Being Teddy Roosevelt by Claudia Mills

In preparation for the 4th grade Biography Tea, Riley O'Rourke and his classmates are assigned a famous person to research. Riley gets Teddy Roosevelt and his best friend, Grant, gets Mahatma Gandhi. Grant's family has enough money to give him a video game every time he gets an "A" on his report card. Riley's mom can't afford to give him any extras, even if he could get an "A". What Riley wants more than anything is to have a saxaphone and play in the school band. Riley is inspired by Teddy Roosevelt's determination and perseverence, and against all odds, he finds a way to get a saxaphone. Grant is inspired, too. He realizes that his video game collection isn't as important as he once thought.

In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord

Before Bandit Wong leaves Shanghai, China in 1947 to move to New York City with her parents, she asks her grandfather to change her name to an American name so she'll fit in better. Bandit chooses the name Shirley Temple Wong since that's the only American name she knows. The Brooklyn Dodgers have a star black player named Jackie Robinson who becomes a hero to this 10-year old girl who is trying to fit into her new culture without abandoning her Chinese heritage.

Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry

Students in Mrs. Pidgeon's 2nd grade class can't get enough of Gooney Bird Greene's "absolutely true" stories. You'll love the stories too...like the one about how Gooney Bird came from China on a flying carpet. Or the one about the prince, the palace and the diamond earrings. Everything about Gooney Bird is as unusual as her name. And the story about how she got her name is another good one! Also read Gooney Bird and the Room Mother and Gooney the Fabulous.

Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff

The day before his 11th birthday, Sam is snooping around trying to find his presents when he comes across a newspaper clipping about a missing 3-year old boy. He recognizes the boy as himself, but he can't read well enough to find out why he was missing. He has lived with Mack, his grandfather, for as long as he can remember, and Mack told him his parents had died. While working on a class assignment to build a castle for a medieval unit, Caroline, a new girl, helps him put together the pieces of his identity puzzle.

The Toothpaste Millionaire by Jean Merrill

Who wants to be a millionaire? Rufus Mayflower doesn’t set out to be one, but when his mom sends him to the store to buy some toothpaste, he can't believe the price! He decides to create his own formula for a fraction of the cost. This is a great book for those kids who have an entrepreneurial spirit.

My Father's Dragon by Ruth Gannett

This is one of my favorite read-aloud books. After I read it to the first graders, just about all of them want to take it home. If you haven't read this book or heard it read aloud, it is a must. A young boy named Elmer Elevator meets a cat one day and brings him home for some milk. The cat tells Elmer that there is a baby dragon living on Wild Island who needs to be rescued. Elmer, hoping to be able to ride the dragon agrees to try to rescue him. Along the way, Elmer meets up with many wild animals who want to eat him for lunch. Thankfully, the cat helped Elmer pack his knapsack, and he has just the right items to distract each of the predators, giving him time to get away. Also read Elmer and the Dragon and Dragons of Blueland.

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Catherine is a pretty normal 12-year old girl. The problem is that she has an autistic brother named David who sometimes embarrasses her in front of her friends. In order to help David order his world, Catherine establishes rules for him, like "No toys in the fish tank" and "It's ok to hug mom, but not the video store clerk." During visits to David's occupational therapy appointments, Catherine befriends a boy her age who is a nonverbal paraplegic. She talks with him using Jason's communication book. Through this friendship, Catherine begins to understand that being normal isn't as important as accepting others who are different.

Star in the Storm by Joan Harlow

It's 1912 in Newfoundland, Canada, and all non-sheepherding dogs are being outlawed in Maggie's town. The mayor thinks that a dog is killing sheep. Maggie has a Newfoundland dog named Sirius. He is big and gentle, and she knows he is not the one killing sheep. In order to save his life, Maggie hides Sirius in the rocky cliffs above her house. One day a steamer ship crashes into the rocks during a storm. One hundred people are on board, and the ship is about to sink. Maggie knows Sirius can help save the people, but bringing him out of hiding will put him in danger.

Crispin: Cross of Lead by Avi

Set in 14th century England, a 13-year old boy known simply as "Asta's son" must flee his village after the death of his mother. He doesn't know why, but someone falsely accuses him of theft and murder. This in turn has him declared a "wolf's head" which means anyone is allowed to kill him. While on the run, the boy finds out his real name is Crispin, and the mystery that has surrounded his family begins to unfold. Also read the sequel Crispin: At the Edge of the World.