| 4th Grade to Middle School Books: good books for ages 9-12 |  | Avi (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Animal Fantasy; Book Theme: Animals "Poppy" by Avi, winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, is a fast-paced and suspense-filled animal fantasy book. Main characters are two talking animals: a deer mouse named Poppy and a great horned owl called Mr. Ocax. The owl claims to be the ruler of the Dimwood Forest and promises to protect the mice headed by Poppy's father Lungwort in exchange for their obedience. After the owl kills Poppy's best friend Ragweed and refuses the request by the Poppy's father to move half of the mice family to a new place, Poppy sets out to find the new home. Along the way, Poppy makes friends with Ereth, a porcupine. In the end, Poppy engages in a fierce battle with the owl. Children in 4th grade through 7th grade will enjoy this award-winning chapter book. |
|  | Suzanne Collins (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Fantasy Books "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins is a fast-paced and suspenseful fantasy book that brings readers to the fascinating Underland, inhabited by fanciful characters such as talking bats called fliers, huge spiders called spinners, giant cockroaches called crawlers, vicious rats called gnawers, and purple-eyed humans. The story starts with 11-year-old Gregor and his 2-year-old sister Boots falling through an air vent in the laundry room of their apartment complex into the Underland. They are found by the cockroaches and taken to the humans in the city of Regalia, where Gregor meets queen Luxa and his grandfather Vikus. Gregor tries to escape, but gets attacked by the rats. The humans rescue him. Vikus thinks Gregor is the Overlander warrior who can help the humans fulfill their prophecy. Gregor initially refuses, but when he hears that his dad is held prisoner by the rats in the Underland, Gregor agrees to join a quest to fight the rats. After many twists and turns, Gregor is happily united with his father. Part of the charm of this chapter book lies in its portrayal of the main character Gregor as a loving and caring big brother who rises to his challenges. Another interesting character is Ripred, a smart and powerful rat who joins the quest as a guide. "Gregor the Overlander" appeals to children in 4th grade through 7th grade. |
|  | 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. |
|  | Louise Fitzhugh (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Realistic Fiction "Harriet the Spy" is one of the best children's books in the genre of realistic fiction. Louise Fitzhugh creates a memorable character in Harriet, who likes to write down everything about everybody in her notebook, including her friends, her classmates and the people she observes on her spy route. Harriet Welsch has a lot to cope with. Her beloved nanny departs. Her classmates, including her best friends, turn against her after reading her notebook. Kids in 4th grade through 7th grade will enjoy the honest portrayal of this 11-year-old girl. |
|  | Elizabeth George Speare (Paperback) Genre: Fiction - Historical Fiction; Book Themes: Friendship, Frontier and Pioneer Life, Native American, Survival Stories "The Sign of the Beaver" by Elizabeth George Speare is one of the best children's books in the genre of historic fiction. Left alone to guard his family's home in the 18th century Maine, 12-year old Matt learns wilderness survival skills from a proud Native American boy Attean and teaches Attean to read. The two boys found friendship in spite of themselves. "The Sign of the Beaver" has won many awards, including the Newbery Award, ALA Notable Children's Book, Christopher Award and Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. Children grade 4 and up will enjoy this wilderness survival story and learn about Native American culture as well as frontier and pioneer life. |
|  | Lucy Maud Montgomery (Hardcover) Genre: Fiction - Realistic Fiction; Book Themes: Family, Friendship "Anne of Green Gables" is a beloved children's classic book by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, also known as L.M. Montgomery. Main character Anne of Green Gables is a spirited red-haired girl with boundless imagination and love of life. Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, a brother and sister, own a Prince Edward Island farm house called Green Gables. Orphan girl Anne Shirley is sent to them by mistake, but Anne goes on to win the heart and love of her adopted family. The friendship between Anne and her best friend Diana Barry is also charmingly portrayed. "Anne of Green Gables" is one of the best children's books ever written. Children in 5th grade through 10th grade will enjoy this moving story and sympathize with the ups and downs in Anne's life. |
|  | 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. |
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