Recommended Books

Kindergarten—The Magic Beans by: Margaret Hillert—This is an easy to read version of the story about Jack and the Beanstalk.

First Grade—Kate’s Giants by: Valiska Gregory—Kate is frightened that things like giants might sneak through the attic door into her room, until she learns that what she can think up she can think out to.

Second Grade—Junie B. Jones is a party animal by: Barbara Park—Lucille invites Junie B. and her friend, Grace to sleep over at her very rich nanna’s house, where everything is beautiful, expensive, and breakable.

Third Grade—I’ll meet you at the cucumbers by: Lilian Moore—Every week when the farmer’s truck, full of vegetables, went to the Farmer’s Market in the city, Junius Mouse went with it. But Adam Mouse did not.   “Are you afraid?” Junius asked.   Adam wondered about that. Was he afraid? It was true that everything Junius said about the city sounded rather alarming. Yet it was in the city that Amanda Mouse lived. And she was not frightening. She and Adam were pen friends. Adam wrote down his thoughts and sent them to her and she answered in lively notes Adam enjoyed. So when Amanda wanted to visit the city on her birthday, he felt he had to go. “I’ll meet you at the cucumbers,” Amanda said. The journey was more, much more, than Adam could have imagined. There were other farms to be seen along the way. There was the great bridge and the huge river that ran beneath it. And finally there was Amanda and the sights of the city and  the friends who gathered for the birthday party. In spite of the dangers—and they were there, just as Adam had thought—it was a great day. But the most amazing thing of all was what Adam out about himself. The thoughts he had been sending to Amanda were poems. He was a poet. And he had never known it.

Fourth Grade—Aldo Applesauce by: Johanna Hurwitz—When he and his family move to the suburbs, Aldo has difficulty finding new friends.

Fifth Grade—The Wump World by: Bill Peet—The Wump’s planet is taken over by the Pollutions, who drive the wumps underground.

Sixth Grade—Start Little by: E.B. White—Stuart is mouse size and has many adventures and problems related to his size and looks. Recent movie was based on this book.

Seventh Grade—Five Little Peppers by: Margaret Sidney—a classic that should still appeal to the youth of today.

Eighth Grade—My Darling, My Hamburger by: Paul Zindel—Four high school senior struggle with the responsibilities of growing up, particularly the problems of intimate relationships.

Each of these books are on the Accelerated Reader and do have a computer test for them.

         Recommended by: Nancy Grubb