| Chapter Books |  | Sheila Burnford (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Adventure Books; Book Theme: Animals "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford is a classic animal adventure book. Three animals-- a Siamese cat, a bull terrier, and a Labrador retriever-- make an incredible journey through the Canadian wilderness in search of their family and their home. The pets face hardship, starvation and wild animals on their adventurous journey. The last chapter, in which they find their owners, is very moving. "The Incredible Journey" is a great chapter book for children in 4th grade through 9th grade. Cat and dog lovers will especially love this heartwarming animal story. |
|  | George Selden, Garth Williams (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Animal Fantasy The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden and Garth Williams is a charming animal fantasy book about Chester Cricket's adventure in New York City. At the start of this classic children' book, the country cricket arrives at the Times Square subway station by accident. Mario Bellini, whose parents own a newsstand, finds him and lets him stay in the newsstand. The cricket goes on to make friends with the boy, Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat. With interesting characters and an imaginative story, The Cricket in Times Square is a great chapter book for children in 4th grade through 7th grade. |
|  | Robert C. O'Brien, Zena Bernstein (Paperback) Genres: Fiction - Animal Fantasy, Science Fiction "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh" by Robert C. O'Brien, winner of the Newbery Medal, is one of the best children's books of the 20th century. Author Robert O'Brien effectively combines elements of animal fantasy and science fiction in this chapter book and tells a captivating story with believable characters and an interesting plot. A widowed field mouse, Mrs. Frisby, needs to move her family to their summer home quickly before a farm's plow comes, but one of her children gets seriously ill and cannot go out in the cold. She seeks help from the rats of Nimh, highly intelligent rats who live under the rosebush. These animals have been captured by the scientists at the Nimh lab and given injections that have vastly boosted their intelligence. They can read and write. The rat leader Nicodemus tells Mrs. Frisby the story of their escape from Nimh. It turns out one of the escapees is Jonathan Frisby, Mrs. Frisby's late husband. The rats now have a plan to grow their own crop and form a self-sufficient colony in Thorn Valley. "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh" appeals to children in 4th grade through 7th grade. |
|  | E. L. Konigsburg (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Adventure Books; Book Theme: Family "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg is an adventure story that has delighted children for decades and is considered a modern classic. Two siblings, Claudia and her brother Jamie, run away from their family home and have an adventure at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They uncover the mystery surrounding "Angel", a statue in the museum. Under E.L. Konigsburg's deft pen, the two main characters in the classic chapter book seem very real and likable. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" has won Newbery Medal and ALA Notable Children's Book award, and is often considered one of the best children's books. |
|  | Kate DiCamillo, Timothy Basil Ering (Hardcover) Genre: Fiction - Animal Fantasy; Book Theme: Animals The Tale of Despereaux by Kate Dicamillo, a 2004 Newbery Medal award winner, is one of our favorite animal fantasy books. This chapter book tells interwoven stories of three main characters. It is a tale of Despereaux Tilling, a small mouse who doesn't behave like an ordinary mouse. Despereaux likes to read stories and falls in love with a princess named Pea. The Mouse Council banishes Despereaux to a dark dungeon for breaking the mouse rules of conduct. It is a tale of Chiaroscuro, a rat who lives in the darkness of dungeon but has an unusual interest in light. It is also a tale of Miggery Sow, an abused and slow-witted servant girl who longs to be a princess. After discovering the rat's plot to kidnap the princess, Despereaux bravely comes to the rescue. With a well-paced story and memorable protagonists, The Tale of Despereaux appeals children in 4th grade through 7th grade. It is a good chapter book to read aloud. |
|  | Patricia MacLachlan (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Historical Fiction; Book Themes: Family, Frontier and Pioneer Life "Skylark" is a sequel to "Sarah Plain and Tall" by Patricia MacLachlan. Sarah is like a skylark and has not entirely settled down to the pioneer life. When there is a severe drought on the prairie, Sarah and the children go back to Maine to live with her aunts, while Jacob stays behind to take care of their farm. Will the family be united again? The story "Skylark" appeals to children in third grade through sixth grade. |
|  | Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Historical Fiction; Book Themes: Pilgrims and Indians, Thanksgiving Stories "Thanksgiving on Thursday" by Mary Pope Osborne is an easy-to-read chapter book that makes learning the history of thanksgiving fun and interesting. In their magic tree house, 8-year old Jack and 7-year-old Annie travel back to 1621, the year when pilgrims and Indians celebrated the first Thanksgiving in the New Plymouth Colony. They meet early settlers such as Governor Bradford and Captain Standish, and Squanto, a Wampanoag Indian. The Pilgrim girl Priscilla Mullins takes them home and shows them how to cook a turkey. Their lack of understanding of some of the vocabulary words used by the early settlers makes for a few lighted-hearted moments. When the Thanksgiving feast is over, Jack and Annie return home in their magic tree house. After witnessing the pilgrims' life, they realize they have much to be thankful for. This Thanksgiving story appeals to children in second grade and third grade. |
|  | Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca (Hardcover) Genre: Fiction - Fantasy Books; Book Theme: Christmas Christmas in Camelot by Mary Pope Osborne, the 29th book of the popular Magic Tree House series, is a fast-paced and easy-to-read early chapter book that can serve as a good introduction to the fantasy genre. Jack and Annie, the two characters familiar to the readers of the Magic Tree House series, receive an invitation to spend Christmas in Camelot. After they get there, Morgan le Fay tells the children that there are no Christmas celebrations this year, as Camelot is under the evil spell of Dark Wizard Mordred. The Christmas Knight arrives to inform King Arthur that he needs to send people to the Otherworld to bring back the Water of Memory and Imagination to restore joy to Camelot. Jack and Annie embark on a magical quest that includes three rhymes for clues, a white stag, winged dancers, and fire-breathing Keepers of the Cauldron. Christmas in Camelot appeals to children in second grade and third grade. |
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