Book Selections for 2007-2008
Grades 6-8
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| To
download an annotated book list for grades 6-8, click
here. [.pdf format, 3 pages, 196k] |
Bode,
N. E. The Anybodies. HarperCollins, ©2004.
Twelve-year-old
Fern and Howard Bone were switched at birth through a hospital mixup.
The families discover the mistake and decide the children will spend
the summer with their birth parents. Fern meets her father, the
Bone, who is an "Anybody." As a shapeshifter, he can change
into someone or something else; however, his transforming abilities
have mysteriously disappeared. To restore his powers, they must
find The Art of Being Anybody, a book once owned by Bone’s
dead wife. Father and daughter journey to the grandmother’s
magical boarding house which is crowded with books. It is here that
Fern discovers her talent – the ability to shake elements
of stories out of books into the real world. This story cleverly
combines humor, family drama, and mystery into an enchanting tale
that will have readers begging for more. (Grades 5-8) |
| Cooney,
Caroline B. Code Orange. Delacorte Books
for Young Readers, ©2005.
Mitty
Blake is searching for his infectious disease report topic. Unfortunately,
the search turns into a nightmare when Mitty finds two scabs in
an old medical book in his family’s weekend house. The scabs
are variola major, a virus that has the potential to kill everyone
in New York City. While searching on the Internet, Mitty and his
friend, Olivia, inadvertently, tip off terrorists about his findings.
This leads to Mitty’s kidnapping and the terrorists’
plans to use him as a human biological weapon against the people
of New York. Sympathetic readers will rally around Mitty and his
heroic efforts against terrorist in this modern day thriller. (Grades
7-9) |
| DeFelice,
Cynthia. Under the Same Sky. Farrar, Straus
and Giroux, ©2003.
Fourteen-year-old
Joe Pedersen is a spoiled rich kid who begrudgingly joins the migrant
workers on his father's upstate New York farm to earn the $1000
he needs to buy a Thunderbird motorbike. Determined to show his
father he can keep pace with Manuel, the 16-year-old Mexican crew
boss, Joe painfully acclimates to the grueling farm routine. Joe
soon learns to respect the “illegal aliens” and to understand
their hardships and courage. This compelling coming-of-age story
highlights the plight of the immigrant Mexican farm laborers and
will lead to lively discussions on this timely topic. (Grades 7-10)
|
| Dowell,
Frances O'Rourke. Chicken Boy. Atheneum,
©2005.
Tobin
McCauley’s mom died five years ago of cancer. Seventh-grader
Tobin, has emotionally shut down and he has given up trying to fit
into school. Fortunately for Tobin, Henry Otis moves into town,
becomes his friend, and teaches him to raise chickens for a class
project. By taking on the responsibility of nurturing the chicks,
Tobin develops his own identity and self-esteem. Meanwhile, his
grandmother and her sky blue Toyota truck lend some levity to the
weighty topics. Teen readers will relate to Tobin’s struggles
in this well-written, quick read. (Grades 4-7) |
| Hahn,
Mary Downing. The Old Willis Place. Clarion
Books, ©2004.
Diana
and her younger brother, Georgie, have been living on the grounds
of the old Willis place for years. The children have seen caretakers
of the Willis place come and go, but Diana, who has no friends,
is tempted by the sight of Lissa, the caretakers’ daughter
who is her age. Both girls are lonely and would like to be friends
but Georgie reminds Diana that it's "against the rules"
to have friends; that they must remain out of sight. The suspense
continues to build as Diana narrates the story and Lissa writes
in her diary. Mature readers will appreciate this suspenseful and
carefully crafted ghost story. (Grades 5-8) |
| Hale,
Shannon. Princess Academy. Bloomsbury,
©2005.
14-year-old
Miri never thought she could be a princess until the prince announces
that he will choose a bride from the village. Until that moment,
Miri and the other girls living on Mount Eskel thought their future
as adults would be working in the quarry, mining linder. All eligible
young women are sent to attend a special academy where they face
many challenges and hardships as they are forced to adapt to the
cultured life of a lowlander. Throughout these ordeals, Miri’s
courage, intelligence, and talent shines through. She even develops
a “quarry-speech” and leads her classmates in the fight
against being treated as social inferiors in the academy. Suspense,
humor, family values, and friendship are masterfully interwoven
in this multilayered, Newbery Honor book. (Grades 6-9) |
| Hobbs,
Will. Jackie's Wild Seattle. HarperCollins,
©2003.
Shannon,
14, and her kid brother Cody are sent to spend the summer in Washington
State with their Uncle Neal. The story is set in the summer of 2002,
with 9-11 still fresh in the characters' memories, especially 7-year-old
Cody, who witnessed the second plane crashing into the Twin Towers
from his New Jersey home. Uncle Neal is now driving an animal ambulance
for Jackie's Wild Seattle, a wildlife rescue center. When he is
accidentally hurt, Shannon steps in to rescue the wild animals,
putting herself in danger. This action-packed adventure story will
be a winner with Hobbs' fans as well as animal lovers. (Grades 5-8) |
| Lowry,
Lois. Gossamer. Houghton Mifflin, ©2006.
The
dream-givers are bestowers of dreams who creep around dark houses
in the middle of the night. In this engaging story, Littlest, who
is very small, new to the work, energetic and curious creeps through
the house where an old woman and a dog named Toby are sleeping.
Littlest is first paired with Fastidious who is tired, impatient,
and has a headache. But Littlest soon gets a new partner, Thin Elderly,
who is a much better guide and teacher than Fastidious was. In the
meanwhile, hordes of Sinisteeds attempt to overcome the dreams by
inflicting nightmares. Lowry delivers an intriguing fantasy filled
with hope and tenderness. (Grades 4-7) |
| Lupica,
Mike. Heat. Philomel, ©2006.
Twelve-year-old
Michael Arroyo shares the dream of his playing baseball with his
Papi, who tragically dies of a heart attack, leaving Michael and
his brother to struggle on their own. Michael’s skill as a
pitcher leads to viscous rumors that he is older than he appears,
leading to the league demanding that he be benched. Tensions continue
as Michael works to obtain his birth certificate from Cuba, stay
with his older brother, and build his first girl-boy relationship.
Sports buffs will appreciate the well-written baseball scenes, realistic
characters, and Yankee Stadium setting. (Grades 5-8) |
Riordan,
Rick. The Lightning Thief. Hyperion,
©2005.
Perseus
(Percy) Jackson is a wise-cracking, dyslexic, ADHD, reluctant hero
who is the son of Poseidon and a mortal woman. Unfortunately, as
soon as he discovers his heritage, he loses his mother and falls
into mortal danger. Percy finds out that his father, Poseidon, has
been accused of stealing Zeus' lightning bolt, and unless Percy
can return the bolt, humankind is doomed. The gods (still very active
today) are about to go to war over the lost thunderbolt, so Percy
and his friends set out to retrieve it. Greek myths and legends,
including Medusa, Charon, and Heracles, are recycled into this unpredictable,
funny, fast-paced modern adventure.(Grades 6-9) |
| Salisbury,
Graham. House of the Red Fish. Wendy Lamb
Books, ©2006.
In 1943 on the island of Oahu, Tomi Nakaji’s father is imprisoned
and his grandfather is taken away. All people of Japanese descent
are suspect and placed under a nightly curfew. To keep hope alive,
Tomi decides to raise Papa’s fishing boat that had been sunk
by the army. The nearly impossible task is accomplished through
Tomi's determination, perseverance, and ingenious approaches to
the problem. Along with Tomi's best friend, Billy, who is a haole
(white), other Hawaiian friends and many of their family members,
the boat is successfully raised. This well-balanced novel brings
the historical period and realistic characters to life. (Grades
6-9) |
| Sonnenblick,
Jordan. Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie.
Scholastic, ©2004.
Thirteen-year-old
Steven has a very normal life: he plays drums in the All-Star Jazz
band, has a crush on the hottest girl in the school, and is constantly
annoyed by his five-year-old brother, Jeffrey. But when Jeffrey
is diagnosed with leukemia, Steven's world is turned upside down.
He is forced to deal with his brother's illness and his parents'
attempts to keep the family in one piece. Steven morphs into the
forgotten son, who throws himself into drumming, even as he quits
doing his homework and tries to keep his friends from finding out
about Jeffrey's illness. This heartwarming story shows the power
of love in the midst of tragedy. (Grades 5-8) |
| Whelan,
Gloria. Listening for Lions. HarperCollins,
©2005.
In
1919, in British East Africa, 13-year-old Rachel loses her missionary
parents during an influenza epidemic. Instead of her neighbors,
the Pritchards, helping her, they involve her in a scheme to pass
her off as their daughter and send her to visit their father who
has disinherited them. Upon arriving in England, Rachel and the
seriously ill grandfather develop a surprisingly strong, affectionate
friendship. Rachel continues the scheme, believing that one more
shock will kill the old gentleman. Rachel continues to grapple with
her dishonesty, grief for her parents and homesickness for Africa.
Readers will be quickly entranced with this gentle, and delightful
novel. (Grades 6-9) |
|
White,
Andrea. Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083.
HarperCollins, ©2005.
In
2083, all education in the United States is conducted through television
and overseen by the Secretary of Entertainment. To boost ratings,
they decide to re-enact Robert F. Scott's fatal 1910-13 expedition
to the South Pole, using 14-year-old kids, most of whom have never
experienced snow. Like Scott, the students will face hidden crevasses,
mechanical failure, and frostbite. But while Scott's calamities
occurred naturally, the Secretary of Entertainment makes sure the
teens' perils are written into the script. Brisk action, interesting
characters, and intriguing details make this a compelling and realistic
story. (Grades 6-10) |
|
Woodruff,
Elvira. The Ravenmaster's Secret. Scholastic,
©2003.
In
the cold, dark halls of the Tower of London, Forrest Harper’s
life is dull and boring only filled with chores and caring for his
spirited raven friends. Then vicious Scottish Rebels are captured
and Forrest becomes Maddy’s guard. When the noble and daring
Maddy is threatened with execution, Forrest realizes that he must
choose between family and friendship, safety and escape. Fast-paced
action and an intriguing plot carry this riveting historical adventure
to a satisfactory conclusion. (Grades 5-7) |
This
page last updated:
March 17, 2008
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