Maine Student Book Award
2009-2010 Reading List (2008 copyright)
A Joint
Project of:
Maine Library Association
Maine Association of School Libraries
Maine Reading Association
Publisher, genre, suggested grade levels, and number of pages are
indicated after each title. Titles preceded by an asterisk
(*) are included in the NYA library collection.
*Anderson, Laurie. Chains. Simon & Schuster. Historical fiction. Gr. 6-8. 316p. In 1776, at the start of the American Revolution, Isabel, a young slave, is sold to a cruel family in New York City and agrees to spy for the rebels. Isabel makes a harrowing escape after uncovering the plot to assassinate George Washington. Includes extensive historical notes.
*Avi. The Seer of Shadows. HarperCollins. Historical fiction/fantasy. Gr. 4-6. 202p. Fourteen-year-old Horace has been apprenticed in 1872 to a dishonest New York "spirit photographer." Horace unknowingly becomes involved in a fraudulent scheme to swindle a wealthy client who is grieving for her dead daughter. In a suspenseful, spine-tingling story, Horace accidentally frees the dead girl's ghost and feels honor bound to try and prevent it from seeking revenge.
*Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. The Boy Who Dared. Scholastic. Historical fiction. Gr. 6-8. 202p. In 1942, as seventeen-year-old Helmuth Hübener, a German school boy, awaits his execution in a Nazi jail for distributing anti-Nazi pamphlets, he recalls the events over seven years that led him to risk his life to tell the truth about Hitler to the German people.
*Bauer, Joan. Peeled. Putnam. Realistic fiction. Gr. 5-8. 248p. When her small apple-producing farm community is panicked by ghostly warnings and a mysterious death at a local abandoned farm, Hildy Biddle, a passionate high school journalist, is determined to uncover the truth. With the help of a crusty advisor, Hildy investigates, exposes, and finally foils a sneaky plot to turn "The Happiest Town in the Happy Apple Valley" into a tacky tourist trap.
Beaty, Andrea. Cicada Summer. Amulet. Mystery. Gr. 4-6. 167p. Good read aloud. In the two years since her older brother's tragic death, twelve-year-old Lily has been mute, convincing everyone, including her father, that she is brain damaged. Lily's quiet existence is disrupted when a sneaky, shoplifting new girl, Tinny, realizes Lily can read ... and talk, too. The arrival of a dangerous Chicago criminal in search of Tinny and a large sum of money compels Lily to find her voice at last.
*Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks on Gardam Street. Knopf. Realistic fiction. Gr. 4-7. 308p. Good read aloud. In this pleasing sequel, the four Penderwick sisters try to foil their father's attempts at dating. Yet, true love always wins.
Bishop, Nic. Nic Bishop Frogs. Scholastic. Nonfiction (597.8). Gr. 4-5. 48p. Remarkable color photographs combine with informative text about the behaviors and different species of frogs. The author's notes provide a brief description of the work involved in his nature photography.
*Bryant, Jennifer. A River of Words: the Story of William Carlos Williams. Eerdmans. Biography. Gr. 4-8. 34p. William Carlos Williams became a doctor but managed to express a love of nature in his enduring poems. This short biography is simply told by Bryant and gorgeously illustrated by Melissa Sweet.
*Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. Scholastic. Science fiction. Gr. 7-8. 374p. Imagine a televised competition in which the contestants fight other players to the death. Add artificially controlled weather conditions, a scary political machine, a hint of romance, and you have this page-turning novel. Katniss, sixteen, is entered into her country's annual Hunger Games and must use her hunting and tracking skills, her wits, and her knowledge of human nature to stay alive.
*Connor, Leslie.Waiting for Normal. Katherine Tegen. Realistic fiction. Gr. 5-8. 290p. Good read aloud. Moving to a small trailer in a poor section of Schenectady, New York, Addie, an endearing sixth-grader, shows spunk, optimism, and resourcefulness when her irresponsible mother neglects her. Addie misses her beloved stepfather and young half-sisters who have moved upstate. Although she cultivates caring relationships with her unique neighbors, she yearns for a normal life.
Cowley, Joy. Chicken Feathers. Philomel. Humorous fiction. Gr. 4-5. 149p. Good read aloud. The summer that Josh is nine years old, the family's egg farm is threatened by a thieving fox. Josh's feisty pet chicken and best friend, Semolina, talks only to him and knows who is stealing the eggs. When Semolina disappears, leaving only bloody feathers behind, everyone rallies around Josh. Memorable characters and illustrations reminiscent of Robert McCloskey's make this a heartwarming story.
*Creech, Sharon. Hate that Cat. HarperCollins. Poetic Narrative. Gr. 4-6. 153p. Good read aloud. In the follow-up to Love that Dog, Jack, now in fifth grade, expresses through poetry his feelings of loss for his beloved dog and his dislike of a mean neighborhood cat. As the school year progresses and he longs for another animal to love, Jack is able to make room in his heart for a new pet ... a small black and white kitten.
*Duble, Kathleen Benner. Quest. McElderry. Historical/adventure fiction. Gr. 6-8. 240p. The ill-fated and dramatic final voyage of explorer Henry Hudson is skillfully told in alternating chapters by four different narrators: two of Hudson's sons (one aboard ship, one at home), a crew member, and a female spy. Hudson's obsession with finding the Northwest Passage eventually leads to the mutiny of the disenchanted, starving crew who send Hudson and his son John off in a small boat, never to be seen again.
Gardner, Sally. The Smallest Girl Ever; The Boy Who Could Fly. Dial. Fantasy. Gr. 4-5. 119, 92p. Good read aloud. Gardner has written charming back-to-back tales of two children who discover they have magical powers and are empowered by their talents to make important changes in their lives. Read one story, then flip the book over to read the other.
*Gibson, Sarah P. The Truth About Horses, Friends & My Life as a Coward. Marshall Cavendish. Humorous fiction. Gr. 4-6. 146p. Good read aloud. Sophie is terrified to ride the three difficult horses - Really (short for Really Mean), Sweetheart, and Fancy - her mother brings to their Maine island home. Sophie learns that by being brave, patient, and true to herself, she can successfully ride and have friends, too. This is not your typical, but instead a very funny horse story.
Giff, Patricia Reilly. Eleven. Wendy Lamb. Realistic fiction/mystery. Gr. 4-6. 164p. Sam finds an old newspaper clipping in the attic showing a picture of him as a small child. He does not know what the article says because he cannot read. With a new friend to help him, Sam tries to solve the mystery of his identity.
*Hale, Shannon & Dean Hale. Rapunzel's Revenge. Bloomsbury. Graphic novel (741.5). Gr. 4-8. 144p. After discovering that the woman she thought was her mother uses her magic to destroy the kingdom, Rapunzel joins up with Jack (think beanstalk) to rid the world of the evil sorceress. Using her braids as whips and lassoes, Rapunzel eventually triumphs and is reunited with her true mother. Yee haw!
*Herlong, Madaline. The Great Wide Sea. Viking. Adventure fiction. Gr. 5-8. 283p. Fifteen-year-old Ben is angered when, two months after his mother's tragic death, his father announces that Ben and his two younger brothers will be spending a year on a sailboat exploring the Bahamas. When their father falls overboard and goes missing, the boys attempt to find a safe haven during a violent storm, stranded with few supplies. Will they survive?
*Ibbotson, Eva. The Dragonfly Pool. Dutton. Adventure fiction. Gr. 5-7. 377p. The invented country of Bergania is the setting for much of this exciting story of World War II. Tally, age eleven, and her boarding school classmates travel there to participate in an international folk-dancing festival. Tally befriends Karil, the lonely crown prince of Bergania, and helps him escape to England after the Nazis assassinate his father.
*Korman, Gordon. Swindle. Scholastic. Adventure fiction. Gr. 4-6. 252p. Good read aloud. There is nothing like righteous indignation to make a sixth-grade boy's blood boil. Griffin Bing finds a Babe Ruth baseball card that is worth millions. When a local collectibles dealer tries to cheat him out his fortune, Griffin, known to his friends as "the man with the plan," concocts a detailed and harrowing scheme to steal back the card.
*Law, Ingrid. Savvy. Dial. Fantasy. Gr. 4-8. 342p. Good read aloud. Mibs Beaumont has been anxiously anticipating her thirteenth birthday, because that is when her "savvy," a supernatural ability passed on in her family, will be revealed. After her father is seriously hurt in a car accident, Mibs will do anything to get to the hospital, believing her "savvy" could save her father's life.
*Les Becquets, Diane. Season of Ice. Bloomsbury. Realistic fiction. Gr. 7-8. 281p. Seventeen-year-old Genesis competes in the sport of ice racing using her 1993 Mustang. When her father goes missing, Genesis must quit school and wait tables in order to help her family make ends meet. Amidst rumors that her father ran off with another woman, Genesis stops grieving and decides to race again. Set on Maine's Moosehead Lake, this is a harrowing novel of loss.
Mason, Adrienne, editor. Robots: From Everyday to Out of This World. Kids Can Press. Nonfiction (629.8). Gr. 4-6. 32p. With engaging short chapters, accessible language, and wonderful photographs, this well-organized volume covers the history of robots, robots at work, and the future of robots.
McBratney, Sam. One Voice, Please: Favorite Read-aloud Stories. Candlewick. Folklore (398.2). Gr. 4-6. 167p. Good read aloud. Over fifty short stories from around the world are gathered in this small volume. The parables, fables, and cautionary tales are each retold by the author in one to three pages.
*Murdock, Catherine Gilbert. Princess Ben. Houghton Mifflin. Fantasy. Gr. 6-8. 344p. Princess Benevolence's life changes in a single day when her mother and her uncle, the king of Montagne, are killed and her father disappears. The miserable, spoiled, and overweight princess must move into the castle to be tutored in the arts of royalty. Over time, the princess secretly practices magic and matures, using her new powers to save her country from invaders.
*Myers, Walter Dean. Game. Harper. Sports fiction. Gr. 7-8. 218p. Drew Lawson sees basketball as his ticket out of his Harlem neighborhood. Concentrating hard in order to play his best game ever for the scouts, Drew is hoping for a college scholarship and, maybe a spot in the pros. His chances are threatened when his coach puts two white players in the line up. Basketball fans will love the court action of this insightful look at the aspirations of an earnest young man.
*Myers, Walter Dean. Sunrise over Fallujah. Scholastic. Historical fiction. Gr. 7-8. 290p. Robin "Birdy" Perry of Harlem, frustrated by the events of 9/11 and wanting to do something for his country, joins the army during his senior year in high school. He is assigned to a Civil Affairs unit in 2003 and is sent to Iraq in the first deployment of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Robin's first person narrative and his letters home to his mother and uncle (Richie from Fallen Angels) vividly portray the everyday life of a soldier participating in a war that has no answers. For mature readers.
Napoli, Donna Jo. Mogo, the Third Warthog. Hyperion. Fantasy/adventure fiction. Gr. 4-6. 193p. Good read aloud. Mogo, the warthog, is the smallest of three brothers. When his mother has a new litter, Mogo and his brothers are forced out of the den to make their own way. In a nerve-tingling story of life on the dangerous African savanna, the three warthogs encounter all sorts of predators, but Mogo, luckier and smarter than his brothers, makes his way in the adult warthog world.
*Nuzum. K.A. The Leanin' Dog. HarperCollins. Realistic fiction. Gr. 4-6. 250p. Good read aloud. Since the death of her mother, eleven-year-old Dessa Dean has been unable to leave the small cabin she shares with her taciturn father. When an abused dog appears near the cabin, he and Dessa slowly forge a heartwarming friendship that allows them both to heal.
*Padian, Maria A. Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress. Knopf. Realistic fiction. Gr. 6-8. 276p. Eighth grader Brett McCarthy is a soccer jock addicted to improving her vocabulary. After a series of events that gets her suspended from school, Brett, with the support of her brainy friend, Michael, and her very cool grandmother, finds the courage and pluck to decide what really matters in her life.
*Pearson, Mary. The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Henry Holt. Science fiction. Gr. 7-8. 266p. Awakening from a coma eighteen months after a serious accident, seventeen-year-old Jenna has been hidden away by her parents in a cottage in California, far from her home. In a time when biotechnology has advanced but ethical issues remain, Jenna is frustrated as she searches for the truth about who and what she is.
Prelutsky, Jack. My Dog May Be a Genius: Poems. Greenwillow. Poetry (811). Gr. 4-5. 159p. Good read aloud. Prelutsky has written a rib-tickling collection of inventive poems guaranteed to make you chuckle, ably illustrated by James Stevenson.
*Prineas, Sarah. The Magic Thief. HarperCollins. Fantasy. Gr. 4-8. 419p. Young Conn, a street urchin, is in a race against time. He must help the wizard, Nevery, reveal and defeat the evil forces responsible for draining the magic from their city. Fans of fantasy and adventure stories will thoroughly enjoy this engaging story.
Riddell, Chris. Ottoline and the Yellow Cat. HarperCollins. Mystery. Gr. 4-5. 171p. Lapdogs are disappearing in the Big City, and Ottoline Brown and her silent sidekick, the hairy Norwegian, Mr. Munroe, are determined to solve the mystery. The story is illustrated with captivating pen and ink drawings with wonderful details.
*Schmidt, Gary D. Trouble. Clarion. Realistic fiction. Gr. 7-8. 297p. After his older brother is killed in a hit-and-run accident, Henry decides to honor his brother's dying wish to hike Mount Katahdin. As Henry heads toward Maine with his best friend and Black Dog, Henry picks up an additional traveler who further complicates the trip - the Cambodian refugee accused of hitting Henry's brother. Trouble has arrived.
Schulman, Janet. Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City. Knopf. Nonfiction (598.9). Gr. 4-5. 34p. Illustrated with gorgeous watercolor and pencil illustrations, Pale Male is the true tale of the fight to save a pair of red-tailed hawks who happened to build their nest on an apartment building on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. After a battle saves their nesting site, the area becomes a popular sight for tourists, New Yorkers, and bird watchers.
*Scieszka, Jon. Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka. Viking. Biography (92). Gr. 4-8. 106p. Good read aloud. Jon Scieszka shares laugh-out-loud stories of growing up with his five brothers during the 1950s.
*Spradlin, Michael P. Keeper of the Grail. Putnam. Adventure/historical fiction. Gr. 5-8. 248p. In a story of nonstop action and intrigue set in 1191 A.D., Tristan, an orphan raised by monks, becomes the page for an important Crusader who is traveling to the Middle East. When the Crusaders are under attack, Tristan is charged with smuggling the Holy Grail back to Britain. This is the first book in the Youngest Templar series and is "to be continued " in the second book, promised in fall 2009.
*Venkatraman, Padma. Climbing the Stairs. Putnam. Historical fiction. Gr. 7-8. 247p. Living in India amidst its fight for independence (circa 1941), Vidya's father is seriously injured during a protest march. With her father unable to support them, Vidya and her family must move into her grandfather's traditional home. Even under these circumstances, Vidya is unwilling to give up her dreams of an education and possible marriage.