READING BOOK LISTS
Helpful Books for Parents of Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
All parents face challenges in raising children. The parent of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing may need specific information and assistance in order to make informed decisions about the needs of the child. The books and resources selected for inclusion in this publication present a variety of experiences and philosophical approaches, encouraging parents and family members to consider a range of options. This information is organized in six categories:
Some of the books on this list may be out of print. This does not mean they no longer exist. The reference librarian at your local library may be able to help you find a copy or you may be able to locate a copy of a particular book from local or state organizations or schools that provide services for deaf and hard of hearing persons. Amazon.com may also have copies for sale.
Many potentially useful books may not be listed here. In developing this revised list, we have tried to identify books (1) that focus on parent experiences and topics specific to different stages of a child's development, (2) autobiographical and biographical accounts that highlight the inescapable reality that a deaf child becomes a deaf adult, and (3) books for children that can assist siblings in understanding what it is like to be deaf or hard of hearing. With so many new books being issued each year, we encourage parents to request current catalogs from the associations and publishers listed among the resources.
Inclusion in this publication does not constitute endorsement of any philosophy or product by the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center's Office of Public Relations, Products and Training.
Parents of Deaf Children Talk about Their Experiences
Altman, E. (1988). Talk with Me: Giving the Gift of Language and Emotional Health to the Hearing Impaired Child. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association.
A mother, who is also a psychologist, discusses creative parenting strategies in raising an emotionally healthy hearing-impaired child.
Angus, J. R. (1974). Watch My Words: An Open Letter to Parents of Young Deaf Children. Cincinnati, OH: Forward Movement Publications.
A mother shares her experiences raising two deaf children.
Dockery, Y. (1993). When A Hug Won't Fix the Hurt. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association.
A mother writing from a Christian perspective offers psychological, educational, religious, and social solutions to challenges facing parents of a deaf or hard of hearing child.
Featherstone, H. (1981). A Difference in the Family, Living with a Disabled Child. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
Written by a mother who discusses the emotional stages that parents and siblings experience upon learning that a child is disabled.
Ferris, C. (1986). A Hug Just Isn't Enough. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
Quotations taken from interviews with parents of deaf children offer insights into their experiences, feelings, and concerns for their children.
Fletcher, L (1988). Ben's Story. A Deaf Child's Right to Sign. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
A British couple describes their struggle to provide their son with sign language instruction.
Forecki, M. C. (1985). Speak to Me. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
A single parent tells about life with her deaf son, Charlie.
Frederickson, J. (1985). Life After Deaf. Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf.
A true story detailing the effects of deafness on one family.
Glick, F. P. & Pellman, D. (1982). Breaking Silence: A Family Grows with Deafness. Scottsdale, PA: Herald Press.
A mother's story about raising twin deaf sons and a hearing daughter.
Harris, G. (1983). Broken Ears, Wounded Hearts. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
A father shares the frustrations, struggles, and accomplishments his family experienced while raising a deaf daughter with other disabilities.
Luetke-Stahlman, B. (1996). One Mother's Story--Raising Deaf Children: An Educator Becomes a Parent. Los Alamitos, CA: Modern Signs Press, Inc.
The mother of four daughters, two of, whom are deaf, tells the story of raising Mary Pat and Marcy in a family environment where audition, speech, language, and socialization skills are developed and Deaf Culture respected. and how her whole family has been enhanced by the opportunity. Dr. Luetke-Stahlman, director of Deaf Education at the University of Kansas, tells of her struggles and joys in this parenting role.
McArthur, S. H. (1982). Raising Your Heating Impaired Child: A Guideline for Parents. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf.
Written by a teacher, who is also the mother of two deaf daughters, this book offers ideas and suggestions for parents raising their deaf child using oral methods.
Mendelsohn, J. Z. & Fairchild, B. (1982). Years of Challenge: A Guide for Parents of Hearing Impaired Adolescents. Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf
Two parents relate their concerns about raising deaf teenagers. The book includes information on legislation that protects the rights of people who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.
Morgan-Candlish, P. A. (1996). Not Deaf Enough: Raising a Child Who is Hard of Hearing with Hugs, Humor and Imagination. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association.
A mother's story from diagnosis through success, this book offers an overview of this under-diagnosed, under-served population.
Spradley, T. S. & Spradley, J. (1985). Deaf Like Me. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press. (Revised [soft-cover] edition).
The experience of having a deaf child in the family is related by a deaf girl's father and uncle. This revised edition features an epilogue written by teen-aged Lynn Spradley, reflecting on her experiences growing up deaf.
Professionals Talk to Parents
Adams, J. W. (1988). you and Your Hearing impaired Child: A Self-instructional Guide for Parents. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
A guide for parents that provides information on language development, effective behavior management, non-verbal behavior, setting limits, and other useful topics.
Aguirre-Larsen, G. (1996). Mi Nombre Es Lupita y Tengo Un Hijo Sordo. Hillsboro, OR: Butte Publications, Inc.
This set of six Spanish-language booklets offers parents clear, concise, basic information about the ear, its parts and functions; types, causes, and degrees of hearing loss; hearing tests and hearing aids; language and social development; philosophies and approaches to communication and education; and home activities to stimulate language development.
Anderson, W., Chitwood, S., & Hayden, D. (1996). Negotiating the Special Education Maze: A Guide for Parents and Teachers. (3rd Edition). Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.
This book offers a step-by-step guide for parents and educators who need to advocate for their child's educational program.
Atkins, D. (Ed.). (1987). Families and Their Hearing-Impaired Children. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association.
A monograph issue of The Volta Review, this volume prepares parents to improve parenting styles and examines challenges for parents in socialization, sexuality, drug and alcohol abuse, child safety when there is communication difficulty with deaf their children.
Benderly, B. L (1990). Dancing Without Music: Deafness in America. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
Based on research and interviews with deaf persons, their families, friends, and educators, this book offers insight into the meaning of hearing loss.
Bornstein, H. (Ed.). (1990). Manual Communication: Implications for Education. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
This book examines various sign systems used in the education of deaf students.
Bradford, T. (1991). "Say That Again, Please." Dallas, TX: Thomas H. Bradford.
This collection of personal experiences, observations, and comments from the author and others give insights into the world of deaf and hard of hearing people.
Ferris, M. H. (1994). Bright Silence: Raising Hearing Impaired Children. Neenah, WI: Bright Silence Press.
The author presents a chronology of insights and experiences in a fifty-year career as a teacher of deaf children and introduces, as adults, some of the deaf and hard of hearing children she taught.
Frazier-Maiwald, V., & Williams, L. M. (1999). Keys to Raising a Deaf Child.(Barron's Parenting Keys). Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educations Series.
Discussion begins with the child and the family constellation, then moves to necessary collaborations beyond the home (medical professionals, the Deaf community, educators, schools) and audiological aspects of hearing loss, these topics providing the background that will prepare parents to make choices about communication and language. The last three parts of the book focus on language, suggesting bimodal (sign as well as speech) strategies for the home, building language socially and academically, and linking language and literacy. The authors, both educators and one the parent of a deaf child, offer practical suggestions and support for parents.
Garretson, M. D. (Ed.). (1990). Eyes, Hands, Voices: Communication Issues Among Deaf People. Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf. (Citations for all monographs in the series are identical.)
(1991). Perspectives on Deafness. (1994). Deafness: Life & Culture I
(1992). Viewpoints on Deafness. (1995). Deafness: Life & Culture II
(1993). Deafness: 1993-2013. (1996). Deafness: Historical Perspectives.
(1997)Who Speaks for the Deaf Community?
Each of these Deaf American monographs presents articles by deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing individuals on issues of concern to families and friends of people who are deaf or hard of hearing and to those who may work or interact with them.
Klein. S. & Schleifer, M. (Eds.). (1994). It's Not Fair!: Siblings of Children with Disabilities. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.
Compiled from articles in Exceptional Parent magazine, this book reveals first hand feelings and experiences of non-disabled siblings as they grapple with issues related to having a sibling with a disability, fairness and parental expectations, rewards and punishments, care taking, negative feelings, and worry.
Lane, H., Hoffmeister, R., & Bahan, B. (1996). Journey into the DEAF-WORLD. San Diego, CA: DawnSignPress.
The authors explore and explain the nature and meaning of the DEAF-WORLD, covering such topics as: Deaf culture, the benefits of signed language and Deaf culture for deaf children, how Deaf children are educated, the nature of American Sign Language, the role of technology in Deaf people's lives, and what Deaf societies in other countries can teach us.
Lane, S., Bell, S, & Parson-Tylka, T. (1999?). My Turn to Learn.
This is a resource guide designed to gear parents to help communicate and develop good self- esteem to their deaf and hard of hearing child.
Luterman, D. & Ross, M. (1991). When Your Child is Deaf: A Guide for Parents. Baltimore, MD: York Press, Inc.
This book addresses the emotional and educational processes a hearing parent goes through in coming to terms with having a deaf child.
Luterman, D. with Kurtzer-White, E. & Seewald, R.C. (1999). The Young Deaf Child. Baltimore. MD: York Press, Inc.
Beginning with an historical overview of methodology in educating deaf children, the author with his collaborators then focuses on the importance of early detection and intervention strategies, considers various program approaches, stressing strong family involvement with parents as collaborators with professionals, and the choice and use of appropriate assistive hearing technology.
Luterman, D. (1987). Deafness in the Family. Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Company, Inc.
This book offers insights into the effects of having a deaf child in a hearing family with chapter discussions covering topics such as the family system, parents, siblings, and grandparents. Interviews with three families included.
Marschark, M. (1997). Raising and Educating a Deaf Child: A Comprehensive Guide to the Choices, Controversies, and Decisions Faced by Parents and Educators. New York and Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
The author presents findings from a various research studies on the cognitive, linguistic, and social development of deaf children in everyday language for parents, teachers, and professionals who work with deaf children. He emphasizes the need for early and consistent exposure to language and flexibility in learning strategies.
Medwid, D. & Chapman-Weston, D. (1995). Kid-Friendly Parenting with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: A Treasury of Fun Activities Toward Better Behavior. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
This step-by-step guide presents hundreds of ideas and activities for use with deaf and hard f hearing children ages 3 to 12. In addition to succinct descriptions of parenting techniques, each chapter includes a commentary from deaf and hearing experts on the topic highlighted. Information is provided about special resources and support services.
Mindel, E. & Vernon, M. (Eds.). (1987). They Grow in Silence: Understanding Deaf Children and Adults. San Diego, CA: College Hill Press.
The nine contributing authors discuss such topics as the impact of deaf children on a family, the primary causes of deafness, emotional aspects of hearing parents raising a deaf child and other important issues.
Ogden, P. W. (1996). The Silent Garden: Raising Your Deaf Child. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press.
In a complete revision of his original work, Ogden, who is himself profoundly deaf from birth, provides a foundation for parents to make the difficult decision necessary to help their deaf child reach full potential.
Quin, W. R. (1996). Understanding Childhood Deafness: A Word in Your Ear. San Francisco, CA: Thorsons.
This book discusses the degrees and types of hearing loss, and attempts to explain deafness from a child's perspective.
Schwartz, S. (Ed.). (1996). Choices in Deafness: A Parent's Guide. (2nd Ed.). Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.
Explanations of hearing loss precede personal accounts by parents discussing why and how they made their choices among Cued Speech, total communication and the oral approach. The book includes listings of audiovisual materials for parents and directories of national organizations and state educational programs.
Schwartz, S., & Heller, J. E. (1996). The New Language of Toys: Teaching Communication Skills to Children with Special Needs. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.
This book provides ideas to parents and professionals about how to use everyday toys to stimulate and promote language development in children with additional needs.
Smith, R. C. (1996). A Case About Amy. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
A recounting of a couple's fight for services for their deaf child, Amy, all the way to the Supreme Court.
Snider, B. (Ed.). (1995). Inclusion?: Defining Quality Education for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students. Proceedings of the Conference, Oct. 26-28, 1994. Washington, D.C: Gallaudet University, College for Continuing Education.
Covers educational, legal, psychosocial, and social implications of inclusion for deaf students.
Stewart, D., & Leutke-Stahlman, B. (1998). The Signing Family: What Every Parent Should Know about Sign Communication. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
The authors show parents how to create a set of goals for signing centered around the needs of their deaf child. Discusses American Sign Language, Signed English, Seeing Exact English, and Contact Sign, how each option originated, and in the case of English-based signing systems why they were created and what they are meant to impart to the child. Includes information about legal rights in the education of a deaf child and how to work with schools to provide the preferred sign option in the deaf child's classroom.
Tucker, B. P. (1997). I.D.E.A. Advocacy for Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: A Question and Answer Book for Professionals and Parents. San Diego, CA: Singular Publishing Group.
This book provides information about the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.) which affect children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The author presents guidelines on how parents can obtain the necessary educational services that are appropriate for their children.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults Talk about Their Experiences
Bowe, F. (1986). Changing the Rules. Silver Spring, MD: T. J. Publishers, Inc.
Mainstreamed in the small Pennsylvania town where he grew up, Frank Bowe offers a humorous and poignant account of obstacles that shaped his life.
Hepner, C. (1992). Seeds of Disquiet. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press.
This autobiography recounts the author's experience of profound deafness as a result of meningitis at age seven, and then strokes that left her with no residual hearing at the age of 25. The sections about coping in school educationally and socially will interest parents.
Jacobs, L. (1989). A Deaf Adult Speaks Out. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
Presenting a personal account of what it's like to be deaf in a hearing world, the author speaks out on mainstreaming, communication, employment opportunities, and public policy towards deaf people.
Kisor, H. (1990). What's That Pig Outdoors?: A Memoir of Deafness. New York: Hill and Wang.
The book editor of The Chicago Sun Times recounts the story of his life as a deaf person in a hearing culture.
Tucker, B. P. (1995). The Feel of Silence. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
A professor of Law at Arizona State University, Ms. Tucker, deaf since birth, tells how she faced the challenges of growing up and then the adult transitions of marriage, raising a family, divorce, and a new career at mid-life.
Wiggins, J. (1970). No Sound. New York, NY: Silent Press.
Julius Wiggins, deaf since infancy, describes the unique relationship between deaf and hearing people by recounting significant experiences that helped him to reach full realization of his own talents.
Whitestone, H. (1997). Listening with My Heart. New York, NY: Doubleday and Company.
This autobiography traces Heather Whitestone's life and her reign as Miss America.
Zazove, P. (1993). When the Phone Rings, My Bed Shakes. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
Zazove chronicles his experiences as a family doctor and the impact that deafness has had on his life. The account offers examples of how ingenuity and well-developed communication skills allow him to handle patients, staff, hospital, and surgical emergencies.
Hearing Family Members Talk about Growing up in Deaf Families
Abrams, C. (1996). The Silents. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
The author present s a loving portrait of her family, taking the reader from her childhood in depression-era Chicago, through the hard times of World War II, and life in Los Angeles with her own children, with the complications of communication for her deaf parents.
Dicker, E. & Barash, H. L. (1991). Our Father Abe, The Story of a Deaf Shoe Repairman. Madison, WI: Abar Press.
A moving story written by his children about Abe Barash, a deaf Russian immigrant who has a shoe shop for over 50 years in Madison, Wisconsin.
Preston, P. (1994). Mother Father Deaf: Living Between Sound and Silence. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Presents personal stories compiled from interviews with 150 hearing adults with deaf parents.
Walker, L. A. (1987). A Loss For Words. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.
A hearing daughter describes growing up with deaf parents.
Children's Books About Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children
Arthur, C. (1979). My Sister's Silent World. Chicago, IL: Children's Press.
Heather's sister describes hearing aids, speech training, Heather's school, and a family outing to the zoo. (Grades 1-4)
Aseltine, L., Mueller, E. and Tait, N. (1986). I'm Deaf and It's Okay. Niles, IL: Albert Whitman and Co.
A young deaf boy who is apprehensive about wearing a hearing aid as an adult is helped by a deaf teenager. (Grades 1-4)
Baer, J. (1992). Unheard Voices. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers.
Ruth finds the adjustment to a new town and school difficult. When some girls at school befriend her, they learn through their friendship what it is like to be deaf. [Christian perspective.] (Grades 7-10)
Blatchford, C. (1998). Going with the Flow. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books.
Mark, a deaf fifth grader, finds adjustment to his new school difficult until his classmate Keith, captain of the basketball team, challenges him as a team member. (Grades 4-7)
Booth, B. (1991). Mandy. New York, NY: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books.
Mandy depicts the loving relationship between a young deaf girl and her grandmother. While walking in the park together, Grandma loses a special pin. Later, Mandy braves the dark and an oncoming thunderstorm to search for the pin. (Grades 1 and up)
Caisley, R. (1994). The Quiet World. Santa Rosa, CA: SRA School Group.
When David learns that his younger brother is deaf, he plugs his ears with cotton, dons earphones, and goes to the park. He spends his time experiencing an afternoon through his other senses and then returns home tells his mother what a quiet world is like. (Grades 1-up)
Clemente, G. (1996). Cosmo Gets an Ear. Los Alamitos, CA: Modern Signs Press.
This humorous tale of Cosmo's adjustment to his first hearing aid is told by his sister through text and playful illustrations. After his diagnosis, Cosmo and his best friend, Gilbert, search for his "lost" hearing. Many puns and silly jokes enliven the text. (Grades 1-6)
Golder, S. & Membling, L (1988). Buffy's Orange Leash. Washington, DC: Kendall Green Publications/Gallaudet University Press.
Buffy is a hearing ear dog trained to work for deaf people. (Grades K-3)
Gray, D. with Lewis, G. (1995). Heather Whitestone/Today's Heroes Series. New York, NY: Zonderman, Division of HarperCollins.
This book profiles Heather Whitestone who in 1995 became the first deaf woman to be chosen Miss America. (Grades 3-7)
Hall, E. (1982). Is It Catching? Ellen Hall, P.O. Box 8005, Suite 192, Boulder, CO 80306
Written for young children with deaf siblings, this book gives simple explanations for many complex issues. Non-fiction.
Hirsch, K. (1981). Becky. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
Living with a hearing family while attending a school for deaf students during the week, Becky teaches the family about the problems facing deaf people. (Grades 1-4)
Hlibok, B. (1981). Silent Dancer. New York, NY: Julian Messner.
A 10-year-old deaf girl and other students from the Lexington School for the Deaf study ballet at the Joffrey Ballet School. Non-fiction. (Grades 3-6).
Hodge, L. L. (1987). A Season of Change. Washington, DC: Kendall Green Publications/Gallaudet University Press.
A junior high student, 13-year-old Biney faces the challenges of growing up with a hearing loss. (Grades 7-12)
Hodges, C. (1995). When I Grow Up . Hollidaysburg, PA: Turtle Books, Jason & Nordic Publishers.
At Career Day, Jimmy, a deaf boy, meets deaf adults with varied and interesting careers and learns about potential careers for himself. (Grades K-4)
LaMore, G. S. (1986). Now I Understand. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
This fictional account of a young boy with a hearing loss who is mainstreamed includes information about hearing loss, hearing aids, and communication. (Grades 3-6)
Lakin, P. (1994). Dad and Me in the Morning. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Co.
A boy and his deaf father enjoy the morning together. (Grades 1-3)
Leutke-Stahlman, B. (1996). Hannie. Hillsboro, OR: Butte Publications.
This year-in-the-life tale of friendship, loyalty, and growing up introduces Hannah and her two deaf sisters. (Grades 6-8)
Levi, D. H. (1989). A Very Special Friend. Washington DC: Gallaudet University Press.
A lonely six-year-old girl finds a new friend who talks in sign language. (Grades K-3)
Levinson, N. S. (1990). Annie's World. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
When her father is transferred to a new city and her family moves, Annie, a 16-year-old deaf girl, finds her life disrupted. Annie transfers from the residential school for deaf students to a mainstream program where she is the only deaf student. (Grades 7-12)
Millman, I. (1998). Moses Goes to a Concert. New York, NY: Frances Foster Books/Farrar, Straus, Giroux.
A group of deaf children attend a concert, holding balloons in their laps to feel the vibrations. The percussionist in the orchestra is also deaf and after the concert she tells them her story (in ASL) and allows them to try out all her instruments. Cartoon illustrations of sign language augment the printed text. (Grades PS-2)
Okimoto, J. D. (1993). A Place for Grace. Seattle, WA: Sasquatch Books.
Grace is a stray dog who wants to be a service dog for blind people. Instead, a deaf man chooses Grace to be his "hearing dog" and she starts the rigorous training program. Despite some challenges, Grace passes her test and becomes an official hearing dog with a special knack. (Grades 2-4)
Pace, B. (1987). Chris Gets Ear Tubes. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
This book explains in language a child will understand what happens before, during, and after surgery for ear tubes. (Grades PS-1)
Peterson, J. W. (1977). I Have a Sister, My Sister is Deaf. New York, NY: Harper and Row Publishers.
A girl talks about her younger deaf sister, what she can and cannot do, and how they communicate and play together. (Grades K-3)
Riskin, M. (1981). Apple is My Sign. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Harry, a 10-year-old deaf boy, goes to a residential school and when he comes home at Christmas shares what he has learned with his family. (Grades 5-8)
Rosenberg, M. (1983). My Friend Leslie: The Story of a Handicapped Child. New York, NY: Lothrop, Lee, & Shepard Books.
Illustrated with photographs, this book introduces Leslie, a child with multiple disabilities, who is mainstreamed into a regular kindergarten class. Non-fiction. (Grades 1-3)
Scott, V. (1986). Belonging. Washington, DC: Kendall Green Publications/Gallaudet University Press.
Written by a deaf author, Belonging tells the story of Gustie Blaine who contracts meningitis at age 15. (Grades 7-12)
Shreve, S. R. (1993). The Gift of the Girl who Could Not Hear. New York, NY: Beech Tree Books.
Thirteen-year-old Eliza, a gifted singer, and her best friend Lucy who was born deaf help each other prepare to try out for the 7th grade musical, a production of Annie. (Grades 5-12)
Starowitz, A. (1988). The Day We Met Cindy. Washington, DC: Kendall Green Publications/Gallaudet University Press.
This non-fiction account relates Chad's fear that the other children in his first grade class will laugh when they meet his deaf aunt. Instead, the class learns signs from Cindy. The illustrations by the children depict the many other things they learned from this experience. Non-fiction. (Grades K-3)
Sullivan, M. B., Brightman, A., Blatt, J. et al. (1979). Feeling Free. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
This book offers glimpses of children with disabilities, two of whom have hearing disabilities. Gordon, a hard of hearing boy, discusses his speech, communication, and interaction with hearing people. Kim, a deaf sixth grader with a deaf brother talks about her experiences in public school and at home. (Grades 4 and up)
Walker, L A. (1985). Amy, the Story of a Deaf Child. New York, NY: Lodestar Books, E. P. Dutton.
The introduction and conclusion of this book discuss the Supreme Court case sparked when Amy's parents request a full-time sign language interpreter in the school Amy attends with hearing classmates. Amy narrates the main text of this book, telling about her family, her hearing and deaf friends, how she communicates with her teachers without an interpreter, her school, and anecdotes from her life. Non-fiction. (Grades 4-6)
Reading Lists for typically developing children and also for those Deaf and Hard of Hearing separated by grade levels
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Adler, David A. Things That Float and Things That Don't. Holiday House, 2013.
The concept of density is explained to children using examples of why some
objects float and others sink.
Allen, Jonathan. Don't Copy Me! Boxer Books, 2012. Little Puffin is distressed when
some cheeky gull chicks begin to follow him around and copy his every move, but
the more he protests, the more gulls join the game.
Andreæ, Giles. I Love My Daddy. Disney Hyperion, 2012. A father and child enjoy
special time together playing on the swings, singing and dancing, having snacks,
and cuddling.
Ashman, Linda. Rain! Houghton Mifflin, 2013. As an old man grumbles his way
through a rainy morning spreading gloom, his neighbor, a young child, spreads
cheer while hopping through puddles in frog-themed rainwear.
Bennett, Kelly. Not Norman: a Goldfish Story. Candlewick, 2005. As a boy attempts
to convince someone else to take his disappointing pet, he learns to love Norman
the goldfish himself.
Bloom, Suzanne. The Bus for Us. Boyds Mills, 2001. Eagerly awaiting the bus on her
first day of school, Tess learns the names of different vehicles from her older
friend, Gus.
Boldt, Mike. 123 Versus ABC. Harper, 2013. While numbers and letters may disagree
about who is the real star of the book, the reader is the real winner due to the
rollicking illustrations and fast-paced fun.
Boyd, Lizi. Inside Outside. Chronicle Books, 2013. In this story without words, a boy
and his dog play inside and outside while the images from succeeding pages
appear through die-cut holes.
Brown, Peter. Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. Little, Brown, 2013. Bored with city life and the
proper behavior it requires, Mr. Tiger has a wild idea that leads him to discover
his true nature.
Bunting, Eve. Have You Seen My New Blue Socks? Clarion, 2013. The reader is
invited to help Duck and his animal friends find a missing item.
Butterworth, Christine. See What a Seal Can Do. Candlewick, 2013. This portrait of
seal characteristics and life explains that they are slow and sleepy on land, but
powerful and graceful under the water.
Cole, Joanna. When You Were Inside Mommy. HarperCollins, 2001. A mother and
father tell their young son the fascinating story of his gestation and birth, and
advice for parents on talking to their children about this subject is included.
DaCosta, Barbara. Nighttime Ninja. Little, Brown, 2012. Readers follow a ninja
creeping quietly through the house in search of treasure.
Davick, Linda. I Love You, Nose! I Love You, Toes! Beach Lane Books, 2013. In
rhyming verse, children celebrate each body part.
Davies, Nicola. What Happens Next? Candlewick, 2012. Flip the flaps to discover all
kinds of amazing things that animals do.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
2
DePaola, Tomie. Pancakes for Breakfast. Harcourt Brace, 1978. In this wordless
book, a little old lady's attempts to have pancakes for breakfast are hindered by
a scarcity of supplies and the participation of her pets.
Dotlich, Rebecca Kai. What Can a Crane Pick Up? Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. Illustrations
and rhyming text show that a crane can lift anything, from a cow to a load of
steel.
Dudley, Rebecca. Hank Finds an Egg. Peter Pauper Press, 2013. Hank finds an egg
on the ground while walking through the woods, discovers the nest from which
it fell, and tries his best to return it.
Dunrea, Olivier. Little Cub. Philomel, 2012. A young bear cub, who is alone in the
world, and Old Bear, who is grumpy and tired of living alone, meet and discover
what they have been missing.
Eastman, Peter. Fred and Ted Go Camping. Random House, 2005. Even though
they do things very differently, Fred and Ted are friends and enjoy going camping
together in the woods.
Elliott, David. In the Sea. Candlewick, 2012. This collection of poems for children
features woodcut illustrations and rhyming text about the characteristics and
behaviors of sea horses, sharks, urchins, whales, and other sea creatures.
Feiffer, Kate. No Go Sleep! Simon & Schuster, 2012. It's time for bed, but a baby does
not want to go to sleep and is determined to stay awake as long as possible.
Fisher, Valorie. Everything I Need to Know Before I'm Five. Schwartz and Wade,
2011. Bright photos illustrate the concepts a child needs to know by the age of
five, including numbers, letters, colors, shapes, opposites, and seasons.
Fleming, Candace. Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! Atheneum, 2002. After planting the
garden he has dreamed of for years, Mr. McGreely tries to find a way to keep some
persistent bunnies from eating all his vegetables.
Foley, Greg E. Don't Worry, Bear. Viking, 2008. A caterpillar reassures a worried bear
that they will see each other again when the caterpillar emerges from its cocoon.
Formento, Alison. These Bees Count! Whitman, 2012. Mr. Tate's class visits a bee
and honey farm where Farmer Ellen teaches the children how to listen to the bees
talk.
Fox, Mem. Hello Baby! Beach Lane Books, 2009. A baby encounters a variety of young
animals, including a clever monkey, a hairy warthog, and a dusty lion cub, before
discovering the most precious creature of all.
George, Kristine O'Connell. Little Dog and Duncan: Poems. Clarion, 2002. This
illustrated collection of poems describes, from a little girl's point of view, what
happens when a large dog and a small dog are friends.
Gibson, Ginger Foglesong. Tiptoe Joe. Greenwillow, 2013. A bear invites all the
animals to follow him through the forest, on tiptoe, to see a special surprise that
requires utmost silence.
Griffith, Helen V. Moonlight. Greenwillow, 2012. On a cloudy night, the moon comes
out, covering the countryside like butter and awakening Rabbit to come out and
dance.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
3
Guiberson, Brenda Z. Frog Song. Holt, 2013. The songs of frogs from around the
world are discussed.
Harris, Robie H. Maybe a Bear Ate It! Orchard Books, 2008. At bedtime, a young boy
who cannot find his favorite book imagines the various creatures that might have
taken it from him.
Henkes, Kevin. Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. Greenwillow, 1996. Lilly loves everything
about school, especially her teacher, but when he asks her to wait a while before
showing the class her new purse, she does something for which she is very sorry
later.
Hodgkinson, Leigh. Goldilocks and Just One Bear. Nosy Crow, 2012. Little Bear, all
grown up, finds himself lost in a noisy, busy city where he happens to bump into
someone with golden hair who remembers exactly how he likes his porridge.
Horse, Harry. Little Rabbit Goes to School. Peachtree, 2004. Little Rabbit takes his
favorite toy, Charlie Horse, along for his first day of school, and when there is
trouble he blames it all on Charlie.
Hort, Lenny. The Seals on the Bus. Holt, 2000. Different animals -- including seals,
tigers, geese, rabbits, monkeys and more -- make their own sounds as they ride
all around the town on a bus.
Hudson, Cheryl Willis. Hands Can. Candlewick, 2003. Photographs and simple,
rhyming text present different ways that hands can be used, including holding or
mixing things and waving goodbye.
Idle, Molly. Tea Rex. Viking, 2013. With Tea Rex as her guest, Cordelia demonstrates
how to host a proper tea party.
Janni, Rebecca. Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse. Dutton, 2010. Nellie Sue, who fancies
herself to be a real cowgirl, wants a horse for her birthday, but she discovers that
a brand new bicycle -- her first -- takes almost as much taming as a filly.
Jenkins, Steve. Move! Houghton Mifflin, 2006. A variety of animals that swing, walk,
dive, swim, leap, slither, climb, fly, run, dance, float, slide, and waddle are
introduced.
Karas, G. Brian. On Earth. Putnam's, 2005. The motions of the Earth are described
as they relate to time, such as the year, seasons, and days.
Katz, Karen. Now I'm Big! McElderry Books, 2013. A little girl contrasts all of the
amazing things she can do for herself that had to be done for her when she was
a baby.
Ketteman, Helen. Señorita Gordita. Whitman, 2012. In this reset to the Southwest
of the familiar tale of the gingerbread boy, the scrumptious Gordita, a little corn
cake, escapes her pursuers until she meets a clever owl.
Klausmeier, Jesse. Open This Little Book. Chronicle Books, 2013. Pages of
decreasing size, then increasing size, reveal various animals, each opening a book
of a different color and reading about the next.
Komiya, Teruyuki. Life-size Zoo: from Tiny Rodents to Gigantic Elephants, an
Actual-Sized Animal Encyclopedia. Seven Footer Kids, 2009. Twenty-one
different types of animals found in Japan's premiere zoos are depicted using
close-up wildlife photographs accompanied by detailed descriptions.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
4
Konagaya, Kiyomi. Beach Feet. Enchanted Lion Books, 2012. This cheerful book
follows a free and independent child as he explores the beach, focusing on his
feet as he feels the sand, shells, and water.
LaRochelle, David. Moo! Walker, 2013. When Cow gets her hooves on the farmer's car,
she takes it for a wild ride through the country.
London, Jonathan. A Truck Goes Rattley-bumpa. Holt, 2005. This book uses simple
text with illustrations to describe different types of trucks doing a variety of tasks.
Long, Ethan. Up, Tall and High! Putnam's, 2012. Through illustrations and simple
text, birds demonstrate the meanings of the words up, tall, and high.
Lord, Cynthia. Hot Rod Hamster. Scholastic, 2010. A hamster, with the help of a
canine junkyard dealer and his mouse assistants, builds a hot rod and drives it
in a race against some very large dogs.
Lord, Janet. Here Comes Grandma! Holt, 2005. Grandma is coming to visit her
grandchild and she will use any possible method of transport, including a horse
and a hot air balloon, to get there.
Lyons, Shelly. Signs in My Neighborhood. Capstone, 2013. Simple text and
photographs describe basic signs found in any neighborhood and explain why
they are important.
Magoon, Scott. The Boy Who Cried Bigfoot! Simon & Schuster, 2013. Ben has so
often tried to convince people he has seen Bigfoot that when a real yeti arrives
and borrows his bicycle, no one comes to see if Ben is telling the truth.
Markes, Julie. Shhhhh! Everybody's Sleeping. HarperCollins, 2005. A young child
is encouraged to go to sleep by the thought of everyone else sleeping, from teacher
to baker to postman.
Masurel, Claire. Two Homes. Candlewick, 2001. A young boy named Alex enjoys the
homes of both his parents who live apart but love him very much.
Mavor, Salley. Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes. Houghton Mifflin,
2010. This collection of familiar nursery rhymes is illustrated with scenes made
from fabric and cloth.
McLeod, Bob. SuperHero ABC. HarperCollins, 2006. Humorously-named superheroes
such as Goo Girl and The Volcano represent the letters of the alphabet from A to
Z.
McMullan, Kate. I'm Big! Balzer + Bray, 2010. A young Sauropod encounters friends
and foes while searching for his pack, who left while he was oversleeping.
Melling, David. The Kiss That Missed. Barron's, 2002. When a goodnight kiss from
the King to his son goes astray and escapes to the forest, the bravest knight is
sent to find it and bring it back.
Meshon, Aaron. Take Me Out to the Yakyu. Atheneum, 2013. A little boy's
grandfathers, one in America and one in Japan, teach him about baseball and
its rich, varying cultural traditions.
Milgrim, David. Some Monsters Are Different. Holt, 2013. Monsters can be different
and unique, but they are all perfect and wonderful "just the way they are."
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
5
Miranda, Anne. To Market, To Market. Harcourt Brace, 1997. Starting with the
nursery rhyme about buying a fat pig at the market, this humorous tale goes on
to describe a series of unruly animals that run amok, evading capture, and
preventing the narrator from cooking lunch.
Moore, Eva. Lucky Ducklings. Orchard Books, 2013. While following their mother
through town, five little ducklings fall into a storm drain and are eventually saved
in this true rescue story.
Most, Bernard. ABC T-Rex. Harcourt, 2000. A young T-Rex loves his ABC’s so much
that he eats them up, experiencing on each letter a word that begins with that
letter.
Munro, Roxie. Rodeo. Bright Sky Press, 2007. Colorful rodeo events are depicted in
this lift-the-flap, fold-out book.
Murguia, Bethanie Deeney. Snippet the Early Riser. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. Snippet,
the early-rising snail, has trouble waking up his sleepy-headed family.
Murphy, Stuart J. Monster Musical Chairs. HarperCollins, 2000. As six monsters
play a wild game of musical chairs, readers learn to subtract - one chair at a time.
Murray, Alison. One Two That's My Shoe! Disney-Hyperion, 2012. Using illustrations
and rhyming text, the reader is encouraged to count from one to ten when a
mischievous puppy runs off with his owner's shoe.
Museum ABC. Little, Brown, 2002. This picture book features works of art from
different cultures and different periods to illustrate the letters of the alphabet.
Pinkney, Jerry. The Tortoise & the Hare. Little, Brown, 2013. Illustrations and
minimal text relate the familiar fable of the race between a slow tortoise and a
quick but foolish hare.
Raposa, Joe. Sing. Holt, 2013. The classic Sesame Street song about self-expression
and the celebration of music is presented in an illustrated version.
Raschka, Chris. Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle. Schwartz & Wade, 2013. A
father teaches his daughter all about bicycle riding, from selecting the right bike
to trying again after a fall.
Rash, Andy. Are You a Horse? Arthur A. Levine, 2009. When Roy receives a saddle
for his birthday, he goes in search of a horse to use it on, with humorous results.
Rathmann, Peggy. Good Night, Gorilla. Putnam's, 1994. An unobservant zookeeper
is followed home by all the animals he thinks he has left behind in the zoo.
Ray, Mary Lyn. Boom!: Big, Big Thunder & One Small Dog. Disney-Hyperion, 2013.
Rosie, a little dog, is afraid of nothing except thunder, and during one very bad
storm she discovers that the boy with whom she lives is frightened too.
Reid, Barbara. Picture a Tree. Whitman, 2011. Using creative artwork, the reader is
invited to look at shapes, colors, and textures of trees during their various stages
of life.
Robinson, Michelle. What to Do If an Elephant Stands on Your Foot. Dial Books,
2012. The reader receives advice on how to handle encounters with various
animals in the jungle, where a mistake while avoiding one can attract the
attention of another.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
6
Rosenthal, Eileen. I'll Save You, Bobo! Atheneum, 2012. Willy is writing a story about
Bobo in order to act out his revenge fantasies on Earl, who retaliates by wrecking
Willy's stories until they both realize that they have something in common.
Rotner, Shelley. Senses on the Farm. Millbrook, 2009. Photographs show children
using their five senses to find out what life is like on a farm.
Rueda, Claudia. Is It Big or Is It Little? Eerdmans Books, 2013. A cat and mouse
chase demonstrates such concepts as deep and shallow, scary and scared, and
beginning and end.
Rylant, Cynthia. Brownie & Pearl Grab a Bite. Beach Lane Books, 2011. A little girl
named Brownie and her cat, Pearl, enjoy their healthy lunch of cheese, apples,
crackers and milk in different ways.
Salas, Laura Purdie. A Leaf Can Be... Millbrook, 2012. With rhyming text and
illustrations, this story explores some of the many things a leaf can be, from tree
topper to rain stopper. Facts about leaves and a glossary are included.
Sayre, April Pulley. Go, Go, Grapes!: A Fruit Chant. Beach Lane Books, 2012.
Rhyming text and colorful illustrations describe various aspects of different
fruits, such as taste, scent and appearance.
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Bully. Roaring Brook, 2013. A little bull sadly discovers that
he has been a big bully.
Shaskan, Stephen. A Dog Is a Dog. Chronicle Books, 2011. Using various animals as
examples, this rhyming picture book explores what makes them the same and
what makes them different.
Slate, Joseph. Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten. Dutton, 1996. The
reader is introduced to the letters of the alphabet as Miss Bindergarten and her
students get ready for kindergarten.
Spinelli, Eileen. When No One Is Watching. Eerdmans Books, 2013. When alone, a
young girl enjoys dancing, singing, growling, and cheering, but when anyone
other than her best friend is watching, she is quiet and shy.
Springstubb, Tricia. Phoebe and Digger. Candlewick, 2013. When the new baby
arrives, Phoebe gets a new Digger to play with when Mama is busy, but during a
trip to the park, Phoebe realizes that her mother is still there when she needs
her.
Stead, Philip C. A Home for Bird. Roaring Brook, 2012. A silent Bird goes on a journey
with Vernon, the toad, in hopes of finding Bird's home.
Stein, Peter. Cars Galore. Candlewick, 2011. Cars of all shapes, colors, and sizes,
including an igloo ice-fueled polar car and an eco-friendly car that runs on air,
are presented in illustrations and rhyme.
Taback, Simms. Simms Taback's Dinosaurs: A Giant Fold-out Book. Blue Apple
Books, 2012. Clues are given to readers who are asked to guess which kind of
dinosaur is on the next fold-out page.
Thomas, Jan. Can You Make a Scary Face? Beach Lane Books, 2009. A ladybug
invites the reader to play a game of "let's pretend."
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
7
Tierney, Fiona. Lion's Lunch? Chicken House, 2010. When Lion comes upon Sarah
walking in the jungle, he threatens to eat her unless she shows that she can do
something none of the other animals can do.
Viva, Frank. A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse. Toon Books, 2012. A
boy and a mouse take a bumpy sea journey to the majestic expanses of Antarctica
where they see the sights and meet new friends.
Wells, Rosemary. Time-out for Sophie. Viking, 2013. Although Sophie wants to be
helpful and good, sometimes she ignores her mother, father, and grandmother
and must have a time-out.
Wheeler, Lisa. Dino-Soccer. Carolrhoda Books, 2009. Plant-eating dinosaurs face
meat-eating dinosaurs in a fast-moving, exciting soccer match.
Willems, Mo. The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! Hyperion, 2008. The pigeon really, really
wants a puppy, but he changes his mind when a puppy finally arrives.
Wood, Audrey. Ten Little Fish. Blue Sky Press, 2004. Ten little fish swim along an
ocean reef, but each finds a reason to leave until there is only one left.
Yates, Louise. Dog Loves Counting. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. When Dog has trouble
putting down his books at bedtime, his friends help him find fun things to count
so he can fall asleep.
Young, Amy. Don't Eat the Baby! Viking, 2013. Tom is not entirely sure how he feels
about his new baby brother, Nathaniel, but he is very concerned that all of their
relatives say they want to eat Nate!
______________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by:
Kristin Uptmor (chair), St. Mark's Episcopal School
Adonica Aston, River Oaks Baptist School
Kathy Ellwood, River Oaks Baptist School
Jennifer Jaeger, St. Martin's Episcopal Preschool
Layne Mason, The Center for Hearing and Speech
Copyright © 2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Adderson, Caroline. Left Behind. Kids Can Press, 2013. When Jasper John’s Nan
leaves for a week-long cruise to Alaska, he can only think about how he will miss
her and all the fun things they do together. Series
Adler, David A. A Picture Book of Sam Houston. Holiday House, 2012. A brief
overview of the life and accomplishments of Texas politician Sam Houston.
Adler, David A. Young Cam Jansen and the Speedy Car Mystery. Viking, 2010. At
her school’s Green Fair, Cam and her friends are learning to keep the earth green
when a student’s remote controlled car goes missing! Was it stolen? It's up to
Cam and her photographic memory to figure it out! Series
Applegate, Katherine. Never Race a Runaway Pumpkin. HarperCollins, 2009. Roscoe
is determined to guess the weight of a giant pumpkin in order to win books for
his school library and candy for himself, but he is overwhelmed by superstitions,
especially about a certain black kitten. Series
Archer, Peggy. Name That Dog! Puppy Poems from A to Z. Dial Books, 2010. A
collection of humorously illustrated poems about dogs, their names and their
unique personalities.
Barrows, Annie. Ivy + Bean. Chronicle Books, 2006. When seven-year-old Bean plays
a mean trick on her sister, she finds unexpected support for her antics from Ivy,
the new neighbor, who is less boring than Bean first suspected. Series
Beard, Alex. The Jungle Grapevine. Abrams Books, 2009. Reminiscent of Chicken
Little, this cleverly illustrated book demonstrates how rumors get started and
quickly get out of hand.
Best, Cari. Beatrice Spells Some Lulus and Learns to Write a Letter. Farrar, Straus
and Giroux, 2013. Beatrice enjoys learning to spell, and gets really excited about
it after some encouragement from her grandmother, but she has trouble
convincing her classmates that spelling is not boring.
Bell, Cece. Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover. Candlewick, 2012. Rabbit has his best
friend Robot coming to spend the night. Rabbit has everything planned out, but
Robot has different ideas about his friend’s plans which ultimately result in an
enjoyable time together.
Branford, Anna. Violet Mackerel’s Natural Habitat. Atheneum, 2013. As the youngest
in her family, seven year old Violet identifies with small creatures in the natural
world, but when she tries to help a special ladybug, she learns an important
lesson about animal habitats. Series
Brendler, Carol. Winnie Finn, Worm Farmer. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009. Zany
and whimsical drawings bring this story about Winnie, the worm farmer, to life.
Winnie needs a new wagon, so she looks for ways to win first prize at the county
fair; however, there are no prizes for worm farmers.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
2
Burleigh, Robert. One Giant Leap. Philomel, 2009. An illustrated retelling of Neil
Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's lunar landing in 1969.
Byars, Betsy. Boo’s Dinosaur. Holt, 2006. When young Boo is followed home by a
dinosaur that only she can see, it causes a bit of trouble for her older brother,
Sammy.
Chabon, Michael. The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man. Balzer + Bray 2011. A
young superhero describes his awesome powers, which he then demonstrates as
various foes arrive on the scene.
Chaconas, Dori. Cork & Fuzz: The Swimming Lesson. Viking, 2011. Cork the
muskrat wants his best friend Fuzz, a possum, to visit his home, but first he
must teach Fuzz to swim and not be afraid of the water. Series
Cocca-Leffler, Maryann. Princess K.I.M. and the Lie That Grew. Whitman, 2009. In
an attempt to impress her new classmates, Kim lies about her name and claims
that she comes from a royal family, but she gets herself into real trouble after her
classmates beg to meet Kim's grandmother--the Queen.
Collins, Ross. Dear Vampa. Katherine Tegen, 2009. A young vampire writes a letter
to his grandfather bemoaning his new neighbors.
Coy, John. Hoop Genius: How a Desperate Teacher and Rowdy Gym Class Invented
Basketball. Carolrhoda Books, 2013. In 1891 James Naismith invented
basketball as a game of skill to keep the unruly students in his gym class
engaged.
Cronin, Doreen. Diary of a Fly. Joanna Cotler, 2007. A young fly discovers, day by
day, that there is a lot to learn about being an insect, including the dangers of
flyswatters and that heroes come in all shapes and sizes.
Davis, Jill. Orangutans Are Ticklish: Fun Facts From an Animal Photographer.
Schwartz & Wade, 2010. Provides interesting facts about animals and explores
what it takes to photograph them, with animal photographer Steve Grubman
sharing some of his favorite, and scariest, encounters.
dePaola, Tomie. 26 Fairmount Avenue. Putnam’s, 1999. Children's author and
illustrator Tomie De Paola describes his experiences at home and in school when
he was a boy. Newbery Honor 2000. Series
DiCamillo, Kate. Bink & Gollie: Best Friends Forever. Candlewick Press, 2013. Bink
& Gollie are back with three new adventures. Series.
DiCamillo, Kate. Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig. Candlewick, 2008. Two sisters
move in next door to where Mercy the pig lives and, frustrated when Mercy
continues to eat their flowers, they decide to call for the help of an Animal Control
Officer, Francine Poulet, to handle the case. Series
DiPucchio, Kelly S. Grace for President. Hyperion, 2008. After finding out there has
never been a female U.S. president, Grace decides to run in her school's mock
election where she learns about the American electoral system and sets out to be
the best person for the job even though her opponent, Thomas, seems to be
winning all the boys' votes.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
3
Egan, Tim. Dodsworth in Tokyo. Houghton Mifflin, 2013. Dodsworth and his
misbehaving duck continue their journeys with a trip to Tokyo. Again Dodsworth
must come to the rescue of the duck as he causes a series of mishaps. Series.
English, Karen. Nikki & Deja: Election Madness. Clarion, 2011. Deja, excited by the
announcement that Carver School is going to elect its first ever student body
president, is confident she can nab the third grade nomination with her best
friend Nikki as her campaign manager; but her tendency to rush into things and
boss people around alienates Nikki when she needs her the most. Series
Ernst, Lisa Campbell. The Gingerbread Girl. Dutton, 2006. After their first
gingerbread disaster, the lonely old couple decides to bake again and create a
gingerbread girl who proves herself to be one smart cookie.
Feder, Sandra. Daisy’s Perfect Word. Kids Can Press, 2012. Daisy loves to collect
words. When she learns that her teacher will be moving away she decides her gift
will be “the perfect word.”
Ferris, Jeri Chase. Noah Webster & His Words. Houghton Mifflin, 2012. Recounts the
life of Noah Webster who gave us Webster’s Dictionary of the American Language
as well as important contributions to American education.
Fleischman, Paul. The Matchbox Diary. Candlewick Press, 2013. A heartwarming
story of a little girl visiting her Italian great-grandfather who learns of his life
through a diary of saved objects kept in matchboxes. This story will inspire
families to share their own family stories.
Florian, Douglas. Shiver Me Timbers! Pirate Poems & Paintings. Beach Lane Books,
2012. Pirate fans will enjoy this humorous collection of poems about the
adventures of some very colorful “scalawags and scoundrels!”
Fucile, Tony. Let’s Do Nothing! Candlewick, 2009. Young friends Frankie and Sal,
believing they have “done it all,” decide to do nothing for a while; but Frankie has
a little trouble with the concept and it is not long before the boys realize there is
no way to do nothing.
Geras, Adele. Little Ballet Star. Dial Books, 2007. Every little girl dreams of becoming
a ballet star and Tilly is no exception. In this story, Tilly visits her Aunt Gina
behind-the-scenes of a real ballet. It is Tilly’s birthday, and she unexpectedly
finds herself performing in front of a live audience.
Gibbons, Gail. Ladybugs. Holiday House, 2012. A colorful, illustrated introduction to
ladybugs, describing their physical characteristics, lifecycle, diets and their
benefits to the environment.
Gibson, Amy. Around the World on Eighty Legs. Scholastic, 2011. An illustrated
collection of poems that provides information about animals around the world.
Giff, Patricia Reilly. Flying Feet. Wendy Lamb, 2011. Charlie has always lived in his
big brother’s shadow, so when the Zigzag center organizes a “Come as a
Character” day, Charlie hopes it will be his chance to shine as he shows off his
latest invention. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
4
Grogan, John. Bad Dog, Marley! HarperCollins, 2007. Marley, a rambunctious puppy,
causes lots of trouble in his new home and feels very sad about it. He then proves
beyond a doubt that he is a valuable member of the household.
Harper, Jessica. Uh-Oh, Cleo. Putnam’s, 2008. What starts out as a perfectly ordinary
day in the Small house turns into Stitches Saturday when Cleo gets a cut on the
head after her twin brother, Jack, accidentally pulls down their toy house. Series
Hayes, Geoffrey. Benny and Penny in Just Pretend. Candlewick, 2008. Benny Mouse
insists that his little sister, Penny, leave him alone while playing, until he thinks
she is in danger. Suddenly he realizes his affection for her and joins her in a game
of pretend. Series
Heiligman, Deborah. The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos.
Roaring Brook Press, 2013. A brief biography of mathematician Paul Erdos.
Henkes, Kevin. Penny and Her Marble. Greenwillow Books, 2013. Penny finds a
marble in Mrs. Goodwin’s yard and takes it home, as guilt overcomes Penny.
Readers of this early chapter book will delight with Penny’s choice and the ending
in another delightful tale of Penny. Series
Henkes, Kevin. The Year of Billy Miller. Greenwillow Books, 2013. Seven-year-old
Billy Miller starts second grade with a bump on his head and a lot of worries, but
by the end of the year he has developed good relationships with his teacher, his
little sister, and his parents and learned many important lessons.
Hicks, Betty. Goof-Off Goalie. Roaring Brook, 2008. Ten-year-old Goose is best at
goofing off; but when he decides to become the goalie for their soccer team, his
friend Henry sets up a practice schedule and enlists their other friends to help
Goose improve his skills. Series
Hoberman, Mary Ann, ed. Forget-Me-Nots: Poems to Learn by Heart. Little, Brown,
2012. A collection of more than 120 poems for children to learn, including
selections from classic and contemporary poets, with tips and tricks from former
Children's Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman on memorization and recitation.
Holm, Jennifer. Squish, #1: Super Amoeba. Random House, 2011. The young
amoeba Squish, inspired by his favorite comic book hero, Super Amoeba, tries to
navigate his way through school and save his friends and the world from the evils
that lurk in the halls. Series
Hopkins, Joseph H. The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree Loving Woman
Changed a City Forever. Beach Lane Books, 2013. An illustrated look at the
life of Kate Sessions, who planted a nursery in San Diego, California, after making
a deal with the city.
Howe, James. Houndsley and Catina: Plink and Plunk. Candlewick, 2009.
Houndsley likes canoeing and his friend Catina likes bicycling, but each has to
help the other learn to enjoy these activities in order to do them together. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
5
Jacobson, Jennifer. Andy Shane: Hero at Last! Candlewick, 2010. Andy wants two
things very much . . . to win the contest for the best decorated bicycle in the
“Home Sweet Home parade” and to be a hero; but his best friend Dolores stands
in the way of at least one goal.
Jeffers, Oliver. The Incredible Book Eating Boy. Philomel, 2006. Henry loves to eat
books until he begins to feel quite ill and decides that maybe he could do
something else with the books he has been devouring.
Johnston, Tony. Levi Strauss Gets a Bright Idea: A Fairly Fabricated Story of a
Pair of Pants. Harcourt, 2011. Re-tells, in tall-tale fashion, how Levi Strauss
went to California during the Gold Rush, saw the need for a sturdier kind of
pants, and invented jeans.
Kaplan, Michael. Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake. Dial Books, 2011. From her
first bite, young Betty Bunny likes chocolate cake so much that she claims she
will marry it one day; and she has trouble learning to wait patiently until she can
have her next taste.
Keating, Frank. Theodore. Simon & Schuster, 2006. A biography of Theodore
Roosevelt that imagines the president looking back on his life, describing his
childhood, his youthful journeys throughout the world, his experiences as a
leader, and the value he placed on knowledge, adventure, originality, and
integrity.
Keller, Laurie. Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners. Holt, 2007. Mr. Rabbit is
worried that he might not get along with his new neighbors. A wise owl gives him
the advice "Do unto otters as you would have otters do unto you" and proceeds
to explain what this means.
Kimmel, Eric A. Anansi’s Party Time. Holiday House, 2008. When Anansi the spider
invites Turtle to a party just to play a trick on him, Turtle gets revenge at a party
of his own.
Larson, Kirby and Mary Nethery. Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina,
Friendship, and Survival. Walker, 2008. Bobbi the dog and Bob Cat show us
how friendship and perseverance kept them together through the rough times of
Hurricane Katrina.
Lasky, Kathryn. Poodle and Hound. Charlesbridge, 2009. This book contains three
stories which follow the adventures of Hound and Poodle as they discover how
much they enjoy each other's company in spite of--or possibly because of--their
differences. Series
Leedy, Loreen. Missing Math: A Number Mystery. Marshall Cavendish, 2008. A
numerical mystery ensues when the numbers all over town suddenly disappear,
bringing a halt to everyday activities.
Lester, Helen. Tacky Goes to Camp. Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Tacky the penguin and
his friends go to Camp Whoopihaha where they scare each other by telling ghost
stories around the campfire, never expecting that one of the frightening stories
will come true. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
6
Lies, Brian. Bats at the Ballgame. Houghton Mifflin, 2010. Two teams of bats enjoy
a nighttime game of baseball. Cheering the home team are the bat fans enjoying
the snacks of "mothdogs" and the like.
Lin, Grace. Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same! Little, Brown, 2010. Ling and Ting
are identical twins who people think are exactly the same, but time and again
they prove to be different.
Lo, Ginnie. Auntie Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic. Lee & Low, 2012. A Chinese
American girl’s Auntie Yang discovers soybeans, a favorite Chinese food, growing
in Illinois, leading her family to a soybean picnic tradition that grows into an
annual community event.
Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Are Friends. First published 1970. Be entertained by
the classic, short, delightful tales about best friends Frog and Toad. Series
Lyon, George Ella. All the Water in the World. Atheneum, 2011. An illustrated
explanation of the water cycle, showing how water rises to the clouds and is
rained back down again to be used by plants, people, and every living thing.
Lyons, Kelly Starling. Ellen’s Broom. Putnam’s, 2012. Ellen, a young girl growing up
in the Reconstruction Era, learns the significance of love and tradition as she
encourages her parents to “Jump the Broom” to finalize their marriage vows.
MacLachlan, Patricia and Emily MacLachlan Charest. Once I Ate a Pie. Joanna Cotler,
2006. Fourteen free-verse poems and beautiful oil paintings capture the
personality of each dog in these examples of a dog’s life from the perspective of
the animals.
Marshall, James. Fox On the Job. Puffin, 1988. Fox tries several different jobs to earn
money. Series
McDermott, Gerald. Jabuti the Tortoise: A Trickster Tale from the Amazon.
Harcourt, 2001. All the birds enjoy the song-like flute music of Jabuti, the
tortoise, except Vulture who, jealous because he cannot sing, tricks Jabuti into
riding on his back toward a festival planned by the King of Heaven.
McDonald, Megan. Daisy Jane, Best-Ever Flower-Girl! Random House, 2007. Daisy
Jane, who is thrilled to be the flower girl at her babysitter's wedding, helps save
the day when a storm threatens the festivities.
McDonald, Megan. Stink and the Ultimate Thumb-Wrestling Smackdown.
Candlewick, 2011. When Stink Moody gets a "U" (for "Unsatisfactory") in gym,
he turns first to thumb-wrestling, then to karate, to give him a sporting edge.
Series
McKay, Hilary. Lulu and the Duck in the Park. Albert Whitman, 2012. Lulu loves
animals. When Lulu finds a duck egg that has rolled out of its nest, she takes it
to class to keep it safe. Lulu isn't allowed to bring pets to school, but she's not
really breaking the rules because it's just an egg. Surely nothing bad will
happen... Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
7
McMullan, Kate. Pearl and Wagner: Five Days Till Summer. Penguin Press, 2012.
Pearl and her friend Wagner, on the verge of moving up to Ms. Bean’s first grade
class, worry about their new teacher being “mean” until something surprising
changes their mind…
McNulty, Faith. If You Decide to Go to the Moon. Scholastic, 2005. This book tells
you how to get to the moon, what to do after you land, and, most importantly,
how to get back home.
Miller, Zeitlow Pat. Sophie’s Squash. Schwartz & Wade 2013. Sophie goes to the
farmer’s market and chooses a squash which she names Bernice and treats as a
friend. What happens when Sophie has to give Bernice up?
Munro, Roxie. Hatch! Marshall Cavendish, 2011. Presents illustrations of various
eggs with related clues, prompting readers to guess which type of bird laid the
eggs.
Nees, Susan. Missy’s Super Duper Royal Deluxe Picture Day. Scholastic, 2013.
Missy likes to do everything in a super duper royal deluxe way, including
planning what she will wear for school picture day. However, her mother has
other ideas for Missy’s picture day outfit.
Nevius, Carol. Baseball Hour. Marshall Cavendish, 2008. All baseball players will
enjoy the rhythmic rhyming of this story and photo-like illustrations of children
practicing baseball in an effort to build a winning team and, ultimately, a circle
of friends.
Numeroff, Laura. The Jellybeans and the Big Art Adventure. Abrams Books, 2012.
Four friends who like to do different things such as paint, play soccer, read and
dance --- paint a mural on an outside wall of Mrs. Petunia Dinkley-Sneezer’s
candy shop that depicts them each doing what they love best. Series
Parish, Herman. Amelia Bedelia Means Business. Greenwillow Books, 2013. Amelia
Bedelia wants a new bike, but her parents will only pay for half of the bike.
Amelia Bedelia needs to find a job to earn enough money for the bike of her
dreams. Series
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Songs. Little Brown,
2013. A beautiful intertwining of the lives of Martin Luther King, Jr. and singer
Mahalia Jackson, both civil right activists as their journeys brought them
together in 1963’s March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Potter, Alicia. Mrs. Harkness and the Panda. Albert A. Knopf, 2012. In 1936 Ruth
Harkness completes her husband’s difficult mission to bring the first live panda
back to the United States.
Raczka, Bob. Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys. Houghton Mifflin, 2010. A collection
of haiku poetry for boys that features poems about tree climbing, kite flying, and
other related topics.
Reynolds, Peter. The Dot. Candlewick, 2003. "Just make a mark and see where it
takes you." This sage advice, offered by her teacher, sets the young heroine on a
journey of self-expression, artistic experimentation, and success.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
8
Ries, Lori. Aggie Gets Lost. Charlesbridge, 2011. Ben is heartbroken when his puppy
Aggie goes missing while the two are playing fetch in the park, but he is
determined to find his pet. Series
Rosensteihl, Agnes. Silly Lilly In What Will I Be Today? Toon Books, 2014. Each
day of the week Silly Lilly tries out a new career through play in this fun graphic
novel for beginning readers.
Rylant, Cynthia. Annie and Snowball and the Book Bugs Club. Simon Spotlight,
2011. Annie and Henry join the summer reading club at the library, and they
vow to be "Book Bugs" for life. Series
Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge and the Big Sleepover. Simon & Schuster, 2006.
Henry and his dog Mudge are invited to a sleepover in Patrick's attic, where they
watch monster movies, eat pizza, and enjoy a contest to determine whose dog is
the best popcorn catcher. Series
Rylant, Cynthia. The High-Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Desperate Duck.
Greenwillow, 2005. In this case, animal detectives Bunny and Jack help Mabel
the duck find out who stole the sugar cubes from her tea room. Series
Sauer, Tammi. Chicken Dance. Sterling, 2009. Marge and Lola set out to get tickets
to the Elvis Poultry concert by winning a farmyard talent contest. What transpires
is hilarious!
Schneider, Josh. Tales for Very Picky Eaters. Clarion, 2011. A father tells outlandish
stories while trying to get his young son, who is a very picky eater, to eat foods
he thinks he will not like.
Scieszka, Jon. Robot Zot! Simon & Schuster, 2009. Big and bright robots advance
and defeat their way through a wonderful yet familiar place.
Scotton, Rob. Splat the Cat. HarperCollins, 2008. Splat the Cat is nervous about his
first day at cat school, but once he arrives he realizes he had nothing to worry
about.
Shannon, David. Too Many Toys. Blue Sky Press, 2008. After he finally concedes that
he has far too many toys, Spencer agrees to give many of them away; but he
realizes that there is one special toy that he absolutely cannot part with.
Sharmat, Marjorie Weinman and Mitchell Sharmat. Nate the Great and the Hungry
Book Club. Delacorte, 2009. Rosamond, who starts a book club, claims there
is a monster on the loose that is ruining pages of her cookbook, which leads Nate
the Great and his dog Sludge to investigate as undercover detectives. Series
Silverman, Erica. Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Spring Babies. Harcourt, 2010. Cowgirl
Kate and her horse Cocoa watch over the new calves, a puppy, and some baby
barn owls. Series
Sklansky, Amy E. Out of This World: Poems and Facts about Space. Alfred A.
Knopf, 2012. A collection of poems and facts about space, accompanied by color
paintings.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
9
Spinelli, Eileen. The Best Story. Dial Books, 2008. When a contest at the local library
offers a prize for the best story, a girl tries to write one using her family's
suggestions, but her story does not seem right until she listens to her heart.
Steig, William. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. First published 1969. In a moment
of fright, Sylvester the donkey asks his magic pebble to turn him into a rock, but
then he cannot hold the pebble to wish himself back to normal again! Caldecott
Medal 1970
Stewart, Melissa. A Place for Bats. Peachtree, 2012. Bats from different parts of
North America, acting as filters in the ecosystem, must now rely on humans to
protect them from extinction. This simple, well-illustrated book shows where bats
live and how we can help to save them.
Stone, Tanya Lee. Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors? : The Story of Elizabeth
Blackwell. Holt, 2013. This engaging and delightfully illustrated book brings to
life Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman doctor.
Talbott, Hudson. United Tweets of America. Putnam’s, 2008. A collection of detailed
illustrations of state birds from all fifty United States.
Tavares, Matt. Mudball. Candlewick, 2005. During a rainy Minneapolis Millers
baseball game in 1903, Little Andy Oyler has the chance to become a hero by
hitting the shortest and muddiest home run in history.
Van Leeuwen, Jean. Amanda Pig and the Wiggly Tooth. Dial Books, 2008. When
Amanda Pig has her first loose tooth, she is reluctant to pull it. Series
Viorst, Judith. Lulu Walks the Dogs. Atheneum, 2012. Lulu needs help from a boy
named Fleischman if she is to earn money walking her neighbors' dogs, and she
finds out that if she wants her business venture to succeed, she has to be nice.
Vernick, Audrey. Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother
Baseball Team. Clarion, 2012. Colorful and action-filled illustrations add to
this non-fiction picture book story of twelve baseball playing brothers -- the
Acerra brothers.
Watkins, Angela Farris. My Uncle Martin’s Words for America. Abrams Books, 2011.
Using words and phrases from Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches, his niece
explains the importance of his message and his contributions to the Civil Rights
movement.
Willems, Mo. That Is Not a Good Idea!. Balzer + Bray, 2013. A wolf and a goose meet
on the street and decide to have dinner together. But, what, or who, are they
going to eat?
Winter, Jeanette. Henri’s Scissors. Beach Lane Books, 2013. In a small weaving town
in France, a young boy named Henri-Emile Matisse drew pictures everywhere,
and when he grew up, he moved to Paris and became a famous artist who created
paintings that were adored around the world. But late in life a serious illness
confined him to a wheelchair, and amazingly, it was from there that he created
among his most beloved works—enormous and breathtaking paper cutouts.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
10
Winter, Jeanette. The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps. Schwartz &
Wade, 2011. This picture book biography of Jane Goodall traces her life from her
childhood passion for observing the natural world to her famous studies of
chimpanzees in the wild.
Winter, Jonah. Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Atheneum, 2005.
This is the story of Roberto Clemente, a young Puerto Rican who followed his
baseball dream to the big leagues and went on to help the poor in his homeland.
Woodson, Jacqueline. Each Kindness. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012. It is only after
Maya, the new girl, moves away that Chloe regretfully realizes that she and her
friends have been unkind by excluding her from their games.
Yee, Wong Herbert. Mouse and Mole: A Winter Wonderland. Houghton Mifflin, 2010.
Best friends Mouse and Mole enjoy playing in the snow with Sno-Mouse and Sno-
Mole, two more best friends. Series
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by:
Joanne Levy (Chair), St. John’s School
Marilyn Arlen, Shlenker School
Elizabeth Holloway, The Kinkaid School
Leila Parrish, Holy Spirit Episcopal School
Lana Wallace, Second Baptist School
Copyright © 2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Aldrin, Buzz. Look to the Stars. Putnam’s, 2009. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin
traces the history of air and space exploration from Isaac Newton to the
International Space Station and Mars using personal insights and conversational
text.
Barton, Chris. The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's
Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors. Charlesbridge, 2009. Brothers Bob and
Joe Switzer had different interests and ambitions but worked together on the
dazzling creation of fluorescent colors.
Bauer, Marion Dane. Little Dog, Lost. Atheneum, 2012. A dog without a boy, a boy
without a dog, and an elderly gentleman without a sense of belonging follow their
star-crossed paths and find that love, compassion, and charity can cure
loneliness and restore balance to their lives.
Berne, Jennifer. On A Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein. Chronicle Books,
2013. Curious about the hidden mysteries of the world, Albert Einstein grows
from a silent child into one of the world’s greatest scientists.
Birney, Betty G. Mysteries According to Humphrey. Putnam’s, 2012. After learning
about Sherlock Holmes, Humphrey the classroom hamster follows clues to try
and discover why Mrs. Brisbane is gone and Mr. E., a fun but not very educational
substitute, is taking her place in Room 26 at Longfellow School. Series
Bishop, Nic. Nic Bishop Snakes. Scholastic, 2012. Naturalist Nic Bishop provides an
in-depth examination of snakes, including details on the characteristics,
habitats, and abilities of various species of reptiles.
Brown, Don. Henry and the Cannons: An Extraordinary True Story of the
American Revolution. Roaring Brook, 2013. In 1776, Henry Knox creatively
delivers cannons to General Washington in Boston, which leads to a victory over
the British Army.
Butler, Dori Hillestad. The Case of the School Ghost. Whitman, 2012. When Buddy,
a therapy dog, attends the fourth grade sleepover in the school’s library, he solves
the mystery of the school ghost. Series
Cleary, Beverly. The Mouse and the Motorcycle. HarperCollins, 1965. A reckless
young mouse named Ralph makes friends with a boy in room 215 of the Mountain
View Inn and discovers the joys of motorcycling.
Cole, Henry. A Nest for Celeste. Katherine Tegen, 2010. Celeste, a mouse longing for
a real home, becomes a source of inspiration to teenaged Joseph who is an
assistant to the artist and naturalist John James Audubon, at a New Orleans,
Louisiana, plantation in 1821.
Cowell, Cressida. How to Train Your Dragon. Little, Brown, 2003. In this silly chapter
book, the Viking boy Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, son of the chief, finds
himself needing to find and train a dragon and becomes an unlikely hero in the
process. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
2
Cronin, Doreen. The Legend of Diamond Lil: A J.J. Tully Mystery. Balzer + Bray,
2012. The search and rescue dog named J.J. is ready for a bit of rest and
relaxation after solving the mystery of the missing chicks; but there is a new dog
next door who is stealing the attention of Moosh and her chicks, and the threat
of a roaming possum keeps J.J. on the alert. Series
Crum, Shutta. Thomas and the Dragon Queen. Yearling, 2010. The princess must
be rescued from the Dragon Queen, and the smallest squire-in-training, 13-yearold
Thomas, rises to the challenge of this quest.
Dahl, Roald. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Alfred A. Knopf, 1964. Each of five
children lucky enough to discover an entry ticket into Mr. Willy Wonka's
mysterious chocolate factory takes advantage of the situation in his own way.
Davies, Jacqueline. The Lemonade Crime. Houghton Mifflin, 2011. Following The
Lemonade War, Scott Spencer, an alleged thief, is put on trial by his classmates
who construct an authentic tribunal to determine his fate and end up surprising
themselves with their verdict. Series
DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie. Candlewick, 2000. Ten year-old India Opal
Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good
things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog Winn-Dixie. Newbery
Honor 2001
Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee. Grandma and the Great Gourd: A Bengali Folk Tale.
Roaring Brook, 2013. On her way to visit her daughter on the other side of the
jungle, Grandma encounters a hungry fox, bear, and tiger, and although she
convinces them to wait for her return trip, she still must find a way to outwit
them all.
Dowson, Nick. North: The Amazing Story of Arctic Migration. Candlewick, 2011.
This book follows animals such as gray whales, terns, wolves and caribou as they
journey north to the Arctic where they will join the polar bear, arctic hare, and
fox to feed and breed all summer.
Edwards, Roberta. Who Is Jane Goodall? Grosset & Dunlap, 2012. This chapter book
biography covers the exciting life of English primatologist Jane Goodall and her
life’s work of living with the chimpanzees of Tanzania. Series
Fleming, Candace. The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary. Schwartz &
Wade, 2007. Fourth grade teacher extraordinaire, Mr. Jupiter, takes his
energetic students on a wild and woolly ride through the school year.
Fleming, Candace. Gator Gumbo: A Spicy-Hot Tale. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004.
Tired of being tormented by bullies, a hungry old alligator conjures up a way to
add some special ingredients to his gumbo.
Freeman, Martha. The Case of the Piggy Bank Thief. Holiday House, 2012. Tessa
and her sister Cammie, daughters of the first female U.S. president, explore the
mystery of the gold that is found on the White House property and are further
perplexed because Tessa’s piggy bank has disappeared. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
3
Grabenstein, Chris. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. Random House, 2013.
Nine children enter into a competition to “Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library,”
a game which the creator describes as “like The Hunger Games but with lots of
food and no bows or arrows.”
Greene, Stephanie. Sophie Hartley, On Strike. Clarion, 2006. When Sophie’s mother
makes a jobs list for the Hartley children, Sophie and her siblings go on strike,
never expecting it to backfire. Series
Gregory, Kristiana. The Clue at the Bottom of the Lake. Scholastic, 2008. Brothers
Jeff and David, along with their cousin Claire, plunge into a dangerous mystery
after spotting someone dumping a large bundle into the lake at Cabin Creek in
the middle of the night. Series
Griffiths, Andy. The 13-Story Treehouse. Feiwel and Friends, 2011. Under pressure
by their publisher to finish their next book, two young authors graphically
describe all the extraordinary distractions they face living in their 13 story
treehouse.
Gutman, Dan. Mission Unstoppable. Harper, 2011. On a cross-country vacation with
their parents, twins Coke and Pepsi, soon to be thirteen, fend off strange
assassins as they try to come to terms with their being part of a top-secret
government organization known as The Genius Files. Series
Halls, Kelly Milner. Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures That May or May
Not Exist. Darby Creek, 2006. Cryptozoology is the study of animals that may
or may not be real: familiar animals like Bigfoot and Loch Ness Monster, and
those that are less familiar like the Marozi of Kenya and the Orang-pendek of
Sumatra and the Thylacine of Tasmania. Meet these and more in this
introduction to cryptozoology.
Harley, Bill. Charlie Bumpers vs. the Teacher of the Year. Peachtree, 2003. Charlie
Bumpers, convinced his fourth grade year will be a disaster with the strictest
teacher in the school, tries to stay out of trouble, even though trouble seems to
follow his often well intentioned actions.
Harper, Charise Mericle. Just Grace and the Trouble with Cupcakes. Houghton
Mifflin, 2013. Count on third-grader Grace to cook up a creative compromise
just in time to save the day at the cupcake-themed fair. Series
Hatkoff, Juliana, et al. Looking for Miza: The True Story of the Mountain Gorilla
Family who Rescued One of Their Own. Scholastic, 2008. In the jungles of
Virunga National Park a father gorilla is searching for his two year old baby Miza,
with the help of several Congolese Rangers after her mother disappears.
Helman, Andrea. Hide and Seek: Nature's Best Vanishing Acts. Walker, 2008. This
beautifully photographed book takes the reader to ecosystems around the world
to show how animals camouflage themselves for protection in each unique
habitat.
Hicks, Betty. The Worm Whisperer. Roaring Brook, 2013. Ellison Ellis Coffey, a
lonely fifth-grader, discovers he might have the special gift of talking to bugs and
decides to use his ability to win his town's annual Woolly Worm Race.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
4
Holub, Joan. Heroes in Training: Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom. Aladdin,
2012. When ten-year-old Zeus is kidnapped, he discovers he can defend himself
with a magic thunderbolt. Series
Hopkinson, Deborah. Annie and Helen. Schwartz & Wade, 2012. Expressive and
inspired illustrations combine with poetic text in this poignant story of the
relationship between Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan, with personal
citations by Annie from her letters home.
Huey, Lois Miner. Ick! Yuck! Eew!: Our Gross American History. Millbrook, 2014.
Discover many unusual and gross facts from America in the 1700s including
many sights, smells and habits of the past.
Keller, Laurie. Bowling Alley Bandit. Holt/Christy Ottaviano, 2013. Arnie the talking
doughnut is delighted to be Mr. Bing's new pet "doughnut-dog, so when Mr. Bing
starts rolling gutter balls during a big bowling tournament, Arnie suspects foul
play and sets out to solve the mystery. Series
Kelly, Mark. Mousetronaut: Based on a (Partially) True Story. Simon & Schuster,
2012. A small but plucky mouse named Mike is sure that he can help the Space
Shuttle astronauts and ends up saving the whole mission.
Klimo, Kate. Barry. Random House, 2013. Barry der Menschenretter, a Saint Bernard
dog, reflects back on his life in the early 1800s at the Hospice of the Great Saint
Bernard in the Swiss Alps, where he rescued some forty people from avalanches.
Series
Klise, Kate. The Phantom of the Post Office. Harcourt, 2012. Seymour Hope and his
friend Wy Fye must expose the mysterious, troublesome individual who is
determined to close the Ghastly post office that will ultimately sever the
connection of the mansion’s ghostwriters with their fans. Series
Klise, Kate. The Show Must Go On! Algonquin, 2013. Two mice and a crow, who travel
with a circus, cleaning up the spilled popcorn after every performance, come to
the rescue when a greedy con artist takes over the management of the circus.
Lagercrantz, Rose. My Happy Life. Gecko, 2013. It is difficult to deal with the loss of
a loved one, a best friend who moves away, and the jitters of a new school year,
but there are also many happy moments that make life dear, as young Dani
discovers in this gentle story of childhood.
LaFevers, R. L. Flight of the Phoenix. Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Ten-year-old Nate is
sent to live with a family cousin, the world's last beastologist, after his parents
are declared lost at sea, but danger mounts when he is brought on an expedition
to the Arabian Desert, gets lost, and must protect a newly hatched phoenix egg
and rescue his guardian. Series
Lee, Jenny. Elvis and the Underdogs. Balzer + Bray, 2013. Benji, a young boy who
suffers from seizures, has his life turned around when a talking therapy dog
comes to live with him. Series
Lewis, J. Patrick. Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs. Charlesbridge, 2012. The pictures
and poetry are a little dark; but the droll, tongue-in-cheek humor of these last
poems for animals will make you chuckle.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
5
Lewis, J. Patrick, ed. National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: With Favorites
From Robert Frost, Jack Prelutsky, Emily Dickinson, and More: 200 Poems
With Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar! National Geographic, 2012.
Full-color photographs accompany two hundred poems about animals.
Lin, Grace. Dumpling Days. Little, Brown, 2012. Pacy and her family fly to Taiwan to
visit family, celebrate her grandmother’s 60th birthday, and learn what it means
to be Taiwanese even without speaking the language. Series
Look, Lenore. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the
Night. Schwartz & Wade, 2013. When fearful seven-year-old Alvin Ho learns
that his mother is expecting a baby, he develops a sympathetic pregnancy--
adding to his worry about the burglar who is targeting Concord, Massachusetts.
Series
MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain and Tall. First published 1985. This sweet prairie
tale of a family's experiences with Sarah, a mail-order bride from Maine, begins
with children Anna and Caleb worried that their new mother might not like being
away from the sea. Series Newbery Medal 1986
MacLachlan, Patricia. White Fur Flying. McElderry Books, 2000. A sad and silent
nine-year old boy finds his voice when he moves next to a family that rescues
dogs.
Malam, John. You Wouldn’t Want to be a Roman Gladiator! Gory Things You’d
Rather Not Know. Franklin Watts, 2001. Learn what it was like to be a Roman
gladiator in this light-hearted introduction to the life and training of a Roman
gladiator. Series
McCully, Emily Arnold. Wonder Horse: The True Story of the World's Smartest
Horse. Holt, 2010. Bill “Doc” Key, who was a former slave, trains his horse, Jim
Key, to recognize letters and numbers and perform around the country,
ultimately teaching others to treat animals humanely.
McMullan, Kate. The New Kid at School. Grosset & Dunlap, 2003. Wiglaf is chosen
from his many siblings to attend the prestigious Dragon Slayers’ Academy and
embarks upon an unforgettable journey. Series
McMullan, Kate. Have a Hot Time, Hades! Stone Arch Books, 2012. In this story with
a modern twist, Hades tells his own version of how he became King of the
Underworld and Zeus became King of the Gods. Series
Moss, Marissa. Barbed Wire Baseball. Abrams Books, 2013. Japanese American
baseball player Kenichi Zenimura, who spent time at an internment camp during
World War II, built a baseball field for his fellow prisoners to enjoy.
Moss, Marissa. Nurse, Soldier, Spy: the Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero.
Abrams Books, 2011. The author describes the life of Sarah Emma Edmonds,
who disguised herself as a man, took the name Frank Thompson, joined a
Michigan army regiment to fight in the Civil War, served as a nurse on the
battlefield, and became a spy.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Shiloh. Atheneum, 1991. Marty must make some painful
decisions about returning a dog to his abusive owner. Newbery Honor Book 1992.
Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
6
Nobleman, Marc Tyler. Bill, the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman.
Charlesbridge, 2012. Although Bob Kane is featured as the creator of Batman, a
second, unsung, anonymous architect of the superhero by the name of Bill Finger
worked steadfastly as designer, writer, and costumer of the Caped Crusader and
was only acknowledged for his contributions through the efforts of his friends
after his death.
Nolan, Lucy. Bad to the Bone. Marshall Cavendish, 2008. Neighboring dogs, Down
Girl and Sit, are discovering that their owners are very hard to train. Series
Osborne, Mary Pope. Dolphins and Sharks: A Non-Fiction Companion to Dolphins
at Daybreak. Random House, 2003. Discusses dolphins and sharks, their
ocean habitats, and general information about oceans and oceanography. Series
Peck, Richard. The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail. Dial Books, 2013. A very
small mouse of unknown origins runs away from school in the Royal Mews of
Buckingham Palace shortly before the celebration of Queen Victoria's diamond
jubilee, celebrating her sixty years on the British throne.
Peot, Margaret. Inkblot: Drip, Splat, and Squish Your Way to Creativity. Boyds
Mills, 2011. In addition to interesting facts about the world of art, step-by-step
instructions and examples are provided for using inkblots to spark creativity.
Preus, Margi. Celebritrees: Historic & Famous Trees of the World. Holt, 2010.
Read about fourteen trees from around the world that are significant in history
or legend, such as the Bodhi Tree under which Buddha gained enlightenment,
reminding us that these fascinating trees bring us pleasure and tell us about
history.
Primavera, Elise. Libby of High Hopes. Simon & Schuster, 2012. When ten-year-old
Libby Thump stumbles upon High Hopes Horse Farm and finds her dream horse,
Princess, a prize-winning jumping horse that has been put out to pasture, Libby
tries to convince her parents to give her riding lessons.
Raczka, Bob. The Vermeer Interviews: Conversations with Seven Works of Art.
Millbrook, 2009. Seven of Johannes Vermeer’s most famous paintings, such as
“The Milkmaid” and “The Geographer,” come to life through interviews with the
subjects to reveal artistic techniques and subtler aspects of Vermeer’s unique
photographic-style art.
Raum, Elizabeth. Orphan Trains: An Interactive History Adventure. Capstone,
2011. Describes the people and events involved in the orphan trains while the
reader’s choices reveal historical details from the perspectives of a New York City
newsboy, a child trying to keep his siblings together, and an child sent west on
the baby trains. Series
Ripkin, Cal, Jr. Super-Sized Slugger. Disney-Hyperion, 2012. Thirteen-year-old Cody
Parker moves to Baltimore, Maryland, where as a fat eighth-grader, he has to
deal with brutal teasing from a baseball teammate, and his school is beset by a
rash of mysterious thefts that threaten to sideline Cody and ruin a golden season
for his team. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
7
Rose, Deborah Lee. Jimmy the Joey: The True Story of an Amazing Koala Rescue.
National Geographic, 2013. Fall in love with Jimmy, the koala joey, as you learn
about the endangered Australian marsupial in this interesting, colorful photo
essay.
Rosenstock, Barb. Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library. Calkins Creek, 2013. Looks
at how Thomas Jefferson's love of books led to the creation of the Library of
Congress.
Roy, Ron. Detective Camp. Random House, 2006. Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are at
Detective Camp and right away discover a crime. Series
Schlitz, Laura Amy. The Night Fairy. Candlewick, 2010. When Flora the night fairy’s
wings are broken and she cannot fly, she has to learn to do everything differently.
Shefelman, Janice. I, Vivaldi. Eerdmans Books, 2008. This picture book biography
describes how Vivaldi grew to be a famous musician, despite his mother's vow for
him to become a priest.
Silverstein, Shel. Every Thing On It: Poems and Drawings. Harper, 2011. Enjoy
another remarkable collection of playful poems by the magical Shel Silverstein.
Singer, Marilyn. Follow, Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems. Dial Books, 2013. A
collection of clever poems that can be read backward and forward, often opposite
in their meaning – all of familiar fairy tales.
Singer, Marilyn. A Full Moon is Rising: Poems. Lee & Low, 2011. A collection of
illustrated poems about events and beliefs from around the world involving the
full moon. Includes a map and biographical references.
Smith, Jr. Charles R. Brick by Brick. Amistad, 2013. This beautifully illustrated
picture book in verse provides a window to the construction of the original White
House and highlights the contributions of the slaves who toiled so hard and who
learned new skills in order to work for wages and buy their freedom.
Spielman, Gloria. Marcel Marceau: Master of Mime. Kar-Ben, 2011. A picture book
biography of Marcel Marceau discusses how Charlie Chaplin influenced his
desire to become a silent actor, looks at how he used his talents during World
War II to help the Jews, and discusses his development into the world's bestknown
mime.
Spiers, Ashley. Binky the Space Cat. Kids Can Press, 2009. Binky’s blast-off into
outer space (outside) to battle aliens (bugs) is delayed when he realizes he’s left
something behind –and it’s not the anti-gravity kitty litter. Series
Sternberg, Julia. Like Bug Juice on a Burger. Amulet Books, 2013. As the days go
on, nine-year-old Eleanor realizes that maybe being at summer camp isn't so bad
after all, and is full of special surprises. Series
Tarshis, Lauren. The San Francisco Earthquake, 1906. Scholastic, 2012. Tenyear-
old Leo loves being a newsboy in San Francisco; but early one spring
morning in 1906 Leo's world is shaken when he finds himself stranded in the
middle of San Francisco as it crumbles and burns to the ground. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
8
Taylor, Barbara. Hidden in the Grass. QEB, 2011. This book gives examples of how
animals in North American and African grasslands use camouflage to help them
adapt to their habitats and hide from predators. Series
Trine, Greg. The Curse of the Bologna Sandwich. Holt, 2006. After graduating from
the Superhero Academy, Melvin Beederman heads for Los Angeles where he
unexpectedly teams up with Candace Brinkwater, school play actress, to nab the
evil McNasty Brothers. Series
Vail, Rachel. Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters. Feiwel and
Friends, 2010. Written in diary form, Justin writes honestly about his worries
and observations of life in the third grade. Series
Van Allsburg, Chris. Queen of the Falls. Houghton Mifflin, 2011. This biography tells
about Annie Edson Taylor, a retired instructor of a charm school, who decided to
attempt to go over Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel at the age of sixty-two.
Wallace, Bill. Upchuck and the Rotten Willy. Aladdin, 1998. Chuck, the cat,
lonesome since his Katie goes to college, ventures out and meets a beast, big and
black, named Rotten Willy, who has a heart of gold. Series
Wallace, Rich. The Ball Hogs. Alfred A. Knopf, 2010. In this beginning chapter book,
Mark and Ben, both highly competitive, refuse to pass the soccer ball but
eventually realize that their best chance of winning is working together. Series
Winter, Jonah. You Never Heard of Willie Mays? Schwartz & Wade, 2013. A visual
profile of baseball star Willie Mays, tracing his Birmingham childhood,
achievements in the Negro Leagues, and fame as a center fielder for the Giants.
Yezerski, Thomas F. Meadowlands: A Wetlands Survival Story. Farrar, Straus and
Giroux, 2011. New Jersey’s Meadowlands, which have been recovering from
decades of human destruction, are now mending thanks to community activism.
Yolen, Jane and Rebecca Dotlich. Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy Tale Voices with
a Twist: Poems. WordSong, 2013. Characters from fairy tales give their versions
in paired poems.
Young, Ed. The House Baba Built: An Artist’s Childhood in China. Little, Brown,
2011. Ed Young describes his childhood home, which was built by his father in
Shanghai, and reflects on his fond memories of playing in the home while guests
moved in to seek safety from the war affecting China.
________________________________________________________________________
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
9
Compiled by:
Laurie Mitchell (Chair), St. Mark’s Episcopal School
Jillian Cox, Kinkaid School
Marjorie Donaruma, St. John's School
Susan Gerding, The John Cooper School
Christa Pryor, River Oaks Baptist School
Georgene Quirke, The Fay School
Cindy Schumacher, Annunciation Orthodox School
Copyright ©2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 5
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Angleberger, Tom. Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book. Amulet
Books, 2011. Harvey, upset when his Darth Paper finger puppet brings
humiliation, gets Dwight suspended – but Origami Yoda asks Tommy and Kellan,
now in seventh grade, to make a new case file to persuade the School Board to
reinstate Dwight. Series
Appelt, Kathi. The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp. Atheneum, 2013.
Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn, ancient Sugar Man, and his raccoon-brother
Swamp Scouts Bingo and J'miah try to save Bayou Tourterelle from feral pigs
Clydine and Buzzie, greedy Sunny Boy Beaucoup, and world-class alligator
wrestler and would-be land developer Jaeger Stitch in this hilarious tall tale from
a Texas swamp.
Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan. Harper, 2012. When Ivan, a gorilla
who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a
baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her
a better life.
Broach, Elise. Masterpiece. Holt/Christy Ottaviano, 2008. Marvin, a beetle, and his
family live in the home of eleven-year-old James and his family. When James’
birthday party fails miserably, Marvin surprises James with an elaborately
intricate pen and ink drawing Marvin has created. Trouble begins when the
drawing is mistaken for James’ work, which sets off action that leads to a fastpaced
mystery featuring an unlikely friendship, the discovery of art forgery, and
thievery.
Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Shines My Shoes. Dial Books, 2009. Moose
Flanagan, who lives on Alcatraz along with his family and the families of the other
prison guards, is frightened when he discovers that noted gangster Al Capone, a
prisoner there, wants a favor in return for the help that he secretly gave Moose.
Sequel
Colfer, Eoin. The Atlantis Complex. Disney-Hyperion, 2010. When an army of fairy
space probes programmed to destroy Atlantis returns to Earth, Artemis Fowl
attempts to stop the destruction of the city while dealing with his own delusional
and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Series
Creech, Sharon. The Great Unexpected. Joanna Cotler, 2012. Orphans Naomi and
Lizzie are best friends, but Naomi has a knack for being around when trouble
happens, and she knows all the peculiar people in town. Into their lives drops
the strangely charming Finn boy. Across the sea, on a grand estate in Ireland, an
elderly lady has a plan. These two worlds weave together with the great
unexpected gifts of love and forgiveness.
Delano, Marfe Ferguson. Helen’s Eyes: A Photobiography of Annie Sullivan, Helen
Keller's Teacher. National Geographic, 2008. Annie Sullivan grew up in extreme
poverty with her own eye problems. Her first and only job was teaching Helen
Keller how to “see” despite the fact that she was blind, deaf, and mute.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 5
2
Feldman, Jody. The Gollywhopper Games. Greenwillow, 2008. When the Golly Toy
& Game Company announces the Gollywhopper Games, Gil Goodson wants to be
the lucky winner; this could be the perfect opportunity for his family to move
away from Orchard Heights. Can he solve the puzzles and complete the stunts?
This may remind you of a modern day Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!
Flanagan, John. The Royal Ranger. Philomel, 2013. Will Treaty is a shell of his former
self, and his first apprentice may be the only one who can save him. Series
Gourlay, Candy. Tall Story. David Fickling Books, 2010. Sixteen-year-old Bernardo,
who is eight feet tall and suffers from a condition called Gigantism, leaves the
Philippines to live with his mother's family in London, much to the delight of his
thirteen-year-old half-sister Andi, a passionate basketball player.
Hale, Shannon. Rapunzel’s Revenge. Bloomsbury, 2008. In this graphic novel,
Rapunzel, having grown up in a lovely castle with the woman she thought was
her mother, is placed in a very tall hollow tree as punishment after her curiosity
prompts her to climb the castle wall and look at the ruin of the world beyond her
home. She is able to escape and, with the help of Jack, embarks on a plan to
free the land and find her true mother.
Hannigan, Katherine. True (…Sort Of). Greenwillow, 2011. For most of her eleven
years, Delly has been in trouble without knowing why. Her little brother, R.B.,
and a strange, silent new friend, Ferris, help her find a way to be good -- and
happy -- again.
Kehret, Peg. Ghost Dog Secrets. Dutton, 2010. Sixth-grader Rusty is determined to
help an injured dog that is chained outdoors in frigid weather with no food, water,
or shelter. He calls animal control and takes matters into his own hands, aided
by his best friend and a ghost collie that leads Rusty to an even deeper secret.
Kelly, Lynne. Chained. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. To work off a family debt,
ten-year-old Hastin leaves his desert village in India to work as a circus elephant
keeper; but many challenges await him, including trying to keep Nandita, a sweet
elephant, safe from the cruel circus owner.
Kerley, Barbara. Walt Whitman: Words for America. Scholastic, 2004. A biography
of the American poet whose compassion led him to nurse soldiers during the Civil
War, to give voice to the nation’s grief after Lincoln’s assassination, and to
capture the true American spirit in verse.
Kirby, Matthew J. Icefall. Scholastic, 2011. Princess Solveig and her army are trapped
in a hidden fortress between towering mountains and a frozen fjord. As they
await news of the king’s victory and for the all-encompassing ice to break, acts of
treachery make it clear that a traitor lurks in their midst.
Lai, Thanhha. Inside Out and Back Again. Harper, 2011. Through a series of poems,
a young girl chronicles the life-changing year of 1975, when she, her mother, and
her brothers leave Vietnam and resettle in Alabama.
Lin, Grace. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Little, Brown, 2009. A magical
story of a young girl who wishes for fortune and happiness for her village and
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 5
3
leaves her family to find the mysterious Old Man of the Moon. Newbery Honor
2010
Magnin, Joyce. Cake. Zonderkidz, 2012. Wilma Sue is wary of the eccentric sisters,
Ruth and Naomi, at her new foster home, but wonders if she might have a true
home with them, baking and delivering cakes and tending their chickens, until
she is implicated in a series of neighborhood crimes.
Mass, Wendy. 11 Birthdays. Scholastic, 2009. Best friends since their mothers met
at the hospital when they were born, Amanda and Leo always celebrate their
birthdays together. However, now that they are turning 11, they are no longer
speaking to each other and everything is not as normal as it may appear. This is
one birthday that does not seem to end!
Messner, Kate. Hide and Seek. Scholastic, 2013. For five hundred years the Jaguar
Cup, sacred to the Silver Jaguar Society, was hidden in a cave on the coast of
Costa Rica--so when a fake copy shows up on display in America, it is up to Jose,
Anna, and Henry, junior members of the society, to travel to Costa Rica and
rescue the real cup from thieves. Series
O’Connell, Caitlin and Donna M. Jackson. The Elephant Scientist. Houghton Mifflin,
2011. While on assignment to study elephants in Nambia, scientist Caitlin
O’Connell uncovers fascinating new information about elephant communication.
Beautiful photographs of the African landscape and elephants along with the
story of a woman’s journey to find her professional calling make this a fascinating
read.
O’Connor, Barbara. On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012.
Sherman, a one-legged pigeon, sets everyone aflutter in a small southern town.
O’Connor, George. Hera, the Goddess and Her Glory. First Second, 2011. Recounts
the stories of the many heroes who sought and won the approval and patronage
of Hera, the Queen of the Gods, including the story of Heracles. Series
Palacio, R.J. Wonder. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was
born with extreme facial abnormalities, goes from being home-schooled to
entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, where he endures
the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another
student.
Paterson, Katherine and John. The Flint Heart: A Fairy Story. Candlewick, 2011.
A magical amulet, created by a Stone Age magic man for an ambitious individual
wishing to take control of his tribe, brings power and despair to those who touch
it. When the amulet reemerges, Charles and his sister Unity must find a way to
rescue the humans, fairies, and animals from the mysterious object.
Perl, Erica S. Aces Wild. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. Eleven-year-old Zelly Fried’s parents
will not allow her to have a slumber party until she teaches her mischievous
puppy, Ace, to behave, but with Grandpa Ace around nothing is ever simple.
Philbrick, Rodman. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg. Blue Sky Press,
2009. Homer P. Figg escapes from his wretched foster home in Pine Swamp,
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 5
4
Maine, and sets out to find his beloved older brother, Harold, who has been
illegally sold into the Union Army. Newbery Honor, 2010
Potter, Ellen. The Humming Room. Feiwel and Friends, 2012. Twelve-year-old orphan
Roo Fanshaw is sent to live with an uncle she never knew in a largely uninhabited
mansion on Cough Rock Island and discovers a wild river boy, an invalid cousin,
and the mysteries of a hidden garden.
Riordan, Rick. The Lost Hero. Disney-Hyperion, 2010. Jason, Piper, and Leo, three
students from a school for "bad kids," find themselves at Camp Half-Blood, where
they learn that they are demigods and begin a quest to free Hera, who has been
imprisoned by Mother Earth herself. Series
Ross, Stewart. Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way By Land,
Sea, and Air. Candlewick, 2011. Fourteen amazing journeys by explorers
throughout history and the methods they used by land, sea, and sky to find their
way. Includes unfolding cross sections of vessels.
Say, Allen. Drawing from Memory. Scholastic, 2011. Using watercolor paintings,
original cartoons, vintage photographs, and maps, Caldecott medalist Allen Say
chronicles his experiences as an artist during World War II and describes his
relationship with his mentor Noro Shinpei, Japan's leading cartoonist.
Scattergood, Augusta. Glory Be. Scholastic, 2012. In the summer of 1964 as she is
about to turn twelve, Glory’s town of Hanging Moss, Mississippi, is beset by racial
tension when town leaders close her beloved public pool rather than desegregate
it. Based on real-life events, this is a story of family, friendship, and some of life’s
tough choices.
Selfors, Suzanne. The Sasquatch Escape. Little, Brown, 2013. Spending the summer
in his grandfather's rundown town, ten-year-old Ben meets an adventurous local
girl and together they learn that the town's veterinarian runs a secret hospital for
imaginary creatures.
Selznick, Brian. Wonderstruck: A Novel in Words and Pictures. Scholastic, 2011.
Rose and Ben are deaf children living fifty years and worlds apart, yet both marvel
and connect with the world around them. The American Museum of Natural
History links their separate stories – one narrated in text and the other through
cinematic illustrations.
Sherry, Maureen. Walls Within Walls. Katherine Tegen, 2010. When the Smithfork
family moves into a lavish Manhattan apartment building, they discover clues to
a decades-old mystery hidden behind the walls of their new home.
Snicket, Lemony. “Who Could That Be at This Hour?”. Little, Brown, 2012. Thirteenyear-
old Lemony Snicket begins his apprenticeship with S. Theodora Markson of
the secretive V.F.D. in the tiny dot of a town called Stain'd By The Sea, where he
helps investigate the theft of a statue.
St. John, Lauren. The White Giraffe. Dial Books, 2006. After losing her parents in a
tragic fire, eleven-year-old Martine must live with a grandmother she has never
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 5
5
met on a wildlife preserve in Africa where she learns about a mystical white
giraffe.
Standiford, Natalie. The Secret Tree. Scholastic, 2012. Sixth-graders Minty and her
new friend Raymond discover a tree with a hollow trunk that holds the secrets of
the people in their neighborhood. While watching their neighbors to solve the
mysteries of the secrets and break a curse, the friends will have to work through
some of their own secrets as well.
Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. Wendy Lamb, 2009. As her mother prepares
to be a contestant on the 1980’s television game show “The $20,000 Pyramid,” a
twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious
notes received from an anonymous source that seem to defy laws of time and
space. Newbery Award, 2010
Stewart, Trenton Lee. The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict. Little,
Brown, 2012. Nine-year-old Nicholas Benedict is moved to one more orphanage:
this one filled with nasty bullies who target him, a suspicious orphanage director,
and a mystery about lost treasure. Using his superior intellect and fierce
determination, Nicholas strives to solve the mystery and makes a couple of fast
friends in the process. Series
VanHecke, Susan. Raggin’ Jazzin’ Rockin’: A History of American Musical
Instrument Makers. Boyds Mills, 2011. A history of American musical
instrument makers and the contributions they made to the changing sound of
music.
Weeks, Sarah. Pie. Scholastic, 2011. Alice's Aunt Polly passes away and entrusts the
recipe for her world-famous pie crust to her cat, which she leaves in Alice's care.
As everyone, including Alice, tries to discover the secret ingredients, Alice learns
some important lessons about faith, love, and family.
Weston, Robert Paul. Zorgamazoo. Razorbill, 2008. Imaginative and adventurous
Katrina eludes her maniacal guardian to help Morty, a member of a vanishing
breed of zorgles, with his quest to uncover the fate of the fabled zorgles of
Zorgamazoo as well as of other creatures that seem to have disappeared from the
Earth.
Wood, Maryrose. The Mysterious Howling. Balzer + Bray, 2010. Three wild children
who were raised by wolves and their young governess, Penelope, are caught up
in the mysteries of Ashton Place and the people who live there. Series
______________________________________________________________________________
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 5
6
Compiled by:
Grace Littlefield (Chair), Second Baptist School
Jenny Filardo, Presbyterian School
Judann Luening, Kinkaid School
Gina Lunsford, The Woodlands Christian Academy
Nita Schriver, Annunciation Orthodox School
Aria Tatelman, formerly at Duchesne Academy
Copyright ©2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 6
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Allen, Crystal. The Laura Line. Balzar + Bray, 2013. When Laura Dyson’s seventh
grade history teacher schedules a class trip to the slave shack on her
grandmother’s farm, Laura is forced to come to terms with her family’s past and
what it means for her future.
Avi. The Seer of Shadows. HarperCollins, 2008. In this intriguing historical ghost
story set in New York City in 1872, Horace Carpetine becomes an apprentice to
a local society photographer and learns more about deception, ghosts, and
photography than he could ever have imagined.
Balliett, Blue. Hold Fast. Scholastic, 2013. On a cold winter day in Chicago, Early’s
father disappeared. Now she, her brother, and mother have been forced to flee
their apartment and join the ranks of the homeless – leaving it up to Early to
hold her family together and solve the mystery surrounding her father.
Bauer, Joan. Close to Famous. Viking, 2011. Twelve-year-old Foster dreams of
growing up to become a celebrity chef despite her reading disability. Can the
quirky townsfolk of tiny Culpepper help Foster succeed?
Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks at Point Mouette. Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. When
the three younger Penderwick sisters go to Maine with Aunt Claire and are
separated from oldest sister Rosalind for the first time in their lives, an
uncertain Skye is left in charge as the OAP – oldest available Penderwick.
Series
Bragg, Georgia. How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous.
Walker, 2011. “If you don’t have the guts for gore, do not read this book.” This
caveat from the publisher warns the reader that they will encounter lots of gory
details of the deaths of nineteen famous people . . . fun and informative too.
Burg, Shana. A Thousand Never Evers. Delacorte, 2008. Addie Ann Pickett, an
African American girl in 1963 Kuckachoo, Mississippi, journals about her
family, the racial injustices they face, and her fears for her older brother Elias
when he goes missing due to her own carelessness.
Calkhoven, Laurie. Will at the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863. Dutton, 2011. In 1863,
twelve-year-old Will, who longs to be a drummer in the Union army, is stuck in
his sleepy hometown of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. However, when the Union
and Confederate armies meet right there in his town, he and his family are
caught up in the fight, and Will learns about the horrors of war. Series
Compestine, Ying Chang. Revolution is Not a Dinner Party: A Novel. Holt, 2007.
During the Cultural Revolution in China, Ling struggles to make sense of
injustice and severe losses of freedom that both she and her well-educated
family must endure.
Connor, Leslie. Waiting for Normal. Katherine Tegen, 2008. Addie would like a
normal life. Not only does she live in a trailer in Schenectady, New York, with
her mother, who is not at all responsible or parental, but also she is separated
from her kind and loving stepfather and younger half-sisters. Schneider Family
Book Award, 2009
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 6
2
Creech, Sharon. The Boy on the Porch. Joanna Cotler, 2013. One day a young
couple finds a boy asleep on their porch. He is unable to speak or explain who
he is, but they choose to care for the boy and embrace his exuberant spirit and
talents. A simple tale that touches the heart and asks questions about the real
meaning of family.
Crilley, Paul. Rise of the Darklings. Egmont USA, 2010. Twelve-year-old Emily
Snow, who sells watercress on the streets of London to support herself and her
younger brother, takes the fate of humanity into her hands when she
unknowingly involves herself in a war between two factions of piskies -- small,
sarcastic fey creatures fighting for control over England -- by rescuing one.
Series
DeFelice, Cynthia. Wild Life. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011. A gripping adventure
story about a boy named Erik and a rescued dog living in the Middle of
Nowhere, North Dakota, with grandparents he hardly knows, while his parents
have been deployed to Iraq.
Dowd, Siobhan. The London Eye Mystery. David Fickling Books, 2007. When Ted
and Kat's cousin Salim disappears from the London Eye ferris wheel, the two
siblings must work together--Ted with his brain that is "wired differently" and
impatient Kat--to try to solve the mystery of what happened to Salim.
Draper, Sharon. Out of My Mind. Atheneum, 2010. Considered by many to be
mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient, young girl with cerebral palsy
discovers a way for her to speak for the first time.
Dubosarsky, Ursula. The Word Snoop. Dial Books, 2009. Brimming with humor,
puzzles, and more, this book offers an entertaining look at the English
language, from the origins of the alphabet to texting.
Ellis, Leanne Statland. The Ugly One. Clarion, 2013. At the height of the Incan
Empire, a girl called the Ugly One because of a disfiguring scar on her face
seeks to have the scar removed but finds a life path as a shaman instead.
Erskine, Kathryn. Mockingbird: (Mok’ing-burd). Philomel, 2010. Ten-year-old
Caitlin, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, struggles to understand emotions, show
empathy, and make friends at school, while at home she seeks closure by
working on a project with her father.
Flanagan, John. The Outcasts. Philomel, 2011. In this action-packed companion
series to Flanagan’s Rangers Apprentice books, a sixteen-year-old Skandian-
Araluen named Hal and his group of misfit friends compete against two other,
more powerful, brotherbands, enduring three months of grueling training in
seamanship, weapons, and battle tactics to determine who will win the coveted
prize. Series
Fleming, Candace. The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous
Life of Showman P.T. Barnum. Schwartz & Wade, 2009. Filled with
reproductions of old photographs, circus posters, and museum flyers, this
fascinating biography of the life of showman Phineas Taylor Barnum will both
engage and entertain readers.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 6
3
Freedman, Russell. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind
an American Friendship. Clarion, 2012. This fascinating account focuses on
the lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, including their friendship
and its effect on emancipation and the Civil War.
Gantos, Jack. Dead End in Norvelt. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011. In the historic
town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelve-year-old Jack Gantos spends the summer
of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he is assigned to help an elderly
neighbor with a most unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax,
twisted promises, Girl Scout cookies, underage driving, lessons from history,
typewriting, and countless bloody noses. Newberry Award, 2012.
Gibbs, Stuart. The Last Musketeer. Harper, 2011. On a family trip to Paris to sell
family heirlooms, fourteen-year-old Greg and his parents are whisked back to
1615 Paris, and Greg teams up with the soon-to-become Three Musketeers in
an attempt to free his imprisoned parents from imminent death. Series
Graff, Lisa. Tangle of Knots. Philomel, 2013. Destiny leads eleven-year-old Cady to
a peanut butter factory, a family of children searching for their own Talents,
and a Talent Thief who will alter her life forever.
Hiaasen, Carl. Chomp. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. A combination of wild animals and
reality TV is mixed with a dose of humor, adventure, and mystery when the
fame-seeking star of the show disappears in the Florida Everglades and Wahoo
Cray, the young animal wrangler, and his new friend Tuna are the only ones
who can find him.
Hoose, Phillip. Moonbird: A Year on the Wind With the Great Survivor B95.
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. Documents the survival tale of an intrepid
shorebird who has endured annual migrations between Argentina and the
Canadian Artic throughout the course of a long lifetime while his species
continues to decline.
Hopkinson, Deborah. Titanic: Voices from the Disaster. Scholastic, 2012. Draws
on stories from survivors as well as archival photographs to describe the history
of the Titanic from its launch to its fateful sinking.
Johnson, Rebecca L. Journey into the Deep: Discovering New Ocean Creatures.
Millbrook, 2011. Travel with oceanographers discovering new animals during a
ten-year project documenting sea life. Learn about new species of interesting
creatures such as jellyfish, octopuses, squids, and sea worms found along coral
reefs, ocean mountain ranges, and in the deepest, darkest zones of the ocean
floor.
Kadohata, Cynthia. The Thing About Luck. Atheneum, 2013. Just when twelveyear-
old Summer thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong in a year of bad
luck, an emergency takes her parents to Japan, leaving Summer to care for her
little brother while helping her grandmother cook and do laundry for harvest
workers.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 6
4
Kelly, Jacqueline. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. Holt, 2009. Calpurnia
struggles with growing up as she spends more of her free time with her
grandfather, an avid naturalist, examining the beauty of nature, while at the
same time her mother wants to teach her the responsibilities of a young woman
during the turn of the century in Central Texas. Newbery Honor, 2010
Kennedy, Caroline, ed. Poems to Learn by Heart. Disney-Hyperion, 2013. A
wonderful selection of poems -- some old favorites, some new -- arranged by
everyday subjects like school, family, self, sports, etc., accompanied by
watercolor illustrations so charmingly done by Jon J. Muth. A book to treasure
and share!
Korman, Gordon. The Hypnotists. Scholastic, 2013. Twelve-year-old Jackson Opus
is descended from two powerful hypnotist bloodlines, but he has just begun to
realize that he can control other people’s actions with sometimes frightening
results- especially when the head of the Sentia Institute plans to use Jackson
for his own benefit.
Landon, Kristen. The Limit. Aladdin, 2010. When his family exceeds its legal debt
limit, thirteen-year-old Matt is sent to the Federal Debt Reduction Agency
workhouse where he discovers illicit activities are being carried out using
children who have been placed there.
Levine, Kristin. The Lions of Little Rock. Putnam, 2012. In 1958 Little Rock,
Arkansas, painfully shy twelve-year-old Marlee sees her city and family divided
over school integration, but her friendship with Liz, a new student, helps her
find her voice and fight against racism.
Mass, Wendy. The Candymakers. Little, Brown, 2010. Four gifted twelve-year-olds,
including Logan, the candymaker's son, are set to be contestants in the
Confectionary Association's national competition to determine the nation's
tastiest sweet, but nobody anticipates that a friendship will form between the
children.
Miller, Sarah. Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller. Atheneum, 2007. This is
Annie Sullivan’s story of challenge and determination as she tries to become a
teacher of the child Helen Keller, who is blind, deaf, and overindulged by her
desperate parents.
O’Connor, George. Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess. First Second, 2010. Action and
adventure are in store for the Greek goddess Athena in this graphic portrayal
that is told through five myths. Series
Pearsall, Shelly. Jump into the Sky. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. In 1945, thirteen-year-old
Levi is sent to find the father he has not seen in three years. He travels from
Chicago to segregated North Carolina and finally to Pendleton, Oregon, where
he learns that his father's unit, the all-Black 555th paratrooper battalion, will
never see combat but finally has a mission. Includes historical notes.
Preus, Margi. Shadow on the Mountain. Amulet Books, 2012. In Nazi-occupied
Norway, fourteen-year-old Espen joins the resistance movement, graduating
from deliverer of illegal newspapers to courier and spy. Based on the real-life
adventures of a Norwegian boy.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 6
5
Riordan, Rick; adapted by Orpheus Collar. The Red Pyramid: Graphic Novel.
Disney-Hyperion, 2012. Brilliant Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane accidently
unleashes the Egyptian god Set who banishes the doctor to oblivion and forces
his two children to embark on a dangerous journey, bringing them closer to the
truth about their family and its link to a secret order that has existed since the
time of the pharaohs.
Ryan, Pam Muñoz. The Dreamer. Scholastic, 2010. A fictionalized biography of the
Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, who grew up a painfully shy
child, ridiculed by his overbearing father, but still became one of the most
widely-read poets in the world.
Scott, Elaine. Space, Stars, and the Beginning of Time: What the Hubble
Telescope Saw. Houghton Mifflin, 2011. Amazing photographs from space
illustrate this history of telescopes, astronomy, black holes and the Big Bang
theory.
Sloan, Holly Goldberg. Counting by 7s. Dial, 2013. Twelve-year-old genius and
outsider Willow Chance must figure out how to connect with other people and
find a surrogate family for herself after her parents are killed in a car accident.
Smith, Roland. Tentacles. Scholastic, 2009. After the mysterious disappearance of
their parents, Marty and Grace go to live with their scientist uncle and
accompany him on what soon becomes an increasingly dangerous expedition to
New Zealand to track a giant squid.
Stephens, John. The Emerald Atlas. Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. Using an enchanted
atlas, Kate, Michael, and Emma battle evil as they seek to be reunited with their
parents in a magical world. Series
Stone, Tanya Lee. Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream.
Candlewick, 2009. A chronicle of the thirteen women who tried to become
NASA's first women astronaut trainees in the early 1960s. All were pilots; each
earned high scores in preliminary tests. They were not accepted into the
program, but their story is riveting.
Tanner, Lian. The Museum of Thieves. Delacorte, 2010. Goldie, an impulsive and
bold twelve-year-old, escapes the oppressive city of Jewel, where children are
required to wear guardchains for their protection. She finds refuge in the
extraordinary Museum of Dunt, an ever-shifting world where she discovers a
useful talent for thievery as well as mysterious secrets that threaten her city
and everyone she loves. Series
Tubb, Kristin O’Donnell. Selling Hope. Feiwel and Friends, 2010. This story, set in
1905, is about a smart, savvy girl named Hope who travels the vaudeville circuit
with her magician dad and a cast of quirky characters (including Buster Keaton
and his family) and invents anti-comet pills in an effort to make money and to
save people from Haley’s Comet, which some people believe is about to hit the
earth.
Turnage, Sheila. Three Times Lucky. Dial Books, 2012. Washed ashore as a baby
in tiny Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, Mo LoBeau, now eleven, and her best
friend Dale turn detective when the amnesiac Colonel, owner of a café and coparent
of Mo with his cook, Miss Lana, seems implicated in a murder.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 6
6
______________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by:
Grace Littlefield (Chair), Second Baptist School
Jenny Filardo, Presbyterian School
Judann Luening, The Kinkaid School
Gina Lunsford, The Woodlands Christian Academy
Nita Schriver, Annunciation Orthodox School
Aria Tatelman, formerly at Duchesne Academy
Copyright ©2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem. Sasquatch in the Paint. Disney-Hyperion, 2013. Eighthgrader
Theo Rollins’ growth spurt has Coach Mandrake trying to transform him
into a basketball star, but training time is hurting the science club’s chances of
winning the "Aca-lympics," and being accused of stealing could mean Theo is off
both teams.
Aguirre, Ann. Enclave. Feiwel and Friends, 2011. Following her fifteenth birthday,
Huntress Deuce is sent with topsider Fade to determine the fate of a neighboring
enclave. After a shocking discovery, the pair is banished by their own enclave’s
elders and must face the darkness and dangers unlike any ever seen.
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Chains. Simon & Schuster, 2008. After being sold to a cruel
Loyalist couple in New York City, a slave named Isabel spies for the rebels during
the Revolutionary War. Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Series
Aronson, Marc. If Stones Could Speak: Unlocking the Secrets of Stonehenge.
National Geographic, 2010. Texts, photographs, and explanatory maps and
illustrations document archaeologist Mike Parker Pearson's study of Stonehenge
and the surrounding area, describing what he found and what the artifacts reveal
about the site and its history.
Asimov, Isaac. The Stars, Like Dust. First published 1951. At the death of his father,
Biron Farrill becomes involved in the plot to rebel against the Tyranni who have
conquered many worlds. Series
Barton, Chris. Can I See Your ID? : True Stories of False Identities. Dial Books,
2011. From the impoverished young woman who enchanted nineteenth-century
British society as a faux Asian princess to the lonely but clever Frank Abagnale
of "Catch Me if You Can" fame, these ten true vignettes offer riveting insight into
mind-blowing masquerades.
Black, Holly. Doll Bones. McElderry Books, 2013. Three middle school friends, who
have long enjoyed acting out imaginary adventures with dolls and action figures,
embark on a real-life quest to bury a doll made from the ashes of a dead girl, but
nothing goes according to plan. As their adventure turns into an epic journey,
creepy things begin to happen. Newbery Honor, 2014
Bondoux, Anne-Laure. A Time of Miracles. Translated from the French by Y. Maudet.
Delacorte, 2010. In the early 1990s, a boy with a mysterious past and the woman
who cares for him endure a five-year journey across the war-torn Caucasus and
Europe, weathering hardships and welcoming unforgettable encounters with
other refugees searching for a better life. Batchelder Award Winner 2011
Bradford, Chris. Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior. Disney-Hyperion, 2008.
Orphaned by a ninja pirate attack off the coast of Japan in 1611, twelve-year-old
English lad Jack Fletcher is determined to prove himself despite the bullying of
fellow students. A legendary sword master who rescues Jack begins training him
as a samurai warrior. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
2
Bullard, Lisa. Turn Left at the Cow. Houghton Mifflin, 2013. Travis runs away from
his home in California to his grandmother’s home in rural Minnesota to find out
about his father whom he never knew, and finds himself enmeshed in a mystery
about his father, as well as trying to deal with the kids next door.
Card, Orson Scott. Pathfinder. Simon Pulse, 2010. Thirteen-year-old Rigg has a
secret ability to see the paths of others’ pasts, but revelations after his death set
him on a dangerous quest that brings new threats from those who would either
control his destiny or kill him. Series
Carriger, Gail. Etiquette & Espionage. Little, Brown, 2013. In an alternate England
of 1851, spirited fourteen-year-old Sophronia is enrolled in a finishing school
where she is surprised to learn that lessons include not only the fine arts of
dance, dress, and etiquette, but also diversion, deceit, and espionage. Series
Carson, Rae. The Girl of Fire and Thorns. Greenwillow, 2011. Princess Elisa has
been married off to a neighboring king. Unsure about who she is and what to do,
she is kidnapped and catapulted into an adventure where she has to blend her
own fate with that of her people. Series
Carter, Ally. Heist Society. Disney-Hyperion, 2010. A group of teenagers uses its
combined talents to re-steal several priceless paintings and save fifteen-year-old
Kat Bishop's father, himself an international art thief, from a vengeful collector.
Series
Catmull, Katherine. Summer and Bird. Dutton, 2012. In the world of Down, young
sisters Summer and Bird are separated and go in very different directions as they
seek their missing parents, try to vanquish the evil Puppeteer, lead the talking
birds back to their Green Home, and discover the identity of the true bird queen.
Charlton, Blake. Spellwright. Tor Books, 2010. A wizard’s apprentice, Nicodemus
Weal, has trouble controlling his spells because he is dyslexic. To make matters
worse, he is named a suspect in the murder of a powerful wizard and must race
against time to clear his name and uncover who is responsible for that crime as
well as the destruction of the city around him. Series
Chatterton, Martin. The Brain Finds a Leg. Peachtree, 2009. In Farrago Bay,
Australia, thirteen-year-old Sheldon is recruited by a new student, Theo Brain,
to help investigate a murder which is tied not only to bizarre animal behavior but
also to a diabolical plot to alter human intelligence. Series
Chibbaro, Julie. Deadly. Atheneum, 2011. New York City in 1793 is reeling from
typhoid fever and sixteen-year-old Prudence is hired, against convention, by the
Sanitation Department to discover how the disease is being spread.
Choldenko, Gennifer. No Passengers Beyond This Point. Dial Books, 2011. With
their house in foreclosure, sisters India and Mouse and their brother Finn are
sent to stay with an uncle in Colorado until their mother can join them. However,
when the plane lands, the children are welcomed by cheering crowds to a strange
place where each of them has a perfect house and a clock that is ticking down
the time.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
3
Constable, Cathryn. The Wolf Princess. Scholastic, 2013. Sophie Smith is an orphan
stuck in a boarding school in London, but at night she dreams of Russia and
wolves – then, on a class trip to Saint Petersburg, she finds herself and her two
friends deliberately separated from the group and whisked off into the silver forest
of her dreams, where a mystery awaits.
Crossan, Sarah. The Weight of Water. Bloomsbury, 2013. Told in verse, this story
is about twelve-year-old Kasienka who immigrates to England from Poland with
her mother in search of Kasienka’s father. Sadly, everyone is not friendly except
for one neighbor and a cute boy Kasienka meets at the swimming pool, which is
her only refuge from bullies and an unfamiliar society.
Cummings, Priscilla. Red Kayak. Dutton, 2004. Living near the water on Maryland’s
Eastern Shore, thirteen-year-old Brady and his best friends J.T. and Digger
become entangled in a tragedy which tests their friendship and their idea about
right and wrong.
Davies, Stephen. Outlaw: A Novel. Clarion, 2011. The children of Britain's
ambassador to Burkina Faso, fifteen-year-old Jake, who loves technology and
adventure, and thirteen-year-old Kas, a budding social activist, are abducted and
spend time in the Sahara desert with Yakuuba Sor, who some call a terrorist but
others consider a modern-day Robin Hood.
Dixon, Heather. Entwined. Greenwillow, 2011. Confined to their dreary castle while
mourning their mother's death, Princess Azalea and her eleven sisters join The
Keeper, trapped in a magic passageway, in a nightly dance that soon involves
romance, mystery and eventually nightmare!
Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir. The Hound of the Baskervilles. First published 1902.
Sherlock Holmes is asked to investigate the tale of a mysterious death and a
hound that haunts the lonely moors around the Baskervilles' ancestral home.
Dumas, Alexandre. The Three Musketeers. First published 1844. Young d’Artagnan
comes to Paris to join the Musketeers who serve King Louis XIV and try to foil the
evil plots of Cardinal Richelieu.
Engle, Margarita. The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom. Holt,
2008. Using free verse poetry, Rosa tells her story of healing, revolution, slavery,
survival, and hope for freedom during three revolutions in Cuba between 1868
and 1898.
Eulberg, Elizabeth. Take a Bow. Scholastic, 2012. The Senior Showcase recital at a
performing arts high school in New York is approaching: Sophie is grateful for
the support of her friends and boyfriend; Emme and Ethan wonder whether they
could be more than friends and band-mates; and Carter does not know how to
admit that he would rather be a painter than a performer.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
4
Evans, Richard Paul. Michael Vey, Prisoner of Cell 25. Simon Pulse, 2011. To
everyone at school, fourteen-year-old Michael Vey is nothing special, just the kid
with Tourette’s syndrome. However Michael is extremely special . . . he has
electric powers. Michael and his friends set out to discover how he and a
cheerleader named Taylor ended up with their abilities, and their investigation
brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to use the electric
teens to control the world. Series
Falkner, Brian. Assault. Random House, 2012. In the year 2030, six teens have been
modified to look like the aliens who are battling for control of Earth. Their
mission: to go behind enemy lines to uncover and destroy a shocking, secret alien
project. Series
Feinstein, John. The Rivalry: Mystery at the Army-Navy Game. Alfred A. Knopf,
2010. Two teen reporters stumble across an illegal betting ring when they team
up with major Washington news reporters to cover one of the fiercest rivalries of
college football. Series
Fforde, Jasper. The Last Dragonslayer. Harcourt, 2012. Jennifer Strange runs an
agency for underemployed magicians in a world where magic is fading away, but
when visions of the death of the world's last dragon begin, all signs point to
Jennifer--and Big Magic.
Freedman, Russell. The War to End All Wars: World War I. Clarion, 2010. This is
a narrative history of World War I that features archival photographs and
describes how advanced military weaponry impacted the course of the war.
Frost, Robert. Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost. Edited by Gary D. Schmidt.
Sterling, 1994. A selection of twenty-five poems by Robert Frost arranged by the
four seasons and illustrated by Henri Sorenson. At the bottom of each poem is
a brief editor’s note about how the lines could be read.
Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. HarperCollins, 2008. Toddler Bod, short for
Nobody, crawls into a graveyard after his family is brutally murdered. He is then
raised lovingly and carefully to the age of eighteen by the graveyard’s ghosts and
otherworldly creatures. Newbery Award 2009
Gewirtz, Adina. Zebra Forest. Candlewick, 2013. Eleven-year-old Annie and her
younger brother are being raised by their Gran and are surrounded by family
secrets, but everything changes when an escaped criminal shows up at their
house and takes them all hostage. There is an interesting thematic connection to
the classic Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, which the children read
throughout the story.
Gier, Kerstin. Ruby Red. Translated from the German by Anthea Bell. Holt, 2011.
Sixteen-year-old Gwyneth Shepherd unexpectedly travels through time to the
eighteenth century where she discovers a mystery about her real birth date and
finds to her dismay that she must work with Gideon -- another time traveler who
hates her! Series
Gleitzman, Morris. Once. Holt, 2010. After living in a Catholic orphanage for nearly
four years, a naive Jewish boy runs away and embarks on a journey across Nazioccupied
Poland to find his parents. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
5
Gonzalez, Christina Diaz. The Red Umbrella. Alfred A. Knopf, 2010. In 1961,
fourteen-year-old Lucia’s comfortable life in Cuba ends when communists take
control of the country. Lucia and her younger brother are sent by their parents
to live with a foster family in Nebraska and must adapt to a new language and
way of life.
Grimes, Nikki. Planet Middle School. Bloomsbury, 2011. A series of poems describes
all the baffling changes at home and at school in twelve-year-old Joylin's
transition from tomboy basketball player to not-quite-girly girl.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Game Changer. Simon & Schuster, 2012. While playing
in the championship softball game, star pitcher KT Sutton blacks out and awakes
to a changed world where the roles of academics and sports at her middle school
have flipped, making talented athletes, such as KT, outcasts and brainy nerds
popular.
Hale, Nathan. One Dead Spy: The Life, Times, and Last Words of Nathan Hale,
America’s Most Famous Spy. Amulet Books, 2012. After being swallowed by a
giant history book moments before his own execution, Nathan Hale is given the
chance to tell his own story as well as many other stories from American History.
Series.
Harrington, Kim. The Dead and Buried. Point, 2012. High School senior Jade is
horrified to learn her father and stepmother have bought the house of a girl who
was mysteriously killed just the year before they moved to town. She is even
more horrified to realize the house is being haunted by the dead girl’s very meanspirited
ghost.
Hartman, Rachel. Seraphina. Random House, 2012. Seraphina is half dragon and
half human and, if people knew, would be considered an abomination. She lives
a life in the shadows until her musical talent, a mysterious death, and her
attraction to a handsome prince bring her life to a crisis. Morris Award for Best
YA Debut Novel
Hinds, Gareth. The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel. Candlewick, 2010. Homer's epic tale
of Odysseus - the ancient Greek hero who encounters witches and other obstacles
on his journey home after fighting in the Trojan War - is retold in graphic novel
format.
Hoffman, Alice. Green Witch. Scholastic, 2010. A year after her family and world are
destroyed, Green and her fellow survivors go on a quest for answers about life,
love, loss, and their future. Series
Jablonski, Carla. Resistance: Book 1. First Second, 2010. After trying to hide their
Jewish friend Henri when his parents disappear, Paul and Marie are asked to join
the French resistance. They experience the horrors of World War II in Vichy
France as their own father is held by the Nazis. Series
Kibuishi, Kazu, ed. Explorer: Mystery Boxes. Amulet Books, 2012. Seven popular
authors contribute wildly different graphic stories revolving around the
mysterious contents of a box.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
6
Kincaid, S.J. Insignia. Katherine Tegen, 2012. Tom, a fourteen-year-old genius at
virtual reality games, is recruited by the United States Military to begin training
at the Pentagon Spire as a Combatant in World War III, controlling the
mechanized drones that do the actual fighting off-planet. Series
King, Wesley. The Vindico. Putnam’s, 2012. When supervillains of the Vindico realize
they are getting too old to fight the League of Heroes, they kidnap and begin
training five teens, but James, Lana, Hayden, Emily, and Sam will not become
the next generation of evil without a fight. Series
Kipling, Rudyard. The Jungle Book. First published in magazines, 1893-1895. This
is a collection of stories which center on Mowgli, a “man-cub” raised by wolves.
His journey to adulthood is aided by Baloo the bear and Bagheera the black
panther. Also included is the story of a mongoose, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.
LaFleur, Suzanne M. Listening for Lucca. Wendy Lamb, 2013. When her younger
brother, Lucca, stopped talking, Siena’s family moved to Maine in hopes of a fresh
start. Their home on the beach, however, has ghostly secrets of its own that
connect Siena with a boy and girl who lived there during World War II.
Lane, Andrew. Death Cloud. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010. In 1868, with his army
officer father suddenly posted to India, and his mother mysteriously "unwell,"
fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes is sent to stay with his eccentric uncle and
aunt in their vast house in Hampshire, where he uncovers his first murder and
a diabolical villain. Series
Le Guin, Ursula K. A Wizard of Earthsea. First published 1968. After pride causes
him to unleash a demon, Zed is compelled to either chase or escape from the
ever-pursuing shadow. Series
Lu, Marie. Legend. Putnam’s, 2011. In a dark future, when North America has split
into two warring nations, fifteen-year-olds Day, a famous criminal, and prodigy
June, the brilliant soldier hired to capture him, discover that they have a common
enemy. Series
McMann, Lisa. The Unwanteds. Aladdin, 2011. In a society that purges thirteenyear-
olds who are creative, identical twins Aaron and Alex are separated -- one
to attend University while the other, supposedly Eliminated, finds himself in a
wondrous place where youths hone their abilities and learn magic. Series
McNeal, Tom. Far Far Away. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. When Jeremy Johnson Johnson's
strange ability to speak to the ghost of Jacob Grimm draws the interest of his
classmate, Ginger Boultinghouse, the two find themselves at the center of a series
of disappearances in their hometown. National Book Award Finalist 2013
Meloy, Maile. The Apothecary. Putnam’s, 2011. During the early days of the Red
Scare, Janie and her family must leave their home in Los Angeles and move to
London. There, she encounters a fascinating boy named Benjamin Burrows who
wants to become a spy. When Benjamin discovers his father has some secrets of
his own, Janie and Benjamin begin a race against the Russians to prevent a
global disaster.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
7
Meyer, Marissa. Cinder. Feiwel and Friends, 2012. Cinder, a gifted mechanic and a
cyborg with a mysterious past, is blamed by her stepmother for her stepsister's
illness while a deadly plague decimates the population of New Beijing. When
Cinder's life gets intertwined with Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the center of
an intergalactic struggle. Series
Monaghan, Annabel. A Girl Named Digit. Houghton Mifflin, 2012. After identifying a
terrorist plot by cracking their codes, Digit, a brilliant girl from Santa Monica,
California, gets involved with the young FBI agent who is trying to ensure her
safety.
Mull, Brandon. A World Without Heroes. Aladdin, 2011. Fourteen-year-old Jason
Walker is transported to a strange world called Lyrian, where he joins Rachel and
a few rebels to piece together the Word that can destroy the malicious wizard
emperor. Series
Mulligan, Andy. Trash. David Fickling Books, 2010. A group of fourteen-year-old boys
-- who make a living picking garbage from the outskirts of a large city -- finds
something special and mysterious that brings terrifying consequences.
Murdock, Catherine Gilbert. Wisdom’s Kiss: A Thrilling and Romantic Adventure,
Incorporating Magic, Villainy, and a Cat. Houghton Mifflin, 2011. Princess
Wisdom has been betrothed to the Duke of Farina. Unfortunately, she falls in
love with a circus acrobat whose heart already belongs to another. Despite all
this, they must band together, along with Magic the cat (to whom there is more
than meets the eye), in order to preserve the kingdom and save it from almost
certain ruin.
Ness, Patrick. A Monster Calls. Candlewick, 2011. Troubled by the recurring nightmare
that started with his mother’s cancer treatments, twelve-year-old Conor is
shocked by a monster in the form of a giant yew tree that appears at his window
-- a monster who has three stories to tell and who wants “the truth” from Conor.
Andrew Carnegie Medal
Oliver, Mary. Dog Songs: Thirty-five Dog Songs and One Essay. Penguin, 2013. A
collection of poems and one essay about dogs and their relationships with their
owners.
O’Neal, Eilis. The False Princess. Egmont USA, 2011. Nalia has been raised as the
Princess of Thorvaldor, but on her sixteenth birthday she learns that her real
name is Sinda and that she is part of a complicated plot that would change the
future of her country forever.
Oppel, Kenneth. This Dark Endeavor. Simon & Schuster, 2011. Victor Frankenstein,
his twin brother, and his cousin explore the dark and forbidden depths of the
Frankenstein castle, stumbling across the ancient magical texts that Victor later
hopes will save his brother’s life. A precursor to the classic character first
introduced by Mary Shelley in 1818. Series
Park, Linda Sue. A Long Walk to Water. Clarion, 2010. Young Salva survives many
dangers growing up in war-torn Sudan and dedicates his life to making a
difference for those who live in his native land. Based on a true story.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
8
Pratchett, Terry. Dodger. HarperCollins, 2012. In an alternative version of Victorian
London, seventeen-year-old Dodger, a cunning and cheeky street urchin,
unexpectedly rises in life when he saves a mysterious girl, meets Charles Dickens,
and unintentionally puts a stop to the murders of Sweeny Todd. Printz Honor
Award 2013
Rice, Condoleezza. Condoleezza Rice: A Memoir of My Extraordinary, Ordinary
Family and Me. Delacorte, 2011. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
shares stories of growing up in a black middle class family during the racially
turbulent 1950s and 1960s.
Riggs, Ransom. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Quirk Books, 2011.
Sixteen-year-old Jacob, having traveled to a remote island after a family tragedy,
discovers an abandoned orphanage, and, after some investigating, he learns the
children who lived there may have been dangerous and quarantined but may also
still be alive. Haunting vintage photographs are dispersed throughout the book,
giving the story a hint of creepiness. Series
Ruiz Zafón, Carlos. The Prince of Mist. Little, Brown, 2010. In 1943, in a seaside
town where their family has gone to be safe from war, thirteen-year-old Max
Carver and his fifteen-year-old sister Alicia, along with new friend Roland, face
off against an evil magician who is striving to complete a bargain made before he
died.
Rusch, Elizabeth. The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit
and Opportunity. Houghton Mifflin, 2012. The story of the two robot vehicles,
Spirit and Opportunity, that were sent to explore Mars, lasting far past their
projected lives of three months and sending back invaluable images of the
environmentally hostile planet.
Sachar, Louis. The Cardturner: A Novel About a Queen, a King, and a Joker.
Delacorte, 2010. When his wealthy uncle, a champion bridge player who has lost
his vision, asks seventeen-year-old Alton to be a cardturner for him, Alton has
no idea how much he will ultimately learn from his eccentric relative.
Schmatz, Pat. Bluefish. Candlewick, 2011. Longing for the country and his missing
dog Roscoe, Travis tries to survive in a new school while living with his alcoholic
grandfather and burdened by a painful secret. Hope comes in the form of a
teacher and a new friend named Velveeta.
Schmidt, Gary D. Okay for Now. Clarion, 2011. Fourteen-year-old Doug has just
moved to a new town. A new town means another chance to start over. Will
everyone assume he is like his thug of an older brother? Will everyone assume
he is like his corrupt, abusive father? All Doug wants is to be treated fairly and,
thanks to a couple of new friends, Doug may just find out what it is like to be
“okay for now.”
Sepetys, Ruta. Between Shades of Gray. Philomel, 2011. On a calm, beautiful night
in 1941 Lithuania, fifteen-year-old Lina’s life is torn apart as she and her family
are forced from their home and sent to work in labor camps along the harsh
Arctic Circle as part of Stalin’s forced relocation program.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
9
Sheinkin, Steve. Lincoln’s Grave Robbers. Scholastic, 2012. An account of how
counterfeiter Benjamin Boyd's gang stole the body of Abraham Lincoln, their
demand for Boyd's release from jail as well as two hundred thousand dollars as
ransom, and the efforts of the Secret Service to recover the remains.
Shusterman, Neal. Unwind. Simon & Schuster, 2007. Three teens embark upon a
cross-country journey in order to escape from a society that salvages body parts
from children ages thirteen to eighteen. Series
Sonnenblick, Jordan. After Ever After. Scholastic, 2010. Jeffrey, cancer survivor
from Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, now confronts eighth grade without Steven,
his staunch, supportive older brother; but he bonds with Tad, also a cancer
survivor, making a pact to help each other – Tad to walk for graduation without
his wheelchair and Jeffrey to pass his standardized test in math to graduate.
Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. First published 1883. A classic pirate story
reproduced in movies and TV shows more than any other, Treasure Island tells
the tale of the quest for treasure by Jim Hawkins and pirate Long John Silver.
The book also introduced the now infamous pirate song "Fifteen men on the dead
man's chest--Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"
Stiefvater, Maggie. The Scorpio Races. Scholastic, 2011. Some race for fame. Some
race for fortune. Then there is the story of Puck Connolly who, for the sake of
her family, willingly risks her life as she races the legendary water horses in the
bloody and brutal Scorpio Races.
Strohmeyer, Sarah. Smart Girls Get What They Want. Balzer + Bray, 2012. Who
says smart girls can’t have fun? Three brainiac high school best friends decide
to branch out - with mixed results.
Stroud, Jonathan. The Ring of Solomon. Disney-Hyperion, 2010. Bartimaeus, a wisecracking
djinni, finds himself in the tenth century and at the court of King
Solomon with an unpleasant master and a sinister servant, and he gets himself
into trouble with King Solomon's magic ring. Series
Supplee, Suzanne. Somebody Everybody Listens To. Dutton, 2010. When Retta Lee
Jones graduates from high school and leaves her small town in search of a big
break in Nashville, she encounters warmth and kindness along with cruelty and
violence.
Telgemeier, Raina. Smile. Graphix, 2010. In this charming graphic novel Raina
navigates the tough world of middle school all while enduring mountains of dental
work after knocking out her two front teeth.
TenNapel, Doug. Ghostopolis. Graphix, 2010. Welcome to the afterlife. Terminally ill
Garth Hale is accidently transported to Ghostopolis before his time, and now it
is up to washed-up, ghost-wrangler Frank Gallows and Garth’s own deceased
grandfather to get the boy back among the living in this action-packed, graphicnovel
adventure.
Thomson, Jamie. Dark Lord, The Early Years. Walker, 2012. Evil Dark Lord tries to
recover his dignity, his power, and his lands when an arch-foe transports him to
a small town and into the body of a thirteen-year-old boy.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
10
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit, or There and Back Again. First published 1937. Bilbo
Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole
until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an
adventure from which he may never return. Series
Valente, Catherynne M. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her
Own Making. Feiwel and Friends, 2011. The narrator tells a story, not unlike the
perils of Alice in Wonderland and Dorothy in Oz, of a twelve-year-old girl named
September who is whisked away to Fairyland to retrieve the golden sword for the
cruel queen, Marquess. Series
Verne, Jules. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. First published 1869. This is a
nineteenth-century science fiction tale of an electric submarine, its eccentric
captain, and an undersea world.
Walker, Sally M. Their Skeletons Speak: Kennewick Man and the Paleoamerican
World. Carolrhoda Books, 2012. This book explores the discovery and
controversy surrounding the identification of the Kennewick Man, a nine
thousand year old skeleton whose remains were found in a riverbed in
Washington State in 1996.
White, Kiersten. Paranormalcy. HarperTeen, 2010. When a dark prophecy begins to
come true, sixteen-year-old Evie of the International Paranormal Containment
Agency must not only try to stop it, she must also uncover its connection to
herself and to the alluring shape-shifter named Lend.
Wright, Barbara. Crow. Random House, 2012. Moses Thomas’s summer vacation in
1898 North Carolina does not go as planned and while he deals with family
problems and fickle friends, he feels the mounting tension between the African
American and white communities.
Zinn, Bridget. Poison. Hyperion, 2013. Kyra is a potions master, so when she tries to
save the kingdom by killing her best friend, the princess, she becomes a fugitive
pursued by the king’s army and her ex-boyfriend Hal.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by:
Sally Hilliard (Chair), River Oaks Baptist School
Diana Armentor, Awty International School
Wayne Cherry, Jr., First Baptist Academy
Diane King, Westbury Christian School
Laura Leib, Duchesne Academy
Stephanie Penttila, The John Cooper School
Copyright ©2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Archer, Jennifer. Through Her Eyes. HarperTeen, 2011. Sixteen-year-old Tansy is
used to moving every time her mother starts writing a new book. However, in
the small Texas town where her grandfather grew up, she is lured into the
world of a troubled young man whose death sixty years earlier is shrouded in
mystery.
Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why: A Novel. Razorbill, 2007. When Hannah Baker
commits suicide, she leaves behind thirteen cassette tapes to the people she
feels contributed to her decision to end her life.
Auburn, David. Proof: A Play. Faber and Faber, 2001. This play explores the
unknowability of love and the mysteries of mathematics. Pulitzer Prize, Drama
2001
Barber, Nathan. Resurrecting Lazarus, Texas. CreateSpace, 2012. When Coach
Gabe Lewis accepts a job as girls’ basketball coach at Lazarus High School, he
cannot anticipate the struggles he will face both on and off the court or the
personal investment he will end up making when his team needs him to be
more than their coach. A tragedy occurs that rocks not only the team, but also
the entire town. The girls might be the spark that can bring life back to
Lazarus.
Bardugo, Leigh. Shadow and Bone. Holt, 2012. Orphaned by the Border Wars,
Alina Starkov is taken from obscurity and away from her only friend, Mal, to
become the protégé of the mysterious Darkling, who trains her to join the
magical elite in the belief that she can destroy the monsters of the Fold.
Bauby, Jean-Dominque. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in
Death. Translated from the French by Jeremy Leggatt. Vintage, 1998. This
extraordinary book, a celebration of everyday life, was dictated one blink at a
time, recounting the author’s struggle with the effects of a massive stroke which
left him with a body which had all but stopped working.
Beard, Jo Ann. In Zanesville: A Novel. Little, Brown, 2011. In a small factory town
in Illinois during the 1970s, a fourteen-year-old girl navigates life alongside her
best friend. From a babysitting disaster in the opening scene through kittensaving
adventures, being noticed by boys, and becoming friends with the
popular cheerleaders, the girls survive a test of their friendship in their
awkward, often hilarious, transition from childhood to young adulthood. Alex
Award 2012
Blake, Kendare. Anna Dressed in Blood. Tor Books, 2011. Cas Lowood, armed with
his late father's mysterious athame, sets out to kill a ghost known as Anna
Dressed in Blood, but what he believes will be a routine task turns deadly when
he discovers Anna is unlike any ghost he has ever encountered before. Series
Bracken, Alexandra. The Darkest Minds. Hyperion, 2012. Sixteen-year-old Ruby
breaks out of a government-run rehabilitation camp for teens who acquired
dangerous powers after surviving a virus that wiped out most American
children.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
2
Bradley, Alan. A Red Herring Without Mustard. Delacorte, 2011. Eleven-year-old
detective Flavia de Luce sorts through clues trying to solve various mysteries
involving a missing child, a fortune-teller, and a dead body found in Flavia's
own backyard. Series
Cameron, Sharon. The Dark Unwinding. Scholastic, 2012. In 1852, when
seventeen-year-old Katharine is sent to her family's estate to prove that her
uncle is insane, she finds he is an inventor whose work creating ingenious
clockwork figures supports hundreds of families; strange occurrences soon
have her doubting her own sanity.
Card, Orson Scott. Ender’s Game. Tor Books, 1985. A very young Ender Wiggin
might be the human race’s last chance to defeat a deadly alien invasion. Series
Coben, Harlan. Shelter: A Mickey Bolitar Novel. Putnam’s, 2011. After witnessing
his father's death and sending his mom to rehab, Mickey is forced to live with
his estranged uncle and enter a new high school where, after a few weeks, his
new girlfriend vanishes without a trace. Mickey enters a world of conspiracy
and danger and discovers that nothing is as it seems.
Crandall, Susan. Whistling Past the Graveyard: A Novel. Gallery Books, 2013.
Determined to get to Nashville to find her mother in 1963, nine-year-old spitfire
Starla Claudelle runs away from her strict grandmother's Mississippi home,
eventually accepting a ride from Eula, a black woman traveling alone with a
white baby.
Crewe, Megan. The Way We Fall. Hyperion, 2012. Sixteen-year-old Kaelyn
challenges her fears, finds a second chance at love, and fights to keep her
family and friends safe as a deadly new virus devastates her island community.
Series
Crutcher, Chris. Deadline. Greenwillow, 2007. Eighteen-year-old Ben Wolf has been
given less than a year to live, but he chooses not to tell anyone so his senior
year will be as normal as possible. This surprisingly humorous story tracks
that final year as Ben goes out for football, finds romance, and realizes that his
secret has a serious impact on others.
Flack, Sophie. Bunheads. Little, Brown, 2011. A young dancer must decide if she
wants to continue to devote her whole life to ballet when a handsome musician
enters the picture. The author danced with the New York City Ballet for nine
years and gives the reader an authentic glimpse into the world of ballet.
Gagnon, Michelle. Don’t Turn Around. Harper, 2012. After waking up on an
operating table with no memory of how she got there, Noa must team up with
computer hacker Peter to stop a corrupt corporation with a deadly secret.
Series
Gaiman, Neil. The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel. William Morrow, 2013.
A man returns to his childhood home and relives the harrowing summer when
a girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her family save him from the darkness and evil
that were unleashed by a suicide that occurred near the pond at the end of
their street.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
3
Galloway, Steven. The Cellist of Sarajevo. Riverhead Books, 2008. The lives of
four people -- a baker, a young father, a sniper, and a cellist who commits to
playing Albinoni's "Adagio" once a day for twenty-two days in memory of his
neighbors who were killed – are chronicled as they try to adjust to their new
daily routines in war-torn Sarajevo. Inspired by a true story, this novel explores
how war can change one’s definition of humanity and how music affects our
emotional endurance.
Garfield, Simon. Just My Type: A Book About Fonts. Gotham Books, 2010. The
author explores the history of type with sharp wit and charm answering
questions you never knew to ask such as Can a font make me cool? or Can a
font be Jewish or German?
Gautreaux, Tim. Welding With Children. Picador, 2009. Set in the hot days and
nights of Louisiana, these eleven short fiction stories will make you laugh, cry,
and marvel as ordinary people try to survive what life throws at them, whether
it be memory loss, a crazed bull, or a thief with a big blade and bad intentions.
Green, John, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle. Let It Snow! Three Holiday
Romances. Speak, 2008. In three intertwining short stories, several high school
couples experience the trials and tribulations along with the joys of romance
during a Christmas Eve snowstorm in a small town.
Gregory, Philippa. Changeling. Simon Pulse, 2012. In 1453, seventeen-year-old
Luca Vero, accused of heresy and expelled from his monastery, is recruited to
help investigate evil across Europe.
Harrington, Kim. Clarity. Point, 2011. Sixteen-year-old Clare Fern, a member of a
family of psychics, helps the mayor and a skeptical detective solve a murder in
a Cape Cod town during the height of tourist season . . . and her brother is a
prime suspect.
Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. First published 1929. A British nurse and
an American ambulance driver fall in love during World War I.
Herbert, Frank. Dune. First published 1965. The story of a young prince, Paul
Artreides, scion of a star-crossed dynasty, and of his journey from boy to
warrior to ruler of a dying planet destined to become a paradise regained.
Series
Johnson, Maureen. The Name of the Star. Putnam’s, 2011. An American girl, Rory,
enrolls in a London boarding school for her senior year of high school and
encounters a suspenseful ghost mystery closely tied to the Jack the Ripper
murders of old.
Khoury, Jessica. Origin. Razorbill, 2012. Set in the lush and dangerous Amazon
rain forest, this story follows Pia, an immortal girl bred to create an immortal
race, and the team of scientists responsible for her mission. Pia, however,
starts to question her destiny when she falls for a boy she meets in the jungle.
Klavan, Andrew. If We Survive. Thomas Nelson, 2012. When revolutionaries seize
control of a country in Central America where sixteen-year-old Will is serving as
a missionary, he and the other volunteers find themselves in a desperate race to
escape the violence and return home.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
4
Konigsberg, Bill. Openly Straight. Arthur A. Levine, 2013. Rafe plays soccer, wins
skiing prizes, likes to write, and hates tofu. In his junior year of high school,
Rafe, tired of being known as “that gay guy,” transfers across the country to an
all-boys’ boarding school and decides to be “openly straight.” His scheme is
wildly successful but gets complicated when he falls in love with one of his new
friends.
Kontis, Alethea. Enchanted. Harcourt, 2012. When Sunday Woodcutter, the
youngest of seven sisters, each named for a day of the week, kisses an
enchanted frog, he transforms into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland - and
a man Sunday's family despises. Series
Kooser, Ted. Delights & Shadows: Poems. Copper Canyon Press, 2004. This
collection of poems by former Poet Laureate of the United States describes the
habits and struggles of daily life.
Laybourne, Emmy. Monument 14. Feiwel and Friends, 2012. A strange weather
phenomenon drives students into a superstore where fourteen kids take refuge
while the world outside gets torn apart from a series of escalating disasters.
Series
Li, Cunxin. Mao’s Last Dancer. Penguin Press, 2003. The autobiography of
Houston Ballet soloist Li Cunxin details his rise from poverty in Communist
China to dance stardom and a defection that caused an international incident.
Luttrell, Marcus. Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing
and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10. Little, Brown, 2007. American Navy
SEAL and team leader Marcus Luttrell tells his story of the loss of his
teammates in July 2005 along the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border to
al-Qaida insurgents.
Morpurgo, Michael. Private Peaceful. Scholastic, 2003. Thomas Peaceful was only
fifteen when he joined the British Forces in World War I to fight with his older
brother. One unexpected horror separates them.
Nash, Ogden. The Best of Ogden Nash. Ivan R. Dee, 2007. This delightful book of
rhythm and rhyme combines magical word use by the renowned master of light,
humorous verse. The book is edited by the poet's daughter, Linell Nash Smith.
Ness, Patrick. The Knife of Never Letting Go. Candlewick, 2008. Settlers on Todd’s
planet are infected with a virus that kills all the women and causes survivors to
hear the thoughts of men and animals. This coming-of-age survival story
reveals the psychological impact of being unable to shut out other people’s
thoughts or to hide one’s own. Series
Nielsen, Jennifer A. The False Prince. Scholastic, 2012. To avoid a civil war, four
orphans engage in a brutal competition masterminded by a devious nobleman
to determine who will impersonate the king's long-missing son. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
5
Ogawa, Yoko. The Housekeeper and the Professor. Translated from the Japanese
by Stephen Snyder. Picador, 2009. A once brilliant math professor suffers the
effects of a head trauma that erases his short term memory every eighty
minutes, and he must repeatedly be re-introduced to his housekeeper.
However, past equations in the professor's mind enable him to discover
surprising connections.
Oliver, Lauren. Delirium. Harper, 2011. Lena looks forward to receiving the
government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a
safe, predictable, and happy life. However, ninety-five days before her
eighteenth birthday and her treatment, she falls in love. Series
Oliver, Mary. Swan: Poems and Prose Poems. Beacon Press, 2010. Mary Oliver’s
adoration and awe of nature shines through in this slim collection of beautiful
poetry evocative of the beauty, brutality, and mysteries found in the natural
world.
Patrick, Cat. Forgotten. Little, Brown, 2011. Each night at precisely 4:33 am, while
sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. She
relies on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things
get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture.
Perkins, Lynne Rae. As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth. Greenwillow,
2010. In a hilarious story of the ultimate bad day, fifteen-year-old Ry is left
behind when he jumps off the stalled train taking him to summer camp. It is
downhill from there until he meets Del. Worried about his grandfather and
unable to contact his parents, Ry, with Del's help, sets off on the misadventure
of a lifetime that will keep you laughing all the way.
Roth, Veronica. Divergent. Katherine Tegen, 2011. In post-apocalyptic Chicago,
society is divided into five factions -- Amity, Candor, Dauntless, Erudite, and
Abnegation -- in order to avoid future wars and preserve peace. Each year,
those who just turned sixteen must select and then devote the rest of their lives
to a faction. The day of choosing will change Beatrice’s life forever . . . for once
you choose, you can never go back. Series
Rowell, Rainbow. Eleanor & Park. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2013. Set over the course of
one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits -- smart
enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate
enough to try. Michael L. Printz Honor Book 2014
Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. First published 1951. Holden Caulfield is
an alienated, disillusioned youth who drops out of school and spends three
days and nights in New York City on a quest for self-discovery.
Sheinkin, Steve. Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous
Weapon. Roaring Brook, 2012. Scientists and spies are central characters in
this engaging and informative book describing the process of creating the first
atomic weapons. Newbery Honor Book 2013, National Book Award Finalist
2013, Sibert Medal 2013.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
6
Shusterman, Neal. Bruiser. HarperTeen, 2010. Bruiser was the guy nobody knew –
or wanted to know. Then Brontë includes him in her group of friends and
unusual things start to happen.
Steinbeck, John. Cannery Row. First published 1945. The antics of Steinbeck’s
down-at-heel misfit characters bring mirth and sensitivity to a rollicking good
read.
Stiefvater, Maggie. The Raven Boys. Scholastic, 2012. Though she is from a family
of clairvoyants, Blue Sargent's only gift seems to be that she makes other
people's talents stronger. When she meets Gansey, one of the Raven Boys from
the expensive Aglionby Academy, she discovers that he has talents of his own
and that together their talents are a dangerous mix. Series
Summerscale, Kate. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the
Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective. Walker, 2008. Recounts the events
surrounding the 1830 murder of three-year-old Saville Kent and explores the
police investigation into the crime. Family members became prime suspects
and local residents began to doubt the effectiveness of the lead investigator.
Taylor, Laini. Daughter of Smoke & Bone. Little, Brown, 2011. Karou, a
seventeen-year old art student at a Prague boarding school, seems mysterious
to her friends. Her frequent disappearances and her sketch book of terrifying
drawings add to the mystery surrounding her. This fast-paced fantasy of
mystery and family history, combined with beautiful descriptions of Prague’s
architecture and country-side, is a real page-turner. Series
Tittle, Y. A. with Kristine Setting Clark. Nothing Comes Easy. Triumph Books, 2009.
Experience the early hard-hitting, blood-spilling days of the NFL before fancy
helmets and a lot of protective padding were used. This autobiography of
Yelberton Abraham Tittle, who grew up during the Depression in Marshall,
Texas, is a history of the NFL and includes game records and statistics.
Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five, or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance
with Death. First published 1969. After surviving the bombing of Dresden in
World War II, Billy Pilgrim returns to civilian life and has a successful career
until he is kidnapped by aliens and displayed in a zoo on the planet of
Tralfamadore.
Wein, Elizabeth. Code Name Verity. Hyperion, 2012. In World War II, Maddie, a
British transport pilot, attempts to deliver her best friend and Resistance spy,
Julie (Code Name Verity), into Nazi-occupied France, but the plane crashes.
Love, courage, bravado, and intrigue drive the story to its stunning conclusion.
Wells, Robison. Variant. HarperTeen, 2011. Benson Fisher hopes for a brighter
future after being accepted to Maxfield Academy. Shortly after arriving, he
realizes that the school is more like a prison because it is run by teens of
various warring factions. No one ever escapes, but they do disappear.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
7
Wilder, Thornton. Our Town: A Play in Three Acts. First published 1938. With the
well-earned reputation of an American classic, this play brings themes of
growing up, love, marriage, and death to the stage and portrays the dignity of
the human spirit through life in Grover’s Corner.
Wilson, Daniel H. Robopocalypse. Doubleday, 2011. An artificial intelligence
program has taken over the world, uniting all the computer programs residing
in everything from dolls and toys to domestic service robots, airplanes, and
military weapons. Its aim is to destroy all human life . . . and the robots are
winning. Alex Award 2012
Yancey, Rick. The 5th Wave. Putnam’s, 2013. Cassie Sullivan, the survivor of an
alien invasion, must rescue her young brother from the enemy with help from a
boy who may be one of them.
Young, Moira. Blood Red Road. McElderry Books, 2011. Saba has spent her whole
life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland. When a monster sandstorm arrives
along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba’s world is shattered. Her beloved twin
brother Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.
Series
______________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by:
Diana Armentor (Chair), Awty International School
Julia Beddingfield, Second Baptist School
Pamela Hill, The John Cooper School
Krystal Irven, Episcopal High School
Dorian Myers, The Kinkaid School
Deborah Mosichuk, St. Pius X High School
Peg Patrick, St. John’s School
Jean Pfluger, Duchesne Academy
Diane Roberts, formerly at St. Thomas High School
Kelli Robertson, Westbury Christian School
Marylin Sharp, St. John’s School
Joanie South-Shelley, St. Thomas High School
Mia Steinkamp, Houston Christian
Jennifer Succi, Episcopal High School
Susi West, St. Pius X High School
Copyright ©2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Albright, Madeleine. Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War,
1937-1948. Harper, 2012. Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
shares her childhood experiences in Czechoslovakia amid the horrors of World
War II and the discovery of her family’s Jewish ancestry.
Allison, Will. Long Drive Home. Free Press, 2011. In this emotional psychological
thriller, a father is driving his six-year-old daughter home when a young driver
provokes him to road rage, and a fatal crash ensues. Will his subsequent lies fix
the problems that rapidly accumulate?
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Wintergirls. Viking, 2009. Anderson takes us into the
mind of an anorexic teenager. This is a haunting story about Lia’s desire to be
the thinnest girl in school, her struggle with anorexia, and her path to recovery.
Archer, Jeffrey. Only Time Will Tell. St. Martin’s Press, 2011. Harry Clifton, raised
by his uncle who was a shipyard laborer, finds the expectations for his life
changing after winning a scholarship to a prestigious boys’ school, discovering
the truth about his father’s death, and questioning his lineage. Series
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. First published 1813. Elizabeth and Jane
Bennet overcome obstacles to their happiness with Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley
in this comedy of manners set in early nineteenth-century England.
Barbery, Muriel. The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Translated from the French by
Alison Anderson. Europa, 2008. Laugh out loud at the unlikely friendship
among a secretly educated concierge, a precocious twelve-year-old girl with a
philosophical bent, and an older Japanese gentleman in a Paris apartment.
Bartlett, Allison Hoover. The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a
Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession. Riverhead Books,
2009. This true crime story discloses the world of rare book dealers and the
mind of a serial book thief as it follows the detective who tracks the mysterious
and obsessive culprit.
Brooks, Geraldine. Caleb's Crossing. Viking, 2011. Bethia Mayfield befriends Caleb,
the son of a Wampanoag chieftain, as she grows up near Martha's Vineyard in
the mid-seventeenth century, and watches her minister father’s attempts to
convert the Native Americans. The fates of the children are tied together as
Bethia's father encourages the education of Caleb, a privilege Bethia has always
wanted.
Brown, Dan. Inferno: A Novel. Doubleday, 2013. Harvard professor Robert Langdon
is once again drawn into a deadly quest, this time based on clues from Dante’s
Inferno.
Brown, Ian. The Boy in the Moon: A Father’s Journey to Understand His
Extraordinary Son. St. Martin’s Press, 2009. Ian Brown, a Canadian
journalist, chronicles his life as he and his wife care for their son who was born
with a rare and severe genetic disorder. Brown candidly shares the extreme
challenges and blessings their special son has brought to their lives.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
2
Cain, Susan. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.
Crown, 2012. In our American culture that values extroversion, the value of
“quiet” people is often overlooked, but the one third of the population that fits
the definition of introvert, has much to offer.
Carey, Peter. Parrot and Olivier in America. Alfred A. Knopf, 2010. An imaginative
re-invention of the French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville's 1830 visit to
America, with rich description, strong characters and amusing events.
Chandler, Raymond. The Long Goodbye. First published 1953. A classic hard-boiled
detective story where Philip Marlowe, private eye, deals with a cast of
reprehensible characters in a doom-laden city. Edgar Award 1955
Choo, Yangsze. The Ghost Bride. William Morrow, 2013. When she agrees to
become a ghost bride for the wealthy Lim family's son, who recently died under
mysterious circumstances, Li Lan must dive into a shadowy parallel world of
the Chinese afterlife to find the truth about the son’s death.
Chwast, Seymour. Dante’s Divine Comedy. Bloomsbury, 2010. Chwast retells
Dante’s Divine Comedy in a graphic format. The visual presentation of all three
stages of Dante’s epic is appealing and humorous. The illustrations depict the
details and complexity of this classic tale.
Cline, Ernest. Ready Player One. Crown, 2011. In the year 2044, Wade Watts, like
the rest of humanity, chooses to escape reality and spends his waking hours in
the limitless, utopian virtual world of the OASIS. When Wade stumbles upon
the first of the fiendish puzzles set up by OASIS creator James Halliday, he
finds he must compete with thousands of others -- including those willing to
commit murder -- in order to claim the prize of a massive fortune. Alex Award
2012
Collins, Billy. Ballistics: Poems. Random House, 2008. A notable collection of verse
from the U.S. Poet Laureate, expressing love, joy, and death in his inimitable
language.
Cronin, Justin. The Passage. Ballantine Books, 2010. In a dystopian future, a virus
found in a South American jungle was used to create a super soldier with great
strength and healing abilities. The virus becomes an epidemic, and infected
people become bloodthirsty monsters. Normal humans are hiding in fortresses
trying to survive.
Cross, Julie. Tempest. Thomas Dunne, 2011. Nineteen-year-old Jackson uses his
ability to travel through time after his girlfriend Holly is fatally shot during a
violent struggle; but his journey two years into the past leads him to make a
startling discovery about his father and the powerful enemies who will stop at
nothing to recruit him for their own purposes.
Cruz, Nilo. Anna in the Tropics. Theatre Communications Group, 2003. In this
play set in 1929 Florida in a Cuban-American cigar factory, a new lector
unwittingly becomes a catalyst in the lives of his avid listeners.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
3
DeWoskin, Rachel. Big Girl Small: A Novel. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011.
Sixteen-year-old Judy Lohden, a girl whose phenomenal singing voice should
have made her the star of the local performing arts high school, instead finds
herself hiding out from the national media in a seedy hotel room due to a
controversy sparked in part by the fact that she is only three feet, nine inches
tall. Alex Award 2012
Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee. Leaving Yuba City: New and Selected Poems.
Anchor, 1997. Little stories about life in India and the Indian immigrant
experience in America told through accessible and enlightening poetry.
Egan, Timothy. Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal
Photographs of Edward Curtis. Houghton Mifflin, 2012. Edward Curtis was
charismatic, handsome, a passionate mountaineer, and a famous portrait
photographer. In 1900, when he was thirty-two years old, he gave it all up to
pursue his Great Idea: to capture on film the continent’s original inhabitants
before the old ways disappeared. Curtis spent the next three decades
documenting the stories and rituals of more than eighty North American tribes,
thus creating the most definitive archive of the American Indian.
Eggers, Dave. Zeitoun. McSweeney's, 2009. A true account of a family caught
between America’s war on terror and the response to Hurricane Katrina.
Following the chaos of the storm, Zeitoun travels the city by canoe, feeding
abandoned animals and helping elderly neighbors until the day armed men
suddenly burst into his home.
Figueras, Marcelo. Kamchatka. Translated from the Spanish by Frank Wynne.
Black Cat, 2010. After the 1976 coup in Argentina, ten-year-old Harry uses his
rich imagination, the fantasy territory of “Kamchatka” from the game RISK, and
the boundless, endearing love of his family to deal with the chaos in their lives
as his parents must hide from the military junta because of their political
activities.
Foer, Joshua. Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering
Everything. Penguin Press, 2011. Journalist Joshua Foer’s informative book
on human memory is as entertaining as it is educational. He expounds on the
history of human memory and chronicles his experience of training to become
the 2006 USA Memory Champion.
Follett, Ken. Fall of Giants. Dutton, 2010. A historical fiction epic that follows the
lives of five interrelated families – American, German, Russian, English, and
Welsh – around the time of World War I. Series
Garcia Marquez, Gabriel. Chronicle of a Death Foretold. Translated from the
Spanish by Gregory Rabassa. Alfred A. Knopf, 1983. Nearly thirty years later,
a man returns to town in an attempt to discover the truth behind the jumbled
murder of Santiago Nasar.
Grahame-Smith, Seth. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Grand Central, 2010.
Many people know about Abe Lincoln’s political successes, but few know that
after his mother was killed by a vampire Old Abe became a ruthless vampire
hunter. This “biography,” packed full of historical facts, will not disappoint
readers who like a good horror story.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
4
Green, John. The Fault in Our Stars. Dutton, 2012. Sixteen-year-old Hazel meets
Augustus at a kids-with-cancer support group and, as they fall in love, they
both wonder how they will be remembered.
Hall, Ron, and Denver Moore, with Lynn Vincent. Same Kind of Different as Me.
Thomas Nelson, 2006. In this true story, an art dealer and a homeless man are
brought together in a soup kitchen and learn life lessons from each other.
Harbach, Chad. The Art of Fielding. Little, Brown, 2011. Henry, the star of a small
college baseball team located on the shore of Lake Michigan, is overcome with
self-doubt which threatens his future; meanwhile, four other teammates also
find themselves forced to confront their own secrets.
Hawking, Stephen and Leonard Mlodinow. The Grand Design. Bantam, 2010. The
authors present a new discussion of the laws of the universe and the nature of
reality. The journey includes thoughts of the great philosophers and scientists
over the centuries as well as questions such as “Are the laws of nature
suspended when miracles occur?” Well-placed, clever cartoons provide balance
to the weighty discussions.
Hillenbrand, Laura. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and
Redemption. Random House, 2010. This biography chronicles the life of
World War II bombardier Louis Zamperini from his wild youth to becoming a
world-class runner in the 1936 Olympic Games to his enlistment in the U.S. Air
Force where he must survive for forty-seven days in the Pacific Ocean after his
plane goes down.
Hosseini, Khaled. And the Mountains Echoed: A Novel. Riverhead Books, 2013.
Pari and Abdullah are siblings and best friends. When their father takes them
across the desert in a red wagon to Kabul, Abdullah loses Pari and is forced to
return to the village without her. The children live separate lives, but Abdullah
never loses hope that he will find Pari. The children’s separate lives unfold with
incidents of love and hate, bravery and cowardice, want and fulfillment.
Ishiguro, Kazuo. Never Let Me Go. Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. A dark secret lurks behind
the nurturing façade of Hailsham, a private school in the English countryside
where Kathy, now thirty-one years old, lived as a child. Alex Award 2006
Ivey, Eowyn. The Snow Child: A Novel. Little, Brown, 2012. Homesteaders Jack
and Mabel struggle to survive in the harsh Alaskan wilderness, but the couple's
quiet life of hard work and routine suddenly changes when a small girl named
Faina magically appears on their doorstep.
Jacobs, Harriet A. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. First published 1861. This
autobiographical account by a former slave is one of the few extant narratives
written by a woman. It delivers a powerful portrayal of the brutality of slave
life. Jacobs speaks frankly of her master's abuse and her eventual escape, in a
tale of dauntless spirit and faith.
Kean, Sam. The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love,
and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements.
Little, Brown, 2010. Sam Kean presents the rationale behind the organization
of the periodic table of the elements as well as many interesting anecdotes
about the elements and the scientists who discovered them.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
5
Kent, Kathleen. The Heretic’s Daughter. Little, Brown, 2008. Amid the painful
details of jail and persecution, deep-seated suspicion and familial betrayal, tenyear-
old Sarah Carrier’s world is turned upside down when her family becomes
a target of Salem’s witchcraft hysteria.
Kibler, Julie. Calling Me Home: A Novel. St. Martin’s Press, 2013. In a novel based
on a family story of her grandmother’s forbidden love in 1930’s Kentucky, the
author chronicles the journey of an elderly woman and her hairdresser en route
to a funeral and explores race relations both then and now.
King, Stephen. 11/22/63: A Novel. Scribner, 2011. What if you could go back in
time and change the course of American history? High school English teacher
Jake Epping finds himself in this exact place and has as his mission stopping
Lee Harvey Oswald from assassinating President John F. Kennedy.
Knisley, Lucy. Relish: My Life in the Kitchen. First Second, 2013. This graphic
novel is a humorous memoir of cartoonist Lucy Knisley, the daughter of a chef
and a gourmet, and her obsession with cooking and food. Alex Award 2014
Kostova, Elizabeth. The Historian: A Novel. Little, Brown, 2005. A young woman
discovers an ancient book and a cache of old letters in her father's library; and
thus begins her adventurous quest for the truth about Vlad the Impaler, a
search that will span continents and generations as well as a confrontation with
the darkest powers of evil.
Kyle, Aryn. The God of Animals. Scribner, 2007. The death of a classmate haunts
teen Alice Winston as she learns about love, life and death, and lost dreams as
she helps her father run the family’s struggling horse ranch in the midst of
recurring family problems.
Lanagan, Margo. The Brides of Rollrock Island. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. On remote
Rollrock Island, men go to sea to make their livings and to catch a wife. The
witch Misskaella knows the way of drawing a girl from the heart of a seal, of
luring the beauty out of the beast, and, for a price, a man may buy a lovely seawife
for himself.
Lane, Harriet. Alys, Always: A Novel. Scribner, 2012. After sitting with a woman
dying in a car crash, Frances Thorpe’s attempts to comfort the bereaved family
have consequences, leading her to become involved in the family and affecting
the relationships among all concerned. A psychological thriller in the manner
of Du Maurier’s classic Rebecca.
Lansdale, Joe. Edge of Dark Water. Mulholland Books, 2012. Teenagers Sue Ellen,
Terry, and Jinx dig up the body of their friend May Lynn in order to burn her
body and spread her ashes in Hollywood; but on their journey they are chased
by the sheriff who is after the money they stole for the trip and by a legendary
killer who just wants them dead.
Larson, Erik. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in
Hitler’s Berlin. Crown, 2011. Experience the rise of Hitler in this nonfiction
thriller. It is 1933 Berlin and Hitler is in power when a new U.S. Ambassador,
William E. Dodd, arrives. Dodd must find ways to deal with the regime,
communicate his concerns to the State Department, and keep his family safe.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
6
Lawrenson, Deborah. The Lantern: A Novel. Harper, 2011. Newly married Eve finds
herself in a foreign country with a suddenly moody and uncommunicative
husband. This is a modern ghost story of mystery, romance, and murder set in
the lavender-covered hillsides of Provence.
Levithan, David. Every Day. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. Every morning, A wakes in a
different person's body, in a different person's life, learning over the years to
never get too attached. Life goes along smoothly until he wakes up in the body
of Justin and falls in love with Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon.
McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. In a post-apocalyptic landscape,
a man and a boy struggle toward the unknown. This dark and doomed quest
offers a spiritual sense of soul and humanity. Pulitzer Prize, Fiction 2007
McCullough, David G. 1776. Simon & Schuster, 2005. Based upon both American
and British historical documents, the author presents a comprehensive history
of the American Revolution in 1776, including George Washington and those
who followed him.
McEwan, Ian. Atonement: A Novel. Doubleday, 2001. In the summer of 1935, the
lives of three people are changed forever by a young girl’s scheming
imagination.
Moore, Wes. The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates. Spiegel & Grau, 2010.
This book explores the fate of two African-American men with the same name
living in the same city -- one becomes a Rhodes Scholar and the other a
convicted murderer.
Morgenstern, Erin. The Night Circus. Doubleday, 2011. The circus arrives without
warning, and what looks like clever illusions are actually magic. The two
principal illusionists, Celia and Marco, have unknowingly been involved in a
deadly contest created by their mentors. When they fall in love, it complicates
the circus and their teachers’ plans. Alex Award 2012
Morrison, Toni. Beloved. First published 1987. The Nobel prize-winning author’s
lyrical expression of the slave experience is built around Sethe, her memories of
Sweet Home, and the ghost of her baby. Pulitzer Prize, Fiction 1988
Morton, Kate. The Secret Keeper. Atria Books, 2012. Fifty years after she witnessed a
shocking crime at her family's farm in the English countryside, Laurel, now a
successful London actress, returns to the farm and is overwhelmed by family
secrets she has not thought of in decades.
Mosley, Walter. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. Riverhead Books, 2010. Ptolemy
Grey, an elderly man, falls further into his solitary existence and dementia,
when his grandnephew -- his only real connection to the outside world -- dies in
a drive-by shooting. Robyn, his niece's lodger, motivates him and introduces
him to a doctor who is touting an experimental drug that may give Ptolemy a
temporary burst of clarity and energy, leading Ptolemy to think of a way to leave
a memorable legacy.
Moyes, Jojo. Me Before You: A Novel. Viking, 2012. A twenty-seven-year-old woman
accepts a job caring for a paraplegic man, unaware that the experience will
allow her to learn new skills, consider a bigger life than she could have ever
imagined, and break her heart.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
7
Mullin, Mike. Ashfall. Tanglewood, 2011. When the eruption of the Yellowstone
supervolcano destroys his city and its surroundings, fifteen-year-old Alex must
journey from Cedar Falls, Iowa, to Illinois to find his parents and sister. He
struggles to survive in a transformed landscape and a new society in which all
the old rules of living have vanished.
Obreht, Tea. The Tiger’s Wife. Random House, 2011. The myth of an escaped tiger
during the World War II bombing of the Balkans and Natalia’s search for details
about her beloved grandfather’s death are woven together.
Ondaatje, Michael. The Cat’s Table. Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. Written with nostalgia
for childhood, Michael recalls a long sea voyage he took as a boy in the early
1950s to meet his mother. During the trip across the Indian Ocean, the boy
meets many colorful characters.
Patchett, Ann. State of Wonder. Harper, 2011. Anders Eckman has mysteriously
died while working on a ground-breaking miracle drug in a remote location in
the Amazon rainforest, and Dr. Marina Singh, a friend and colleague, is sent to
take his place. The investigation of his death leads her on a gripping adventure
that will have her questioning what is right and wrong and how far people are
willing to go for science and discovery.
Percer, Elizabeth. An Uncommon Education. Harper, 2012. In this coming-of-age
story, Naomi Feinstein dreams of attending Wellesley College and being a
doctor; everything changes in her life when she is introduced to the oldest
honor society, the mysterious Shakespeare Society.
Powell, Goran. Chojun: A Novel. YMAA, 2012. Kenichi Ota accompanies Chojun
Miyagi to China searching for the meaning of karate. Upon their return to
Okinawa they learn that the Japanese have just destroyed Pearl Harbor forcing
both of them to adapt to a new world order, to rebuild their island, and to
preserve Miyagi’s brand of karate.
Rock, Peter. My Abandonment. Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Thirteen-year-old Caroline
lives with her father “off the grid” in a makeshift structure in a Pacific
Northwest forest. The forest seems to fulfill their basic needs and hides them
from the rest of humanity. The world eventually intrudes upon their solitude,
and what Caroline thought was real is not. Alex Award 2010
Rowell, Rainbow. Fangirl. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2013. Feeling cast off when her twin
sister outgrows their shared love for a favorite fictional character, Cath, a
dedicated fan-fiction writer, struggles to survive on her own in her first year of
college while avoiding a surly roommate, bonding with a handsome classmate
who only wants to talk about words, and worrying about her fragile father.
Ruiz Zafón, Carlos. The Shadow of the Wind. Translated from the Spanish by Lucia
Graves. Penguin Press, 2004. In 1945 Spain, the young son of an antiquebook
dealer searches for more books by Julian Carax, an author he has
recently discovered, and finds that everything Carax has ever written has been
destroyed . . . and that his search has put his friends and family in danger.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
8
Sales, Leila. This Song Will Save Your Life: A Novel. Farrar, Straus and Giroux,
2013. Nearly a year after a failed suicide attempt, sixteen-year-old Elise
discovers that she has the passion and talent to be a disc jockey. This is a
novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people
together.
Semple, Maria. Where’d You Go Bernadette: A Novel. Little, Brown, 2012. When
her notorious, hilarious, volatile, talented, troubled, and agoraphobic mother
goes missing, teenage Bee begins a trip that takes her to the ends of the earth
to find her. Alex Award 2013
Sepetys, Ruta. Out of the Easy. Philomel, 2013. Josie, the seventeen-year-old
daughter of a French Quarter prostitute, is striving to escape 1950s New
Orleans and enroll at prestigious Smith College when she becomes entangled in
a murder investigation.
Sides, Hampton. Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr.
and the International Hunt for His Assassin. Doubleday, 2010. The
gripping true story of the events leading up to King's assassination and the
massive FBI manhunt to find his killer, James Earl Ray.
Simic, Charles. The Voice at 3:00 A.M.: Selected Late & New Poems. Harcourt,
2003. These poems convey vivid and quirky imagery. From “Sunday Papers” to
“Frightening Toys” to “Blood Orange,” the originality and sly humor of
“everydayness” cheers the reader of this award-winning poet’s work.
Sittenfeld, Curtis. Sisterland: A Novel. Random House, 2013. Identical twins Kate
and Violet have always been different -- able to sense other people's secrets and
know about future events. As they grow up, Vi embraces her gift and pursues a
career as a psychic medium, while Kate denies it and settles down with a
family. An earthquake in their hometown of Saint Louis and Vi's vision of a
more devastating quake to come force Kate to reconcile the strained
relationship with her twin and come to grips with the truth about herself.
Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Crown, 2010. "HeLa" cells,
named after Henrietta Lacks, a poor African American woman born in 1920,
were taken from a tumor removed during Lacks’ treatment for cervical cancer.
While she died from the disease, her cancer cells proved uncommonly robust,
reproducing at a rapid rate. Years later, billions of these cells are used in
laboratories around the world.
Sloan, Robin. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. Farrar, Straus and Giroux,
2012. Clay Jannon is released from his job in San Francisco during the Great
Recession and accepts a position working the night shift at a local bookstore.
Clay soon realizes that there is something very strange and mysterious about
that bookstore. Alex Award 2013
Stedman, M. L. The Light Between Oceans. Scribner, 2012. A childless couple
quietly runs a lighthouse on a remote Australian island until a boat with a baby
washes ashore changing their lives forever.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
9
Stein, Garth. The Art of Racing in the Rain: A Novel. HarperCollins, 2008. Enzo is
an old soul who just happens to be a dog. He is devoted to Denny who is a race
car driver. The reader will be captivated as Enzo tells his master’s story and
prepares for his next life…as a human.
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. First published 1939. Forced out of their
home in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl by economic desperation, a family of
Oklahoma farmers drives west to California in search of work as migrant fruit
pickers. Pulitzer Prize, Fiction 1940
Szymborska, Wislawa. Monologue of a Dog: New Poems. Translated from the Polish
by Clare Cavanagh and Stanislaw Baranczak. Harcourt, 2006. Crisp, elegant
poetry is presented in original Polish alongside its English translation. Clouds,
current events, and revolution are just a few of the themes addressed in this
marvelous collection of twenty-six thought-provoking poems.
Thoreau, Henry David. Walden. First published 1854. Thoreau’s observations on
nature and life were penned during his solitary stay at Walden Pond, outside
Concord, Massachusetts, from 1845 to 1847.
Towles, Amor. Rules of Civility. Viking, 2011. In 1938 Katey Kontent moves to New
York City to find her first job. With a group of newly acquired friends she
enjoys the jazz and glamour of the city and the adventure that comes with
youth, relationships, and differing social classes.
Vance, Jack. The Moon Moth. Graphic novel adaption by Humayoun Ibrahim. First
Second, 2012. Lovers of the science fiction genre and graphic novels will enjoy
Vance’s classic short story set on planet Sirene where aliens wear masks to
indicate their social status and communicate by playing musical instruments.
Edwer Thissel is sent to Sirene to solve a murder and find the killer in a world
where every face is hidden.
Wilson, August. Two Trains Running. Plume, 1992. This historical African-
American drama, part of a ten-part series by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author
and playwright, takes place during the Civil Rights movement in Memphis Lee’s
diner in Pittsburg, 1969. Characters wrestle with the changing political and
social landscape of this American era expressed through everyday
conversations as they gather in booths and the lunch counter. They exude
strength with dignity and hope for a better future.
Yang, Gene. Level Up. First Second, 2011. In this graphic novel, Dennis Ouyang is
visited by four angels who prompt him to give up his dream of playing video
games professionally and pursue a medical degree as his late father wanted,
but a crisis reveals the true nature of the angels and brings Dennis to a
crossroads in his path to the future.
Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Trying to make sense of the
horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel, a young German girl,
whose book stealing and storytelling talents help sustain her family, the Jewish
man they are hiding, and her neighbors. National Jewish Book Award 2006
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by:
Diana Armentor (Chair), Awty International School
Julia Beddingfield, Second Baptist School
Pamela Hill, The John Cooper School
Krystal Irven, Episcopal High School
Dorian Myers, The Kinkaid School
Deborah Mosichuk, St. Pius X High School
Peg Patrick, St. John’s School
Jean Pfluger, Duchesne Academy
Diane Roberts, formerly at St. Thomas High School
Kelli Robertson, Westbury Christian School
Marylin Sharp, St. John’s School
Joanie South-Shelley, St. Thomas High School
Mia Steinkamp, Houston Christian
Jennifer Succi, Episcopal High School
Susi West, St. Pius X High School
Copyright ©2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
Helpful Books for Parents of Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
All parents face challenges in raising children. The parent of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing may need specific information and assistance in order to make informed decisions about the needs of the child. The books and resources selected for inclusion in this publication present a variety of experiences and philosophical approaches, encouraging parents and family members to consider a range of options. This information is organized in six categories:
- Books written by parents for parents of deaf or hard of hearing children
- Books written by professionals for parents of deaf or hard of hearing children
- Books by deaf adults about their experiences growing up deaf
- Books written by hearing authors who grew up in families with deaf parents
- Books for children about everyday experiences of children who are deaf or hard of hearing
- Resources for follow up
Some of the books on this list may be out of print. This does not mean they no longer exist. The reference librarian at your local library may be able to help you find a copy or you may be able to locate a copy of a particular book from local or state organizations or schools that provide services for deaf and hard of hearing persons. Amazon.com may also have copies for sale.
Many potentially useful books may not be listed here. In developing this revised list, we have tried to identify books (1) that focus on parent experiences and topics specific to different stages of a child's development, (2) autobiographical and biographical accounts that highlight the inescapable reality that a deaf child becomes a deaf adult, and (3) books for children that can assist siblings in understanding what it is like to be deaf or hard of hearing. With so many new books being issued each year, we encourage parents to request current catalogs from the associations and publishers listed among the resources.
Inclusion in this publication does not constitute endorsement of any philosophy or product by the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center's Office of Public Relations, Products and Training.
Parents of Deaf Children Talk about Their Experiences
Altman, E. (1988). Talk with Me: Giving the Gift of Language and Emotional Health to the Hearing Impaired Child. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association.
A mother, who is also a psychologist, discusses creative parenting strategies in raising an emotionally healthy hearing-impaired child.
Angus, J. R. (1974). Watch My Words: An Open Letter to Parents of Young Deaf Children. Cincinnati, OH: Forward Movement Publications.
A mother shares her experiences raising two deaf children.
Dockery, Y. (1993). When A Hug Won't Fix the Hurt. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association.
A mother writing from a Christian perspective offers psychological, educational, religious, and social solutions to challenges facing parents of a deaf or hard of hearing child.
Featherstone, H. (1981). A Difference in the Family, Living with a Disabled Child. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
Written by a mother who discusses the emotional stages that parents and siblings experience upon learning that a child is disabled.
Ferris, C. (1986). A Hug Just Isn't Enough. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
Quotations taken from interviews with parents of deaf children offer insights into their experiences, feelings, and concerns for their children.
Fletcher, L (1988). Ben's Story. A Deaf Child's Right to Sign. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
A British couple describes their struggle to provide their son with sign language instruction.
Forecki, M. C. (1985). Speak to Me. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
A single parent tells about life with her deaf son, Charlie.
Frederickson, J. (1985). Life After Deaf. Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf.
A true story detailing the effects of deafness on one family.
Glick, F. P. & Pellman, D. (1982). Breaking Silence: A Family Grows with Deafness. Scottsdale, PA: Herald Press.
A mother's story about raising twin deaf sons and a hearing daughter.
Harris, G. (1983). Broken Ears, Wounded Hearts. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
A father shares the frustrations, struggles, and accomplishments his family experienced while raising a deaf daughter with other disabilities.
Luetke-Stahlman, B. (1996). One Mother's Story--Raising Deaf Children: An Educator Becomes a Parent. Los Alamitos, CA: Modern Signs Press, Inc.
The mother of four daughters, two of, whom are deaf, tells the story of raising Mary Pat and Marcy in a family environment where audition, speech, language, and socialization skills are developed and Deaf Culture respected. and how her whole family has been enhanced by the opportunity. Dr. Luetke-Stahlman, director of Deaf Education at the University of Kansas, tells of her struggles and joys in this parenting role.
McArthur, S. H. (1982). Raising Your Heating Impaired Child: A Guideline for Parents. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf.
Written by a teacher, who is also the mother of two deaf daughters, this book offers ideas and suggestions for parents raising their deaf child using oral methods.
Mendelsohn, J. Z. & Fairchild, B. (1982). Years of Challenge: A Guide for Parents of Hearing Impaired Adolescents. Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf
Two parents relate their concerns about raising deaf teenagers. The book includes information on legislation that protects the rights of people who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.
Morgan-Candlish, P. A. (1996). Not Deaf Enough: Raising a Child Who is Hard of Hearing with Hugs, Humor and Imagination. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association.
A mother's story from diagnosis through success, this book offers an overview of this under-diagnosed, under-served population.
Spradley, T. S. & Spradley, J. (1985). Deaf Like Me. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press. (Revised [soft-cover] edition).
The experience of having a deaf child in the family is related by a deaf girl's father and uncle. This revised edition features an epilogue written by teen-aged Lynn Spradley, reflecting on her experiences growing up deaf.
Professionals Talk to Parents
Adams, J. W. (1988). you and Your Hearing impaired Child: A Self-instructional Guide for Parents. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
A guide for parents that provides information on language development, effective behavior management, non-verbal behavior, setting limits, and other useful topics.
Aguirre-Larsen, G. (1996). Mi Nombre Es Lupita y Tengo Un Hijo Sordo. Hillsboro, OR: Butte Publications, Inc.
This set of six Spanish-language booklets offers parents clear, concise, basic information about the ear, its parts and functions; types, causes, and degrees of hearing loss; hearing tests and hearing aids; language and social development; philosophies and approaches to communication and education; and home activities to stimulate language development.
Anderson, W., Chitwood, S., & Hayden, D. (1996). Negotiating the Special Education Maze: A Guide for Parents and Teachers. (3rd Edition). Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.
This book offers a step-by-step guide for parents and educators who need to advocate for their child's educational program.
Atkins, D. (Ed.). (1987). Families and Their Hearing-Impaired Children. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association.
A monograph issue of The Volta Review, this volume prepares parents to improve parenting styles and examines challenges for parents in socialization, sexuality, drug and alcohol abuse, child safety when there is communication difficulty with deaf their children.
Benderly, B. L (1990). Dancing Without Music: Deafness in America. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
Based on research and interviews with deaf persons, their families, friends, and educators, this book offers insight into the meaning of hearing loss.
Bornstein, H. (Ed.). (1990). Manual Communication: Implications for Education. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
This book examines various sign systems used in the education of deaf students.
Bradford, T. (1991). "Say That Again, Please." Dallas, TX: Thomas H. Bradford.
This collection of personal experiences, observations, and comments from the author and others give insights into the world of deaf and hard of hearing people.
Ferris, M. H. (1994). Bright Silence: Raising Hearing Impaired Children. Neenah, WI: Bright Silence Press.
The author presents a chronology of insights and experiences in a fifty-year career as a teacher of deaf children and introduces, as adults, some of the deaf and hard of hearing children she taught.
Frazier-Maiwald, V., & Williams, L. M. (1999). Keys to Raising a Deaf Child.(Barron's Parenting Keys). Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educations Series.
Discussion begins with the child and the family constellation, then moves to necessary collaborations beyond the home (medical professionals, the Deaf community, educators, schools) and audiological aspects of hearing loss, these topics providing the background that will prepare parents to make choices about communication and language. The last three parts of the book focus on language, suggesting bimodal (sign as well as speech) strategies for the home, building language socially and academically, and linking language and literacy. The authors, both educators and one the parent of a deaf child, offer practical suggestions and support for parents.
Garretson, M. D. (Ed.). (1990). Eyes, Hands, Voices: Communication Issues Among Deaf People. Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf. (Citations for all monographs in the series are identical.)
(1991). Perspectives on Deafness. (1994). Deafness: Life & Culture I
(1992). Viewpoints on Deafness. (1995). Deafness: Life & Culture II
(1993). Deafness: 1993-2013. (1996). Deafness: Historical Perspectives.
(1997)Who Speaks for the Deaf Community?
Each of these Deaf American monographs presents articles by deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing individuals on issues of concern to families and friends of people who are deaf or hard of hearing and to those who may work or interact with them.
Klein. S. & Schleifer, M. (Eds.). (1994). It's Not Fair!: Siblings of Children with Disabilities. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.
Compiled from articles in Exceptional Parent magazine, this book reveals first hand feelings and experiences of non-disabled siblings as they grapple with issues related to having a sibling with a disability, fairness and parental expectations, rewards and punishments, care taking, negative feelings, and worry.
Lane, H., Hoffmeister, R., & Bahan, B. (1996). Journey into the DEAF-WORLD. San Diego, CA: DawnSignPress.
The authors explore and explain the nature and meaning of the DEAF-WORLD, covering such topics as: Deaf culture, the benefits of signed language and Deaf culture for deaf children, how Deaf children are educated, the nature of American Sign Language, the role of technology in Deaf people's lives, and what Deaf societies in other countries can teach us.
Lane, S., Bell, S, & Parson-Tylka, T. (1999?). My Turn to Learn.
This is a resource guide designed to gear parents to help communicate and develop good self- esteem to their deaf and hard of hearing child.
Luterman, D. & Ross, M. (1991). When Your Child is Deaf: A Guide for Parents. Baltimore, MD: York Press, Inc.
This book addresses the emotional and educational processes a hearing parent goes through in coming to terms with having a deaf child.
Luterman, D. with Kurtzer-White, E. & Seewald, R.C. (1999). The Young Deaf Child. Baltimore. MD: York Press, Inc.
Beginning with an historical overview of methodology in educating deaf children, the author with his collaborators then focuses on the importance of early detection and intervention strategies, considers various program approaches, stressing strong family involvement with parents as collaborators with professionals, and the choice and use of appropriate assistive hearing technology.
Luterman, D. (1987). Deafness in the Family. Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Company, Inc.
This book offers insights into the effects of having a deaf child in a hearing family with chapter discussions covering topics such as the family system, parents, siblings, and grandparents. Interviews with three families included.
Marschark, M. (1997). Raising and Educating a Deaf Child: A Comprehensive Guide to the Choices, Controversies, and Decisions Faced by Parents and Educators. New York and Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
The author presents findings from a various research studies on the cognitive, linguistic, and social development of deaf children in everyday language for parents, teachers, and professionals who work with deaf children. He emphasizes the need for early and consistent exposure to language and flexibility in learning strategies.
Medwid, D. & Chapman-Weston, D. (1995). Kid-Friendly Parenting with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: A Treasury of Fun Activities Toward Better Behavior. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
This step-by-step guide presents hundreds of ideas and activities for use with deaf and hard f hearing children ages 3 to 12. In addition to succinct descriptions of parenting techniques, each chapter includes a commentary from deaf and hearing experts on the topic highlighted. Information is provided about special resources and support services.
Mindel, E. & Vernon, M. (Eds.). (1987). They Grow in Silence: Understanding Deaf Children and Adults. San Diego, CA: College Hill Press.
The nine contributing authors discuss such topics as the impact of deaf children on a family, the primary causes of deafness, emotional aspects of hearing parents raising a deaf child and other important issues.
Ogden, P. W. (1996). The Silent Garden: Raising Your Deaf Child. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press.
In a complete revision of his original work, Ogden, who is himself profoundly deaf from birth, provides a foundation for parents to make the difficult decision necessary to help their deaf child reach full potential.
Quin, W. R. (1996). Understanding Childhood Deafness: A Word in Your Ear. San Francisco, CA: Thorsons.
This book discusses the degrees and types of hearing loss, and attempts to explain deafness from a child's perspective.
Schwartz, S. (Ed.). (1996). Choices in Deafness: A Parent's Guide. (2nd Ed.). Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.
Explanations of hearing loss precede personal accounts by parents discussing why and how they made their choices among Cued Speech, total communication and the oral approach. The book includes listings of audiovisual materials for parents and directories of national organizations and state educational programs.
Schwartz, S., & Heller, J. E. (1996). The New Language of Toys: Teaching Communication Skills to Children with Special Needs. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.
This book provides ideas to parents and professionals about how to use everyday toys to stimulate and promote language development in children with additional needs.
Smith, R. C. (1996). A Case About Amy. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
A recounting of a couple's fight for services for their deaf child, Amy, all the way to the Supreme Court.
Snider, B. (Ed.). (1995). Inclusion?: Defining Quality Education for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students. Proceedings of the Conference, Oct. 26-28, 1994. Washington, D.C: Gallaudet University, College for Continuing Education.
Covers educational, legal, psychosocial, and social implications of inclusion for deaf students.
Stewart, D., & Leutke-Stahlman, B. (1998). The Signing Family: What Every Parent Should Know about Sign Communication. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
The authors show parents how to create a set of goals for signing centered around the needs of their deaf child. Discusses American Sign Language, Signed English, Seeing Exact English, and Contact Sign, how each option originated, and in the case of English-based signing systems why they were created and what they are meant to impart to the child. Includes information about legal rights in the education of a deaf child and how to work with schools to provide the preferred sign option in the deaf child's classroom.
Tucker, B. P. (1997). I.D.E.A. Advocacy for Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: A Question and Answer Book for Professionals and Parents. San Diego, CA: Singular Publishing Group.
This book provides information about the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.) which affect children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The author presents guidelines on how parents can obtain the necessary educational services that are appropriate for their children.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults Talk about Their Experiences
Bowe, F. (1986). Changing the Rules. Silver Spring, MD: T. J. Publishers, Inc.
Mainstreamed in the small Pennsylvania town where he grew up, Frank Bowe offers a humorous and poignant account of obstacles that shaped his life.
Hepner, C. (1992). Seeds of Disquiet. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press.
This autobiography recounts the author's experience of profound deafness as a result of meningitis at age seven, and then strokes that left her with no residual hearing at the age of 25. The sections about coping in school educationally and socially will interest parents.
Jacobs, L. (1989). A Deaf Adult Speaks Out. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
Presenting a personal account of what it's like to be deaf in a hearing world, the author speaks out on mainstreaming, communication, employment opportunities, and public policy towards deaf people.
Kisor, H. (1990). What's That Pig Outdoors?: A Memoir of Deafness. New York: Hill and Wang.
The book editor of The Chicago Sun Times recounts the story of his life as a deaf person in a hearing culture.
Tucker, B. P. (1995). The Feel of Silence. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
A professor of Law at Arizona State University, Ms. Tucker, deaf since birth, tells how she faced the challenges of growing up and then the adult transitions of marriage, raising a family, divorce, and a new career at mid-life.
Wiggins, J. (1970). No Sound. New York, NY: Silent Press.
Julius Wiggins, deaf since infancy, describes the unique relationship between deaf and hearing people by recounting significant experiences that helped him to reach full realization of his own talents.
Whitestone, H. (1997). Listening with My Heart. New York, NY: Doubleday and Company.
This autobiography traces Heather Whitestone's life and her reign as Miss America.
Zazove, P. (1993). When the Phone Rings, My Bed Shakes. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
Zazove chronicles his experiences as a family doctor and the impact that deafness has had on his life. The account offers examples of how ingenuity and well-developed communication skills allow him to handle patients, staff, hospital, and surgical emergencies.
Hearing Family Members Talk about Growing up in Deaf Families
Abrams, C. (1996). The Silents. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
The author present s a loving portrait of her family, taking the reader from her childhood in depression-era Chicago, through the hard times of World War II, and life in Los Angeles with her own children, with the complications of communication for her deaf parents.
Dicker, E. & Barash, H. L. (1991). Our Father Abe, The Story of a Deaf Shoe Repairman. Madison, WI: Abar Press.
A moving story written by his children about Abe Barash, a deaf Russian immigrant who has a shoe shop for over 50 years in Madison, Wisconsin.
Preston, P. (1994). Mother Father Deaf: Living Between Sound and Silence. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Presents personal stories compiled from interviews with 150 hearing adults with deaf parents.
Walker, L. A. (1987). A Loss For Words. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.
A hearing daughter describes growing up with deaf parents.
Children's Books About Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children
Arthur, C. (1979). My Sister's Silent World. Chicago, IL: Children's Press.
Heather's sister describes hearing aids, speech training, Heather's school, and a family outing to the zoo. (Grades 1-4)
Aseltine, L., Mueller, E. and Tait, N. (1986). I'm Deaf and It's Okay. Niles, IL: Albert Whitman and Co.
A young deaf boy who is apprehensive about wearing a hearing aid as an adult is helped by a deaf teenager. (Grades 1-4)
Baer, J. (1992). Unheard Voices. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers.
Ruth finds the adjustment to a new town and school difficult. When some girls at school befriend her, they learn through their friendship what it is like to be deaf. [Christian perspective.] (Grades 7-10)
Blatchford, C. (1998). Going with the Flow. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books.
Mark, a deaf fifth grader, finds adjustment to his new school difficult until his classmate Keith, captain of the basketball team, challenges him as a team member. (Grades 4-7)
Booth, B. (1991). Mandy. New York, NY: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books.
Mandy depicts the loving relationship between a young deaf girl and her grandmother. While walking in the park together, Grandma loses a special pin. Later, Mandy braves the dark and an oncoming thunderstorm to search for the pin. (Grades 1 and up)
Caisley, R. (1994). The Quiet World. Santa Rosa, CA: SRA School Group.
When David learns that his younger brother is deaf, he plugs his ears with cotton, dons earphones, and goes to the park. He spends his time experiencing an afternoon through his other senses and then returns home tells his mother what a quiet world is like. (Grades 1-up)
Clemente, G. (1996). Cosmo Gets an Ear. Los Alamitos, CA: Modern Signs Press.
This humorous tale of Cosmo's adjustment to his first hearing aid is told by his sister through text and playful illustrations. After his diagnosis, Cosmo and his best friend, Gilbert, search for his "lost" hearing. Many puns and silly jokes enliven the text. (Grades 1-6)
Golder, S. & Membling, L (1988). Buffy's Orange Leash. Washington, DC: Kendall Green Publications/Gallaudet University Press.
Buffy is a hearing ear dog trained to work for deaf people. (Grades K-3)
Gray, D. with Lewis, G. (1995). Heather Whitestone/Today's Heroes Series. New York, NY: Zonderman, Division of HarperCollins.
This book profiles Heather Whitestone who in 1995 became the first deaf woman to be chosen Miss America. (Grades 3-7)
Hall, E. (1982). Is It Catching? Ellen Hall, P.O. Box 8005, Suite 192, Boulder, CO 80306
Written for young children with deaf siblings, this book gives simple explanations for many complex issues. Non-fiction.
Hirsch, K. (1981). Becky. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
Living with a hearing family while attending a school for deaf students during the week, Becky teaches the family about the problems facing deaf people. (Grades 1-4)
Hlibok, B. (1981). Silent Dancer. New York, NY: Julian Messner.
A 10-year-old deaf girl and other students from the Lexington School for the Deaf study ballet at the Joffrey Ballet School. Non-fiction. (Grades 3-6).
Hodge, L. L. (1987). A Season of Change. Washington, DC: Kendall Green Publications/Gallaudet University Press.
A junior high student, 13-year-old Biney faces the challenges of growing up with a hearing loss. (Grades 7-12)
Hodges, C. (1995). When I Grow Up . Hollidaysburg, PA: Turtle Books, Jason & Nordic Publishers.
At Career Day, Jimmy, a deaf boy, meets deaf adults with varied and interesting careers and learns about potential careers for himself. (Grades K-4)
LaMore, G. S. (1986). Now I Understand. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
This fictional account of a young boy with a hearing loss who is mainstreamed includes information about hearing loss, hearing aids, and communication. (Grades 3-6)
Lakin, P. (1994). Dad and Me in the Morning. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Co.
A boy and his deaf father enjoy the morning together. (Grades 1-3)
Leutke-Stahlman, B. (1996). Hannie. Hillsboro, OR: Butte Publications.
This year-in-the-life tale of friendship, loyalty, and growing up introduces Hannah and her two deaf sisters. (Grades 6-8)
Levi, D. H. (1989). A Very Special Friend. Washington DC: Gallaudet University Press.
A lonely six-year-old girl finds a new friend who talks in sign language. (Grades K-3)
Levinson, N. S. (1990). Annie's World. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
When her father is transferred to a new city and her family moves, Annie, a 16-year-old deaf girl, finds her life disrupted. Annie transfers from the residential school for deaf students to a mainstream program where she is the only deaf student. (Grades 7-12)
Millman, I. (1998). Moses Goes to a Concert. New York, NY: Frances Foster Books/Farrar, Straus, Giroux.
A group of deaf children attend a concert, holding balloons in their laps to feel the vibrations. The percussionist in the orchestra is also deaf and after the concert she tells them her story (in ASL) and allows them to try out all her instruments. Cartoon illustrations of sign language augment the printed text. (Grades PS-2)
Okimoto, J. D. (1993). A Place for Grace. Seattle, WA: Sasquatch Books.
Grace is a stray dog who wants to be a service dog for blind people. Instead, a deaf man chooses Grace to be his "hearing dog" and she starts the rigorous training program. Despite some challenges, Grace passes her test and becomes an official hearing dog with a special knack. (Grades 2-4)
Pace, B. (1987). Chris Gets Ear Tubes. Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.
This book explains in language a child will understand what happens before, during, and after surgery for ear tubes. (Grades PS-1)
Peterson, J. W. (1977). I Have a Sister, My Sister is Deaf. New York, NY: Harper and Row Publishers.
A girl talks about her younger deaf sister, what she can and cannot do, and how they communicate and play together. (Grades K-3)
Riskin, M. (1981). Apple is My Sign. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Harry, a 10-year-old deaf boy, goes to a residential school and when he comes home at Christmas shares what he has learned with his family. (Grades 5-8)
Rosenberg, M. (1983). My Friend Leslie: The Story of a Handicapped Child. New York, NY: Lothrop, Lee, & Shepard Books.
Illustrated with photographs, this book introduces Leslie, a child with multiple disabilities, who is mainstreamed into a regular kindergarten class. Non-fiction. (Grades 1-3)
Scott, V. (1986). Belonging. Washington, DC: Kendall Green Publications/Gallaudet University Press.
Written by a deaf author, Belonging tells the story of Gustie Blaine who contracts meningitis at age 15. (Grades 7-12)
Shreve, S. R. (1993). The Gift of the Girl who Could Not Hear. New York, NY: Beech Tree Books.
Thirteen-year-old Eliza, a gifted singer, and her best friend Lucy who was born deaf help each other prepare to try out for the 7th grade musical, a production of Annie. (Grades 5-12)
Starowitz, A. (1988). The Day We Met Cindy. Washington, DC: Kendall Green Publications/Gallaudet University Press.
This non-fiction account relates Chad's fear that the other children in his first grade class will laugh when they meet his deaf aunt. Instead, the class learns signs from Cindy. The illustrations by the children depict the many other things they learned from this experience. Non-fiction. (Grades K-3)
Sullivan, M. B., Brightman, A., Blatt, J. et al. (1979). Feeling Free. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
This book offers glimpses of children with disabilities, two of whom have hearing disabilities. Gordon, a hard of hearing boy, discusses his speech, communication, and interaction with hearing people. Kim, a deaf sixth grader with a deaf brother talks about her experiences in public school and at home. (Grades 4 and up)
Walker, L A. (1985). Amy, the Story of a Deaf Child. New York, NY: Lodestar Books, E. P. Dutton.
The introduction and conclusion of this book discuss the Supreme Court case sparked when Amy's parents request a full-time sign language interpreter in the school Amy attends with hearing classmates. Amy narrates the main text of this book, telling about her family, her hearing and deaf friends, how she communicates with her teachers without an interpreter, her school, and anecdotes from her life. Non-fiction. (Grades 4-6)
Reading Lists for typically developing children and also for those Deaf and Hard of Hearing separated by grade levels
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Adler, David A. Things That Float and Things That Don't. Holiday House, 2013.
The concept of density is explained to children using examples of why some
objects float and others sink.
Allen, Jonathan. Don't Copy Me! Boxer Books, 2012. Little Puffin is distressed when
some cheeky gull chicks begin to follow him around and copy his every move, but
the more he protests, the more gulls join the game.
Andreæ, Giles. I Love My Daddy. Disney Hyperion, 2012. A father and child enjoy
special time together playing on the swings, singing and dancing, having snacks,
and cuddling.
Ashman, Linda. Rain! Houghton Mifflin, 2013. As an old man grumbles his way
through a rainy morning spreading gloom, his neighbor, a young child, spreads
cheer while hopping through puddles in frog-themed rainwear.
Bennett, Kelly. Not Norman: a Goldfish Story. Candlewick, 2005. As a boy attempts
to convince someone else to take his disappointing pet, he learns to love Norman
the goldfish himself.
Bloom, Suzanne. The Bus for Us. Boyds Mills, 2001. Eagerly awaiting the bus on her
first day of school, Tess learns the names of different vehicles from her older
friend, Gus.
Boldt, Mike. 123 Versus ABC. Harper, 2013. While numbers and letters may disagree
about who is the real star of the book, the reader is the real winner due to the
rollicking illustrations and fast-paced fun.
Boyd, Lizi. Inside Outside. Chronicle Books, 2013. In this story without words, a boy
and his dog play inside and outside while the images from succeeding pages
appear through die-cut holes.
Brown, Peter. Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. Little, Brown, 2013. Bored with city life and the
proper behavior it requires, Mr. Tiger has a wild idea that leads him to discover
his true nature.
Bunting, Eve. Have You Seen My New Blue Socks? Clarion, 2013. The reader is
invited to help Duck and his animal friends find a missing item.
Butterworth, Christine. See What a Seal Can Do. Candlewick, 2013. This portrait of
seal characteristics and life explains that they are slow and sleepy on land, but
powerful and graceful under the water.
Cole, Joanna. When You Were Inside Mommy. HarperCollins, 2001. A mother and
father tell their young son the fascinating story of his gestation and birth, and
advice for parents on talking to their children about this subject is included.
DaCosta, Barbara. Nighttime Ninja. Little, Brown, 2012. Readers follow a ninja
creeping quietly through the house in search of treasure.
Davick, Linda. I Love You, Nose! I Love You, Toes! Beach Lane Books, 2013. In
rhyming verse, children celebrate each body part.
Davies, Nicola. What Happens Next? Candlewick, 2012. Flip the flaps to discover all
kinds of amazing things that animals do.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
2
DePaola, Tomie. Pancakes for Breakfast. Harcourt Brace, 1978. In this wordless
book, a little old lady's attempts to have pancakes for breakfast are hindered by
a scarcity of supplies and the participation of her pets.
Dotlich, Rebecca Kai. What Can a Crane Pick Up? Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. Illustrations
and rhyming text show that a crane can lift anything, from a cow to a load of
steel.
Dudley, Rebecca. Hank Finds an Egg. Peter Pauper Press, 2013. Hank finds an egg
on the ground while walking through the woods, discovers the nest from which
it fell, and tries his best to return it.
Dunrea, Olivier. Little Cub. Philomel, 2012. A young bear cub, who is alone in the
world, and Old Bear, who is grumpy and tired of living alone, meet and discover
what they have been missing.
Eastman, Peter. Fred and Ted Go Camping. Random House, 2005. Even though
they do things very differently, Fred and Ted are friends and enjoy going camping
together in the woods.
Elliott, David. In the Sea. Candlewick, 2012. This collection of poems for children
features woodcut illustrations and rhyming text about the characteristics and
behaviors of sea horses, sharks, urchins, whales, and other sea creatures.
Feiffer, Kate. No Go Sleep! Simon & Schuster, 2012. It's time for bed, but a baby does
not want to go to sleep and is determined to stay awake as long as possible.
Fisher, Valorie. Everything I Need to Know Before I'm Five. Schwartz and Wade,
2011. Bright photos illustrate the concepts a child needs to know by the age of
five, including numbers, letters, colors, shapes, opposites, and seasons.
Fleming, Candace. Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! Atheneum, 2002. After planting the
garden he has dreamed of for years, Mr. McGreely tries to find a way to keep some
persistent bunnies from eating all his vegetables.
Foley, Greg E. Don't Worry, Bear. Viking, 2008. A caterpillar reassures a worried bear
that they will see each other again when the caterpillar emerges from its cocoon.
Formento, Alison. These Bees Count! Whitman, 2012. Mr. Tate's class visits a bee
and honey farm where Farmer Ellen teaches the children how to listen to the bees
talk.
Fox, Mem. Hello Baby! Beach Lane Books, 2009. A baby encounters a variety of young
animals, including a clever monkey, a hairy warthog, and a dusty lion cub, before
discovering the most precious creature of all.
George, Kristine O'Connell. Little Dog and Duncan: Poems. Clarion, 2002. This
illustrated collection of poems describes, from a little girl's point of view, what
happens when a large dog and a small dog are friends.
Gibson, Ginger Foglesong. Tiptoe Joe. Greenwillow, 2013. A bear invites all the
animals to follow him through the forest, on tiptoe, to see a special surprise that
requires utmost silence.
Griffith, Helen V. Moonlight. Greenwillow, 2012. On a cloudy night, the moon comes
out, covering the countryside like butter and awakening Rabbit to come out and
dance.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
3
Guiberson, Brenda Z. Frog Song. Holt, 2013. The songs of frogs from around the
world are discussed.
Harris, Robie H. Maybe a Bear Ate It! Orchard Books, 2008. At bedtime, a young boy
who cannot find his favorite book imagines the various creatures that might have
taken it from him.
Henkes, Kevin. Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. Greenwillow, 1996. Lilly loves everything
about school, especially her teacher, but when he asks her to wait a while before
showing the class her new purse, she does something for which she is very sorry
later.
Hodgkinson, Leigh. Goldilocks and Just One Bear. Nosy Crow, 2012. Little Bear, all
grown up, finds himself lost in a noisy, busy city where he happens to bump into
someone with golden hair who remembers exactly how he likes his porridge.
Horse, Harry. Little Rabbit Goes to School. Peachtree, 2004. Little Rabbit takes his
favorite toy, Charlie Horse, along for his first day of school, and when there is
trouble he blames it all on Charlie.
Hort, Lenny. The Seals on the Bus. Holt, 2000. Different animals -- including seals,
tigers, geese, rabbits, monkeys and more -- make their own sounds as they ride
all around the town on a bus.
Hudson, Cheryl Willis. Hands Can. Candlewick, 2003. Photographs and simple,
rhyming text present different ways that hands can be used, including holding or
mixing things and waving goodbye.
Idle, Molly. Tea Rex. Viking, 2013. With Tea Rex as her guest, Cordelia demonstrates
how to host a proper tea party.
Janni, Rebecca. Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse. Dutton, 2010. Nellie Sue, who fancies
herself to be a real cowgirl, wants a horse for her birthday, but she discovers that
a brand new bicycle -- her first -- takes almost as much taming as a filly.
Jenkins, Steve. Move! Houghton Mifflin, 2006. A variety of animals that swing, walk,
dive, swim, leap, slither, climb, fly, run, dance, float, slide, and waddle are
introduced.
Karas, G. Brian. On Earth. Putnam's, 2005. The motions of the Earth are described
as they relate to time, such as the year, seasons, and days.
Katz, Karen. Now I'm Big! McElderry Books, 2013. A little girl contrasts all of the
amazing things she can do for herself that had to be done for her when she was
a baby.
Ketteman, Helen. Señorita Gordita. Whitman, 2012. In this reset to the Southwest
of the familiar tale of the gingerbread boy, the scrumptious Gordita, a little corn
cake, escapes her pursuers until she meets a clever owl.
Klausmeier, Jesse. Open This Little Book. Chronicle Books, 2013. Pages of
decreasing size, then increasing size, reveal various animals, each opening a book
of a different color and reading about the next.
Komiya, Teruyuki. Life-size Zoo: from Tiny Rodents to Gigantic Elephants, an
Actual-Sized Animal Encyclopedia. Seven Footer Kids, 2009. Twenty-one
different types of animals found in Japan's premiere zoos are depicted using
close-up wildlife photographs accompanied by detailed descriptions.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
4
Konagaya, Kiyomi. Beach Feet. Enchanted Lion Books, 2012. This cheerful book
follows a free and independent child as he explores the beach, focusing on his
feet as he feels the sand, shells, and water.
LaRochelle, David. Moo! Walker, 2013. When Cow gets her hooves on the farmer's car,
she takes it for a wild ride through the country.
London, Jonathan. A Truck Goes Rattley-bumpa. Holt, 2005. This book uses simple
text with illustrations to describe different types of trucks doing a variety of tasks.
Long, Ethan. Up, Tall and High! Putnam's, 2012. Through illustrations and simple
text, birds demonstrate the meanings of the words up, tall, and high.
Lord, Cynthia. Hot Rod Hamster. Scholastic, 2010. A hamster, with the help of a
canine junkyard dealer and his mouse assistants, builds a hot rod and drives it
in a race against some very large dogs.
Lord, Janet. Here Comes Grandma! Holt, 2005. Grandma is coming to visit her
grandchild and she will use any possible method of transport, including a horse
and a hot air balloon, to get there.
Lyons, Shelly. Signs in My Neighborhood. Capstone, 2013. Simple text and
photographs describe basic signs found in any neighborhood and explain why
they are important.
Magoon, Scott. The Boy Who Cried Bigfoot! Simon & Schuster, 2013. Ben has so
often tried to convince people he has seen Bigfoot that when a real yeti arrives
and borrows his bicycle, no one comes to see if Ben is telling the truth.
Markes, Julie. Shhhhh! Everybody's Sleeping. HarperCollins, 2005. A young child
is encouraged to go to sleep by the thought of everyone else sleeping, from teacher
to baker to postman.
Masurel, Claire. Two Homes. Candlewick, 2001. A young boy named Alex enjoys the
homes of both his parents who live apart but love him very much.
Mavor, Salley. Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes. Houghton Mifflin,
2010. This collection of familiar nursery rhymes is illustrated with scenes made
from fabric and cloth.
McLeod, Bob. SuperHero ABC. HarperCollins, 2006. Humorously-named superheroes
such as Goo Girl and The Volcano represent the letters of the alphabet from A to
Z.
McMullan, Kate. I'm Big! Balzer + Bray, 2010. A young Sauropod encounters friends
and foes while searching for his pack, who left while he was oversleeping.
Melling, David. The Kiss That Missed. Barron's, 2002. When a goodnight kiss from
the King to his son goes astray and escapes to the forest, the bravest knight is
sent to find it and bring it back.
Meshon, Aaron. Take Me Out to the Yakyu. Atheneum, 2013. A little boy's
grandfathers, one in America and one in Japan, teach him about baseball and
its rich, varying cultural traditions.
Milgrim, David. Some Monsters Are Different. Holt, 2013. Monsters can be different
and unique, but they are all perfect and wonderful "just the way they are."
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
5
Miranda, Anne. To Market, To Market. Harcourt Brace, 1997. Starting with the
nursery rhyme about buying a fat pig at the market, this humorous tale goes on
to describe a series of unruly animals that run amok, evading capture, and
preventing the narrator from cooking lunch.
Moore, Eva. Lucky Ducklings. Orchard Books, 2013. While following their mother
through town, five little ducklings fall into a storm drain and are eventually saved
in this true rescue story.
Most, Bernard. ABC T-Rex. Harcourt, 2000. A young T-Rex loves his ABC’s so much
that he eats them up, experiencing on each letter a word that begins with that
letter.
Munro, Roxie. Rodeo. Bright Sky Press, 2007. Colorful rodeo events are depicted in
this lift-the-flap, fold-out book.
Murguia, Bethanie Deeney. Snippet the Early Riser. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. Snippet,
the early-rising snail, has trouble waking up his sleepy-headed family.
Murphy, Stuart J. Monster Musical Chairs. HarperCollins, 2000. As six monsters
play a wild game of musical chairs, readers learn to subtract - one chair at a time.
Murray, Alison. One Two That's My Shoe! Disney-Hyperion, 2012. Using illustrations
and rhyming text, the reader is encouraged to count from one to ten when a
mischievous puppy runs off with his owner's shoe.
Museum ABC. Little, Brown, 2002. This picture book features works of art from
different cultures and different periods to illustrate the letters of the alphabet.
Pinkney, Jerry. The Tortoise & the Hare. Little, Brown, 2013. Illustrations and
minimal text relate the familiar fable of the race between a slow tortoise and a
quick but foolish hare.
Raposa, Joe. Sing. Holt, 2013. The classic Sesame Street song about self-expression
and the celebration of music is presented in an illustrated version.
Raschka, Chris. Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle. Schwartz & Wade, 2013. A
father teaches his daughter all about bicycle riding, from selecting the right bike
to trying again after a fall.
Rash, Andy. Are You a Horse? Arthur A. Levine, 2009. When Roy receives a saddle
for his birthday, he goes in search of a horse to use it on, with humorous results.
Rathmann, Peggy. Good Night, Gorilla. Putnam's, 1994. An unobservant zookeeper
is followed home by all the animals he thinks he has left behind in the zoo.
Ray, Mary Lyn. Boom!: Big, Big Thunder & One Small Dog. Disney-Hyperion, 2013.
Rosie, a little dog, is afraid of nothing except thunder, and during one very bad
storm she discovers that the boy with whom she lives is frightened too.
Reid, Barbara. Picture a Tree. Whitman, 2011. Using creative artwork, the reader is
invited to look at shapes, colors, and textures of trees during their various stages
of life.
Robinson, Michelle. What to Do If an Elephant Stands on Your Foot. Dial Books,
2012. The reader receives advice on how to handle encounters with various
animals in the jungle, where a mistake while avoiding one can attract the
attention of another.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
6
Rosenthal, Eileen. I'll Save You, Bobo! Atheneum, 2012. Willy is writing a story about
Bobo in order to act out his revenge fantasies on Earl, who retaliates by wrecking
Willy's stories until they both realize that they have something in common.
Rotner, Shelley. Senses on the Farm. Millbrook, 2009. Photographs show children
using their five senses to find out what life is like on a farm.
Rueda, Claudia. Is It Big or Is It Little? Eerdmans Books, 2013. A cat and mouse
chase demonstrates such concepts as deep and shallow, scary and scared, and
beginning and end.
Rylant, Cynthia. Brownie & Pearl Grab a Bite. Beach Lane Books, 2011. A little girl
named Brownie and her cat, Pearl, enjoy their healthy lunch of cheese, apples,
crackers and milk in different ways.
Salas, Laura Purdie. A Leaf Can Be... Millbrook, 2012. With rhyming text and
illustrations, this story explores some of the many things a leaf can be, from tree
topper to rain stopper. Facts about leaves and a glossary are included.
Sayre, April Pulley. Go, Go, Grapes!: A Fruit Chant. Beach Lane Books, 2012.
Rhyming text and colorful illustrations describe various aspects of different
fruits, such as taste, scent and appearance.
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Bully. Roaring Brook, 2013. A little bull sadly discovers that
he has been a big bully.
Shaskan, Stephen. A Dog Is a Dog. Chronicle Books, 2011. Using various animals as
examples, this rhyming picture book explores what makes them the same and
what makes them different.
Slate, Joseph. Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten. Dutton, 1996. The
reader is introduced to the letters of the alphabet as Miss Bindergarten and her
students get ready for kindergarten.
Spinelli, Eileen. When No One Is Watching. Eerdmans Books, 2013. When alone, a
young girl enjoys dancing, singing, growling, and cheering, but when anyone
other than her best friend is watching, she is quiet and shy.
Springstubb, Tricia. Phoebe and Digger. Candlewick, 2013. When the new baby
arrives, Phoebe gets a new Digger to play with when Mama is busy, but during a
trip to the park, Phoebe realizes that her mother is still there when she needs
her.
Stead, Philip C. A Home for Bird. Roaring Brook, 2012. A silent Bird goes on a journey
with Vernon, the toad, in hopes of finding Bird's home.
Stein, Peter. Cars Galore. Candlewick, 2011. Cars of all shapes, colors, and sizes,
including an igloo ice-fueled polar car and an eco-friendly car that runs on air,
are presented in illustrations and rhyme.
Taback, Simms. Simms Taback's Dinosaurs: A Giant Fold-out Book. Blue Apple
Books, 2012. Clues are given to readers who are asked to guess which kind of
dinosaur is on the next fold-out page.
Thomas, Jan. Can You Make a Scary Face? Beach Lane Books, 2009. A ladybug
invites the reader to play a game of "let's pretend."
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
PreSchool, PreKindergarten, Kindergarten
7
Tierney, Fiona. Lion's Lunch? Chicken House, 2010. When Lion comes upon Sarah
walking in the jungle, he threatens to eat her unless she shows that she can do
something none of the other animals can do.
Viva, Frank. A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse. Toon Books, 2012. A
boy and a mouse take a bumpy sea journey to the majestic expanses of Antarctica
where they see the sights and meet new friends.
Wells, Rosemary. Time-out for Sophie. Viking, 2013. Although Sophie wants to be
helpful and good, sometimes she ignores her mother, father, and grandmother
and must have a time-out.
Wheeler, Lisa. Dino-Soccer. Carolrhoda Books, 2009. Plant-eating dinosaurs face
meat-eating dinosaurs in a fast-moving, exciting soccer match.
Willems, Mo. The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! Hyperion, 2008. The pigeon really, really
wants a puppy, but he changes his mind when a puppy finally arrives.
Wood, Audrey. Ten Little Fish. Blue Sky Press, 2004. Ten little fish swim along an
ocean reef, but each finds a reason to leave until there is only one left.
Yates, Louise. Dog Loves Counting. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. When Dog has trouble
putting down his books at bedtime, his friends help him find fun things to count
so he can fall asleep.
Young, Amy. Don't Eat the Baby! Viking, 2013. Tom is not entirely sure how he feels
about his new baby brother, Nathaniel, but he is very concerned that all of their
relatives say they want to eat Nate!
______________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by:
Kristin Uptmor (chair), St. Mark's Episcopal School
Adonica Aston, River Oaks Baptist School
Kathy Ellwood, River Oaks Baptist School
Jennifer Jaeger, St. Martin's Episcopal Preschool
Layne Mason, The Center for Hearing and Speech
Copyright © 2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Adderson, Caroline. Left Behind. Kids Can Press, 2013. When Jasper John’s Nan
leaves for a week-long cruise to Alaska, he can only think about how he will miss
her and all the fun things they do together. Series
Adler, David A. A Picture Book of Sam Houston. Holiday House, 2012. A brief
overview of the life and accomplishments of Texas politician Sam Houston.
Adler, David A. Young Cam Jansen and the Speedy Car Mystery. Viking, 2010. At
her school’s Green Fair, Cam and her friends are learning to keep the earth green
when a student’s remote controlled car goes missing! Was it stolen? It's up to
Cam and her photographic memory to figure it out! Series
Applegate, Katherine. Never Race a Runaway Pumpkin. HarperCollins, 2009. Roscoe
is determined to guess the weight of a giant pumpkin in order to win books for
his school library and candy for himself, but he is overwhelmed by superstitions,
especially about a certain black kitten. Series
Archer, Peggy. Name That Dog! Puppy Poems from A to Z. Dial Books, 2010. A
collection of humorously illustrated poems about dogs, their names and their
unique personalities.
Barrows, Annie. Ivy + Bean. Chronicle Books, 2006. When seven-year-old Bean plays
a mean trick on her sister, she finds unexpected support for her antics from Ivy,
the new neighbor, who is less boring than Bean first suspected. Series
Beard, Alex. The Jungle Grapevine. Abrams Books, 2009. Reminiscent of Chicken
Little, this cleverly illustrated book demonstrates how rumors get started and
quickly get out of hand.
Best, Cari. Beatrice Spells Some Lulus and Learns to Write a Letter. Farrar, Straus
and Giroux, 2013. Beatrice enjoys learning to spell, and gets really excited about
it after some encouragement from her grandmother, but she has trouble
convincing her classmates that spelling is not boring.
Bell, Cece. Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover. Candlewick, 2012. Rabbit has his best
friend Robot coming to spend the night. Rabbit has everything planned out, but
Robot has different ideas about his friend’s plans which ultimately result in an
enjoyable time together.
Branford, Anna. Violet Mackerel’s Natural Habitat. Atheneum, 2013. As the youngest
in her family, seven year old Violet identifies with small creatures in the natural
world, but when she tries to help a special ladybug, she learns an important
lesson about animal habitats. Series
Brendler, Carol. Winnie Finn, Worm Farmer. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009. Zany
and whimsical drawings bring this story about Winnie, the worm farmer, to life.
Winnie needs a new wagon, so she looks for ways to win first prize at the county
fair; however, there are no prizes for worm farmers.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
2
Burleigh, Robert. One Giant Leap. Philomel, 2009. An illustrated retelling of Neil
Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's lunar landing in 1969.
Byars, Betsy. Boo’s Dinosaur. Holt, 2006. When young Boo is followed home by a
dinosaur that only she can see, it causes a bit of trouble for her older brother,
Sammy.
Chabon, Michael. The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man. Balzer + Bray 2011. A
young superhero describes his awesome powers, which he then demonstrates as
various foes arrive on the scene.
Chaconas, Dori. Cork & Fuzz: The Swimming Lesson. Viking, 2011. Cork the
muskrat wants his best friend Fuzz, a possum, to visit his home, but first he
must teach Fuzz to swim and not be afraid of the water. Series
Cocca-Leffler, Maryann. Princess K.I.M. and the Lie That Grew. Whitman, 2009. In
an attempt to impress her new classmates, Kim lies about her name and claims
that she comes from a royal family, but she gets herself into real trouble after her
classmates beg to meet Kim's grandmother--the Queen.
Collins, Ross. Dear Vampa. Katherine Tegen, 2009. A young vampire writes a letter
to his grandfather bemoaning his new neighbors.
Coy, John. Hoop Genius: How a Desperate Teacher and Rowdy Gym Class Invented
Basketball. Carolrhoda Books, 2013. In 1891 James Naismith invented
basketball as a game of skill to keep the unruly students in his gym class
engaged.
Cronin, Doreen. Diary of a Fly. Joanna Cotler, 2007. A young fly discovers, day by
day, that there is a lot to learn about being an insect, including the dangers of
flyswatters and that heroes come in all shapes and sizes.
Davis, Jill. Orangutans Are Ticklish: Fun Facts From an Animal Photographer.
Schwartz & Wade, 2010. Provides interesting facts about animals and explores
what it takes to photograph them, with animal photographer Steve Grubman
sharing some of his favorite, and scariest, encounters.
dePaola, Tomie. 26 Fairmount Avenue. Putnam’s, 1999. Children's author and
illustrator Tomie De Paola describes his experiences at home and in school when
he was a boy. Newbery Honor 2000. Series
DiCamillo, Kate. Bink & Gollie: Best Friends Forever. Candlewick Press, 2013. Bink
& Gollie are back with three new adventures. Series.
DiCamillo, Kate. Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig. Candlewick, 2008. Two sisters
move in next door to where Mercy the pig lives and, frustrated when Mercy
continues to eat their flowers, they decide to call for the help of an Animal Control
Officer, Francine Poulet, to handle the case. Series
DiPucchio, Kelly S. Grace for President. Hyperion, 2008. After finding out there has
never been a female U.S. president, Grace decides to run in her school's mock
election where she learns about the American electoral system and sets out to be
the best person for the job even though her opponent, Thomas, seems to be
winning all the boys' votes.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
3
Egan, Tim. Dodsworth in Tokyo. Houghton Mifflin, 2013. Dodsworth and his
misbehaving duck continue their journeys with a trip to Tokyo. Again Dodsworth
must come to the rescue of the duck as he causes a series of mishaps. Series.
English, Karen. Nikki & Deja: Election Madness. Clarion, 2011. Deja, excited by the
announcement that Carver School is going to elect its first ever student body
president, is confident she can nab the third grade nomination with her best
friend Nikki as her campaign manager; but her tendency to rush into things and
boss people around alienates Nikki when she needs her the most. Series
Ernst, Lisa Campbell. The Gingerbread Girl. Dutton, 2006. After their first
gingerbread disaster, the lonely old couple decides to bake again and create a
gingerbread girl who proves herself to be one smart cookie.
Feder, Sandra. Daisy’s Perfect Word. Kids Can Press, 2012. Daisy loves to collect
words. When she learns that her teacher will be moving away she decides her gift
will be “the perfect word.”
Ferris, Jeri Chase. Noah Webster & His Words. Houghton Mifflin, 2012. Recounts the
life of Noah Webster who gave us Webster’s Dictionary of the American Language
as well as important contributions to American education.
Fleischman, Paul. The Matchbox Diary. Candlewick Press, 2013. A heartwarming
story of a little girl visiting her Italian great-grandfather who learns of his life
through a diary of saved objects kept in matchboxes. This story will inspire
families to share their own family stories.
Florian, Douglas. Shiver Me Timbers! Pirate Poems & Paintings. Beach Lane Books,
2012. Pirate fans will enjoy this humorous collection of poems about the
adventures of some very colorful “scalawags and scoundrels!”
Fucile, Tony. Let’s Do Nothing! Candlewick, 2009. Young friends Frankie and Sal,
believing they have “done it all,” decide to do nothing for a while; but Frankie has
a little trouble with the concept and it is not long before the boys realize there is
no way to do nothing.
Geras, Adele. Little Ballet Star. Dial Books, 2007. Every little girl dreams of becoming
a ballet star and Tilly is no exception. In this story, Tilly visits her Aunt Gina
behind-the-scenes of a real ballet. It is Tilly’s birthday, and she unexpectedly
finds herself performing in front of a live audience.
Gibbons, Gail. Ladybugs. Holiday House, 2012. A colorful, illustrated introduction to
ladybugs, describing their physical characteristics, lifecycle, diets and their
benefits to the environment.
Gibson, Amy. Around the World on Eighty Legs. Scholastic, 2011. An illustrated
collection of poems that provides information about animals around the world.
Giff, Patricia Reilly. Flying Feet. Wendy Lamb, 2011. Charlie has always lived in his
big brother’s shadow, so when the Zigzag center organizes a “Come as a
Character” day, Charlie hopes it will be his chance to shine as he shows off his
latest invention. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
4
Grogan, John. Bad Dog, Marley! HarperCollins, 2007. Marley, a rambunctious puppy,
causes lots of trouble in his new home and feels very sad about it. He then proves
beyond a doubt that he is a valuable member of the household.
Harper, Jessica. Uh-Oh, Cleo. Putnam’s, 2008. What starts out as a perfectly ordinary
day in the Small house turns into Stitches Saturday when Cleo gets a cut on the
head after her twin brother, Jack, accidentally pulls down their toy house. Series
Hayes, Geoffrey. Benny and Penny in Just Pretend. Candlewick, 2008. Benny Mouse
insists that his little sister, Penny, leave him alone while playing, until he thinks
she is in danger. Suddenly he realizes his affection for her and joins her in a game
of pretend. Series
Heiligman, Deborah. The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos.
Roaring Brook Press, 2013. A brief biography of mathematician Paul Erdos.
Henkes, Kevin. Penny and Her Marble. Greenwillow Books, 2013. Penny finds a
marble in Mrs. Goodwin’s yard and takes it home, as guilt overcomes Penny.
Readers of this early chapter book will delight with Penny’s choice and the ending
in another delightful tale of Penny. Series
Henkes, Kevin. The Year of Billy Miller. Greenwillow Books, 2013. Seven-year-old
Billy Miller starts second grade with a bump on his head and a lot of worries, but
by the end of the year he has developed good relationships with his teacher, his
little sister, and his parents and learned many important lessons.
Hicks, Betty. Goof-Off Goalie. Roaring Brook, 2008. Ten-year-old Goose is best at
goofing off; but when he decides to become the goalie for their soccer team, his
friend Henry sets up a practice schedule and enlists their other friends to help
Goose improve his skills. Series
Hoberman, Mary Ann, ed. Forget-Me-Nots: Poems to Learn by Heart. Little, Brown,
2012. A collection of more than 120 poems for children to learn, including
selections from classic and contemporary poets, with tips and tricks from former
Children's Poet Laureate Mary Ann Hoberman on memorization and recitation.
Holm, Jennifer. Squish, #1: Super Amoeba. Random House, 2011. The young
amoeba Squish, inspired by his favorite comic book hero, Super Amoeba, tries to
navigate his way through school and save his friends and the world from the evils
that lurk in the halls. Series
Hopkins, Joseph H. The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree Loving Woman
Changed a City Forever. Beach Lane Books, 2013. An illustrated look at the
life of Kate Sessions, who planted a nursery in San Diego, California, after making
a deal with the city.
Howe, James. Houndsley and Catina: Plink and Plunk. Candlewick, 2009.
Houndsley likes canoeing and his friend Catina likes bicycling, but each has to
help the other learn to enjoy these activities in order to do them together. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
5
Jacobson, Jennifer. Andy Shane: Hero at Last! Candlewick, 2010. Andy wants two
things very much . . . to win the contest for the best decorated bicycle in the
“Home Sweet Home parade” and to be a hero; but his best friend Dolores stands
in the way of at least one goal.
Jeffers, Oliver. The Incredible Book Eating Boy. Philomel, 2006. Henry loves to eat
books until he begins to feel quite ill and decides that maybe he could do
something else with the books he has been devouring.
Johnston, Tony. Levi Strauss Gets a Bright Idea: A Fairly Fabricated Story of a
Pair of Pants. Harcourt, 2011. Re-tells, in tall-tale fashion, how Levi Strauss
went to California during the Gold Rush, saw the need for a sturdier kind of
pants, and invented jeans.
Kaplan, Michael. Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake. Dial Books, 2011. From her
first bite, young Betty Bunny likes chocolate cake so much that she claims she
will marry it one day; and she has trouble learning to wait patiently until she can
have her next taste.
Keating, Frank. Theodore. Simon & Schuster, 2006. A biography of Theodore
Roosevelt that imagines the president looking back on his life, describing his
childhood, his youthful journeys throughout the world, his experiences as a
leader, and the value he placed on knowledge, adventure, originality, and
integrity.
Keller, Laurie. Do Unto Otters: A Book About Manners. Holt, 2007. Mr. Rabbit is
worried that he might not get along with his new neighbors. A wise owl gives him
the advice "Do unto otters as you would have otters do unto you" and proceeds
to explain what this means.
Kimmel, Eric A. Anansi’s Party Time. Holiday House, 2008. When Anansi the spider
invites Turtle to a party just to play a trick on him, Turtle gets revenge at a party
of his own.
Larson, Kirby and Mary Nethery. Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina,
Friendship, and Survival. Walker, 2008. Bobbi the dog and Bob Cat show us
how friendship and perseverance kept them together through the rough times of
Hurricane Katrina.
Lasky, Kathryn. Poodle and Hound. Charlesbridge, 2009. This book contains three
stories which follow the adventures of Hound and Poodle as they discover how
much they enjoy each other's company in spite of--or possibly because of--their
differences. Series
Leedy, Loreen. Missing Math: A Number Mystery. Marshall Cavendish, 2008. A
numerical mystery ensues when the numbers all over town suddenly disappear,
bringing a halt to everyday activities.
Lester, Helen. Tacky Goes to Camp. Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Tacky the penguin and
his friends go to Camp Whoopihaha where they scare each other by telling ghost
stories around the campfire, never expecting that one of the frightening stories
will come true. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
6
Lies, Brian. Bats at the Ballgame. Houghton Mifflin, 2010. Two teams of bats enjoy
a nighttime game of baseball. Cheering the home team are the bat fans enjoying
the snacks of "mothdogs" and the like.
Lin, Grace. Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same! Little, Brown, 2010. Ling and Ting
are identical twins who people think are exactly the same, but time and again
they prove to be different.
Lo, Ginnie. Auntie Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic. Lee & Low, 2012. A Chinese
American girl’s Auntie Yang discovers soybeans, a favorite Chinese food, growing
in Illinois, leading her family to a soybean picnic tradition that grows into an
annual community event.
Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Are Friends. First published 1970. Be entertained by
the classic, short, delightful tales about best friends Frog and Toad. Series
Lyon, George Ella. All the Water in the World. Atheneum, 2011. An illustrated
explanation of the water cycle, showing how water rises to the clouds and is
rained back down again to be used by plants, people, and every living thing.
Lyons, Kelly Starling. Ellen’s Broom. Putnam’s, 2012. Ellen, a young girl growing up
in the Reconstruction Era, learns the significance of love and tradition as she
encourages her parents to “Jump the Broom” to finalize their marriage vows.
MacLachlan, Patricia and Emily MacLachlan Charest. Once I Ate a Pie. Joanna Cotler,
2006. Fourteen free-verse poems and beautiful oil paintings capture the
personality of each dog in these examples of a dog’s life from the perspective of
the animals.
Marshall, James. Fox On the Job. Puffin, 1988. Fox tries several different jobs to earn
money. Series
McDermott, Gerald. Jabuti the Tortoise: A Trickster Tale from the Amazon.
Harcourt, 2001. All the birds enjoy the song-like flute music of Jabuti, the
tortoise, except Vulture who, jealous because he cannot sing, tricks Jabuti into
riding on his back toward a festival planned by the King of Heaven.
McDonald, Megan. Daisy Jane, Best-Ever Flower-Girl! Random House, 2007. Daisy
Jane, who is thrilled to be the flower girl at her babysitter's wedding, helps save
the day when a storm threatens the festivities.
McDonald, Megan. Stink and the Ultimate Thumb-Wrestling Smackdown.
Candlewick, 2011. When Stink Moody gets a "U" (for "Unsatisfactory") in gym,
he turns first to thumb-wrestling, then to karate, to give him a sporting edge.
Series
McKay, Hilary. Lulu and the Duck in the Park. Albert Whitman, 2012. Lulu loves
animals. When Lulu finds a duck egg that has rolled out of its nest, she takes it
to class to keep it safe. Lulu isn't allowed to bring pets to school, but she's not
really breaking the rules because it's just an egg. Surely nothing bad will
happen... Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
7
McMullan, Kate. Pearl and Wagner: Five Days Till Summer. Penguin Press, 2012.
Pearl and her friend Wagner, on the verge of moving up to Ms. Bean’s first grade
class, worry about their new teacher being “mean” until something surprising
changes their mind…
McNulty, Faith. If You Decide to Go to the Moon. Scholastic, 2005. This book tells
you how to get to the moon, what to do after you land, and, most importantly,
how to get back home.
Miller, Zeitlow Pat. Sophie’s Squash. Schwartz & Wade 2013. Sophie goes to the
farmer’s market and chooses a squash which she names Bernice and treats as a
friend. What happens when Sophie has to give Bernice up?
Munro, Roxie. Hatch! Marshall Cavendish, 2011. Presents illustrations of various
eggs with related clues, prompting readers to guess which type of bird laid the
eggs.
Nees, Susan. Missy’s Super Duper Royal Deluxe Picture Day. Scholastic, 2013.
Missy likes to do everything in a super duper royal deluxe way, including
planning what she will wear for school picture day. However, her mother has
other ideas for Missy’s picture day outfit.
Nevius, Carol. Baseball Hour. Marshall Cavendish, 2008. All baseball players will
enjoy the rhythmic rhyming of this story and photo-like illustrations of children
practicing baseball in an effort to build a winning team and, ultimately, a circle
of friends.
Numeroff, Laura. The Jellybeans and the Big Art Adventure. Abrams Books, 2012.
Four friends who like to do different things such as paint, play soccer, read and
dance --- paint a mural on an outside wall of Mrs. Petunia Dinkley-Sneezer’s
candy shop that depicts them each doing what they love best. Series
Parish, Herman. Amelia Bedelia Means Business. Greenwillow Books, 2013. Amelia
Bedelia wants a new bike, but her parents will only pay for half of the bike.
Amelia Bedelia needs to find a job to earn enough money for the bike of her
dreams. Series
Pinkney, Andrea Davis. Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Songs. Little Brown,
2013. A beautiful intertwining of the lives of Martin Luther King, Jr. and singer
Mahalia Jackson, both civil right activists as their journeys brought them
together in 1963’s March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Potter, Alicia. Mrs. Harkness and the Panda. Albert A. Knopf, 2012. In 1936 Ruth
Harkness completes her husband’s difficult mission to bring the first live panda
back to the United States.
Raczka, Bob. Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys. Houghton Mifflin, 2010. A collection
of haiku poetry for boys that features poems about tree climbing, kite flying, and
other related topics.
Reynolds, Peter. The Dot. Candlewick, 2003. "Just make a mark and see where it
takes you." This sage advice, offered by her teacher, sets the young heroine on a
journey of self-expression, artistic experimentation, and success.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
8
Ries, Lori. Aggie Gets Lost. Charlesbridge, 2011. Ben is heartbroken when his puppy
Aggie goes missing while the two are playing fetch in the park, but he is
determined to find his pet. Series
Rosensteihl, Agnes. Silly Lilly In What Will I Be Today? Toon Books, 2014. Each
day of the week Silly Lilly tries out a new career through play in this fun graphic
novel for beginning readers.
Rylant, Cynthia. Annie and Snowball and the Book Bugs Club. Simon Spotlight,
2011. Annie and Henry join the summer reading club at the library, and they
vow to be "Book Bugs" for life. Series
Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge and the Big Sleepover. Simon & Schuster, 2006.
Henry and his dog Mudge are invited to a sleepover in Patrick's attic, where they
watch monster movies, eat pizza, and enjoy a contest to determine whose dog is
the best popcorn catcher. Series
Rylant, Cynthia. The High-Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Desperate Duck.
Greenwillow, 2005. In this case, animal detectives Bunny and Jack help Mabel
the duck find out who stole the sugar cubes from her tea room. Series
Sauer, Tammi. Chicken Dance. Sterling, 2009. Marge and Lola set out to get tickets
to the Elvis Poultry concert by winning a farmyard talent contest. What transpires
is hilarious!
Schneider, Josh. Tales for Very Picky Eaters. Clarion, 2011. A father tells outlandish
stories while trying to get his young son, who is a very picky eater, to eat foods
he thinks he will not like.
Scieszka, Jon. Robot Zot! Simon & Schuster, 2009. Big and bright robots advance
and defeat their way through a wonderful yet familiar place.
Scotton, Rob. Splat the Cat. HarperCollins, 2008. Splat the Cat is nervous about his
first day at cat school, but once he arrives he realizes he had nothing to worry
about.
Shannon, David. Too Many Toys. Blue Sky Press, 2008. After he finally concedes that
he has far too many toys, Spencer agrees to give many of them away; but he
realizes that there is one special toy that he absolutely cannot part with.
Sharmat, Marjorie Weinman and Mitchell Sharmat. Nate the Great and the Hungry
Book Club. Delacorte, 2009. Rosamond, who starts a book club, claims there
is a monster on the loose that is ruining pages of her cookbook, which leads Nate
the Great and his dog Sludge to investigate as undercover detectives. Series
Silverman, Erica. Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Spring Babies. Harcourt, 2010. Cowgirl
Kate and her horse Cocoa watch over the new calves, a puppy, and some baby
barn owls. Series
Sklansky, Amy E. Out of This World: Poems and Facts about Space. Alfred A.
Knopf, 2012. A collection of poems and facts about space, accompanied by color
paintings.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
9
Spinelli, Eileen. The Best Story. Dial Books, 2008. When a contest at the local library
offers a prize for the best story, a girl tries to write one using her family's
suggestions, but her story does not seem right until she listens to her heart.
Steig, William. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. First published 1969. In a moment
of fright, Sylvester the donkey asks his magic pebble to turn him into a rock, but
then he cannot hold the pebble to wish himself back to normal again! Caldecott
Medal 1970
Stewart, Melissa. A Place for Bats. Peachtree, 2012. Bats from different parts of
North America, acting as filters in the ecosystem, must now rely on humans to
protect them from extinction. This simple, well-illustrated book shows where bats
live and how we can help to save them.
Stone, Tanya Lee. Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors? : The Story of Elizabeth
Blackwell. Holt, 2013. This engaging and delightfully illustrated book brings to
life Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman doctor.
Talbott, Hudson. United Tweets of America. Putnam’s, 2008. A collection of detailed
illustrations of state birds from all fifty United States.
Tavares, Matt. Mudball. Candlewick, 2005. During a rainy Minneapolis Millers
baseball game in 1903, Little Andy Oyler has the chance to become a hero by
hitting the shortest and muddiest home run in history.
Van Leeuwen, Jean. Amanda Pig and the Wiggly Tooth. Dial Books, 2008. When
Amanda Pig has her first loose tooth, she is reluctant to pull it. Series
Viorst, Judith. Lulu Walks the Dogs. Atheneum, 2012. Lulu needs help from a boy
named Fleischman if she is to earn money walking her neighbors' dogs, and she
finds out that if she wants her business venture to succeed, she has to be nice.
Vernick, Audrey. Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother
Baseball Team. Clarion, 2012. Colorful and action-filled illustrations add to
this non-fiction picture book story of twelve baseball playing brothers -- the
Acerra brothers.
Watkins, Angela Farris. My Uncle Martin’s Words for America. Abrams Books, 2011.
Using words and phrases from Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches, his niece
explains the importance of his message and his contributions to the Civil Rights
movement.
Willems, Mo. That Is Not a Good Idea!. Balzer + Bray, 2013. A wolf and a goose meet
on the street and decide to have dinner together. But, what, or who, are they
going to eat?
Winter, Jeanette. Henri’s Scissors. Beach Lane Books, 2013. In a small weaving town
in France, a young boy named Henri-Emile Matisse drew pictures everywhere,
and when he grew up, he moved to Paris and became a famous artist who created
paintings that were adored around the world. But late in life a serious illness
confined him to a wheelchair, and amazingly, it was from there that he created
among his most beloved works—enormous and breathtaking paper cutouts.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 1 and Grade 2
10
Winter, Jeanette. The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps. Schwartz &
Wade, 2011. This picture book biography of Jane Goodall traces her life from her
childhood passion for observing the natural world to her famous studies of
chimpanzees in the wild.
Winter, Jonah. Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Atheneum, 2005.
This is the story of Roberto Clemente, a young Puerto Rican who followed his
baseball dream to the big leagues and went on to help the poor in his homeland.
Woodson, Jacqueline. Each Kindness. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012. It is only after
Maya, the new girl, moves away that Chloe regretfully realizes that she and her
friends have been unkind by excluding her from their games.
Yee, Wong Herbert. Mouse and Mole: A Winter Wonderland. Houghton Mifflin, 2010.
Best friends Mouse and Mole enjoy playing in the snow with Sno-Mouse and Sno-
Mole, two more best friends. Series
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by:
Joanne Levy (Chair), St. John’s School
Marilyn Arlen, Shlenker School
Elizabeth Holloway, The Kinkaid School
Leila Parrish, Holy Spirit Episcopal School
Lana Wallace, Second Baptist School
Copyright © 2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Aldrin, Buzz. Look to the Stars. Putnam’s, 2009. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin
traces the history of air and space exploration from Isaac Newton to the
International Space Station and Mars using personal insights and conversational
text.
Barton, Chris. The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's
Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors. Charlesbridge, 2009. Brothers Bob and
Joe Switzer had different interests and ambitions but worked together on the
dazzling creation of fluorescent colors.
Bauer, Marion Dane. Little Dog, Lost. Atheneum, 2012. A dog without a boy, a boy
without a dog, and an elderly gentleman without a sense of belonging follow their
star-crossed paths and find that love, compassion, and charity can cure
loneliness and restore balance to their lives.
Berne, Jennifer. On A Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein. Chronicle Books,
2013. Curious about the hidden mysteries of the world, Albert Einstein grows
from a silent child into one of the world’s greatest scientists.
Birney, Betty G. Mysteries According to Humphrey. Putnam’s, 2012. After learning
about Sherlock Holmes, Humphrey the classroom hamster follows clues to try
and discover why Mrs. Brisbane is gone and Mr. E., a fun but not very educational
substitute, is taking her place in Room 26 at Longfellow School. Series
Bishop, Nic. Nic Bishop Snakes. Scholastic, 2012. Naturalist Nic Bishop provides an
in-depth examination of snakes, including details on the characteristics,
habitats, and abilities of various species of reptiles.
Brown, Don. Henry and the Cannons: An Extraordinary True Story of the
American Revolution. Roaring Brook, 2013. In 1776, Henry Knox creatively
delivers cannons to General Washington in Boston, which leads to a victory over
the British Army.
Butler, Dori Hillestad. The Case of the School Ghost. Whitman, 2012. When Buddy,
a therapy dog, attends the fourth grade sleepover in the school’s library, he solves
the mystery of the school ghost. Series
Cleary, Beverly. The Mouse and the Motorcycle. HarperCollins, 1965. A reckless
young mouse named Ralph makes friends with a boy in room 215 of the Mountain
View Inn and discovers the joys of motorcycling.
Cole, Henry. A Nest for Celeste. Katherine Tegen, 2010. Celeste, a mouse longing for
a real home, becomes a source of inspiration to teenaged Joseph who is an
assistant to the artist and naturalist John James Audubon, at a New Orleans,
Louisiana, plantation in 1821.
Cowell, Cressida. How to Train Your Dragon. Little, Brown, 2003. In this silly chapter
book, the Viking boy Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, son of the chief, finds
himself needing to find and train a dragon and becomes an unlikely hero in the
process. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
2
Cronin, Doreen. The Legend of Diamond Lil: A J.J. Tully Mystery. Balzer + Bray,
2012. The search and rescue dog named J.J. is ready for a bit of rest and
relaxation after solving the mystery of the missing chicks; but there is a new dog
next door who is stealing the attention of Moosh and her chicks, and the threat
of a roaming possum keeps J.J. on the alert. Series
Crum, Shutta. Thomas and the Dragon Queen. Yearling, 2010. The princess must
be rescued from the Dragon Queen, and the smallest squire-in-training, 13-yearold
Thomas, rises to the challenge of this quest.
Dahl, Roald. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Alfred A. Knopf, 1964. Each of five
children lucky enough to discover an entry ticket into Mr. Willy Wonka's
mysterious chocolate factory takes advantage of the situation in his own way.
Davies, Jacqueline. The Lemonade Crime. Houghton Mifflin, 2011. Following The
Lemonade War, Scott Spencer, an alleged thief, is put on trial by his classmates
who construct an authentic tribunal to determine his fate and end up surprising
themselves with their verdict. Series
DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie. Candlewick, 2000. Ten year-old India Opal
Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good
things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog Winn-Dixie. Newbery
Honor 2001
Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee. Grandma and the Great Gourd: A Bengali Folk Tale.
Roaring Brook, 2013. On her way to visit her daughter on the other side of the
jungle, Grandma encounters a hungry fox, bear, and tiger, and although she
convinces them to wait for her return trip, she still must find a way to outwit
them all.
Dowson, Nick. North: The Amazing Story of Arctic Migration. Candlewick, 2011.
This book follows animals such as gray whales, terns, wolves and caribou as they
journey north to the Arctic where they will join the polar bear, arctic hare, and
fox to feed and breed all summer.
Edwards, Roberta. Who Is Jane Goodall? Grosset & Dunlap, 2012. This chapter book
biography covers the exciting life of English primatologist Jane Goodall and her
life’s work of living with the chimpanzees of Tanzania. Series
Fleming, Candace. The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary. Schwartz &
Wade, 2007. Fourth grade teacher extraordinaire, Mr. Jupiter, takes his
energetic students on a wild and woolly ride through the school year.
Fleming, Candace. Gator Gumbo: A Spicy-Hot Tale. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004.
Tired of being tormented by bullies, a hungry old alligator conjures up a way to
add some special ingredients to his gumbo.
Freeman, Martha. The Case of the Piggy Bank Thief. Holiday House, 2012. Tessa
and her sister Cammie, daughters of the first female U.S. president, explore the
mystery of the gold that is found on the White House property and are further
perplexed because Tessa’s piggy bank has disappeared. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
3
Grabenstein, Chris. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. Random House, 2013.
Nine children enter into a competition to “Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library,”
a game which the creator describes as “like The Hunger Games but with lots of
food and no bows or arrows.”
Greene, Stephanie. Sophie Hartley, On Strike. Clarion, 2006. When Sophie’s mother
makes a jobs list for the Hartley children, Sophie and her siblings go on strike,
never expecting it to backfire. Series
Gregory, Kristiana. The Clue at the Bottom of the Lake. Scholastic, 2008. Brothers
Jeff and David, along with their cousin Claire, plunge into a dangerous mystery
after spotting someone dumping a large bundle into the lake at Cabin Creek in
the middle of the night. Series
Griffiths, Andy. The 13-Story Treehouse. Feiwel and Friends, 2011. Under pressure
by their publisher to finish their next book, two young authors graphically
describe all the extraordinary distractions they face living in their 13 story
treehouse.
Gutman, Dan. Mission Unstoppable. Harper, 2011. On a cross-country vacation with
their parents, twins Coke and Pepsi, soon to be thirteen, fend off strange
assassins as they try to come to terms with their being part of a top-secret
government organization known as The Genius Files. Series
Halls, Kelly Milner. Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures That May or May
Not Exist. Darby Creek, 2006. Cryptozoology is the study of animals that may
or may not be real: familiar animals like Bigfoot and Loch Ness Monster, and
those that are less familiar like the Marozi of Kenya and the Orang-pendek of
Sumatra and the Thylacine of Tasmania. Meet these and more in this
introduction to cryptozoology.
Harley, Bill. Charlie Bumpers vs. the Teacher of the Year. Peachtree, 2003. Charlie
Bumpers, convinced his fourth grade year will be a disaster with the strictest
teacher in the school, tries to stay out of trouble, even though trouble seems to
follow his often well intentioned actions.
Harper, Charise Mericle. Just Grace and the Trouble with Cupcakes. Houghton
Mifflin, 2013. Count on third-grader Grace to cook up a creative compromise
just in time to save the day at the cupcake-themed fair. Series
Hatkoff, Juliana, et al. Looking for Miza: The True Story of the Mountain Gorilla
Family who Rescued One of Their Own. Scholastic, 2008. In the jungles of
Virunga National Park a father gorilla is searching for his two year old baby Miza,
with the help of several Congolese Rangers after her mother disappears.
Helman, Andrea. Hide and Seek: Nature's Best Vanishing Acts. Walker, 2008. This
beautifully photographed book takes the reader to ecosystems around the world
to show how animals camouflage themselves for protection in each unique
habitat.
Hicks, Betty. The Worm Whisperer. Roaring Brook, 2013. Ellison Ellis Coffey, a
lonely fifth-grader, discovers he might have the special gift of talking to bugs and
decides to use his ability to win his town's annual Woolly Worm Race.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
4
Holub, Joan. Heroes in Training: Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom. Aladdin,
2012. When ten-year-old Zeus is kidnapped, he discovers he can defend himself
with a magic thunderbolt. Series
Hopkinson, Deborah. Annie and Helen. Schwartz & Wade, 2012. Expressive and
inspired illustrations combine with poetic text in this poignant story of the
relationship between Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan, with personal
citations by Annie from her letters home.
Huey, Lois Miner. Ick! Yuck! Eew!: Our Gross American History. Millbrook, 2014.
Discover many unusual and gross facts from America in the 1700s including
many sights, smells and habits of the past.
Keller, Laurie. Bowling Alley Bandit. Holt/Christy Ottaviano, 2013. Arnie the talking
doughnut is delighted to be Mr. Bing's new pet "doughnut-dog, so when Mr. Bing
starts rolling gutter balls during a big bowling tournament, Arnie suspects foul
play and sets out to solve the mystery. Series
Kelly, Mark. Mousetronaut: Based on a (Partially) True Story. Simon & Schuster,
2012. A small but plucky mouse named Mike is sure that he can help the Space
Shuttle astronauts and ends up saving the whole mission.
Klimo, Kate. Barry. Random House, 2013. Barry der Menschenretter, a Saint Bernard
dog, reflects back on his life in the early 1800s at the Hospice of the Great Saint
Bernard in the Swiss Alps, where he rescued some forty people from avalanches.
Series
Klise, Kate. The Phantom of the Post Office. Harcourt, 2012. Seymour Hope and his
friend Wy Fye must expose the mysterious, troublesome individual who is
determined to close the Ghastly post office that will ultimately sever the
connection of the mansion’s ghostwriters with their fans. Series
Klise, Kate. The Show Must Go On! Algonquin, 2013. Two mice and a crow, who travel
with a circus, cleaning up the spilled popcorn after every performance, come to
the rescue when a greedy con artist takes over the management of the circus.
Lagercrantz, Rose. My Happy Life. Gecko, 2013. It is difficult to deal with the loss of
a loved one, a best friend who moves away, and the jitters of a new school year,
but there are also many happy moments that make life dear, as young Dani
discovers in this gentle story of childhood.
LaFevers, R. L. Flight of the Phoenix. Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Ten-year-old Nate is
sent to live with a family cousin, the world's last beastologist, after his parents
are declared lost at sea, but danger mounts when he is brought on an expedition
to the Arabian Desert, gets lost, and must protect a newly hatched phoenix egg
and rescue his guardian. Series
Lee, Jenny. Elvis and the Underdogs. Balzer + Bray, 2013. Benji, a young boy who
suffers from seizures, has his life turned around when a talking therapy dog
comes to live with him. Series
Lewis, J. Patrick. Last Laughs: Animal Epitaphs. Charlesbridge, 2012. The pictures
and poetry are a little dark; but the droll, tongue-in-cheek humor of these last
poems for animals will make you chuckle.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
5
Lewis, J. Patrick, ed. National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: With Favorites
From Robert Frost, Jack Prelutsky, Emily Dickinson, and More: 200 Poems
With Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar! National Geographic, 2012.
Full-color photographs accompany two hundred poems about animals.
Lin, Grace. Dumpling Days. Little, Brown, 2012. Pacy and her family fly to Taiwan to
visit family, celebrate her grandmother’s 60th birthday, and learn what it means
to be Taiwanese even without speaking the language. Series
Look, Lenore. Alvin Ho: Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the
Night. Schwartz & Wade, 2013. When fearful seven-year-old Alvin Ho learns
that his mother is expecting a baby, he develops a sympathetic pregnancy--
adding to his worry about the burglar who is targeting Concord, Massachusetts.
Series
MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain and Tall. First published 1985. This sweet prairie
tale of a family's experiences with Sarah, a mail-order bride from Maine, begins
with children Anna and Caleb worried that their new mother might not like being
away from the sea. Series Newbery Medal 1986
MacLachlan, Patricia. White Fur Flying. McElderry Books, 2000. A sad and silent
nine-year old boy finds his voice when he moves next to a family that rescues
dogs.
Malam, John. You Wouldn’t Want to be a Roman Gladiator! Gory Things You’d
Rather Not Know. Franklin Watts, 2001. Learn what it was like to be a Roman
gladiator in this light-hearted introduction to the life and training of a Roman
gladiator. Series
McCully, Emily Arnold. Wonder Horse: The True Story of the World's Smartest
Horse. Holt, 2010. Bill “Doc” Key, who was a former slave, trains his horse, Jim
Key, to recognize letters and numbers and perform around the country,
ultimately teaching others to treat animals humanely.
McMullan, Kate. The New Kid at School. Grosset & Dunlap, 2003. Wiglaf is chosen
from his many siblings to attend the prestigious Dragon Slayers’ Academy and
embarks upon an unforgettable journey. Series
McMullan, Kate. Have a Hot Time, Hades! Stone Arch Books, 2012. In this story with
a modern twist, Hades tells his own version of how he became King of the
Underworld and Zeus became King of the Gods. Series
Moss, Marissa. Barbed Wire Baseball. Abrams Books, 2013. Japanese American
baseball player Kenichi Zenimura, who spent time at an internment camp during
World War II, built a baseball field for his fellow prisoners to enjoy.
Moss, Marissa. Nurse, Soldier, Spy: the Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero.
Abrams Books, 2011. The author describes the life of Sarah Emma Edmonds,
who disguised herself as a man, took the name Frank Thompson, joined a
Michigan army regiment to fight in the Civil War, served as a nurse on the
battlefield, and became a spy.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Shiloh. Atheneum, 1991. Marty must make some painful
decisions about returning a dog to his abusive owner. Newbery Honor Book 1992.
Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
6
Nobleman, Marc Tyler. Bill, the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman.
Charlesbridge, 2012. Although Bob Kane is featured as the creator of Batman, a
second, unsung, anonymous architect of the superhero by the name of Bill Finger
worked steadfastly as designer, writer, and costumer of the Caped Crusader and
was only acknowledged for his contributions through the efforts of his friends
after his death.
Nolan, Lucy. Bad to the Bone. Marshall Cavendish, 2008. Neighboring dogs, Down
Girl and Sit, are discovering that their owners are very hard to train. Series
Osborne, Mary Pope. Dolphins and Sharks: A Non-Fiction Companion to Dolphins
at Daybreak. Random House, 2003. Discusses dolphins and sharks, their
ocean habitats, and general information about oceans and oceanography. Series
Peck, Richard. The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail. Dial Books, 2013. A very
small mouse of unknown origins runs away from school in the Royal Mews of
Buckingham Palace shortly before the celebration of Queen Victoria's diamond
jubilee, celebrating her sixty years on the British throne.
Peot, Margaret. Inkblot: Drip, Splat, and Squish Your Way to Creativity. Boyds
Mills, 2011. In addition to interesting facts about the world of art, step-by-step
instructions and examples are provided for using inkblots to spark creativity.
Preus, Margi. Celebritrees: Historic & Famous Trees of the World. Holt, 2010.
Read about fourteen trees from around the world that are significant in history
or legend, such as the Bodhi Tree under which Buddha gained enlightenment,
reminding us that these fascinating trees bring us pleasure and tell us about
history.
Primavera, Elise. Libby of High Hopes. Simon & Schuster, 2012. When ten-year-old
Libby Thump stumbles upon High Hopes Horse Farm and finds her dream horse,
Princess, a prize-winning jumping horse that has been put out to pasture, Libby
tries to convince her parents to give her riding lessons.
Raczka, Bob. The Vermeer Interviews: Conversations with Seven Works of Art.
Millbrook, 2009. Seven of Johannes Vermeer’s most famous paintings, such as
“The Milkmaid” and “The Geographer,” come to life through interviews with the
subjects to reveal artistic techniques and subtler aspects of Vermeer’s unique
photographic-style art.
Raum, Elizabeth. Orphan Trains: An Interactive History Adventure. Capstone,
2011. Describes the people and events involved in the orphan trains while the
reader’s choices reveal historical details from the perspectives of a New York City
newsboy, a child trying to keep his siblings together, and an child sent west on
the baby trains. Series
Ripkin, Cal, Jr. Super-Sized Slugger. Disney-Hyperion, 2012. Thirteen-year-old Cody
Parker moves to Baltimore, Maryland, where as a fat eighth-grader, he has to
deal with brutal teasing from a baseball teammate, and his school is beset by a
rash of mysterious thefts that threaten to sideline Cody and ruin a golden season
for his team. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
7
Rose, Deborah Lee. Jimmy the Joey: The True Story of an Amazing Koala Rescue.
National Geographic, 2013. Fall in love with Jimmy, the koala joey, as you learn
about the endangered Australian marsupial in this interesting, colorful photo
essay.
Rosenstock, Barb. Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library. Calkins Creek, 2013. Looks
at how Thomas Jefferson's love of books led to the creation of the Library of
Congress.
Roy, Ron. Detective Camp. Random House, 2006. Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are at
Detective Camp and right away discover a crime. Series
Schlitz, Laura Amy. The Night Fairy. Candlewick, 2010. When Flora the night fairy’s
wings are broken and she cannot fly, she has to learn to do everything differently.
Shefelman, Janice. I, Vivaldi. Eerdmans Books, 2008. This picture book biography
describes how Vivaldi grew to be a famous musician, despite his mother's vow for
him to become a priest.
Silverstein, Shel. Every Thing On It: Poems and Drawings. Harper, 2011. Enjoy
another remarkable collection of playful poems by the magical Shel Silverstein.
Singer, Marilyn. Follow, Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems. Dial Books, 2013. A
collection of clever poems that can be read backward and forward, often opposite
in their meaning – all of familiar fairy tales.
Singer, Marilyn. A Full Moon is Rising: Poems. Lee & Low, 2011. A collection of
illustrated poems about events and beliefs from around the world involving the
full moon. Includes a map and biographical references.
Smith, Jr. Charles R. Brick by Brick. Amistad, 2013. This beautifully illustrated
picture book in verse provides a window to the construction of the original White
House and highlights the contributions of the slaves who toiled so hard and who
learned new skills in order to work for wages and buy their freedom.
Spielman, Gloria. Marcel Marceau: Master of Mime. Kar-Ben, 2011. A picture book
biography of Marcel Marceau discusses how Charlie Chaplin influenced his
desire to become a silent actor, looks at how he used his talents during World
War II to help the Jews, and discusses his development into the world's bestknown
mime.
Spiers, Ashley. Binky the Space Cat. Kids Can Press, 2009. Binky’s blast-off into
outer space (outside) to battle aliens (bugs) is delayed when he realizes he’s left
something behind –and it’s not the anti-gravity kitty litter. Series
Sternberg, Julia. Like Bug Juice on a Burger. Amulet Books, 2013. As the days go
on, nine-year-old Eleanor realizes that maybe being at summer camp isn't so bad
after all, and is full of special surprises. Series
Tarshis, Lauren. The San Francisco Earthquake, 1906. Scholastic, 2012. Tenyear-
old Leo loves being a newsboy in San Francisco; but early one spring
morning in 1906 Leo's world is shaken when he finds himself stranded in the
middle of San Francisco as it crumbles and burns to the ground. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
8
Taylor, Barbara. Hidden in the Grass. QEB, 2011. This book gives examples of how
animals in North American and African grasslands use camouflage to help them
adapt to their habitats and hide from predators. Series
Trine, Greg. The Curse of the Bologna Sandwich. Holt, 2006. After graduating from
the Superhero Academy, Melvin Beederman heads for Los Angeles where he
unexpectedly teams up with Candace Brinkwater, school play actress, to nab the
evil McNasty Brothers. Series
Vail, Rachel. Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters. Feiwel and
Friends, 2010. Written in diary form, Justin writes honestly about his worries
and observations of life in the third grade. Series
Van Allsburg, Chris. Queen of the Falls. Houghton Mifflin, 2011. This biography tells
about Annie Edson Taylor, a retired instructor of a charm school, who decided to
attempt to go over Niagara Falls in a wooden barrel at the age of sixty-two.
Wallace, Bill. Upchuck and the Rotten Willy. Aladdin, 1998. Chuck, the cat,
lonesome since his Katie goes to college, ventures out and meets a beast, big and
black, named Rotten Willy, who has a heart of gold. Series
Wallace, Rich. The Ball Hogs. Alfred A. Knopf, 2010. In this beginning chapter book,
Mark and Ben, both highly competitive, refuse to pass the soccer ball but
eventually realize that their best chance of winning is working together. Series
Winter, Jonah. You Never Heard of Willie Mays? Schwartz & Wade, 2013. A visual
profile of baseball star Willie Mays, tracing his Birmingham childhood,
achievements in the Negro Leagues, and fame as a center fielder for the Giants.
Yezerski, Thomas F. Meadowlands: A Wetlands Survival Story. Farrar, Straus and
Giroux, 2011. New Jersey’s Meadowlands, which have been recovering from
decades of human destruction, are now mending thanks to community activism.
Yolen, Jane and Rebecca Dotlich. Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy Tale Voices with
a Twist: Poems. WordSong, 2013. Characters from fairy tales give their versions
in paired poems.
Young, Ed. The House Baba Built: An Artist’s Childhood in China. Little, Brown,
2011. Ed Young describes his childhood home, which was built by his father in
Shanghai, and reflects on his fond memories of playing in the home while guests
moved in to seek safety from the war affecting China.
________________________________________________________________________
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 3 and Grade 4
9
Compiled by:
Laurie Mitchell (Chair), St. Mark’s Episcopal School
Jillian Cox, Kinkaid School
Marjorie Donaruma, St. John's School
Susan Gerding, The John Cooper School
Christa Pryor, River Oaks Baptist School
Georgene Quirke, The Fay School
Cindy Schumacher, Annunciation Orthodox School
Copyright ©2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 5
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Angleberger, Tom. Darth Paper Strikes Back: An Origami Yoda Book. Amulet
Books, 2011. Harvey, upset when his Darth Paper finger puppet brings
humiliation, gets Dwight suspended – but Origami Yoda asks Tommy and Kellan,
now in seventh grade, to make a new case file to persuade the School Board to
reinstate Dwight. Series
Appelt, Kathi. The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp. Atheneum, 2013.
Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn, ancient Sugar Man, and his raccoon-brother
Swamp Scouts Bingo and J'miah try to save Bayou Tourterelle from feral pigs
Clydine and Buzzie, greedy Sunny Boy Beaucoup, and world-class alligator
wrestler and would-be land developer Jaeger Stitch in this hilarious tall tale from
a Texas swamp.
Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan. Harper, 2012. When Ivan, a gorilla
who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a
baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her
a better life.
Broach, Elise. Masterpiece. Holt/Christy Ottaviano, 2008. Marvin, a beetle, and his
family live in the home of eleven-year-old James and his family. When James’
birthday party fails miserably, Marvin surprises James with an elaborately
intricate pen and ink drawing Marvin has created. Trouble begins when the
drawing is mistaken for James’ work, which sets off action that leads to a fastpaced
mystery featuring an unlikely friendship, the discovery of art forgery, and
thievery.
Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone Shines My Shoes. Dial Books, 2009. Moose
Flanagan, who lives on Alcatraz along with his family and the families of the other
prison guards, is frightened when he discovers that noted gangster Al Capone, a
prisoner there, wants a favor in return for the help that he secretly gave Moose.
Sequel
Colfer, Eoin. The Atlantis Complex. Disney-Hyperion, 2010. When an army of fairy
space probes programmed to destroy Atlantis returns to Earth, Artemis Fowl
attempts to stop the destruction of the city while dealing with his own delusional
and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Series
Creech, Sharon. The Great Unexpected. Joanna Cotler, 2012. Orphans Naomi and
Lizzie are best friends, but Naomi has a knack for being around when trouble
happens, and she knows all the peculiar people in town. Into their lives drops
the strangely charming Finn boy. Across the sea, on a grand estate in Ireland, an
elderly lady has a plan. These two worlds weave together with the great
unexpected gifts of love and forgiveness.
Delano, Marfe Ferguson. Helen’s Eyes: A Photobiography of Annie Sullivan, Helen
Keller's Teacher. National Geographic, 2008. Annie Sullivan grew up in extreme
poverty with her own eye problems. Her first and only job was teaching Helen
Keller how to “see” despite the fact that she was blind, deaf, and mute.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 5
2
Feldman, Jody. The Gollywhopper Games. Greenwillow, 2008. When the Golly Toy
& Game Company announces the Gollywhopper Games, Gil Goodson wants to be
the lucky winner; this could be the perfect opportunity for his family to move
away from Orchard Heights. Can he solve the puzzles and complete the stunts?
This may remind you of a modern day Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!
Flanagan, John. The Royal Ranger. Philomel, 2013. Will Treaty is a shell of his former
self, and his first apprentice may be the only one who can save him. Series
Gourlay, Candy. Tall Story. David Fickling Books, 2010. Sixteen-year-old Bernardo,
who is eight feet tall and suffers from a condition called Gigantism, leaves the
Philippines to live with his mother's family in London, much to the delight of his
thirteen-year-old half-sister Andi, a passionate basketball player.
Hale, Shannon. Rapunzel’s Revenge. Bloomsbury, 2008. In this graphic novel,
Rapunzel, having grown up in a lovely castle with the woman she thought was
her mother, is placed in a very tall hollow tree as punishment after her curiosity
prompts her to climb the castle wall and look at the ruin of the world beyond her
home. She is able to escape and, with the help of Jack, embarks on a plan to
free the land and find her true mother.
Hannigan, Katherine. True (…Sort Of). Greenwillow, 2011. For most of her eleven
years, Delly has been in trouble without knowing why. Her little brother, R.B.,
and a strange, silent new friend, Ferris, help her find a way to be good -- and
happy -- again.
Kehret, Peg. Ghost Dog Secrets. Dutton, 2010. Sixth-grader Rusty is determined to
help an injured dog that is chained outdoors in frigid weather with no food, water,
or shelter. He calls animal control and takes matters into his own hands, aided
by his best friend and a ghost collie that leads Rusty to an even deeper secret.
Kelly, Lynne. Chained. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. To work off a family debt,
ten-year-old Hastin leaves his desert village in India to work as a circus elephant
keeper; but many challenges await him, including trying to keep Nandita, a sweet
elephant, safe from the cruel circus owner.
Kerley, Barbara. Walt Whitman: Words for America. Scholastic, 2004. A biography
of the American poet whose compassion led him to nurse soldiers during the Civil
War, to give voice to the nation’s grief after Lincoln’s assassination, and to
capture the true American spirit in verse.
Kirby, Matthew J. Icefall. Scholastic, 2011. Princess Solveig and her army are trapped
in a hidden fortress between towering mountains and a frozen fjord. As they
await news of the king’s victory and for the all-encompassing ice to break, acts of
treachery make it clear that a traitor lurks in their midst.
Lai, Thanhha. Inside Out and Back Again. Harper, 2011. Through a series of poems,
a young girl chronicles the life-changing year of 1975, when she, her mother, and
her brothers leave Vietnam and resettle in Alabama.
Lin, Grace. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Little, Brown, 2009. A magical
story of a young girl who wishes for fortune and happiness for her village and
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 5
3
leaves her family to find the mysterious Old Man of the Moon. Newbery Honor
2010
Magnin, Joyce. Cake. Zonderkidz, 2012. Wilma Sue is wary of the eccentric sisters,
Ruth and Naomi, at her new foster home, but wonders if she might have a true
home with them, baking and delivering cakes and tending their chickens, until
she is implicated in a series of neighborhood crimes.
Mass, Wendy. 11 Birthdays. Scholastic, 2009. Best friends since their mothers met
at the hospital when they were born, Amanda and Leo always celebrate their
birthdays together. However, now that they are turning 11, they are no longer
speaking to each other and everything is not as normal as it may appear. This is
one birthday that does not seem to end!
Messner, Kate. Hide and Seek. Scholastic, 2013. For five hundred years the Jaguar
Cup, sacred to the Silver Jaguar Society, was hidden in a cave on the coast of
Costa Rica--so when a fake copy shows up on display in America, it is up to Jose,
Anna, and Henry, junior members of the society, to travel to Costa Rica and
rescue the real cup from thieves. Series
O’Connell, Caitlin and Donna M. Jackson. The Elephant Scientist. Houghton Mifflin,
2011. While on assignment to study elephants in Nambia, scientist Caitlin
O’Connell uncovers fascinating new information about elephant communication.
Beautiful photographs of the African landscape and elephants along with the
story of a woman’s journey to find her professional calling make this a fascinating
read.
O’Connor, Barbara. On the Road to Mr. Mineo’s. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012.
Sherman, a one-legged pigeon, sets everyone aflutter in a small southern town.
O’Connor, George. Hera, the Goddess and Her Glory. First Second, 2011. Recounts
the stories of the many heroes who sought and won the approval and patronage
of Hera, the Queen of the Gods, including the story of Heracles. Series
Palacio, R.J. Wonder. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was
born with extreme facial abnormalities, goes from being home-schooled to
entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, where he endures
the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another
student.
Paterson, Katherine and John. The Flint Heart: A Fairy Story. Candlewick, 2011.
A magical amulet, created by a Stone Age magic man for an ambitious individual
wishing to take control of his tribe, brings power and despair to those who touch
it. When the amulet reemerges, Charles and his sister Unity must find a way to
rescue the humans, fairies, and animals from the mysterious object.
Perl, Erica S. Aces Wild. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. Eleven-year-old Zelly Fried’s parents
will not allow her to have a slumber party until she teaches her mischievous
puppy, Ace, to behave, but with Grandpa Ace around nothing is ever simple.
Philbrick, Rodman. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg. Blue Sky Press,
2009. Homer P. Figg escapes from his wretched foster home in Pine Swamp,
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 5
4
Maine, and sets out to find his beloved older brother, Harold, who has been
illegally sold into the Union Army. Newbery Honor, 2010
Potter, Ellen. The Humming Room. Feiwel and Friends, 2012. Twelve-year-old orphan
Roo Fanshaw is sent to live with an uncle she never knew in a largely uninhabited
mansion on Cough Rock Island and discovers a wild river boy, an invalid cousin,
and the mysteries of a hidden garden.
Riordan, Rick. The Lost Hero. Disney-Hyperion, 2010. Jason, Piper, and Leo, three
students from a school for "bad kids," find themselves at Camp Half-Blood, where
they learn that they are demigods and begin a quest to free Hera, who has been
imprisoned by Mother Earth herself. Series
Ross, Stewart. Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way By Land,
Sea, and Air. Candlewick, 2011. Fourteen amazing journeys by explorers
throughout history and the methods they used by land, sea, and sky to find their
way. Includes unfolding cross sections of vessels.
Say, Allen. Drawing from Memory. Scholastic, 2011. Using watercolor paintings,
original cartoons, vintage photographs, and maps, Caldecott medalist Allen Say
chronicles his experiences as an artist during World War II and describes his
relationship with his mentor Noro Shinpei, Japan's leading cartoonist.
Scattergood, Augusta. Glory Be. Scholastic, 2012. In the summer of 1964 as she is
about to turn twelve, Glory’s town of Hanging Moss, Mississippi, is beset by racial
tension when town leaders close her beloved public pool rather than desegregate
it. Based on real-life events, this is a story of family, friendship, and some of life’s
tough choices.
Selfors, Suzanne. The Sasquatch Escape. Little, Brown, 2013. Spending the summer
in his grandfather's rundown town, ten-year-old Ben meets an adventurous local
girl and together they learn that the town's veterinarian runs a secret hospital for
imaginary creatures.
Selznick, Brian. Wonderstruck: A Novel in Words and Pictures. Scholastic, 2011.
Rose and Ben are deaf children living fifty years and worlds apart, yet both marvel
and connect with the world around them. The American Museum of Natural
History links their separate stories – one narrated in text and the other through
cinematic illustrations.
Sherry, Maureen. Walls Within Walls. Katherine Tegen, 2010. When the Smithfork
family moves into a lavish Manhattan apartment building, they discover clues to
a decades-old mystery hidden behind the walls of their new home.
Snicket, Lemony. “Who Could That Be at This Hour?”. Little, Brown, 2012. Thirteenyear-
old Lemony Snicket begins his apprenticeship with S. Theodora Markson of
the secretive V.F.D. in the tiny dot of a town called Stain'd By The Sea, where he
helps investigate the theft of a statue.
St. John, Lauren. The White Giraffe. Dial Books, 2006. After losing her parents in a
tragic fire, eleven-year-old Martine must live with a grandmother she has never
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 5
5
met on a wildlife preserve in Africa where she learns about a mystical white
giraffe.
Standiford, Natalie. The Secret Tree. Scholastic, 2012. Sixth-graders Minty and her
new friend Raymond discover a tree with a hollow trunk that holds the secrets of
the people in their neighborhood. While watching their neighbors to solve the
mysteries of the secrets and break a curse, the friends will have to work through
some of their own secrets as well.
Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. Wendy Lamb, 2009. As her mother prepares
to be a contestant on the 1980’s television game show “The $20,000 Pyramid,” a
twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious
notes received from an anonymous source that seem to defy laws of time and
space. Newbery Award, 2010
Stewart, Trenton Lee. The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict. Little,
Brown, 2012. Nine-year-old Nicholas Benedict is moved to one more orphanage:
this one filled with nasty bullies who target him, a suspicious orphanage director,
and a mystery about lost treasure. Using his superior intellect and fierce
determination, Nicholas strives to solve the mystery and makes a couple of fast
friends in the process. Series
VanHecke, Susan. Raggin’ Jazzin’ Rockin’: A History of American Musical
Instrument Makers. Boyds Mills, 2011. A history of American musical
instrument makers and the contributions they made to the changing sound of
music.
Weeks, Sarah. Pie. Scholastic, 2011. Alice's Aunt Polly passes away and entrusts the
recipe for her world-famous pie crust to her cat, which she leaves in Alice's care.
As everyone, including Alice, tries to discover the secret ingredients, Alice learns
some important lessons about faith, love, and family.
Weston, Robert Paul. Zorgamazoo. Razorbill, 2008. Imaginative and adventurous
Katrina eludes her maniacal guardian to help Morty, a member of a vanishing
breed of zorgles, with his quest to uncover the fate of the fabled zorgles of
Zorgamazoo as well as of other creatures that seem to have disappeared from the
Earth.
Wood, Maryrose. The Mysterious Howling. Balzer + Bray, 2010. Three wild children
who were raised by wolves and their young governess, Penelope, are caught up
in the mysteries of Ashton Place and the people who live there. Series
______________________________________________________________________________
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 5
6
Compiled by:
Grace Littlefield (Chair), Second Baptist School
Jenny Filardo, Presbyterian School
Judann Luening, Kinkaid School
Gina Lunsford, The Woodlands Christian Academy
Nita Schriver, Annunciation Orthodox School
Aria Tatelman, formerly at Duchesne Academy
Copyright ©2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 6
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Allen, Crystal. The Laura Line. Balzar + Bray, 2013. When Laura Dyson’s seventh
grade history teacher schedules a class trip to the slave shack on her
grandmother’s farm, Laura is forced to come to terms with her family’s past and
what it means for her future.
Avi. The Seer of Shadows. HarperCollins, 2008. In this intriguing historical ghost
story set in New York City in 1872, Horace Carpetine becomes an apprentice to
a local society photographer and learns more about deception, ghosts, and
photography than he could ever have imagined.
Balliett, Blue. Hold Fast. Scholastic, 2013. On a cold winter day in Chicago, Early’s
father disappeared. Now she, her brother, and mother have been forced to flee
their apartment and join the ranks of the homeless – leaving it up to Early to
hold her family together and solve the mystery surrounding her father.
Bauer, Joan. Close to Famous. Viking, 2011. Twelve-year-old Foster dreams of
growing up to become a celebrity chef despite her reading disability. Can the
quirky townsfolk of tiny Culpepper help Foster succeed?
Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks at Point Mouette. Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. When
the three younger Penderwick sisters go to Maine with Aunt Claire and are
separated from oldest sister Rosalind for the first time in their lives, an
uncertain Skye is left in charge as the OAP – oldest available Penderwick.
Series
Bragg, Georgia. How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous.
Walker, 2011. “If you don’t have the guts for gore, do not read this book.” This
caveat from the publisher warns the reader that they will encounter lots of gory
details of the deaths of nineteen famous people . . . fun and informative too.
Burg, Shana. A Thousand Never Evers. Delacorte, 2008. Addie Ann Pickett, an
African American girl in 1963 Kuckachoo, Mississippi, journals about her
family, the racial injustices they face, and her fears for her older brother Elias
when he goes missing due to her own carelessness.
Calkhoven, Laurie. Will at the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863. Dutton, 2011. In 1863,
twelve-year-old Will, who longs to be a drummer in the Union army, is stuck in
his sleepy hometown of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. However, when the Union
and Confederate armies meet right there in his town, he and his family are
caught up in the fight, and Will learns about the horrors of war. Series
Compestine, Ying Chang. Revolution is Not a Dinner Party: A Novel. Holt, 2007.
During the Cultural Revolution in China, Ling struggles to make sense of
injustice and severe losses of freedom that both she and her well-educated
family must endure.
Connor, Leslie. Waiting for Normal. Katherine Tegen, 2008. Addie would like a
normal life. Not only does she live in a trailer in Schenectady, New York, with
her mother, who is not at all responsible or parental, but also she is separated
from her kind and loving stepfather and younger half-sisters. Schneider Family
Book Award, 2009
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 6
2
Creech, Sharon. The Boy on the Porch. Joanna Cotler, 2013. One day a young
couple finds a boy asleep on their porch. He is unable to speak or explain who
he is, but they choose to care for the boy and embrace his exuberant spirit and
talents. A simple tale that touches the heart and asks questions about the real
meaning of family.
Crilley, Paul. Rise of the Darklings. Egmont USA, 2010. Twelve-year-old Emily
Snow, who sells watercress on the streets of London to support herself and her
younger brother, takes the fate of humanity into her hands when she
unknowingly involves herself in a war between two factions of piskies -- small,
sarcastic fey creatures fighting for control over England -- by rescuing one.
Series
DeFelice, Cynthia. Wild Life. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011. A gripping adventure
story about a boy named Erik and a rescued dog living in the Middle of
Nowhere, North Dakota, with grandparents he hardly knows, while his parents
have been deployed to Iraq.
Dowd, Siobhan. The London Eye Mystery. David Fickling Books, 2007. When Ted
and Kat's cousin Salim disappears from the London Eye ferris wheel, the two
siblings must work together--Ted with his brain that is "wired differently" and
impatient Kat--to try to solve the mystery of what happened to Salim.
Draper, Sharon. Out of My Mind. Atheneum, 2010. Considered by many to be
mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient, young girl with cerebral palsy
discovers a way for her to speak for the first time.
Dubosarsky, Ursula. The Word Snoop. Dial Books, 2009. Brimming with humor,
puzzles, and more, this book offers an entertaining look at the English
language, from the origins of the alphabet to texting.
Ellis, Leanne Statland. The Ugly One. Clarion, 2013. At the height of the Incan
Empire, a girl called the Ugly One because of a disfiguring scar on her face
seeks to have the scar removed but finds a life path as a shaman instead.
Erskine, Kathryn. Mockingbird: (Mok’ing-burd). Philomel, 2010. Ten-year-old
Caitlin, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, struggles to understand emotions, show
empathy, and make friends at school, while at home she seeks closure by
working on a project with her father.
Flanagan, John. The Outcasts. Philomel, 2011. In this action-packed companion
series to Flanagan’s Rangers Apprentice books, a sixteen-year-old Skandian-
Araluen named Hal and his group of misfit friends compete against two other,
more powerful, brotherbands, enduring three months of grueling training in
seamanship, weapons, and battle tactics to determine who will win the coveted
prize. Series
Fleming, Candace. The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous
Life of Showman P.T. Barnum. Schwartz & Wade, 2009. Filled with
reproductions of old photographs, circus posters, and museum flyers, this
fascinating biography of the life of showman Phineas Taylor Barnum will both
engage and entertain readers.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 6
3
Freedman, Russell. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind
an American Friendship. Clarion, 2012. This fascinating account focuses on
the lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, including their friendship
and its effect on emancipation and the Civil War.
Gantos, Jack. Dead End in Norvelt. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011. In the historic
town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelve-year-old Jack Gantos spends the summer
of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he is assigned to help an elderly
neighbor with a most unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax,
twisted promises, Girl Scout cookies, underage driving, lessons from history,
typewriting, and countless bloody noses. Newberry Award, 2012.
Gibbs, Stuart. The Last Musketeer. Harper, 2011. On a family trip to Paris to sell
family heirlooms, fourteen-year-old Greg and his parents are whisked back to
1615 Paris, and Greg teams up with the soon-to-become Three Musketeers in
an attempt to free his imprisoned parents from imminent death. Series
Graff, Lisa. Tangle of Knots. Philomel, 2013. Destiny leads eleven-year-old Cady to
a peanut butter factory, a family of children searching for their own Talents,
and a Talent Thief who will alter her life forever.
Hiaasen, Carl. Chomp. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. A combination of wild animals and
reality TV is mixed with a dose of humor, adventure, and mystery when the
fame-seeking star of the show disappears in the Florida Everglades and Wahoo
Cray, the young animal wrangler, and his new friend Tuna are the only ones
who can find him.
Hoose, Phillip. Moonbird: A Year on the Wind With the Great Survivor B95.
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012. Documents the survival tale of an intrepid
shorebird who has endured annual migrations between Argentina and the
Canadian Artic throughout the course of a long lifetime while his species
continues to decline.
Hopkinson, Deborah. Titanic: Voices from the Disaster. Scholastic, 2012. Draws
on stories from survivors as well as archival photographs to describe the history
of the Titanic from its launch to its fateful sinking.
Johnson, Rebecca L. Journey into the Deep: Discovering New Ocean Creatures.
Millbrook, 2011. Travel with oceanographers discovering new animals during a
ten-year project documenting sea life. Learn about new species of interesting
creatures such as jellyfish, octopuses, squids, and sea worms found along coral
reefs, ocean mountain ranges, and in the deepest, darkest zones of the ocean
floor.
Kadohata, Cynthia. The Thing About Luck. Atheneum, 2013. Just when twelveyear-
old Summer thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong in a year of bad
luck, an emergency takes her parents to Japan, leaving Summer to care for her
little brother while helping her grandmother cook and do laundry for harvest
workers.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 6
4
Kelly, Jacqueline. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. Holt, 2009. Calpurnia
struggles with growing up as she spends more of her free time with her
grandfather, an avid naturalist, examining the beauty of nature, while at the
same time her mother wants to teach her the responsibilities of a young woman
during the turn of the century in Central Texas. Newbery Honor, 2010
Kennedy, Caroline, ed. Poems to Learn by Heart. Disney-Hyperion, 2013. A
wonderful selection of poems -- some old favorites, some new -- arranged by
everyday subjects like school, family, self, sports, etc., accompanied by
watercolor illustrations so charmingly done by Jon J. Muth. A book to treasure
and share!
Korman, Gordon. The Hypnotists. Scholastic, 2013. Twelve-year-old Jackson Opus
is descended from two powerful hypnotist bloodlines, but he has just begun to
realize that he can control other people’s actions with sometimes frightening
results- especially when the head of the Sentia Institute plans to use Jackson
for his own benefit.
Landon, Kristen. The Limit. Aladdin, 2010. When his family exceeds its legal debt
limit, thirteen-year-old Matt is sent to the Federal Debt Reduction Agency
workhouse where he discovers illicit activities are being carried out using
children who have been placed there.
Levine, Kristin. The Lions of Little Rock. Putnam, 2012. In 1958 Little Rock,
Arkansas, painfully shy twelve-year-old Marlee sees her city and family divided
over school integration, but her friendship with Liz, a new student, helps her
find her voice and fight against racism.
Mass, Wendy. The Candymakers. Little, Brown, 2010. Four gifted twelve-year-olds,
including Logan, the candymaker's son, are set to be contestants in the
Confectionary Association's national competition to determine the nation's
tastiest sweet, but nobody anticipates that a friendship will form between the
children.
Miller, Sarah. Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller. Atheneum, 2007. This is
Annie Sullivan’s story of challenge and determination as she tries to become a
teacher of the child Helen Keller, who is blind, deaf, and overindulged by her
desperate parents.
O’Connor, George. Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess. First Second, 2010. Action and
adventure are in store for the Greek goddess Athena in this graphic portrayal
that is told through five myths. Series
Pearsall, Shelly. Jump into the Sky. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. In 1945, thirteen-year-old
Levi is sent to find the father he has not seen in three years. He travels from
Chicago to segregated North Carolina and finally to Pendleton, Oregon, where
he learns that his father's unit, the all-Black 555th paratrooper battalion, will
never see combat but finally has a mission. Includes historical notes.
Preus, Margi. Shadow on the Mountain. Amulet Books, 2012. In Nazi-occupied
Norway, fourteen-year-old Espen joins the resistance movement, graduating
from deliverer of illegal newspapers to courier and spy. Based on the real-life
adventures of a Norwegian boy.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 6
5
Riordan, Rick; adapted by Orpheus Collar. The Red Pyramid: Graphic Novel.
Disney-Hyperion, 2012. Brilliant Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane accidently
unleashes the Egyptian god Set who banishes the doctor to oblivion and forces
his two children to embark on a dangerous journey, bringing them closer to the
truth about their family and its link to a secret order that has existed since the
time of the pharaohs.
Ryan, Pam Muñoz. The Dreamer. Scholastic, 2010. A fictionalized biography of the
Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, who grew up a painfully shy
child, ridiculed by his overbearing father, but still became one of the most
widely-read poets in the world.
Scott, Elaine. Space, Stars, and the Beginning of Time: What the Hubble
Telescope Saw. Houghton Mifflin, 2011. Amazing photographs from space
illustrate this history of telescopes, astronomy, black holes and the Big Bang
theory.
Sloan, Holly Goldberg. Counting by 7s. Dial, 2013. Twelve-year-old genius and
outsider Willow Chance must figure out how to connect with other people and
find a surrogate family for herself after her parents are killed in a car accident.
Smith, Roland. Tentacles. Scholastic, 2009. After the mysterious disappearance of
their parents, Marty and Grace go to live with their scientist uncle and
accompany him on what soon becomes an increasingly dangerous expedition to
New Zealand to track a giant squid.
Stephens, John. The Emerald Atlas. Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. Using an enchanted
atlas, Kate, Michael, and Emma battle evil as they seek to be reunited with their
parents in a magical world. Series
Stone, Tanya Lee. Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream.
Candlewick, 2009. A chronicle of the thirteen women who tried to become
NASA's first women astronaut trainees in the early 1960s. All were pilots; each
earned high scores in preliminary tests. They were not accepted into the
program, but their story is riveting.
Tanner, Lian. The Museum of Thieves. Delacorte, 2010. Goldie, an impulsive and
bold twelve-year-old, escapes the oppressive city of Jewel, where children are
required to wear guardchains for their protection. She finds refuge in the
extraordinary Museum of Dunt, an ever-shifting world where she discovers a
useful talent for thievery as well as mysterious secrets that threaten her city
and everyone she loves. Series
Tubb, Kristin O’Donnell. Selling Hope. Feiwel and Friends, 2010. This story, set in
1905, is about a smart, savvy girl named Hope who travels the vaudeville circuit
with her magician dad and a cast of quirky characters (including Buster Keaton
and his family) and invents anti-comet pills in an effort to make money and to
save people from Haley’s Comet, which some people believe is about to hit the
earth.
Turnage, Sheila. Three Times Lucky. Dial Books, 2012. Washed ashore as a baby
in tiny Tupelo Landing, North Carolina, Mo LoBeau, now eleven, and her best
friend Dale turn detective when the amnesiac Colonel, owner of a café and coparent
of Mo with his cook, Miss Lana, seems implicated in a murder.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 6
6
______________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by:
Grace Littlefield (Chair), Second Baptist School
Jenny Filardo, Presbyterian School
Judann Luening, The Kinkaid School
Gina Lunsford, The Woodlands Christian Academy
Nita Schriver, Annunciation Orthodox School
Aria Tatelman, formerly at Duchesne Academy
Copyright ©2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem. Sasquatch in the Paint. Disney-Hyperion, 2013. Eighthgrader
Theo Rollins’ growth spurt has Coach Mandrake trying to transform him
into a basketball star, but training time is hurting the science club’s chances of
winning the "Aca-lympics," and being accused of stealing could mean Theo is off
both teams.
Aguirre, Ann. Enclave. Feiwel and Friends, 2011. Following her fifteenth birthday,
Huntress Deuce is sent with topsider Fade to determine the fate of a neighboring
enclave. After a shocking discovery, the pair is banished by their own enclave’s
elders and must face the darkness and dangers unlike any ever seen.
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Chains. Simon & Schuster, 2008. After being sold to a cruel
Loyalist couple in New York City, a slave named Isabel spies for the rebels during
the Revolutionary War. Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Series
Aronson, Marc. If Stones Could Speak: Unlocking the Secrets of Stonehenge.
National Geographic, 2010. Texts, photographs, and explanatory maps and
illustrations document archaeologist Mike Parker Pearson's study of Stonehenge
and the surrounding area, describing what he found and what the artifacts reveal
about the site and its history.
Asimov, Isaac. The Stars, Like Dust. First published 1951. At the death of his father,
Biron Farrill becomes involved in the plot to rebel against the Tyranni who have
conquered many worlds. Series
Barton, Chris. Can I See Your ID? : True Stories of False Identities. Dial Books,
2011. From the impoverished young woman who enchanted nineteenth-century
British society as a faux Asian princess to the lonely but clever Frank Abagnale
of "Catch Me if You Can" fame, these ten true vignettes offer riveting insight into
mind-blowing masquerades.
Black, Holly. Doll Bones. McElderry Books, 2013. Three middle school friends, who
have long enjoyed acting out imaginary adventures with dolls and action figures,
embark on a real-life quest to bury a doll made from the ashes of a dead girl, but
nothing goes according to plan. As their adventure turns into an epic journey,
creepy things begin to happen. Newbery Honor, 2014
Bondoux, Anne-Laure. A Time of Miracles. Translated from the French by Y. Maudet.
Delacorte, 2010. In the early 1990s, a boy with a mysterious past and the woman
who cares for him endure a five-year journey across the war-torn Caucasus and
Europe, weathering hardships and welcoming unforgettable encounters with
other refugees searching for a better life. Batchelder Award Winner 2011
Bradford, Chris. Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior. Disney-Hyperion, 2008.
Orphaned by a ninja pirate attack off the coast of Japan in 1611, twelve-year-old
English lad Jack Fletcher is determined to prove himself despite the bullying of
fellow students. A legendary sword master who rescues Jack begins training him
as a samurai warrior. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
2
Bullard, Lisa. Turn Left at the Cow. Houghton Mifflin, 2013. Travis runs away from
his home in California to his grandmother’s home in rural Minnesota to find out
about his father whom he never knew, and finds himself enmeshed in a mystery
about his father, as well as trying to deal with the kids next door.
Card, Orson Scott. Pathfinder. Simon Pulse, 2010. Thirteen-year-old Rigg has a
secret ability to see the paths of others’ pasts, but revelations after his death set
him on a dangerous quest that brings new threats from those who would either
control his destiny or kill him. Series
Carriger, Gail. Etiquette & Espionage. Little, Brown, 2013. In an alternate England
of 1851, spirited fourteen-year-old Sophronia is enrolled in a finishing school
where she is surprised to learn that lessons include not only the fine arts of
dance, dress, and etiquette, but also diversion, deceit, and espionage. Series
Carson, Rae. The Girl of Fire and Thorns. Greenwillow, 2011. Princess Elisa has
been married off to a neighboring king. Unsure about who she is and what to do,
she is kidnapped and catapulted into an adventure where she has to blend her
own fate with that of her people. Series
Carter, Ally. Heist Society. Disney-Hyperion, 2010. A group of teenagers uses its
combined talents to re-steal several priceless paintings and save fifteen-year-old
Kat Bishop's father, himself an international art thief, from a vengeful collector.
Series
Catmull, Katherine. Summer and Bird. Dutton, 2012. In the world of Down, young
sisters Summer and Bird are separated and go in very different directions as they
seek their missing parents, try to vanquish the evil Puppeteer, lead the talking
birds back to their Green Home, and discover the identity of the true bird queen.
Charlton, Blake. Spellwright. Tor Books, 2010. A wizard’s apprentice, Nicodemus
Weal, has trouble controlling his spells because he is dyslexic. To make matters
worse, he is named a suspect in the murder of a powerful wizard and must race
against time to clear his name and uncover who is responsible for that crime as
well as the destruction of the city around him. Series
Chatterton, Martin. The Brain Finds a Leg. Peachtree, 2009. In Farrago Bay,
Australia, thirteen-year-old Sheldon is recruited by a new student, Theo Brain,
to help investigate a murder which is tied not only to bizarre animal behavior but
also to a diabolical plot to alter human intelligence. Series
Chibbaro, Julie. Deadly. Atheneum, 2011. New York City in 1793 is reeling from
typhoid fever and sixteen-year-old Prudence is hired, against convention, by the
Sanitation Department to discover how the disease is being spread.
Choldenko, Gennifer. No Passengers Beyond This Point. Dial Books, 2011. With
their house in foreclosure, sisters India and Mouse and their brother Finn are
sent to stay with an uncle in Colorado until their mother can join them. However,
when the plane lands, the children are welcomed by cheering crowds to a strange
place where each of them has a perfect house and a clock that is ticking down
the time.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
3
Constable, Cathryn. The Wolf Princess. Scholastic, 2013. Sophie Smith is an orphan
stuck in a boarding school in London, but at night she dreams of Russia and
wolves – then, on a class trip to Saint Petersburg, she finds herself and her two
friends deliberately separated from the group and whisked off into the silver forest
of her dreams, where a mystery awaits.
Crossan, Sarah. The Weight of Water. Bloomsbury, 2013. Told in verse, this story
is about twelve-year-old Kasienka who immigrates to England from Poland with
her mother in search of Kasienka’s father. Sadly, everyone is not friendly except
for one neighbor and a cute boy Kasienka meets at the swimming pool, which is
her only refuge from bullies and an unfamiliar society.
Cummings, Priscilla. Red Kayak. Dutton, 2004. Living near the water on Maryland’s
Eastern Shore, thirteen-year-old Brady and his best friends J.T. and Digger
become entangled in a tragedy which tests their friendship and their idea about
right and wrong.
Davies, Stephen. Outlaw: A Novel. Clarion, 2011. The children of Britain's
ambassador to Burkina Faso, fifteen-year-old Jake, who loves technology and
adventure, and thirteen-year-old Kas, a budding social activist, are abducted and
spend time in the Sahara desert with Yakuuba Sor, who some call a terrorist but
others consider a modern-day Robin Hood.
Dixon, Heather. Entwined. Greenwillow, 2011. Confined to their dreary castle while
mourning their mother's death, Princess Azalea and her eleven sisters join The
Keeper, trapped in a magic passageway, in a nightly dance that soon involves
romance, mystery and eventually nightmare!
Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir. The Hound of the Baskervilles. First published 1902.
Sherlock Holmes is asked to investigate the tale of a mysterious death and a
hound that haunts the lonely moors around the Baskervilles' ancestral home.
Dumas, Alexandre. The Three Musketeers. First published 1844. Young d’Artagnan
comes to Paris to join the Musketeers who serve King Louis XIV and try to foil the
evil plots of Cardinal Richelieu.
Engle, Margarita. The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom. Holt,
2008. Using free verse poetry, Rosa tells her story of healing, revolution, slavery,
survival, and hope for freedom during three revolutions in Cuba between 1868
and 1898.
Eulberg, Elizabeth. Take a Bow. Scholastic, 2012. The Senior Showcase recital at a
performing arts high school in New York is approaching: Sophie is grateful for
the support of her friends and boyfriend; Emme and Ethan wonder whether they
could be more than friends and band-mates; and Carter does not know how to
admit that he would rather be a painter than a performer.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
4
Evans, Richard Paul. Michael Vey, Prisoner of Cell 25. Simon Pulse, 2011. To
everyone at school, fourteen-year-old Michael Vey is nothing special, just the kid
with Tourette’s syndrome. However Michael is extremely special . . . he has
electric powers. Michael and his friends set out to discover how he and a
cheerleader named Taylor ended up with their abilities, and their investigation
brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to use the electric
teens to control the world. Series
Falkner, Brian. Assault. Random House, 2012. In the year 2030, six teens have been
modified to look like the aliens who are battling for control of Earth. Their
mission: to go behind enemy lines to uncover and destroy a shocking, secret alien
project. Series
Feinstein, John. The Rivalry: Mystery at the Army-Navy Game. Alfred A. Knopf,
2010. Two teen reporters stumble across an illegal betting ring when they team
up with major Washington news reporters to cover one of the fiercest rivalries of
college football. Series
Fforde, Jasper. The Last Dragonslayer. Harcourt, 2012. Jennifer Strange runs an
agency for underemployed magicians in a world where magic is fading away, but
when visions of the death of the world's last dragon begin, all signs point to
Jennifer--and Big Magic.
Freedman, Russell. The War to End All Wars: World War I. Clarion, 2010. This is
a narrative history of World War I that features archival photographs and
describes how advanced military weaponry impacted the course of the war.
Frost, Robert. Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost. Edited by Gary D. Schmidt.
Sterling, 1994. A selection of twenty-five poems by Robert Frost arranged by the
four seasons and illustrated by Henri Sorenson. At the bottom of each poem is
a brief editor’s note about how the lines could be read.
Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. HarperCollins, 2008. Toddler Bod, short for
Nobody, crawls into a graveyard after his family is brutally murdered. He is then
raised lovingly and carefully to the age of eighteen by the graveyard’s ghosts and
otherworldly creatures. Newbery Award 2009
Gewirtz, Adina. Zebra Forest. Candlewick, 2013. Eleven-year-old Annie and her
younger brother are being raised by their Gran and are surrounded by family
secrets, but everything changes when an escaped criminal shows up at their
house and takes them all hostage. There is an interesting thematic connection to
the classic Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, which the children read
throughout the story.
Gier, Kerstin. Ruby Red. Translated from the German by Anthea Bell. Holt, 2011.
Sixteen-year-old Gwyneth Shepherd unexpectedly travels through time to the
eighteenth century where she discovers a mystery about her real birth date and
finds to her dismay that she must work with Gideon -- another time traveler who
hates her! Series
Gleitzman, Morris. Once. Holt, 2010. After living in a Catholic orphanage for nearly
four years, a naive Jewish boy runs away and embarks on a journey across Nazioccupied
Poland to find his parents. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
5
Gonzalez, Christina Diaz. The Red Umbrella. Alfred A. Knopf, 2010. In 1961,
fourteen-year-old Lucia’s comfortable life in Cuba ends when communists take
control of the country. Lucia and her younger brother are sent by their parents
to live with a foster family in Nebraska and must adapt to a new language and
way of life.
Grimes, Nikki. Planet Middle School. Bloomsbury, 2011. A series of poems describes
all the baffling changes at home and at school in twelve-year-old Joylin's
transition from tomboy basketball player to not-quite-girly girl.
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Game Changer. Simon & Schuster, 2012. While playing
in the championship softball game, star pitcher KT Sutton blacks out and awakes
to a changed world where the roles of academics and sports at her middle school
have flipped, making talented athletes, such as KT, outcasts and brainy nerds
popular.
Hale, Nathan. One Dead Spy: The Life, Times, and Last Words of Nathan Hale,
America’s Most Famous Spy. Amulet Books, 2012. After being swallowed by a
giant history book moments before his own execution, Nathan Hale is given the
chance to tell his own story as well as many other stories from American History.
Series.
Harrington, Kim. The Dead and Buried. Point, 2012. High School senior Jade is
horrified to learn her father and stepmother have bought the house of a girl who
was mysteriously killed just the year before they moved to town. She is even
more horrified to realize the house is being haunted by the dead girl’s very meanspirited
ghost.
Hartman, Rachel. Seraphina. Random House, 2012. Seraphina is half dragon and
half human and, if people knew, would be considered an abomination. She lives
a life in the shadows until her musical talent, a mysterious death, and her
attraction to a handsome prince bring her life to a crisis. Morris Award for Best
YA Debut Novel
Hinds, Gareth. The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel. Candlewick, 2010. Homer's epic tale
of Odysseus - the ancient Greek hero who encounters witches and other obstacles
on his journey home after fighting in the Trojan War - is retold in graphic novel
format.
Hoffman, Alice. Green Witch. Scholastic, 2010. A year after her family and world are
destroyed, Green and her fellow survivors go on a quest for answers about life,
love, loss, and their future. Series
Jablonski, Carla. Resistance: Book 1. First Second, 2010. After trying to hide their
Jewish friend Henri when his parents disappear, Paul and Marie are asked to join
the French resistance. They experience the horrors of World War II in Vichy
France as their own father is held by the Nazis. Series
Kibuishi, Kazu, ed. Explorer: Mystery Boxes. Amulet Books, 2012. Seven popular
authors contribute wildly different graphic stories revolving around the
mysterious contents of a box.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
6
Kincaid, S.J. Insignia. Katherine Tegen, 2012. Tom, a fourteen-year-old genius at
virtual reality games, is recruited by the United States Military to begin training
at the Pentagon Spire as a Combatant in World War III, controlling the
mechanized drones that do the actual fighting off-planet. Series
King, Wesley. The Vindico. Putnam’s, 2012. When supervillains of the Vindico realize
they are getting too old to fight the League of Heroes, they kidnap and begin
training five teens, but James, Lana, Hayden, Emily, and Sam will not become
the next generation of evil without a fight. Series
Kipling, Rudyard. The Jungle Book. First published in magazines, 1893-1895. This
is a collection of stories which center on Mowgli, a “man-cub” raised by wolves.
His journey to adulthood is aided by Baloo the bear and Bagheera the black
panther. Also included is the story of a mongoose, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.
LaFleur, Suzanne M. Listening for Lucca. Wendy Lamb, 2013. When her younger
brother, Lucca, stopped talking, Siena’s family moved to Maine in hopes of a fresh
start. Their home on the beach, however, has ghostly secrets of its own that
connect Siena with a boy and girl who lived there during World War II.
Lane, Andrew. Death Cloud. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010. In 1868, with his army
officer father suddenly posted to India, and his mother mysteriously "unwell,"
fourteen-year-old Sherlock Holmes is sent to stay with his eccentric uncle and
aunt in their vast house in Hampshire, where he uncovers his first murder and
a diabolical villain. Series
Le Guin, Ursula K. A Wizard of Earthsea. First published 1968. After pride causes
him to unleash a demon, Zed is compelled to either chase or escape from the
ever-pursuing shadow. Series
Lu, Marie. Legend. Putnam’s, 2011. In a dark future, when North America has split
into two warring nations, fifteen-year-olds Day, a famous criminal, and prodigy
June, the brilliant soldier hired to capture him, discover that they have a common
enemy. Series
McMann, Lisa. The Unwanteds. Aladdin, 2011. In a society that purges thirteenyear-
olds who are creative, identical twins Aaron and Alex are separated -- one
to attend University while the other, supposedly Eliminated, finds himself in a
wondrous place where youths hone their abilities and learn magic. Series
McNeal, Tom. Far Far Away. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. When Jeremy Johnson Johnson's
strange ability to speak to the ghost of Jacob Grimm draws the interest of his
classmate, Ginger Boultinghouse, the two find themselves at the center of a series
of disappearances in their hometown. National Book Award Finalist 2013
Meloy, Maile. The Apothecary. Putnam’s, 2011. During the early days of the Red
Scare, Janie and her family must leave their home in Los Angeles and move to
London. There, she encounters a fascinating boy named Benjamin Burrows who
wants to become a spy. When Benjamin discovers his father has some secrets of
his own, Janie and Benjamin begin a race against the Russians to prevent a
global disaster.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
7
Meyer, Marissa. Cinder. Feiwel and Friends, 2012. Cinder, a gifted mechanic and a
cyborg with a mysterious past, is blamed by her stepmother for her stepsister's
illness while a deadly plague decimates the population of New Beijing. When
Cinder's life gets intertwined with Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the center of
an intergalactic struggle. Series
Monaghan, Annabel. A Girl Named Digit. Houghton Mifflin, 2012. After identifying a
terrorist plot by cracking their codes, Digit, a brilliant girl from Santa Monica,
California, gets involved with the young FBI agent who is trying to ensure her
safety.
Mull, Brandon. A World Without Heroes. Aladdin, 2011. Fourteen-year-old Jason
Walker is transported to a strange world called Lyrian, where he joins Rachel and
a few rebels to piece together the Word that can destroy the malicious wizard
emperor. Series
Mulligan, Andy. Trash. David Fickling Books, 2010. A group of fourteen-year-old boys
-- who make a living picking garbage from the outskirts of a large city -- finds
something special and mysterious that brings terrifying consequences.
Murdock, Catherine Gilbert. Wisdom’s Kiss: A Thrilling and Romantic Adventure,
Incorporating Magic, Villainy, and a Cat. Houghton Mifflin, 2011. Princess
Wisdom has been betrothed to the Duke of Farina. Unfortunately, she falls in
love with a circus acrobat whose heart already belongs to another. Despite all
this, they must band together, along with Magic the cat (to whom there is more
than meets the eye), in order to preserve the kingdom and save it from almost
certain ruin.
Ness, Patrick. A Monster Calls. Candlewick, 2011. Troubled by the recurring nightmare
that started with his mother’s cancer treatments, twelve-year-old Conor is
shocked by a monster in the form of a giant yew tree that appears at his window
-- a monster who has three stories to tell and who wants “the truth” from Conor.
Andrew Carnegie Medal
Oliver, Mary. Dog Songs: Thirty-five Dog Songs and One Essay. Penguin, 2013. A
collection of poems and one essay about dogs and their relationships with their
owners.
O’Neal, Eilis. The False Princess. Egmont USA, 2011. Nalia has been raised as the
Princess of Thorvaldor, but on her sixteenth birthday she learns that her real
name is Sinda and that she is part of a complicated plot that would change the
future of her country forever.
Oppel, Kenneth. This Dark Endeavor. Simon & Schuster, 2011. Victor Frankenstein,
his twin brother, and his cousin explore the dark and forbidden depths of the
Frankenstein castle, stumbling across the ancient magical texts that Victor later
hopes will save his brother’s life. A precursor to the classic character first
introduced by Mary Shelley in 1818. Series
Park, Linda Sue. A Long Walk to Water. Clarion, 2010. Young Salva survives many
dangers growing up in war-torn Sudan and dedicates his life to making a
difference for those who live in his native land. Based on a true story.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
8
Pratchett, Terry. Dodger. HarperCollins, 2012. In an alternative version of Victorian
London, seventeen-year-old Dodger, a cunning and cheeky street urchin,
unexpectedly rises in life when he saves a mysterious girl, meets Charles Dickens,
and unintentionally puts a stop to the murders of Sweeny Todd. Printz Honor
Award 2013
Rice, Condoleezza. Condoleezza Rice: A Memoir of My Extraordinary, Ordinary
Family and Me. Delacorte, 2011. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
shares stories of growing up in a black middle class family during the racially
turbulent 1950s and 1960s.
Riggs, Ransom. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Quirk Books, 2011.
Sixteen-year-old Jacob, having traveled to a remote island after a family tragedy,
discovers an abandoned orphanage, and, after some investigating, he learns the
children who lived there may have been dangerous and quarantined but may also
still be alive. Haunting vintage photographs are dispersed throughout the book,
giving the story a hint of creepiness. Series
Ruiz Zafón, Carlos. The Prince of Mist. Little, Brown, 2010. In 1943, in a seaside
town where their family has gone to be safe from war, thirteen-year-old Max
Carver and his fifteen-year-old sister Alicia, along with new friend Roland, face
off against an evil magician who is striving to complete a bargain made before he
died.
Rusch, Elizabeth. The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit
and Opportunity. Houghton Mifflin, 2012. The story of the two robot vehicles,
Spirit and Opportunity, that were sent to explore Mars, lasting far past their
projected lives of three months and sending back invaluable images of the
environmentally hostile planet.
Sachar, Louis. The Cardturner: A Novel About a Queen, a King, and a Joker.
Delacorte, 2010. When his wealthy uncle, a champion bridge player who has lost
his vision, asks seventeen-year-old Alton to be a cardturner for him, Alton has
no idea how much he will ultimately learn from his eccentric relative.
Schmatz, Pat. Bluefish. Candlewick, 2011. Longing for the country and his missing
dog Roscoe, Travis tries to survive in a new school while living with his alcoholic
grandfather and burdened by a painful secret. Hope comes in the form of a
teacher and a new friend named Velveeta.
Schmidt, Gary D. Okay for Now. Clarion, 2011. Fourteen-year-old Doug has just
moved to a new town. A new town means another chance to start over. Will
everyone assume he is like his thug of an older brother? Will everyone assume
he is like his corrupt, abusive father? All Doug wants is to be treated fairly and,
thanks to a couple of new friends, Doug may just find out what it is like to be
“okay for now.”
Sepetys, Ruta. Between Shades of Gray. Philomel, 2011. On a calm, beautiful night
in 1941 Lithuania, fifteen-year-old Lina’s life is torn apart as she and her family
are forced from their home and sent to work in labor camps along the harsh
Arctic Circle as part of Stalin’s forced relocation program.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
9
Sheinkin, Steve. Lincoln’s Grave Robbers. Scholastic, 2012. An account of how
counterfeiter Benjamin Boyd's gang stole the body of Abraham Lincoln, their
demand for Boyd's release from jail as well as two hundred thousand dollars as
ransom, and the efforts of the Secret Service to recover the remains.
Shusterman, Neal. Unwind. Simon & Schuster, 2007. Three teens embark upon a
cross-country journey in order to escape from a society that salvages body parts
from children ages thirteen to eighteen. Series
Sonnenblick, Jordan. After Ever After. Scholastic, 2010. Jeffrey, cancer survivor
from Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, now confronts eighth grade without Steven,
his staunch, supportive older brother; but he bonds with Tad, also a cancer
survivor, making a pact to help each other – Tad to walk for graduation without
his wheelchair and Jeffrey to pass his standardized test in math to graduate.
Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. First published 1883. A classic pirate story
reproduced in movies and TV shows more than any other, Treasure Island tells
the tale of the quest for treasure by Jim Hawkins and pirate Long John Silver.
The book also introduced the now infamous pirate song "Fifteen men on the dead
man's chest--Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"
Stiefvater, Maggie. The Scorpio Races. Scholastic, 2011. Some race for fame. Some
race for fortune. Then there is the story of Puck Connolly who, for the sake of
her family, willingly risks her life as she races the legendary water horses in the
bloody and brutal Scorpio Races.
Strohmeyer, Sarah. Smart Girls Get What They Want. Balzer + Bray, 2012. Who
says smart girls can’t have fun? Three brainiac high school best friends decide
to branch out - with mixed results.
Stroud, Jonathan. The Ring of Solomon. Disney-Hyperion, 2010. Bartimaeus, a wisecracking
djinni, finds himself in the tenth century and at the court of King
Solomon with an unpleasant master and a sinister servant, and he gets himself
into trouble with King Solomon's magic ring. Series
Supplee, Suzanne. Somebody Everybody Listens To. Dutton, 2010. When Retta Lee
Jones graduates from high school and leaves her small town in search of a big
break in Nashville, she encounters warmth and kindness along with cruelty and
violence.
Telgemeier, Raina. Smile. Graphix, 2010. In this charming graphic novel Raina
navigates the tough world of middle school all while enduring mountains of dental
work after knocking out her two front teeth.
TenNapel, Doug. Ghostopolis. Graphix, 2010. Welcome to the afterlife. Terminally ill
Garth Hale is accidently transported to Ghostopolis before his time, and now it
is up to washed-up, ghost-wrangler Frank Gallows and Garth’s own deceased
grandfather to get the boy back among the living in this action-packed, graphicnovel
adventure.
Thomson, Jamie. Dark Lord, The Early Years. Walker, 2012. Evil Dark Lord tries to
recover his dignity, his power, and his lands when an arch-foe transports him to
a small town and into the body of a thirteen-year-old boy.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 7 and 8
10
Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit, or There and Back Again. First published 1937. Bilbo
Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole
until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an
adventure from which he may never return. Series
Valente, Catherynne M. The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her
Own Making. Feiwel and Friends, 2011. The narrator tells a story, not unlike the
perils of Alice in Wonderland and Dorothy in Oz, of a twelve-year-old girl named
September who is whisked away to Fairyland to retrieve the golden sword for the
cruel queen, Marquess. Series
Verne, Jules. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. First published 1869. This is a
nineteenth-century science fiction tale of an electric submarine, its eccentric
captain, and an undersea world.
Walker, Sally M. Their Skeletons Speak: Kennewick Man and the Paleoamerican
World. Carolrhoda Books, 2012. This book explores the discovery and
controversy surrounding the identification of the Kennewick Man, a nine
thousand year old skeleton whose remains were found in a riverbed in
Washington State in 1996.
White, Kiersten. Paranormalcy. HarperTeen, 2010. When a dark prophecy begins to
come true, sixteen-year-old Evie of the International Paranormal Containment
Agency must not only try to stop it, she must also uncover its connection to
herself and to the alluring shape-shifter named Lend.
Wright, Barbara. Crow. Random House, 2012. Moses Thomas’s summer vacation in
1898 North Carolina does not go as planned and while he deals with family
problems and fickle friends, he feels the mounting tension between the African
American and white communities.
Zinn, Bridget. Poison. Hyperion, 2013. Kyra is a potions master, so when she tries to
save the kingdom by killing her best friend, the princess, she becomes a fugitive
pursued by the king’s army and her ex-boyfriend Hal.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by:
Sally Hilliard (Chair), River Oaks Baptist School
Diana Armentor, Awty International School
Wayne Cherry, Jr., First Baptist Academy
Diane King, Westbury Christian School
Laura Leib, Duchesne Academy
Stephanie Penttila, The John Cooper School
Copyright ©2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Archer, Jennifer. Through Her Eyes. HarperTeen, 2011. Sixteen-year-old Tansy is
used to moving every time her mother starts writing a new book. However, in
the small Texas town where her grandfather grew up, she is lured into the
world of a troubled young man whose death sixty years earlier is shrouded in
mystery.
Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why: A Novel. Razorbill, 2007. When Hannah Baker
commits suicide, she leaves behind thirteen cassette tapes to the people she
feels contributed to her decision to end her life.
Auburn, David. Proof: A Play. Faber and Faber, 2001. This play explores the
unknowability of love and the mysteries of mathematics. Pulitzer Prize, Drama
2001
Barber, Nathan. Resurrecting Lazarus, Texas. CreateSpace, 2012. When Coach
Gabe Lewis accepts a job as girls’ basketball coach at Lazarus High School, he
cannot anticipate the struggles he will face both on and off the court or the
personal investment he will end up making when his team needs him to be
more than their coach. A tragedy occurs that rocks not only the team, but also
the entire town. The girls might be the spark that can bring life back to
Lazarus.
Bardugo, Leigh. Shadow and Bone. Holt, 2012. Orphaned by the Border Wars,
Alina Starkov is taken from obscurity and away from her only friend, Mal, to
become the protégé of the mysterious Darkling, who trains her to join the
magical elite in the belief that she can destroy the monsters of the Fold.
Bauby, Jean-Dominque. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in
Death. Translated from the French by Jeremy Leggatt. Vintage, 1998. This
extraordinary book, a celebration of everyday life, was dictated one blink at a
time, recounting the author’s struggle with the effects of a massive stroke which
left him with a body which had all but stopped working.
Beard, Jo Ann. In Zanesville: A Novel. Little, Brown, 2011. In a small factory town
in Illinois during the 1970s, a fourteen-year-old girl navigates life alongside her
best friend. From a babysitting disaster in the opening scene through kittensaving
adventures, being noticed by boys, and becoming friends with the
popular cheerleaders, the girls survive a test of their friendship in their
awkward, often hilarious, transition from childhood to young adulthood. Alex
Award 2012
Blake, Kendare. Anna Dressed in Blood. Tor Books, 2011. Cas Lowood, armed with
his late father's mysterious athame, sets out to kill a ghost known as Anna
Dressed in Blood, but what he believes will be a routine task turns deadly when
he discovers Anna is unlike any ghost he has ever encountered before. Series
Bracken, Alexandra. The Darkest Minds. Hyperion, 2012. Sixteen-year-old Ruby
breaks out of a government-run rehabilitation camp for teens who acquired
dangerous powers after surviving a virus that wiped out most American
children.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
2
Bradley, Alan. A Red Herring Without Mustard. Delacorte, 2011. Eleven-year-old
detective Flavia de Luce sorts through clues trying to solve various mysteries
involving a missing child, a fortune-teller, and a dead body found in Flavia's
own backyard. Series
Cameron, Sharon. The Dark Unwinding. Scholastic, 2012. In 1852, when
seventeen-year-old Katharine is sent to her family's estate to prove that her
uncle is insane, she finds he is an inventor whose work creating ingenious
clockwork figures supports hundreds of families; strange occurrences soon
have her doubting her own sanity.
Card, Orson Scott. Ender’s Game. Tor Books, 1985. A very young Ender Wiggin
might be the human race’s last chance to defeat a deadly alien invasion. Series
Coben, Harlan. Shelter: A Mickey Bolitar Novel. Putnam’s, 2011. After witnessing
his father's death and sending his mom to rehab, Mickey is forced to live with
his estranged uncle and enter a new high school where, after a few weeks, his
new girlfriend vanishes without a trace. Mickey enters a world of conspiracy
and danger and discovers that nothing is as it seems.
Crandall, Susan. Whistling Past the Graveyard: A Novel. Gallery Books, 2013.
Determined to get to Nashville to find her mother in 1963, nine-year-old spitfire
Starla Claudelle runs away from her strict grandmother's Mississippi home,
eventually accepting a ride from Eula, a black woman traveling alone with a
white baby.
Crewe, Megan. The Way We Fall. Hyperion, 2012. Sixteen-year-old Kaelyn
challenges her fears, finds a second chance at love, and fights to keep her
family and friends safe as a deadly new virus devastates her island community.
Series
Crutcher, Chris. Deadline. Greenwillow, 2007. Eighteen-year-old Ben Wolf has been
given less than a year to live, but he chooses not to tell anyone so his senior
year will be as normal as possible. This surprisingly humorous story tracks
that final year as Ben goes out for football, finds romance, and realizes that his
secret has a serious impact on others.
Flack, Sophie. Bunheads. Little, Brown, 2011. A young dancer must decide if she
wants to continue to devote her whole life to ballet when a handsome musician
enters the picture. The author danced with the New York City Ballet for nine
years and gives the reader an authentic glimpse into the world of ballet.
Gagnon, Michelle. Don’t Turn Around. Harper, 2012. After waking up on an
operating table with no memory of how she got there, Noa must team up with
computer hacker Peter to stop a corrupt corporation with a deadly secret.
Series
Gaiman, Neil. The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel. William Morrow, 2013.
A man returns to his childhood home and relives the harrowing summer when
a girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her family save him from the darkness and evil
that were unleashed by a suicide that occurred near the pond at the end of
their street.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
3
Galloway, Steven. The Cellist of Sarajevo. Riverhead Books, 2008. The lives of
four people -- a baker, a young father, a sniper, and a cellist who commits to
playing Albinoni's "Adagio" once a day for twenty-two days in memory of his
neighbors who were killed – are chronicled as they try to adjust to their new
daily routines in war-torn Sarajevo. Inspired by a true story, this novel explores
how war can change one’s definition of humanity and how music affects our
emotional endurance.
Garfield, Simon. Just My Type: A Book About Fonts. Gotham Books, 2010. The
author explores the history of type with sharp wit and charm answering
questions you never knew to ask such as Can a font make me cool? or Can a
font be Jewish or German?
Gautreaux, Tim. Welding With Children. Picador, 2009. Set in the hot days and
nights of Louisiana, these eleven short fiction stories will make you laugh, cry,
and marvel as ordinary people try to survive what life throws at them, whether
it be memory loss, a crazed bull, or a thief with a big blade and bad intentions.
Green, John, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle. Let It Snow! Three Holiday
Romances. Speak, 2008. In three intertwining short stories, several high school
couples experience the trials and tribulations along with the joys of romance
during a Christmas Eve snowstorm in a small town.
Gregory, Philippa. Changeling. Simon Pulse, 2012. In 1453, seventeen-year-old
Luca Vero, accused of heresy and expelled from his monastery, is recruited to
help investigate evil across Europe.
Harrington, Kim. Clarity. Point, 2011. Sixteen-year-old Clare Fern, a member of a
family of psychics, helps the mayor and a skeptical detective solve a murder in
a Cape Cod town during the height of tourist season . . . and her brother is a
prime suspect.
Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. First published 1929. A British nurse and
an American ambulance driver fall in love during World War I.
Herbert, Frank. Dune. First published 1965. The story of a young prince, Paul
Artreides, scion of a star-crossed dynasty, and of his journey from boy to
warrior to ruler of a dying planet destined to become a paradise regained.
Series
Johnson, Maureen. The Name of the Star. Putnam’s, 2011. An American girl, Rory,
enrolls in a London boarding school for her senior year of high school and
encounters a suspenseful ghost mystery closely tied to the Jack the Ripper
murders of old.
Khoury, Jessica. Origin. Razorbill, 2012. Set in the lush and dangerous Amazon
rain forest, this story follows Pia, an immortal girl bred to create an immortal
race, and the team of scientists responsible for her mission. Pia, however,
starts to question her destiny when she falls for a boy she meets in the jungle.
Klavan, Andrew. If We Survive. Thomas Nelson, 2012. When revolutionaries seize
control of a country in Central America where sixteen-year-old Will is serving as
a missionary, he and the other volunteers find themselves in a desperate race to
escape the violence and return home.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
4
Konigsberg, Bill. Openly Straight. Arthur A. Levine, 2013. Rafe plays soccer, wins
skiing prizes, likes to write, and hates tofu. In his junior year of high school,
Rafe, tired of being known as “that gay guy,” transfers across the country to an
all-boys’ boarding school and decides to be “openly straight.” His scheme is
wildly successful but gets complicated when he falls in love with one of his new
friends.
Kontis, Alethea. Enchanted. Harcourt, 2012. When Sunday Woodcutter, the
youngest of seven sisters, each named for a day of the week, kisses an
enchanted frog, he transforms into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland - and
a man Sunday's family despises. Series
Kooser, Ted. Delights & Shadows: Poems. Copper Canyon Press, 2004. This
collection of poems by former Poet Laureate of the United States describes the
habits and struggles of daily life.
Laybourne, Emmy. Monument 14. Feiwel and Friends, 2012. A strange weather
phenomenon drives students into a superstore where fourteen kids take refuge
while the world outside gets torn apart from a series of escalating disasters.
Series
Li, Cunxin. Mao’s Last Dancer. Penguin Press, 2003. The autobiography of
Houston Ballet soloist Li Cunxin details his rise from poverty in Communist
China to dance stardom and a defection that caused an international incident.
Luttrell, Marcus. Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing
and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10. Little, Brown, 2007. American Navy
SEAL and team leader Marcus Luttrell tells his story of the loss of his
teammates in July 2005 along the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border to
al-Qaida insurgents.
Morpurgo, Michael. Private Peaceful. Scholastic, 2003. Thomas Peaceful was only
fifteen when he joined the British Forces in World War I to fight with his older
brother. One unexpected horror separates them.
Nash, Ogden. The Best of Ogden Nash. Ivan R. Dee, 2007. This delightful book of
rhythm and rhyme combines magical word use by the renowned master of light,
humorous verse. The book is edited by the poet's daughter, Linell Nash Smith.
Ness, Patrick. The Knife of Never Letting Go. Candlewick, 2008. Settlers on Todd’s
planet are infected with a virus that kills all the women and causes survivors to
hear the thoughts of men and animals. This coming-of-age survival story
reveals the psychological impact of being unable to shut out other people’s
thoughts or to hide one’s own. Series
Nielsen, Jennifer A. The False Prince. Scholastic, 2012. To avoid a civil war, four
orphans engage in a brutal competition masterminded by a devious nobleman
to determine who will impersonate the king's long-missing son. Series
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
5
Ogawa, Yoko. The Housekeeper and the Professor. Translated from the Japanese
by Stephen Snyder. Picador, 2009. A once brilliant math professor suffers the
effects of a head trauma that erases his short term memory every eighty
minutes, and he must repeatedly be re-introduced to his housekeeper.
However, past equations in the professor's mind enable him to discover
surprising connections.
Oliver, Lauren. Delirium. Harper, 2011. Lena looks forward to receiving the
government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a
safe, predictable, and happy life. However, ninety-five days before her
eighteenth birthday and her treatment, she falls in love. Series
Oliver, Mary. Swan: Poems and Prose Poems. Beacon Press, 2010. Mary Oliver’s
adoration and awe of nature shines through in this slim collection of beautiful
poetry evocative of the beauty, brutality, and mysteries found in the natural
world.
Patrick, Cat. Forgotten. Little, Brown, 2011. Each night at precisely 4:33 am, while
sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. She
relies on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things
get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture.
Perkins, Lynne Rae. As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth. Greenwillow,
2010. In a hilarious story of the ultimate bad day, fifteen-year-old Ry is left
behind when he jumps off the stalled train taking him to summer camp. It is
downhill from there until he meets Del. Worried about his grandfather and
unable to contact his parents, Ry, with Del's help, sets off on the misadventure
of a lifetime that will keep you laughing all the way.
Roth, Veronica. Divergent. Katherine Tegen, 2011. In post-apocalyptic Chicago,
society is divided into five factions -- Amity, Candor, Dauntless, Erudite, and
Abnegation -- in order to avoid future wars and preserve peace. Each year,
those who just turned sixteen must select and then devote the rest of their lives
to a faction. The day of choosing will change Beatrice’s life forever . . . for once
you choose, you can never go back. Series
Rowell, Rainbow. Eleanor & Park. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2013. Set over the course of
one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits -- smart
enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate
enough to try. Michael L. Printz Honor Book 2014
Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. First published 1951. Holden Caulfield is
an alienated, disillusioned youth who drops out of school and spends three
days and nights in New York City on a quest for self-discovery.
Sheinkin, Steve. Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World’s Most Dangerous
Weapon. Roaring Brook, 2012. Scientists and spies are central characters in
this engaging and informative book describing the process of creating the first
atomic weapons. Newbery Honor Book 2013, National Book Award Finalist
2013, Sibert Medal 2013.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
6
Shusterman, Neal. Bruiser. HarperTeen, 2010. Bruiser was the guy nobody knew –
or wanted to know. Then Brontë includes him in her group of friends and
unusual things start to happen.
Steinbeck, John. Cannery Row. First published 1945. The antics of Steinbeck’s
down-at-heel misfit characters bring mirth and sensitivity to a rollicking good
read.
Stiefvater, Maggie. The Raven Boys. Scholastic, 2012. Though she is from a family
of clairvoyants, Blue Sargent's only gift seems to be that she makes other
people's talents stronger. When she meets Gansey, one of the Raven Boys from
the expensive Aglionby Academy, she discovers that he has talents of his own
and that together their talents are a dangerous mix. Series
Summerscale, Kate. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the
Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective. Walker, 2008. Recounts the events
surrounding the 1830 murder of three-year-old Saville Kent and explores the
police investigation into the crime. Family members became prime suspects
and local residents began to doubt the effectiveness of the lead investigator.
Taylor, Laini. Daughter of Smoke & Bone. Little, Brown, 2011. Karou, a
seventeen-year old art student at a Prague boarding school, seems mysterious
to her friends. Her frequent disappearances and her sketch book of terrifying
drawings add to the mystery surrounding her. This fast-paced fantasy of
mystery and family history, combined with beautiful descriptions of Prague’s
architecture and country-side, is a real page-turner. Series
Tittle, Y. A. with Kristine Setting Clark. Nothing Comes Easy. Triumph Books, 2009.
Experience the early hard-hitting, blood-spilling days of the NFL before fancy
helmets and a lot of protective padding were used. This autobiography of
Yelberton Abraham Tittle, who grew up during the Depression in Marshall,
Texas, is a history of the NFL and includes game records and statistics.
Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five, or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance
with Death. First published 1969. After surviving the bombing of Dresden in
World War II, Billy Pilgrim returns to civilian life and has a successful career
until he is kidnapped by aliens and displayed in a zoo on the planet of
Tralfamadore.
Wein, Elizabeth. Code Name Verity. Hyperion, 2012. In World War II, Maddie, a
British transport pilot, attempts to deliver her best friend and Resistance spy,
Julie (Code Name Verity), into Nazi-occupied France, but the plane crashes.
Love, courage, bravado, and intrigue drive the story to its stunning conclusion.
Wells, Robison. Variant. HarperTeen, 2011. Benson Fisher hopes for a brighter
future after being accepted to Maxfield Academy. Shortly after arriving, he
realizes that the school is more like a prison because it is run by teens of
various warring factions. No one ever escapes, but they do disappear.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 9 and Grade 10
7
Wilder, Thornton. Our Town: A Play in Three Acts. First published 1938. With the
well-earned reputation of an American classic, this play brings themes of
growing up, love, marriage, and death to the stage and portrays the dignity of
the human spirit through life in Grover’s Corner.
Wilson, Daniel H. Robopocalypse. Doubleday, 2011. An artificial intelligence
program has taken over the world, uniting all the computer programs residing
in everything from dolls and toys to domestic service robots, airplanes, and
military weapons. Its aim is to destroy all human life . . . and the robots are
winning. Alex Award 2012
Yancey, Rick. The 5th Wave. Putnam’s, 2013. Cassie Sullivan, the survivor of an
alien invasion, must rescue her young brother from the enemy with help from a
boy who may be one of them.
Young, Moira. Blood Red Road. McElderry Books, 2011. Saba has spent her whole
life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland. When a monster sandstorm arrives
along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba’s world is shattered. Her beloved twin
brother Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.
Series
______________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by:
Diana Armentor (Chair), Awty International School
Julia Beddingfield, Second Baptist School
Pamela Hill, The John Cooper School
Krystal Irven, Episcopal High School
Dorian Myers, The Kinkaid School
Deborah Mosichuk, St. Pius X High School
Peg Patrick, St. John’s School
Jean Pfluger, Duchesne Academy
Diane Roberts, formerly at St. Thomas High School
Kelli Robertson, Westbury Christian School
Marylin Sharp, St. John’s School
Joanie South-Shelley, St. Thomas High School
Mia Steinkamp, Houston Christian
Jennifer Succi, Episcopal High School
Susi West, St. Pius X High School
Copyright ©2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
1
Any available unabridged edition of a title is acceptable.
Albright, Madeleine. Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War,
1937-1948. Harper, 2012. Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
shares her childhood experiences in Czechoslovakia amid the horrors of World
War II and the discovery of her family’s Jewish ancestry.
Allison, Will. Long Drive Home. Free Press, 2011. In this emotional psychological
thriller, a father is driving his six-year-old daughter home when a young driver
provokes him to road rage, and a fatal crash ensues. Will his subsequent lies fix
the problems that rapidly accumulate?
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Wintergirls. Viking, 2009. Anderson takes us into the
mind of an anorexic teenager. This is a haunting story about Lia’s desire to be
the thinnest girl in school, her struggle with anorexia, and her path to recovery.
Archer, Jeffrey. Only Time Will Tell. St. Martin’s Press, 2011. Harry Clifton, raised
by his uncle who was a shipyard laborer, finds the expectations for his life
changing after winning a scholarship to a prestigious boys’ school, discovering
the truth about his father’s death, and questioning his lineage. Series
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. First published 1813. Elizabeth and Jane
Bennet overcome obstacles to their happiness with Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley
in this comedy of manners set in early nineteenth-century England.
Barbery, Muriel. The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Translated from the French by
Alison Anderson. Europa, 2008. Laugh out loud at the unlikely friendship
among a secretly educated concierge, a precocious twelve-year-old girl with a
philosophical bent, and an older Japanese gentleman in a Paris apartment.
Bartlett, Allison Hoover. The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a
Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession. Riverhead Books,
2009. This true crime story discloses the world of rare book dealers and the
mind of a serial book thief as it follows the detective who tracks the mysterious
and obsessive culprit.
Brooks, Geraldine. Caleb's Crossing. Viking, 2011. Bethia Mayfield befriends Caleb,
the son of a Wampanoag chieftain, as she grows up near Martha's Vineyard in
the mid-seventeenth century, and watches her minister father’s attempts to
convert the Native Americans. The fates of the children are tied together as
Bethia's father encourages the education of Caleb, a privilege Bethia has always
wanted.
Brown, Dan. Inferno: A Novel. Doubleday, 2013. Harvard professor Robert Langdon
is once again drawn into a deadly quest, this time based on clues from Dante’s
Inferno.
Brown, Ian. The Boy in the Moon: A Father’s Journey to Understand His
Extraordinary Son. St. Martin’s Press, 2009. Ian Brown, a Canadian
journalist, chronicles his life as he and his wife care for their son who was born
with a rare and severe genetic disorder. Brown candidly shares the extreme
challenges and blessings their special son has brought to their lives.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
2
Cain, Susan. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.
Crown, 2012. In our American culture that values extroversion, the value of
“quiet” people is often overlooked, but the one third of the population that fits
the definition of introvert, has much to offer.
Carey, Peter. Parrot and Olivier in America. Alfred A. Knopf, 2010. An imaginative
re-invention of the French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville's 1830 visit to
America, with rich description, strong characters and amusing events.
Chandler, Raymond. The Long Goodbye. First published 1953. A classic hard-boiled
detective story where Philip Marlowe, private eye, deals with a cast of
reprehensible characters in a doom-laden city. Edgar Award 1955
Choo, Yangsze. The Ghost Bride. William Morrow, 2013. When she agrees to
become a ghost bride for the wealthy Lim family's son, who recently died under
mysterious circumstances, Li Lan must dive into a shadowy parallel world of
the Chinese afterlife to find the truth about the son’s death.
Chwast, Seymour. Dante’s Divine Comedy. Bloomsbury, 2010. Chwast retells
Dante’s Divine Comedy in a graphic format. The visual presentation of all three
stages of Dante’s epic is appealing and humorous. The illustrations depict the
details and complexity of this classic tale.
Cline, Ernest. Ready Player One. Crown, 2011. In the year 2044, Wade Watts, like
the rest of humanity, chooses to escape reality and spends his waking hours in
the limitless, utopian virtual world of the OASIS. When Wade stumbles upon
the first of the fiendish puzzles set up by OASIS creator James Halliday, he
finds he must compete with thousands of others -- including those willing to
commit murder -- in order to claim the prize of a massive fortune. Alex Award
2012
Collins, Billy. Ballistics: Poems. Random House, 2008. A notable collection of verse
from the U.S. Poet Laureate, expressing love, joy, and death in his inimitable
language.
Cronin, Justin. The Passage. Ballantine Books, 2010. In a dystopian future, a virus
found in a South American jungle was used to create a super soldier with great
strength and healing abilities. The virus becomes an epidemic, and infected
people become bloodthirsty monsters. Normal humans are hiding in fortresses
trying to survive.
Cross, Julie. Tempest. Thomas Dunne, 2011. Nineteen-year-old Jackson uses his
ability to travel through time after his girlfriend Holly is fatally shot during a
violent struggle; but his journey two years into the past leads him to make a
startling discovery about his father and the powerful enemies who will stop at
nothing to recruit him for their own purposes.
Cruz, Nilo. Anna in the Tropics. Theatre Communications Group, 2003. In this
play set in 1929 Florida in a Cuban-American cigar factory, a new lector
unwittingly becomes a catalyst in the lives of his avid listeners.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
3
DeWoskin, Rachel. Big Girl Small: A Novel. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011.
Sixteen-year-old Judy Lohden, a girl whose phenomenal singing voice should
have made her the star of the local performing arts high school, instead finds
herself hiding out from the national media in a seedy hotel room due to a
controversy sparked in part by the fact that she is only three feet, nine inches
tall. Alex Award 2012
Divakaruni, Chitra Banerjee. Leaving Yuba City: New and Selected Poems.
Anchor, 1997. Little stories about life in India and the Indian immigrant
experience in America told through accessible and enlightening poetry.
Egan, Timothy. Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal
Photographs of Edward Curtis. Houghton Mifflin, 2012. Edward Curtis was
charismatic, handsome, a passionate mountaineer, and a famous portrait
photographer. In 1900, when he was thirty-two years old, he gave it all up to
pursue his Great Idea: to capture on film the continent’s original inhabitants
before the old ways disappeared. Curtis spent the next three decades
documenting the stories and rituals of more than eighty North American tribes,
thus creating the most definitive archive of the American Indian.
Eggers, Dave. Zeitoun. McSweeney's, 2009. A true account of a family caught
between America’s war on terror and the response to Hurricane Katrina.
Following the chaos of the storm, Zeitoun travels the city by canoe, feeding
abandoned animals and helping elderly neighbors until the day armed men
suddenly burst into his home.
Figueras, Marcelo. Kamchatka. Translated from the Spanish by Frank Wynne.
Black Cat, 2010. After the 1976 coup in Argentina, ten-year-old Harry uses his
rich imagination, the fantasy territory of “Kamchatka” from the game RISK, and
the boundless, endearing love of his family to deal with the chaos in their lives
as his parents must hide from the military junta because of their political
activities.
Foer, Joshua. Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering
Everything. Penguin Press, 2011. Journalist Joshua Foer’s informative book
on human memory is as entertaining as it is educational. He expounds on the
history of human memory and chronicles his experience of training to become
the 2006 USA Memory Champion.
Follett, Ken. Fall of Giants. Dutton, 2010. A historical fiction epic that follows the
lives of five interrelated families – American, German, Russian, English, and
Welsh – around the time of World War I. Series
Garcia Marquez, Gabriel. Chronicle of a Death Foretold. Translated from the
Spanish by Gregory Rabassa. Alfred A. Knopf, 1983. Nearly thirty years later,
a man returns to town in an attempt to discover the truth behind the jumbled
murder of Santiago Nasar.
Grahame-Smith, Seth. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Grand Central, 2010.
Many people know about Abe Lincoln’s political successes, but few know that
after his mother was killed by a vampire Old Abe became a ruthless vampire
hunter. This “biography,” packed full of historical facts, will not disappoint
readers who like a good horror story.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
4
Green, John. The Fault in Our Stars. Dutton, 2012. Sixteen-year-old Hazel meets
Augustus at a kids-with-cancer support group and, as they fall in love, they
both wonder how they will be remembered.
Hall, Ron, and Denver Moore, with Lynn Vincent. Same Kind of Different as Me.
Thomas Nelson, 2006. In this true story, an art dealer and a homeless man are
brought together in a soup kitchen and learn life lessons from each other.
Harbach, Chad. The Art of Fielding. Little, Brown, 2011. Henry, the star of a small
college baseball team located on the shore of Lake Michigan, is overcome with
self-doubt which threatens his future; meanwhile, four other teammates also
find themselves forced to confront their own secrets.
Hawking, Stephen and Leonard Mlodinow. The Grand Design. Bantam, 2010. The
authors present a new discussion of the laws of the universe and the nature of
reality. The journey includes thoughts of the great philosophers and scientists
over the centuries as well as questions such as “Are the laws of nature
suspended when miracles occur?” Well-placed, clever cartoons provide balance
to the weighty discussions.
Hillenbrand, Laura. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and
Redemption. Random House, 2010. This biography chronicles the life of
World War II bombardier Louis Zamperini from his wild youth to becoming a
world-class runner in the 1936 Olympic Games to his enlistment in the U.S. Air
Force where he must survive for forty-seven days in the Pacific Ocean after his
plane goes down.
Hosseini, Khaled. And the Mountains Echoed: A Novel. Riverhead Books, 2013.
Pari and Abdullah are siblings and best friends. When their father takes them
across the desert in a red wagon to Kabul, Abdullah loses Pari and is forced to
return to the village without her. The children live separate lives, but Abdullah
never loses hope that he will find Pari. The children’s separate lives unfold with
incidents of love and hate, bravery and cowardice, want and fulfillment.
Ishiguro, Kazuo. Never Let Me Go. Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. A dark secret lurks behind
the nurturing façade of Hailsham, a private school in the English countryside
where Kathy, now thirty-one years old, lived as a child. Alex Award 2006
Ivey, Eowyn. The Snow Child: A Novel. Little, Brown, 2012. Homesteaders Jack
and Mabel struggle to survive in the harsh Alaskan wilderness, but the couple's
quiet life of hard work and routine suddenly changes when a small girl named
Faina magically appears on their doorstep.
Jacobs, Harriet A. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. First published 1861. This
autobiographical account by a former slave is one of the few extant narratives
written by a woman. It delivers a powerful portrayal of the brutality of slave
life. Jacobs speaks frankly of her master's abuse and her eventual escape, in a
tale of dauntless spirit and faith.
Kean, Sam. The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love,
and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements.
Little, Brown, 2010. Sam Kean presents the rationale behind the organization
of the periodic table of the elements as well as many interesting anecdotes
about the elements and the scientists who discovered them.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
5
Kent, Kathleen. The Heretic’s Daughter. Little, Brown, 2008. Amid the painful
details of jail and persecution, deep-seated suspicion and familial betrayal, tenyear-
old Sarah Carrier’s world is turned upside down when her family becomes
a target of Salem’s witchcraft hysteria.
Kibler, Julie. Calling Me Home: A Novel. St. Martin’s Press, 2013. In a novel based
on a family story of her grandmother’s forbidden love in 1930’s Kentucky, the
author chronicles the journey of an elderly woman and her hairdresser en route
to a funeral and explores race relations both then and now.
King, Stephen. 11/22/63: A Novel. Scribner, 2011. What if you could go back in
time and change the course of American history? High school English teacher
Jake Epping finds himself in this exact place and has as his mission stopping
Lee Harvey Oswald from assassinating President John F. Kennedy.
Knisley, Lucy. Relish: My Life in the Kitchen. First Second, 2013. This graphic
novel is a humorous memoir of cartoonist Lucy Knisley, the daughter of a chef
and a gourmet, and her obsession with cooking and food. Alex Award 2014
Kostova, Elizabeth. The Historian: A Novel. Little, Brown, 2005. A young woman
discovers an ancient book and a cache of old letters in her father's library; and
thus begins her adventurous quest for the truth about Vlad the Impaler, a
search that will span continents and generations as well as a confrontation with
the darkest powers of evil.
Kyle, Aryn. The God of Animals. Scribner, 2007. The death of a classmate haunts
teen Alice Winston as she learns about love, life and death, and lost dreams as
she helps her father run the family’s struggling horse ranch in the midst of
recurring family problems.
Lanagan, Margo. The Brides of Rollrock Island. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. On remote
Rollrock Island, men go to sea to make their livings and to catch a wife. The
witch Misskaella knows the way of drawing a girl from the heart of a seal, of
luring the beauty out of the beast, and, for a price, a man may buy a lovely seawife
for himself.
Lane, Harriet. Alys, Always: A Novel. Scribner, 2012. After sitting with a woman
dying in a car crash, Frances Thorpe’s attempts to comfort the bereaved family
have consequences, leading her to become involved in the family and affecting
the relationships among all concerned. A psychological thriller in the manner
of Du Maurier’s classic Rebecca.
Lansdale, Joe. Edge of Dark Water. Mulholland Books, 2012. Teenagers Sue Ellen,
Terry, and Jinx dig up the body of their friend May Lynn in order to burn her
body and spread her ashes in Hollywood; but on their journey they are chased
by the sheriff who is after the money they stole for the trip and by a legendary
killer who just wants them dead.
Larson, Erik. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in
Hitler’s Berlin. Crown, 2011. Experience the rise of Hitler in this nonfiction
thriller. It is 1933 Berlin and Hitler is in power when a new U.S. Ambassador,
William E. Dodd, arrives. Dodd must find ways to deal with the regime,
communicate his concerns to the State Department, and keep his family safe.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
6
Lawrenson, Deborah. The Lantern: A Novel. Harper, 2011. Newly married Eve finds
herself in a foreign country with a suddenly moody and uncommunicative
husband. This is a modern ghost story of mystery, romance, and murder set in
the lavender-covered hillsides of Provence.
Levithan, David. Every Day. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012. Every morning, A wakes in a
different person's body, in a different person's life, learning over the years to
never get too attached. Life goes along smoothly until he wakes up in the body
of Justin and falls in love with Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon.
McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. In a post-apocalyptic landscape,
a man and a boy struggle toward the unknown. This dark and doomed quest
offers a spiritual sense of soul and humanity. Pulitzer Prize, Fiction 2007
McCullough, David G. 1776. Simon & Schuster, 2005. Based upon both American
and British historical documents, the author presents a comprehensive history
of the American Revolution in 1776, including George Washington and those
who followed him.
McEwan, Ian. Atonement: A Novel. Doubleday, 2001. In the summer of 1935, the
lives of three people are changed forever by a young girl’s scheming
imagination.
Moore, Wes. The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates. Spiegel & Grau, 2010.
This book explores the fate of two African-American men with the same name
living in the same city -- one becomes a Rhodes Scholar and the other a
convicted murderer.
Morgenstern, Erin. The Night Circus. Doubleday, 2011. The circus arrives without
warning, and what looks like clever illusions are actually magic. The two
principal illusionists, Celia and Marco, have unknowingly been involved in a
deadly contest created by their mentors. When they fall in love, it complicates
the circus and their teachers’ plans. Alex Award 2012
Morrison, Toni. Beloved. First published 1987. The Nobel prize-winning author’s
lyrical expression of the slave experience is built around Sethe, her memories of
Sweet Home, and the ghost of her baby. Pulitzer Prize, Fiction 1988
Morton, Kate. The Secret Keeper. Atria Books, 2012. Fifty years after she witnessed a
shocking crime at her family's farm in the English countryside, Laurel, now a
successful London actress, returns to the farm and is overwhelmed by family
secrets she has not thought of in decades.
Mosley, Walter. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. Riverhead Books, 2010. Ptolemy
Grey, an elderly man, falls further into his solitary existence and dementia,
when his grandnephew -- his only real connection to the outside world -- dies in
a drive-by shooting. Robyn, his niece's lodger, motivates him and introduces
him to a doctor who is touting an experimental drug that may give Ptolemy a
temporary burst of clarity and energy, leading Ptolemy to think of a way to leave
a memorable legacy.
Moyes, Jojo. Me Before You: A Novel. Viking, 2012. A twenty-seven-year-old woman
accepts a job caring for a paraplegic man, unaware that the experience will
allow her to learn new skills, consider a bigger life than she could have ever
imagined, and break her heart.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
7
Mullin, Mike. Ashfall. Tanglewood, 2011. When the eruption of the Yellowstone
supervolcano destroys his city and its surroundings, fifteen-year-old Alex must
journey from Cedar Falls, Iowa, to Illinois to find his parents and sister. He
struggles to survive in a transformed landscape and a new society in which all
the old rules of living have vanished.
Obreht, Tea. The Tiger’s Wife. Random House, 2011. The myth of an escaped tiger
during the World War II bombing of the Balkans and Natalia’s search for details
about her beloved grandfather’s death are woven together.
Ondaatje, Michael. The Cat’s Table. Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. Written with nostalgia
for childhood, Michael recalls a long sea voyage he took as a boy in the early
1950s to meet his mother. During the trip across the Indian Ocean, the boy
meets many colorful characters.
Patchett, Ann. State of Wonder. Harper, 2011. Anders Eckman has mysteriously
died while working on a ground-breaking miracle drug in a remote location in
the Amazon rainforest, and Dr. Marina Singh, a friend and colleague, is sent to
take his place. The investigation of his death leads her on a gripping adventure
that will have her questioning what is right and wrong and how far people are
willing to go for science and discovery.
Percer, Elizabeth. An Uncommon Education. Harper, 2012. In this coming-of-age
story, Naomi Feinstein dreams of attending Wellesley College and being a
doctor; everything changes in her life when she is introduced to the oldest
honor society, the mysterious Shakespeare Society.
Powell, Goran. Chojun: A Novel. YMAA, 2012. Kenichi Ota accompanies Chojun
Miyagi to China searching for the meaning of karate. Upon their return to
Okinawa they learn that the Japanese have just destroyed Pearl Harbor forcing
both of them to adapt to a new world order, to rebuild their island, and to
preserve Miyagi’s brand of karate.
Rock, Peter. My Abandonment. Houghton Mifflin, 2009. Thirteen-year-old Caroline
lives with her father “off the grid” in a makeshift structure in a Pacific
Northwest forest. The forest seems to fulfill their basic needs and hides them
from the rest of humanity. The world eventually intrudes upon their solitude,
and what Caroline thought was real is not. Alex Award 2010
Rowell, Rainbow. Fangirl. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2013. Feeling cast off when her twin
sister outgrows their shared love for a favorite fictional character, Cath, a
dedicated fan-fiction writer, struggles to survive on her own in her first year of
college while avoiding a surly roommate, bonding with a handsome classmate
who only wants to talk about words, and worrying about her fragile father.
Ruiz Zafón, Carlos. The Shadow of the Wind. Translated from the Spanish by Lucia
Graves. Penguin Press, 2004. In 1945 Spain, the young son of an antiquebook
dealer searches for more books by Julian Carax, an author he has
recently discovered, and finds that everything Carax has ever written has been
destroyed . . . and that his search has put his friends and family in danger.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
8
Sales, Leila. This Song Will Save Your Life: A Novel. Farrar, Straus and Giroux,
2013. Nearly a year after a failed suicide attempt, sixteen-year-old Elise
discovers that she has the passion and talent to be a disc jockey. This is a
novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people
together.
Semple, Maria. Where’d You Go Bernadette: A Novel. Little, Brown, 2012. When
her notorious, hilarious, volatile, talented, troubled, and agoraphobic mother
goes missing, teenage Bee begins a trip that takes her to the ends of the earth
to find her. Alex Award 2013
Sepetys, Ruta. Out of the Easy. Philomel, 2013. Josie, the seventeen-year-old
daughter of a French Quarter prostitute, is striving to escape 1950s New
Orleans and enroll at prestigious Smith College when she becomes entangled in
a murder investigation.
Sides, Hampton. Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr.
and the International Hunt for His Assassin. Doubleday, 2010. The
gripping true story of the events leading up to King's assassination and the
massive FBI manhunt to find his killer, James Earl Ray.
Simic, Charles. The Voice at 3:00 A.M.: Selected Late & New Poems. Harcourt,
2003. These poems convey vivid and quirky imagery. From “Sunday Papers” to
“Frightening Toys” to “Blood Orange,” the originality and sly humor of
“everydayness” cheers the reader of this award-winning poet’s work.
Sittenfeld, Curtis. Sisterland: A Novel. Random House, 2013. Identical twins Kate
and Violet have always been different -- able to sense other people's secrets and
know about future events. As they grow up, Vi embraces her gift and pursues a
career as a psychic medium, while Kate denies it and settles down with a
family. An earthquake in their hometown of Saint Louis and Vi's vision of a
more devastating quake to come force Kate to reconcile the strained
relationship with her twin and come to grips with the truth about herself.
Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Crown, 2010. "HeLa" cells,
named after Henrietta Lacks, a poor African American woman born in 1920,
were taken from a tumor removed during Lacks’ treatment for cervical cancer.
While she died from the disease, her cancer cells proved uncommonly robust,
reproducing at a rapid rate. Years later, billions of these cells are used in
laboratories around the world.
Sloan, Robin. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. Farrar, Straus and Giroux,
2012. Clay Jannon is released from his job in San Francisco during the Great
Recession and accepts a position working the night shift at a local bookstore.
Clay soon realizes that there is something very strange and mysterious about
that bookstore. Alex Award 2013
Stedman, M. L. The Light Between Oceans. Scribner, 2012. A childless couple
quietly runs a lighthouse on a remote Australian island until a boat with a baby
washes ashore changing their lives forever.
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
9
Stein, Garth. The Art of Racing in the Rain: A Novel. HarperCollins, 2008. Enzo is
an old soul who just happens to be a dog. He is devoted to Denny who is a race
car driver. The reader will be captivated as Enzo tells his master’s story and
prepares for his next life…as a human.
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. First published 1939. Forced out of their
home in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl by economic desperation, a family of
Oklahoma farmers drives west to California in search of work as migrant fruit
pickers. Pulitzer Prize, Fiction 1940
Szymborska, Wislawa. Monologue of a Dog: New Poems. Translated from the Polish
by Clare Cavanagh and Stanislaw Baranczak. Harcourt, 2006. Crisp, elegant
poetry is presented in original Polish alongside its English translation. Clouds,
current events, and revolution are just a few of the themes addressed in this
marvelous collection of twenty-six thought-provoking poems.
Thoreau, Henry David. Walden. First published 1854. Thoreau’s observations on
nature and life were penned during his solitary stay at Walden Pond, outside
Concord, Massachusetts, from 1845 to 1847.
Towles, Amor. Rules of Civility. Viking, 2011. In 1938 Katey Kontent moves to New
York City to find her first job. With a group of newly acquired friends she
enjoys the jazz and glamour of the city and the adventure that comes with
youth, relationships, and differing social classes.
Vance, Jack. The Moon Moth. Graphic novel adaption by Humayoun Ibrahim. First
Second, 2012. Lovers of the science fiction genre and graphic novels will enjoy
Vance’s classic short story set on planet Sirene where aliens wear masks to
indicate their social status and communicate by playing musical instruments.
Edwer Thissel is sent to Sirene to solve a murder and find the killer in a world
where every face is hidden.
Wilson, August. Two Trains Running. Plume, 1992. This historical African-
American drama, part of a ten-part series by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author
and playwright, takes place during the Civil Rights movement in Memphis Lee’s
diner in Pittsburg, 1969. Characters wrestle with the changing political and
social landscape of this American era expressed through everyday
conversations as they gather in booths and the lunch counter. They exude
strength with dignity and hope for a better future.
Yang, Gene. Level Up. First Second, 2011. In this graphic novel, Dennis Ouyang is
visited by four angels who prompt him to give up his dream of playing video
games professionally and pursue a medical degree as his late father wanted,
but a crisis reveals the true nature of the angels and brings Dennis to a
crossroads in his path to the future.
Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Trying to make sense of the
horrors of World War II, Death relates the story of Liesel, a young German girl,
whose book stealing and storytelling talents help sustain her family, the Jewish
man they are hiding, and her neighbors. National Jewish Book Award 2006
HAISLN RECOMMENDED READING LIST 2014
Grade 11 and Grade 12
1 0
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Compiled by:
Diana Armentor (Chair), Awty International School
Julia Beddingfield, Second Baptist School
Pamela Hill, The John Cooper School
Krystal Irven, Episcopal High School
Dorian Myers, The Kinkaid School
Deborah Mosichuk, St. Pius X High School
Peg Patrick, St. John’s School
Jean Pfluger, Duchesne Academy
Diane Roberts, formerly at St. Thomas High School
Kelli Robertson, Westbury Christian School
Marylin Sharp, St. John’s School
Joanie South-Shelley, St. Thomas High School
Mia Steinkamp, Houston Christian
Jennifer Succi, Episcopal High School
Susi West, St. Pius X High School
Copyright ©2014 Houston Area Independent Schools Library Network