 pts) by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Orphan Sage taken from orphanage with three others to claim they are dead prince; read pp 18-24 (Latamer is killed)
Flush(830L) by Carl Hiaasen
Noah and his sister help get their dad out of trouble after he sinks casino boat dumping waste in harbor; read pp 1-11, 41-48
Freak the Mighty(1000L, 5 pts) by Rodman Philbrick
READ!!!; for anybody who does not fit in; VERY realistic; movie based on book called The Mighty; read pp 1-9 (or more)
Gathering Blue(680L) by Lois Lowry
Tied in to The Giver; young girl with a physical disability whose mother dies and the village tries to take her home; she has a talent that no one else has, so she is spared, for now…; read pp 1-11
The Giver(760L) by Lois Lowry
A world of no color/feeling; young boy tries to change it; ending?? read pp 1-8
The Graveyard Book(820L) by Neil Gaiman
Nobody Owens’ parents are killed by the man Jack and he escapes to a cemetery where he is raised by the dead and Silas, who is neither dead nor alive; fantasyish; odd; read pp 1-18 (Bod totters up the hill)
The Great Wide Sea (660L, 9 pts) by M. H. Herlong
Ben, Dylan, Gerry, & dad sell house and sail Caribbean after mom dies; intense relationship between Ben (first person) & dad; read pp 114-123 (decide to go to Bermuda)
Gregor the Overlander(630L, 8 pts) by Suzanne Collins
Gregor falls down to Underground world; he is part of prophecy; may even find his dad??? five books in series; read pp 14-26 (?)
Heat(940L) by Mike Lupica
Michael Arroyo is star pitcher in shadow of Yankee Stadium; as his team gets to playoffs, questions arise about his age; father is dead, but no one knows; Matt Christopher-ish; read pp 1-5, 35-39
Home of the Brave(3 pts) by Katherine Applegate
Kek leaves killed dad/bro, missing mom in Africa for Minnesota; lives w/cousin and aunt; adjusts to life in fifth grade in ESL classes; SAD; read pp 92-101 (washing dishes), pp 150-151 (?s), & pp 152-154 (bully)
The House of the Scorpion(660L) by Nancy Farmer
Futuristic Mexico where drug lord harvests organs from young clones; Matt – clone, Celia – maid/”mom”, Tam Lin - bodyguard; read pp 2-4, 186-193 (Matt begins to put the pieces together
The Hunger Games(810L) by Suzanne Collins
Postapocalyptic America where 12 Districts exist that are ruled w/an iron fist by the Capitol (in the Rockies); Katniss (16-17 yrs old) volunteers herself for sister Primfor games where a fight to the death w/other district kids gets you fame and food/supplies for your district; Peeta is boy from district, too; read pp 148-153 (start of games in the arena)
The Iron King(780L) by Julie Kagawa
Meghan learns she is half faery after her brother is kidnapped and taken to the Nevernever; Puck, Grimalkin, and Ash help her on the journey; fantasy, Twilightish because of forbidden love; first in series of four; read pp 106-110 (Grimalkin takes Meghan to safety)
Johnny Tremain(840L) by Esther Forbes
Takes place preRevolutionary War; young “punk” who ends up in the middle of the Minutemen (Hancock, Franklin, Adams); read pp 124-129 (ready for Boston Tea Party); pp 132 (tea prep); pp 163-166 (Lavinia meets Johnny); pp 185-193 (Otis’ rant); pp 225-233 (pre/post Lexington & Concord)
Killing Mr. Griffin(720L, 8 pts) by Lois Duncan
Four high school students plan to kidnap English teacher to “scare” him into easing up on students; goes wrong; read pp 5-16
Kira-Kira(740L) by Cynthia Kadohata
First person;12-year-old girl whose family moved from Japan to Iowato Georgia in 1950s; inequality; read pp 9-13 for crimes; pp 151-157 for trip to hospital for Sam’s leg
The Land by Mildred B. Taylor
Prequel to Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry; how Pa got land; POWERFUL racism; read first chapter excerpts pp 1-8
Leviathan (790) by Scott Westerfeld
Deryn (Dylan) sneaks in British army at start of WWI; Alek’s parents are assassinated and he is on the run since he is heir to Austria-Hungarian throne; paths cross on Leviathan, a Darwinist ship that is at war with the Clankers; steampunk; first in trilogy; read pp 42-49 (Alek’s walker is attacked as he learns truth of parents’ death)
A Long Way From Chicago(750L) by Richard Peck
Takes place in Great Depression in Illinois; Joey & sis Mary Alice stay with Gram for summer; A Year Down Yonder is the sequel; FUNNY; read pp 1-11
The Messenger(720L) by Lois Lowry
Close village to outsiders/handicapped; tied in to The Giver and Gathering Blue; read pp 4-6
Milkweed(510L, 7 pts) by Jerry Spinelli
Set in Europe WWII; young boy doesn’t know who he is; read pp 1-3 & lice pp 127-128
Monster(670L) by Walter Dean Myers
Teenager in jail for a “crime he didn’t commit”; REALISTIC; written as a screenplay/dialogue; read pp 1-24
A Monster Calls (5 pts) by Patrick Ness
Conor is dealing with mom’s sickness and divorce; gets “visited” by yew tree; read pp 1-8
The Naked Mole-Rat Letters(670L, 6 pts) by Mary Amato
Frankie starts web of lies when she finds out her dad went on a few dates with “Rat Lady” in D.C.; told by diary entries and emails; hilarious; read pp 1-6, 117-122
Navigating Early (790L, 11 pts) by Clare Vanderpool
A Northern Light(700L, 13 pts) by Jennifer Donnelly
Turn of the century; Mattie wants to leave small town; inequality w/ race and sex; backdrop is a true murder in upstate New York in early 1900s; read pp 1-6
One for the Murphys(520 L, 6 pts) by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Carley is foster child living w/”perfect” family; mom comes back to take her home; read pp 1-13
Out of the Dust(1040L, 3 pts) by Karen Hesse
Family in Dust Bowl during August 1920 – December 1935; told in poetry from Billie Jo’s point of view; tragic; read pp 23, 31-33, 37
The Phantom Tollbooth(1000L) by Norton Juster
Read when Milo goes to the “house” pp 109-114
The Pigman(950L, 6 pts) by Paul Zindel
John & Lorraine befriend a man after a crank call who collects “pigs”; switches between two main characters in first person; read pp 1-13
The Sea of Trolls(670L, 16 pts) by Nancy Farmer
In AD 793, Jack goes on a quest to replace Troll queen’s hair after he is kidnapped by Berserkers; his sister Lucy will be sacrificed if he fails; Lord of the Ringsish; three books in series; read pp 87-97 (Olaf One-Brow attacks)
Schooled(740L, 6 pts) by Gordon Korman
Capricorn Anderson must live in “real world” when his gram gets hurt; HILARIOUS adjustment as he goes from picked on in 8th grade (as president) to cult hero; each chapter told from various characters; read pp 3-17 & pp 70-77 (school bus incident)
The Schwa was Here(790L) by Neal Shusterman
7th grade Anthony “Antsy” Bonano befriends Calvin Schwa who can be “invisible”; they break in to Old Man Crowley’s for bet, have to serve punishment by babysitting granddaughter; conflict, Schwa looks for roots; read pp 1-16
Shadow Divers (21 pts) by Robert Kurson
Sunken sub that no one can account for; true story; read bends information
A Single Shard(920L) by Linda Sue Park
12th century Korea; orphan Tree-ear moves from under a bridge w/Crane-man (bum leg) to learn pottery after breaking pot; harsh master; called to make pottery for emperor; read pp 14-24
Speak(690L, 7 pts)by Laurie Halse Anderson
Girl calls cops on party; classmates treat her like junk, but that’s not why she is depressed/in foul mood; written diary-like; cruel high school life; read pp 3-?
Starters by Lissa Price
Callie “rents” her body out to Enders to help buy shelter and food for sick brother and friend; third time renting she wakes up in a night club with a voice telling her not to return to Prime Destinations; read pp 1-9
Stuck in Neutral(820L, 4 pts) by Terry Trueman
Paraplegic who suspects his dad is trying to kill him; easy to read, high interest; read pp 1-12
Sunrise Over Fallujah(780L) by Walter Dean Myers
Robin “Birdy” Perry, from Harlem, is in Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003); dad not happy about son enlisting after 9/11; first person; read pp 132-136, 199-206ish (bombings), 208-214 (thoughts about war)
A Tale Dark and Grimm (690L, 6 pts) by Adam Gidwitz
The Tale of Despereaux(670L) by Kate DiCamillo
Fantasy adventure; mouse gets banished to the land of rats; MUCH better than movie; read pp 1-25
Tangerine(680L) by Edward Bloor
Family moves to Florida; middle school soccer player Paul tries to fit in while older football brother Erik has limelight and MAY have cause blindness in Paul; read pp 1-4 & 103-109 (at new MS and meets soccer players)
The Thief Lord(640L) by Cornelia Funke
Two runaways, Bo and Prosper, in Venice survive with 3 locals; bumbling detective hired by mean aunt/uncle; a bit of fantasy; read pp 122-127 (capture Victor)
Touching Spirit Bear(670L) by Ben Mikaelson
Anger management; kid gets left in Alaskawilderness to atone for crimes by way of Indian Justice; read pp 3-13
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle(740L) by Avi
14-year-old found guilty of murder and sentenced to death on a boat full of men; first person; read first 3-5 pages
Twilight(720L) by Stephenie Meyer
Isabella (Bella) goes to live w/dad in Forks, WA; meets Cullens (vampires) and falls madly in love w/Edward; love story, tension; read pp 1, 18-28 (in cafeteria and class)
Unbroken(1010L/850L, 24 pts/10 pts) by Laura Hillenbrand
Olympic runner Louis Zamperini’s plane crashes over the Pacific during WWII; survival; biography; somewhat violent; read preface
The Westing Game(750L) by Ellen Raskin
Millionaire dies; game to find murderer with millions as prize; wackiness on the shores of Lake Michigan; Turtle Wexler is main character; read pp 1-5, 28-33
Wintergirls(730L, 9 pts) by Laurie Halse Anderson
17 year old Cassie battles anorexia; friend is found dead in a hotel; read pp 1-13, 219-223 (tries to kill self)
A Year Down Yonder(610L) by Richard Peck
Sequel to A Long Way From Chicago; young girls stuck living with gram in Illinois country in Depression; FUNNY; read pp 1-3