Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

Esperanza Ortega's life of ease and wealth on her father's Mexican ranch is turned upside down the day before her 13th birthday when she and her mother find out that her father was killed by bandits. They are forced to leave all they have and migrate to California with their servants to start a new life. After reading this book, you will better understand the Mexican proverb the author quotes at the beginning of the book: "The rich person is richer when he becomes poor, than the poor person when he becomes rich."

A Million Dots by Andrew Clements

How big is a million? Find out by looking through the pages of this book. The book begins and ends with one dot, and in between the remaining 999, 998 dots are presented in interesting ways. Each page has a running total of how many dots have been shown so far. If you like to learn random facts, they are scattered throughout the book as well.

Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin by Gene Barretta

Benjamin Franklin was a writer, a printer, a stateman and a musician. He was also an inventor of many modern conveniences we take for granted. This book shows how Ben's inventions were created THEN and how we use them NOW.

No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman

"Any book with an award medal on it and a picture of a dog always has a canine casualty", observes Wallace Wallace. That's why he's not surprised that the book assigned in 8th grade English class, Old Shep, My Pal, has a similar plot. He gives his honest opinion of the book to his English teacher, and finds himself assigned to detention. Wallace cannot tell a lie (it's against his personal policy), so he ends up missing weeks of football practice in detention because he refuses to change his opinion. Detention takes place in the auditorium during the school play practices. Wallace is horrified to find out that this year's play is Old Shep, My Pal directed by his English teacher (who loves the book). Bit by bit, Wallace Wallace makes suggestions to improve the play, and he makes some new friends in the process.

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff

Twelve year-old Hollis Woods was abandoned at birth and spent her entire life moving from one foster home to another. Most of the families did not work out, and Hollis ended up running away several times. Josie Cahill, a retired art teacher takes Hollis in after her latest disaster. Josie encourages the talented Hollis to express herself with her pictures. Hollis's pictures tell the story of the family she stayed with the previous summer, the Regans. They wanted to adopt Hollis, but before they could, she ran away again. Steven Regan was critically injured in a car accident that Hollis thought was all her fault. When Josie begins to show signs of dementia, social workers intervene and remove Hollis once again. But by this time she's ready to be accepted as part of a permanent family - with the Regans -who did not give up on her.

I am Regina by Sally M. Keehn

Based on the true story of Regina Leininger who was captured by Indians in 1755 near Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. Her mother was away when the family home was burned to the ground, her father and brother were scalped, and she and her sister were taken captive. Gradually Regina (now Tskinnak) becomes more accustomed to the ways of the Indian tribe. She takes on responsibilities of caring for another young captive girl, and the memories of her former life begin to fade. After nine years, the American army frees the white captives. Regina is torn between leaving her new family and possibly being reunited with her mother.

Sable by Karen Hesse

Tate Marshall had always wanted a dog, so she was thrilled when a stray mutt showed up in her yard one day. After some convincing, Mam and Pap agreed to let Sable stay. Tate loved Sable and took good care of her. Before long, however, the neighbors began to complain about her dog. She had a bad habit of wandering off and stealing things. Mam and Pap are forced to find a new home for Sable, and Doc Winston agrees to take her to his fenced-in property. Tate's determination to get her dog back leads her to work hard to earn enough money to buy materials and build a fence in her own yard.

Harry the Poisonous Centipede by Lynne Reid Banks

Harry is a centipede, which in Latin means "one hundred legs". He's a creepy, crawly thing that would scare you half to death if he wasn't so cute. Harry isn't very brave, but his best friend George is. It's George that talks Harry into going up the Up-Pipe to the place where the Hoo-Mins live. Once they get there, the real adventure begins. Also read Harry the Poisonous Centipede's Big Adventure and Harry the Poisonous Centipede Goes to Sea.

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

In 1935, Moose Flanagan's family moves to Alcatraz Island, off the coast of San Francisco so that Moose's father can take a job as a prison guard and Natalie, his autistic sister can attend a school in the city. Moose liked his life back in Santa Monica, and he's not very excited to be living in such close proximity to the nation's worst criminals -- guys like Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly. He eventually gets used to his new home, makes friends with Piper, the rison warden's daughter, and comes to terms with Natalie's dependence on him.

Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Bethany Cole led a rather normal life until one night when her parents mysteriously dropped her off at an aunt's house without an explanation. Bethany had never met this aunt and wasn't sure she was really a relative of hers. When people in Aunt Myrlie's town see Bethany, they stare in shock. Bethany looks just like a girl who used to live there but died 20 years ago. Slowly, Bethany uncovers clues to her real identity and the reality that someone is after her.

Nory Ryan's Song by Patricia Reilly Giff

This is a story of the Irish Potato Famine which took place between 1845 and 1852. Twelve-year old Nory Ryan woke up one morning, went out to harvest potatoes as usual and found that there was a rotten smell coming from the potatoes in the field. Because potatoes were a large part of the Irish diet in those days, many people starved from lack of food. Nory shows courage as she helps her family find food and the hope to survive.

A Bear Named Trouble by Marion Dane Bauer

Every day after school, Jonathan hangs out at the zoo in Anchorage, Alaska where his dad is a keeper. His favorite animal is a downy white goose named "Mama Goose". Jonathan feeds her popcorn, and she climbs into his lap. Meanwhile, a young brown bear whose mother has sent him off on his own wanders into Jonathan's yard searching for food. Jonathan becomes fond of the bear until it breaks into the zoo and accidentally kills Mama Goose. Jonathan wrestles with feelings of anger and revenge while he tries to understand that the bear named Trouble was just doing what any bear would have done.

Code Orange by Caroline B. Cooney

Mitty Blake has always lived in New York City, and even after 9/11, he has always felt safe. That all changes when Mitty begins to do research for his biology class. His topic is smallpox (otherwise known as Variola Major). One day as Mitty is leafing through a very old medical book his mom purchased at an estate sale, he comes across an envelope marked "Scabs - VM epidemic, 1902, Boston". Before Mitty realizes what they are, he pours them into his hand, crumbles them and rubs his nose after a sneeze. Can you get smallpox from dried up 100-year-old scabs? When bio-terrorists catch wind of the situation Mitty ends up worrying more about survival than a good grade on his report.

How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor

When Georgina Hayes finds herself living in the family car after she, her mother and younger brother are evicted from their apartment, she becomes desperate to find a way to remedy the situation. Her mother is working two jobs and tries to convince Georgina that in time they will be able to have a home. Then Georgina sees a missing dog poster with a reward offer for $5,000. This sets in motion a plan to steal a dog and wait for the reward the owners are bound to offer.

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.